ARC REVIEW: I received this ebook for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Title: Eynhallow
Series: N/A
Author: Tim McGregor
Genres: Horror, Historical
Publishing Date: 15 February 2024
Original Language: English
Pages: ~244
CW: Child death, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Body horror, Gore, Violence, Ableism, Animal death, Infidelity
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Read if you’re looking for:
- A cold, wind swept, gothic setting in Scotland
- A new twist on a well known horror story, from a woman’s POV
- Characters you can empathize with
- A lot of body horror
- Incorporation of the real-life legends of the island of Eynhallow
This is a gothic, horror story set in the Orkney Islands of Scotland in 1797. Agnes lives on the island with her four children, and her unpleasant and abusive husband, scratching out a meager living from the sea. The island is desolate, with only four families living there. One day, a mysterious outsider arrives to rent a croft that has long been abandoned and rumors spread regarding his intentions. Agnes’ husband volunteers her to cook and clean for this new renter, much to her chagrin. As she gets to know this new man, strange and terrifying events begin to unfold.
I really enjoyed the reading experience of this book. There are great descriptions of the stark setting that really give you the feeling of the cold and windswept island. I also enjoyed the characterization of the main character, Agnes, and the journey that she goes on to lose herself, and find herself. I definitely had empathy for her situation, and how much of POS her husband was. There was a good amount of body horror, and gruesome yet beautiful descriptions of decay and disintegration. The ending also gives a certain sense of catharsis, as well. There is a decent amount of trauma that occurs in this book, so make sure to check the content warnings before reading.
The main criticism I have, is that the pacing seemed a little bit off for me at the end. There are several chapters after the main climax, which I did appreciate having the information they provided, but it seemed to throw off the flow a little bit. It’s a little bit of a slow build at the beginning, but the action really kicks off in the second half of the book, which worked fine for me.
Overall, I would say that this is a solid, gothic horror story with great body horror, and I would recommend picking it up if those are things you enjoy.
