Cover Image: The Dunnie

The Dunnie

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Member Reviews

Thank you to Netgalley for the early coy of The Dunny. This novella was a fun read! It grabbed my attention very quickly and I sped through it in two sittings. The only part that lulled a little bit was towards the end. I loved the description of the creature, very creepy! I will definitely be reading more from this author.

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I was very eager to enjoy this book, but I've realized that horror through the eyes of children is just not for me. I wish I could have enjoyed it more as there were some genuinely scary moments.

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2.5 Stars

Unfortunately I was really disappointed with this book.

My biggest issue was the writing style. There were a lot of info dumps from the very beginning to the end of the book, the author would insert random information into sentences and they information was never brought up or useful after that.

I struggled to understand why Beth, would move far away from her abusive father and then have a child and bring him around her father so much that the son felt more comfortable in that house than most other places. Another thing was that Asher had a complete 180 in terms of personality, especially in regards to his behaviour towards his mother, and it was very sudden and I felt there was no substantial build up to it.

The horror element was the redeeming quality as I feel it was done quite well and definitely involved a creepy atmosphere.

The ending also felt very rushed and didn't do a good job wrapping up the story in my opinion

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When I saw that the author of this novella was the director of one of the best episodes of Guillermo de Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities, Pickman’s Model, I knew it was a must read. And while The Dunnie didn’t include an appearance from @benbarnes, it was still quite enjoyable, despite being decidedly less hot.

I went in not knowing what to expect, since being a good director doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll a good novelist — luckily Thomas is a multifaceted talent.

Novellas are inherently hard to review without spoiling anything since they’re so compact and dense. They’re my favorite form to consume horror and I strongly believe that going in blind to a good novella is one of the most magical feelings, second only to the first week of the launch of a FromSoftware game.

The Dunnie is fun, creepy, and thoughtfully constructed, even if it is a bit predictable.

I’m looking forward to the future interconnected stories that Thomas is planning!

4/5 ⭐️

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Creepy cover , eerie and scary , and will have you staying up at night , perfect to read doing a storm or when your up by self like I was, plus it's the perfect October reading .

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The cover got me! I was way too excited when I started to read it. Very scary and scary. I will reread around Halloween. Thank you for giving me a chance to read. Can’t wait to read more books from this author in the near future.

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Thank you to Netgalley for allowing me to read a copy of this book.

I enjoyed this book more than I was expecting to. There were parts that had me wanting to read with the light on and wondering what else would happen. I found the pacing to be perfect as there was just enough going on to keep you wanting to read more.

If you are a fan of creepy creatures lurking about...pick up this book.

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Thanks to Netgalley for the advance copy of this book!

Although I loved it and it is very short, I have given it 3 stars because I expected a little more, the book is not bad at all but I thought it would scare me a little more with the story and with the description of the monster The Dunnie , BUT maybe another person if the monster scares him!

The story is about Asher who is going to visit his grandfather with his mother, but when he gets home he begins to feel and see strange things in addition to the strange behavior of his grandfather, until finally one day he meets The Dunnie and his grandfather begins to explain some things to him.

I highly recommend this book for those people who seek to be scared not only by the monster, but also by things from the past that today can have serious consequences.

I was seeing that there are other books by the author like a kind of series? If so, I would be very interested in reading them.

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"Dunnie" by Keith Thomas offers an intricate blend of familial dynamics, mental health exploration, and chilling supernatural elements. While some of the plot transitions are less smooth than could be desired, Thomas expertly crafts an atmosphere of escalating tension as the horrifying secret in Asher's grandfather's home begins to unravel. The book's exploration of the transformational power of memory, coupled with its nuanced character development, makes for a compelling, if occasionally uneven, read.

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A spooky little folk horror novella that features a young lad trying to save his grandpa and family from the Dunnie, a supernatural creature created by the vomit of all of the anger and nastiness of Pa in his earlier years. There's a strange cunning man appropriately named Goat, a ritual known as the Chundering that produces our wee little Dunnie, and lots and lots of arcane symbols drawn everywhere and on everything. I thought this was a fun book, with sufficient spookiness and one gory scene to whet my appetite. I also appreciated that "to chunder" is a slang term for "to vomit" in Australian English, and a dunnie is also the loo. So, there's that lovely bit of toilet humor for the eternal juvenile within me.

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3.5 rounded up to a four.

When I requested this book from NetGalley, I didn't realize that the author was also the director of a movie I quite enjoyed, The Vigil. This novella is in the same vein as that, and while it definitely had its flaws, it was still a quick and satisfying read.

I'll admit I liked the beginning more than the end. There was a sense of creeping dread that I felt built rather well, with some nicely eerie descriptions. Once the Dunnie fully appears, however, I felt it fall apart a little- it felt less like "adult horror" and more like "children's adventure" to me, with a bit more gore than expected from the latter. I'll fully admit that this is probably due to my own personal tastes; more often than not, I'm a hard sell for a story with a child or teenage protagonist.

The author mentioned in the post-story notes that he plans on writing a collection of stories like this, and I definitely would be interested in checking that out if it comes to fruition.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest review!

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The Dunnie by Keith Thomas is a well-crafted bit of folk horror that I enjoyed reading earlier this month.

In this novella, we meet Asher, a 12-year-old boy dealing with school troubles and a family in turmoil. As Asher accompanies his mother and aunt to his grandfather's house, he is drawn to the books and curiosities that fill the old home — along with the strange noises emanating from the vents. His grandfather, battling dementia, rambles on about a creature called "The Dunnie." Seeking answers, he builds an uneasy alliance with a creepy man called Goat, uncovering a dark family secret.

Not gonna lie, I chose this one for the cover, but was happy to discover the story was surprisingly good. Recommended for fans of folk horror.

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Ok, so when I go into reading an “indie” horror novel, I usually go in expecting to intensely dislike it because, honestly, that’s usually how it goes for me. I end up hating it because it’s either horribly written, makes no sense, or is just not fear-inducing whatsoever. I was pleasantly surprised by The Dunnie.

Now, I’m not going to pretend that this book was super fear-inducing, because for me it wasn’t. But I’ll be honest, I don’t scare easily when it comes to horror novels or movies. But this book was very creepy.

It took me a bit to get into it, but once I got going, I flew through the book. Granted, it’s only about 150 pages long… but still. Once I got into it, I just didn’t want to put it down. In fact, I don’t think I did except for when I absolutely had to (aka, I had to tend to certain physical and medical needs).

I loved the concept – having a creature born of the qualities that a person wants to rid themselves of, then later on them having to fight that creature off and destroy it as best they can to ensure the safety of their loved ones. It made for a very interesting story line and one that honestly, I’d read again… which is good because The Dunnie isn’t the only book Keith Thomas has written in this particular vein.

The book is extremely well written…. which I’d hope so since Keith Thomas is a screenwriter and director who wrote/directed THE VIGIL and directed the “Pickman’s Model” episode of Guillermo del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities (on Netflix, at least in the US).

I give this a solid 4 stars because it’s a great, short horror novel. I’ll definitely be looking into reading some of the others that follow it!

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Thank you NetGalley for allowing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The first thing that interested me in reading this book has definitely got to be the cover. I mean just look at it! (Serious creepy vibes right there, along with the title in general. Just what exactly is a "Dunnie"?) This book was interesting from beginning to end, fast-paced, exciting and the definition of horror. I could also the genre fitting as psychological thriller as well based on the emotional abuse, dementia and all of the emotions the characters feel.

This book fits perfect as a novella, it wasn't too short nor too long, but got its message across clear during the length of the book. I don't think it would have benefitted being longer because it would have had useless dialogue and take away from the story overall. The characters were a bit flat, other than Asher and Pa of course, but there was much time explaining in depth what the Dunnie looks like, what it likes to eat and how it came to be.

Now this book is definitely something I could see being turned into a movie someday. It had the right amount of scare factor, buildup and creepy characters. You never know what could be lurking in the shadows (and in this case, vents) and how you may be afraid of the dark and falling asleep for the rest of your life. Shape shifters creep me out and I would never want to be in the same room as a Dunnie, no thanks!

I will definitely be reading more by Keith Thomas in the future.

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Rating: 2.75 leaves out of 5
Characters: 3/5
Cover: 2.5/5
Story: 3/5
Writing: 2.75/5
Horror: 3/5
Genre: Horror/Mythology/Fantasy
Type: Ebook
Worth?: Yes

Want to thank Netgalley and publishers for giving me the chance to read this book.

When I started this book I didn't think I would really like it. The writing wasn't it and the characters weren't giving to me what I wanted but as I kept reading I found myself wanting to read more. I stayed up late last night to read and if I hadn't had a headache I would have finished it.

I didn't like Pa and I took a huge problem with the mom taking him over there so much that he knew him well. But they explained some thing on what happened after the beginning. There were times when I was a bit confused but it all smoothed out as I read more.

For horror? I am rating it a bit high because I was scared to go to bed a bit. That is a win in my book!

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A growing up boy, his dementia laden grandfather and a mythical monster set in a story of folklore and magic.
It was a fab little story, a quick enough read but atmospheric and creepy in all the best places. Definitely recommend.

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This was an interesting story. I really like how the author describes Dunnie. I had never heard of such a character. I like the main character of the story, the grandson. This was a good horror book.

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As someone who is intrigued by folklore, I found this book to be a captivating read. The author skillfully infused Scottish mythology with his own creative spin, making the creature we encounter much more terrifying than the original folklore. Even more impressive, the origin of this being was thoughtfully explained, adding an often overlooked layer of depth to the horror genre. Despite its shorter length, the pacing was spot-on and I never found myself bored. The writing flowed nicely and was easy to read, with realistic dialogue that added to the overall authenticity of the story.

One of the best aspects of this book was the vivid atmosphere it created. I was fully immersed in each situation and could easily picture everything in my mind's eye. However, I did wish that the author had delved more deeply into the strained relationship between Beth, her sister Zoe, and their abusive father. While it was mentioned, their emotions and feelings towards their father were not explored enough. Additionally, I felt that Zoe was included simply as a plot device and could have been given more depth as a character.

A big thank you to Keith Thomas and NetGalley for the arc.

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The Dunnie, a horrible and beastly creature, supposedly based on English-Scottish folklore, is a creature that personifies our worst habits. While the book makes for good reading as a tale of horror, it misses out on a deeper characterisation of Asher, his days at school, and his grief and rebelliousness.

Mary Schwob Arceneaux wakes up in the middle of one night in 2008 to discover that Frank, her husband, a man who has abused and belittled her for 24 years, is not in bed. When she goes looking for him in his favourite room, the library, she finds him engaged in a bizarre ritual with Terry ‘Goat’ Pratt, a man she detests as much as she detests Frank.

Fourteen years later, Frank has dementia and is losing control. His daughters, Zoe, with partner Faith, and Beth, with her 12-year-old son Asher, have returned home to help put his affairs in order.

Asher’s school has threatened to expel him over various infractions. Beth hopes that spending time with his grandfather and playing in the woods around their home will help calm him, and save him from inheriting the rage of his grandfather, once an abusive brute who mysteriously turned benevolent around the time of Asher’s birth.

Lonely and despised by his family, Frank underwent an occult practice to rid himself of his anger. The anger was expelled from his body and took the shape of an evil creature, the Dunnie, that needed to feed on small animals to stay alive.

Now the Dunnie has grown and her anger has increased and Asher's grandfather can no longer control the creature. Will Asher succeed in keeping his family safe?

Speaking of the curiosities in his grandfather’s collection, Asher says, “They’re not so bad,” to which Beth responds, “In the daytime, they’re not.”

Another time, when Asher says, “Pa never really seemed to care much about money,” Beth says, “When you’ve got enough of it, you don’t.”

In the best traditions of the horror genre, we are moved to care for Asher, who is hurting and misunderstood. In the same vein, Beth disregards Asher when he sounds the voice of alarm

Asher gets into trouble at school. He is unable to process his grief in the wake of his father’s death. We are not told who his father is, or how he died, which is a big omission in the family’s back story. Clearly it’s important, since Asher is unable to cope at school.

Since so much of the story hinges on Frank’s anger issues and his belittling of his wife and children, it would have been great to actually see that angry display of rage, set against the vision of the lovely grandfather that Asher knows. Both these significant personality changes are only told to us, never shown.

Also, Mary is missing from the present-day events. We learn much later that she has died. Again, an omission. Since she was the one to bear witness to the strange ritual that changes Frank, she should have been around to experience this difficult time.
Mary had the makings of a good character.

In fact, after Mary’s death, none of the living female characters are strong enough. It is only the men who make things happen, including Frank, Asher, Goat, the strawman.

Apparently Frank attaches as little importance to women. Why else would he burden a 12-year-old boy with information about the Dunnie? Such a serious matter should have been shared with his two adult daughters and yet when Asher asks him why he won’t tell his mom and aunt Zoe and the police, Frank says the police would not believe him. He has nothing to say about Beth and Zoe.

Ironically, the Dunnie, the beast of a monster goes by the pronouns she and her.

I liked the writing, especially the bits about the house and Goat’s house and the strawman. In fact, I found the strawman scarier than the Dunnie.

The Dunnie was a great horror novel, but I would have liked it to go beyond. The issues relating to anger, grief, domestic abuse, dementia, even the soul and its significance, remain unaddressed.

The book also includes an excerpt from the author’s next book in the series, The Mutter.

Stories need to be dangerous, Pa tells Asher. This one certainly is.

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What if you could completely remove a negative part of your personality? Would you do it? What if it created something horrific that you were forced to live with and care for the rest of your life? That's what Asher and his family are up against when they go to visit his grandfather. Dealing with the onset of dementia, Pa isn't who Asher remembers him to be. But there's also something horrific in the house with him as well.

I really enjoyed this novella. It was a page-turner, and I couldn't wait to find out how it ended. The descriptions of the Dunnie were horrific and spine-tingling. I read parts of this at night, and definitely had to pause until the next day because I was getting freaked out. I was really pleased to read that Keith Thomas is planning additional stories based around the same town and character. I finished the story and still wanted to know more about Goat. Who he was, what his story was about. I am really looking forward to reading more work by Keith.

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