Review by Booklist Review
In August 1901, 29-year-old schoolteacher and self-described spinster Ada Byrd arrives at her new post in small-town Lowry Bridge after an unnamed past indiscretion has left her unemployed. As she wearily settles into the town's rhythms, she finds the previous teacher's belongings, including a book with the words "no matter if I plug my ears it still calls to me" hastily scrawled inside. Soon, Ada herself feels called to the woods, where someone (or something) lurks. As her grasp on reality fades and she's ostracized for her growing friendship with the town witch, Ada's past comes back to haunt her. Unfolding entirely through Ada's richly detailed diary entries, Gish's atmospheric debut is a heady blend of literary fiction and gothic horror that captures one woman's descent in the face of an oppressive society. Reminiscent of Charlotte Perkins Gilman's "The Yellow Wallpaper" in its exploration of feminist themes, this slow-burn tale will also appeal to fans of Robert Eggers' 2015 folk horror film, The Witch.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Gish's seething, gorgeous horror debut centers on 29-year-old schoolteacher Ada Byrd, whose tarnished reputation--the cause of which is better left unspoiled--drives her in 1901 to relocate from the comparatively bustling town of Willoughby to the small hamlet of Lowry Bridge, hoping to rebuild her life. Almost as soon as she arrives in the claustrophobic small town, however, she's greeted by a series of odd and terrifying visions and dreams, including insect swarms and forest creatures giving horrific birth to human infants. Ada seeks answers from a mysterious widow shunned by many of the townsfolk, leading her down a path of both terror and self-discovery. Gish's prose is as sharp as a scalpel, giving readers a precise portrait of Ada's internal state as she grapples with the unique horrors of socially enforced womanhood at the turn of the century. In an impressive and effective touch, Gish never asks the reader to like complicated, prickly Ada even as she demands to be understood. The novel's diaristic format lends itself perfectly to the revelations that unfold, and the ending will haunt readers long after the final page is turned. Calling to mind the folk horror of T. Kingfisher's The Twisted Ones, this marks the arrival of a bold new voice. (Apr.)
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Review by Library Journal Review
Gish debuts with an atmospheric historical horror in the gothic tradition that descends into truly terrifying places. In 1901, Ada Byrd takes a teaching position in the small town of Lowry Bridge, looking for distance from a scandal that cost her her last teaching job. She dutifully interacts with her young students, engages in church and social activities, and even makes friends. However, in the woods lives a creature Ada calls "the grey dog," an entity that torments Ada with terrifying yet enticing visions. These visions lead Ada out into the dark woods where the grey dog awaits. Told through journal entries and gorgeous prose, Gish's novel evokes other gothic stories of fractured minds, even as it tackles more issues like sexual assault and repressed LGBTQIA+ identity. Some, however, might argue that Ada's dizzying and disturbing transformation is not a descent into delusions but a step toward embracing freedom and independent thought. Thanks to Natalie Naudus's brilliant voicework, readers will hear (and perhaps even feel) Ada losing her grip on reality as the visions worsen, her resolve crumbles, and society's restraints are ripped away. VERDICT Gothic and feminist horror fans, especially those who love bloody folk horror, will be mesmerized.--James Gardner
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