I feel like a very lucky and grateful girl to have received this arc. Because this was a grade A banger.
Even aspects of the plot I predicted had a little twist, a little sprinkle of unsettlement, that elevated the book. Despite the slow start and my apprehension about the alternating timelines I couldn’t put this down past the 40% mark.
I have a lot of thoughts about this book and how it got under my skin but the less you know the better, I think. I recommend adding this to your halloween tbr if you enjoy cult-y manipulative folk horror. 4.5 stars rounded up.
(I don’t like to say this usually but I have to : This has the potential to be such a good screen adaptation.)

"Withered Hill” by David Barnett is a folk horror novel, set in North England, in a fictional – I hope 1, at least – village in Lancashire called Withered Hill, where one day Sophie Wickham wakes up naked and covered in mud. Two main storylines slowly unfold exploring Sophie’s life inside and outside of the village. The narratives get further tangled as even within the two storylines, the incidents are not presented chronologically, which increased my personal discomfort while also kept me very intrigued to find out the answer to the question that dominated both timelines. How did Sophie get to Withered Hill?

While I have consumed so much folk horror – and horror in general – through movies, tv shows, and even games, I actually haven’t read that many folk horror books. So I cannot judge on the literary tropes of the genre, but, to me, this book was highly visual and extremely sensual. The feeling of dread and exhilaration it offered me was really fun. It took me a few pages to orient myself into the world as the story begins with Sophie’s existence outside of Withered Hill as she says goodbye to a friend who is moving away. As the last of her friend group to still be single and without a career, Sophie is lonely and desperately needs some kind of direction. The first glimpse of Sophie in Withered Hill is towards the end of her time there on day 357, where we meet a far more settled and I would argue happier.

You know which timeline you are reading based on whether you are in an ‘inside’ or ‘outside.’ To me, very quickly the ‘inside’ Withered Hill chapters became far more comforting. Despite the oddity of the village and certain violent incidents, the villagers are kind to Sophie, and the structure and predictability of the characters is a welcome change from the chaos of Sophie’s life ‘outside.’

I ruminated the ‘inside/outside’ dichotomy, and I had various theories while reading the book. The most evocative one was about addiction and rehabilitation. I have never gone through rehabilitation, so I don’t have a personal experience of the subject matter, but from what I read and seen in my extended family, the period of having to adjust within the new rules of the rehabilitation process are scary and painful and those who go through it often crave to escape it. Sophie’s constant desire to escape Withered Hill, even when she is happy, reminded me of that. Another thought I had regarding the inside/outside was that of birth. Being inside the womb and the birth and life outside of it. A baby is always meant to escape the womb, even though it provides safety and nourishment and the world outside for a newborn is a shock to all their senses and far harder to navigate (although all this is far less consciousness and just my own interpretation).

The mystery of what happened to Sophie before Withered Hill, the speculation as to whether Sophie would escape it and what kind of person she would be after her transition back to the outside world dominated my thoughts while reading the book. I found it immensely enjoyable and very twisty, urging me to keep reading late into the night. I am not sure if the book scared me, but it definitely made me tense with each revelation.

"Withered Hill" offers a very unique concept and really powerful scenes that are not only enjoyable to read but also ponder very interesting questions. Fun, tense, and morally ambiguous at times, I think this novel is a great fit for those who want to give a go to folk horror novels, like me, but also for readers who enjoy horror more widely.

Withered Hill by David Barnett is an Ari Aster movie waiting to happen with Nicolas Cage in a subtle role. (Sorry, Longlegs still hasn't left my mind.)

Sophie Wickham is 32, living in London, working temp jobs, and drinking too much too often.
Sophie Wickham is 32 and wakes up naked in a forest and stumbles into an idyllic village, Withered Hill.

Duel timeline Sophie - one inside and one outside - adjusts to life. Outside Sophie starts a new job entering data into a database. Sometimes it's a series of numbers, sometimes it's Latin words. Regardless, it's mind numbing and pays well. She's also dating Tom, the handsome man she ran into, literally, on her first day of work.

Inside Sophie, after multiple attempts to escape, has resigned herself to life in Withered Hill. There's no need for money, everyone seems happy, but she still struggles with some of their traditions...there's a lot of blood and sex.

We follow as we see Sophie leading up to Withered Hill and Sophie with her early days to the later months until the timelines start to line up in an explosive finale.

With parts of The Village, The Wicker Man and The Lottery, this is a terrifying look at folk traditions and what makes someone a good person.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review this book.

The concept of this folk horror book was very interesting about a woman who gets stuck in a town. We follow her story both in a before and present timeline and I thought that was quite cool in a dramatic curve. It keeps the reader on their toes, in a way, that you know a bit more than the characters themselves.

I also liked that the main character was a bit unlikable (in my opinion). Like, I cared about her but there were also things I disliked about her and that is nice once in a while when an author dares to write a slightly unlikable main character.

The story for me, however, was so-so. I didn’t think it was that interesting in the end even if a like the literary concept the author used.

Impossibly addictive and very well written, I had no idea where the story was going. Sophie is losing all her friends to marriage, children, good jobs and all the adult landmarks that happen to people as they grow up. She is nowhere near being ready for that because she is immature, shallow and mean. She is also hiding a secret, so she’s not a very good person. But then, something happens that makes her show up in Withered Hill, naked and disoriented. We don’t know what that event was, or why it happened, but the chapters keep going back and forth, to before, during and, eventually, after. We learn the strange ways of the small village along with Sophie, and everything is so creepy that it gave me goosebumps. All this back and forth could have been confusing but the writing is so good that it isn’t. The pace is also consistent, so that the story never gets boring, and I always wanted to know more, more, more about what had happened before, and why. Since Sophie is a horrible person, it should be hard to root for her but, you’re also seeing her in the village, alone, afraid and confused, so I started to care about her, as she’s clearly capable of change. It’s also impressive how the author could reflect a woman’s psychology so well. Then, there is the big reveal and… I was blindsided, but it also worked well. The few chapters after that closed the story satisfactorily and tied all the knots that have been masterfully teased from the beginning. This is how you write a book.
I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thank you, NetGalley/Canelo.

David Barnett's "Withered Hill" has an exciting premise, but it turned out to be a book very hard to read. The plot is extremely messy, the pacing is atrocious, the setting indifferent, and the main character has absolutely nothing interesting to say. I tried very hard to find one redeeming feature, but it's difficult: the back-n-forth double and triple narrative destroys any attempt at atmosphere, the characters get cartoonish very fast, and the continuous use of flashbacks combined with simultaneous reports of the MC's state of mind made me dizzy; after a while, I kept reading just out of curiosity. The ending was not worth the investment; I would argue the book, despite the supernatural elements, is not even horror. I give it three stars: one for the cover, one for the good formatting and good editing, and one for the author putting his ideas on paper and finishing the book.

3.5 stars rounded up for scoring system.
Thank you to NetGalley and Canelo for my copy in exchange for my unbiased opinion.

"Withered Hill" by David Barnett a classic British folk horror story and I think that does well, but the protagonist, Sophie just did not hit for me. As a character, she felt pretty undeveloped, juvenile, and static. I felt like she didn't change much during her time at Withered Hill. We're told she's changed, but it did not come across at all. And generally, I just felt like she behaved more like a teenager than a fully grown adult. Like she was seriously in arrested development. Because of Sophie, I couldn't like this more than a 3.5 rating.

I thought the folk horror of it all (the pagan festivals, the setting, the rituals) was cool and engaging. I really liked it but honestly, I would have rather watched a movie or a tv show.

A treat for fans of folklore, old religions, and creepy horror - shades of Wicker Man, Harvest Home, and Midsomer. A tale of secrets and redemption and of Owd Hod, one of many names - not to be missed!

I was initially drawn to the premise of Withered Hill and found it intriguing, but several aspects of the story ultimately detracted from my overall enjoyment. The primary issue for me was Sophie, the protagonist. I found her to be unlikable and lacking any real depth or character development. By the end of the book, we’re told she’s a “better” version of herself, but the reasoning behind this feels superficial. Reconnecting with friends, becoming less needy, and securing a job don’t necessarily indicate a better person. This didn’t convincingly support the idea that new Sophie was a significantly better person.

The plot also left me with many unanswered questions. Several key elements felt disjointed and unexplained. For instance, who exactly was Colin, and why was he connected to these people? The individuals trying to “protect” Sophie seemed to know about her situation without any explanation of how they found her or knew she was marked. Additionally, Sophie’s transcription of spells felt out of place—where did this magic come from, and why was it even relevant? The existence of spells in this manner seemed inconsistent with the rest of the book, as straightforward magic wasn’t established elsewhere in the narrative.

The relationship between Sophie and Catherine also felt strange. There was little exploration of Sophie’s identity or attraction prior to her sudden interest in women. While the twist at the end could explain this, since Sophie isn’t exactly the same person, it still felt abrupt and unexamined.

Finally, Sophie’s reaction to her circumstances in Withered Hill seemed off. Why was she deemed “ready”? What real character growth had she shown, other than her decision to stay for Catherine and a general resignation to her fate? The initial eerie atmosphere of Withered Hill was compelling, but as the story progressed, the creepiness diminished instead of intensifying. Apart from certain events like the Yule celebration, there wasn’t enough of the supernatural to give this book a true horror feel, and I was left wanting more in terms of both suspense and a satisfying resolution.

Not your typical folk horror novel. Barnett gives us something fresh, chilling, and shocking. I wasn’t sure where the story would end up, and as someone who tends to guess plots pretty easily, it was so nice to have my jaw on the floor by the end. I would love to see this adapted into a film. I could vividly picture every scene, and I think that speaks to the talent of the author.

This is one of the best folk horrors I've read. It's a perfect mix-up of all the folk horror tropes I love - creepy town, rituals, townsfolk in animal masks (that part made me think of the Wicker Man!). The strange town in question here is Withering Hill, a place where Sophie goes and we find out why through a mix of past and present timelines.

At it's heart, this is a book about our connection to nature and the land; and how disconnected we are in our current time. It's also about being the best version of yourself, owning up to your mistakes and learning from them. If you don't, you might just get eaten by Owd Hob.

Thank you Netgalley for an e-arc of this book.

An intriguing horror novel of multiple time lines. Sophie leads an empty life of endless Tinder dates and drunken nights out when she's recruited to work for a data entry firm who have a mysterious mission for her. In another timeline, Sophie arrives in Withered Hill a village cut off from the rest of England that clings to its ancient traditions. At first she tries to escape and later she comes to love the place. But how did she get there, and why is she told she has to leave sooner or later.

An interesting book with a complicated structure.

This was such a nostalgic read as I grew up in Lancashire so it was really fun to go back to my roots and see it from a fictional perspective!

The setting is very atmospheric and rich in folk lore and superstition.

There is a lot of timeline jumps which some have commented as disorientating, but I find when you settle into the book and get accustomed to the story line you begin to enjoy the flow.

The plot follows Sophie and how she found herself in a place called Withered Hill with no memory as to how she got there. There is a creepy unsettling presence to the town and supernatural elements.

I’d say go into this read blind and let the plot take you by surprise.

Thank you to David Barnett, Canelo and NetGalley for the EARC.

Publish date: September 26th

This was a well-written thriller based on Old English myth and lore, and I thoroughly enjoyed it!

Set in alternating timelines/perspectives, we get to see the Before and After of our MFC Sophie coming to Withered Hill simultaneously, which I feel was an excellent way of building the intrigue of the novel and keeping the reader hooked without moving the plot too quickly.

The mystery of the novel is maintained fairly well, I think, due to the flipping between Before and After, and the vagueness of the situation she finds herself in. I think the suspense itself was so intense precisely because of how low-key the scenes were - the other characters treated the events as normal, and it added to Sophie's fear of the unknown and really caused it to bleed from the page!

Fantastic read!

Phew. That was a great book. I'm still catching my breath. Thank you Netgalley. Despite the book being British, the folklore horror really resonated with me as someone from Appalachia.

Not going to lie, I was swayed by good reviews, particularly one that compared this storie to Midsommar, Evil Dead, and the Stepford Wives. Yes to the first and third, no to the second (aside from some questionable tree stuff that barely features, thankfully). Another review says it's like Black Mirror meets the Wickerman and that is also kind of true?

Barnett writes well and I found myself getting lost in the story multiple times, until there was another startling time jump. The story jumps back and forth and while, in the end, there was a reason for it that worked out, I still just don't like it. I find it takes me out of the story when we're suddenly in another time with another character, which is why I'm only rating this 4 instead of 5 stars.

Because the story is quite good. I had a sense of what the true mystery was by halfway through, just from reading so much - not just horror, but mythology and legends too. If you are the same, then you'll likely work out the ending far in advance too, but I'll say it's still a satisfying story to read through and finish.

It's also upsetting at times. Bad things happen, people aren't punished (kind of), and while it's not relentless, there's this permeating sense of eerie darkness throughout the whole story. Like everything is just a little off... and I liked that! I loved the entire atmosphere Barnett develops throughout the story, and it really builds up to the climax. I won't claim a satisfying ending (again, kind of) but I think most will enjoy it or find it fitting within the world of the story.

This is a book I'd love to discuss with a group, to hear their thoughts and opinions on Withered Hill's traditions lol

4/5 stars, very good aside from constant time jumps interrupting me. I love a good folk horror!

Engaging, immersive, and nicely spooky. A recommended purchase for collections where horror is popular.

Thanks to Canelo_Co and NetGalley for this copy of "Withered Hill."

"Sometimes very bad girls who continue to be bad....sometimes Owd Hob takes them for his wife."

This folk horror book was amazing. To build suspense and unfold the story, it's told in multiple timelines: before Sophie goes to Withered Hill and throughout her year there.

I couldn't put it down and the ending was just phenomenal. Author Barnett crafted an immersive "place" in Withered Hill that is isolated and where natural law works differently than "Outside."

Don't miss this one, especially near Halloween!

Sophie is in a dead-end job with all her friends getting married off, when things take a turn for the better - or so it seems. With a new job and a new man coming around, she can pretend she doesn't have a drinking problem and that certain things in her life didn't happen. But Sophie will awaken in a place called Withered Hill, naked and with no memory of how she got there. In this strange place, living according to their pagan customs, she must find a way to escape... if only the trees would let her...

I saw this title on a TikTok video and since I love folk horror, I added to my TBR - only to be thrilled to discover it was available on Netgalley. This was a fast read, moving between several timelines: one of Sophie's old life, one beginning her time in Withered Hill, and the third as she is readying to leave. It wasn't until the end that it made sense how these timelines would reveal all the secrets and converge. Sophie wasn't especially likeable but her confusion and avoidance of the past were relatable. I really enjoyed the pagan aspects of the story, with all the strange feast days that brought to mind movies like "Midsommar" and "The Wicker Man." This was a great read as the weather moves into autumn: some grisly moments and genuine creepiness.

David Barnett's Withered Hill moves between the ultra hectic world of London and a secluded Lancashire village with the end result being a deeply unsettling tale that will appeal to lovers of horror fiction; particularly folk horror.

With nods to one of the UK's infamous 'unholy trinity' of films, Withered Hill is still very much its own beast, using different timelines and perspectives to construct a dark, foreboding account of what can happen when your past catches up with you. Sophie Wickham finds herself caught up in a nightmare that stretches back to her childhood and it's an absolute joy to encounter new characters placed in her path and grapple with plot twists, morality, mood and motivations along the way. Just when I thought I knew where the story was heading, something new came up to shred my expectations, which, for me, is the hallmark of a very fine book.

The traditional folk horror theme of merging the ancient and the modern works beautifully in Withered Hill, suggesting that 'the 'old ways' still hold sway in various locales which is both uplifting and chilling here. The titular village is so very well drawn; a place far removed from the pressures of everyday life, and it's characters equally so. Underneath its calm exterior lies a locale steeped in lore and barbarous practices that chill the spine; even more so as Barnett's powers as a writer induce the feeling that somewhere out there is a place that mirrors this setting.

Withered Hill is published by Canelo, and due for release on 23rd September 2024. Good to learn that Canelo have David signed up to write another folk horoor based book; title to be announced. This is an easy 5 star rating and a real pleasure to encounter a book that succeeds so very well within its chosen genre