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A review by brennanlafaro
The Five Turns of the Wheel by Stephanie Ellis
4.0
This book, wow. I previously read Bottled by Stephanie Ellis earlier this year, and therefore expected this one to have a quiet, slow-burn element to it. There are certainly some slow-building parts, but be it a positive or negative for the reader, this is a very different story from Bottled.
It begins with a poem that lays out the lore of most of what you’re about to read, setting the tone beautifully. At its heart, this book is folk horror, telling the story of sacrifice and ritual committed in the name of otherworldly creatures. When we realize these creatures may not be content to remain in the background, we make the jump to dark fantasy. The execution is pulled off with a certain subtlety one might not expect given the subject matter. Ellis begins the book setting up a world that feels plausible. It’s where a lot of the horror comes from - the idea that people like this could be up to the events of the book miles from where you sit right now. As Ellis sprinkles in fantastical elements, we never lose that sense of reality. Rather she brings the horrors to us rather than taking us to them.
The structure of the book is one of its stronger suits. From the outset, from the title even, we understand the book will contain five events leading to the climax. Between each event, which are described in brutal and unflinching detail, we gain a deeper understanding of how Tommy, Fiddler, and Betty operate, as well as following the growing concern on the minds of our main characters. Ellis makes the motivations clear, allowing the reader a crystal-clear glimpse into the decisions being made. I didn’t find myself particularly attached to Liza or Megan, but I was able to sympathize with their circumstances.
I’ve mentioned this already, but if you’re on the fence about this book, the juxtaposition of folk horror with dark fantasy alone is worth the price of admission. I’m still reeling from some of the more graphic rituals put on display. They’re written in a manner that doesn’t allow the reader to look away and the first is unexpected. So much so that I had to rewind to the top of the page and try again. Make sure I got it straight. When it happens again, you’re still caught off-guard. For a deeply disturbing read, you can’t go wrong with The Five Turns of the Wheel.
I received a copy from the publisher for review consideration
It begins with a poem that lays out the lore of most of what you’re about to read, setting the tone beautifully. At its heart, this book is folk horror, telling the story of sacrifice and ritual committed in the name of otherworldly creatures. When we realize these creatures may not be content to remain in the background, we make the jump to dark fantasy. The execution is pulled off with a certain subtlety one might not expect given the subject matter. Ellis begins the book setting up a world that feels plausible. It’s where a lot of the horror comes from - the idea that people like this could be up to the events of the book miles from where you sit right now. As Ellis sprinkles in fantastical elements, we never lose that sense of reality. Rather she brings the horrors to us rather than taking us to them.
The structure of the book is one of its stronger suits. From the outset, from the title even, we understand the book will contain five events leading to the climax. Between each event, which are described in brutal and unflinching detail, we gain a deeper understanding of how Tommy, Fiddler, and Betty operate, as well as following the growing concern on the minds of our main characters. Ellis makes the motivations clear, allowing the reader a crystal-clear glimpse into the decisions being made. I didn’t find myself particularly attached to Liza or Megan, but I was able to sympathize with their circumstances.
I’ve mentioned this already, but if you’re on the fence about this book, the juxtaposition of folk horror with dark fantasy alone is worth the price of admission. I’m still reeling from some of the more graphic rituals put on display. They’re written in a manner that doesn’t allow the reader to look away and the first is unexpected. So much so that I had to rewind to the top of the page and try again. Make sure I got it straight. When it happens again, you’re still caught off-guard. For a deeply disturbing read, you can’t go wrong with The Five Turns of the Wheel.
I received a copy from the publisher for review consideration