LITTLE EVE by Catriona Ward
Published: 10/11/2022 by Tor Nighfire ( Macmillan-Tor / Forge)
271 pages


This literary horror masterpiece is actually Ward’s third and breakout novel … originally published in UK in 1918 to high acclaim and subsequently the Winner of the Shirley Jackson Award, as well as the August Derleth Prize given by the British Fantasy Association. This publication finally arrives at the shores of North American in 2022. This atmospheric gothic thriller centers itself in a crumbling castle located on an isolated isle off the coast of Scotland, called Altnaharra, cut off from the local village of Loyal by a ponderous iron gate .. located on a causeway, only accessible at low tide. Inside the isolated isle lives a family … rather a clan … actually more like a “cult.” The patriarch is known by the residents as Uncle John… who rules with an abusive and overbearing hand…. frequently meting out both physical and mental punishments. He is accompanied by two other female adults … Alice Seddington and Nora Marr. Together they have raised four orphaned and unwanted children …. Dinah, Evelyn ( also referred to as “Little Eve” ), Abel and Elizabeth, Lately the “family” has little to do with the outside world. They communicate by leaving messages on the gate.
The tale opens in 1921 with the butcher, Jamie MacRaith, responding to a message left on the gate requesting a side of beef. As he approaches the gate he notes the gate is slightly askew and not padlocked closed. He takes this as a request to personally deliver the heavy slab of meat to the kitchen. Unfortunately he’s met with a gruesome scene of carnage. He discovers five bodies laid out on a stone altar .. all with their right eye gouged out. All are still and most likely dead. He notes the presence of Nora, Elizabeth, John , Sarah and when he turns his attention to the last body …. Dinah …. she starts to move with obvious pain. She tells Jamie that her “sister” Eve is responsible for the massacre.
The story alternates between the past and present …. extending between 1917 to 1945. We are exposed to the backstory through the eyes of Eve as we jump back to 1917 and learn of the brainwashing and everyday life, torture and indoctrination at Altnaharra. “Uncle” has everyone preparing for the coming of the Adder and end of the world. His teachings and methods are supposedly to train and prepare all for the inevitable rebirth of the world with the strongest ascending to the position of power. The rituals, ceremonies are bizarre and caustic.
As Dinah slowly recovers she provides an alternative version of events leading up to the massacre at odds with those of Eve. Who is the reliable narrator remains in question … as things do not add up. Chief Inspector Christopher Black is sent to the scene to sieve through the events …. all of which adds further mystery and tension to the narrative.
Catriona Ward proves to be a masterful storyteller as she peels the layers off the multi-prong mystery as tension, dread , and horror escalate to a twisty tale with a shocking denouement. Themes of family, love, abuse, violence, loss, and even healing are all touched upon while unravelling the events at Altnaharra. Finally North American readers will enjoy and devour this amazing gruesome gothic mystery thriller. The reader should be prepared to have extreme emotional changes … vacillating between heartbreak, sadness, disgust, and occasional bouts of happiness. Thanks to NetGalley and Tor Nightfire for providing an Uncorrected Proof in exchange for an honest review.

Trigger Warning: forced starvation, forced drug use, murder, miscarriage, insinuated rape of minors, body mutilation.

Told in dual perspectives, this novel follows the Children of Altnaharra and their Uncle. Readers are pulled into this cult as we learn how it ended. At the center is Eve, a girl who believes she has The Eye and will take over from her Uncle.

This is a disturbing novel. And at the heart of it is how the entire cult of Altnaharra died. With every new piece of information, I was horrified by the tragedies inflicted upon Eve and the other children. Adding to that is the way Eve thought. She believe herself to be able to see into people's minds with the help of the benison- a mysterious side effect of the honey they eat.

Once I got used to the way Eve spoke, this story was much easier to read. It is filled with euphemisms that show readers how naive she really is. What caused this to be so horrifying was how realistic the cult was. This novel feels as though it is a story heard in hushed tones, that it is told to children as a warning.

The ending was not what I expected, but made perfect sense. It's very bittersweet.

THE QUEEN OF HORROR. I hadn't realized this was already published before, but oh boy am I glad I got the chance to read it now. Ward has a talent for the spooky and gothic and this shows that off PERFECTLY. Add in some cultish behavior and I am even more convinced it's the book for me.

And it was! Woohoo!

"Little Eve" was an absolutely fascinating read. Catriona Ward transports readers to turn-of-the-century Scotland. She builds up the wilds of Altnaharra, she ratchets up the distrust between its residents and the villagers of Loyal, and she dials up the mystery and the anticipation surrounding the events of Hogmanay 1917. The multiple points of view utilized by the author only serve to draw the reader in further as they race through the pages to unravel the secrets of the Adder, the cult, and the victims of the murders on the island.

“What has happened here? A terrible thing.”

Ward begins the story with a bang as butcher Jaime McRaith approaches the ruins of Altnaharra where Eve, Dinah, Nora, and Abel live with "Uncle" the leader of their clan who has prophesied the end of days and a unique and powerful role for their family when they return to the sea in order to live forever. Jaime finds all the castle's inhabitants have been brutally murdered and ritualistically displayed, save for one sole survivor who weaves a tale of torture, dispairs, and imprisonment within the walls of the castle. Readers dive back and forth between the past and the near future to piece together what really led to the desperate acts that took place on Altnaharra that day. They will be shocked by the twists and mysteries revealed along with way, they will be left quaking in their boots as they read the descriptions of the acts carried out by the Adder, and they will be left aching for the lives that were so cruelly cut short by the actions of all those involved.

A must-read for fans of Silvia Moreno-Garcia and Megan Shepherd, "Little Eve" will linger with readers long after they've finished the last page. Special thanks to NetGalley and MacMillian-Tor/Forge for providing an Advanced Reader's Copy of "Little Eve" in exchange for an unbiased review!

Cults, unreliable narrators, mysteries, and bleak seaside locations.....these are a few a of my favourite things! I can't say I was hooked from the beginning because I was a bit confused by the perspective shifts in the first chapters, but once I got into it I couldn't put it down.

This new release from Catriona Ward is another great gothic family novel that revolves around a miniature cult and just how far each of us will go for power.

Catriona Ward is a fantastic horror writer and though Little Eve was not my favorite of her works I do think that it is still a solid read. First, I really enjoyed Ward’s descriptions of the cult, being in the perspective of Eve you could understand her undying loyalty to her cause and her motivations. I also found the early 1900’s time period to be intriguing however with the time jumps it did create another layer of confusion with more information to keep track of along with the multiple perspectives and character names.
For most of the story I was pretty invested despite my confusion and its slower pace, but don’t let its low page count deceive you, this book does not read like it’s less than 300 pages.
Overall, I would recommend Little Eve if you enjoy
* complex gothic horror stories
* cult stories
* mystery
* unreliable narrators
But, if you also enjoy all the themes listed above (minus the gothic setting) Catriona Ward’s latest release Sundial is a must read

Ward has grown famous in the horror world for twists and turns that leave your head spinning and this story was no different. I find myself wanting to be immersed in the island once more.

Thank you, @netgalley, @tornightfire for the eARC in return for an honest review.

My Thoughts:
This is my first read from Catriona Ward. I had high hopes for this book and it was not what I was expecting. It took perseverance to finish this book. I mean the premise was great but it just dragged. It finally got interesting after reading 70% already.

It had a great start. There’s two POVs but there are times I couldn’t tell who’s POV am I reading. It does open your eye about cults. How people specifically the children are victimized and manipulated.

The twist was uniquely impressive and how it all came together in the end. It is dark and depressing. It is also about finding hope and family. I do admire the main female character for her survival skills.

A mark of a great story is when you realize what the twists are and it feels like a preemptive reward - where the story, in fact, becomes more interesting because of it. Little Eve was one of those books for me, where when I realized what was happening I put my nose to the ground and collected evidence. I've been enjoying Catriona Ward's gothic-tinged unorthodox-family stories quite a bit lately - tis the season - and this one did not disappoint. The bond between sisters and quasi-parental figures, the near-insurmountable cult programming, and the ways that what was everyday to the narrators easily horrified the reader all stuck with me throughout my read. Fantastic images, coherent plot, and another instance of a Ward book that's about one thing on the outset and surviving and recovery at the core.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

4 stars.

Spoilers ahead. I will not reveal anything big - most of the review vaguely alludes to plot, structure, and characters.

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This was my first foray into Ward's work, and it was a gut punch - in a good way. It was so brutal and gut wrenching, with enough of a dash of mystery to keep things from feeling gratuitous. The writing is beautifully crafted, and the story structure is intriguing. The gothic tradition is strong with this one, and I would suggest it for fans of Shirley Jackson who are looking for something with a bit more bite and blood.

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Again, thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I am going to start by saying I did not like this book and it felt like work making myself finish it. I wanted to like it so much. But the story couldn't keep my attention and I didn't like the characters

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for allowing to read Little Eve by Catriona Ward in exchange for an honest review!

This is an amazing book! I love books with an unreliable narrator. The twist at the end blew my mind, I honestly did not see it coming. I think this book did a great job of showing what a cult lived in was like and how it effects the people who live within them and beyond. The book has a great (gory) opening scene and sucks the reader right in. There is alternating points of view in this story. This is a great atmospheric read.

LITTLE EVE is dark, engaging, and haunting as it delves into the types of monsters people can become and create. It weaves through themes of friendship, love, motherhood, betrayal, manipulation, and abuse as Little Eve grapples with faith, family, and the end of the world.

The first few chapters were a little slow. The short, choppy sentences took some getting used to. They made the story feel blunt and emotionless, but faded after the initial chapters. The style fit the tone very well. It created this cold and sinister atmosphere that just worked. Plus, the foreshadowing from the second timeline heightened the intrigue and anticipation.

I couldn’t put it down, learning more and more about this family’s secrets through Eve as she unraveled the truth of her existence. What I liked most about her was how flawed she was. She wasn’t perfect or particularly nice, but she’s loyal and her belief strong…almost to a fault.

I do think the twist was a little predictable and the ending could've been a little tighter, but definitely worth the read.

Little Eve by Catriona Ward is an account set in 1920’s Scotland. The area is steeped in folklore and Ward weaves a story that chills the bone. Not for sensitive readers, this story touches on several difficult topics. The plot is quick, but I didn’t really find myself rooting for any of the characters.

This was my first time reading a book by this author, but it will not be my last. Reminiscent of the harrowing Gothic novel, "Fall on Your Knees" by Ann-Marie MacDonald, I was immediately hooked by "Little Eve", and for good reason. Ward created a most unsettling storyline about a young girl being raised in such disturbing conditions, but with a narrative that was undeniably compelling. I was left questioning the direction the story would go until the final pages. This book reflected the better aspects of classic Gothic horror.

It is officially that I will read anything Ward writes. Her writing is masterful. And her storytelling is unmatched.

There was an eeriness to this that kept me turning the pages. Perfectly done!

Catriona Ward has DONE. IT. AGAIN. I loved this book so much. It was so twisted and screwed up (in the best way). I couldn't put this down. Ward has become an auto buy author for me. I will read anything this woman writes.

Intense and evocative, Ward does an impeccable job of creating a haunting atmosphere and the realities of life inside a cult. Eve lives with her Uncle and others at Altnaharrah, a desolate, windswept castle off the coast of Scotland. And they are anxiously awaiting the rise of the Adder and with it, his powers. But things are not what they seem on the isle and a murderous act uproots the entire family.

Written with beautiful prose, the descriptions of the family and the ‘cult’ are eerie. It is definitely a slow burn, twisting and turning in time with multiple viewpoints. I highly recommend and am very glad this was finally published in the US.

I loved the Last House on Needless Street so I was very excited for this one. I couldn't get into it though. The writing style was a little cumbersome and I was having trouble connecting to the characters. I didn't finish it, but glad to see it was getting good reviews.