A bit of a slower burn than this author's other works, but very full of dread!

I liked reading about the cult and their strange rituals, but it was a bit hard to wrap my brain into the setting of 1910. There's also a timeline in the 20's , so it got a little confusing.

I will say Catriona Ward knows how to do "shock and awe" very well and the end of Little Eve left me feeling gobsmacked.

There was a lot going on in this one and I'm still not entirely sure what to make of it. The story goes back and forth between what's happening following the deaths of the Bearing's family as well as the events leading up to it.

I loved the gothic atmosphere and the culty vibes of this story. There were lots of twists and turns that left me feeling like I had just woken up from a fever dream and unsure of what really happened.

This one fell somewhere between The Last House on Needless Street (which I loved) and Sundial (which left me wanting more) but overall it was a good story that I feel I'll enjoy much more as a re-read.

If you're looking for an atmospheric thriller that will keep you guessing, I'd recommend checking this one out.

Little Eve is a wonderfully eerie and atmospheric story set in the perfect setting on the coast of Scotland. It has very cultish vibes and one of the most interesting main characters I have read in a while in Evelyn or Eve. Catriona Ward’s writing is beautifully poetic and really makes you feel like you are there with this cult family on the island of Altnaharra.

The Adder is truly a villainous character as head of a cult where he isolates the young people under his care and turns them against one another. The story starts off with a bang describing the murders that the rest of the story will culminate in, but everything may not be what it seems.

I highly recommend this one to anyone that appreciates a spooky story with substance but also beautiful prose. It is certainly a slower burn story with not a lot of “outright horror.” But it so well done, and this solidifies my love of Ward’s work!

I've been reading through Catriona Ward's backlist all year, and I've grown to really love her writing. I haven't found a single book so far that I haven't really enjoyed reading. The streak continues here! In this creepy cult tale, a “family” of individuals live on a mysterious Scottish isle set into the sea, living with their own beliefs and rituals that set them apart from the mainland people. When a local man suddenly finds all but one of them dead, the story unfolds as to what lead to that tragic day through the alternating perspectives of the lone survivor and the supposed perpetrator, Dinah and Little Eve, This is set in the early 1900s in Scotland, and although it takes me a while to acclimate to novels that are set around that time period (not usually something I’m into), I got used to it really fast once the narrative starting picking up speed. It’s incredibly atmospheric, especially the isle of Altnaharra which has a big gate and a land bridge that occasionally floods by the surrounding sea. It seems like a very wet, gray island and the practices of Uncle and the others living there are much darker than the atmosphere. The last third of this novel really moves, and I was tearing through it to see how it all wraps up. If you like thrillers heavy on atmosphere, cult stories, or gothic feeling mysteries you will love this book. I know I sure did.

this was definitely atmospheric—but also circuitous and ultimately underwhelming.

little eve is the third book i've read by catriona ward this year, and for the third time i'm left to mull over my ambivalent feelings. like the house on needless street and sundial, things are not what they initially seem in little eve—which definitely had me intrigued. the book opens with a man stumbling upon a series of brutal, ritualistic murders that have taken place on altnaharra, a desolate isle off the coast of scotland that served as home for a ragtag "family" (read: cult). yet with each subsequent chapter, things become more and more muddled; why do we jump between the years leading up to the murder, and then many years later? were there paranormal influences on altnaharra? how does a disgraced chief inspector come into play?

as the book bounced between different perspectives and years, i found myself increasingly uninterested in the unfolding events. for one, the cult felt weirdly... bland? (a sentence i never thought i'd write!) and what i mean by this is that it's so archetypal—a patriarch exerting his so-called power over women and children by peddling vague doomsday prophecies and gaslighting the shit out of their realities. but honestly, that's whatever—i wasn't here for the cult. i was here to forge an emotional connection with the characters, which unfortunately never happened for me. besides the fact that none of the characters were particular standouts, i got so lost in tedious descriptions of the minutiae of their lives that each chapter blurred into the next without much of an emotional impact left on me. by the time i reached the big "reveal" at the end of the book, i was already feeling so detached from the characters that i found the climax incredibly underwhelming.

tldr; little eve had promise but flatlined for me fairly early on; i didn't feel connected to any characters or their stakes, and the lore was too underdeveloped for me to get real chills.

many thanks to netgalley and tor nightfire for this ARC in exchange for an honest review~

4.5 stars!

Catriona Ward has quickly become one of those authors that I will automatically buy anything from her. Her writing style is unusual and almost unsettling with the story she creates around her characters. She continuously finds ways to tell the tales that keep you guessing from beginning to end. Even if you are able to guess the twists within the story, you will want to know the how and that is the most impactful things about her writing style.

About the story:

Little Eve is a cult plot about a "family" that lives on an island and when a local man, Jaime, stumbles across the entire family murdered but Dinah and Eve, whom is missing. What happened to this solitary family and who or what caused such a horrific sight. The storyline jumps around from past to present to allow the reader to know what happened on the island leading up to the murders and what happens after the death of the family. This story will make you feel the anxiety, fear, needs, and so much more alongside the characters.

I will say this book slowed down a bit for me around the 200 page mark which is why I gave it a 4.5 instead of a 5, but resolution to the book made up for the slow moments.

I fully recommend this book if you enjoy dark gothic type novels that leave you wondering throughout the story.
Trigger warnings: animal abuse, self-harm, abuse, bodily harm, rape, cult

Hating the Darkness, Afraid of the Light

I consider Catriona Ward a favorite, a heavyweight among horror authors. She's extremely talented, her stories are unusual and mysterious, and she constructs her complex fiction with subtlety and finesse. She didn't disappoint with this book.

Little Eve contains disturbing subject matter. The many triggers within it have left me with lasting bruises. Soul-crushing dread, like an unbreakable cable, winds through the story and tightly binds four children and two young women to a strange, lone man. Part wise prophet and part stern prophet, he rules them with an iron hand and teaches what is for their own good. They live on an isolated hill overlooking the ocean, but it might as well be another world.

I found it easy to root for many of the characters and to vehemently detest others. Exchanging past for present and one point of view for another is revealing, yet obscuring. It's a long, dark journey into the light, but who survives? More than anything, I cared about that.

Thank you to Catriona Ward, Tor Nightfire, and NetGalley for the pleasure of reading a free advance reader's copy. I offer my review with enthusiasm but am under no obligation to do so.

I am grateful for the invite to review Little Eve by Catriona Ward. This is the top rec I can give for readers looking for a twisty dark gothic tale now or any time. This is the perfect stormy night book for readers who don't mind a intense story (and if you have read this author before then you know her style!). I admit to struggling with this author's House On..., it wasn't for me, but this book worked for me I think because of the attention to family, the progression of Eve's story, and the setting, which was a character in itself.
I know fans of this author will love this one, it won't disappoint, but I also recommend it to readers who are new to this author or who didn't like other works... this one might still work for you. Strong writing, intense twists and slow burn gothic style, and a fascinating plot that brings a reader along for a solid horror scare.

I wouldn't consider myself a fan, but I bet this is going to be a very popular book among people who enjoy horror and cults despite the fact that less time was spent on both themes than on the peculiar narrative device of telling the story two steps forward, one step back.

Atmospheric, yet droning.

Little Eve is told through alternating perspectives of protagonists Dinah & Eve. Our protagonists are part of a mysterious family, raised on the blustering island of Altnaharra, located off the coast of Scotland. The clan praises the Adder, a powerful snake-being said to bring imminent rebirth to the soon-to-be destroyed world.

After a threatening storm passes through in 1921, we discover a ritualistic tragedy of cult horror. We look back to the 1910s to see where suffering began.

Little Eve exudes a blustering coldness, eeriness and fear that is akin to gothic fiction, which is unfortunately the only part of this tale that I enjoyed. This piece was oversaturated with violence and unfavorable acts, yet ineffectively described for a horror audience.

The storyline alluded to conclusions but was ultimately confusing. Events in this book were written in a way that felt unexplained, rushed and unclear as to what was happening. If the conclusions were met with less ambiguity, the piece would have been more effective, and wholly more worthwhile.

Little eve is for fans of darker historical fiction, bleak settings and bizarre family rituals.

I strongly feel that readers who enjoy historical fiction will like Little Eve! And vice versa.

Regrettably for me, this novel feels like a period piece wearing a Halloween costume.

2/5.

Thank you to Macmillan-Tor/Forge, Tor Nightfire and NetGalley for an eARC of Little Eve in exchange for an honest review.

Little Eve is a truly beautiful, yet disturbing story. The book itself is very descriptive, and as a result the pacing is quite slow, particularly in the beginning. Told in multiple timelines, the author is stretching our ability to understand what’s happening, which reflects the inner turmoil that the different characters are experiencing at times in the book. Even the sentence structure feels quite disjointed at times, inflicting upon the reader confusion, distrust in the narration, and a general sense of disease.

The book has a meticulously cultivated sense of foreboding, punctuated by truly disturbing scenes and revelations. While the writing style is fabulous, and some of the key plot points are equal parts shocking and fascinating, I still felt like the plotline trudged along a little too slowly. I think it was in part due to the metaphors stacked upon metaphors, making the book itself a much slower read than the other novel I read by this author (The Last House on Needless Street). At one point, I made a note that the plot is saturated with description and beautiful prose, and in this case, I thought it was too much of a good thing.

All this said, whether or not you enjoy this book truly depends on what type of a reader you are, and what you’re expecting from this story. If I put my readers’ advisory hat on, this book is for those who read for language and setting, then characters. While the plot has good twists, those who prefer a fast-paced, twisty thriller won’t be as satisfied.

The end of the book has some truly thought-provoking discussion questions for book clubs and reader groups to ponder.

If you like gothic atmospheric stories this one is great! It was a tad slow, it's more a horror mystery than a thriller. I enjoyed the creepy and culty vibes.

Little Eve by Catriona Ward is a horror novel, originally published in 2018.

First, let me thank NetGalley, the publisher Macmillan-Tor/Forge, Tor Nightfire  and of course the author, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.


My Synopsis: (No major reveals, but if concerned, skip to My Opinions)
Eve  has only known life on Altnaharra, a small isle off the coast  of Scotland.  She only knows that "Uncle" is preparing them for the end of this world and the birth of the new one, when the giant serpent in the ocean will rise up.  Eve wants to be the one that will inherit the Adder's power, although so does everyone else in the family.

When Chief Inspector Black investigates a murder in a small town near the island, he is drawn to Eve, and the ways she has been raised.  He tries to convince her that her uncle is controlling them, starving them, and brainwashing them, and that is why she feels she can "see" visions.  Eve isn't buying it.  She loves her life -- most of the time.


My Opinions:
This book is about family, not necessarily blood related, but family just the same.  It is about the dysfunction in that family, about the cult-like atmosphere, about doing what you have to do to survive your family and circumstances.

It is both a gothic novel and historical fiction.  That is beside the cult/horror/murder mystery aspects.  Needless to say, there was a lot going on in this book!

The characters are "different".  I'm not sure who I actually liked.  Eve was probably my favorite, although some of her actions were a little "off".     Well, all the characters were "off".  I also loved Black.  Nora, Elizabeth and Dinah fluctuated in my opinion.  I definitely could have done without Uncle and Hercules.  Jamie and Sarah were non-entities

With unreliable narrators, it is sometimes difficult to tell truth from fiction,  as I am sure the author intended.

Overall, the book was quite captivating, if a little (maybe a lot) dark and creepy.

I loved it!

Big thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I was a little nervous going into this because a past Catriona Ward book didn't really work with me but I'm so glad I gave this a try! Ward creates this incredibly believable post-apocalyptic world that had me on the edge of my seat the entire time. The dark, gothic setting and "cult" vibes are so intense in the best way possible. This is Catriona Ward's shining 5/5 book for me and I can't wait to recommend it to everyone.

This is my 3rd Cat Ward book and will not be my last. She is officially an auto buy author. Little Eve starts with a horrific scene, a cult ritual ceremony gone terribly wrong. Off the Northern coast of Scotland, Evelyn lives with Dinah, Able and Baby Elizabeth, their caretakers are 2 women, and the leader is simply known as Uncle. After the opening scene we get 2 different POV's. One detailing the aftermath from Dinah in the form of letters and journal entries. The second is Eve starting back in 1917, setting the scene for what leads up to the tragedy. Ward's writing is atmospheric and lyrical. The pacing in the first half is slow but you just have to trust the process. This is a very dark gothic horror story that will leave you unsettled but satisfied. Thank you to TorNightfire and NetGalley for my eARC of this book

Atmospheric and gothic with masterful plotting and mesmerizing, luminous prose. This tale of love, hate, and the secrets that bind us will enthrall, with the inimitable twists & characters Catriona Ward seems to write effortlessly. A beautiful work of wonder and horror that you'll inhale and savor.

“The storm is in my bones, the lightning drapes the world in blasts of white. The sea breaks like falling towers, within me, without me.”

I LOVED this book. What a perfect fall read okay, highly recommended. ‘The Last House on Needless Street’ was one of my top reads of 2021 so I knew I would do ANYTHING to get my hands on this ARC. (Thank you @tornightfire & @netgalley for access in exchange for an honest review.)

Took me a bit to get into the pacing (short vs. long chapters consecutively) but once I gave in to the magic, MAN did this story flow! Talk about pure, pristine gothic atmosphere and unreliable characters working to give you a run for your money.

Ward has a way of crafting horror stories with such finesse, she has easily become one of my favorite authors. My mind is still dancing with this deliciously dark story. The words flowed seamlessly to the melody of a rampant Scottish coast.

‘Little Eve’ was originally published in the UK, 2018 but is getting a second chance with today’s release date in the US. And I AM SO EXCITED to have been a part of this journey, no matter how small. Thank you @Catward66 for presenting us yet another winner. Looking forward to each and every next one to come.

Thank you Netgalley and Macmillan/Tor- Forge, Tor Nightfire for this arc.

I had conflicting thoughts while reading this book. I could not connect to the plot but I ended up finishing it on a higher note. I enjoyed Catriona Ward’s two previous books much more than I enjoyed this one. That said, I gave Little Eve three stars, which for me is not a great but just a ok book.

This novel was originally published in the U.K. in 2018 and won the August Derleth and Shirley Jackson awards. It stars with a shocking scene: a mass murder at the island of Altnaharra. The bodies are found laid out inside a stone circle as if for a sacrifice. The villagers and the police believe they were killed by Evelyn, one of the “daughters”, in her madness. The cult is formed mainly by children, and its leader is called “Uncle”. The setting of this book, an isolated island, helps the leader of the cult to make his followers believe in whatever he wants.

The story is told by different POVs, making it harder for the reader to know who is telling the truth. The plot is very repetitive but I liked how the author created this suffocating and terrifying setting in which the fate of the children seems to be the worst imaginable. The reader gets to know a little bit of how the minds of the members of a cult work, and how the children react to isolation, starvation, punishments, and brainwashing being part of this “family”.

It was not an awesome read for me. I lost interest in the story, did not feel anything about the characters but I know Little Eve will please a lot of readers. It is definitely a creepy read.

Little Eve is a gothic horror story featuring an isolated castle off the coast of Scotland, a cult, and a dual timeline and alternating points of view.

Nothing is what it seems on Altnaharra.

What worked for me:
•Incredible descriptive writing - truly immersive & atmospheric!
•Very gory. Lots of visceral scenes.
•An intriguing mystery
•The cult storyline was really interesting

What didn’t work for me
•The POVs & timelines really confused me. I was often confused and found this hard to follow. (This is a total me issue; I read this book in a very disjointed way - in 15 minute increments over the course of a month. It requires your focus!)
•The characters - I struggled with a few of them. But I did love the others - bit of a mixed bag!

I think I was hoping for something a bit scarier, but it really just dragged on and didn’t scare me at all.

I liked Catriona Ward's Sundial when it came out earlier this year. This book looked even more appealing with its World War I Scottish seaside setting. Here Ward seems much more in her element!

There are many layers to this one, and lots of opportunity and motive for multiple ways for this one to go. Ward's plots are complicated and weave time around itself. There is always a bit of the fantastic. Here is it much more fantasy than the science fictiony aspect of Sundial, which is more my preference. Folklore is key here. I am quite familiar with Scottish folklore, but Ward possibly should have given a short relative primer for the uninitiated.

If you struggle with non-linear plots this may be hard for you to follow. But that hard to follow is the point and you may quite enjoy the ride if you can let go of needing to understand. Part of this is how certain things aren't understandable and that our minds work in mysterious ways.

Pick this up for a light spooky read to take a break from the craziness of October.