I just finished ‘Little Eve’ by Catriona Ward and what a dark, twisty, and thrilling adventure it was!
‘Little Eve’ is a gothic murder mystery that takes place on the Isle of Altnharra off the secluded coast of Scotland in the early 1900s. Castle Altnaharra sits behind a gate on a peninsula off the mainland and the town of Loyal. The residents of Castle Altnaharra are orphans/strays who were brought there and led by a mysterious man whom they worshipped and called ‘Uncle.’ This ‘family’, who generally kept to themselves from the outside world, was preparing for the end of the world and its rebirth when shocking and brutal discoveries begin to surface. These findings lead to an investigation by a persistent Chief Inspector who eventually helps to uncover chilling secrets that lie behind the castle gate. During the investigation, we begin to wonder who can be trusted and who is telling the truth.

It’s an intense and complex story that involves cults, visions, worshipping, and bizarre rituals.

Catriona Ward does a brilliant job with vivid imagery and language/wording that sets the tone for this specific setting and timeframe. The story does jump around timelines, which can get confusing at first, but it’s best not to try too hard to predict what’s going to happen next. Instead, “ride the waves” as each detail in the story comes to you. The shocking truth will eventually unravel and you’ll begin to learn that not everything is as it seems. It will be an adventure you’ll want to continue thinking about once you’ve finished the book. It’s no wonder why Catriona Ward won the Shirley Jackson award for this novel.

‘Little Eve’ will be releasing in ebook and kindle format on October 11th 2022 - just in time for spooky season!

Thank you NetGalley and Tor/Forg for this ARC of ‘Little Eve’. Everything mentioned above is my own opinion.

LITTLE EVE, by Catriona Ward, is the third book I have read by this astounding author. Her books really stand out, for me, among others--her unique style is just one I can't put down. In this novel, Eve lives with her "family", ruled by a Patriarch known as "Uncle". There isn't much I can say about the plot itself, it's something you need to read yourself to fully appreciate.

The bond of "sisterhood" comes up quite frequently, and these characters are so well written that you feel you know them. The story is told between alternating times, with different POVs. The key is trying to figure out what the realstory is.

Ward's style of writing is complex, and requires focus on all the minute details in order to fully grasp the tale. However, once I started on it, I honestly didn't WANT to focus on anything else, as this book was so consuming. A dark tale, from a fantastic author that I can't wait to read more from.

Recommended.

We begin at the end in this story with an event that rattles the small town in which it is set. The reader is taken back in time to understand the events leading up to this tragedy. There are different piints of view throughout and the writing style trily puts an edge to the story. We are placed in the mind of the narrator, looking through their eyes. This pov has a powerful effect on how I viewed the story overall. In this first person, especially from Eve’s vantage point, I could truly connect with the characters.

I felt so many emotions reading- sadness, anger, regret, and even happiness. I wanted the characters to make so many different decisions but they just could not.

I feel like it is a very tragic coming of age story, into an age no one should grow into.

The author did a fantastic job of painting such vivid visual imagery. It was like i was watching it happen right in front if me.

I definitely recommend Little Eve. I finished it several days ago and im still replaying it in my mind. It left a deep impression.

Little Eve will be available October 10,2022. I think it would be a great fall read.

Trigger warnings: physical/mental abuses, child abuse, infant/child death, sexual abuses. Always be mindful of these triggers before reading.

I would like to thank NetGalley for this early arc for my honest review.

I am finding out that Catriona Ward is just not for me. I did not care for The House On Needless Street, and while I did like Little Eve better, it was still just ok for me. So many people like her novels though so I think its just me and something about the author’s writing just does not resonate with me.

I’m not a huge fan of gothic tale but this book? It really got me hooked and I was actually shocked by how fast I was reading this book!

Little Eve by Catriona Ward seems like a really great book.
The opening is moody and atmospheric.
Sadly the formatting kept throwing me out of this story. I know it is an uncorrected proof and not a final product but I would get to a really engaging part and then have it disrupted by -1 and then a few sentences later -0 inserted into the text.
So in fairness to the author and the story I think I will wait until publication and read it so I can get the full enjoyment of it.
Really looking forward to it.
Thank you to #NetGalley, #TorForge, and Catriona Ward for the ARC of #LittleEve.
See you in a few months for the actual review.

If you like a great Gothic tale with a mystery woven in, this is for you.
Set on a remote island off the coast of Scotland you can almost hear the wind blowing in this tale of a cult family and its leader…”Uncle”.
When you yell “uncle” it means you give in…..and that what the members of this family do or there is a punishment in store for you. Rich in folklore with a religious base, this little group is in constant preparedness for the coming of the apocalypse.
I did get confused with the mystical parts at times and would put the book aside but interest in the characters pulled me back in.
Who doesn’t like a little mystical madness now and then………a good read.

Little Eve is the first book by Catriona Ward that I've read and if this is a good indication of her writing then I'm looking forward to checking out her other books! Fascinating characters and an engrossing mystery had me reading this late into the night, not wanting to put it down.

My only reason for giving it 4 stars instead of 5 is because I was led to believe this was horror. Is the content disturbing? Yes. It's visceral and upsetting and sad. But I wouldn't classify this as a horror novel, personally. But wow, what a well-written story.

Ward has a new fan in me. She's now up there with Alex E. Harrow for new authors whose books I'll buy sight unseen.

This book was really creepy, which I am sure that was what the author was going for. Most of it takes place on a Scottish island in an abandoned castle. There is Uncle who appears to be a cult leader. A few young girls with no families to speak of, and two women. Uncle has total contril over them all and feeds them all fantastic stories to keep them in line. He punishes them when they don't obey, and as the story continues you realize he has not only taken control of their minds, but bodies as well. Little Eve will not go down without a fight.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this book. I rate this story 3 out of 5, as it took me awhile to figure out just what was going on. It was a wee bit slow in parts.

Little Eve by Catriona Ward was originally published in 2018 but with the growing popularity of this author, it is getting rereleased this fall. This book follows a small clan that lives in an old castle in Scotland as they prepare for the end of the world and the coming of The Adder. One will be chosen to inherit the powers and everyone wants the honor, including our main character, Eve. When this book opens with a grisly scene, you know immediately that something did not go to plan. The story then begins to jump around the timeline and the truth is slowly revealed.

If that sounds like a crazy story, believe me, it is. Catriona Ward has officially proven that she is a modern horror queen with her ability to create these lush scenes with fully realized characters. Her brand of horror isn’t going to be for everyone. This is my third book by her and it’s the third time I have been dropped at the beginning of the story in a very confusing way. If you are someone who has to know what is going on at all times, you will not enjoy this book. I love starting Ward’s books and just enjoying the ride because I fully trust that by the end, I will have the answers I want.

Her books are so hard to talk about without giving spoilers. Every part of every book is weaved together in a brilliant manner. There are no wasted words. I think her books could be studied in a classroom setting. You have the surface story but there are also deeper topics that could be discussed. This book takes place during world war 1 and has things to discuss about the effects of war. There could also be a discussion around cults and religion.

I loved this book. I will be buying a physical copy as soon as I can and I look forward to reading everything this author writes in the future.

I ended up really liking this book although it took me a while to get into it. The first half of the book I was more than a little confused, trying to figure out what was going on. The second half made up for it and I ended up really enjoying the storyline and characters.

Catriona Ward is a force to be reckoned with when it comes to gothic horror. Before her breakout hits “The Last House on Needless Street” and “Sundial” came “Little Eve.” Originally published in the UK in 2018, now readers on this side of the pond are being treated to this masterful winner of the Shirley Jackson Award for Best Novel.

This dark, atmospheric novel grabs you by the throat from the very beginning, when a local tradesperson makes a gruesome discovery on the isolated, windswept island of Altnaharra. Who are these people, who’s still alive, and who’s missing? Ward takes us back in time to introduce us to this far-flung place and its ragtag group of inhabitants, separated from the mainland by a gate with no fence, to say nothing of the control and manipulation of the cultish leader they call Uncle.

This book is just… wow. Gripping, intense, scary, emotional. The plot is intricate but not confusing, with a little something for everyone. Horror, mystery, cults, family bonds, coming of age – it’s all here. Ward’s lush prose is gorgeous, with a sense of place that makes Altnaharra a character itself. The characters and their relationships will are so compelling that you’ll still be thinking about them long after you turn the last page.

If you’re a fan of Cat Ward’s other works, you will no doubt love “Little Eve”. If you are new to her unparalleled style – what are you waiting for? Grab yourself a copy of this novel, coming out just in time for spooky season.

Many thanks to Macmillan-Tor/Forge, Tor Nightfire, and NetGalley for providing me an advance copy of this book.

Little Eve is a remarkably complex novel where truth blends to fantasy and back to darker truth continuously. One moment you are caught up in a great power and the next you are brought back to earth in a more mundane reality that still hints it might be false.

Children have been taken to a castle on an island, separated from the main land by a gate with no fence that is constantly locked. One man suspects the truth, but is unable to prove it. Eve is the key, and also the lock. Unwilling to be completely drawn into her Uncle's dark world and simultaneoulsly drawn and driven there regardless of her efforts to be free.

The rituals and darkness are deep and binding. The torn lives and hearts of those drawn and trapped there are intriguing and tantalizing. The setting is bleak, and the entire story takes place against a backdrop of the prejudices of the village beyond the gate, and the few who live there and interact with the island.

This is not a happily ever after story, it is a disturbing on many levels. It feels fantastic and all too real and is one of those books I am always searching for. One that leaves me staring at the wall after reading it, lost in thought and sort of sad as the last words slip away.

Highly Recommended.

Catriona Ward continues to be one of my favorite thriller authors. I was so excited to get my hands on this ARC and it didnt disappoint! I have been gushing about this book to all my readers friends even the ones that are not into thrillers! Once this book is out I will buy a copy so I can keep my Ward collection growing.

Thank you to Netgalley for an ARC.

Unfortunately I found this book slow, boring, unfulfilling, and silly. This is the 3rd book I've read by the author (although it's actually the first book she published) and this will probably be my last. As a whole, I do not enjoy her writing style, her themes, or her stories. I cannot in good conscience recommend this book to anyone.

I think this is my favorite book of Catriona Ward's. I am not at all surprised by this book winning the Shirley Jackson award for Best Novel. Ward reminds me a lotttt of Shirley Jackson. There is always a lot of creepiness, and bizarre things happening in her books. She has a way of writing things that are really haunting and beautiful, but also bizarre and just plain weird. This story has so many levels to it, and I really loved every minute of it. Dark, gothic, murdery-cult book, what's not to love?

honestly nobody can turn a story of abuse into a dark, twisted book of horror quite like Catriona Ward.

little eve lives on the wind battered island of Altnaharra off the coast of Scotland with uncle and his clan as they prepare to bring about the end of the world and its imminent rebirth.

the writing in this book is poetic. set in the 1920’s, Ward gives us the perfect dark, atmospheric setting that will creep you out from start to finish. told from the point of view of two of the children of the island, it’s difficult to distinguish what is real or just a figment of their wicked imagination. many times I found myself wondering what the f was going on. but when you really dig in you find you don’t want to know, because the reality is too grim.

little eve starts at the end, giving us flashbacks between past and present to fill in the gaps. neither narrator more reliable than the other. and when the harsh reality comes crashing down the twist will have you spiraling. did I see it coming? yes. but it was so clever and well done that predicting it beforehand didn’t ruin the experience.

a big thanks to Macmillan-Tor/Forge, Tor Nightfire, Netgalley and Catriona Ward for an advanced copy of this book! little eve will be released on Oct. 11th.

TW: SA

This was a super dark piece of fiction. Horror can often be put into one of two categories: supernatural horror and realistic horror. This was the latter. We follow two timelines if you will, The first is an accounting of the past through two main POVs: Dinah and Eve. The second timeline is closer to the present and is told through a series of letters signed by Dinah. The book begins with a gruesome ritualistic murder scene, and we spend the length of the book trying to figure out what really happened over the course of a few tragic years.

Catriona Ward's horror books are all the more sinister and compelling because of her beautiful prose and lyrical writing. It is never over-the-top but rather lends that perfect atmospheric creepiness to the tale. I won't spoil the book by saying much more about the plot, but cultish certainly comes to mind as a keyword. It was very well executed and if you enjoyed any of her other books, you will be captivated by this one too.

Little Eve is the story of the Isle of Altnaharra, off the wildest coast of Scotland, where a clan prepares to bring about the end of the world and it’s rebirth. Young Eve, will do anything in her to be able to inherit the powers of the Adder.

I’m starting this review by saying that I don’t think I was in the right headspace to read this book. I loved The Last House on Needless Street, Catriona Ward is an amazing author. But I didn’t understand/know what was happening the entirety of this novel. I understand what this was about, and some random plot points throughout, but I was just kind of lost while reading.

I think other people who really enjoy gothic horror would LOVE this one. But I just don’t think it was for me.

Thank you to Macmillan-Tor/Forge, Tor Nightfire, Catriona Ward and NetGalley for the ARC of Little Eve! This specific publication of Little Eve will be released October 11th of this year!

The writing in Little Eve, by Catriona Ward, is so lush a reader will want to roll around in it. Just beautiful writing. Not very nice things happen so a reader might want to do some lush rolling then hide under a blanket and shiver with fear. Gruesome torture and murder and the author keeps us guessing about "who done it." More twists than there are in a Twizzler. More twists than in a slinky snake. Aha! A snake plays a huge role in Little Eve. Nobody is what they seem, and everybody is a suspect. A horror murder mystery.

Be forewarned, there is child abuse, sexual, emotional, and physical. There is some animal abuse. Much of it is difficult to read. But, with the otherwise lovely writing, and the amazing twists and turns, a horror writer could learn a lot from reading Little Eve.

Thanks to Tor and Netgalley for allowing me to read and review an eARC of Little Eve.