Cunning Folk - Cosmic Folk Horror
There are always a few authors that will write the kinds of things a reader wants to read. In truth, I have a bunch of them. Writers that, when I pick up their newest book, I know the story inside in going to be something I’ll probably enjoy. Adam Nevill is one of those writers for me. From the very first Nevill book I read (The Ritual) I’ve enjoyed everything of his that I’ve read. His newest book, Cunning Folk, is no different.
Cunning Folk starts out and it seems as though it’s going to be a haunted house story. A family buys a dilapidated house in the country with the last of their money. They have no choice but to dig in and fix up the old place and make it a home. That’s exactly what Tom, the protagonist, starts out doing. But this is not a haunted house story and there is so much more going on than a simple haunting. It doesn’t take long for Tom to meet his new neighbors, an elderly man and woman, the Moots. The Moots are strange and eccentric and when inexplicable events begin to happen to Tom and his family, Tom blames his new neighbors. Once Nevill sets up the scene, the book begins to pick up steam.
One of the things I noticed about this book compared to Nevill’s other books is that this one contains a lot of short chapters. This pulls the reader through the book even faster because the scenes are so tightly written and fast paced that you want to turn the page and find out what happens next.
Nevill knows how to creep you out and he does so in Cunning Folk many times over, setting up a new scene and then conjuring grotesque imagery that stays with you for a while after reading. The Moots are unique antagonists that seem to be weak and frail but powerful and imposing at the same time and provide a unique challenge to Tom as he works to protect his family at all costs. There is also a cosmic horror element to this book which can’t be ignored and is a slight departure from the type of horror Nevill usually writes.
As with his past few releases, Nevill published Cunning Folk through his own Ritual Limited imprint. What this means for readers is that if you order the hardcover edition, you get an incredibly well made book that feels important when you hold it in your hand. I’m not sure if the hardcover editions are still available, but if they are, it is worth the extra money to pick one up. Even if you decided to go with the paperback copy, you’ll still be getting an amazing story to read.
In all, this is a great fast-paced horror read that is perfect for longtime fans of Adam Nevill but also a great introduction to the type of book he usually writes. This gets a solid five out of five from me.
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