My Swordhand is Singing

My Swordhand is Singing #1

by Marcus Sedgwick

WHEN TOMAS AND HIS SON, Peter, settle in Chust as woodcutters, Tomas digs a channel of fast-flowing waters around their hut, so they have their own little island kingdom. Peter doesn't understand why his father has done this, nor why his father carries a long, battered box, whose mysterious contents he is forbidden to know.

But Tomas is a man with a past: a past that is tracking him with deadly intent, and when the dead of Chust begin to rise from their graves, both father and son must face a soulless enemy and a terrifying destiny.


From the Hardcover edition.

Genres: Horror, Young Adult, Fantasy, Vampires, Fiction, Historical Fiction, Paranormal

224 pages, Hardcover

First published July 25, 2006

About the author

Marcus Sedgwickwas a British writer and illustrator. He authored several young adult and children's books and picture books, a work of nonfiction and several novels for adults, and illustrated a collection of myths and a book of folk tales for adults.

Reviews

[Tessa Nadir · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pe scurt: Miorita + Dracula = Love.
Pe larg, asa cum reiese inca din prima propozitie, avem de-a face cu o poveste care incorporeaza balada Mioritei noastre impreuna cu legendele clasice despre vampiri.
Autorul este de asemenea ilustrator si muzician in timpul liber, fiind tobosar intr-o trupa rock.
Romanul de fata se adreseaza tinerilor, facand parte din genul young-adult si la noi a aparut in colectia Nemira Junior.
In ceea ce priveste actiunea, avem de-a face cu o poveste gotica avandu-i in prim plan pe Toma si pe fiul sau Petru, care in mijlocul iernii se stabilesc in satul Ciust. Ei locuiesc la marginea acestuia, intr-o cabana de langa padure si sunt taietori de lemne. Satenii insa sunt foarte superstitiosi si prefera sa-i tina la distanta, mai ales ca un coleg de-al lor, Radu, a fost gasit spanzurat intr-un copac cu un tarus infipt in inima. La inmormantarea acestuia se canta balada Miorita dupa datini. De altfel, pe tot parcursul romanului gasim inserate strofe din Miorita, ca un laitmotiv al cartii ce apare in fiecare moment cheie al naratiunii. Petru observa ca acesta e asezat cu fata in jos in sicriu si ca satenii se comporta ciudat in preajma sa.
Dupa un timp in sat se zvoneste ca vaduva lui Radu e vizitata noapte de noapte de catre sotul ei mort si ca este din ce in ce mai bolnava si slabita, fiind foarte palida la fata. Aceste zvonuri sunt intarite de convingerea ca Regina Umbrei trebuie sa soseasca si ca va pune stapanire pe sat. Petru insa, desi naiv si speriat, are totusi o arma cu care sa se apere: sabia magica a tatalui sau.

Cartea este inserata cu tot felul de ilustratii si desene alb-negru care presupun ca apartin autorului. Mie insa mi s-au parut destul de puerile, constand in principal in "copaci ca niste bete" si o gasca sfrijita care apare de mai multe ori. Doar uitandu-te la ea stii sigur ca o sa fiarba greu si o sa fie tare in farfurie. Copacii par a fi transportati din "Blair Witch Project" - adica nu spun si nu ascund nimic. :)



Cat despre superstitiile despre care se vorbeste in carte putem aminti de masurile de siguranta pe care le iau satenii impotriva strigoilor in ajunul Sf. Andrei, nunta mortului - cand acesta este "insurat" cu o tanara necasatorita care apoi trebuie sa devina vaduva lui 40 de zile, Regina Umbrei - o figurina din paie care este arsa cu scopul de a tine departe spiritele rele, sau credinta in venirea Regelui Iarna.
Mi-a placut mult motivatia autorului de la sfarsit in care ne releva de unde s-a inspirat si documentat pentru aceasta carte si ca, in pofida trendului din literatura pentru vampirii moderni, lui ii plac cei clasici. Pot sa fiu aici de acord cu el si mie placandu-mi cei consacrati, fara six pack si depresii adolescentine. :)

[Vanessa J. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Edit (July 28, 2015): For the people expecting a vampire slaughter, I am sorry to disappoint you, but there is none (they kill vampires, but there are no bloodbaths). This book focuses more on the characters and other stuff than just the vampires. I mean, there are vampires, and they're the ones who basically move the plot, but I am guessing Sedgwick's intentions were not to write a book merely for the entertainment of his audience. I still enjoyed this a lot (and I hope this ETA didn't make you lose interest on the book).

...

3.5 out of 5 stars

Remember the days when vampires were evil, non-sparkly creatures? Do you miss those days? If your answer to the last question is yes, then this book is for you.

Whenever I read a vampire book, I am suspicious. Modern vampire books tend to romanticize them - to portray vampires as gentle creatures. I hate those versions of vampires. I love them bloodthirsty, evil and soulless. My Swordhand is Singing is a book with that kind of vampires.

Tomas and his son Peter are two woodcutters. They arrive at the town of Chust, but they're not exactly welcome. There, deaths start to happen and there are rumours telling the dead are coming back from the grave. Peter and his father seem oblivious to these tales, but when the girl Peter kind of had a crush with disappears and a mysterious gypsy girl saves him from a life-threatening situation (that actually involves one of the nosferatu), they start to fear and realise the horror of what they must face.

I cannot say this is the creepiest book I've read in my life, but I admit it gave me many chills up my spine. The atmosphere and the writing were factors that contributed to it: Both were dark and gothic.

While I've liked more other books by Marcus Sedgwick, this one was powerful too. It manages to grip you from page 1 and it does not let you go until the very end, and when you get there, the message has already got you and it will haunt you.

This book, even when it may not appeal all YA readers, is easier to grasp and might be more enjoyable for the masses than, say, Revolver or the other ones I read before. This is not to say that this has less quality than the other ones - what I mean is that in this one there's more action and "entertainment" factors.

After 5 books by Marcus Sedgwick, he still has not disappointed me. I guess that's a good sign and I really hope it stays that way.

[TK421 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have become a bit cynical lately concerning the vampire story. To me, is has been overflated, becoming a punchline to a really bad joke. MY SWORDHAND IS SINGING added little to the pantheon of vampire stories, but it did leave this reader feeling as Mr. Sedwick was going somewhere with this world of his. Granted, the ending did little to affirm that he stands alone as King of Vampire Mountain. But, the way he told his story impacted me. Sure cliches abound. But what he does with the cliches impressed me. His desolate, 17th century world is lush with descriptive images, characters that seem to matter, and a story arch that shows planning. I credit authors that take the time to do the basics in writing. Now I'm no YA scholar, but, it seems to me, that this novel could get young readers imitating what writing should be, not what is so impossibly adored with that sparkly vampire novel. Unfortuantely, even with all I've said, Mr. Sedgwick didn't impress me enough to want to read the continuance of this story. Perhaps, I am too harsh on YA novels.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED (for the vampire fan...and aspiring YA novelists)

[Mir · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story of evil in a bewintered peasant village harkens back to traditional vampire lore, stripping away modern accretions of sexiness and glamor. Its strongest aspect, however, is not the supernatural element but the effective depiction of early modern life: fragile and bleak, fraught with danger, and controlled by peer pressure and folk practices.

[Cher 'N Books · Rating 1 out of 5]

1.5 stars - I didn't like it.

This was bad. So very bad. I read it for the plot. The ending made me sad, because it was bad. You grow less smart from the book. Don’t stop here. Run. Run to the next book you see. There are no quotes on this site for this book. Can you guess why? Look, friend, look. Here you can see:

“We’ve found one,” Sofia said. “Are you-?” “I’m all right,” Sofia said. “Hurry. We have to try.” She got to her feet. “Come on!” It was so hard. What they were doing was so hard, and the ferocity of the snowstorm only made it harder.

“Come. Come away.” She pulled Peter’s hands, dragging him deeper into the wood, and he knew she was right. He shook himself. “This way,” he said. “I’ve got Sultan with me.” They ran.

Now he knew who it was. The Gypsy girl, the singer. “You ride very badly!” she said, pointing a finger right at him. “Me?”

But it was nostalgic as it evoked memories of books I read in Kindergarten, so there's that.



-------------------------------------------
First Sentence: There is a land beyond the forests.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

So this was super interesting in comparison to his other books that I've read (MIDWINTERBLOOD and THE GHOSTS OF HEAVEN). Both of those were interconnected stories, making up one whole novel. This was one novel, which was quite short, and in fact almost too short and simple.

It is, however, an excellent vampire story, based on the old, pre-Bram Stoker's DRACULA legends, and set in Romania at least two hundred years ago. It was simple, and elegant, and I adored it. But it was so un-Marcus-Sedgwicky to me that I can't help but wonder what would have happened if he'd told the story backwards, or in weird little interconnected parts.

I wish that I had read this back when I was working on SILVER IN THE BLOOD. I read a lot of vampire and historical fiction that added to my "mood," and this would have been perfect!

[Michael Fierce]

This is a much MUCH better cover than the available English editions!



Who wants a book with some guys face all half-cropped with his eyeball all shoved at you!? I'll wait to see if they eventually make an English edition with the cover above!

[Ryan (Empire of Books) · Rating 5 out of 5]

First off, I can’t believe I haven’t read this, and after the epicness of it all, I feel even worse! My Swordhand Is Singing is a true vampire novel. None of your Twilight-ish vamp falls in love with a human theme here. Oh no. This is the stuff of true vampire legend! Taking you right back to 17th century Eastern Europe where the legends of the vampire were first born and bred.

This is a truly good book. It’s addictive, a quality that all good books need. It’s gripping. Full of suspense. And twists and turns. It follows Peter. The son of a woodcutter who just also happens to be a drunk. They now live in a village called Chust, after living a nomadic lifestyle, never being welcome wherever they choose to stay. And then things in Chust take a dark and sinister turn. Things begin to happen that can’t be explained. Deaths. The slaughter of animals. Bodies drained of blood. But Tomas seems to know something about it, and hides a deep secret.

I have to say that I love the way the vampires feed in My Swordhand Is Singing. I’m not going to spell it out, as you need to read this book, and you’ll find out doing so. But it’s very different to the ways in todays literature. And they are called hostages, rather than vampires. To illiterate the idea that they really are the living dead, a hostage in their own body, rising from the grave to feed. Something I love about this book, is that it really has stayed true to these Eastern European legends. The hostages are devoid of any humanity. They are cruel and hell bent on only one thing. Blood. No love. No compassion. The true monsters they were before todays generation gave them the ability to love. These hostages are far more effective. How can you really be scared of a vampire that can love you just as much as they love drinking your blood?

There is a little bit of romance in this book, but it isn’t in a Twilight way as I previously mentioned. No hostage/human loving. And it isn’t even an important theme. More of a sub-plot.

The setting is perfect. It fits the dark tones of the book perfectly. The forest bordering the village is described in beautiful detail and used brilliantly to create suspense. Let’s face it, no one likes to be out in the middle of the forest in the middle of the night at any time, let alone when hostages are roaming...

Marcus Sedgwick’s writing is perfect. Fluid. Captivating. I am really glad I read this book. Really glad. I cannot recommend it enough.

Bravo Mr. Sedgwick. Cannot wait to read more!

[Michael · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review from Badelynge
Marcus Sedgewick takes us to a cold lonely place in the 17th Century in this YA style short horror novel. The dead haunt the snow covered forests of Transylvania. An isolated village hides from the dark and what lurks at the shadow's edge, painting their windows with tar and and trusting that evil will not cross their defences. Sedgewick draws on the vampire folklore of the region to deliver a horror story that predates the more romanticised trappings of the last century. A woodcutter and his son live a solitary life on the edges of the dark woods, barely tolerated by the nearby village and running from a bloody past. It's all very well set up by Sedgewick, maintaining a quiet menace by the alchemy of dark woods mixed with snowy isolation. The characterisation though is pretty insipid. The cast are the smooth edged archetypes of fairy tales. It made it hard for this reader to make any sort of connection with them. The vampires are quietly chilling though, devious in their imitation of the people they once were and jealously hateful of the living. They're more recognisably zombie to modern readers or even Deadite to film goers.

[Mathew · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the fourth Sedgwick that I have read and must admit to taking a shine, not only to his style of writing, but also the eye with which he sees the world. Sedgwick's `Swordhand' is a real triumph in portraying a time when people were still greatly affected by folklore and dark whisperings in the world that surrounded them. Much like `The Dark Horse', Sedgwick has encompassed a land where, in terms of knowledge and understanding, people are still in their infancy and the Europe is still vastly untamed.
The book's dark and brooding pace suits the story's mood. Written in third person, the tale oversees the life of Peter whose secretive father hides a tragic past and whose distant and offhanded demeanour makes growing up in the cold wild of 17th century Romania difficult. After moving from place to place we find father and son beginning to settle on the fringes of the village of Chust. Here, Peter tries to forge relationships with the guarded locals, but all is not as it seems as the nights are plagued by vampires. Peter finds himself not only entangled a web of deceit within the village but also in the grip of his father's past which will not leave them alone.
Although aimed at the younger teens, I have found `My Swordhand is Singing' fits 10+ in age as long as the reader is prepared to be scared and is competent. The landscape and characters are so well crafted and the storyline so deeply sown into the world painted by Sedgwick that this is a book you shouldn't miss. I was particularly taken by Tomas (Peter's father), who is handled with great mysteriousness and who plays well opposite Sofia, a gypsy girl whom Peter befriends. With no end of scary moments and gripping episodes, the book ends in a climax that leaves the reader wanting more. This is a vampire story that deals more with their origins rather than the typical soft-brush that they tend to be painted with these days.

[Sue · Rating 2 out of 5]

This YA book about the undead was an ok short read. No blood or guts if that's what you're looking for. The cover was deceiving.

[Chad · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this 17th century, Eastern European vampire tale.

For me the story evoked the feeling of Peter and the Wolf, a classic that I first came to adore as a wee lad. The ending - rather the fact that I had reached the end of the book - was bittersweet. I enjoyed the experience of reading Segwick's tale so much that when there were no more words to consume, I felt a bit empty, as if I'd experienced a loss. That's the hallmark of a good book, at least for me. The push-pull of loving the story but not wanting to admit the final chapter has been closed.

It isn't relevant to this review, but I did purchase the book at a shop in Port Angeles, Washington. A fact I believe bears some elaboration. The shop as well as the entire town are still riding the Twilight Saga's wave. To wit, this quaint little shop was adorned in all things Twilight, from life-sized cardboard cutouts of the various characters to t-shirts and other teen-vampire baubles. When I found the copy of My Swordhand is Singing, as I often will do, using my phone, I checked some of the reader reviews on Amazon. The review that pushed me into the purchase said something to this effect: If you're tired of sparkling vampires and want to return to the roots the vampire myths and legends, pick up a copy of Marcus Segwick's book. I wasn't particularly tired of twinkling teen vamps but I believe I knew what the reviewer was getting at and I am ever so glad I heeded the advice.

[Puck · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5 stars. This book already deserves all the stars for presenting vampires as the terrifying, dangerous, non-seductive monsters that they are.

The story immediately starts off right: a gruesome murder, a man being buried with spikes in his casket, and with cattle mysteriously dying, the small Russian village knows what’s up. So does Peter’s father, but he is drunk most of the time, wanting to forget his dark past.
Yet when Peter discovers the truth about his father’s forbidden box, the dead rise from their graves – looking for a sword.

The atmosphere of a barren Russian winter and the troubled father-son relationship were the highlights of this novel. It’s a short one – just underneath 200 pages – but Sedgewick manages to bring together a well build-up plot, a constant feeling of danger, and some truly blood-thirsty vampires.
But where 12-year-old me would have loved this, 25-year-old me would’ve liked the story to be longer: the dialogue now felt quick and clunky, and the ending was rushed.

Therefore, 3,5 stars, but I look forward to read more from Sedgewick in the future.

[apple · Rating 3 out of 5]

May I invite you to take a quick look at the nicely-designed creepy cover art and the cool title. Then turn the book over and read the blurb about father and son who live in the woods… everyday the father digs a channel around their hut without telling his son why and he also keeps a mysterious old box whose contents the son is forbidden to know. Sounds dark and scary? well, turns out it's a YA book. I was expecting good old horror goriness but instead I got coming-of-age and cute illustrations. Not that I’m complaining though..one scene was quite so pea soup-regurgitating, long haired lady-crawling-out-of-tv, I-see-dead-people kind of scary, it made up for other boring bits in the book.

It’s about time vampire hunters got their own sexy tagline à la “This is Sparta!!” -- I suggest “My swordhand is singing!” (time it when you’re just about to strike down the sword) or “Strigoi, My sword sings of silver!” for the theatrically-inclined

And YA books are now using big words like “cantankerously”… what ever happened to “glitter” and “dazzle” and “volvo”?

[Carole · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fantastically scary supernatural and historical thriller that will have teen readers on the edge of their seats! It takes the various vampire folklore from around Eastern Europe in particular and merges them into a story that feels very real. Some strong characters and plenty of action, this is a vampire novel that is nothing like Twilight. Read it if you dare!

[Ellie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Real rating: 3.75 stars
A great quick read... Very well-written and I really enjoyed it!

[Lysh · Rating 2 out of 5]

I accidentally read the sequel to “My Swordhand Is Singing” by Marcus Sedgwick back in 2015. Having thoroughly enjoyed it at the time, I decided to purchase the first installment as well.

It is important to note that at the time I read this sequel I had not read a book in 3 years, apart from those required for university. As such, my taste was rather lacking and my ability to critically review a novel was underdeveloped. At this point, I’m unsure whether I’d still enjoy the sequel given my extensive reading since then.

I found this book slow. The characters were dull and the plot was predictable. The author’s writing style was more middle grade and less adult, which is not the standard I’d expect for a gothic novel. With that being said, I enjoyed learning about the mythology and starting point of vampires. The tone of the novel was beautiful and I think I would enjoy more from the gothic genre *if* it were written with more depth and adventure. The characters need to be fleshed out and the speech between them needs to be seriously upgraded beyond the level of a 9 year old.

This was an unexpected outcome for this novel, but I’m glad to finally be able to say that I’ve read it, and I can sell the duo to someone who may enjoy them more.

Recommended for 13-18 years
Rating: 2.5/5 stars
2018: 2/40 books

[Rainy Rose · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like this book. There's not a single "vampire" word in this book but somehow I know the story is about them. The plot was carefully written and somehow the ending made me feel a little bit melancholic.

[finn✮⋆⭒˚.⋆ (mostly inactive) · Rating 3 out of 5]

also very odd

[Stef Rozitis · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am glad I read this book because it was pretty far out of my comfort zone. I don't usually read horror, but when I do I like it to be imbued with place and history and well written and this was that. It's a book about a tiny secluded village, a couple of misfits who live on the outskirts of it (geographically and metaphorically) and a sudden plague of undead that try to overrun the village. The actual vampire/zombie invasion is very gradually and carefully plotted with just enough detail given of each event to give a little thrill of fear.

I had a couple of issues with the logic of the plot, one was the interpretation of the Miorita (a song) and how interpreting it was a sudden turning point. I felt the interpretation as stated made little sense, it was one of those feel-good modern convenient cliche explanations and there needed to be a more dark and complex level to it (as it stood it was just nonsense and also once they'd used that in a predictable way then they went back to acting as if it didn't exist).

I didn't like how androcentric the book was, and the way the female characters were used in the plot (a couple of them were used essentially to show that Peter was heterosexual, rather than being well-rounded and complex like Peter and Tomas and the rest were all either stupid or evil). You get a feeling that the gypsies are all male apart from Sofia, the few times one come out of the solid mass of "them" it is always a male. The book certainly does not pass the Bechdel test and the character of Agnes is treated badly. While some of her misfortune at the hands of the writer is understandable in being necessary for plot, Peter also fails to emotionally engage with her or her very rational and understandable distress (I mean she has to kiss an undead at one point FFS but he dismisses how unpleasant she thinks that was because she has served his purpose).

Although reference is made to Sofia's courage, it is really only Peter and Tomas who get to be the heroes of the book- this is even more evident in the epilogue/short-sequel Bloodbeard at the back of the book where Sofia becomes nothing more than a traditional damsel in distress. In addition the reference to her "virginity" at one point, while possibly intended as a link to folklore was an irritating detail (especially given that several chapters before she had been cast in the dubiously motivated temptress/distraction role....really Sedgewick? you want two stereotypes for the price of one?)

I acknowledge that this is not a genre I often read or know much about and even though at times I found the plot very predictable, I think it could be a spooky sort of a book if I was a bit younger. Reading it in the cold of winter helped set the scene. If you like books about undead trying to take over secluded little villagers then I am absolutely convinced you could do a lot worse. For my part, I will try this genre again when someone writes a more feminist-friendly one.

[Maelstrom Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review is copy-paste from the Charybdis. You can see it in it's natural habitat here :


I knew right from the first chapter that this was going to be my eerie-fest of the month. I mean honestly, the story starts with… well. You’ll just have to find out.

Tomas and Peter are humble woodcutters, burying themselves in the woodlands outside of Chust, a small town hemmed in by the darkness of the great forest. They share everything in the sparse area, except for the past behind one secret. A long wooden box belonging to Tomas. Peter is never allowed to look within his father’s box, but as strange occurences herald the coming of the winter, the contents prove more important than he ever could have known. A man of Chust is slain… and then another… and then another. In horribly gruesome ways. But no one will acknowledge it as a terrible magic until the coming of the gypsies. Peter and an enigmatic, alluring Gypsy girl enter into several long deep nights of terror and discovery in a story of vampires, night queens, and deep winter.



I LURVE a good scary book. Personal favorite is Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury. Anyway, ze town librarian recommended I pick up this slim Sedgwick volume and take it for a ride in the days before Halloween, to usher in the fool spookiness of the season. And I did. And it was awesome. I’ve never read any Sedgwick books before, but his writing style was beautiful and full of incredible descriptions of the night. Plus, he did some incredible research into vampire legends in the bleak landscapes of Eastern Europe. And what could possibly be more awesome than zombie-esque vampires? Other than zombie-esque werewolves of course.



The writing style was detached, but you still felt for the characters. Reading it like a classic fairy tale, if not an incredibly dark one. I cannot recommend My Swordhand is Singing for people weak in the knees, weak at heart, or at all unnerved by bloody death scenes. I was just a little jumpy after tucking in *cough* two in the morning *cough* after the conclusion. But. Completely and totally worth it. I might have even cried a little at the end.


Definitely a recommendation, although I kind of have the feeling this is the sort of book you love or hate. Just make sure you have time to read it all in one night. Preferably while not alone in the Transylvanian forest. 6.7 out of 7 Epic Magical Swords! Plus. Awesome cover.



Inter-Library Loaning Every Other Sedgwick book I can find,

Aella Siofra

[Sienna Logan (Lost to Books) · Rating 5 out of 5]

OK, so because it is Halloween I have decided to re-read one of my favourite horror books. I still remember the scared feelings I had as I lay in bed after finishing this book for the first time. Reading it at 2am with just a fire light was definitely not the best idea... I lay awake for hours after the last few pages but even though I was scaring myself with my over active imagination I just couldn't stop reading. I loved the title and this is originally what drew me to the book as I really enjoy gothic/horror books.

This was the first book of Sedgwick's I ever read and since reading this book I have read many other books he has released. His writing is truly amazing! Sedgwick takes old legends, myths and period of times and twists them into a dark interesting, horror story.

The plot of this novel was great! It was dark, different and shocking with all it's twists and turns.
The character's were interesting and engaging and I found myself being drawn deeper and deeper into the world Sedgwick created. The bit that effected me most was towards the ending but by that point I was finding it impossible to stop. As well as this, the short chapters kept me turning pages just to find out what happened next. The books was incredibly atmospheric and I loved the darker version of a vampire/zombie story.

Even though this is like the fifteenth time I have read this book it still scares me every time. I don't know if that is just because I'm spooked easily but it is probably down to my over active imagination that gets lost in the believable worlds created by Sedgwick. I have definitely learnt my lesson though after the first time and now only read his work during daylight.

I can not recommend this book highly enough. Sedgwick's novels are some of the best I have read and his writing is great! If you want something that you can lose yourself in to get scared on Halloween this book would be great!

[Graculus · Rating 3 out of 5]

This particular author is quite a prolific writer of YA stories in a variety of genres, but it was the mid-European horror story setting that drew me to this particular book.

Peter and his father, who drinks too much, have found themselves something of a home as woodcutters for a village, though they choose to live on its outskirts and associate with the villagers as little as possible. The village then sees two deaths, which are blamed on wolves even though it appears unlikely to say the least. Peter's friend Agnes becomes involved in the second death and in his quest to do the right thing by her, he discovers that his own history is much less straightforward than he had thought.

It's an enjoyable enough book, with Sedgwick working hard to create and maintain a suitably menacing atmosphere, though I felt a little let down by the tone of the ending, which didn't really work for me. I'll certainly keep an eye out for other books by this author, based on my experiences with this one.

[Mike (the Paladin) · Rating 1 out of 5]

Here we go again. To all of you who love this book, I'm sorry. For me one description sums this books up.....:

Way too much wind up for way too little payoff.

I read all the positive reviews and kept waiting for the "terror" to kick in. About page 114 (of 204) while Sophia was explaining to Peter about the Winter King and the Shadow Queen and all the other stuff that most readers had probably already put together it dawned on me "it wasn't going to happen". Except for this being vampires instead or werewolves all it needed was Lon Chaney to go along with the Gypsies and we'd have the makings of a great 1930s "B" movie. Well, maybe it would be that good if they cut some of the "build up" down.

I read all the reviews of those who liked this and picked it up right away. I'm sorry to say it not only didn't give me the horror story shudders, it bored me. It was predictable, it had few if any surprises, and I'd seen the elements a hundred times...so if you enjoyed it, I'm happy for you. It's not for me.

[Jack · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was bad. The writing was bad. The plot was ok. I did not like it. The character dialogue was bad.....Seriously, that was what the character dialogue in this book read like. The premise of the book was actually promising, but sadly it went downhill from there. This book is listed as a young adult, but from a sentence structure standpoint it read like a middle grade and a children's book level at times.

[Catriona · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a brilliant read, not usually a horror/jumpscare fan, but I think I managed with it being YA Horror.
I love how Sedgwick researches the roots to myths and legends, finding how they differ and are embedded in different cultures, how the superstitions surrounding them differ culturally.
He is good at building anticipation and fear with this novel.
I (rather stupidly) read this one second in the series (Overwhelmed by my TBR), and actually feel happy I did, the second in the series (The Kiss of Death) is good, but never really held the same impact and suspense this one did. I genuinely felt like something was crawling over my skin at times.

Definitely would recommend!

[Adriana · Rating 2 out of 5]

It reads like a promising first draft to a fantasy tale with gothic leanings, but the storytelling is a bit lean in details and the pacing is both rushed and slow at the same time.
There are a couple of interesting details that kept it from being a total One Star read, just not enough to make it memorable or recommendation worthy.

[Amanda Winkworth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dark story involving vampires, not a bad read

[Kristien Seghers · Rating 5 out of 5]

The magical writing style of Marcus Sedgwick keeps a reader on edge till the very end...

[Camilla · Rating 3 out of 5]

3⭐️ because now I can’t stand the word “tethered”