Stories centered on women and their navigation of challenging relationships find an appropriate place in horror. The genre lends itself well to exploring the dark side of human connection and the complex trauma that often hatches from volatile dynamics. Katrina Monroe’s new novel, They Drown Our Daughters, offers a gothic tale set by the sea that contemplates this particular darkness, with mother-daughter relationships, mental illness, and generational trauma at the forefront.

They Drown Our Daughters tells the story of women across generations who are cursed to walk deep into the ocean and never return. The first chapter describes the origin of this curse, dating back to 1889, but the main plot occurs in present day focusing on Meredith who, after separating from her wife, travels back to her hometown with her young daughter, Alice. There, Meredith stays with her mother Judith, a nervous woman with a consuming fear of the water. Through alternating chapters, we learn the reason for Judith’s anxiety. We see flashbacks of the women in their family compulsively drawn into the ocean, ultimately to their deaths. Although resistant at first, Meredith begins to investigate the root of this curse, knowing that what she finds might be the only answer to saving her family.

Outside of the narrative, what stood out to me in They Drawn Our Daughters was how Monroe links elements of mermaid lore, the eeriness of traditional ghost stories, and a magnetic draw to the ocean often seen in Lovecraft’s mythos. We do not learn the true cause of the curse, or the figure calling these women into the water, until the end. This mystery, and the many unexpected turns, kept me pushing through even in moments where atmosphere overpowered action (maybe too much at times).

Overall, They Drown Our Daughters brings many alluring ideas and images to the table, from mermaids and creepy girls straight out of THE RING to the delicate discussions of mental illness and familial trauma. Readers who enjoy these as well as an atmospheric, slow burn will enjoy this modern gothic tale with a nautical twist.

They Drown Our Daughters does have a slow, gothic horror build up to it that I really loved up until about the 70% mark. I understand this might have been slow for many readers, but the lurking spirit in the ocean, the weird ways women in Meredith's family met dismal ends, all felt positively horrific and haunting. I enjoyed the theme of women becoming mothers and feeling ambivalent about it, or unsure that they're any good at it, bucking that "women are natural nurturers" assumption found so often. Meredith is not a natural mother, and her mother, Judith, never seems to be able to take on that mantle either. None of the women in Meredith's family are any good at mothering, and all of them are at the mercy of the ghost in the water to lures them to their drowning.

So, things went rather swimmingly (a pun!) until the plot goes a little sideways near the end. The revelations are weird, and the big mystery unravels in a way that basically trashes your working assumptions and what the book itself has presented up to that point. I really can't reconcile what readers are presented on one hand and the twist that negates it all. I guess you could say it starts to fall apart.

I still enjoyed the majority of this, and that cover is stunning.

This was quite a slow paced Horror Gothic Novel and it explores the complicated relationship about a mother and her daughter.

Told over multiple perspectives and characters, the narrative jumped around quite a bit which was for me personally a bit confusing at times and makes the story feel a bit disjointed.

Meredith has always felt like an unwanted child. Until she managed to get away from Cape Disappointment, her mother kept her at arm's length, yet at the same time, within arm's reach, telling her stories of monsters lurking in the water. Things are not much different when Meredith returns to her hometown with her daughter Alice, a motherhood Meredith was never eager to claim but is now willing to do anything to protect. She knows they come from a line of "troubled" women, women who disappeared, women who took their own lives. Mothers, leaving traumatized daughters behind. She knows folk legends of killer mermaids are not behind it, but mental illness. And then the water starts to call.

My favourite aspect of this novel was easily the lore surrounding the island. I enjoyed the quiet gothic atmosphere.

This was a beautifully written, character-driven, chilling ghost story that, at its core, is really about trying to break the cycle of generational trauma, and a fantastic metaphor for mental illness

I loved the atmosphere of this novel but in the end it was just too slow for me. I know this genre allows for a slower pace, so this is personal preference. I enjoyed the dysfunctional family drama/curse element and the coastal/island setting. The ending was a bit weird and it felt too rushed for the slow pace of the rest of the book. I'd try this author again though, it wasn't too bad for a debut!

I was immediately drawn to the description of this book with its mix of generational storytelling and gothic horror. It was a slow but enjoyable read. Similar to Silvia Moreno-Garcia, Monroe does a fantastic job creating an atmosphere even if the story jumped around a bit.

First of all can we just appreciate how stunning this cover is 😍 I kinda wish the lilac were still blooming to take a photo in front of them 😂

I absolutely loved this book ❤️ the writing is beautiful and it made me realize how much I love books about nature!!

The way the ocean was described was perfection ❤️

I thought it would have been darker than it actually was but it's still a beautiful book.

If you love generational stories with a lot of description of the surroundings this book is for you without any doubt.

It's more of a slow story so don't expect a lot of action because not a lot is happening but still it was hard to put down and read it really fast !!

I was excited to give They Drown Our Daughters by Katrina Monroe because I really enjoy difficultly family relationship books and have been in a huge horror kick lately so this was the best of both worlds for me. There is a lot going on in this book with multiple timelines and family trauma being unearthed. At times it made it a little difficult to follow and slow.
The lead up to the end was a little too long in my opinion and made the ending feel a little like a let down for me personally but others might enjoy it though.


This would be a great read for people who love really atmospheric books as the island location and lore were really well portrayed. Also readers who enjoy slower paced gothic books as well.

Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the opportunity to read and review this book.

3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

They Drown Our Daughters is as much about a curse on a family as it is about generational trauma and mother-daughter relationships. Katrina Monroe utilizes multiple timelines to showcase the cascading effects that the wrongful death of a child years ago, manifesting as a string of tragedy on Cape Disappointment.

The ocean is as much of a character as any of the ones we follow in the book. If the sea scares you (and you like being scared), it might be worth picking up for that alone. The imagery is reminiscent of the phenomenon known as the call of the void, and utilizes intrusive thoughts as a way to actualize the family curse.

I feel the book could have done a better job outlining the complexities of the mother-daughter relationships showcased throughout the book, particularly with Meridith and Judith. We hear a lot about Meredith's mixed feelings about her mother, but we aren't given much in the way of backstory (a "show don't tell" mindset would have improved this greatly). It feels like a missed opportunity that leaves Judith's character feeling flat.

Though I appreciate the thematic connection made with the reveal of the true antagonist of the story, Gina's storyline, and thus the last 1/4 of the book, was the weakest part of the novel for me. The momentum shift reduced the efficacy of the payoff for me.

The ending may be fairly divisive, but I enjoy authors that take risks with their characters.

Some elements could have been executed better, but overall this was still an enjoyable read.

Crossposted to Goodreads at: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4831918519

This book is told from the past to present, which I love! It begins in the late 1800's with two unlikely friends, Regina and Constance. Constance is known as a witch and it was Constance that Regina credits with being able to conceive her daughter. Regina is visiting Constance for another reason, her husband and despite the warning from Constance, Regina plans to hide a charm meant for her husband.

Whispering a wish into the charm, Regina is interrupted by her niece, Liza, before she can safely hide it. An accident turns into a mad dash to cover it up, but when she returns her precious first born daughter is missing. A curse is born.

The story weaves around generation after generation where the mothers all have the same fate.

Meredith with her daughter- in-tow, returns to her mother's home in Cape Disappointment. Although, Meredith and Judith have always had a strained relationship, Meredith is trying to figure out what to do with her dissolving marriage. Meredith has grown up hearing about the dangers of the cape. Meredith doesn't believe in the superstitions.

Meredith can't deny that there is a strange pull. It isn't until her mother decides that she can put an end to the curse and walks into the cape. Meredith struggles with the loss of her mother, and comes home to find her cousin beaten and her daughter, Alice, missing. Meredith's has an old memory from when she was a teenager and begins to wonder if there might not be some truth to the curse after all. Meredith sets off in a rowboat on the cape to look for Alice.

There's a mystery along with a creepy ghost in this story and quite a few twists. Stay out of the water, don't pick up pink shells, and turn the red light from the lighthouse on!

I requested and received an ARC from NetGalley via Poisoned Pen Press and I have voluntarily reviewed this book.

I wanted to love this, because I love gothic spooky stories, mermaids and the PNW setting! However, the chronology of the stories was confusing and the build was a bit too slow for my liking. It ended in an unsatisfying way and I still feel wishy washy towards it..

This was a really unique story about several generations of women haunted by their family’s past.

Cape Disappointment seems like a bit of an ominous name for a town, but for Meredith Strand’s family, there is some truth to the rumors that surround her childhood home. When she returns with her young daughter after a split from her wife, she is determined to not let the haunting stories affect her or Alice. But her mother, Judith, is beginning to show signs of Alzheimer’s and believes the ghost stories are true. She knows there’s something in the water, watching and waiting. Once you hear it’s mournful call, it may be too late.

This story explores the lengths women will go to protect themselves and their daughters, and how one brave mother could end the curse that has plagued their family for years once and for all.

Highly recommend!

This book has such beautiful writing, it’s definitely a slow burn but keeps you so interested! Set in a small town and includes mermaids and curses which is something I’ve never read about before but I absolutely adored it. It also has that kind of creepy/unsettling and ominous feeling throughout

The sea, a curse, and generations of haunted women.

They drown our daughters centres on Meredith who, amidst a separation from her wife, returns to her childhood home in Cape Disappointment with her daughter Alice in tow. Finding her own mother, Judith, more paranoid than ever and now without the mitigating factor of her late step father, Meredith finds herself once again facing talk of their family's supposed curse. Intercut with chapters from women all along the family line, the dark truth of the Strand family's history slowly comes together.

While this book thrives in its atmosphere and fraught mother-daughter relationships, the non-linear storytelling made it a challenge to get invested in the characters or even find them particularly distinct from one another. I applaud the late stage twist and bold ending, but do wish there'd been better pacing and character work throughout.

All in all, if a seaside gothic tale following a series of complicated women sounds promising to you, this is well worth picking up.

Thank you to NetGalley and Poison Pen Press for providing this digital review copy in exchange for an honest review.

Family curses and mermaids? Yes, please. Kudos to Katrina Monroe - she truly delivered an atmospheric read. There were points that I felt like I was sitting near the ocean. This book was on point and I enjoyed the delivery of salty air and beach sand so much that I only wanted to read this while sitting on my boat.

I'll be honest though - the creep factor? It didn't deliver but the family feelings were very real. I'm a mother, daughter, and grand-daughter to a woman suffering from Alzheimer's and those pieces really did hit home. The story is told from multi-generational various viewpoints and Katrina Monroe beautifully writes a story based upon a mom's love and protection of our children.

Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I would describe They Drown Our Daughters as a slow building thriller with some elements of supernatural horror, and I really appreciated how the storyline kept me guessing until the very end. It's also full of grey characters, and the complex relationships like the one between the main character Meredith and her mother Judith were especially interesting to explore. Throughout the book you get to read from the point of view of several women in Meredith's family line and I think the author did a great job of making the reader care about them with only a few chapters. There were some brief greusome scenes but nothing too explicit so I think this would be a good read for anyone looking for something a little spooky but not too scary for the summer. Also a bonus if you enjoy reading about female characters and complicated mother-daughter relationships.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a free e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

I was so excited to receive an ARC copy of this novel via NetGalley!

Katrina Monroe does a lovely job of setting a spooky atmosphere, and I was hooked from the beginning! The story is so intriguing, and I loved the multigenerational aspect of the plot threads. A family curse, a mysterious figure calling women to the depths, and complex, compelling characters and relationships make this book a fascinating one. I loved the eerie tone of the story, and the way the author makes you really feel like the pages themselves are soaked in seawater.

3.5

<b>”The thing you have to know is that, in the end, these things have a mind of their own.”</b>

Wow! This hauntingly creepy atmosphere surrounding family curses and the ocean was exactly what I wanted from this book and it delivered! The first half of the book was eerie and spine chilling, flipping between the present and the past throughout the novel. There is a family map that came in HANDY while reading, as you hear from all of the women since the curse began.

I felt the pull to the ocean just as strongly as these women through the use of beautiful prose; the way the author spins the English language makes you feel as if they are your own emotions. I could have lived forever in the first half of this dreary, cold home hearing the ocean call to me.

I’ll admit that struggled with rating this and have taken some time to reflect on it. I really wanted to absolutely love this but the ending went in a direction that I didn’t love and the book overall felt a bit dragged out. I think you will either fall into team first half or team second half, depending on what you want from this kind of novel.

Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ebook in exchange for my honest review. I have since purchased a paperback of this book with my own money for my collection.

Wow what an amazing and well written book.

I was drawn into this from the very first page. It was chilling and really kept me on the edge of my seat more than once.

The chapters were written in multiple POV and in different times and I felt that kept it entertaining throughout.

The ending was just so good and I really enjoyed the whole book

Thank you Netgalley and Katrina Monroe for thr ARC of this book.

A page turner for sure! I kept telling myself “just one more chapter!” But then couldn’t stop! I needed to know what was going to happen next. Great use of alternating pov and timelines.

Meredith leaves her wife in Arlington and moves home with their daughter Alice to Cape Disappointment, where Meredith’s mother lives next to the lighthouse. Many say the town is haunted, that there is a lingering spirit there. And Meredith knows all too well how that has affected her family - whether the spirit is real or not, the women in her family are susceptible to mental illness and often early deaths. Moving back in with her mother, Judith, who is in early stages of Alzheimer’s, Meredith finds her mother speaking more and more of this malevolent water spirit as if she was real and not just a fantastical story. And Meredith questions whether her mother is right.

Slow to start and moving between many points of view (all women in Meredith’s family), this was a little hard to get into. But it was intriguing and I liked the idea of the story, if not loving the execution. For those who like this genre, a good option!