Sorrow Spring by Olivia Isaac Henry is a tense slow burning tale with strong folk horror vibes that make it perfect reading as we head towards the darker evenings of Winter With clever use of dual timelines the author creates a wonderfully atmospheric story designed to keep the reader on the edge of their seat as the truth about what happened in the small village of Sorrow Spring in 1978 is finally revealed In 1978 teenage Rina is abandoned by her mother in the remote village of Sorrow Spring left to live with her elderly and rather peculiar aunt From the beginning something seems off and as she learns about the mysterious sisterhood of village women and their strange rituals she becomes and concerned When a local boy she has befriended goes missing and she witnesses another ritual that truly horrifies her she desperately tries to escape In 2019 Cate has been asked by her father to try to find out what happened to his sister Rina who disappeared thirty years before As she tries to unravel the secrets and mysteries of the past she may learn than she ever bargained for and could bring terrible danger to her doorstep While much of the book is focussed on Rina s timeline I was intrigued to see how the author would bring both timelines together and I think it was largely successful even if it felt a little rushed especially in comparison to the much slower pace of the rest of the book I liked how the author wove elements of medical technology that were in the news in the time period she was describing into the story and thought it worked well as a contrast to the religion and folklore based mythology This is a book for folk horror fans who like a slower paced story and are willing to let it unfold and take them in unexpected directions I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher all opinions are my own English Her views on men were contradictory On one hand they were lustful unclean and never to be trusted On the other they were to be deferred to and respected Women in a man s role. This had a very very slow start and honestly I nearly dnf d it but I stuck with it and just under half way through the mystery really grabbed me and I was eagerly flipping the pages to find out what we would discover next. Overall I liked the writing style and once the mystery solving really kicked in I was sold but I think perhaps some of the initial pages could have been edited down as I would have enjoyed getting to this part sooner English The story When Rina s mother leaves her with her mysterious frightening and previously unknown Aunt Agatha at her home in the village of Sorrow Spring in the summer of 1978 she tells her she ll be back for her by Christmas. But the longer Rina spends in Sorrow Spring the she realises all is not as it seems with strange customs that appear to be directly connected to her and her family Her aunt is the leader of a group of village women known as the Sistren Outwardly they seem to be a typical group of village busybodies But is there to their traditions than good works and church events Why do village boys seem to be going missing And might Rina herself be in danger My thoughts We are properly into autumn now in the UK which makes it the perfect time to start reading spooky stories Sorrow Spring by Olivia Isaac Henry is a duel timeline novel that moves between the summer of 1978 and the arrival of Prosperina Fuchsia Pine Rina in the village of Sorrow Spring and 2019 and her niece Cate s search for an aunt she didn t know she had. On the cusp of her thirteenth birthday Rina is left by her mother at the house of her Aunt Agatha and while she claims she ll be back for her soon it s not long before Rina realises she s stuck there But why would her mother do such a thing Aunt Agatha soon makes it clear that their family the Pines have an important role in the village in particular related to the village s annual festival focused on St Faran But what this is and why it affects Rina only gradually becomes clear as the story plays out and Rina s suspicions become a terrifying reality. In 2019 Cate Pine Hewson had no idea she even had an Aunt Rina Raised by her father and grandmother Rina s brother and mother she only discovers this when her father seriously ill after suffering a stroke begs Cate to find her This leads Cate on a path back to Sorrow Spring and back into the dangers that are still just as deadly 40 years on This book was just my sort of read with its mysterious and spooky plot and the way the author gradually reveals what is really going on For much of the book you re not certain how much is real and how much is a 13 year old s imagination especially one who enjoys reading books like Agatha Christie s The Pale Horse Revelations come thick and fast in the last quarter of the book and the ending was both satisfying and left me fearing for the next generation in Sorrow Spring A perfect autumnal read to get you ready for spooky season English NO SPOILERS Olivia Isaac Henry s Sorrow Spring is an atmospheric masterpiece that will grip you from the very first page and won t let go Fans of classic cult horror such as The Wicker Man or eerie stories reminiscent of The Midwich Cuckoos will find this book so utterly captivating It s a perfect spine chilling blend of gothic horror and thriller that although burns slowly will keep you hooked to the end From the second you step into the strange and haunting village of Sorrow Spring you feel like you ve been plunged into a world that feels timeless and unsettling The small tight knit community at the heart of the story is heavily steeped in mystery and it quickly becomes apparent that there is to this place than meets the eye With every chapter the sense of dread intensifies as the village s secrets slowly start to unravel which left me feeling both intrigued and on edge With shivers What truly makes Sorrow Spring shine is Isaac Henry s way of creating an eerie atmosphere Those gothic undertones combined with a suffocating sense of isolation set the perfect backdrop for a story that is filled with suspense occult happenings and a touch of gory horror The tension builds steadily until you reach the ending that is as unexpected as it is satisfying. This one is a must read for anyone who loves creepy cult stories eerie landscapes and dark mysterious plots It s the kind of book that begs to be read on a stormy October night the rain smashing down outside as you turn page after page unable to stop You will be left with unsettling sense of unease that lingers long after the final page Sorrow Spring is a perfect autumn read for fans of horror and thrillers alike 5 5 English Thanks to Netgalley and Harper Collins for this ARC My thoughts are my own. I hope this gets the publicity it deserves as it was such a grabbing book that will definitely be looking into books by this author English Chilling and uncanny folk suspense in a novel of twisted sisterhood and dark secrets She thought arriving there was bad enough Then she tried to run away 1978 When teenager Rina Pine is dumped by her hippy mother in the parochial village of Sorrow Spring and forced to live with her aged aunt Agatha Pine she doesn t think things can get any worse. There she finds a community beholden to the past and a village in the grip of a close knit circle of older women who worship the local spring and its patron saint all under the leadership of the formidable Agatha. But when a child goes missing and a young mother is killed Rina is drawn into the dark and sinister truth flowing through the sacred waters that give the place its name Rina is about to learn what it truly means to be a daughter of Sorrow Spring Sorrow SpringSorrow spring centres around Rina a 12 year old girl Her mum brings her to live with her aunt in Sorrow Spring and doesn t come back for her Felling abandoned and alone she quickly notices all is not what it seems With whispered conversations locked doors and strange disappearances Rina is determined to find out what is going on and why she has been brought here. A slow burn dual timeline that switches from 1978 and 2019 I struggled to get into this story i found the pacing way too slow for me For that reason my attention to it wavered in the middle part Nothing really comes together until the last third Maybe if it was shorter it may have compelled me to want to keep reading I don t know From the beginning you do get the sense of something sinister looming in the distance I just wanted it to be darker creepy with suspense to grip and draw me into it I did like the story in general It s cloaked in mystery folklore and rituals A creepy close knit village where outsiders are not welcome A group of women known as the Sistren keep the community safe from harm Shrouded in secrecy that goes back years and years. My opinions are my own English In 1978 Prosperina Fuschia Pine known as Rina is dumped by her mother Lily in the village of Sorrow Springs to live with her aged and taciturn Aunt Agatha It s a strange place to say the least and Rina is frightened on than one occasion by what she sees As she is still quite young and naive much of what she learns is incomprehensible to her In 2019 Rina s niece Cate begins a search for an aunt she knows nothing about Is her father Emesh confused or does Rina actually exist What will she discover I find this to be slow at the start and it takes a while for me to get into it What happens to Rina and what Cate learns is interesting taking the storytelling into strange sisterhood territory known as The Sistren There are traditions omens rooks aplenty folklore and earthly interventions A strong sense of the sinister does come across which Rina s Aunt Agatha definitely adds to For a lot of the plot line there s a feeling that something dreadful is going to happen and it usually does Although I like the premise I think the novel is way too long and if I m honest a certain amount of boredom sets in chiefly because it s all pretty much the same theme What I absolutely can t get my head around is the HUGE amount of dialogue especially in the 1978 timeline There s way too much in my opinion The 2019 narrative flows much better and there s a good mystery here As for the ending well that s a rapid turnaround in thinking and I ll say no Overall it s a mixed bag read for me with some good parts where I m engaged and enjoying it and other sections which drag With thanks to NetGalley and especially to HarperCollins for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review English Sorrow Spring by Olivia Isaac Henry is a gripping thriller that transports readers into the unsettling and ominous world of Sorrow Spring an isolated community held captive by its past led by a close knit circle of older women known as the Sistren. Plot Overview The novel unfolds through a dual timeline In 2019 we follow Cate who embarks on a reluctant journey at her father Emesh s request searching for her estranged aunt Rina whom no one believes even exists due to the lack of items like a birth certificate passport or even photographs Despite her doubts Cate agrees to the road trip hoping to ease her ailing father s mind The second timeline takes us back to 1978 where we follow Rina s experience when she is mysteriously sent to live at Sorrow Spring with her Aunt Agatha who also happens to be the leader of the Sistren As soon as Rina arrives the village s sinister atmosphere begins to creep in with its traditions folklore and eerie omens intensifying the sense of dread. Writing and Atmosphere From the very beginning Isaac Henry masterfully weaves a palpable sense of mystery and unease throughout the novel The eerie setting of Sorrow Spring is the perfect backdrop for the strange and disturbing events that unfold The author skilfully incorporates twists and a touch of gore which amplifies the sinister tone of the story However at 430 pages the novel s length and occasional pacing issues pulled me out of the story on than one occasion Characters The characters in Sorrow Spring are well crafted each bringing their own unique personality to the table Their complex relationships add depth to the story creating a sense of tension and leavers the readers not knowing who can be trusted which certainly kept me on edge Agatha in particular stands out as a poignant character who embodies the village s dark and twisted traditions adding to the overall atmosphere of the book The dynamic between Cate and Rina s storylines works well and their respective journeys are central to the narrative driving the story forward as the layers of mystery are gradually peeled back. Final Thoughts Sorrow Spring by Olivia Isaac Henry is a chilling thriller that excels in creating an eerie and unsettling atmosphere The dual timeline and well crafted characters keep the reader engaged though the novel s length and pacing could have been tighter Despite these minor drawbacks the story s twists the palpable sense of dread and the dark secrets of Sorrow Spring make it a compelling read for fans of psychological thrillers If you enjoy a mix of the occult folklore mystery and a touch of horror Sorrow Spring is a book worth exploring English 1978 When teenager Rina Pine is dumped by her mother in the village of Sorrow Spring and forced to live with her aunt Agatha Pine she doesn t think things can get any worse But when a child goes missing and a young mother is killed Rina is drawn into the dark and sinister truth flowing through the sacred waters that give the place its name Rina is about to learn what it truly means to be a daughter of Sorrow Spring. I had such high hopes for this book but it just fell a little flat for me I didn t connect with the characters and wasn t drawn in by the plot I felt it was too long and repetitive in parts and dragged out This isn t a bad book just not for me Thank you to NetgalleyHarper Collins UK and Olivia Isaac Henry for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review English I really struggled with this book unfortunately. I just couldn t connect with any of the characters I can t think of one who I was rooting for Maybe the rook that was caught in the cage I hoped the best for him: It was a little hard at times seeing through the eyes of a child as I think some of the perspective and language was off but I guess that was the point: I personally didn t like the ending and some of the choices on the lead up to the ending but I think that is a personal thing for me. To be honest when I started this book I wasn t too sure what was going to happen, It s not an author I ve heard of before so I was a bit nervous if it was going to be my cup of tea. How to describe this book horror supernaruralmystery folk lore historical is a mixture of everything, we like the child are left wondering what s going on and how could a mum do this: Slowly buy surely the story unravelsand just when you think everything has been explained another twist hits you. If you like a book with twists and turns this is your book, It s worth reading for the folklore and seeing what years of traditions can do to people and the lengths they will go to I just wanted , I understand what the author was going for however I don t think it was executed well enough, It was way too long for a start I lost interest two thirds of the way in but continued to read out of desire to know the end rather than genuine enjoyment. There was too much emphasis on pointless topics and not enough of the actual folklore: Also making the lead character a child was a stupid mistake I couldn t suspend disbelief that far: I think there should have been a few content edits before the printing press English
| Sorrow Spring By Olivia Isaac-Henry |
| 000865638X |
| 9780008656386 |
| English |
| 469 |
| Kindle Edition |
..a few chapters in and I couldn t put it down.Nothing is given away about where the story is heading.a girl is dumped off at her Aunts house in a village.no explanation of why and if her mum s going to return.Thank you Netgalley and Harper Collins UK for my ARC