Though this was very different from what I usually read, I really enjoyed this! Right off the bat you can tell that something is wrong and it takes a few chapters to start to piece everything together. The very first scene pulls you in because of how jarring and bizarre it is, so you have to keep reading to see where it all goes. Once I started, I found it very difficult to put down. I certainly recommend this to anyone who loves gothic, gory, horror books. While there are definitely some graphic scenes, the world that the characters live in is more messed up than any of the gruesome parts. It's terrifying in the best way.

I really enjoyed this novel. Some pros: the atmosphere/setting, the characters, and the mystery. It was a propulsive read - I wanted to know how it would unfold. I love a story with multiple timelines. Cons: felt like a different author from Sundial. This novel is a different style but not in a negative way. I would recommend to people who enjoy atmospheric stories with a mysterious cult.

Little Eve uses alternating timelines through alternating characters to tell the story of a small cult on the island of Altnaharra. John Bearings landed there in 1898 with young women Alice and Nora in order to properly worship the Adder. I thought the history of Altnaharra and their relationship with the mainland was very interesting and really added to the plot. I also enjoyed seeing John go downhill over the years as he went further into his delusions.

One of my problems with this story, which there aren’t many, is that there’s so many characters, and with the flip-flopping chapters, sometimes it’s hard to keep up with who we’re following. We follow Evelyn and Dinah, two of the young women of the cult, as they tell the story of how the cult ended. We also see adult Dinah discuss some of the past. A few times we even meet the detective on the case, Christopher Black. When I was properly following the storyline, it was a good read. I enjoyed the setting and the characters, and the cult/John was super creepy.

This novel takes place in the late 1910s and early 1920s, with later reflections from the 30s and 40s. I’m not sure if this really helped the story; I think it could have taken place in any time period. I’d actually love to see this story written in more modern times with cell phones and better forensics.

I recommend this book for people who love twisty-turny stories, and probably more for people who take notes (especially for the characters). The twist at the end was pretty predictable, but not necessarily unenjoyable. I really enjoy Catriona Ward’s writing, and even though I wasn’t as big a fan of Little Eve as I was of Sundial, it’s still worth the read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Tor Nightfire for this advanced review copy. While Little Eve is already available in the UK, it comes out through Tor on October 11th.

CW for death, injury, vomit, miscarriage/stillborns, domestic violence, suicide, alcoholism, animal death, animal cruelty, sexual assault/violence/ambiguous reference to rape

DNF - I was really looking forward to this one but this book just was not for me. I had to give up 100 pages in. Thank you to the publisher for the gifted ARC.

I wanted to love this book as I loved the Last House on Needless Street. I just could not. It was unpleasant to read. I continued just waiting for some sort of ebb and flow. It was unrelenting, though. I just could not enjoy reading about the abuse. There was no payoff for me.

Catriona Ward does it again. LITTLE EVE features visceral tension that is ratcheted-up perfectly as the book proceeds. Evocative and distubring, this is one of those ones that stays with you.

I was surprised at how much I loved this. I have read some other things by this author that I wasn't the biggest fan of, but I enjoyed this one a lot. I loved the gothic setting and tone, as well as the cultish mystery at the heart of this work. (I'm a big fan of cults and space-ships--those are my two favorite things, so if a book has at least one of those you've already got me hooked). I thought that the mystery and overall plot was well paced, and the twists and turns were well embedded--they didn't feel too obvious of too enshrouded. I wanted a little bit more world-detail and character motivation (especially for John) but I still really enjoyed this work!

What is most enjoyable about Catriona Ward’s work, for me, is the voices she uses for the characters. Seeing the story through the character’s eyes makes the reading experience immersive and makes me wonder if I’m not spiraling into my own bit of madness. To go inside the head of people who are experiencing the world in a way far different from your own is a fascinating experience and provokes new ways of thinking.

This story is in a unique setting on an island off the coast of Scotland. It is a historic dystopia. We enter a world with one-room schoolhouses and a more primitive time. The characters share their story from their point of view, and it takes time to fully grasp what their circumstances are. This keeps the story interesting and the reader wondering – both good things for an author to achieve. Once we begin to follow the story, and the perspective that is not our own, the book takes us on a journey that we want to, no, must finish!

A copy of Little Eve by Catriona Ward was provided to me by NetGalley and Macmillan-Tor/Forge, Tor Nightfire for an honest review.

Little Eve is getting its US debut, although it is actually the second book written/published by Ward. It has the creepy atmosphere we have come to expect from Ward - the castle, Altnaharra, is almost its own character. A gothic historical thriller (the events take place between 1917-1921 for the most part), Eve examines the relationships among members of a cult. An extremely twisted cult that you will not fully understand until you finish the book. Eve and Dinah treat each other as sisters, although there is also a competition between them to eventually become the leader. I really don't want to say much about the plot (I feel the same about all of Ward's books) for fear that I will ruin it for the next reader. It's expertly plotted, going back and forth in time/perspectives to keep the tension ratcheted all the way up.

“'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.

Thanks to NetGalley and Tor Nightfire/Macmillan-Tor/Forge for the free ARC in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed herein are my own.

This is a hard one to review!! On the one hand, I was immediately captivated with the prose and opening scene. It really succeeds in setting the tone of this intensely gothic setting in 1920s-1930s Scotland. This was my favorite part- the language, the setting, the overall setup of these children being made to believe the strange teachings of their “Uncle.”

But on the other hand, there was never any flow to the story. It wasn’t easy to get lost in, and I personally felt like I had to work to wade through everything that was going on. Which to be fair is something I don’t generally enjoy, but know others might. It did surprise me at the end and I thought the “how” was interesting. Some good horror imagery but the reader is mostly left to envision things themself rather than having them explained. I never felt any sort of connection to the characters though.

I received an eARC via NetGalley to read in exchange for my honest review!

Big warning, there are some truly horrific things in this book. This author has that style so definitely go into it with that expectation. The story is moving and the writing is gorgeous but it is so unsettling.

DNF. I rarely leave a book unfinished, and I regret I could not get into this book even though it won the Shirley Jackson literary award and the August Derleth award for Best Horror Novel when it was first published in 2018. It will be published in North America on October 11, 2022. I loved the Last House on Needless Street (5 Stars) but was disappointed in The Sundial (2 Stars), although I finished it. This is my 3rd book by Catriona Ward and confirms my suspicion that her books are not for me. I regret not finishing it, as the majority rated this book highly. It is described as a Gothic Horror which is a category that appeals to me, but I had no connection with the characters or the writing style. Conversations seemed opaque and hazy, and I wasn't feeling a sense of horror or suspense.
Thank you, NetGalley and the publisher, for the opportunity to read an advance copy, and sorry for giving up.

Little Eve by Catriona Ward is uniquely creative. She has done the damn thing again!
Surprising me with this unforgettable story.
In this one, I feel like Ward's writing is on a whole new level! I was impressed.
It’s unputdownable. This novel is intensely-gripping.
Such an awesome read! I was anxious and on the edge of my seat for the majority of this novel.
Every single page was gripping, atmospheric and suspenseful.
This was one of the most binge-worthy, unputdownable books I’ve read in a while!
Catriona Ward is at the TOP of Her Game!

Exciting - Shocking - Unbelievably Clever! Read it - you won't be sorry

I can't wait to read Looking Glass Sound!

"I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."

Tor Nightfire,
Thank You for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

A deep dark gothic tale perfect for the season of haunts. It begins with the discovery of murders on an island with a single surviving victim and the killer has gone. Each victim lacks an eye which the killer appropriated for religious power. After the discovery, the reader learns what came before, a religious cult dominated by a delusional man who convinces the females in his orbit to aspire to acquire his delusions as fact. Each word is measured until you feel the fog, the chill of the island and its inhabitants and the pull and frustration of the leader’s manipulative control of their environment and their beliefs.

3.75 stars- Thank you to Netgalley and to the publisher for a free copy of this eARC. Although I am not usually drawn to gothic settings, the strange and gory cult-like mystery at the center of this story took hold of me. I really liked the detail with the honey that was revealed in the second halls of the book (no spoilers). And of course the twists in the middle and end of the book that recontextualized things. One thing I would wish to have more detail on was John’s motivations and intentions for his “family“. Although I love Catriona award, this would probably be my least favorite of her three books that I’ve read, just due to personal preferences.

On an isolated island off the English coast a small group of people are living an unusual life that culminates in an unspeakable crime. Little Eve and her "sisters" were gleaned from orphanages and now live with the Adder following his cultist lifestyle. It is all Eve has ever known but as she grows older and ventures off the island more she begins to question their choices. After an unusually strong storm a local butcher discovers five mutilated bodies inside a stone circle and there is no sign of Little Eve. Part historical fiction blended with gothic horror and crime thriller this novel is disturbing and engrossing. The author's character development is strong and the isolated, haunting atmosphere is chilling. Trigger warning the prose is graphic and explicit with details of child abuse and neglect as well as sexual immoral depravity. The novel is related across different timelines and from multiple points of view as we visit the characters impacted by the events.. Ms Ward's entry onto the horror novel arena has resulted in many well deserved awards. A must read for fans of dark gotthic horror.

Book Review

Little Eve by Catriona Ward
@CatWard66
Pub date: October 11, 2022

“𝘞𝘢𝘳 𝘪𝘴 𝘢 𝘩𝘶𝘯𝘨𝘳𝘺 𝘣𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘵, 𝘮𝘺 𝘊𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥𝘳𝘦𝘯. 𝘐𝘵 𝘮𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘣𝘦 𝘧𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘰𝘺𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘪𝘵 𝘴𝘱𝘪𝘵𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘯𝘰 𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘮𝘦. “

What a darkly strange story this is and I loved every gothic eerie second! I’d expect no less of Cat Ward!

Set off the coast of Scotland, in a village with a strange castle lives a very strange ‘family’, if you will …. The two most important characters are the narrators, Eve and Dinah, and their dynamic amidst this cult like group.

They are children who’ve been taken in by a man called Uncle along with two women; their practices are occult-like; preparing for the end-times. Isolated in the decrepit castle of Altnaharra, they have very little contact with the village outside of orders left at the gates. This is an important fact because all the children know is learned by this cult like setting being controlled by Uncle. This isolation can cause rifts and insecurity but it can also be the bond in the closest of friendships.

When the local butcher makes a delivery for Hogmanay and comes across a horrific discovery, the story starts in earnest – telling the story of what has come to pass and then, travelling a bit further into the future. Set in the early 20th century during WWI, this is rich with history and descriptive prose of the remote Scottish coastline that is captivating on its own but add in a cult like story with gruesome murders at its heart and you’ve got a hit. Although this is horror, it’s more on the side of psychological horror and the trauma that is endured in the name of a belief.

Twisty, for sure, horrific, yes, but at heart, it’s an exploration of how far a belief system will go and those that are willing to pay the ultimate price for this belief and those that would exploit it.

My thanks to @TorNightfire for this gifted DRC!

This Gothic thriller will ultimately have you jumping through hurdles of horror! Not sure how to categorize it. I enjoyed the thrill of The House on Needless Street and thought this author is brilliant but this one didn’t quite live up to that one.
The opening scene is horrifying enough and I couldn’t get that out of my mind. It opens with brutal murders laid out in a sacred ceremony. It is very atmospheric off the coast of Scotland in a huge castle during The Great War. Women had their place in the world limiting them to the home. In a house full of girls there are disturbing scenes and they encounter abuse by a manipulative uncle with complete control.
I didn’t even like the characters as they prepare for the end of the world and take over powers. It is suspenseful and an impeccable twist. This was released in 2018 overseas and now in the US by this talented author. Some of you Gothic horror lovers are going to enjoy it.
Thank you NetGalley and Nightfire for this advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

This was a different type of book for me. I enjoyed the Gothic feel as well as reading about a cult. It was slow at the beginning but it led to a big twist and shock. Who doesn't love a good murder, cult vibe in a book!

This is probably a 3.5 star book. I really like this author's writing style. It was interesting getting an inside glimpse inside a cult, even cooler to see the veil of the cult start to fall away. The author had a great way of describing things in a way to convince you that they truly believe the Adder is real, and they do. I did wonder at certain points if there was a supernatural element to the book, or whether their belief was just that strong.