A review by bookmarkedbybecky
Sundial by Catriona Ward

challenging dark mysterious tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Special thanks to #NetGalley #MacMillan and #TorForge  for a #gifted electronic copy of #Sundial in exchange for an honest review. 

I loved The Last House On Needless Street.  But dare I say that I liked Sundial better?  Either way, @catward books have placed her into the auto-buy category for me!  

Told through a dual POV, Sundial weaves a mother’s cultish past through her daughter’s ominous present-day storyline. Both past and present timelines tell a riveting yet deeply disturbing and twisted story that seriously made my head explode at the end. A true WTF ending!  

A short story called “Arrowood” is interloped throughout the novel.  I know critics have said they could do without those chapters.  And I, too, couldn’t quite figure out if this story is Rob’s (the mother) therapy to unload her trauma or an obscure way of retelling her history.  I would love to hear Ward’s perspective on these chapters because I’m sure there’s a deeper meaning that I haven’t uncovered. 

As with most psychological thrillers, the less you know, the better.  However, I must add a trigger warning.  The story contains a significant amount of abuse - psychological, physical, and animal.  If you want to discuss the depths of this abuse, please DM me.  Otherwise, buckle up for a dark, creepy ride to a part of the Mojave Desert no one should see. These people are messed up!
 
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