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A review by justagirlwithabook
Sundial by Catriona Ward
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Long ago something happened in the desert, at Sundial, that has remained with Rob through the rest of her adult life. Now in the present, stuck in a cruel and miserable marriage, something odd has started happening with her daughters, and Sundial might be the only place to hold answers. Caught between old traumas of the past and the love of a mom for her daughters, Rob must retrace memories back to Sundial, her childhood home, and face truths that have rested untouched in the desert for far too long.
What I Loved:
- Catriona Ward has become one of my absolute favorite horror authors. She writes psychological horror unlike anyone else, and I love how she always leads the reader up to a moment when, all of a sudden, the twisted up storylines start unraveling and the bigger picture starts to come into full focus. When that left foot drops (in the best way), I just can’t ever stop reading, and this book didn’t leave me disappointed in that way.
- Of the stories I’ve read by Ward, she always incorporates multiple perspectives. Sometimes these are from the past and into the present, sometimes they’re from the point of view of animals, and sometimes they’re in a different format, like chapters in a book. Sundial also incorporates multiple perspectives, and it really helps to continue moving the plot forward and keeping the reader guessing what’s next, who’s telling the truth, and asking “What’s REALLY happening?”
What I Didn’t Love:
- The only aspect I had a little bit of a harder time with involved some scenes of animal death and just some general sort of tough situations involving animals. That said, it was all so purposeful and intentional in regard to the storyline, and there were some sweet moments as well.
Overall:
Overall, I feel like this is a “Catriona Ward has done it again” moment. When I initially read the description of the book to decide if I wanted to request it to read or not, I hesitated. It didn’t sound quite as pulse-racing as The Last House on Needless Street or as eerie and cultish as Little Eve; it felt like it’d be an entirely different story altogether. And it was, but it was just as good. Her stories all stand so unique from one another but all have a similar thread: you’re guaranteed to not know anything from the start, and you’re guaranteed some reveals toward the back half of the book that will have your mind constantly turning to put pieces together and to get to the truth of the story and what happened. If you enjoyed any of her most recent books, love psychological horror novels, enjoy multiple perspectives, and love a good reveal, definitely read this one next!!
Content Warnings:
Child neglect and abuse, domestic abuse, animal experimentation, animal death, miscarriage/loss of pregnancy
What I Loved:
- Catriona Ward has become one of my absolute favorite horror authors. She writes psychological horror unlike anyone else, and I love how she always leads the reader up to a moment when, all of a sudden, the twisted up storylines start unraveling and the bigger picture starts to come into full focus. When that left foot drops (in the best way), I just can’t ever stop reading, and this book didn’t leave me disappointed in that way.
- Of the stories I’ve read by Ward, she always incorporates multiple perspectives. Sometimes these are from the past and into the present, sometimes they’re from the point of view of animals, and sometimes they’re in a different format, like chapters in a book. Sundial also incorporates multiple perspectives, and it really helps to continue moving the plot forward and keeping the reader guessing what’s next, who’s telling the truth, and asking “What’s REALLY happening?”
What I Didn’t Love:
- The only aspect I had a little bit of a harder time with involved some scenes of animal death and just some general sort of tough situations involving animals. That said, it was all so purposeful and intentional in regard to the storyline, and there were some sweet moments as well.
Overall:
Overall, I feel like this is a “Catriona Ward has done it again” moment. When I initially read the description of the book to decide if I wanted to request it to read or not, I hesitated. It didn’t sound quite as pulse-racing as The Last House on Needless Street or as eerie and cultish as Little Eve; it felt like it’d be an entirely different story altogether. And it was, but it was just as good. Her stories all stand so unique from one another but all have a similar thread: you’re guaranteed to not know anything from the start, and you’re guaranteed some reveals toward the back half of the book that will have your mind constantly turning to put pieces together and to get to the truth of the story and what happened. If you enjoyed any of her most recent books, love psychological horror novels, enjoy multiple perspectives, and love a good reveal, definitely read this one next!!
Content Warnings:
Child neglect and abuse, domestic abuse, animal experimentation, animal death, miscarriage/loss of pregnancy