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A review by ahartfullofbooks
The Toll by Cherie Priest
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-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? Yes
4.0
I can see why some might find this book slow or boring because Cherie Priest does spend a lot of time on developing characters, setting the scene, and building the lore behind the mysterious creature haunting the swamp in the small southern town of Staywater. If you’re not into slow burn horror or gothic tales and are just looking for scares I wouldn’t recommend this one.
However, if you do enjoy those things in novels I would definitely recommend trying The Toll! I especially recommend the audiobook, the narrator does an amazing job and I know if I hadn’t been listening to this one I probably wouldn’t have loved it as much. Each character feels unique and the narrator has voices or each which really brings the story to life.
Titus and new wife Melanie are headed to the swamp for a camping trip/honeymoon when they cross a mysterious bridge and lose consciousness. Titus wakes up alone with his wife nowhere in sight and stumbles into town for help. From there the story takes on different perspectives and it becomes clear that there are many secrets in this small town, including witches, ghosts, and creatures alike, and the only ones with all the answers are the strange old ladies that no one messes with.
I really loved the different characters, the mystery, the lore, and of course the creature in this book. This is my third book by this author and they have a way of writing supernatural horror in such a realistic and unsettling way. Highly recommend The Toll and The Family Plot by this author!
However, if you do enjoy those things in novels I would definitely recommend trying The Toll! I especially recommend the audiobook, the narrator does an amazing job and I know if I hadn’t been listening to this one I probably wouldn’t have loved it as much. Each character feels unique and the narrator has voices or each which really brings the story to life.
Titus and new wife Melanie are headed to the swamp for a camping trip/honeymoon when they cross a mysterious bridge and lose consciousness. Titus wakes up alone with his wife nowhere in sight and stumbles into town for help. From there the story takes on different perspectives and it becomes clear that there are many secrets in this small town, including witches, ghosts, and creatures alike, and the only ones with all the answers are the strange old ladies that no one messes with.
I really loved the different characters, the mystery, the lore, and of course the creature in this book. This is my third book by this author and they have a way of writing supernatural horror in such a realistic and unsettling way. Highly recommend The Toll and The Family Plot by this author!