When she is 15, Jenna witnesses her mother mysteriously disappear whilst on their drive through dark woods. After years of grappling with the trauma and the aftermath of this event, she seems to finally be in a good place, cautiously optimistic in her new relationship with Holly, after the disaster that was Jenna’s latest boyfriend. The last thing she expects at this point is that she’ll be forced to confront and defend herself from the evil that took her mother.

This book is wild, just like the previous one I’ve read by this author, The Hollows. You do need a suspension of disbelief for this one, but this did not bother me. However, I wasn’t crazy about the thriller parts of it, they just mostly felt dry, unlike the thriller parts of The Hollows. Maybe because the thriller bits in The Hollows involved an entire community and this made them feel more epic, which was a great fit for the mythologically grandiose horror parts. In The Ravening, the thriller part just feels very small-scale, I guess, when juxtaposed with the ancient evil the characters have to grapple with.

I did absolutely enjoy the legend built in this book, the inserts of the “historical” mentions, the fantastic mood of the horror parts, and the way the supernatural was constructed. I particularly liked the world Jenna enters in her dreams and how it is intertwined with what happens in reality. Also, I did not see the ending coming at all and really appreciated how it played out.

I will most certainly read more from Daniel Church as I can’t wait to see what other cosmic horrors he has in store! Plus, I really like how he writes his characters – if you are partial to a tormented, but well-fleshed out main character, then Jenna is for you. For me she is a female Byronic hero.

Nowhere near as good as The Hallows. I was hoping for another monster type story with another interesting crime family.

This book started so interesting to me at the very beginning however once she became an adult the novel just took such a different turn. I feel lame the description of this book wasn't very accurate and like I was mislead. The plot had a lot of unrealistic aspects to me and things got repetitive. I did not enjoy Jenna as a MC. This book just wasn't for me. Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced copy.

An immersive horror/thriller from Daniel Church.
For the most part Church's writing had me intrigued pretty early on, with some interesting yet not wholy original concepts (what is truly original these days?) building from very early on in the story. He created a number of well thought out characters with believable motives for their actions.

The story itself is told from the perspective of a young woman, Jenna. Who's life is turned upside down on numerous occasions throughout the story, as well as the odd interlude of historic text. I thought this was a great way to build and enhance the backstory.

My only real grumble with the book was that at times it got a little bogged down re-emphasising the characters feelings and motivations. Overall this was a minor niggle but nonetheless took away a little from my enjoyment. For this reason I've decided to award this 3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

Well worth checking out and should have something for almost everybody to enjoy.

The Ravening
Daniel Church

3.5 / 5 (rounded up)

Mystery/thriller/horror lovers may find something they really enjoy within the pages of this book.

Personally I read and watch way too much horror, so everything felt a bit derivative ... But horror is so subjective.

I did enjoy the great writing and the eerie ambience of the woods was the perfect backdrop ... It just felt a touch too familiar to other things I've read and seen within the genre.

But if you don't consume a ton of horror like I do, or if it's premise sounds at all intriguing to you, I'd certainly recommend checking it out!

I'll be recommending it to a few friends.

3.5 / 5 (rounded up for Goodreads)

Read this in about two sittings. Started it while traveling on a four + hour bus ride and it was so glad. Kept me totally engrossed for the entire time. Was about able to easily pick up where I left off even though it was over a week later when I was able to pick it back up. From there I could not put it down. I thought Jenna was interesting character. I enjoyed her attitude and enjoyed seeing her evolve over the course of the book. Officially a Daniel Church fan, looking forward to the next one.

The Ravening by Daniel Church was kinda mid, but it still had its moments. The spooky, apocalyptic vibes were on point, and the small-town setting? Creepy in the best way. There were def some scenes that had me like, “Wait, what?!”—super intense and atmospheric.
The pacing dragged a bit, and some of the characters felt one-dimensional, which made it harder to stay invested. It’s not a total flop, though—if you’re into slow-burn horror with a side of chaos, it might be worth checking out.

Big thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

With thanks to the author, publishers Angry Robot, and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I really enjoyed an earlier work (The Hollows) by this author, but this book, while it has a really interesting premise, fell a bit short in its execution.

After the first 100 pages or so I felt the plot dragged a little, reflected in the fact that it took me several attempts over a 2-month period to finish the book. The main character Jenna wasn’t particularly likeable, while her relationship with Holly felt a little forced, and the constant use of “babe” between them, both in person and with what I think was meant to be Holly’s voice in Jenna’s head, honestly got a little tedious after a while.

Also I think I expected more horror in the story based on the blurb, which wasn’t really in evidence and so probably negatively affected my enjoyment of the story.

Daniel Church's horror novel "The Ravening" presents itself as an ambitious tale of ancient evil and supernatural horror, but ultimately delivers a divisive reading experience that falls short of its potential. While the book shows promise in its premise and atmosphere, it struggles with crucial elements of character development and plot focus.
Strengths
Church demonstrates skill in crafting an oppressive atmosphere of dread and unease that permeates the narrative. The novel's foundation - built on ancient curses, cult rituals, and supernatural horror - provides fertile ground for exploring compelling themes about immortality and human nature. The author succeeds in creating genuinely unsettling moments and maintains a consistent sense of mounting tension throughout the work.
Critical Weaknesses
The most glaring issues lie in Church's character writing, particularly his handling of female characters. His portrayal of lesbian relationships has been criticized as inauthentic, with dialogue that feels forced and unnatural. This fundamental weakness in character development undermines the emotional core of the story and creates a disconnect between the readers and the protagonists.
Plot Structure and Focus
Perhaps the most frustrating aspect of "The Ravening" is its mishandled potential. The novel contains what could have been a fascinating narrative thread about a doctor investigating the secrets of immortality from an "old god" - a plotline that readers suggest might have made for a more compelling central focus. Instead, Church opts to emphasize body horror elements, particularly focusing on forced impregnation themes that many readers found gratuitous and disturbing without adding meaningful depth to the story.
Writing Style
While Church shows competence in creating atmosphere, his writing falters in crucial areas of character voice and dialogue. The language used between main characters often feels artificial and poorly conceived, particularly in intimate or personal moments that should serve to develop character relationships.
Final Verdict
"The Ravening" emerges as a frustrating work that fails to capitalize on its strongest elements. While it succeeds in creating a chilling atmosphere and presents intriguing concepts, the novel is ultimately hampered by problematic character writing and questionable plot focus. The book may appeal to hardcore horror fans interested in body horror and supernatural elements, but readers seeking well-developed characters and thoughtful exploration of its themes may want to look elsewhere.

When a fierce winter storm hits, isolating the village, something terrifying begins to emerge. A series of brutal and inexplicable deaths quickly spreads panic among the residents. As they realize they're being hunted by a supernatural force, the villagers band together in a desperate fight for survival.

Church creates an atmosphere of creeping dread, with themes of isolation, survival, and human resilience in the face of unimaginable horror. With its blend of psychological tension and supernatural terror, The Ravening is a gripping choice for fans of atmospheric horror and intense, survival-based thrillers.

The Ravening is an atmospheric and gripping horror novel written by Daniel Church, and published by Angry Robot Books. A woman, Jenna Mcknight, whose past was marked by the strange disappearance of her mother when she was 15, who is trying to get her life back on track 15 years later after a breakup with an abusive ex; in a novel that explores themes such as body autonomy, the right to choose, and the impact of trauma many years after.

Jenna is seeking to rebuild her life with her new girlfriend, Holly, but it's still haunted by her past; nightmares are constant, feeding on that trauma provoked fifteen years ago, in a sort of experience that Jenna can't be sure if it's real or just sheer trauma. To make things worse, Jenna discovers she's pregnant, possibly by her ex, putting her between the stone and the wall, as she doesn't desire to be a mother; however, before she can't do anything about it, she's kidnapped and held hostage in the woods, where their captors pretend her to take her pregnancy to a term.

With this premise, Church creates a heavy atmospherical experience, diving into Jenna's traumas, and how that night when her mother disappeared is still coming to hurt her. She's not only having to confront her own traumas, but also a new wave of them, which slowly reveals more about the creature that has haunted her since that night. Through really vivid images, we share Jenna's experience, while the author plays with the fine line between reality and the power of fear.

The Ravening is a book that shines, especially due to how smartly the setting is used, how the woods are drawn as the base for Jenna's trauma, exploring them while we are also introduced to the creature that has haunted her. As a result, we have a really atmospherical experience that is mixed with some folk horror elements.
The novel is excellently paced, despite the challenge the own plot presents; the only problem is towards the end, as it feels a bit rushed.

If you are looking for a horror novel with a great atmosphere and that discusses themes such as body autonomy and the freedom to choose, The Ravening is one you will love. Daniel Church consolidates his voice as an excellent writer with this sophomore novel, and you can be sure that he's an author we will cover in the future.

Thank you NetGalley for providing me with this ARC in exchange for a honest review.

The book description hooked my interest, with the plot being described as a claustrophobic horror. I immediately wanted to know what that meant, and hoped the journey would be thrilling. It was, until it wasn’t.

The book starts out with the night Jenna’s trauma begins. The death of her mother was obscure, spooky, and very atmospheric. It left me wandering how the author would blend magical realism with the plot. But then the book skips 15 years ahead, and the mood the first chapter set vanished. The magic gone because the writer loosely ties it to Ancient Greek and Roman history. It becomes a folktale instead of a horror/thriller. And a boring one at that.

The characters remain flat the entire time, and show very little character growth. Sure Jenna lets Holly in, but she still runs in the end like she does with every other relationship. Holly and the internal voice of Holly is terrible. I don’t think a book has ever used the word “babe” more. I hate this pet name and find it devoid of all emotion. It became annoying to read, and then it grating. Every time it made me cringe because it’s derogatory, empty, and sort of a male projection onto a female lesbian relationship. I don’t think the author captured the way women think, feel, or express literally anything. Jenna is very guarded and very emotionally distant — stereotypical of most male characters with trauma, The women lack depth in this novel, because the writer does not know how to write from a female perspective.

Also the sex scene in this book was so poorly placed. It felt like it was jammed in there just to say there is romance, to tick a box. But gosh it was cliche and didn’t flow with what was going on in the Greylands. Like if I was being haunted and tracked by evil in both my waking and dreaming states, the LAST thing I’d want is to have shower sex in a cramped, dinky trailer. Jenna is exhausted. Why would she waste her time, energy, and safety for a quickie? Again, seems like a male fantasy, rather than an intimate eureka moment for Jenna. So cheap and so unnecessary.

The plot also drags. Like this book could have been 100 pages shorter because it just lingers on descriptions that aren’t contributing to the story or plot at all. The greylands were detailed in a way that still came off as confusing. So much random description only slowed the pace and made the scenes harder to picture rather than crisper. The voice she keeps hearing is also just incredibly disruptive to the flow. If it is supposed to be Holly leading her to safety, I don’t understand how she knows what’s happening. If it’s Jenna inventing a version of Holly, then it seems like she’s in love with the idea of Holly and not the actual person, which sucks actually.

I wish the author leaned more into the horror side of things. I wish the bonewalker wasn’t a flat misogynistic prick. I wish the metaphor of Jenna’s trauma wasn’t so heavy handed and unresolved. It was not the book for me, and it did not live up to expectation based on the description.

The Ravening by Daniel Church took me in a totally different direction then I was originally expecting, and in the end, it left me feeling sort of neutral on if I'd recommend this book in the future. I think if it followed more closely to the prologue I would have really enjoyed this book but I felt the idea that the beginning of this book lead me to a totally different story line left me wanting more from it.

Thankl you Netgalley, Angry Robot and Daniel Couch for the E audio of The Ravening.
Narrated by Emma Powell.

The Ravening had a really good premise and started off strong following our MC who's Mum tragically died on a country road, switches to a controlling BF and the dramatic events thereafter. I felt that somewhere along the line, the pacing started to feel a little off and I lost interest. I did listen to it all because there was enough atmosphere to keep ticking along.

Emma Powell who narrated this book, had a wonderful way of keeping all the characters individual and built in lots of atmosphere with her voice.

3 stars

This was deliciously creepy. However, it also was a struggle for me to really get sucked into and I found myself going several days without picking up the book.

Daniel Church is one of my favorite writers now. He does tense, atmospheric horror so well. The Ravening is no exception to his ability to craft a creepy, wild ride.

After the masterpiece of The Hollows, I was kind of concerned how Daniel Church would top himself. That novel is massive, an epic of horror. The answer was simple: he didn’t try. Instead, he’s adopted a more intimate scope, telling the story of one woman trying to cope with an evil that is specifically targeting her. And it works beautifully. Jenna is such a likeable and appealing character, and watching her struggle and cope and grow is wonderful. This is another masterful performance. I have some quibbles (the dialogue can be a little much, and I found the sex scene kind of cringey), but overall, it’s astounding.

Unfortunately not the story for me. I could see it be the story for someone else, though. But unfortunately I didn't fully enjoy it myself.

Unfortunately I didnt enjoy the book. The first chapter was intrigueing but as the story progressed I got more annoyed. The characters were immature. Their behavior was annoying.

This book started so well. Lots of tension, a good setup for a nice creepy generational horror.

Sadly it then turned into something I really hadn't expected, and which was a personal trigger for me. I tried to power on through, but it was uncomfortable to the point of having to put the book down (forced pregnancy).

I've absolutely no doubt that this will hit the spot for many readers, as it certainly is a powerful horror tale! But I couldn't finish it due to personal reasons, huge apologies.

Trigger warnings would be appreciated in future editions.