The setting: An old hunting lodge in the woods with a freak blizzard bearing down on the area. The characters: Best friends, all carrying some form of trauma. The takeaway: The Broken Places isolation folk horror done right.

It begins with one of the three, Ryne, recalling an odd occurrence from his childhood when he, his father, and his uncle made a trip to the cabin. Then adult Ryne and two of his childhood friends, Shawn and Noah, are on the road heading toward that same isolated cabin from Ryne's past. The trip is full of memories, both good and bad, family history, and the bond of brotherhood. Sounds great, right? While initially a slow-burn horror, once the scare wheel starts turning, it's all speed ahead.

The Broken Places' main strength is its character development. The three friends all have some type of trauma that they are carrying with them into this place. While Ryne's is the main focus, Noah and Shawn have their own emotional backstories but their tight bond of friendship is strong and has kept them together across the years. Rather than only getting one viewpoint throughout the occurrences, you get to step into the lives of each of them in turn. The varying perspective could confuse and delay the story but in this case, only adds more poignancy to what's occurring.

This debut novel by Blaine Daigle couldn't get into my head fast enough. This is not just a horror story; It's a tale about loss, grief, and depression. A perfectly atmospheric folk terror to haunt you long after you've finished the last page.

Three friends find themselves isolated and
being stalked in the freezing cold Yukon Territory

I was immensely impressed by Blaine Daigle’s debut The Broken Places which might be described as an ice-cold blend of Adam Nevill’s The Ritual, Marc E Finch’s Boy in the Box and Ron Malfi’s Bone White. Being entirely set in a remote part of Canada’s Yukon Territory it is easy to compare The Broken Places with any survival style story where something nasty lurks in the forests and help remains frighteningly out of reach. Whatever you may decide to compare this terrific novel to, this gripping, eerie and captivating tale more than holds its own against the big names in the genre. Even, if at first glance, the plot sounds derivative of many other isolated snow-swept settings Daigle gives all those familiar ingredients a shakeup delivering a chilling and powerful read.

The Broken Places is written in the third person and seamlessly moves between the three main characters and best friends, Ryne, Shawn and Noah. Apart from various flashbacks the book has virtually no other characters and is built around their long-standing friendship and the unnamed powers which test their endurance to the extremes. Aged in their late twenties and with significant shared history behind them, the trio meet up to visit Ryne’s family cabin which is some miles beyond the village of Wolf’s Bone, in a remote part of the Yukon.

All three men were fascinating, relatable, and believable characters as they all had complex personal baggage which impacts the story in unique ways. Ryne’s is the most significant, having inherited the cabin from his father and uncle after their recent deaths, he is returning to his old home after even more family tragedy which has left him like a broken shell. The Broken Places was a very bleak book and happiness or cheery scenes are absent with anxiety levels increasing very quickly once the three reach the remote cabin. Even the title itself could be referring to the men themselves, just as much as the dangerous surroundings.

The novel is developed around Ryne’s childhood connection with the cabin, which was built by his ancestors many generations earlier, but there were secrets his father and uncle chose not to pass onto him. In the prologue dreamlike sequence a childhood Ryne witnesses his uncle bowing down in front on an antlered creature and is warned never to eat meat from the forest. But why? Clues are dropped here and there and Blaine Daigle’s forest is a threatening and imposing creation which is vividly brought to life. The unnerving behaviour of the local wildlife was equally unsettling and is a million miles away from the cute animals of Narnia, with experienced childhood hunters Ryne and Shaun both struggling to understand their odd characteristics with the natural laws of the wilderness seeming falling apart.

The Broken Places is set over a relatively brief period of a couple of days, with the three men arriving at the cabin just as a huge storm arrives cutting them off from the nearby village. Its pace is deliciously slow as anxieties increase with hints being dropped here and there what is going on. The book was top-heavy with outstanding sequences which used restraint to perfection, expertly blending dreams and nightmares with the natural perils of the weather. There was a brilliant scene where the men enter the basement for the first time which was reminiscent of the moment in Adam Nevill’s The Ritual where the group discover a highly unpleasant effigy in the upstairs room of the shack they encounter. Another startling moment arrives when one of the men shoots a deer in the head which is blocking the road, but was otherwise harmless, there was something particularly brutal about this savage act that did not bode well for what followed. A third formidable scene played out at a remote radio tower when one of the group are trying to attract help. None of these moments were particularly bloodthirsty, although a severely damaged leg might have you wincing, and flowed seamlessly into the narrative.

The slow escalation was overseen with significant effect, with the bickering friends dealing with weird whispers, sleepwalking, the feeling of being watched and the possibility that they are not alone. I also loved the fact that the village of Wolf’s Bone lurked the background, with the occasional comment from Ryne which raised my antennae leaving me hungry to find out more. The ending and how things connect together was also nicely managed, but the final epilogue was outstanding and pitched perfectly between melancholia, closure and a tiny smidgen of hope.

Blaine Daigle’s The Broken Places was a terrific debut and although individually a lot of the scenes might remind you of other works this was more than compensated by a grippingly bleak story of loss, friendship, survival and ancient beings which lurk in the forest which was told with great style and emotion.

Thank you NetGalley and Wicked House Publishing for a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Ryne Burdette and his two buddies set out to spend a weekend at Ryne’s newly inherited hunting cabin in remote woods of Northern Canada. As a child Ryne frequented the cabin with his father and uncle but this is his first time back in many years.

As soon as they arrive thing seem off. The people in town are wary of them as outsiders. A large snow storm is moving in threatening to leave them stranded for days. Strange things are happening at the cabin and it is quickly becoming becoming apparent that Rynes family lineage had very dark secrets that he just inherited.

I had high hopes for The Broken Places when I read the premise but unfortunately, it fell flat for me. The story line was that of a commonly used trope- outsiders overcoming an ancient malevolence that “haunts” an area. It started good but it just didn’t hit me the way I had hoped and it definitely didn’t come together for me at the end- which I will avoid elaborating on as not to spoil it for others.

If you’re looking for snowy isolation, ancient evil, and generations of hidden family secrets then this may be for you.

Thank you Netgalley, Wicked House Publishing and Blaine Daigle for the ARC of this book

This one was a short and sweet horror read. It was creepy, suspenseful, atmospheric and overall a very good read.

The multiple timelines that unravel the story was very clever and the plot itself was great.

Highly recommend this book!

This was a fantastic psychological horror! I'll admit that the early chapters took me longer to get through, as they set up the story and not a whole lot happens in the thriller/horror vein, but once this book gets going, it hardly ever slows down. The POV switches between the three friends, and I think that really adds to everything that happens over the course of the book, as you get the personal backstories for each one at very poignant times in the story and also their thoughts, feelings, and personal insights into what's going on rather than only from one person. Your emotions will run the gamut with this book, and the last several chapters are absolutely breathtaking.

Would definitely recommend to anyone who loves a good psychological horror where you don't really know what's happening and you can't truly trust your own mind and senses. (I would NOT recommend reading it in an isolated cabin in the woods. You've been warned.)

5 stars

Atmospheric and gripping right from the start, I really enjoyed this book. I found it hard to put down and will definitely look for more by Daigle. Broken Places, was dark in all the right ways.

Thank you so much for this arc! I really picked this story for the cover but I really am glad that I read the book. The synopsis says this is the ritual meets the Terror but I really don't think that does this book any justice. The books is set in the remote forest of Yukon and is a cold snowy atmosphere. I really think this would be the perfect winter read! Ryne starts to go down hill in life when everything takes a turn for the worse. He inherits his families old hunting cabin and decided to take a couple of friends with him to get away from his daily life. Strange things start to happen i the woods surrounding the cabin and with a storm coming its too late to leave.
I thought the book was very well written and atmospheric, I love woodsy creepy stories that really make you feel like you are there with the characters. The book felt claustrophobic. I loved the way the friends are so broken in the story and they go to this cabin to heal. They end up finding a broken place in the woods. This plot was not original but it was really good. I think for a debut author this story was so well written and so dark and atmospheric. I will continue to look for more from this author!

An enjoyable, fast paced and creepy story. Loved the atmosphere, it really wrapped the story together for me!

I absolutely love the horror feeling this book cover gives off. I haven't read a lot of folk horror, but can say this one was good, I suggest giving this book a read if you enjoy horror and a good folklore story.

The writing was nice, but everything felt very repetitive and drawn out. The ending almost redeemed itself, but then I just got confused with what happened in the “two months later”.

The Broken Places is truly a masterpiece! It has the creep factor from the isolated wilderness and a family secret dating back to colonial times. It addresses grief and loss in many forms, and is exquisitely written. I loved the friendship between Ryne and his two best friends. The setting, in a very small town in the Yukon was perfect and creepy without all the family secrets. The pacing was quick, and the ending left me feeling satisfied and maybe wiping away a tear.

I would recommend this for fans of Stolen Tongues by Felix Blackwell and Old Country by Matt & Harrison Query.

First of all, thank you to NetGalley and Weird House for allowing me to read this book. I really enjoyed the story and thought it felt old world. Very creepy, atmospheric and creative. Highly recommended

I’ll give this 3.8…not quite 4 stars. This book was a pretty wild ride. The writing style of it is very artistic. The descriptions of things can be a little much sometimes but most of the time the similes are amazing.
There are some editorial things that could be addressed. A couple plot points that don’t match up in different parts of the book; like something that one of the characters saw described later as everyone witnessing it.
I think the entire premise was wrapped up pretty well. The ending is just enough to leave you guessing but doesn’t really leave huge unanswered questions.
Overall, I would recommend it to fans of horror or thriller novels.

What a great old-school horror read!

The Broken Places left me in suspense and kept me unsure of what was going to happen next; that coupled with the intensity of the writing made this the perfect horror read.

The idea of an isolated village in which people carry on old traditions mixed with folklore and superstitions helped propel this story to a new height.

I can't wait to read more by Blaine Daigle.

Ryne inherits her family’s old hunting lodge deep in the Yukons. Nothings really left of the place other than memories. He decides it be the best place to trip with his best friends, since it wasn’t the greatest year. But nothing is at all as it seems in the woods. Voice whispering through the trees. A sheer eeriness that can’t be explained.

This was what I live for, books that get under your skin and creep you out. I mean anyone can imagine going to a cabin in the woods and weird things happening. That feeling of being trapped and helpless. This is what I look for in scary stories.

The Broken Places is a dark unsettling horror novel by author, Blaine Daigle. I was originally drawn to this book because of the creepy cover. The fact of 3 friends going away to a secluded area, frozen area, with a creepy town nearby, after they are all suffering huge loss / stress. It is definitely a mix for something bad & sinister to occur.

I spent a lot of time wondering if one of the friends was 'in on it'. Perhaps it was all a set up? Lots of creepy vibes and questions to be figured out. I love the setting and the relationship between the friends. We learn more about everyone along the way.

I was given an advance reader copy of this book free for review purposes. All opinions are my own honest take on the book.

The Broken Places was a great read, it kept my attention, which helped me to finish the book in just under a day. The creepiness held my attention and I had to keep turning the page to find out what happened next and why.

The main characters, Ryne, Shawn and Noah, weaved their way into my heart, most especially, Ryne. The path his life was forced to take, through no fault of his own, was painful to read. The bond of friendship was heartwarming, how the bond became a brotherhood that assured they could depend on each other no matter what happened or where they were in their lives.

The one issue I had with this book was the overkill of too many catchy descriptions. While I enjoyed Blaine's writing style, show don't tell was missing in many instances. Still, the story was interesting and I never got bored.

I very much appreciate receiving an advance copy of The Broken Places...it was an enjoyable story with subtle clues that didn't give too much away, keeping me enthralled. I liked that the story behind everything that happens is impossible to guess, making it a page turner. I will definitely recommend this book to family and friends.

This is an excellent folk horror tale about loss, featuring a cabin and a snowstorm. In relation to the folk horror tradition, we've also got some cult activity and body horror. This is being compared to The Ritual, which is absolutely on point, but I also want to rec this for fans of Peter Straub. Great debut!

The Broken Places was just creepy and claustrophobic enough to be true horror. Too often the horror is over the top and forced on you or so subtle you forget it is there, This book was unrelenting in it’s building tension. You never at any moment feel like these guys are safe.

There is some shock value along the way, too. It’s not all build up. At some points I was a lot grossed out by the vivid descriptions from the author. Still, I absolutely loved the ending. The worst part of horror is often the ending, but Blaine Daigle managed to write one that really worked. I will add this author to my list to watch.

I couldn't get into the story, unfortunately. It's one thing to set a scene; descriptive terms and adjectives are useful in that regard. I would consider rereading it if a strict editor went over it and removed the excessive adjectives.