Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for this arc in exchange for my honest review.

The Half Torn Page was such a pleasure to read! The world building is so immersive. I felt as if i were in their little town feeling things fall apart around me. I felt the sadness, the decay, the angst.

Im definitely rating this five stars! Finished it in one sitting because I had to know the outcome. If you love a more midevil, science driven witchy vibe with high stakes, angst, and riddles, this book is for you!

Dark mysterious story that will pull you into the atmospheric world.


Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!!!

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an ARC!

4.5 rounded down to 4 stars.
This book read like a dark fairytale you tell your children to instill some sort of moral lesson and I was obsessed! Beautiful, atmospheric prose. I was immediately transported to this little picturesque town where there’s something off lurking beneath the surface. I loved reading about the process of how a story slowly distorts into a half-true legend over time.

The only downside to me were the characters. I didn’t feel that connected to them or their arcs. This is usually a bigger deal to me but I think it does fit the vibe with the story being written like a fairytale.

I felt like it was the perfect length as well. Definitely recommend!

The Half‑Torn Page is a dark, beautifully woven tale that feels as though it has stepped straight out of the forests of old Bavaria—rich with folklore, suspicion, and the kind of creeping dread that settles in long before you realise why. Reimersberg, tucked deep in the Hexental, is the sort of place that seems to exist slightly out of time: proud, insular, and shaped by traditions that have hardened into something far more dangerous.

The arrival of a mysterious wanderer sets the story in motion, and from that moment the atmosphere thickens. The town’s secrets—whispered curses, old accusations, and a history that refuses to stay buried—begin to stir, and the sense of inevitability is both chilling and irresistible. The author captures the tension of a community on the brink with such vivid detail that you can almost smell the pine resin and feel the cold mountain air pressing in.

What makes the novel so compelling is its blend of human frailty and mythic weight. The accusations of witchcraft, the fear of the unknown, the way suspicion spreads like wildfire—these elements give the story a timeless quality, echoing the darker side of the Grimm tradition while still feeling fresh and emotionally grounded. The consequences of careless choices ripple through the narrative, revealing both the best and worst of the people who call Reimersberg home.

Atmospheric, unsettling, and steeped in folklore, The Half‑Torn Page is a haunting tale that lingers like a shadow at the edge of the woods. A beautifully crafted story for readers who love their historical fiction with a touch of the uncanny.

With thanks to David Palin, the publisher and netgalley for the ARC

I went into The Half Torn Page by David Palin expecting a dark, atmospheric mystery, and that’s exactly where the book shines. The setting in the remote Bavarian village of Reimersberg is incredibly well done—isolated, misty, and steeped in superstition, it has a real Grimm-fairytale edge that makes everything feel slightly off in the best way. The atmosphere is easily the highlight and carries a lot of the reading experience.

The story follows Ilsa as she arrives in the village and slowly uncovers that something is deeply wrong beneath its quiet surface. The pacing is deliberate and slow-burn, but it fits the tone, building tension through unease and gradual reveals rather than fast-moving plot twists or action. It’s more about mood and unfolding mystery than constant events.

Overall, this is a very atmospheric, immersive read that leans heavily into setting and tone. The plot is quieter, but if you enjoy folklore-inspired mysteries with strong world-building and a haunting sense of place, it’s an easy book to get lost in.

netgalley-arc