Reliquary by Hannah Whitten
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Public service announcement: Reliquary is very firmly in the horror genre. If you have read Hannah Whitten before and come here for Reliquary please be forewarned that there is a good helping of gore, Lovecraftian elements, torture, cannibalism (minor), panic, terror, dread, and more. The overall feeling of the story will possibly create a continued dread in your mind that may affect you during and after reading.
Whitten has really surprised me here. I expected some excellent writing (of course) from her, a slight bump up on some gore from her gothic romance stories, and maybe a creature or two that was slightly scary. Instead I got sooo much more! I had a couple of ick moments, my usual aversion to cannibalism, some genuine shock at the deaths, and a whole lot of Lovecraft Cthulhu vibes. I’m very pleased to report that Reliquary delivers across the board in ways I did not expect. Not every author can make the jump to horror and have it feel genuine. Building an atmosphere is one thing, but delivering one that also has a complex plot, engaging characters, and creates a sense of dread is quite impressive.
I really don’t want to say much else as part of the tension that builds is not knowing what the heck is going on. Hang in there on this one if you can because it’s so much more fun if you don’t know what is coming.
Please note: I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This is an honest and unbiased review.
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My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Public service announcement: Reliquary is very firmly in the horror genre. If you have read Hannah Whitten before and come here for Reliquary please be forewarned that there is a good helping of gore, Lovecraftian elements, torture, cannibalism (minor), panic, terror, dread, and more. The overall feeling of the story will possibly create a continued dread in your mind that may affect you during and after reading.
Whitten has really surprised me here. I expected some excellent writing (of course) from her, a slight bump up on some gore from her gothic romance stories, and maybe a creature or two that was slightly scary. Instead I got sooo much more! I had a couple of ick moments, my usual aversion to cannibalism, some genuine shock at the deaths, and a whole lot of Lovecraft Cthulhu vibes. I’m very pleased to report that Reliquary delivers across the board in ways I did not expect. Not every author can make the jump to horror and have it feel genuine. Building an atmosphere is one thing, but delivering one that also has a complex plot, engaging characters, and creates a sense of dread is quite impressive.
I really don’t want to say much else as part of the tension that builds is not knowing what the heck is going on. Hang in there on this one if you can because it’s so much more fun if you don’t know what is coming.
Please note: I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This is an honest and unbiased review.
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