A review by bookdragon217
White Horse by Erika T. Wurth

dark emotional informative mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

"Some things, Kari,...are gone forever. You do things, or people before you do things—even if they're forced to, and a line is drawn. A border, a boundary that cannot be crossed."

Thanks to @flatiron_books foe the gifted copy. White Horse by Erika T. Wurth was the  perfect way to kick off my November TBR. The genre be ding of this one captivated my attention the whole time. Wurth did an amazing job of toggling between thriller, horror, and supernatural elements without it ever feeling disjointed. Wurth is a natural storyteller and I was hanging on every word. 

I loved how Wurth used the concept of haunting as a metaphor for multiple different themes:
● unresolved trauma
● disconnected identity 
● grief and survivor's guilt
● generational curses
● addiction

I loved how Wurth told this story ripe with Indigenous history and tradition. Wurth uses the magic bracelet as a symbol to show that the spirit of our ancestors are in everything and how important it is to remember and honor our history and deal with the ghosts from our past. Wurth really highlighted the layered and complex family ties and the bonds that hold Indigenous communities together.

I appreciated how vibrant and atmospheric Wurth's writing was. She brought the sights and sounds of Denver to life. I loved the ode to bookworms, horror fans and 80s references throughout the story which made this story unique. I feel like The White Horse bar will forever be a memorable place. I've never read a horror story quite like this one. Wurth is a refreshing voice that I am excited to read more from. I will be screaming  this one's praises for a long time. Consider reading this one for @nativeladybookwarrior Skoden Readathon Challenge. I highly recommend this one if you're looking for a new kind of horror book. 


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