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A review by itswhatever_89_
Gallows Hill by Darcy Coates
dark
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Oh boy. Where to start. Following in the tradition of gothic style novels, this book both scared the crap out of me, and also made me tear up. I really enjoyed the pacing of this book. Nothing felt disjointed or out of place.
Margot is a believable and sympathetic main character. She reacts to all the horror in a way that feels very realistic. She’s scared, even paralyzed at times by everything that’s happening. She makes bad choices born out of sheer panic and boy does she pay for it. She also has so much heart and empathy when she finally gets her wits about her. The side characters are ok, Kant is for sure the most fleshed out. He’s written pretty well. I definitely grew fond of him. Oh and of course Marsh the golden retriever.
Some of the horror bits had me reading with safety squints on. One part in particular that takes place in the attic had my heart pounding. I had to set the book down and calm down before carrying on. The way Darcy Coates describes the house and the ever present heaviness and wrongness that fill it up are so well written. You can almost feel what the main character is feeling. (It’s terror btw)
The ending is so good. Like just so perfect for the book and everything we learn throughout. The way Margot handles things at the end is perfection. One of the things I love the most about horror is you can be absolutely terrified on one page, and tearing up the next. There are so many beautiful details in this book. You should definitely check it out.
Margot is a believable and sympathetic main character. She reacts to all the horror in a way that feels very realistic. She’s scared, even paralyzed at times by everything that’s happening. She makes bad choices born out of sheer panic and boy does she pay for it. She also has so much heart and empathy when she finally gets her wits about her. The side characters are ok, Kant is for sure the most fleshed out. He’s written pretty well. I definitely grew fond of him. Oh and of course Marsh the golden retriever.
Some of the horror bits had me reading with safety squints on. One part in particular that takes place in the attic had my heart pounding. I had to set the book down and calm down before carrying on. The way Darcy Coates describes the house and the ever present heaviness and wrongness that fill it up are so well written. You can almost feel what the main character is feeling. (It’s terror btw)
The ending is so good. Like just so perfect for the book and everything we learn throughout. The way Margot handles things at the end is perfection. One of the things I love the most about horror is you can be absolutely terrified on one page, and tearing up the next. There are so many beautiful details in this book. You should definitely check it out.