This was one of my most anticipated releases back in January but I quickly became nervous after hearing some less-than-stellar reviews. So I lowered my expectations accordingly and waited a while to read it. I ended up being pleasantly surprised, though the book is not without its issues.
The book’s setting is definitely one of its strongest points. The desolate Norwegian landscape makes for a suitably atmospheric read that would be perfect for a cold winter’s night. The dark and spooky vibes are abundant. Burge simultaneously writes some lovely imagery and manages to create some much creepier moments than I was expecting.
The story is slow and sinister, and will certainly appeal to fans of the Gothic. I also really appreciated the Norse mythology connections and thought this added an original touch.
Sadly, I did feel like there were moments of missed potential. The book was relatively short and it wouldn’t have hurt to make it a little longer and more developed. I felt that I was left with unanswered questions by the end.
I also couldn’t fully get on board with the romance. For all the fantastical elements of the plot, it was the odd insta-love relationship between Martha and Stig that caused me the most difficulty when suspending my disbelief. Again, there was the potential for some really interesting themes to be explored (such as Martha’s disfigurement and both characters’ grief) but this potential was never fully realised.
Overall though, despite its issues, this was an enjoyable read that I would recommend for fans of atmospheric ghost stories!
The book’s setting is definitely one of its strongest points. The desolate Norwegian landscape makes for a suitably atmospheric read that would be perfect for a cold winter’s night. The dark and spooky vibes are abundant. Burge simultaneously writes some lovely imagery and manages to create some much creepier moments than I was expecting.
The story is slow and sinister, and will certainly appeal to fans of the Gothic. I also really appreciated the Norse mythology connections and thought this added an original touch.
Sadly, I did feel like there were moments of missed potential. The book was relatively short and it wouldn’t have hurt to make it a little longer and more developed. I felt that I was left with unanswered questions by the end.
I also couldn’t fully get on board with the romance. For all the fantastical elements of the plot, it was the odd insta-love relationship between Martha and Stig that caused me the most difficulty when suspending my disbelief. Again, there was the potential for some really interesting themes to be explored (such as Martha’s disfigurement and both characters’ grief) but this potential was never fully realised.
Overall though, despite its issues, this was an enjoyable read that I would recommend for fans of atmospheric ghost stories!