Member Reviews

An excellent debut novel! I deeply enjoyed the writing style, which I found to be vivid and clear. This novel follows many characters; however they all have such unique personalities and stories that it was easy to separate and keep track of them in my mind. I wish this book could have been a little longer and developed the characters and plot lines even further (I was particularly interested in Anne, Thomas, and Temperance). Nevertheless, the novel was strange, whimsical, and, at times, a bit frightening. I look forward to whatever Xenobe Purvis writes next!

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A very interesting tale!
I picked this book up because of the cover at first. I love dogs and the plot summary intrigued me.
This story thrives on rumors, and how they spread in a small community.
I enjoy open-ended books, and this story's ending definitely has space for interpretation.
As a reader, you are not sure who is telling the truth in some parts. Very enjoyable read.
It's been giving me a lot to think about. This story will stick with the readers, at least for a little while.

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I really enjoyed this! From start to finish I was engaged in the world created. Towards the end I did feel it start to falter but I do really think it stuck the landing. Great first finished book of 2025!

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When the Mansfield sisters roam Little Nettlebed, they do so as a pack. Led by Anne, the stern elder, the five sisters pay little attention to the villagers around them, often responding to greetings with silence. Within the safety of their den on the edge of town, the sisters assist their ailing grandfather with housework, divert themselves with games and pranks, and mourn the recent loss of their grandmother. As a drought dries the Thames and the villagers grow restless in the heat, a rumor emerges about the sisters: that they can transform into dogs. Almost immediately, the village is alight with speculation, alleged sightings, and reports of peculiar behavior.

Purvis tracks this hysteria from its dormancy with resentments of the Mansfield family and their monetary gains during the last famine to its culmination in a fateful confrontation between the sisters and villagers. Unease pervades the novel heightening the atmospheric writing and challenging readers to question their surroundings. The Hounding is an enthralling debut!

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Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC! All opinions are my own. :)
Oh, this was good. The moment I saw it pitched as The Crucible meets The Virgin Suicides, I was all in—and it somehow exceeded my expectations.

Set in a small sleep village encompassed by an ever-shrinking river, the story revolves around the five Mansfield sisters. Off-putting, a bit uppity, and each uniquely odd, they live with their grandfather in the shadow of their grandmother's recent death. They’re literally just minding their own business, being slightly creepy and delightfully distinct. Then, enter Pete Darling—a man who will quickly become your least favorite character...like ever. Pete is known for making outlandish claims (ferrying angels across the river? Sure, Pete, let’s get you a nap). His latest? That the Mansfield sisters are possessed by the devil and transforming into dogs—mostly, it seems, just to personally torment him. (Because, of course, it’s Pete’s world and we’re all just living in it.)

From Pete’s ridiculous accusations, rumors spread like wildfire. They slither through the village, passed along by many a man (ugh), but it’s no less engaging for it. The village is headed somewhere violent FAST.

Deliciously atmospheric and perfectly paced, this novel offers a fresh take on feminist horror. The writing is beautiful, the tension palpable, and the ending—posing the biting question, “Is it safer to be a woman or a dog?”—is one that lingers. Wickedly feminist, overwhelmingly dreadful, and deceptively simple in style, this book feels like a modern classic in the making.

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This book was such a treat! Heavy on feminine rage and a group of sisters trying to navigate a town of people who believe they're slowly transforming into dogs. With themes around prejudice and conformity, lots of the topics highlighted here echo into the 21st century, Think this would also be a great book to market for Ottessa Moshfegh fans (think Lapvona)

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My thanks to NetGalley and Henry & Co. for the ARC of Xenobe Purvis’s The Hounding.

This book reminded me of Shirley Jackson’s We have Always Lived in the Castle, which is a good thing. The only reason it was not five stars is that it felt so familiar: a story of women in a small town accused of supernatural behavior, all of which results in bloodshed. Like Jackson, though, Purvis makes good on the rumors while also,leaving a sliver of doubt. The Hounding is a very short book that I flew through in a single reading session, the pacing pulling me along but the town’s behavior fairly predictable. The binary gender / misogyny thread was also so expected as to almost be boring. It might have been more interesting had Purvis complicated some of the characters by queering them, such as Peter Darling and Robin. That said, however, I enjoyed this and it’s mostly well done 👍🏻

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Xenobe Purvis’ The Hounding is one of those books that feels both familiar and entirely its own. People will immediately point to The Crucible, and sure, there are parallels—the fear, the control, the way a community can devour itself. But The Hounding is less about the spectacle of that destruction and more about the quiet, unsettling gaps in what we think we know when something new enters our familiar world.

The story is drenched in that dry, heavy heat that makes the air feel still and suffocating. While I read it in the dead of winter, this is a book made for the hottest days at the end of summer. Something about it demands long, hot days when the world feels suspended, and you can’t shake the tension.

What really stuck with me, though, is how much of the story is about what we don’t see. Purvis' rotating narrators, all unreliable in their own particular way, force you to question not just the characters' interpretation of events but your own as well. I found myself paging back to scenes I'd already read to see if I was misremembering something that happened earlier in the story.

At its core, The Hounding is about the fear of women—especially women who won’t sit down, shut up, or make themselves small. I loved that, though I wish Purvis had trusted us to connect the dots instead of spelling it out so clearly and so often. Still, this one, like the summer heat that suffuses its pages, lingers.

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I could not put this book down. After looking over the synopsis I was very excited to read this novel. It thoroughly delivered on all it promised. It was strange, thrilling, mysterious, descriptive, dark, a bit gothic and at times scary. I loved how the author keeps the reader questioning the reality of what is truly happening in this village. The characters are intriguing and I found myself invested in each and every one. The finale did not disappoint. I highly recommend reading this strange and unexpected story.

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The Hounding by Xenobe Purvis is the perfect example of what happens when young girls don't act within societal norms and shows the repercussions of outdated beliefs still followed by those surrounding them.

Five sisters. One grandfather. That's what makes up the Mansfields and so far they've been happy with their lives in Little Nettlebed. The rest of the village has long frowned upon them, jealous of their station and belongings. They think the sisters are aloof and their blind grandfather nothing but a fool who lets them run around unsupervised. Because aren't young women supposed to be proper and kept locked inside the house with their domestic duties? Well, the Mansfield sisters want none of that, much to the dismay of Little Nettlebed, especially the ferryman Pete. He's long loathed the young women and once he sees something strange happening to them, he makes it his mission to take them down, because demons are dangerous, even if they are in the shape of a dog.

This is such a phenomenal book. I loved the setting and the paranoid villagers who seem unable to let go of the notion of witchcraft. Even though this book is set in the 18th century, it still is relevant today. There will always be a bias on how girls are supposed to act, while boys get to run unleashed. Xenobe's prose is amazing and it transported me straight into Little Nettlebed and let me run alongside the sisters, while the rest of the village succumbed to mass hysteria.

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Started off a little heavy handed with some very drawn out metaphors, but overall really enjoyed. Loved the writing style and the change of perspective. Was impressed by how rich each character was despite there being many of them and the book being fairly short.

Thank you NetGalley and Henry Holt and Co. Publishing for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

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'The Hounding' is a wonderfully accessible parable. It was fast paced, well written, and reminiscent of classics such as 'The Scarlet Letter' and 'The Virgin Suicides'. However, while similar to these works, 'The Hounding' remains a unique and worthwhile read.

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The Hounding, a book I (as an avid greyhound-lover) decided to read purely based on title and cover alone, was a chilling story about a family of happy, beautiful girls and how their non-conforming joy makes the men feel impious, offended, inferior, and weak. The story that follows is full of the power of suggestion, confirmation bias, the pressure of societal expectations and a heavy dose of Ick from Pete, the town sociopath. Were there greyhounds in this story? No. Did I still find myself disturbingly engrossed in whether or not the girls were really dogs? Yes.

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This book is what I WANTED from Lapvona by Ottessa Moshfegh. It's unsettling, it makes you question what's real. It is the love child of Lapvona and something by Jane Austen or one of the Bronte sisters. I'm very impressed for a debut novel! It's a book that is commentary on what happens when women aren't what they are expected to be and still feels relevant to modern life even if that isn't the setting of the book. There are small pacing issues that I felt were easily overlooked and while the style of the writing wasn't 'change my life, think about it forever' I will be recommending to friends! Very glad this was my first finished book of 2025!

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This book's description as a cross between The Virgin Suicides and The Crucible was a strong selling point for me. This fantastical novel takes place in eighteenth century England.

The Hounding has a riveting plot that keeps the reader guessing. Told from different points of view, it illustrates how the local villagers view the five Mansfield sisters and what they believe to be true about these girls. This story also shines a light on how young women were viewed at that time and the way information and rumors spread within a small area.

Some of these villagers are well drawn, as characters, while the Mansfield girls never are. They remain mysterious, which forces the reader to get involved in the speculation about what is actually true, and what might be going on.

I found this novel to be well written, paced perfectly, and intriguing. Its haunting atmosphere is especially memorable, and I'd gladly read this author's work again. I'd recommend it to anyone, and would gladly read something else by this author. Thank you, Netgalley and Henry Holt and Co. for the opportunity to read and review this novel.

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** spoiler alert ** 5⭐️- This book was so captivating and well-written. I was immediately drawn in by the varying perspectives of each character. This one had me guessing until the very end as each narrator was somehow biased or unreliable in one way or another.

I found the themes of misogyny and the expectations of women to behave a certain way in society to be thoughtfully portrayed. The irony of the way the men were allowed to behave and exude violent/unhealthy tendencies, whereas the girls were merely thought ill off for not smiling or responding differently than expected by the male characters. Additionally, it was shown in Pete’s pov in relation to female characters and the scenes involving the male character’s grotesque treatment of animals for amusement. It was a smart poke at the pressure society puts on women to be polite and act “like a woman should”. Whereas for men, the behavior is overlooked or justified. *cue Taylor Swifts ‘The Man’*.

The author did an amazing job at making these characters feel so real. I absolutely HATED Pete’s character as an arrogant and “holier-than-thou” man. I was sympathetic to Robin and also felt so attached to Thomas. Temperance’s pov was refreshing as the only female POV and seeing her own struggles and frustrations with expectations from the men in Little Nettlebed.

This book begged the question: is it better to be a damaged girl than a free dog? I think that question speaks for itself.

Truly a thought-provoking and gripping piece of work that I will be thinking about for a long time!

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A unique and eerie tale set in the 18th century English countryside, the story keeps you guessing until the very end. Are the girls truly turning into hounds? Or is the entire town plagued by drought fever and itching for a target for their energies? Really enjoyed this one.

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Thank you Xenobe Purvis and Henry & Holt for the ARC! I have received a free advanced copy of the book and am leaving a review voluntarily.

This was fabulous! It was a thoroughly enjoyable read and I liked everything about it. This is weird girl historical fiction in a spectacular way.

The pacing is perfect; it doesn't feel rushed or too quick for historical fiction, but it also isn't a slow crawl, like many historical fiction pieces. A million tiny things and minute interactions and small choices spiral the village into chaos, in a way that makes an unbelievable sounding thing completely believable. The book shifts focus each chapter, offering little slices of the lives and perspectives of many different villagers who are all compelling and complex.

Each character is distinct and multifaceted, and Purvis manages to use approximately five (debatably six) main characters (not counting the girls, of course) to create a remarkably comprehensive understanding of the village dynamics as a whole. The interactions are compelling and feel completely natural and real, and it rather eloquently displays how small choices can come together to spiral out of control very quickly.

Purvis' prose is lovely. It's delightfully atmospheric while still being digestible and clear. Her reflections on social orders and norms are poignant and at times deeply moving. It is genuinely just enjoyable to read.

I think Xenobe Purvis has a long and bright career ahead of her, and I can't wait to see what she writes next.

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Thank you to Henry Holt and Co. and NetGalley for providing me with this ARC to review! The Hounding by Xenobe Purvis follows the point of view of five different villagers within Little Nettlebed as the town grapples with rumors that the Mansfield girls are turning into dogs. As the rumors snowball, the different villagers follow various paths toward discovering the truth.

I enjoyed a lot of this. The different POVs all felt very different providing new insight into the story. The novel as a whole had themes of rumors, religion, female identity, and perspective. The story was constantly evolving and the many different layers allowed for a very full story to take place in less than 300 pages. While I would not describe this as a page turner, this was a book that allowed you to just keep reading.

I would have liked a little more about the Mansfield girls as people. I assume that this was the point, creating this group of girls who are not well known or accepted by their community, which makes them easy targets for these kinds of rumors, but I think that allowing for a little more detail about them would have enhanced by reading experience.

I think it is clear that Purvis is a great writer with really beautiful and distinct prose and I cannot wait to read more by them in the furture! Thanks again NetGalley for this ARC!

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5 stars. Phenomenal atmosphere and writing, and I really loved the setting of the characters and storyline.

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