Well hello creepy cult novel. Catriona Ward can write a group of characters that just eek their way under your skin. Uncle has master ick factor and boy does she write him well. The whole shebang just screams run. Creepy gothic castle on an isolated island that is only accessible by a causeway when the tide is out. Weirdo little town that just lets these people stay locked up in said castle without wondering what the crap is going on up there with these clearly emaciated children. The whole thing gave off a seriously medieval vibe though the timeline places it firmly in WWI with a followup timeline a couple of decades later.

I freaking devoured this book. It was so good and sketchy. I was totally entranced by the atmosphere and there were plenty of cringeworthy moments. The psychological games played with the plot were fantastically done and even when I had one of the big twists figured out I was just enraptured. A super disturbing read like a train wreck you can't look away from. Dark and weird. Just like I like 'em.

I struggled with this one. I normally love her crazy world building but i had a hard time following and connecting with this one. It is definitely a gothic story but i just thought it was a little too slow of a burn. I still would love to read more by her because The Last House On Needless Street was such an epic read for me.

This was incredible, and so strange, and such a wild, unpredictable ride. While the big reveal didn't stun me as much as Sundial and The Last House On Needless Street, it had the most wonderfully atmospheric setting and the melancholy, gothic oddity of it all won my heart right away. Full review coming soon, but trust me, you don't want to miss this one.

Thank you for the advanced copy of this book! I will be posting my review on social media, to include Instagram, Amazon, Goodreads, and Instagram!

Another darkly atmospheric story from Ward!
The time is the 1920's-1930's off the coast of Scotland on a tiny island called Altnaharra. Eve lives on the island with her "Uncle", her favorite "sister" Dinah, a few other orphaned children and two women. Early on in the story, the local butcher is trying to deliver beef for a celebration and discovers almost all the island residents dead in a circle on the beach, the lone survivor a woman with a wound where an eye should be. The story moves back and forth in time as you get to know this family more and more from both Eve's and Dinah's POVs. You are never sure of anyone's motives and the secrets that pop up are really dark. If you like reading historical fiction with a thrilling bent, this is for you. If you like reading about strange cults, this is for you as well.
I couldn't wait to grab this ARC but unfortunately it took me so long to read it due to all the nuances and beautiful writing that I'm publishing this review post publishing.
Thank you anyway to the publisher and NetGalley. Really great story!

Can I say - this author will forever stay my favorite. She does horror like no other. It is surprising, it is chilling, it messes with your head, and you just want to keep reading more of it.

This book is a very slow burn. Now, usually that is not my favorite. And I was struggling with this book in the beginning. Add the long chapters (why oh why, please no long chapters), very detailed writing.. and it becomes a slog fest to get through. What saves this book from the slow burn is the little gory pieces the author adds here and there and the horrific picture starts to build. Once you start seeing the glimpses of the horrors that are happening, you need the whole picture. And like I said - it is well worth it, and definitely not what you expect.

This story starts out almost mystical ( I had to make sure this is not some paranormal/fantasy horror - I assure you, it is not). There's an island, where a man who is called uncle, some women and kids live. They are preparing for the end - a big snake will come out of the sea and will devour the world. Only those that are pure will survive and live under the protection of this snake.

In the meantime, the kids are allowed on land to go to school. trade for food, etc. just as long as they do not catch attention from the unpure. They are all responsible for each other, and if one makes a mistake or does something agains the rules, they tell on them to the Uncle who rules the island with punishments on shunning (person is completely ignored), silence and fasting (lips are completely sealed for a period of time). But he also rewards them with the honey they grow on this island.

Oh this book is so messed up. I Wish I could tell you more, but I don't want to ruin anything with spoilers. It is a must read.

Catriona Ward's writing style is really engaging and hooks the reader right from the start. Little Eve was a gothic, historical, cult horror story. It has a great start to start the mystery of what happened on Altnaharra Island. Then the secrets are revealed slowly with big reveals saved for the exciting climax. The middle section did slump in pacing, but the story was still very enjoyable. The setting of Altnaharra Island off the coast of rural Scotland created a dark, bleak, isolated atmosphere.

I would recommend this book to fans of gothic stories or cult stories. Those that love mysteries in their books are going to like this one as well. This is a book that starts with a horrible event and ends with a horrible revelation.

Although written and released before Sundial and Last House on Needless Street, Little Eve comes from Tor Nightfire following the other two. Ward has trademark ability to weave a narrative that unfolds as the pages turn, leaving you with a sense that something is wrong, but never revealing too much at once. That is once again on display with Little Eve, but never quite pays off in as satisfying a fashion as Ward's other works.
The cult and family aspects make for some intriguing folk horror, consistently forcing the reader to withhold anything resembling trust. The off-kilter understanding of exactly what's going on and questioning of motives makes for an unsettling experience that some readers of Catriona Ward will adore. Her voice is unique, disquieting, and on display as ever, in Little Eve.

4.5 ⭐️

Little Eve by Catriona Ward affirmed that any new release that Ward puts, I will be buying automatically. There are so many fantastic elements in this story. From creepy storytelling, a terrifying cult, mutilations in the from of a sacrifice, to the underlying mystery that guides the novel - there are so many things to love.

This story centers on two young girls (sisters) as they start to learn more about the rituals and evils that surround their ancestral and historic home. From this exposition the story explodes out in a whirlwind of character development and thrilling plots (all of what I now know to be Ward's excellent writing style).

This book did not disappoint and is a fast-paced horror adventure that I believe many readers love and will continue to discover and love! Check it out!

Although I have tried numerous times to read, this just is not for me. There are certain situations that make me uncomfortable.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with this ARC and audiobook.


Description from NetGalley:
“A great day is upon us. He is coming. The world will be washed away.”

On the wind-battered isle of Altnaharra, off the wildest coast of Scotland, a clan prepares to bring about the end of the world and its imminent rebirth.

The Adder is coming and one of their number will inherit its powers. They all want the honor, but young Eve is willing to do anything for the distinction.

A reckoning beyond Eve’s imagination begins when Chief Inspector Black arrives to investigate a brutal murder and their sacred ceremony goes terribly wrong.

And soon all the secrets of Altnaharra will be uncovered.

I have enjoyed Catriona Ward’s other works, The Last House on Needless Street and Sundial. This one was good, but the biggest area that kept me from loving this one like I did the previous two was my confusion. This is a dual timeline book; however, listening to the audiobook, I got confused as to which person was talking/which timeline it was. The twists and the horror were good. There is a major trigger warning of child abuse, which bothered me more in this book than in her previous books. Overall, if you liked the past two or are a gothic horror fan, then this is probably up your alley.

Overall: 3.5/5

Little Eve was a mixed read for me. The atmosphere was wonderful, and I liked a lot about the writing, but I never quite connected with the book.

The book is set on Altnaharra, an island off the coast of Scotland, where a small cult is led by a man the children call Uncle. The book begins with the discovery of a series of murders on the island -- all of the cult members are dead, with a missing eye, except for Dinah. She tells the authorities that Eve, a teen girl, is the one who did it. The novel then flashes back to life in the cult from Eve's perspective.

I had a hard time connecting with either Eve or Dinah, our two narrators, both girls in the cult. The individual sentences were lovely, and I really enjoy Ward's writing from an aesthetic perspective, but the book as a whole didn't fully engage me. One character I enjoyed a lot was Chief Inspector Black, and I found myself rushing through the girls' sections to get more of him. The cult felt fairly generic as well, and the writing was disconnected from the abuse and fear the children were experiencing. However, I loved the setting and the atmosphere and felt immersed in life on the island in a way I didn't with the characters. I could almost smell the sea while reading.

I read and loved Ward's The Last House on Needless Street (easily a 5-star read for me), and a big part of what I loved was that emotional connection. I cared about the characters, I was terrified in places, and the ending made me cry. So it's surprising that Little Eve left me so cold. Still, I'm curious to see what Ward comes out with next and if it will recapture the magic of Needless Street for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Tor Nightfire for my review copy of this book

I was excited to read another Catriona Ward novel, as I really enjoyed Sundial and The Last House on Needless Street. And in true Ward style, this was dark, gothic, disturbing and bleak.

I didn't think Little Eve was as shocking and disturbing as Sundial was, but Ward does a great job at writing an atmospheric novel. The book starts off with the brutalized bodies of a family that appears to be ritualistic, then the rest of the story works its way back to fill in the gaps. This was a cult novel that was interesting with a twist that was done very well.

There were some times when the plot was a little hard for me to follow, and the book seemed to feel much longer than it was, but I don't think it detracted from the story. I don't think this is my favorite book of hers, but I still enjoyed it overall.

“𝙏𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙞𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙖𝙮 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙨𝙚 𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙨. 𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙣𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙖𝙡𝙤𝙣𝙚. 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙡𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙞𝙨 𝙖𝙡𝙬𝙖𝙮𝙨 𝙬𝙖𝙩𝙘𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙮𝙤𝙪.”

Catriona Ward has been on my radar since I first read The Last House on Needless Street. This is my 3rd book I’ve read by her (other being Sundial) and she is absolutely one of my favorite authors.

Little Eve is told in 1st person from the POVs of Dinah and Eve from various time periods. This book was absolutely beautifully written, just like Ward’s other books. It is atmospheric and unique. Every single one of Ward’s books are incredibly unique and that’s why I’m so drawn to them. I loved the dual perspectives with unreliable narrators. This is a beautiful gothic horror that I highly recommend.

“𝘼 𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙘𝙝𝙚𝙨 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙢𝙞𝙣𝙚, 𝙛𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙚𝙧𝙨 𝙖𝙘𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙤𝙪𝙘𝙝, 𝙡𝙞𝙫𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙤 𝙙𝙚𝙖𝙙. 𝙃𝙚𝙧 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙛𝙞𝙡𝙡𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙖𝙞𝙧, 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙧𝙤𝙤𝙢. 𝙉𝙤 𝙦𝙪𝙞𝙚𝙩 𝙨𝙥𝙞𝙧𝙞𝙩, 𝙨𝙝𝙚. 𝙉𝙤 𝙨𝙤𝙪𝙡 𝙖𝙩 𝙥𝙚𝙖𝙘𝙚.”

I don't read horror. But I absolutely LOVE Catriona Ward and will read her books every single time they come out. Ward's mind is like no other. I truly don't understand how she creates such intense, atmospheric, chilling stories that make you feel like you're right in the middle of it. This book was so hard to put down! Disturbing and gripping, i definitely recommend Little Eve for fans of Catriona Ward's other works, and those who enjoy horror and chilling stories.

As a huge fan of Ward, I was really excited for this one but it just didn't quite work for me? It was definitely really twisted but I felt at times the writing was a slog to get through. I also just cannot stand long chapters and 60 page chapters are not for me. I also did not feel like there was the twist I normally expect with Ward's writing.

While this one didn't quite work for me, I plan to read whatever Ward writes next.

Eve and Dinah are two children acquired by the head of their family who takes on the persona of the Adder (the deciever from the Adam and Eve Bible story). Throughout their lives they are badly treated, barely fed, and kept captive. Not knowing any other way, the children all tow the line until one day the entire family is found murdered with their eyes missing. All except Dinah who manages to live through her ordeal, instantly pointing to Eve as the culprit.

Then we get to see the whole ordeal play out through flashbacks and flash forwards seen through Dinah's or Eve's eyes. The story definitely has its fair share of twists and turns, many of which are surprising, a few that were not.

While I found the writing style excellent, for whatever reason, the story seemed to drag for me towards the middle, and became increasingly difficult to read. I am incredibly glad that I read this book through to the very twisty ending, but had quite a hard time making it to that point.

Thank you to TOR Nightlife for providing me with an ARC of this book.

I really wanted to love this book more! I thought it was a great atmospheric read. Perfect for Fall but I just didn't like the really long chapters. It was super descriptive so I got a bit impatient with it. I liked cult aspect of it and that the story was based in 1920's Scotland. It started out strong for me but I kind of lost interest about halfway through the book but I did want to know how it ended. I think if you like Catriona Ward's book you will like this one. Its just that I have a hard time with books that have really long chapters.

I read this along with listening to the audio. I loved this secluded island mystery/gothic horror novel, set in the 1920's. Fantastic writing, propulsive. I didn't want to put it down.

While it took a few starts and stops to settle into this book, the patience really paid off. The story explores the complexity of indoctrination and childhood in such a setting. The decrepit Scottish setting adds delightful, gloomy landscape that keeps the reader guessing.