Scan barcode
A review by literaryweaponry
A History of Wild Places by Shea Ernshaw
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
“I've often wondered if power does this to a man: unravels him slowly over time, doubt itching beneath his flesh until it's all that's left.”
Shea Ernshaw quickly became one of my auto-buy authors after I fell in love with her YA novels, The Wicked Deep and Winterwood. Her writing style sucks me in and completely immerses the reader in whatever world she has crafted.
A History of Wild Places is no different.
When I opened Ernshaw's adult debut, I wasn't really sure what kind of story I would find. Her previous two books I'd read had elements of fantasy but, as far as I knew, this one did not. What it had was an underlying mystery, an unsettling little town that gave off strong The Village(2004) vibes, and the threat of something dangerous in the woods.
The atmosphere in this novel is top notch. Even when a character is going about a mundane task like stepping into the house out of the rain, there is still that slightly disquieted vibe running throughout the page. You know there is something horrible going on under the surface of the story, you can almost taste it, but it taunts you and you can't put the book down until you reach the climax and all the pieces start falling into place.
I loved this book and will continue picking up anything by Ernshaw. There is nothing quite as satisfying as being swept away in a good story and she does it so well.
Shea Ernshaw quickly became one of my auto-buy authors after I fell in love with her YA novels, The Wicked Deep and Winterwood. Her writing style sucks me in and completely immerses the reader in whatever world she has crafted.
A History of Wild Places is no different.
When I opened Ernshaw's adult debut, I wasn't really sure what kind of story I would find. Her previous two books I'd read had elements of fantasy but, as far as I knew, this one did not. What it had was an underlying mystery, an unsettling little town that gave off strong The Village(2004) vibes, and the threat of something dangerous in the woods.
The atmosphere in this novel is top notch. Even when a character is going about a mundane task like stepping into the house out of the rain, there is still that slightly disquieted vibe running throughout the page. You know there is something horrible going on under the surface of the story, you can almost taste it, but it taunts you and you can't put the book down until you reach the climax and all the pieces start falling into place.
I loved this book and will continue picking up anything by Ernshaw. There is nothing quite as satisfying as being swept away in a good story and she does it so well.