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A review by katherineshawwrites
There Ought to be Shadows by Krissie Williams
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
3.0
This is an interesting southern gothic novella, and I personally found it to be a bit of a mixed bag. I loved the lore that was woven throughout, and really enjoyed getting to learn a mythology that was new to me. The other-worldly characters came to life on the page, and I especially liked Great-Grandmother. She was spicy but caring, and the bond between her and Marilyn was portrayed very well.
There were some really interesting familial relationships described throughout which felt very authentic, and I enjoyed exploring Marilyn’s connection to each character we met as the story progressed. I thought the shifting POVs worked very well, with the “villain”a scenes feeling particularly foreboding, which built up a good amount of tension as the story went on.
While I liked the story, I found the pacing to be a little jarring. It began at a slower pace, giving the reader time to feel the emotion at play and get invested in Marilyn and her story, but as the book went on it got faster and faster and started to feel rushed for me. Some big revelations take place that didn’t make the impact I thought they deserved, which is a shame. I wanted to feel Marilyn’s reactions and understand her motivations for her next actions better.
I assume this is going to be a series, as the book ends at what feels like the start of a new plot line. I would be interested to keep reading, so I could spend more time in Moonstone and delve deeper into the mythology of this world and its characters.
There were some really interesting familial relationships described throughout which felt very authentic, and I enjoyed exploring Marilyn’s connection to each character we met as the story progressed. I thought the shifting POVs worked very well, with the “villain”a scenes feeling particularly foreboding, which built up a good amount of tension as the story went on.
While I liked the story, I found the pacing to be a little jarring. It began at a slower pace, giving the reader time to feel the emotion at play and get invested in Marilyn and her story, but as the book went on it got faster and faster and started to feel rushed for me. Some big revelations take place that didn’t make the impact I thought they deserved, which is a shame. I wanted to feel Marilyn’s reactions and understand her motivations for her next actions better.
I assume this is going to be a series, as the book ends at what feels like the start of a new plot line. I would be interested to keep reading, so I could spend more time in Moonstone and delve deeper into the mythology of this world and its characters.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, and Murder
Minor: Death of parent