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We Ate the Dark
Four women investigating the haunting murder of their friend discover more than they ever imagined in a terrifying novel about good and evil, love and death, and the spaces between.
Five years after Sofia Lyon disappeared, her remains are found stuffed into the hollow of a tree bursting through the floorboards of an abandoned house in the woods. The women who loved her flock home to the North Carolina hills to face their grief.
Frankie, Sofia’s twin, is in furious mourning. Poppy is heartbroken. Cass has never felt more homesick. And Marya knows something the rest of them don’t. Determined to find Sofia’s murderer, they share more than a need to see justice done for their friend. Each woman is haunted, bound to the next by something both cruel and kind, and now stalked by a shadowy presence they’ve yet to understand. Only to question, and to fear.
As Sofia’s secrets unravel, so do those of the woods, and the women soon realize that Sofia might not be who they thought she was at all. And that whoever—or whatever—killed her is coming after them.
Five years after Sofia Lyon disappeared, her remains are found stuffed into the hollow of a tree bursting through the floorboards of an abandoned house in the woods. The women who loved her flock home to the North Carolina hills to face their grief.
Frankie, Sofia’s twin, is in furious mourning. Poppy is heartbroken. Cass has never felt more homesick. And Marya knows something the rest of them don’t. Determined to find Sofia’s murderer, they share more than a need to see justice done for their friend. Each woman is haunted, bound to the next by something both cruel and kind, and now stalked by a shadowy presence they’ve yet to understand. Only to question, and to fear.
As Sofia’s secrets unravel, so do those of the woods, and the women soon realize that Sofia might not be who they thought she was at all. And that whoever—or whatever—killed her is coming after them.
433 pages, Paperback
First published March 5, 2024
4709 people are currently reading
16942 people want to read
About the author
Mallory Pearson
2 books288 followersMallory Pearson is a writer and artist portraying themes of folklore, queer identity, loss, and the interaction of these elements with the southern United States. She studied painting and bookbinding, and she now spends her time translating visual art into prose. She is an avid fan of horror movies and elaborate stews cooked in big witchy pots. Her work has appeared in Electric Literature, Capsule Stories, and Haverthorn Press, among others. Mallory lives in Brooklyn, New York, with her dearest friends. For more information, visit her website.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 718 reviews
January 2, 2024
Tried really hard to like this book, but after 40% through, had to follow my instinct to DNF. Every sentence feels as though it was ran through a synonym generator. All the characters have a nickname from a name that doesn’t need to be nicknamed.
January 8, 2024
Well, I tried. I honestly did. What began as a wonderful glimpse into the work of a talented wordsmith, however, quickly devolved into an exercise that required more effort than it was worth. The writing became tedious—overdone, self indulgent and pretentious. At the 10% mark, I simply couldn’t read another word.
January 21, 2024
We Ate The Dark is a novel for anyone who has ever loved reading about strange, unknown worlds, haunted homes, and a group of friends knit together while young — inseparable, even by death.
Sofia has been missing for several years by the time that she’s discovered in the hallow of a tree. As they did in life, those who loved her flock to her once again. To grieve, yes, but also to figure out what happened.
The prose in this is exceptional. For the majority of the book, the writing leads us directly into the hearts of every person involved. We come to know everyone in the friend group intimately. It is only in the back half that the novel is propelled forward by plot. A gorgeous reflection on queer love and community (as well as a navigation of their hauntings, too).
If I’ve celebrated anything recently, it is this: the sapphic gothic novel of my dreams, truly.
Sofia has been missing for several years by the time that she’s discovered in the hallow of a tree. As they did in life, those who loved her flock to her once again. To grieve, yes, but also to figure out what happened.
The prose in this is exceptional. For the majority of the book, the writing leads us directly into the hearts of every person involved. We come to know everyone in the friend group intimately. It is only in the back half that the novel is propelled forward by plot. A gorgeous reflection on queer love and community (as well as a navigation of their hauntings, too).
If I’ve celebrated anything recently, it is this: the sapphic gothic novel of my dreams, truly.
January 7, 2024
More of a could not rather than a did not finish. There was too little story that had to be picked out from endless descriptions that had to be picked apart too. The characters were difficult to follow as were the timeline switches. Here are some lines to ponder:
“She exhaled smoke with a pang in her chest, a feeling of falling that reminded her of how much she craved a goddamn Coke.”
“She ashed her cigarette beside the first…”
“Trees that showed their bellies for oily rain.”
“She was warm, alive, cooked, alight.”
These readers said it better than me:
“Every sentence feels as though it was ran through a synonym generator.”
-Kayli, Goodreads
“Unfortunately, the narrative is completely buried by the overblown prose.”
-Nancy, Goodreads
“Over the top simile!”
-Judy, Goodreads
All true. Maybe there is a good story in there somewhere, but it wasn’t worth cutting through the weeds to find it.
“She exhaled smoke with a pang in her chest, a feeling of falling that reminded her of how much she craved a goddamn Coke.”
“She ashed her cigarette beside the first…”
“Trees that showed their bellies for oily rain.”
“She was warm, alive, cooked, alight.”
These readers said it better than me:
“Every sentence feels as though it was ran through a synonym generator.”
-Kayli, Goodreads
“Unfortunately, the narrative is completely buried by the overblown prose.”
-Nancy, Goodreads
“Over the top simile!”
-Judy, Goodreads
All true. Maybe there is a good story in there somewhere, but it wasn’t worth cutting through the weeds to find it.
January 11, 2024
This is a fascinating Lovecraftian folk horror story that is unique and has a complex plot. I would argue however, that this story is character-driven via an omniscient third person narrative, featuring a tight-knit group of women that love each other beyond the boundaries of friendship, and in some instances sapphic relationships develop. All this in combination just sets this book up to be exactly my type of read, and I was so ready to love this, maybe even gain a favourite book.
However, past the ~60% mark, it started feeling like a never-ending read. While the writing is undeniably lyrical, I went from genuinely appreciating it and being really immersed in the world to feeling like the author is a little too fond of her own writing and the story was taking too long to progress. The buildup of intrigue is impeccable to a point, but past that it felt like the intrigue overstayed its welcome as the plot stagnates and there was neither resolution, character development nor shocking twists. The twists that do end up happening in the last 10% fell flat for me, feeling like the payoff wasn't oomph enough for how much time and effort it took to push through to the end.
I really feel like maybe I read the book wrong because there are some raving reviews.
However, past the ~60% mark, it started feeling like a never-ending read. While the writing is undeniably lyrical, I went from genuinely appreciating it and being really immersed in the world to feeling like the author is a little too fond of her own writing and the story was taking too long to progress. The buildup of intrigue is impeccable to a point, but past that it felt like the intrigue overstayed its welcome as the plot stagnates and there was neither resolution, character development nor shocking twists. The twists that do end up happening in the last 10% fell flat for me, feeling like the payoff wasn't oomph enough for how much time and effort it took to push through to the end.
I really feel like maybe I read the book wrong because there are some raving reviews.
January 7, 2024
Marking as read even though I didn't finish it. Maybe it's just me but I find it very difficult to follow along in the story. The writing is very descriptive, you can definitely get a clear picture in your mind of what the writer wants you to imagine, but it's honestly too much.
January 17, 2024
I tried to like this book. Beneath all the over descriptive text and nonsensical purple prose there’s a decent mystery/horror/ghost story but I just couldn’t wade through the muck any longer.
February 29, 2024
in case i have not made it abundantly clear i'm going to spend my whole life yelling over mallory's books prepare to be so sick of me
mallory is many things. one of the loveliest souls i have the honour of calling a friend. an absolute firecracker. i wept when when she announced her book deal. literally shaking my phone screaming that’s my fucking friend.
i've enjoyed mallory’s words for a long time, consuming them in bits & pieces, falling in love with the books she loves. to have over 400 pages of her lyrical prose at my fingertips? a goddamn buffet. to finally hold her book in my hand? pride doesn’t even begin to cover it.
when sofia's remains are found stuffed into the hollow of a tree growing through an abandoned house, the women who love her—frankie, cass, poppy, & newcomer marya—flock home to uncover sofia's murderer. as they pry further, sofia’s secrets unravel & the women find themselves followed by something that threatens to eat & eat & eat & eat.
at the core of we ate the dark is a story about friendships: intense, messy, bizarre, & so deep it’s mixed up with the core of your being. there’s so much queer love & that nebulous space between friendship & something more, where you don’t know where one person ends & the other begins.
the grief & homesickness then, when an intertwined part is lost through death or distance. yet somehow, it remains. sofia’s dead from the very start, but you feel her presence in every page, a witchy girl spinning through the text. through the remaining women you relieve moments with sofia, the yearning, & the empty spaces.
there’s something so transformational about all-consuming friendships like theirs. a secret language confined within a group, a mass of hearts beating as one. if you know me, you know this is the only way i know how to love—throwing yourself in headfirst.
i don’t say this often but from the depths of my soul: i could eat mallory’s words for the rest of eternity & be wholly fulfilled. forever spent basking in the way her words chip away at your soul & leaves you vulnerable, then fills you back up like good wine. what an eerily beautiful haunt.
look out world. mallory's coming for you.
“there was a thrill in being the subject of a magical girl’s devotion.”
mallory is many things. one of the loveliest souls i have the honour of calling a friend. an absolute firecracker. i wept when when she announced her book deal. literally shaking my phone screaming that’s my fucking friend.
i've enjoyed mallory’s words for a long time, consuming them in bits & pieces, falling in love with the books she loves. to have over 400 pages of her lyrical prose at my fingertips? a goddamn buffet. to finally hold her book in my hand? pride doesn’t even begin to cover it.
when sofia's remains are found stuffed into the hollow of a tree growing through an abandoned house, the women who love her—frankie, cass, poppy, & newcomer marya—flock home to uncover sofia's murderer. as they pry further, sofia’s secrets unravel & the women find themselves followed by something that threatens to eat & eat & eat & eat.
at the core of we ate the dark is a story about friendships: intense, messy, bizarre, & so deep it’s mixed up with the core of your being. there’s so much queer love & that nebulous space between friendship & something more, where you don’t know where one person ends & the other begins.
the grief & homesickness then, when an intertwined part is lost through death or distance. yet somehow, it remains. sofia’s dead from the very start, but you feel her presence in every page, a witchy girl spinning through the text. through the remaining women you relieve moments with sofia, the yearning, & the empty spaces.
there’s something so transformational about all-consuming friendships like theirs. a secret language confined within a group, a mass of hearts beating as one. if you know me, you know this is the only way i know how to love—throwing yourself in headfirst.
i don’t say this often but from the depths of my soul: i could eat mallory’s words for the rest of eternity & be wholly fulfilled. forever spent basking in the way her words chip away at your soul & leaves you vulnerable, then fills you back up like good wine. what an eerily beautiful haunt.
look out world. mallory's coming for you.
January 18, 2024
big thank you to NetGalley, 47North, and to Mallory Pearson herself who shared the digital arc and audiobook arc with me!
thanks, mallory!
this creepy, magical, little book of queer love and appalachian-flavored spookiness comes out March 5, 2024 and i HEAVILY implore you to get your preorders in now.
i read the audiobook upon reread and i loved alaska jackson as a narrator. i found their voice immersive and a great foil to the content within the book.
here's my original review which, upon reread, i stand by 10000%. mallory is now an autobuy author for me.
--
sofia's dead and that information goes from a speculation to a certainty when her remains are found in the hollowed out tree growing through an old, abandoned house. the mystery surrounding her disappearance comes flooding back to friends frankie (sofia's sister), poppy, and cass; they immediately point their cars home to the north carolina mountains where they grew up together, loved each other, and ultimately chose to depart from each other after sofia's disappearance.
together, the three girls plus frankie's pottery shop employee marya, who's hiding secrets of her own, decide to uncover the secrets of sofia's murder together and avenge her death, too. sounds easy, right? sofia's recalcitrant boyfriend isn't talking, the own sheriff is making things hell on the girls, and the more they learn, the more they realize that sofia might have been mixed up in things they didn't understand. what's more, something's following them, something that promises to eat and eat and eat and eat.
fave, fave, fave. this writing is so visceral and atmospheric you can feel the sun on your face, the stickiness of sweat, the chill of a gentle breeze, and smell the honeysuckle, too. i'm north carolina-born and bred and appalachia adjacent and have read writing about where i'm from by people who imagine poverty and piggly wigglys, but mallory writes about the south like she knows what's up; i appreciate any writer that can adequately encapsulate how my home feels.
a LARGE chunk of this book is about queer love, the nebulous spaces between friends, the narrowness beyond friendship and somewhere near being in love. there are scenes in this book which are so tender and soft and sapphic that they made me want to hug myself.
obviously a huge chunk of this book is about grief and about fear. about friendship and when friends become family, about what it feels to lose someone you find yourself that entertwined with, either through death or distance. it really reminds you of how cruel the world can be, of the histories we create with people and how sometimes they go on to create new histories with other people.
this? this is the book of my heart, i think.
--
(side note: her recs/socials are absolutely elite as well.)
thanks, mallory!
this creepy, magical, little book of queer love and appalachian-flavored spookiness comes out March 5, 2024 and i HEAVILY implore you to get your preorders in now.
i read the audiobook upon reread and i loved alaska jackson as a narrator. i found their voice immersive and a great foil to the content within the book.
here's my original review which, upon reread, i stand by 10000%. mallory is now an autobuy author for me.
--
sofia's dead and that information goes from a speculation to a certainty when her remains are found in the hollowed out tree growing through an old, abandoned house. the mystery surrounding her disappearance comes flooding back to friends frankie (sofia's sister), poppy, and cass; they immediately point their cars home to the north carolina mountains where they grew up together, loved each other, and ultimately chose to depart from each other after sofia's disappearance.
together, the three girls plus frankie's pottery shop employee marya, who's hiding secrets of her own, decide to uncover the secrets of sofia's murder together and avenge her death, too. sounds easy, right? sofia's recalcitrant boyfriend isn't talking, the own sheriff is making things hell on the girls, and the more they learn, the more they realize that sofia might have been mixed up in things they didn't understand. what's more, something's following them, something that promises to eat and eat and eat and eat.
fave, fave, fave. this writing is so visceral and atmospheric you can feel the sun on your face, the stickiness of sweat, the chill of a gentle breeze, and smell the honeysuckle, too. i'm north carolina-born and bred and appalachia adjacent and have read writing about where i'm from by people who imagine poverty and piggly wigglys, but mallory writes about the south like she knows what's up; i appreciate any writer that can adequately encapsulate how my home feels.
a LARGE chunk of this book is about queer love, the nebulous spaces between friends, the narrowness beyond friendship and somewhere near being in love. there are scenes in this book which are so tender and soft and sapphic that they made me want to hug myself.
obviously a huge chunk of this book is about grief and about fear. about friendship and when friends become family, about what it feels to lose someone you find yourself that entertwined with, either through death or distance. it really reminds you of how cruel the world can be, of the histories we create with people and how sometimes they go on to create new histories with other people.
this? this is the book of my heart, i think.
--
(side note: her recs/socials are absolutely elite as well.)
May 16, 2024
“Pink for the bond we share, everlasting. White for a blank and purifying slate. Out with the old, in with the new.”
Four women come together to investigate the haunting murder of their friend, (Sofia). They are trying to find whoever or whatever killed her. Frankie, (Sofia’s twin), Cass, Poppy, and Marya are all connected through the need to find justice for their murdered friend. While they are investigating something is haunting them, a shadow presence that goes beyond anything they could ever imagine. Sofia’s secrets come to light, as well as something that goes thump in the night.
Mallory Pearson stunning debut novel is something any horror fan should pick up. The gorgeous detailing right down to the amazing characters. This book has it all. The ominous scenes like the roots of a tree, leading back to one source. As the book goes on you feel yourself grieving alongside the character in the lost of their friend, as well as their need to understand what truly happened to Sofia.
This book was my introduction to horror and it was one of the best introductions I could have gotten. The stunning words that flow through these pages, the way the characters come to life off the page. The ending of this book leaves you wanting more. This book is added to the list of books I’m going to recommend to everyone.
Four women come together to investigate the haunting murder of their friend, (Sofia). They are trying to find whoever or whatever killed her. Frankie, (Sofia’s twin), Cass, Poppy, and Marya are all connected through the need to find justice for their murdered friend. While they are investigating something is haunting them, a shadow presence that goes beyond anything they could ever imagine. Sofia’s secrets come to light, as well as something that goes thump in the night.
Mallory Pearson stunning debut novel is something any horror fan should pick up. The gorgeous detailing right down to the amazing characters. This book has it all. The ominous scenes like the roots of a tree, leading back to one source. As the book goes on you feel yourself grieving alongside the character in the lost of their friend, as well as their need to understand what truly happened to Sofia.
This book was my introduction to horror and it was one of the best introductions I could have gotten. The stunning words that flow through these pages, the way the characters come to life off the page. The ending of this book leaves you wanting more. This book is added to the list of books I’m going to recommend to everyone.
November 8, 2023
words cannot express how in love i am with this book!!
listen, i know i am technically biased, but if i had picked this book up randomly in a bookstore, it would’ve changed my life (it did).
this book is a love letter to friendship and family, found and made. the reason it took me so long to read it is because i didn’t want to see anything bad happen to any of them. i cried and laughed and annotated!!!! thank u to my sister mallory for writing of sisterhood and friendship and stories alike
listen, i know i am technically biased, but if i had picked this book up randomly in a bookstore, it would’ve changed my life (it did).
this book is a love letter to friendship and family, found and made. the reason it took me so long to read it is because i didn’t want to see anything bad happen to any of them. i cried and laughed and annotated!!!! thank u to my sister mallory for writing of sisterhood and friendship and stories alike
January 29, 2024
I’m sure there will be a lot of people who enjoy this story. Personally, I found it somewhat disjointed and rather confusing, so it was no joy for me to read this book. It just has too many themes and doesn’t handle any of them well. It’s about family and friends we consider family and who we decide to love. It’s also about death and witches and finding a mirror world ruled by Heilacte (a goddess I’d never heard of, but is evidently Hekate, the goddess of magic and witchcraft, among other things). I usually like stories like that, but in this book, there was nothing I could relate to. I didn’t like the writing at all. I thought it was too “frilly” for such a dark story. I also thought the characters were very shallow. The only ones I liked at all were Finder and Keeper. There are also two different worlds – the real world and the shadow world. I slogged through the first half and almost marked it DNF, but I persevered and kept reading. It got a bit interesting around the middle, but by then I already had to force myself to sit down and read it. So, like I said, I’m sure a lot of people will enjoy this. I just did not.
February 7, 2024
Pearson has written a beautiful, interwoven story full of promise and permeating love. It's obvious that Pearson has written her heart into 'We Ate the Dark,' and it pays off in the end as we witness a narrative persevering in the face of grief and trauma. The care with with Pearson has crafted this story of love and family and queerness as something that takes precedence over the horrors experienced by the main characters is seamless and breathtaking.
By the end, each character feels tangible and completely and utterly real. Frankie's grief haunts her chapters and colors all of her reactions, thoughts, and interactions; Marya's shame is intrinsic to understanding her character and by the end we, as readers, learn to live with it alongside her; Poppy and Cass' love for each other, their friends, and Sofia reaches through their chapters and grabs the reader by the throat, forcing us to reckon with each of their grief responses in turn as Poppy turns from rage to anger to exhaustion and Cass allows her loving nature to transform into desperation; Sofia's haunting follows both the main cast of characters but the reader as well, her presence is felt physically dripping off of the page forcing the reader to never forget her.
Pearson has achieved an impressive feat with this novel, refocusing what could have easily been a novel on queer trauma and the violences enacted upon queer women from young ages and placing the emphasis on community, magic, and the intrinsic adoration woven into queer female friendships. This novel will stay with me for a long time.
By the end, each character feels tangible and completely and utterly real. Frankie's grief haunts her chapters and colors all of her reactions, thoughts, and interactions; Marya's shame is intrinsic to understanding her character and by the end we, as readers, learn to live with it alongside her; Poppy and Cass' love for each other, their friends, and Sofia reaches through their chapters and grabs the reader by the throat, forcing us to reckon with each of their grief responses in turn as Poppy turns from rage to anger to exhaustion and Cass allows her loving nature to transform into desperation; Sofia's haunting follows both the main cast of characters but the reader as well, her presence is felt physically dripping off of the page forcing the reader to never forget her.
Pearson has achieved an impressive feat with this novel, refocusing what could have easily been a novel on queer trauma and the violences enacted upon queer women from young ages and placing the emphasis on community, magic, and the intrinsic adoration woven into queer female friendships. This novel will stay with me for a long time.
January 19, 2024
I hate that I DNF this book. The plot sounded so promising but in the end I couldn’t connect with the story.
January 6, 2024
A Slow Start and a Sizzling Terrifying Finish
This is a horror story about friendship... That may sound weird but during some mind bending, world warping event that you struggle to understand is when you need friends the most. And this story definitely tears the world we know and understand apart to enter The Fissure. The book is also a mystery in many ways, A quest to find a lost sister named Sophia. Where is she? What had happened to her that day long ago?
So when I started this book I found myself struggling with it a bit. The sentences were very long and full of colorful prose. I do love vivid descriptions as it brings the story to life but the writing style in the first third of the book went way beyond describing stuff.
There were also tons of characters all thrown at me at once. Plus most were female. Poppy. Cass. Frankie. Marya. Sophia. Oph. Fiona. They had complicated relationships with each other and I was trying to keep them all straight. Who was who? Who was related to who? Who had said what? Who had seen what? The plot in the early part of the story was more like a drama. It was like I had busted into this crowded house of all of these women who had known each other for ages and you are the outsider trying to keep them all straight. The prose and long sentences didn't help.
The first part of the story I felt was definitely dragging. I was also at this point thinking "this isn't horror".... well the horror came a bit later. And when it arrived it was quite explosive.
There were a few other things in here I found confusing while reading this too. In the other world - The Fissure where Finder and Mother Mab are (and for some reason I definitely preferred this part of the book as it was more simple and direct) - there was this character called The Ossifier. Now almost throughout the entire book I was confused about him. Was he human or was he something else? That may sound stupid but earlier in the story Mother Mab had let a bear into her house. So was The Ossifier the bear?? Or was he something or someone else?
The story picked up the pace and got way more interesting around the 40% mark. By the 50% mark I was quite hooked. By then a lot of it was making sense and it was clear what was going on... And that helps greatly.
As for the plot, as I said its a story about looking for a girl named Sophia who had vanished years ago. Her twin and their friends were at this creepy old house (where they didn't belong obviously - its an abandoned house) and they had a bonfire. And she ran into the woods and after that no one had seen her ever again. But Sophia had secrets. Big secrets. And her family into some weird, dangerous stuff. As in other worldly stuff. Basically she was messing with stuff one shouldn't be messing with. And now its coming back to bite people...
And you can know a person for years only to find out you don't actually know them at all.
Near the end there is definitely a huge climax scene with lots of gory action. Very ghastly. Then there is a long drawn out after climax where characters try to deal with what had happened. There are some great ideas and thoughts in here too. It would be very terrifying if what is described in here would be real. This book is definitely steeped in the supernatural and witches. Magic.
I believe I also spotted possible hints at a second book or at least where the story could continue.
I definitely enjoyed the second half of this. It is definitely worth reading if you can get past the first part. Oh and there were some shocking twists near the end too! They definitely caught me off guard.
I am unsure if I related with any of the characters. I definitely liked Finder the most. Her life in the Fissure is truly sad. I guess I can sort of understand Frankie's problem with feeling constantly overlooked. But I really didn't relate to any of the many girls in the normal world. Still this was a fun read, especially once I got past the halfway point.
This is a horror story about friendship... That may sound weird but during some mind bending, world warping event that you struggle to understand is when you need friends the most. And this story definitely tears the world we know and understand apart to enter The Fissure. The book is also a mystery in many ways, A quest to find a lost sister named Sophia. Where is she? What had happened to her that day long ago?
So when I started this book I found myself struggling with it a bit. The sentences were very long and full of colorful prose. I do love vivid descriptions as it brings the story to life but the writing style in the first third of the book went way beyond describing stuff.
There were also tons of characters all thrown at me at once. Plus most were female. Poppy. Cass. Frankie. Marya. Sophia. Oph. Fiona. They had complicated relationships with each other and I was trying to keep them all straight. Who was who? Who was related to who? Who had said what? Who had seen what? The plot in the early part of the story was more like a drama. It was like I had busted into this crowded house of all of these women who had known each other for ages and you are the outsider trying to keep them all straight. The prose and long sentences didn't help.
The first part of the story I felt was definitely dragging. I was also at this point thinking "this isn't horror".... well the horror came a bit later. And when it arrived it was quite explosive.
There were a few other things in here I found confusing while reading this too. In the other world - The Fissure where Finder and Mother Mab are (and for some reason I definitely preferred this part of the book as it was more simple and direct) - there was this character called The Ossifier. Now almost throughout the entire book I was confused about him. Was he human or was he something else? That may sound stupid but earlier in the story Mother Mab had let a bear into her house. So was The Ossifier the bear?? Or was he something or someone else?
The story picked up the pace and got way more interesting around the 40% mark. By the 50% mark I was quite hooked. By then a lot of it was making sense and it was clear what was going on... And that helps greatly.
As for the plot, as I said its a story about looking for a girl named Sophia who had vanished years ago. Her twin and their friends were at this creepy old house (where they didn't belong obviously - its an abandoned house) and they had a bonfire. And she ran into the woods and after that no one had seen her ever again. But Sophia had secrets. Big secrets. And her family into some weird, dangerous stuff. As in other worldly stuff. Basically she was messing with stuff one shouldn't be messing with. And now its coming back to bite people...
And you can know a person for years only to find out you don't actually know them at all.
Near the end there is definitely a huge climax scene with lots of gory action. Very ghastly. Then there is a long drawn out after climax where characters try to deal with what had happened. There are some great ideas and thoughts in here too. It would be very terrifying if what is described in here would be real. This book is definitely steeped in the supernatural and witches. Magic.
I believe I also spotted possible hints at a second book or at least where the story could continue.
I definitely enjoyed the second half of this. It is definitely worth reading if you can get past the first part. Oh and there were some shocking twists near the end too! They definitely caught me off guard.
I am unsure if I related with any of the characters. I definitely liked Finder the most. Her life in the Fissure is truly sad. I guess I can sort of understand Frankie's problem with feeling constantly overlooked. But I really didn't relate to any of the many girls in the normal world. Still this was a fun read, especially once I got past the halfway point.
Read
January 20, 2024I found the details and synonyms to be so distracting I couldn't focus on the story. DNF.
April 25, 2024
5 stars.
I apologize in advance for an aggressively passionate review.
The people slandering this book are actually gonna make me homicidal.
“The descriptions are pretentious and too much” in what fucking world? Have you ever read a book before? The descriptions are beautiful and quite literally any author who’s a good writer will have similar descriptions. They’re rlly not that crazy idk why u guys r making it so dramatic. And also not knowing what the plot is/where it’s going and ur not even that far in??? Like uhhhh some books the point is the plot will build… the plot becomes extremely clear, but ig u wouldn’t know that because u dnfed. These one star reviews are just rlly getting on my nerves because this books rating has been sunk for dumb reasons. This is my favorite horror I’ve read in a LONG time.
It’s artful as shit and an amazing queer found family experience. The main characters were written amazingly I loved them all (apart from Sofia she fr screwed everyone over) and I thought they all had unique characteristics and interesting personalities.
My favorite part of this book is the worldbuilding though. I rarely find a horror book that’s this extensive with its world. It’s so fucking interesting. The mirror magic, the fissure, the god. I absolutely love this world and I hope she writes another book in it if there won’t be a second in this series.
I absolutely loved Marya and her magic was so fun to read. Her romantic tension with Frankie was so good too. I loved them together.
All in all, this book is genuinely amazing and I absolutely loved it. I highly recommend it and if you’re a reader who was interested in reading this that’s now just seen all the bad reviews—don’t fucking listen. Give this book a chance it deserves it. I almost let those affect my reading experience when I read them right before I started it, but quickly I realized they were wrong. This horror was extremely well written and plotted and has some of the most relatable characters I’ve read in a while. I also loved the author’s note. The friendships she created in this story were lovely and so amazingly queer. Haunted queer girlhood at its finest.
Thank you sm Netgalley for giving me the chance to read this book!
I apologize in advance for an aggressively passionate review.
The people slandering this book are actually gonna make me homicidal.
“The descriptions are pretentious and too much” in what fucking world? Have you ever read a book before? The descriptions are beautiful and quite literally any author who’s a good writer will have similar descriptions. They’re rlly not that crazy idk why u guys r making it so dramatic. And also not knowing what the plot is/where it’s going and ur not even that far in??? Like uhhhh some books the point is the plot will build… the plot becomes extremely clear, but ig u wouldn’t know that because u dnfed. These one star reviews are just rlly getting on my nerves because this books rating has been sunk for dumb reasons. This is my favorite horror I’ve read in a LONG time.
It’s artful as shit and an amazing queer found family experience. The main characters were written amazingly I loved them all (apart from Sofia she fr screwed everyone over) and I thought they all had unique characteristics and interesting personalities.
My favorite part of this book is the worldbuilding though. I rarely find a horror book that’s this extensive with its world. It’s so fucking interesting. The mirror magic, the fissure, the god. I absolutely love this world and I hope she writes another book in it if there won’t be a second in this series.
I absolutely loved Marya and her magic was so fun to read. Her romantic tension with Frankie was so good too. I loved them together.
All in all, this book is genuinely amazing and I absolutely loved it. I highly recommend it and if you’re a reader who was interested in reading this that’s now just seen all the bad reviews—don’t fucking listen. Give this book a chance it deserves it. I almost let those affect my reading experience when I read them right before I started it, but quickly I realized they were wrong. This horror was extremely well written and plotted and has some of the most relatable characters I’ve read in a while. I also loved the author’s note. The friendships she created in this story were lovely and so amazingly queer. Haunted queer girlhood at its finest.
Thank you sm Netgalley for giving me the chance to read this book!
October 14, 2023
I was able to read this eARC thanks to the author directly and i immensely thank her for the opportunity to read it early and thusly my opinion is freely given.
sapphic? Southern Gothic?? folklore horror????
sign me the f up.
I absolutely loved this book. I got a bit confused sometimes trying to keep up with the multiple narratives and who was who but really, it wasn't that bad. I enjoyed the big bad of the book and the way it tapers off at the end I can definitely see a second book on the horizon and I will definitely be there first in line for that book as well.
the characters are believable and charming, but also aggravating in their flaws which just makes them more loveable imo.
sapphic? Southern Gothic?? folklore horror????
sign me the f up.
I absolutely loved this book. I got a bit confused sometimes trying to keep up with the multiple narratives and who was who but really, it wasn't that bad. I enjoyed the big bad of the book and the way it tapers off at the end I can definitely see a second book on the horizon and I will definitely be there first in line for that book as well.
the characters are believable and charming, but also aggravating in their flaws which just makes them more loveable imo.
March 19, 2024
I wish I could give negative stars! I expected a murder mystery with a paranormal twist. I got disjointed word vomit that made me question how this book got published. A total waste of every second I spent trying to read this!!!
January 16, 2024
The fact that Mallory Pearson's debut novel "We Ate the Dark" is currently #1 in Occult Horror on Amazon likely gives you a good idea of what to expect from this slow-building read that spirals into something you don't quite expect early in the novel.
"We Ate the Dark" centers around four women investigating the haunting murder of their friend. Five years after Sofia disappeared, her remains are found stuffed into the hollow of a tree bursting through the floorboards of an isolated house in the woods. It's a grisly end to a smalltown mystery.
Frankie is Sofia's twin, an underlying anger now becoming a rage-filled grief. Poppy is devastated by the loss and even more once Sofia's body is found. Cass continues to grieve home and Marya? Well, Marya has a knowledge the rest don't.
"We Ate the Dark" is written with a flourish that vividly creates the setting of the world in which we are placed. It's a world that becomes increasingly dark and powerful and presents a presence our four women won't fully understand. Sofia, it would appear, wasn't who she appeared to be and this quartet may be finding this out a little too late.
"We Ate the Dark" is a difficult book. In some ways, it's a very different book toward its end than it is in its beginning. Those who DNF early on, which I entirely understand, simply aren't getting the fullness of the book's experience. Does that mean they'd end up with a different opinion toward the end? Perhaps not. Truthfully, even as the closing pages were winding down I found myself only partly satisfied by Pearson's engaging but occasionally muddled narrative that will keep many of us, myself included, from ever connecting to the people in this story.
"We Ate the Dark" is the kind of novel I typically like, however, despite a fairly lengthy 438 pages I felt like I never really had enough to hold on to. There's no question I resonated more with the book's second half, a spiraling ball of southern gothic-tinged horror that weaves a tapestry of themes including friendship, the ghosts that haunt us, and the past that won't let us go.
"We Ate the Dark" is decent enough. I don't regret spending my time with it. It just never quite becomes the book I'd hoped it would be. However, it's a promising debut for Pearson and I no doubt will hope the book finds its audience and I'll look forward to her next effort.
"We Ate the Dark" centers around four women investigating the haunting murder of their friend. Five years after Sofia disappeared, her remains are found stuffed into the hollow of a tree bursting through the floorboards of an isolated house in the woods. It's a grisly end to a smalltown mystery.
Frankie is Sofia's twin, an underlying anger now becoming a rage-filled grief. Poppy is devastated by the loss and even more once Sofia's body is found. Cass continues to grieve home and Marya? Well, Marya has a knowledge the rest don't.
"We Ate the Dark" is written with a flourish that vividly creates the setting of the world in which we are placed. It's a world that becomes increasingly dark and powerful and presents a presence our four women won't fully understand. Sofia, it would appear, wasn't who she appeared to be and this quartet may be finding this out a little too late.
"We Ate the Dark" is a difficult book. In some ways, it's a very different book toward its end than it is in its beginning. Those who DNF early on, which I entirely understand, simply aren't getting the fullness of the book's experience. Does that mean they'd end up with a different opinion toward the end? Perhaps not. Truthfully, even as the closing pages were winding down I found myself only partly satisfied by Pearson's engaging but occasionally muddled narrative that will keep many of us, myself included, from ever connecting to the people in this story.
"We Ate the Dark" is the kind of novel I typically like, however, despite a fairly lengthy 438 pages I felt like I never really had enough to hold on to. There's no question I resonated more with the book's second half, a spiraling ball of southern gothic-tinged horror that weaves a tapestry of themes including friendship, the ghosts that haunt us, and the past that won't let us go.
"We Ate the Dark" is decent enough. I don't regret spending my time with it. It just never quite becomes the book I'd hoped it would be. However, it's a promising debut for Pearson and I no doubt will hope the book finds its audience and I'll look forward to her next effort.
January 3, 2024
3 ★ thank you to netgalley, 47north, and the author for providing me with an arc in exchange for an honest review.
i never thought of using the words, “right book, wrong timing,” to describe a book until we ate the dark. i believe this book hit me at the wrong time, which is unfortunate, as i'm sure i would have enjoyed it a lot more if i wasn't in a reading slump.
we ate the dark had one of the most intriguing premises i've come across in a long time. a literary horror featuring sapphic representation found family and a haunted house seemed like the recipe for a fantastic read. however, i found myself struggling to get into the story and ultimately dnfed it halfway through.
of the large cast of characters, frankie resonated with me the most. she stood out to me because she is the twin sister of sofia, the girl who is missing/presumed dead. as a twin myself, i empathized with her struggles and her pain for her missing sibling. pearson did an excellent job of conveying the emotional bond between the sisters, and i appreciate her for highlighting this bond because i can never get enough of sisterhood in fiction. as for the other characters, there was potential but i couldn't really connect with them. i found the multiple povs confusing and, at times, hard to differentiate between all of them.
that being said, i must give credit where it's due: mallory pearson is an exceptional writer. her writing is amazing, and I found myself constantly pausing to savor it. i'm very picky when it comes to found family, and person does it quite well. in some ways the found family in this novel reminded me of my favorite book series, the raven cycle.
despite dnfing we ate the dark, i am confident that it will find its audience when it releases. if you love spooky and sapphic reads, the last tale of the flower bride, or starling house, i think you'll love this.
i never thought of using the words, “right book, wrong timing,” to describe a book until we ate the dark. i believe this book hit me at the wrong time, which is unfortunate, as i'm sure i would have enjoyed it a lot more if i wasn't in a reading slump.
we ate the dark had one of the most intriguing premises i've come across in a long time. a literary horror featuring sapphic representation found family and a haunted house seemed like the recipe for a fantastic read. however, i found myself struggling to get into the story and ultimately dnfed it halfway through.
of the large cast of characters, frankie resonated with me the most. she stood out to me because she is the twin sister of sofia, the girl who is missing/presumed dead. as a twin myself, i empathized with her struggles and her pain for her missing sibling. pearson did an excellent job of conveying the emotional bond between the sisters, and i appreciate her for highlighting this bond because i can never get enough of sisterhood in fiction. as for the other characters, there was potential but i couldn't really connect with them. i found the multiple povs confusing and, at times, hard to differentiate between all of them.
that being said, i must give credit where it's due: mallory pearson is an exceptional writer. her writing is amazing, and I found myself constantly pausing to savor it. i'm very picky when it comes to found family, and person does it quite well. in some ways the found family in this novel reminded me of my favorite book series, the raven cycle.
despite dnfing we ate the dark, i am confident that it will find its audience when it releases. if you love spooky and sapphic reads, the last tale of the flower bride, or starling house, i think you'll love this.
February 2, 2024
February 2024
Kindle edition
Amazon first reads Jan pick
Witches and demons. It was open ended that it felt like a first book. It was HFN for some characters and cliffhanger for others. Strong on the F/F, with love triangles, blurred lines etc. The friendships feel like something more from the start. Not sure about Frankie, Poppy was screwed as the love interest, Cass was on the sidelines and yet her thing with Lucas felt like there was something there. Finder and Keeper were interesting. Marya was the best character. Always prefer the one that can see ghosts.
This one was grieving, non-believing despite the family legacy, realm hopping, scheming, stalking and some really confusing feelings for everyone. The whole Lucas thing felt like a waste. Descriptive horror with demon summoning and possession. Interesting, strange and didn't feel complete.
Kindle edition
Amazon first reads Jan pick
Witches and demons. It was open ended that it felt like a first book. It was HFN for some characters and cliffhanger for others. Strong on the F/F, with love triangles, blurred lines etc. The friendships feel like something more from the start. Not sure about Frankie, Poppy was screwed as the love interest, Cass was on the sidelines and yet her thing with Lucas felt like there was something there. Finder and Keeper were interesting. Marya was the best character. Always prefer the one that can see ghosts.
This one was grieving, non-believing despite the family legacy, realm hopping, scheming, stalking and some really confusing feelings for everyone. The whole Lucas thing felt like a waste. Descriptive horror with demon summoning and possession. Interesting, strange and didn't feel complete.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 29, 2023
*My copy of this ARC was gifted by the author. Aside from wanting to keep up my netgalley rating, I was under no pressure or obligation to read or review it ahead of its release.
We Ate the Dark is a masterclass in atmosphere. This book covers a lot of thematic ground — female friendships, the dark side of magic/witchery/power, growing up and away from the people you love, death and loss, jealousy and guilty, etc — and does so through meticulous setting and character work. The town of Loring sparkled with description, and I felt like I could practically taste each winding road and bend in the river and sticky vinyl seat at a diner.
Perhaps my favorite thing about this book was the ways it navigated the idea that you can often find yourself disliking someone you love. Many of us do have this seemingly unbreakable bond with people we met when we were young, and the ways that bond can be tested teach us a lot about what it's like to love and be in relationship to another person. The lines between lover and friend and family member blur into a really beautiful tapestry dedicated to telling us about love! How cool is that.
This book is marketed as sapphic literary horror, and delivers on all counts. I'm a weenie so the horror felt like the perfect amount for me: unsettling and creepy and a little gorey but very much within what I felt like I could handle. The lyrical language and descriptions also offered a bit of distance from the grotesque, which I appreciated. The messy sapphic relationships also slapped, and I think every character felt deeply deeply grounded in what it's like to be a queer woman in the world. I felt really seen as a lesbian in this story! That always means a lot to me as a reader and it's no surprise that Pearson nailed the execution.
My other favorite thing (and I think an important note for potential readers!) is about the ending. I'm not going into any specific details so don't worry about plot spoilers, but skip the following if you want to go in totally blind.
I could say so much more but I think I am going to leave it here for now and share more gushing on my booktok account. For now just know that I loved this story and cannot wait for it to come out and find its readership!
We Ate the Dark is a masterclass in atmosphere. This book covers a lot of thematic ground — female friendships, the dark side of magic/witchery/power, growing up and away from the people you love, death and loss, jealousy and guilty, etc — and does so through meticulous setting and character work. The town of Loring sparkled with description, and I felt like I could practically taste each winding road and bend in the river and sticky vinyl seat at a diner.
Perhaps my favorite thing about this book was the ways it navigated the idea that you can often find yourself disliking someone you love. Many of us do have this seemingly unbreakable bond with people we met when we were young, and the ways that bond can be tested teach us a lot about what it's like to love and be in relationship to another person. The lines between lover and friend and family member blur into a really beautiful tapestry dedicated to telling us about love! How cool is that.
This book is marketed as sapphic literary horror, and delivers on all counts. I'm a weenie so the horror felt like the perfect amount for me: unsettling and creepy and a little gorey but very much within what I felt like I could handle. The lyrical language and descriptions also offered a bit of distance from the grotesque, which I appreciated. The messy sapphic relationships also slapped, and I think every character felt deeply deeply grounded in what it's like to be a queer woman in the world. I felt really seen as a lesbian in this story! That always means a lot to me as a reader and it's no surprise that Pearson nailed the execution.
My other favorite thing (and I think an important note for potential readers!) is about the ending. I'm not going into any specific details so don't worry about plot spoilers, but skip the following if you want to go in totally blind.
I could say so much more but I think I am going to leave it here for now and share more gushing on my booktok account. For now just know that I loved this story and cannot wait for it to come out and find its readership!
February 15, 2024
Getting to read a book early is always a gift, and man was this one a great gift. We Ate The Dark is Mallory Pearson’s debut novel, which is honestly hard to believe. I know everyone is saying it, but the writing is really on another level. The poetic language paired with the tragic plot makes for such a haunting story. This tale of ghosts and magic and love is driven by such deep and heartbreaking characters. Only a fraction of the way into the book you’ll find them bleeding all over the pages.
We Ate The dark is about loss and the way it haunts every part of you. Our characters are on the hunt for something that can right the wrong of losing one of their own, but can anything really fix that? The closeness shared by Frankie, Cass, Poppy, Sophia, and Marya both pulls them together and threatens to tear them apart. It begs the question, can they survive this? Can the touches and the understanding and the ‘I will wash your hair when you are drowning in your own grief’ type of love save them? That’s what you need to find out.
The story is filled with magic that brings both beautiful warmth and shattering cold. Magic is their savior, magic is their demise. Magic binds them together and rips them apart.
Pearson gives us a story based around a house that acts as a living creature and that act of being makes the haunting possible. Because all beings are haunted in some way, and sometimes you’re ready to crumble like a derelict house and other times you’re filled with ghosts and no way to exorcise the spirits filling your chest.
This is such a human story. Pearson wants you to connect. She wants to share this grief and love with you, and she succeeds in such a beautiful way. If stories about grief manifesting as ghosts and hauntings interest you the way they do me, this really is the book for you.
We Ate The dark is about loss and the way it haunts every part of you. Our characters are on the hunt for something that can right the wrong of losing one of their own, but can anything really fix that? The closeness shared by Frankie, Cass, Poppy, Sophia, and Marya both pulls them together and threatens to tear them apart. It begs the question, can they survive this? Can the touches and the understanding and the ‘I will wash your hair when you are drowning in your own grief’ type of love save them? That’s what you need to find out.
The story is filled with magic that brings both beautiful warmth and shattering cold. Magic is their savior, magic is their demise. Magic binds them together and rips them apart.
Pearson gives us a story based around a house that acts as a living creature and that act of being makes the haunting possible. Because all beings are haunted in some way, and sometimes you’re ready to crumble like a derelict house and other times you’re filled with ghosts and no way to exorcise the spirits filling your chest.
This is such a human story. Pearson wants you to connect. She wants to share this grief and love with you, and she succeeds in such a beautiful way. If stories about grief manifesting as ghosts and hauntings interest you the way they do me, this really is the book for you.
January 12, 2024
This book was phenomenal! It has a slow start, but once things start rolling, it’s nearly impossible to put down. I am absolutely enthralled with the world(s) created in this novel, and will read this book again - and hope there’s more to come from this author!
January 14, 2024
I *think* the author wanted the main premise to be friends who are family. There are so many sub plots that don't tie together easily. There were a lot of good ideas, that should not have been mixed in the jumble like they were. So I am basically guessing what the author wanted the over riding plot to be.
The author also tried way too hard to be descriptive. I finished the book HOPING for a resolution. But, I skipped entire pages because I was bored with the excessive unnecessary descriptions. Made reading feel like a chore at certain points.
I feel there was no real resolution to a number of subplots. I almost feel like she wants this to be a series with the way it ended. But, if that's the case this book should have been split into multiple books. Flushing out the sub plots in order to tie them together better.
I doubt I read anything by this author again.
The author also tried way too hard to be descriptive. I finished the book HOPING for a resolution. But, I skipped entire pages because I was bored with the excessive unnecessary descriptions. Made reading feel like a chore at certain points.
I feel there was no real resolution to a number of subplots. I almost feel like she wants this to be a series with the way it ended. But, if that's the case this book should have been split into multiple books. Flushing out the sub plots in order to tie them together better.
I doubt I read anything by this author again.
July 1, 2024
This. Book. My God. I don't even know where to start. The characters were so real. Their struggles and their love for one another was so real. I loved every second of my experience reading this book. The mystery at the center of the novel was just a piece of what made it so special.
Also, Amazon did such a disservice to this book by making it free to read with Prime. Obviously the audience of this book would be a niche corner of the fantasy/horror reading community, and the people who read and reviewed it early through Amazon are interested in books much different from We Ate The Dark. If you think you will like this book, I encourage you to seek it out via your library - or read the sample on Amazon! - and pay no mind to the low ratings on here and on Amazon!
Also, Amazon did such a disservice to this book by making it free to read with Prime. Obviously the audience of this book would be a niche corner of the fantasy/horror reading community, and the people who read and reviewed it early through Amazon are interested in books much different from We Ate The Dark. If you think you will like this book, I encourage you to seek it out via your library - or read the sample on Amazon! - and pay no mind to the low ratings on here and on Amazon!
January 4, 2024
⭐️⭐️⭐️
Okkkkkk well.
A. Amazon First Reads - so I’m glad it was free.
B. I did REALLY enjoy the writing.
However, it was harddd to get into. So. Many. Characters. And so many nicknames that didn’t need to be there.
I would have liked more suspense coming from a Ghostie novel, way more about friendship and our own personal ghosts than there was thriller 🤷🏼♀️
Characters were written in depth, but I didn’t really find any that I overly enjoyed over another.
All in all - a decent read, but I don’t think it’s a run right out and pre-order.. however if you’re an Amazon Primer like me - snag it for free most definitely!
Book 2
Okkkkkk well.
A. Amazon First Reads - so I’m glad it was free.
B. I did REALLY enjoy the writing.
However, it was harddd to get into. So. Many. Characters. And so many nicknames that didn’t need to be there.
I would have liked more suspense coming from a Ghostie novel, way more about friendship and our own personal ghosts than there was thriller 🤷🏼♀️
Characters were written in depth, but I didn’t really find any that I overly enjoyed over another.
All in all - a decent read, but I don’t think it’s a run right out and pre-order.. however if you’re an Amazon Primer like me - snag it for free most definitely!
Book 2
March 31, 2024
DNF 26%. I put this down over a month ago and have dreaded picking it back up because of the pretentious prose. Even a tragic sapphic love story isn't enough to overcome the writing.
February 8, 2024
I have a daughter and I pray she may outlive me.
3.5 stars. A haunting fever dream of a book. And I mean that in a good way! It operates mostly on vibes, and it talks about friendship and queer love and desire and yearning in a way that makes me want to eat the prose. We're following four young women investigating the disappearance/death of one of their friends, five years after the fact. Sofia's body was found in an abandoned house in the woods, which is the nexus of a lot of the plot, and the horror.
I see this being shelved a lot as a mystery, and I don't know if I would agree with that? I think if I'd been expecting a mystery, I'd have been disappointed. Their haphazard kind of investigation isn't really foregrounded. Instead, we explore the relationships and friendships between these women, reunited by their grief and anger and desire for justice. They all knew and understood Sofia in different ways, and it's really interesting to see those different sides of the dead girl: from Frankie, her twin; from Cass, her friend; from Poppy, more than just friends; and Marya... I absolutely loved Marya's part in the story, that burden she bore while desperately wanting to help. And this did what I always want stories about grief to do: make me relive and experience moments with the deceased, so much so that it still feels like they're part of the narrative. The memories with Sofia were really deftly interwoven. There's also an otherworldly aspect and a character that I wasn't expecting, but ended up really enjoying. And I really loved that sense of community and deep bonds that transcended friendship (but wasn't always romantic) between the girls. Something about all that sapphic rage and desire filled me up.
Frankie’s hand was warm in her own, winching her from the deep pit of her shame. There could be nothing wrong about this, the sure grasp of a beautiful girl.
And it's a beautifully written book, through and through. I will say, there are some parts I think could have benefitting from a little pruning, a little more simplicity in the writing. Some sentences ran on for so long it began to feel a little breathless, or a certain image would be described too much. But still, it was overall so good. So many phrases or ways of expressing an emotion that caught me off guard with how perfect and intimately suited to the characters it was. Some of my favourite passages were about Poppy remembering Sofia (the yearning!!), or Frankie ruminating on their relationship as sisters. In Frankie’s traitorous memory, the empty space her sister took up blinked open and caught her watching. I love that. It's the type of horror that gets a little weird, a little body-horror-y, and not everything is explained, but it's not actually too scary. Perfect for me.
Some spoilery thoughts:
Listened to the audiobook as read by Alaska Jackson, and I did enjoy it, though it's not my favourite performance from her. It sometimes felt like the meaning of a sentence had escaped the narrator, and me as a result. But I still really liked it. This was such a good debut; really unique and lovely. I would sometimes feel really hooked on the writing, and sometimes I'd be floundering. Nothing about the writing was purposefully confusing, but it did sometimes feel like the book was indifferent to whether I understood it or not. And that'll either work for you, or it won't. Really glad to have read this, and I'll definitely read from the author again!
Content warnings:
There was a thrill in being the subject of a magical girl’s devotion.
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