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A review by screamdogreads
The Invocations by Krystal Sutherland
4.0
"The night is heavy when they begin to dig. Kerosene lamps burn softly around them, lighting the orchard where Emer's dead family sleeps. The sounds of the forest come to them, leave them on edge: the screaming of foxes, the rustle of wild things drawn near, curious about these strangers in their midst. The earth is soft as a bruised peach and parts easily beneath their hands. The mire is wet with blood. Each handful of removed mud leaves a pool of red in its wake."
Equal parts rather horrifying character study, and gritty, dark murder mystery tale packed with horror elements, The Invocations is a powerful and poignant tale of finding who you really are. A thick, cloying, oppressive, almost dirty atmosphere lingers around the pages of this novel, it feels so rich yet so heavy. There's a real brutality to this story, a savageness, something twisted and festering and foul that churns away at this book's very core. The Invocations is, distinctly, very clearly, a YA novel yet, it doesn't read too young, in fact it's actually pretty damn gruesome, still highly enjoyable for those of us who don't really read much YA. It's a highly engrossing, and beautifully written tale, Sutherland's story is one that won't be so easily forgotten.
The Invocations so masterfully explores the very nature of feeling unsafe, it plunges the horrors that are toxic families, and it shows us the true power of acceptance. Despite the honeyed overtones, it's an extremely gory and sickening little book. Part intense, almost feral murder mystery, part horror story, part witchy fantasy tale, this no holds barred, empowering wild ride is the perfect kind of book for the encroaching spooky season. It's so utterly steeped in luscious, thick, gothic charm, it's packed to it's very brim with grotesque, vile, unpleasant body horror scenes, it's an absolute treat, something monstrous, oozing with rot and dread, yet, something blissful and enrapturing too. There's something truly remarkable about The Invocations, it's at once harrowing and yet also strangely comforting.
Equal parts rather horrifying character study, and gritty, dark murder mystery tale packed with horror elements, The Invocations is a powerful and poignant tale of finding who you really are. A thick, cloying, oppressive, almost dirty atmosphere lingers around the pages of this novel, it feels so rich yet so heavy. There's a real brutality to this story, a savageness, something twisted and festering and foul that churns away at this book's very core. The Invocations is, distinctly, very clearly, a YA novel yet, it doesn't read too young, in fact it's actually pretty damn gruesome, still highly enjoyable for those of us who don't really read much YA. It's a highly engrossing, and beautifully written tale, Sutherland's story is one that won't be so easily forgotten.
The Invocations so masterfully explores the very nature of feeling unsafe, it plunges the horrors that are toxic families, and it shows us the true power of acceptance. Despite the honeyed overtones, it's an extremely gory and sickening little book. Part intense, almost feral murder mystery, part horror story, part witchy fantasy tale, this no holds barred, empowering wild ride is the perfect kind of book for the encroaching spooky season. It's so utterly steeped in luscious, thick, gothic charm, it's packed to it's very brim with grotesque, vile, unpleasant body horror scenes, it's an absolute treat, something monstrous, oozing with rot and dread, yet, something blissful and enrapturing too. There's something truly remarkable about The Invocations, it's at once harrowing and yet also strangely comforting.
"The undead creature finishes its meal and then realizes, when it touches the bolt, that the metal is searing hot. It hisses and rears back. It is trapped. It bucks in its cage. It froths at the mouth. It screams in foul, unknown languages. The fire licks at its feet. The scraps of clothing it is dressed in begin to melt on its body. Finally, it comes to stillness. It locks eyes with Zara. It is haunted and ghostly, its eyes wide. It is frightened. Zara knows then that some of Savana has survived inside it. That her sister is about to die again."
The Invocations is truly a vivid and vibrant experience despite what a dark, devoid of light, pit of despair it feels like. Make no mistake, it's utterly grim, and grapples with some rather disturbing topics yet it still felt like a joy to read. It really ticks all the boxes, there's highly interesting occult elements, fantastic character dynamics, violent, horrifying body horror too. It's a book that has a lot to say, and it demands to be heard. Despite being far from my usual read, as someone who doesn't pull towards YA fantasy horror novels, who doesn't typically explore tales of witches and magic, it was an absolutely delightful experience - a wonderful, fantastical blend of murder mystery and campy horror elements that felt so engrossing and enticing.
"There were three of them, in the beginning. They were monstrous things, their bodies stretched long and thin like sinew. Their skin was dull glass and clung to their bones like wet fabric. They walked on two legs but were just as comfortable loping on all fours like a predator. When you opened your sight to them, you also opened your other senses: smell, hearing. They stank of sulfur and sour rot. They called to each other like animals, the pitch going from low to high like Hyenas. They bickered and snapped at one another. They were grotesque. "