Status
Available
Call number
Genres
Publication
Weidenfeld & Nicolson (2018), 289 pages
Description
From Catriona Ward, the international bestselling author of The Last House on Needless Street comes Little Eve, a heart-pounding tale of faith and family, with a devastating twist. Winner of the Shirley Jackson Award for Best Novel. "A great day is upon us. He is coming. The world will be washed away." On the wind-battered isle of Altnaharra, off the wildest coast of Scotland, a clan prepares to bring about the end of the world and its imminent rebirth. The Adder is coming and one of their number will inherit its powers. They all want the honor, but young Eve is willing to do anything for the distinction. A reckoning beyond Eve's imagination begins when Chief Inspector Black arrives to investigate a brutal murder and their sacred ceremony goes terribly wrong. And soon all the secrets of Altnaharra will be uncovered.… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member Mishker
On the isle of Altnaharra on Scotland's Coast, a strange family worships The Adder. They believe The Adder will bring the end of the world and their rebirth. The family consists of John Bearings, who controls the family and their worship, Alice and Nora and the children, all said to be orphans:
Little Eve is an extremely atmospheric Gothic Horror with a strong mystery, psychological undercurrent and a strange cult. The pacing of the story is told in a dizzying way to keep the reader off balance. Beginning with a horrifying discovery after an incident at Altnaharra, the timeline jumps back and forth from before and after the incident and between the points of view of the residents of Altnaharra and townspeople. Altnaharra and it's residents were vividly brought to life. I could feel the cold walls, the battering rain and wind and feel the character's hunger and yearning to be chosen. As the story bounces back and forth, more details of Altnaharra, the family members and the trauma that has incurred at Altnaharra is teased out slowly. I was tied to the pages as the details and truth slowly bubbled to the surface for a deeply satisfying ending.
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Dinah, Able, Eve and Elizabeth. Fairly isolated from the town, the family willingly believes and participates in the rituals that John brings forth and competes with each other for the favor from The Adder. Eve desperately wants to be chosen to receive the powers of The Adder and believes that she has found the key. However, Eve's world view is soon shaken after an incident in town and a meeting with Chief Inspector Black. Little Eve is an extremely atmospheric Gothic Horror with a strong mystery, psychological undercurrent and a strange cult. The pacing of the story is told in a dizzying way to keep the reader off balance. Beginning with a horrifying discovery after an incident at Altnaharra, the timeline jumps back and forth from before and after the incident and between the points of view of the residents of Altnaharra and townspeople. Altnaharra and it's residents were vividly brought to life. I could feel the cold walls, the battering rain and wind and feel the character's hunger and yearning to be chosen. As the story bounces back and forth, more details of Altnaharra, the family members and the trauma that has incurred at Altnaharra is teased out slowly. I was tied to the pages as the details and truth slowly bubbled to the surface for a deeply satisfying ending.
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LibraryThing member jillrhudy
[MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS]
Thank you, Macmillan, I guess, for an ARC of this horror ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Don't read this one before bed! Not so much horror, although there are horror elements. Not for nothing did it win the Shirley Jackson Award. It's more creepy/atmospheric like Ward's
This is an older U. K. novel from 2018 soon to be published in the U. S. Little Eve features an incredibly sick and twisted family in a castle on a remote Scottish island of Altnaharra where, cut off from reality, they have created their own weird little world and religion. It will surprise no reader that this religion favors the powerful lord of the manor at the expense of the other inhabitants, including Little Eve/Evelyn. She and her sister Dinah have a strong bond and rely on one another to survive their own fervent, unquestionable beliefs. There's a Detective Black who is obsessed with the family and would like to pin a crime on somebody, and he keeps turning up in Evelyn's life to question her and break the hold that her family has on her mind. The injection of a mystery element reminded me of Piranesi by Susannah Clarke.
A couple of great twists at the end are very satisfying, and the psychological fallout from the experiences of the island are very believable.
Thank you, Macmillan, I guess, for an ARC of this horror ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Don't read this one before bed! Not so much horror, although there are horror elements. Not for nothing did it win the Shirley Jackson Award. It's more creepy/atmospheric like Ward's
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bestseller, The House on Needless Street. This one has a compelling narrative that sucked me right in and made me want to put it down due to how dark and bizarre it was, although I kept compulsively picking my Kindle back up after I recovered, and stayed up late to blast through the final 150 pages. Then I had a nightmare. You'll want snacks.This is an older U. K. novel from 2018 soon to be published in the U. S. Little Eve features an incredibly sick and twisted family in a castle on a remote Scottish island of Altnaharra where, cut off from reality, they have created their own weird little world and religion. It will surprise no reader that this religion favors the powerful lord of the manor at the expense of the other inhabitants, including Little Eve/Evelyn. She and her sister Dinah have a strong bond and rely on one another to survive their own fervent, unquestionable beliefs. There's a Detective Black who is obsessed with the family and would like to pin a crime on somebody, and he keeps turning up in Evelyn's life to question her and break the hold that her family has on her mind. The injection of a mystery element reminded me of Piranesi by Susannah Clarke.
A couple of great twists at the end are very satisfying, and the psychological fallout from the experiences of the island are very believable.
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LibraryThing member Carolesrandomlife
I liked this book! I was eager to read this book since I really enjoyed the last two books that I read by this author. Now that I have finished this book, Catriona Ward has earned a spot on my list of must-read authors. It did take me a minute to really get into this book but once I did, I was
Eve lives in a castle with her “Uncle” and other members of their group. They lead an isolated life and her “Uncle” has all of the power in the cult that they live in. We learn early on in the book that this was not going to have a happy ending and I was anxious to see how everything would play out. As much as I wanted to be amazed by some of the things that happened on this small Scottish island, I know that cults can be just as cruel in the real world. Eve, Dinah, and the rest of the characters have known nothing else but this life so they don’t question the way things are.
I listened to the audiobook and thought that Carolyn Bonnyman did a great job with the story. I loved the voices that she used for the cast of characters. I thought that the accent that she used was perfect and added a lot to the story. I thought that her delivery of this story really helped to bring the somewhat creepy atmosphere to life. I do believe that her narration added to my overall enjoyment of this story.
I would recommend this book to others. I thought that this was a very well-done story that had all of the twists and turns that I had hoped to find. The more that I read, the harder I found it was to set this book aside. I cannot wait to read more of Catriona Ward’s work.
I received a digital review copy of this book from Tor Nightfire/Macmillan Audio.
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hooked. I loved the creepy atmosphere and couldn’t wait to see what was really going on.Eve lives in a castle with her “Uncle” and other members of their group. They lead an isolated life and her “Uncle” has all of the power in the cult that they live in. We learn early on in the book that this was not going to have a happy ending and I was anxious to see how everything would play out. As much as I wanted to be amazed by some of the things that happened on this small Scottish island, I know that cults can be just as cruel in the real world. Eve, Dinah, and the rest of the characters have known nothing else but this life so they don’t question the way things are.
I listened to the audiobook and thought that Carolyn Bonnyman did a great job with the story. I loved the voices that she used for the cast of characters. I thought that the accent that she used was perfect and added a lot to the story. I thought that her delivery of this story really helped to bring the somewhat creepy atmosphere to life. I do believe that her narration added to my overall enjoyment of this story.
I would recommend this book to others. I thought that this was a very well-done story that had all of the twists and turns that I had hoped to find. The more that I read, the harder I found it was to set this book aside. I cannot wait to read more of Catriona Ward’s work.
I received a digital review copy of this book from Tor Nightfire/Macmillan Audio.
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LibraryThing member tamidale
For a dark and spooky fall read this gothic story is the perfect fit for those who crave just a tad of spookiness and horror.
Set in Scotland in the 1920’s, John Bearing comes from a place far away to claim his inheritance on the rocky coast at a castle called Altnaharra. Readers never learn too
The family has many qualities of a cult or fanatical religious group. Readers will not be certain which of the family members are actually related or how they came to be at Altnaharra. Their way of life was very odd and the uncle controlled almost everything they did.
I must admit, at first this was too dark and creepy for me, but I was curious and kept reading. I’m glad I stayed the course because this turned out to have more twists and layers than I had originally expected.
Readers who are in the mood for a dark, gothic tale will love this one!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan-Tor/Forge for allowing me to read an advance copy. I am happy to offer my honest review.
Set in Scotland in the 1920’s, John Bearing comes from a place far away to claim his inheritance on the rocky coast at a castle called Altnaharra. Readers never learn too
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much about John. He lives at the castle with several women and children who call him Uncle. The people in the nearby village believe that the children were foundlings that he has taken in to raise.The family has many qualities of a cult or fanatical religious group. Readers will not be certain which of the family members are actually related or how they came to be at Altnaharra. Their way of life was very odd and the uncle controlled almost everything they did.
I must admit, at first this was too dark and creepy for me, but I was curious and kept reading. I’m glad I stayed the course because this turned out to have more twists and layers than I had originally expected.
Readers who are in the mood for a dark, gothic tale will love this one!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan-Tor/Forge for allowing me to read an advance copy. I am happy to offer my honest review.
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LibraryThing member jnmegan
Ward’s popularity soared after The Last House on Needless Street, positioning her as an exciting newcomer to the crowded horror genre. Given her rise in followers, Tor Nightfire has recently re-released some of the author’s earlier efforts in the U.S. Little Eve is her second book, and in her
Thanks to the author, Tor Nightfire and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an unbiased review.
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prologue, Ward admits that it was a challenge to corral her thoughts into a cohesive work. The reader may experience a similar sense of distress, in this case due to the plot’s sinister slow build, jaw-dropping reveals and wince-inducing violence. Eve’s story unfolds within two timelines taking place between 1917 and the 1920’s. The misguided and confused young woman describes a childhood of adoration and obedience for her “Uncle,” despite suffering from his continual abuse. Secondary characters consist primarily of fellow captives, and all are voluntarily marooned together on an isolated tidal island in Scotland. From Eve’s deluded perspective, the reader is left to piece together the cult-like belief system that has been constructed to control and manipulate them. Eve’s story is heartbreaking and grotesque, at times so extreme that it stretches plausibility. It is a testament to Ward’s talent that the reader willingly accepts these conditions, mirroring how her characters bow to the illusions around them. Little Eve is a disturbing read and probably not for the squeamish, but the novel is rewarding for those who are able succumb to its twisted chaos.Thanks to the author, Tor Nightfire and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an unbiased review.
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LibraryThing member sturlington
Although perhaps not as well developed as Ward's later novels, Little Eve won the Shirley Jackson Award in 2018 and has recently been republished for American readers. Set in 1917 and 1921, the story takes place in a crumbling castle on an island off the coast of Scotland where a man known as Uncle
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has created a cult for himself out of women and children. When it begins, the bodies of most of the island's inhabitants are discovered in a circle outside the castle, apparently murdered by the title character. Flashbacks relate the events leading up to the murders, and things get increasingly more disturbing while our sympathy for Eve, the narrator, gradually takes root and grows. There's a lot to like about this novel. The setting is claustrophobic, wild, and unfamiliar. The characters have more to them than it seems at first. There are twists, some easily guessed, others surprising. I certainly felt compelled to find out what actually happened to these people, and the ending didn't disappoint me. Show Less
Awards
Shirley Jackson Award (Nominee — Novel — 2018)
British Fantasy Award (Winner — August Derleth Award — 2019)
LibraryReads (Monthly Pick — Hall of Fame — October 2022)
Language
Original publication date
2018