Catriona Ward has done it again with "Little Eve". Gives me creepy-horror vibes and I am all for it. Great book!

Little Eve was a dark, sad, psychological spiral into near-madness. The things the characters endure are so far beyond rationality, you find yourself reading back a few sentences more than once.

An enjoyable read, if a bit hard to stomach at times. Nothing too graphic in description, but the atmosphere is near terrifying.

Trigger warnings include: Self-harm, child abuse, alluding to child sexual abuse and mentions of violence and death

Thank you to Netgalley, Catriona Ward and Tor Nightfire Books. All opinions are my own.

Grateful thanks to NetGalley and the publisher Tor Nightfire for the ARC on this book.
After reading "The Last House On Needless Street", I felt the same way I'd felt after reading Stephen King's "Carrie".......I'd become an author's fan for life and couldn't wait to be the first reader to get my hands on their next book.
And once again, Catriona Ward does not disappoint with this book, one of her earlier novels.
In many ways, I found it even more ambitious, multi-layered and sweeping than 'Sundial' and 'Needless Street'. The remote gothic setting, a crumbling. ancient Scottish estate in the early 20th century, provides a home for a warped family of adults and children, led by a man they call 'Uncle'. In reality, the group's a brainwashed,, snake-worshipping, quasi-religious cult, horribly abused in every possible way by their infinitely evil 'Uncle'.
Torture, murder and cruelty beyond description surround this corrupted, vile imitation of a family and inevitably involves victimizing some of the townsfolk unlucky enough to cross paths with them.
Against the backdrop of a countryside forever traumatized by the emotional cost and casualties of World War 1, the story follows the fates of two young cult members Dinah and Eve, one a survivor, the other mysteriously disappeared after a pivotal, horrific night at that forbidding castle....(complete with a crashing, lethal sea around it, like something you'd see in one of those old Vincent Price-Edgar Allen Poe movies.)
As in her subsequent books, Catriona Ward freely shifts the timeline and narrators, as well as creating a cast of characters swept up in heartbreak, events beyond their control and a tragic fatalism that hangs over everyone undone by unspeakable violence, both homegrown and by a world at war.
Grandly dense and detailed in its plotting, "Little Eve" does take its time in unraveling its secrets and delivering its final major twist, but I didn't mind that at all. This is one those dark, disturbing journeys to immerse yourself in completely......just let it suck you in and prepare for a 5 star read.

A beautiful modern Gothic thriller that extends Poe-esque tropes (twisted families; dark secrets; heart-pounding and horrifying set-pieces) and mixes it with a healthy dose of Agota Kristof surrealism. The atmosphere here is magic and the beautiful prose captures that haunted and dreamy manner of one's childhood (except the childhood here is exceptionally strange). The setting (late 1800s Scotland) is as much a character in this captivating thriller as the human characters as well.

Little Eve is one of the finest gothic horror novels I've encountered in quite some time. Focused primarily in the coasts of Scotland, the book brings tremendous promise for its readers: a story full of mysteries, isolated settings, and tense horror just about perfect for spooky season.

Ward has one of the finest voices for horror fiction in the field today, and her work here elicits some strong classical allusions through its atmospheric setting and its unsettling mysteries. As the story continues to unravel and reveal its secrets, it only seems to delve deeper into the haunted, gothic spaces that make the book both immediately recognizable to fans of the genre and fresh, with Ward's nuanced take on the novel's characters and their twisted relationships.

And fans of Ward know that they can expect some gruesome imagery with some pulse-pounding horror beats. Even if you haven't encountered Ward's work before, Little Eve is definitely a great place to start.

Such a goooood book!! A nice combination of “Who Done It” & Gothic Horror; which I love. This one kept me guessing the whole time & was very suspenseful. Will recommend to others.

I have great love for this author's previous work and remain enamoured with her writing style, ingenious premises, and the dark depths of the human psyche in which she invites the reader to venture. The historical setting and more abstract focus worked a little less for my personal reading tastes, than with her other works, but I remained impressed and intrigued throughout, regardless.

Catriona Ward did it again. Another hit! Here's a beautifully intricate novel about relationships and a cult 100 years ago. There's creepy religious stuff, tons of mystery and intrigue, and a tangled web of relationships all written in Catriona Ward's captivating prose. This book sucked me in and engulfed me in the story.

Evelyn, in 1921, is blamed for the murder of her cult family, but she disappears. That timeline follows the lone survivor, her sister, Dinah. The other timeline, beginning in 1917, follows Evelyn as she navigates the back half of her teenage years in this glorified cult preparing for the end of days. Most of the book takes place in the latter timeline while the former adds layers to the question of "just how in the world is this all going to play out?"

It's incredibly smart and engaging. I'm so glad it's getting a US release. Thank you Netgalley and Tor Nighfire for letting me read this phenomenal book in advance of its release.

The description of this book sounded great, but the execution for me fell a little flat. The clan’s world at Altnaharra was confusing to get into at first with their terminology, plus there were several timeline changes in the first few chapters. Once I got more into the story and it made more sense, the plot picked up. It was interesting to see the cult from the different POVs of the characters, and how they behaved and believed/didn’t believe certain things they were told from their leader. I did not see the twist towards the end coming and thought it added a lot to the plot. Overall this was an interesting and suspenseful-at-times story, but the confusion throughout knocked it down a couple stars for me.

Little Eve by Catriona Ward is a dark, confusing novel that takes place in Scotland. I got through a third of it but was so confused by what was happening that I set it aside. Unfortunately I had not formed an attachment to any of the characters, nor did I have an interest in continuing.

Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

**Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review**

Little Eve releases in the U.S. on October 11th. (Originally published in 2018 overseas)

Okay, I went back and forth about this book. Big picture, I really really liked the premise and the twist and the end.

Where I struggled was with the writing. It's done very poetically and it is set in the early 1900s, so the language and just general verbiage was rough for me. However, that's on me, not the author. 🤣 She simply cannot help it if my mind does not read like that. It's actually very beautiful.

It's a 4, not a 5, because it kept skipping years and I kept getting confused as to what was happening when.

Catriona Ward is back with a dark new tale about a secluded Adder-worshiping clan and the horrors the family members endure until the day they’re found murdered under terrifying and mysterious circumstances. “Little Eve” is a dreamlike decent into a fevered madness while also a reflection on delusion, family loyalty and faith. A beautifully written literary horror (gothic to be exact), Ward gives multiple character perspectives to purposefully convolute the story (something I would say is a characteristic of hers) so that readers aren’t altogether sure who or what to believe up until the twisted shock of an ending. This is one of those novels that both scares and scars you, with unforgettable characters who are equally terrifying and tragic. Little Eve is a must for fans of Ward’s previous books and the perfect place to start for those new to her writing. 4.5 stars

Book received for free through NetGalley

This book was quick to grab me and it was so hard to put down. At points I assumed I’d know what would happen next and then it twisted and looked completely different. Overall an on edge and slightly enjoyable read. Thanks.

This book is the epitome of gothic horror. It’s gruesome, horrific and just plain melancholy throughout. The way they were brainwashed? Jeez. Definitely give this a try if you enjoy gothic horror. This will definitely be up your alley.

This is my first book by Catriona Ward book before, I am a fan! I love gothic horror books and this one hit the nail on the head. I will be adding this to my collection.

“Can we hold such an act within us, without being irrevocably changed?”

If you’ve read The Last House on Needless Street, you know that Catriona Ward is apt at delivering well written and fantastically confusing stories. Little Eve is no different.

This book has a hazy, gothic quality to it that really helps you dig in to the meat of the story as we see the world through the eyes of brainwashed cult members who are awaiting the Adder and the inheritance of powers that comes with him.

Little Eve is sometimes gruesome, always sad, and shrouded in mystery. If you enjoy an unreliable narrator and things that are not as they seem- this is the book for you.

We primarily experience Eve and Dinah’s points of view- both are young women living under the heavy fist of their Uncle. And as we alternate between POVs and past and present timelines, we slowly discover the secrets of the Adder alongside them.

“He keeps you starved, half-dead with exhaustion, always vying for his attention. That place is the very edge of the world, Evelyn, and you have been taken to the edge of what a person can stand, or be.”

I really enjoyed reading this book and went with 5 stars! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this eARC.

I really enjoyed this. I liked Catriona Ward's other books more, but this had a very spooky atmosphere and would be a great fall read.

I am a huge fan of Catriona Ward and I love her mysterious, twisting narratives that keep me entranced. This one didn't do as much for me, but was still great.

Oh, I absolutely loved this book. I was born and raised on a Scottish island and the scenery, and atmosphere was spot on. The story is incredible and so well written. I loved this book and I am going to read all the author's books. Five stars xx

I am so glad Catriona got her second chance at publishing Little Eve here in the states- the last I’ve read from her, “the house on needless street” was such a trip, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on anything by her next. This one was very creepy, cult vibes, family dysfunction to the extreme. Loved it.

Thanks to NetGalley for allowing me to receive an arc in exchange for my honest review!