A very interesting, complicated but which seems like one thing then turns into another. I found this started out difficult to get into but it eventually turned into a delightful read which will definitely stick with me. Thanks to #netgalley and the publisher for this arc of #slewfoot to read and review.

Whether we realize it or not, our society is built on the idea of projecting our anxieties onto others. Think about it. The land we claim to have “discovered” was occupied by the time Columbus found it, but in short order beliefs about the entitlement to the land were created that cast the indigenous peoples that lived here as “savages” who needed to be reformed by white settlers’ ideas, or disposed of in some form if they refused to cooperate. And so, onwards into history, white men in positions of power they create for themselves have been threatened by Others who are different from them (from different cultures to different genders to different beliefs) and constructed stories in their heads that cast them — the white men in power — as heroes confronting the villainy of anyone who dares to challenge them. This way of thinking has hardly changed since the beginning of documented and colonized time, but there are a few particularly poisonous areas of history where this anxiety has bled into the soil and reared its head.

With Slewfoot, Brom explores one of the most notorious instances of this kind: the Witch Trial era of the 1600s, when any woman who showed too bright a streak of independence or hesitancy in agreeing to Puritanical ideals was thought to be a witch. Abitha, one such rebellious young woman recently sold to a Puritan community to be married off to a stranger, is constantly butting heads with the people who try to silence her input on her life. Just when she is beginning to truly fall for her older but kindly husband Edward, a fatal accident leaves her a widow who must battle her husband’s brother to maintain control of her house and land and avoid indentured servitude. Meanwhile in the forest, deep in the cave where Edward met his tragic end, a being predominantly known as Father (eventually dubbed Samson) awakens after a centuries long sleep, led by his companions on a quest for blood — though the most important thing to Father is to understand his own identity and battle his fractured psyche.

Abitha and Samson both spend much of the novel trying to understand how who they understand themselves to be fits into the narrative of the societal ideas being pushed upon them. For Samson, the wildfolk that wakened him make him believe his greatest role is that of a bloodseeker, even though in his own heart Samson believes himself to be a creature more in tune with the inclination to bring life to the earth rather than take it. Abitha, meanwhile, simply refuses to bend to Puritanical ideas of a woman’s place, continuing the cunning ways she was taught and fighting for her freedom from under the hand of her husband’s domineering brother; as such, he labels her a witch and does his level best to have her either put into the stocks for punishment or killed. When Samson and Abitha meet, it sets off a vibrant quest of understanding across borders of belief. Samson believes himself first a creature without identity, then a personal god for Abitha, until he finally realizes his true purpose. Abitha never doubts her own position — she is in fact grimly aware of the stakes if she is to fail the eventual deal struck for her land — but she does have to constantly evaluate where she stands on what Samson is, and the full scope of the consequences of his being and his help.

One of Brom’s greatest strengths of storytelling is his ability to twist and maintain sympathies with characters we ordinarily understand to be villains — or at the very least markedly intimidating beings. The villains of Slewfoot are, for the most part, firmly in the Puritan human camp, but Samson’s companions and personal demons are none too savory creatures either. For much of the novel, in fact, I understood Samson to be akin to Pan far before his true nature was revealed, though naturally he is primarily referred to by others as the Devil or a demon. As he fights to understand himself and his shattered memories he struggles against the ideas of himself imposed by other people. Even the wildfolk we are meant to understand as his closest companions are selfish creatures bent on making him into the fullest version of one half of himself.

The struggle to understand one’s place in the Big Picture scheme of the world goes beyond any boundaries we use to separate ourselves from others. It does not matter what spiritual force you believe in or what your ideals are, we are all trying to find a place where we comfortably fit in the world. It becomes a matter of life and death only when the people above us impose their worldviews that effectively cast Others to the outside — or to the grave.

Slewfoot is an exceptional work of connection released in a time of anxiety-inducing levels of division. Connections with people, connections with the world, and connections of ideas. It is a story of growing comfortable with the full complexities of one’s identity and confronting traumas we do not wish to face in order to heal and grow to our fullest selves. It also functions as a cautionary tale about the dangers of poisonous belief systems. The monsters of times like the Witch Trial era were born from the seeds of mass panic and anxiety of the un-usual, and the myths surrounding these times are perpetuated by continuing cycles of empowerment and fear in equal measure. For every disenfranchised person finding connection in themselves through stories of the gods and practices of old, there are at least a handful of (usually privileged) people there to smother them either back into submission or out entirely.

Brom’s Slewfoot is all of this and more, at its heart another fascinating exploration of a mythos surrounding a genuine moment in history, reminding us once again that there is always a new perspective to approach from, and that connection is always possible.

Great spooky atmosphere and everything I wanted it to be. Its my first time reading Broms work, but Ive always eyes their books. Im glad I was able to finally pick one up.

CW: Animal death, physical violence
"If it is a witch they want," she hissed, "then a witch they shall have."

Okay, let me start by saying I really wanted to love this book. I mean, a headstrong woman who repeatedly gives a middle finger to the bullshit puritanical patriarchy? Sign me up! And I did end up loving parts of this book - specifically the last 30% or so. But a lot of it, while I'm fairly certain was historically accurate, just dragged for me. I can appreciate the amount of work that went into this, don't get me wrong. But there were times that it just felt so long and it was hard for me to pick it up and maintain any longstanding interest in it. Until the very end, that is.

The one thing I will say about the first at least 50% of the book is that it gives you plenty of time to allow your anger to simmer to a full-fledged boil. By the time I reached the end of the book, I was furious with so many people and was happy to cheer on them receiving some form of justice. I outright hated so many of the secondary and tertiary characters in this book, and some of them didn't suffer enough for their sins in my opinion. But some of them did and it was so satisfying.

There are also some seriously creepy elements to this story. I keep seeing it as a recommendation for the spooky season and I can definitely see why - it's reminiscent of the movie The Witch but I feel like Slewfoot does it better. All in all, I think it was well done overall but it just felt too long at times.

I went into this book expecting it to be more of a horror novel than it was. There are definitely horror elements to it and the ending really does focus on that somewhat, but it wasn't at all what I thought I was going to get. We spend a majority of the time learning about Abitha and the Puritan town she lives in. Abitha is sold into this world by her father, but it turns out that she got a somewhat decent husband as a result. Edward may have been the only character I really liked even though we do not see him much at all. His brother on the other hand is the main villain, but he is just so awful and one sided. Just like the rest of Puritans. I spent so much of this book angry and yelling at people who were just so closed minded. It really frustrated me.

But with all of that being said, the author evoked some strong emotions from me. I think that says a lot towards good writing. If someone can make me that worked up about a character/place/event, well they probably have done their job and achieved their goal.

However I wasn't completely in love with this story. Slewfoot was both compassionate and threatening as a character. At one point I thought we may be heading in the direction of some beastilality so I almost had to tap out. It didn't go there, for which I am glad. Some things were resolved in a satisfactory manner at the end so that saved this a little bit for me. I think because I wanted more of a scare factor in this book that ultimately I was let down. So mostly, it's just not my jam.

I find myself, yet again, in the uncomfortable position of wanting to sing the praises of a novel without giving much of anything away. You should go into this one without knowing too much, so as not to diminish the considerable pleasures it’s sure to bring. But, I need to say something to entice you, so…

Abitha, a young widow in 1666 New England meets a demon, perhaps the devil himself. If you think you know where this is going from that brief description, think again. Slewfoot surprised me at every twist and turn. Brom has a true gift for immersing the reader in every aspect of seventeenth century Puritan life, in the culture centered around the church, in the day to day life of the colonists. He also immerses us in a much stranger, much wilder world—that of the ancient Pagan spirits that call the forest their home. Brom has an affinity for the natural world that is evident on every page.

That tension, between the ultra religious colonists and the earthy, primitive yet powerful wildfolk who roamed the land long before humans arrived, forms the backbone of Slewfoot. Brom digs down deep into the difference between good and evil, God and the devil, between slayer and protector. I found the conversation endlessly fascinating, but there’s so much more to this novel. This is no dry, boring religious exercise. Slewfoot is action packed, drenched in fire and blood. There’s mystery and magic, and in Abitha, and Slewfoot himself, Brom has created complex, layered characters I found myself rooting for. Abitha is not afraid to question the beliefs that shackle her fellow villagers. She’s tough and brave, and the transformation that caps her story arc is both surprising and, in some ways, inevitable. I also found Slewfoot’s journey of discovery, his quest to find his true nature, emotional and affecting.

It’s telling to me that, in a novel filled with godlike wild folk who have slaughtered without mercy for centuries, the biggest monsters in Slewfoot are the Puritan town fathers who use the Bible as a bludgeon, who use religion as a tool to fear-monger, to consolidate and keep power over the people they are meant to protect.

One important note: The published version of Slewfoot includes more than two dozen of Brom’s beautiful illustrations. I read this as a digital ARC which did not include the artwork. From what I’ve seen (including the front and back covers shown above), they are worth the price of admission all by themselves.

I personally do not enjoy third person narratives, but after reading Slewfoot I might have to reconsider. The plot was engaging and the characters were engaging. Only not a 5/5 due to my personal preferences.

In a Puritan colony, Englishwoman Abitha and her newlywed husband are saddled with debt and doing their best to keep their farm. However, when her husband mysteriously dies, Abitha is left to mange the farm by herself and tries to prevent her brother-in-law from claiming the property.

Then Samson comes along—a monstrous goat-like creature who has lost his memories. Some call him Satan, Slewfoot, a slayer, a guardian. He’s not sure which of those things he is, but he feels strangely drawn to Abitha. He comes up with a proposition for her then. He offers to help her crops prosper in exchange for helping him find his purpose.

However, Abitha’s good fortune can only last so long before rumors of witchcraft begin to spread.

Slewfoot by Brom is darkly enchanting book that interweaves gruesome horror with charm amongst a backdrop of witchcraft hysteria.

The highlight of the book for me though was easily its two main characters. I found the relationship between Abitha and Samson oddly endearing. They were the heart of the book—two lost outsiders banding together against a community that reviles them. I couldn’t help but root for them.

Ultimately, Slewfoot is a delightfully bizarre and spellbinding tale about embracing your true self, witchery, and sweet revenge.

I've been closely following Brom's works since 2009's The Child Thief, eagerly awaiting each new installment, and Slewfoot did not disappoint! While the narrative followed Brom's typical pattern of a disenfranchised protagonist down in the depths of helplessness before a gory heroes journey of redemption & damnation, the nuance of his characters continues to grow with every book. In this first outing with a woman protagonist, it's a delight to see her come fully into her power and wreak havoc on her tormenters! Thank you to Netgalley and TorForge for the eGalley.

Set in 1666, in a puritanical town in America. Abitha is sold by her father and sent to America to wed a man she never met. She begins to build a new life with her new husband, but she has conflicts with the overly strict Puritan community. When her husband dies, her evil brother-in-law tries to take over the farm and make Abitha his servant.

Then Abitha meets Slewfoot, one of the old gods who has recently reawakened. They begin a tentative friendship, and Slewfoot tries to help Abitha keep her farm. Of course the townspeople become suspicious and all hell breaks loose.

For me the most terrifying part of the book is the Puritans. They are so rigid and judgmental. I can’t imagine living in a society like that, where everyone watches each other for the slightest transgression.

The writing is atmospheric and made me feel I was there with Abitha. I love all the descriptions of the townspeople, the farm and the forest. The story moves along steadily but a little slowly. The pacing was fine with me as I really enjoyed just reading about life at that time.

I received a free copy from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

Rating: 7.5/10

Thanks to the publisher and author for an advance reading copy of Slewfoot: A Tale of Bewitchery for review consideration. This did not influence my thoughts or opinions.

Brom has been an author I’ve wanted to take a chance on for quite a while. He is clearly a writer many are fond of, and there is no doubt he is one of the finest artists out there. If you are not familiar with his works, I highly recommend checking out some of his previous releases or simply doing a quick Google search. His artwork is hauntingly beautiful; nothing I would probably frame up around the house but definitely eye-catching to the point where I have a majority of his works in print.

Slewfoot is an intriguing horror story that is both extremely unsettling and utterly satisfying. It is both a tale of finding oneself and pure, unadulterated vengeance. It is both exactly and not even close to what I was expecting upon completion, and I thoroughly enjoyed my gateway drug to Brom’s library.

The story we find here is fairly straightforward, at least from Abitha’s point of view. Her husband is killed fairly early on in the story and Abitha is left to somehow pick up the pieces, tend to a farmstead on her own, and basically escape the clutches of her brother-in-law who wants to take everything she has away.

In steps Slewfoot and the fork where the story takes a more interesting approach. Where most stories involving the devil show a powerful demon that knows exactly what it wants, Slewfoot is a creature with absolutely no memory of what it is, what it has done, or what it plans to do. Well, at least until he begins feeding on the living and the memories come flooding back like a tidal wave of blood and viscera.

The two of them form what can be described as a sort of ‘partnership’ in order to help one another survive this world in which they find themselves. This basically involves selling one’s soul to the devil, practicing witchcraft, and steamrolling an entire town.

Wicked.

If horrifying fairytales are your thing, this one is a goodie. I also recommend checking out Barrie Kreinik’s narration if you are into audiobooks. I ended up finishing this one out on audio and I thought she did a wonderful job portraying both Abitha and Slewfoot, amongst the litanty of other minor characters that played fairly large roles throughout the story.

This is an interesting historical horror novel. A being is awakened and starts to raise some havoc in very early America, until her meets an unusual woman who makes him question everything that he knows. This is a very unique take on early American life and the religious fervor that is rampant in that time. Buckle in for a fun ride!~

Thanks Netgalley for the ARC. Now onto the honest review:

The good: The last 20ish% or so was excellent. I thoroughly enjoyed both Abitha and Samson as characters and liked both of their storylines individually and when it all came together.

The bad: The pacing was off. This dragged in quite a few parts and it felt like there were too many side plots that were rushed through.

The ugly: Outside of all the historical stuff that took place in 1666 (anti-Indigenous rhetoric, slurs towards Indigenous peoples, lack of women's agency), the abuse towards an animal and death/mutilation of the cat felt wholly unnecessary.

I liked the characters and the eerie setting and chilling atmosphere throughout the book. However, it was boring and predictable. Not good and very disappointing.

Thanks to Netgalley, Brom, and Macmillian Tor/Forge Nightlife for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Already available: 9/14/21

Slewfoot: A Tale of Bewitchery by Brom is a historical fantasy novel about a young English girl sold to the Puritans as a potential bride. Abitha tries hard to fit in; however, the community is harsh on her. When Abitha loses a goat near a creepy cave, strange things begin to happen.

As Abitha becomes the sole provider of her homestead, she must pay the debt her brother-in-law holds over her head. It is an impossible task. Tales of the Devil begin to surface as she meets her demand.

Abitha is charged with witchcraft. Her brother-in-law takes this opportunity to oust her. Abitha must call upon anyone who will listen. Is it the devil, perhaps?

I enjoyed this story. It's well-written and tells the tale of a girl in the 1600s. The idea of perspective: is Samson the devil, a pagan god, or is there a difference? You decide.

A mystic message that boils down to anger is a gift.

I received a complimentary digital ARC of Slewfoot by Brom from @tornightfire via @netgalley Slewfoot is the first book by Brom I’ve read, but I certainly don’t think it will be the last. Slewfoot is set in seventeenth century America among the Puritans, where the widow Abitha is embroiled in conflict with her crafty brother in law over her land. Everything changes when Abitha meets a strange creature called Samson. Is he a forest god or the very devil, or perhaps both? Slewfoot is a story about oppression, injustice, hypocrisy, revenge, and redemption. It is brimming with magic, faith, and a wildness that I found utterly delightful. Some reviewers have complained that the majority of the book was slow, wishing that more pages had been as fiercely exciting as the novel’s conclusion. I appreciate this, as it was a bit of a slow burn, but I think Brom has done a marvelous job of tracking Abitha and Samson’s respective journeys. In order to create the fulfilling ending the reader may enjoy at the story’s conclusion, we must experience the simmering boil from friction to inferno, perhaps even to the point of sympathizing with the devil…or even seeing that if the devil is present in these characters, it may not only be in the forest beast. I believe Brom’s character development does just this. I am not a historian, and I cannot comment on the accuracy of Brom’s portrayal of New England life, but it certainly felt grounded and fleshed out. I would highly recommend Slewfoot to fans of Eggers’ The Witch, Miller’s The Crucible, and of course Brom’s previous works. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 #brom #slewfoot #bookstagram #bookreview

Please see my full review on Cemetery Dance:
https://www.cemeterydance.com/extras/review-slewfoot-brom/

My favorite thing about this book was that it contained both the historical Puritan persecution of strong women through witch hysteria, and actual fantasy/horror/magic. All of the good witchy things in one book!

Abitha and Samson discovering who they are in different yet similar ways was brilliant and fascinating and really well-executed. Not to mention they were just really great, complex characters overall.

And that ending was badass! I loved this book, and audio narrator was wonderful. Go buy Slewfoot, it’s perfect for spooky season.

Thank you NetGalley, author and publisher for the arc in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

I received this book as an ARC and this is my review. Set in New England in the 1600’s - this book definitely meets the creep factor! Women are treated as chattel and have no standing in the village. The area is loaded with creepy crawlers who can change shape and pounce. Satan is present and all manner of evil and bad luck are prepared to jump in when needed. This story is filled with horror and fantasy and will appeal to readers who enjoy both.

I ended up dnfing this book, Sleefoot by Brom. It sounded like something I would love but I sadly didn’t. It couldn’t keep my interest which is disappointing.