Lute - A Dreamy Horror Novel Perfect for October!
“And isn’t every day like this, really? We sit on the knife’s edge, enduring this gift for as long as it’s given to us, but this is the first time I’ve fully felt it in my blood, how brief it is. How horribly miraculous.”
Lute by Jennifer Thorne is a dreamy horror novel that will capture your imagination as bodies drop to the floor.
Holy crap I loved this book! Set on the small island of Lute during midsummer, we follow Nina and her family. Something is special about this island, everything is perfect here – weather, health, riches. That’s the island’s blessings. But every seven years the people need to pay the island back, on the “Day” seven people die, chosen by the island. This story takes place leading up to and on the Day. As one of the most recent additions to the island, Nina tries to protect her family and survive the island deaths while struggling with her belief that this is all really happening.
Lute by Jennifer Thorne is a dreamy horror novel that will capture your imagination as bodies drop to the floor.
“And that was it. Like it or not, Lute was taking its seven…..No use fighting it. The sacrifice was set, and from then on, it was Lute alone that would decide who and how.”
What I loved:
The aesthetic here is spot on. Thorne has created such a beautiful little island that on the surface seems perfect, but cracks are showing in the ground. Her descriptions of the town are so vivid and as things begin to go wrong, the deaths will take you off guard by their violence against an idyllic land. I also thoroughly enjoyed her brief but beautiful descriptions of the spirits that hover around the Treadway family and the flashes we see of Lute in the past.
The cast of characters here is phenomenal. I loved all of them so much, which makes the story even scarier as people start to drop dead. There are a few character deaths I’m going to be resentful towards Thorne for awhile for ha! My favorite character was of course, our lead, Nina. She’s so complex and realistic. A mother still learning how to be one, a Lady of the island battling with her place in the town, a wife who married for an escape, and an abusive childhood that drives a lot of her decision making. She’s truly wonderful and I was incredibly invested in this woman’s journey. I also loved John, the Warden of the island, he’s also a recent newcomer like Nina, and their friendship is very sweet. And of course, Matty, but I don’t want to spoil anything, so my lips are sealed.
I enjoyed Thorne’s depictions of family and what that really means. As well as finding our place in the world. Both topics are sensitive for a lot of people and for a lot of reasons. Reading this story was quite cathartic in that sense, making me feel a little less alone and understanding that one day I may find my own Lute to feel at home (hopefully minus the seven sacrifices, but I’m open to whatever…).
Overall, Lute is a fantastic book to add to your October TBR. It’s dreamy, moody, mysterious, and haunting. And there’s a big ol’ chunk of horror filled deaths for those who love a bit of gore. Big thank you to Tor Nightfire for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review. Lute hits shelves October 4th and I highly recommend picking up a copy!
“It doesn’t seem right to pretend when others don’t have that luxury. It doesn’t seem very effective either. If it’s chosen us, it’ll find us. That’s what everybody says.”
