A review by aghoststory
Lute by Jennifer Thorne

emotional mysterious sad tense medium-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? Yes

3.0

There was a lot about LUTE I enjoyed. I loved how atmospheric and mysterious it was. The marketing promised The Wicker Man meets Final Destination (and because you’re probably already thinking it - yes there is a bit of Midsommar in here too) and I definitely agree with those. I felt that the background of a World World 3 really helped feed the unsettled and nervous energy around the characters. However, it ended up being the characters themselves I didn’t like the most. We read from Nina’s point-of-view and I found her repetitiveness on thinking she was disliked or being “Lady Treadway” grating along with her messy relationships I didn’t really care about.

There were somethings I wish were expanding upon like the supernatural element of the story. I found that way more interesting than what actually ended up happening in the conclusion.

I think LUTE wasn’t the folk horror I wanted to be but that’s ok.

If you’re looking for an atmospheric folk horror to get you in the mood for spring and summer LUTE might be the book for you!