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Family Curse - Field Notebooks
They say in town that every generation, fairies lure a member of Virgil's family into the local woods, never to be seen again. Virgil doesn't really care about that; they're just squatting at their aunt's vacant house during quarantine. But one night, they're awoken by a knocking at the back door that leads them into a tangle of family secrets, and a mystery that's as heartbreaking as it is chilling.
To understand their family history and avoid disappearing themself, Virgil has to piece together journal entries from three generations of their relatives, who all spent their lives wondering why their siblings were taken. Has a serial killer been operating in the area for over a century? Could it be the aliens Virgil's great-uncle saw on an acid trip? And who is the figure watching them all from the forests' edge?
Every relative has their pet theory, and they get to argue about it in the margins as each narrator leaves comments on the others' writing via Post-Its, footnotes, and more. The found-document form is stretched to the limit by this cacophonous debate across time, and in the end no one story holds the whole truth.
If Virgil can solve the puzzle, they won't just save themselves—they'll put more than a hundred years' worth of family history to rest. This story of a neurodivergent family's struggle to understand themselves is by turns spooky, funny, sad, and hopeful despite everything.
To understand their family history and avoid disappearing themself, Virgil has to piece together journal entries from three generations of their relatives, who all spent their lives wondering why their siblings were taken. Has a serial killer been operating in the area for over a century? Could it be the aliens Virgil's great-uncle saw on an acid trip? And who is the figure watching them all from the forests' edge?
Every relative has their pet theory, and they get to argue about it in the margins as each narrator leaves comments on the others' writing via Post-Its, footnotes, and more. The found-document form is stretched to the limit by this cacophonous debate across time, and in the end no one story holds the whole truth.
If Virgil can solve the puzzle, they won't just save themselves—they'll put more than a hundred years' worth of family history to rest. This story of a neurodivergent family's struggle to understand themselves is by turns spooky, funny, sad, and hopeful despite everything.
42 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 2022
266 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews
July 2, 2023
The darkest interpretation of this tale is potentially quite dark, which I love because this realization took a full night to incubate. Do not let Tenacity Plys’s youthful voice put you at ease; an adult writing youthfully should always raise questions. It’s fitting for an adult to take on a young voice when the question is this pressing: When a curious soul chooses to leave society, what type of followers do they attract?
October 17, 2022
"...myths are created by people, for their own reasons; a monster is a shadow cast by a human."
Virgil is sent to clean out their Aunt Deb's house. Aunt Deb died of COVID, unlike many of Virgil's other family members who have just seemed to have disappeared. As Virgil begins to clean out Aunt Deb's attic, they begin to unravel the mystery surrounding the woods of the house. There's something strange about the woods by the house and it might be coming for Virgil next.
Family Curse-Field Notebooks (1880-2020) is a delicious bite of a horror story. I absolutely wish that this was longer, and enjoyed that the story does lead you to think of the many possible routes for the lights in the woods. I adore writing in the form of journal entries and Family Curse does not disappoint with a turducken of journals from three family members and notes from Virgil. It was interesting to see each family member's take on the disappearances and the lights in the woods- a serial killer, fairies, or aliens. I was also intrigued by Virgil's family and how different neurodivergencies and gender non-conformities have presented and been tolerated throughout the years and how those people have seemed to attract whatever is in the woods.
This book was received for free in return for an honest review.
Virgil is sent to clean out their Aunt Deb's house. Aunt Deb died of COVID, unlike many of Virgil's other family members who have just seemed to have disappeared. As Virgil begins to clean out Aunt Deb's attic, they begin to unravel the mystery surrounding the woods of the house. There's something strange about the woods by the house and it might be coming for Virgil next.
Family Curse-Field Notebooks (1880-2020) is a delicious bite of a horror story. I absolutely wish that this was longer, and enjoyed that the story does lead you to think of the many possible routes for the lights in the woods. I adore writing in the form of journal entries and Family Curse does not disappoint with a turducken of journals from three family members and notes from Virgil. It was interesting to see each family member's take on the disappearances and the lights in the woods- a serial killer, fairies, or aliens. I was also intrigued by Virgil's family and how different neurodivergencies and gender non-conformities have presented and been tolerated throughout the years and how those people have seemed to attract whatever is in the woods.
This book was received for free in return for an honest review.
October 25, 2023
Spooky, eerie vibes! Loved the idea of a journal within a journal within a journal going back into history.
Spoilers ahead.......
......
..........
I do wish there was more to it, and we never find out what the family curse is....like what did the family do way back when that cursed them? That fact is dropped as a tantalizing morsel and then we never get the full bite.
It almost seems to imply that the children are cursed *with* nuerodivergence, a result of the bad thing their ancestors did.
But it could also be read as that the curse isn't the nuerodivergence, but the disappearing/deaths. And maybe the "curse" is living in a society that does not accept us or seek to understand us. And thus they disappear, to go live someplace where they are accepted.
We also don't really get any answers about what is actually happening to these family members. And what is in the woods?
But maybe it's supposed to be like that...maybe we are supposed to have more questions than answers? It is a novella after all. And nuerodivergence is something that we don't have the answers to, including those of us who are ND. Even *we* don't often fully understand ourselves and the way our brains work.
I loved the little things that kept popping up with each journal entry and tied the mysterious child to the family, like the peppermint.
This was a fun read and kept me on the edge of my seat!
I hope this author keeps writing stuff like this!
Spoilers ahead.......
......
..........
I do wish there was more to it, and we never find out what the family curse is....like what did the family do way back when that cursed them? That fact is dropped as a tantalizing morsel and then we never get the full bite.
It almost seems to imply that the children are cursed *with* nuerodivergence, a result of the bad thing their ancestors did.
But it could also be read as that the curse isn't the nuerodivergence, but the disappearing/deaths. And maybe the "curse" is living in a society that does not accept us or seek to understand us. And thus they disappear, to go live someplace where they are accepted.
We also don't really get any answers about what is actually happening to these family members. And what is in the woods?
But maybe it's supposed to be like that...maybe we are supposed to have more questions than answers? It is a novella after all. And nuerodivergence is something that we don't have the answers to, including those of us who are ND. Even *we* don't often fully understand ourselves and the way our brains work.
I loved the little things that kept popping up with each journal entry and tied the mysterious child to the family, like the peppermint.
This was a fun read and kept me on the edge of my seat!
I hope this author keeps writing stuff like this!
December 2, 2022
Thank you @tenacity_plys and @travelling.pages.tours for my #gifted copy! I'm excited to be a part of this tour.
I love how quickly novellas are read. I was intrigued by the plot of this book from the start. It kept my attention from start to finish. The book has mystery, secrets, and is spooky. It's the perfect fall read!
The characters are well developed and I enjoyed how well each character played off of one another. The location was creepy, dark, and well described. I felt like I was a part of the story and didn't want it to end.
Overall, I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves a good mystery with a dab of horror. This book will not disappoint you.
I love how quickly novellas are read. I was intrigued by the plot of this book from the start. It kept my attention from start to finish. The book has mystery, secrets, and is spooky. It's the perfect fall read!
The characters are well developed and I enjoyed how well each character played off of one another. The location was creepy, dark, and well described. I felt like I was a part of the story and didn't want it to end.
Overall, I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves a good mystery with a dab of horror. This book will not disappoint you.
December 2, 2022
Tenacity does not waste words - I loved every one used.
This is a story, within a story, within a story, etc.
Virgil - 2020; Virginia -1993; Mortimer - 1965; Sila - 1880.
I love the reference to witchcraft by Silas. Just cements the creep, horror, mythology. Fairies sure - but witchcraft? I'm down.
The Sykes have lived in the family home for over 100 years. Every generation or so, a child goes into the woods, not to return. Virgil is cleaning out the house after his aunt's death, stumbling upon the past accounts of his family.
That ending - wowza. Just a great novella.
This is a story, within a story, within a story, etc.
Virgil - 2020; Virginia -1993; Mortimer - 1965; Sila - 1880.
I love the reference to witchcraft by Silas. Just cements the creep, horror, mythology. Fairies sure - but witchcraft? I'm down.
The Sykes have lived in the family home for over 100 years. Every generation or so, a child goes into the woods, not to return. Virgil is cleaning out the house after his aunt's death, stumbling upon the past accounts of his family.
That ending - wowza. Just a great novella.
October 3, 2022
Plot? Check. Character development? Check. Solid prose, ingenious structure, and good spooks? Check, check, check. It's short, it's queer, it's neurodivergent, and it leaves you with the spookily pleasant Halloween butterflies. It's layered structure makes it worth a reread, too. Recommended.
April 2, 2023
I don’t normally pick up novellas but this one I really enjoyed , a brilliant spooky and creepy atmosphere, told so well, a story within a story with journal prompts as the main writing style. Anything that mentions changelings, ghosts or witchcraft I’m there for it. The characters were really interesting and loved each of their individual experiences. Loved the ending, I would have loved to of kept reading I was that hooked. Thank you for gifting me a book for a honest review it was a pleasure to read. 4 stars from me ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
October 4, 2022
Is there any book more impactful than a perfectly crafted novella?
The story is told through field notes and diary entries from different generations of the same family, all investigating the mysterious disappearances of a relative. As we go further back in time we also get to read the annotations of the family members who have come since, adding a brilliantly meta layer to the whole thing – and I always love a good footnote!
📚Find this and other reviews on my blog!📚
From a horror-story perspective, what unfolds is a dark mystery that could have any number of explanations, be they scientific, fantastical, or something else altogether. While the story starts in the firmly pragmatic, there is a looming sense of dread that builds as we go further into both the past and into the supernatural, with a chilling final page that frankly has no right being as effective as it is!
Beyond that though, the story is an examination of how neurodivergence both presents itself and has been perceived throughout the last 150 years. Through the lens of Virgil, the main character, we get a modern commentary on their ancestors – the things they had in common, the things that made them different, and how we as people mythologise the things we don’t understand.
Brilliant writing, a blend of genres and family secrets all combine into one thrilling story. I can’t recommend this novella enough!
I received a free copy for review, and wrote this review as part of a sponsored blog post. This review is entirely my own opinion.
The story is told through field notes and diary entries from different generations of the same family, all investigating the mysterious disappearances of a relative. As we go further back in time we also get to read the annotations of the family members who have come since, adding a brilliantly meta layer to the whole thing – and I always love a good footnote!
📚Find this and other reviews on my blog!📚
From a horror-story perspective, what unfolds is a dark mystery that could have any number of explanations, be they scientific, fantastical, or something else altogether. While the story starts in the firmly pragmatic, there is a looming sense of dread that builds as we go further into both the past and into the supernatural, with a chilling final page that frankly has no right being as effective as it is!
Beyond that though, the story is an examination of how neurodivergence both presents itself and has been perceived throughout the last 150 years. Through the lens of Virgil, the main character, we get a modern commentary on their ancestors – the things they had in common, the things that made them different, and how we as people mythologise the things we don’t understand.
Brilliant writing, a blend of genres and family secrets all combine into one thrilling story. I can’t recommend this novella enough!
I received a free copy for review, and wrote this review as part of a sponsored blog post. This review is entirely my own opinion.
March 14, 2023
It isn't often that book tour places offer books under 100 pages, and so I thought I'd add in something a little lighter than what I've been reading. This novella is great fun, with a humorous main character, who starts and finishes the book brilliantly.
I really enjoyed main character, Virgil, who has an extremely authentic and relatable tone of voice throughout the book, and it seems like this is a character that had particular attention paid to them, in order to really hold immersion throughout the story, and made it feel like I reading something real.
The plot is both creepy and extremely mysterious throughout, and the disappearances which happen throughout this families generations, linked with their theories on why they happen, (aliens, faeries, a serial killer, witchcraft). It's well developed in terms of how short the book is, and all the correct kind of information is included, meaning I wasn't left confused.
I loved the layout of the book. As it is a kind of 'find document' type of idea, there are added footnotes and 'sticky notes' from Virgil, this really adds that found footage 'what you watch is 100% real' kind of thing. In digital form, this can be a little lost as the formatting isn't quite right. Saying this, it doesn't affect the story, it just took me out of the zone for a brief second.
The way it's written and put down on paper, is extremely clear, and didn't confuse me in any way, despite how quickly the story moves.
The ending is kind of cool, but is a 'left up to your own interpretation' end. These can be great when done right, and this didn't disappoint.
I did really enjoy this novella, and definitely feel like it could be made into a full length book, with even more detail and characters added.
Thanks so much to @tenacity_plys and @lovebookstours for sending me this novella to read!!
I really enjoyed main character, Virgil, who has an extremely authentic and relatable tone of voice throughout the book, and it seems like this is a character that had particular attention paid to them, in order to really hold immersion throughout the story, and made it feel like I reading something real.
The plot is both creepy and extremely mysterious throughout, and the disappearances which happen throughout this families generations, linked with their theories on why they happen, (aliens, faeries, a serial killer, witchcraft). It's well developed in terms of how short the book is, and all the correct kind of information is included, meaning I wasn't left confused.
I loved the layout of the book. As it is a kind of 'find document' type of idea, there are added footnotes and 'sticky notes' from Virgil, this really adds that found footage 'what you watch is 100% real' kind of thing. In digital form, this can be a little lost as the formatting isn't quite right. Saying this, it doesn't affect the story, it just took me out of the zone for a brief second.
The way it's written and put down on paper, is extremely clear, and didn't confuse me in any way, despite how quickly the story moves.
The ending is kind of cool, but is a 'left up to your own interpretation' end. These can be great when done right, and this didn't disappoint.
I did really enjoy this novella, and definitely feel like it could be made into a full length book, with even more detail and characters added.
Thanks so much to @tenacity_plys and @lovebookstours for sending me this novella to read!!
December 2, 2022
*Book Tour Spotlight*
Family Curse - Field Notebooks (1880-2020) is a novella from Tenacity Plys that I was fortunate to get an early copy of.
From the publisher: They say in town that every generation, fairies lure a member of Virgil’s family into the local woods, never to be seen again. Virgil doesn’t really care about that; they’re just squatting at their aunt’s vacant house during quarantine. But one night, they’re awoken by a knocking at the back door that leads them into a tangle of family secrets, and a mystery that’s as heartbreaking as it is chilling.
To avoid disappearing themself, Virgil has to piece together journal entries from three generations of their relatives who all spent their lives wondering why their siblings were taken. If Virgil can solve the puzzle, they won’t just save themselves — they’ll put more than a hundred years’ worth of family history to rest. This story of a neurodivergent family’s struggle to understand themselves is by turns spooky, funny, sad, and hopeful despite everything.
My thoughts: I thought this was a great novella. Very funny in places and definitely had the creep factor going on. They did an excellent job of giving me a great plot, characters I found interesting and an ending that made me say, “Nooooo!” and laugh at the same time. Definitely my kind of story and I highly recommend it.
Available now. Thank you to @tenacity_plys and @travelling.pages.tours for an early copy in exchange for an honest review.
Family Curse - Field Notebooks (1880-2020) is a novella from Tenacity Plys that I was fortunate to get an early copy of.
From the publisher: They say in town that every generation, fairies lure a member of Virgil’s family into the local woods, never to be seen again. Virgil doesn’t really care about that; they’re just squatting at their aunt’s vacant house during quarantine. But one night, they’re awoken by a knocking at the back door that leads them into a tangle of family secrets, and a mystery that’s as heartbreaking as it is chilling.
To avoid disappearing themself, Virgil has to piece together journal entries from three generations of their relatives who all spent their lives wondering why their siblings were taken. If Virgil can solve the puzzle, they won’t just save themselves — they’ll put more than a hundred years’ worth of family history to rest. This story of a neurodivergent family’s struggle to understand themselves is by turns spooky, funny, sad, and hopeful despite everything.
My thoughts: I thought this was a great novella. Very funny in places and definitely had the creep factor going on. They did an excellent job of giving me a great plot, characters I found interesting and an ending that made me say, “Nooooo!” and laugh at the same time. Definitely my kind of story and I highly recommend it.
Available now. Thank you to @tenacity_plys and @travelling.pages.tours for an early copy in exchange for an honest review.
December 3, 2022
Family Curse is an intriguing little "horror" novel about a family where someone disappears every generation, or so it seems. Virgil is cleaning out their aunt's house after she passes away, and while Virgil originally put no stock in the stories of fairies in the woods luring past family members away, never to be seen again, that all changes when they see a child standing at the edge of the forest. And then the knocking starts.
Now, Virgil must try and uncover the mysteries of their family before they disappear too.
I found this to be both spooky and kind of strange. It's a very short read, and it's written like a diary, which I enjoyed. I also feel like the story, while having multiple different views on what could possibly be taking the family members, was more of a metaphor for people who are different. Anyone who doesn't fit into society's mold of "normal". As someone who is neurodivergent and struggled throughout childhood and the teenage years, and now as a mom to an autistic child, this book really spoke to me. I liked that it was a different take on how society views people who may act/think/work differently than others. The only thing is, I do wish it had been longer. I'd love to really delve into a family history involving a "curse" and see how it all comes together.
If you're looking for something a bit different, check out Family Curse.
4 stars!
Now, Virgil must try and uncover the mysteries of their family before they disappear too.
I found this to be both spooky and kind of strange. It's a very short read, and it's written like a diary, which I enjoyed. I also feel like the story, while having multiple different views on what could possibly be taking the family members, was more of a metaphor for people who are different. Anyone who doesn't fit into society's mold of "normal". As someone who is neurodivergent and struggled throughout childhood and the teenage years, and now as a mom to an autistic child, this book really spoke to me. I liked that it was a different take on how society views people who may act/think/work differently than others. The only thing is, I do wish it had been longer. I'd love to really delve into a family history involving a "curse" and see how it all comes together.
If you're looking for something a bit different, check out Family Curse.
4 stars!
March 28, 2023
Virgil's family is cursed- the town where the family home resides since the 1880 claim that every generation of their family a child has been lured away and abducted into the woods that surrounds the family home.
To Virgil it's meaningless- after all they're only staying here due to their Aunt's recent passing to clear and sort out all her and the family belongings. Except then one night there's a knock at the door, waking Virgil and striking a cold sense of dread down their spine.
Now the tales don't seem so outlandish, and all Virgil has with them is a journal made up of three former family member's entries- all who encountered and survived these woods.
While journal entries telling a story isn't a unique concept- the way the author Tenacity uses the concept of a family journal with generations adding their own thoughts and opinions on older entries is certainly unique.
We have 4 characters- each from a different generation- all trying to bring meaning and understanding to a ongoing family tragedy.
My personal favourite was the first entry Virgil reads- their other Aunt who appears to have been an academic at the local university- who was trying to approach her family's past with a scientific side while also being compassionate and caring.
Virgil took a little getting use to- their a little chaotic as a main character but they are the first one to notice that all the children that have disappeared were all Queer along some level. One of their first musings is how they were keeping to themselves within the small town due to fear of being outed and their life and safety being at risk.
Two of the accounts are from siblings rather than the actual children who were drawn to the woods., which is a huge shame- I wish the entries had instead focused on the queer members who were drawn to the woods and then onto the siblings who witnessed their- kidnapping? Whisking away? abduction?
Also length- this really needed at least 20-30 more pages to really bring out the dread, fear, curiosity and horrific whimsy of this curse. This curse seems to lure those who are queer within the family by making them feel safe, wanted, welcomed etc- and I just wish that was the bigger focus.
Had maybe we had more with Virgil- a queer individual- express how the woods seem to be drawing them in or something it would have ramped up the horror.
Overall it was a nice short horror supernatural mystery- if that's your thing give this a try.
To Virgil it's meaningless- after all they're only staying here due to their Aunt's recent passing to clear and sort out all her and the family belongings. Except then one night there's a knock at the door, waking Virgil and striking a cold sense of dread down their spine.
Now the tales don't seem so outlandish, and all Virgil has with them is a journal made up of three former family member's entries- all who encountered and survived these woods.
While journal entries telling a story isn't a unique concept- the way the author Tenacity uses the concept of a family journal with generations adding their own thoughts and opinions on older entries is certainly unique.
We have 4 characters- each from a different generation- all trying to bring meaning and understanding to a ongoing family tragedy.
My personal favourite was the first entry Virgil reads- their other Aunt who appears to have been an academic at the local university- who was trying to approach her family's past with a scientific side while also being compassionate and caring.
Virgil took a little getting use to- their a little chaotic as a main character but they are the first one to notice that all the children that have disappeared were all Queer along some level. One of their first musings is how they were keeping to themselves within the small town due to fear of being outed and their life and safety being at risk.
Two of the accounts are from siblings rather than the actual children who were drawn to the woods., which is a huge shame- I wish the entries had instead focused on the queer members who were drawn to the woods and then onto the siblings who witnessed their- kidnapping? Whisking away? abduction?
Also length- this really needed at least 20-30 more pages to really bring out the dread, fear, curiosity and horrific whimsy of this curse. This curse seems to lure those who are queer within the family by making them feel safe, wanted, welcomed etc- and I just wish that was the bigger focus.
Had maybe we had more with Virgil- a queer individual- express how the woods seem to be drawing them in or something it would have ramped up the horror.
Overall it was a nice short horror supernatural mystery- if that's your thing give this a try.
March 20, 2023
I absolutely loved this super creepy, intriguing and unique little novella.
Virgil is stuck clearing out their Aunt's house during quarantine and is pulled into a chilling mystery. The stories in town say that every generation of their family has had a child go missing from the woods, never to return.
They don't believe the stories, but on finding a series of field notes and then being woken by mysterious knocking in the middle of the night, they start to read...
I absolutely loved the unique writing style - as we read the original notes which have been annotated years later and again now by Virgil, so we are hearing the stories both first hand and then the impressions of others involved later on.
There are statements, clues and thoughts throughout that as we're fed them in tiny bits had me trying to come up with theories....but of course getting no further with them.
I hate when a book leaves you hanging - with more questions than answers - but this really worked perfectly here and along with me crying 'nooooo!' after turning the last page, I was also saying 'wow! That was brilliant!'
I loved the diversity in the book too which was very understated.
Excellent book- a really easy, quick read and a great plot/concept. Really loved this and would definitely look out for more by this author.
Virgil is stuck clearing out their Aunt's house during quarantine and is pulled into a chilling mystery. The stories in town say that every generation of their family has had a child go missing from the woods, never to return.
They don't believe the stories, but on finding a series of field notes and then being woken by mysterious knocking in the middle of the night, they start to read...
I absolutely loved the unique writing style - as we read the original notes which have been annotated years later and again now by Virgil, so we are hearing the stories both first hand and then the impressions of others involved later on.
There are statements, clues and thoughts throughout that as we're fed them in tiny bits had me trying to come up with theories....but of course getting no further with them.
I hate when a book leaves you hanging - with more questions than answers - but this really worked perfectly here and along with me crying 'nooooo!' after turning the last page, I was also saying 'wow! That was brilliant!'
I loved the diversity in the book too which was very understated.
Excellent book- a really easy, quick read and a great plot/concept. Really loved this and would definitely look out for more by this author.
March 24, 2023
I was given a copy to review via Love Book Tours as part of their book tour. My reviews are always honest and all opinions are my own. #FamilyCurseFieldNotes #TenacityPlys #LoveBookTours #BookTourReview #BookTour #BookReview #LBTCrew
Family Curse is a brilliant ‘horror’ novella that gave off House of Leaves vibes from the off and I adored it. Found in notebooks and told via post-it notes and journals over several years with different family members and ancestors we have to try and piece together the story to solve the mystery…Unfortunately when the novella finishes we are still not sure if any of the narrators are telling the truth. The characters we meet are Virgil -in 2020, Virginia in 1993, Mortimer in 1965 Sila in 1880.
It certainly has spooky elements and that uncanny feeling as we learn more and more about the family curse and what each person has found or believes and while Virgil is not sure what they believe and puts not stock in the idea of faeries or aliens slowly they begin to find weird occurrences that they just cannot explain.
While adored this book I really did wish there was more. The writing style and format as I say is slightly reminiscent of House of Leaves and leaves us with a lot more questions as well as some questionable answers. I will definitely be reading more by Plys and hope we might revisit the Family Curse story at a later date.
Family Curse is a brilliant ‘horror’ novella that gave off House of Leaves vibes from the off and I adored it. Found in notebooks and told via post-it notes and journals over several years with different family members and ancestors we have to try and piece together the story to solve the mystery…Unfortunately when the novella finishes we are still not sure if any of the narrators are telling the truth. The characters we meet are Virgil -in 2020, Virginia in 1993, Mortimer in 1965 Sila in 1880.
It certainly has spooky elements and that uncanny feeling as we learn more and more about the family curse and what each person has found or believes and while Virgil is not sure what they believe and puts not stock in the idea of faeries or aliens slowly they begin to find weird occurrences that they just cannot explain.
While adored this book I really did wish there was more. The writing style and format as I say is slightly reminiscent of House of Leaves and leaves us with a lot more questions as well as some questionable answers. I will definitely be reading more by Plys and hope we might revisit the Family Curse story at a later date.
April 1, 2023
Whether or not you’re a fan of horror, you’ll enjoy a quick tumble through the woods in “Family Curse Field Notebooks (1880-2020). The story takes us through four generations of a family plagued by all manner of lore surrounding strange disappearances in the woods surrounding their family home.
It’s weird to say a horror book is cute, right? But there were definitely parts of this that I thought were cute. Like how every generation thought the last generation was silly for their beliefs, whether it be the Devil or aliens, each more modern generation thought themselves more logical. This was both condescending and weirdly adorable.
As a queer, neurodivergent person, the representation incredibly impressed me in this book. The main character–or at least the modern MC–was both queer and ND. Several other family members definitely would have been flagged for testing, and many didn’t marry – which in the old times was a good sign of queerness.
It was an incredibly quick read. I think it would qualify as a novella. I finished it in less than 24 hours twice. I read it once in an ebook, and then reread it in physical form. I’m old-school and almost always prefer physical books–unless they’re 900 pages and are going to aggravate my carpal tunnel–but this one also benefits heavily from physical form. As you trek through the various generations of “field notebooks” or diaries, future generations make notes–and it’s much easier to keep up with those in the physical copy. I always find this to be true of footnotes. But if you don’t have trouble with footnotes and ebooks, then go for it!
The horror portion of this book was a bit of a slow burn, and it was all implied and psychological. I’m not big on horror, but I still enjoy a good psychological scare. This fit the bill and definitely met with the creepy factor. I’m giving horror more of a try, and this book definitely helped in that endeavor.
If you enjoy gentle, psychological horror, and good LGBTQIA/neurodivergent representation, then you’re going to love this book. The author developed the characters as well as they can be in a short novella, which is impressive. Often in short books, the characterization suffers. I look forward to reading more by this author, even if they billed the work as horror.
The author and publisher gifted me a copy of this book as part of the Love Books Tour in exchange for an honest review. These thoughts are my own and not impacted by this.
Originally posted (and changed slightly for Goodreads) at http://amorinacarlton.com/2023/03/13/...
It’s weird to say a horror book is cute, right? But there were definitely parts of this that I thought were cute. Like how every generation thought the last generation was silly for their beliefs, whether it be the Devil or aliens, each more modern generation thought themselves more logical. This was both condescending and weirdly adorable.
As a queer, neurodivergent person, the representation incredibly impressed me in this book. The main character–or at least the modern MC–was both queer and ND. Several other family members definitely would have been flagged for testing, and many didn’t marry – which in the old times was a good sign of queerness.
It was an incredibly quick read. I think it would qualify as a novella. I finished it in less than 24 hours twice. I read it once in an ebook, and then reread it in physical form. I’m old-school and almost always prefer physical books–unless they’re 900 pages and are going to aggravate my carpal tunnel–but this one also benefits heavily from physical form. As you trek through the various generations of “field notebooks” or diaries, future generations make notes–and it’s much easier to keep up with those in the physical copy. I always find this to be true of footnotes. But if you don’t have trouble with footnotes and ebooks, then go for it!
The horror portion of this book was a bit of a slow burn, and it was all implied and psychological. I’m not big on horror, but I still enjoy a good psychological scare. This fit the bill and definitely met with the creepy factor. I’m giving horror more of a try, and this book definitely helped in that endeavor.
If you enjoy gentle, psychological horror, and good LGBTQIA/neurodivergent representation, then you’re going to love this book. The author developed the characters as well as they can be in a short novella, which is impressive. Often in short books, the characterization suffers. I look forward to reading more by this author, even if they billed the work as horror.
The author and publisher gifted me a copy of this book as part of the Love Books Tour in exchange for an honest review. These thoughts are my own and not impacted by this.
Originally posted (and changed slightly for Goodreads) at http://amorinacarlton.com/2023/03/13/...
March 24, 2023
Family Curse: Field Notebooks (1880-2020) by Tenacity Plys
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thank you to @lovebookstours for my gifted copy.
My thoughts: whoa! This little book has quite a punch of darkness, disappearances and theories! I was blown away by the author’s way with words and having 3 different perspectives of the same family and that curse is real or is it? Lots of ideas on why people keep disappearing but you must read this book to find out! Go pick it up today!
Blurb
They say in town that every generation, fairies lure a member of Virgil's family into the local woods, never to be seen again. Virgil doesn't really care about that; they're just squatting at their aunt's vacant house during quarantine. But one night, they're awoken by a knocking at the back door that leads them into a tangle of family secrets, and a mystery that's as heartbreaking as it is chilling.
To understand their family history and avoid disappearing themself, Virgil has to piece together journal entries from three generations of their relatives, who all spent their lives wondering why their siblings were taken. Has a serial killer been operating in the area for over a century? Could it be the aliens Virgil's great-uncle saw on an acid trip? And who is the figure watching them all from the forests' edge?
#booktour #ad #lovebookstours #lbtcrew #gifted #unreadshelf #bookworm #bookclubs #bibliophile
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thank you to @lovebookstours for my gifted copy.
My thoughts: whoa! This little book has quite a punch of darkness, disappearances and theories! I was blown away by the author’s way with words and having 3 different perspectives of the same family and that curse is real or is it? Lots of ideas on why people keep disappearing but you must read this book to find out! Go pick it up today!
Blurb
They say in town that every generation, fairies lure a member of Virgil's family into the local woods, never to be seen again. Virgil doesn't really care about that; they're just squatting at their aunt's vacant house during quarantine. But one night, they're awoken by a knocking at the back door that leads them into a tangle of family secrets, and a mystery that's as heartbreaking as it is chilling.
To understand their family history and avoid disappearing themself, Virgil has to piece together journal entries from three generations of their relatives, who all spent their lives wondering why their siblings were taken. Has a serial killer been operating in the area for over a century? Could it be the aliens Virgil's great-uncle saw on an acid trip? And who is the figure watching them all from the forests' edge?
#booktour #ad #lovebookstours #lbtcrew #gifted #unreadshelf #bookworm #bookclubs #bibliophile
December 1, 2022
If you’re looking for a short book that will keep you invested until the very end then look no further. I couldn’t put it down & was sad that it ended. The Sykes family have some very interesting members & their experiences with other worldly beings as accounted by different generational members of the family are interesting. Are they aliens, are the Spirits, are they ghosts or simply a human who is far from the “norm”. One thing’s for sure…no one has entered far enough into those woods to find out. I really want to know what happened to Virgil next. It’s killing me not knowing. Did he go into the woods? Did he ever see the boy again? And what about the knocking?? I’m so curious. I live in Brooklyn, just like the author, I just may need to find Xir & find out what’s really in those woods! Pick this up, you won’t regret it.
March 28, 2023
This book is not wrote like a normal book, it is wrote in the form as a field notebook. I found this a quick read. We are in a four-bedroom in the middle of nowhere. We start April 2020 cleaning notes, day 1, labelling boxes and coming across some old journals and documents from my families past. Journaling has been going on in the family since the 1800s. I love how it start with buying some Oreos and vodka. I think I would need something strong if I was in a house next to the woods on my own, especially at 4:30am and someone's knocking on the back door, even if there is a bookcase barricading my bedroom door. I enjoyed how you can pictured the scenes as the different writers are writing their journals. This book is a mix of humour and spooky with a bit of mystery added in. I did like the the end June 8th 2020, who do you think it is?
December 4, 2022
Title: Family Curse: Field Notebooks
Author: Tenacity Plys
Release Date: January 1st, 2022
Page Count: 44
Start Date: December 4th, 2022
Finish Date: December 4th, 2022
Review:
I really found this book very enjoyable. Very short, but very enjoyable nonetheless. It kind of felt more like a sample than an actual novel. I'd like to see more depth to it. It definitely gives me spooky and true crime vibes. Either way, I'd love to get to know more about this author. They have a lot of talent in drawing in attention. I'm glad that I was able to read their book. I hope to read many more in the future.
Author: Tenacity Plys
Release Date: January 1st, 2022
Page Count: 44
Start Date: December 4th, 2022
Finish Date: December 4th, 2022
Review:
I really found this book very enjoyable. Very short, but very enjoyable nonetheless. It kind of felt more like a sample than an actual novel. I'd like to see more depth to it. It definitely gives me spooky and true crime vibes. Either way, I'd love to get to know more about this author. They have a lot of talent in drawing in attention. I'm glad that I was able to read their book. I hope to read many more in the future.
March 28, 2023
They say in town that every generation, fairies lure a member of Virgil's family into the local woods, never to be seen again. Virgil doesn't really care about that; they're just squatting at their aunt's vacant house during quarantine. But one night, they're awoken by a knocking at the back door that leads them into a tangle of family secrets, and a mystery that's as heartbreaking as it is chilling.
This was a quick (under 100 pages), but entertaining horror story. I love the creepy plot and the creepy mood of the book that was enhanced with the layout. The layout felt like it was realistic with how it looked like a field notebook.
This was a quick (under 100 pages), but entertaining horror story. I love the creepy plot and the creepy mood of the book that was enhanced with the layout. The layout felt like it was realistic with how it looked like a field notebook.
February 8, 2023
New and profound and fun and original. Dry wit and foreboding walk hand-in-hand in this beautifully realized vision of a family tied together across generations by the annotated notebooks. A brilliant premise and original execution that Plys comes at again and again in their work. This is a must-read of the indie scene and really shows what boundaries we're capable of pushing. Reminisce of House of Leaves, with a softer touch and different focus. Such such an exciting piece of work and looking forward to whatever Plys creates next.
March 22, 2023
This is a novella so it was a quick read but it has a lot of content in such a small story. I enjoyed it from the start and it didn't disappoint. It's equal parts funny, creepy and mysterious. The author does a great job of setting the scenes and the descriptions gave me the chills. A great book to read for Halloween and I even think it could be made into a Halloween movie. I particularly liked how I could feel the creepiness but it was told in a way to make it feel lighthearted at the same time.
March 27, 2023
This was honestly so cute! I loved this little novella and honestly I'm obsessed. Like I am actively trying to get two people to read it now because I loved it so much.
Even though it was super short I really felt like you got to know the 4 distinct personalities and it was really cool to see how views shift through time. All the footnotes from future generations was such a cool concept, I really did like seeing how everyone interacted. Virgil and Virginia were my favorite points of view, I just love how blunt they are.
Even though it was super short I really felt like you got to know the 4 distinct personalities and it was really cool to see how views shift through time. All the footnotes from future generations was such a cool concept, I really did like seeing how everyone interacted. Virgil and Virginia were my favorite points of view, I just love how blunt they are.
March 29, 2023
I am not sure what I was expecting when I started reading ‘Family Curse - Field Notebooks’ but it turned out to be a brilliantly written novella telling the story of Virgil and his family. I don’t normally read horror stories but I found this to be a bit more of a psychological thriller and I loved the slow building feelings of unease and dread that I got whilst reading. I also love the journal entries and the whole style of Tenacity Plys writing.
I received a gifted copy of this book. This review is my honest opinion and written voluntarily.
I received a gifted copy of this book. This review is my honest opinion and written voluntarily.
March 30, 2023
4⭐️
When I started reading 'Family Curse - Field Notebooks', I wasn't entirely sure what to expect. However, I was pleasantly surprised by the brilliant writing style of the novella, which narrated the story of Virgil and his family. Even though I love reading all sorts including horrors, I found this to be more of a psychological thriller, which kept me on edge with its slow and steady build-up of unease and dread. The journal entries and Tenacity Ply's writing style were also impressive aspects of the book that I appreciated.
When I started reading 'Family Curse - Field Notebooks', I wasn't entirely sure what to expect. However, I was pleasantly surprised by the brilliant writing style of the novella, which narrated the story of Virgil and his family. Even though I love reading all sorts including horrors, I found this to be more of a psychological thriller, which kept me on edge with its slow and steady build-up of unease and dread. The journal entries and Tenacity Ply's writing style were also impressive aspects of the book that I appreciated.
March 8, 2023
I LOVED this book. So suspenseful and kept me on the edge of my seat. The turducken of a book was very interesting and lead to a reveal that had me rereading passages as it all clicked. By the end of the book I was hooked and almost wished there was a sequel to find out what happened next (not to say there was anything wrong with the ending as it was well done, intentional, open ended, and I loved it.) Such a great read.
March 15, 2023
I thought this book was quite quirky and interesting. The format of a sort of field guide/diary was unique. Following the generations of the family through the different siblings who had disappeared into the woods and the theories of what had happened to them had me creating my own hypothesis as I read. I’d love to know what happens to the narrator of the story! Will the woods claim another victim? I really enjoyed this book. It was a quick, fun read.
March 26, 2023
This was definitely a different type of genre for me. The book is set on journal entries from the main character Virgil as well as prior journal entries from family members. Each of them have theories as to how other family members had gone missing in the woods.
Including UFOs and serial killers.
I definitely enjoyed it and wished it was longer.
I received a copy in exchange for an honest review from Love Books Tours
Including UFOs and serial killers.
I definitely enjoyed it and wished it was longer.
I received a copy in exchange for an honest review from Love Books Tours
August 27, 2024
Family Curse was an excellent read. The way Plys took me through time across the narrative was as exciting as it was straight up creepy! I really liked how although it begins with familiar early pandemic anxiety, it develops into a complex mystery that could exist in any time at all. It’s as if I started the book safely in the house and by the end have found myself deep within the woods. Highly recommend!
March 28, 2023
This was a quick, easy and creepy read. The Novella is well written, compelling and absolutely crammed with detail.
This book had everything that I love about spooky reads, it was tense, mysterious, made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up but it was also humourous at times that it needed to be the most. Without the humour I think I would have slept with a light on 😂😂
I really enjoyed it
This book had everything that I love about spooky reads, it was tense, mysterious, made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up but it was also humourous at times that it needed to be the most. Without the humour I think I would have slept with a light on 😂😂
I really enjoyed it
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