A review by jupitervivienne
The Reddening by Adam L.G. Nevill

dark slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.5

As a fan of southern gothic, I’ve been wanting to explore folk horror since they feel like sister sub genres. This book was recommended a lot for the genre and, since I enjoyed the film adaptation of The Ritual, I was excited to read this. Unfortunately this wasn’t the right start of this genre for me. The beginning chapters, while quality-wise feeling like a first draft, captivated and horrified me with the initial introduction to the red people. The following chapter detailing the press conference about the cave discoveries also intrigued me and I was ready for more. The story doesn’t really go anywhere particularly interesting with this though, making the threat and horror of the situation fall flat. It also attempts to tie in a bunch of different elements to give a sense of the grand power of the cult, but ends up feeling too random and disconnected. I also felt disappointed by the writing of the two main women Kat and Helene, which again made something initially interesting fall flat.
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