
'Rawblood' by Catriona Ward follows the story of Iris Villarca, an eleven-year-old girl living with her father at their isolated house on Dartmoor, Rawblood. The Villarca family is haunted by a hereditary disease that leads to early deaths, prompting Iris's father to enforce strict rules of isolation. As the story unfolds through multiple timelines and perspectives, readers discover the dark secrets hidden within the family's history and the haunting presence that lurks within Rawblood.
The narrative of 'Rawblood' weaves together elements of gothic horror, family curses, and supernatural occurrences, creating a complex and atmospheric tale that explores the impact of isolation, forbidden love, and the consequences of ancestral sins. Ward's writing style captivates readers with its meticulous research, strong character voices, and intricate plot that culminates in a haunting and symmetrical conclusion, making 'Rawblood' a compelling and eerie read.
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Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings
The book includes content warnings for discussions of rape, child sexual assault, child abuse, pregnancy loss, and graphic depictions of life in an early 20th-century insane asylum.
Has Romance?
There are several romantic subplots within the story, but they are interwoven with themes of tragedy and horror.
From The Publisher:
"An impressively hectic spin on the Gothic tradition"-Telegraph
The winner of BEST HORROR NOVEL at the British Fantasy Awards by the author of The House on Needless Street!
What if it's not your mansion that's haunted-it's you?
Young Iris Villarca is the last of her family's line. They are haunted by "her," a curse passed down through the generations that marks each Villarca for certain heartbreak and death. For generations, the Villarcas have died young, under mysterious circumstances.
But Iris dares to fall in love, and the consequences of her choice are immediate and terrifying. As the world falls apart around her, she must take a final journey back to Rawblood where it all began, and where it must all end...
Perfect for fans of Shirley Jackson, Susan Hill, and Silvia Moreno-Garcia, The Girl from Rawblood will pull readers through time into the early 1800s and 1900s, mesmerizing them with this lyrical story of cunning folk horror right until the breathtaking finish.
Praise for The Girl from Rawblood:
"Superb debut....Ward perfectly balances sensory richness with the chills of the uncanny."
-Publishers Weekly, STARRED review
"The Girl from Rawblood makes a powerful contribution to the British literature of the fantastic...There's a touch of Ted Hughes here, Emily Bronte and M.R James in this eerie and by turns moving story that spans generations...A definite book of the year for me."
-Adam Nevill, award-winning author of The Ritual and No One Gets Out Alive
"The Girl from Rawblood weaves a spell that both terrifies and mesmerizes. As each layer of mystery is peeled away, more haunting truth is revealed. The book leaves the reader breathless in its gothic tale of fear, family, blood, and love."
-Simone St. James, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of The Sun Down Motel
Ratings (3)
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Reader Stats (16):
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Want To Read (10) | |
Not Interested (3) |
About the Author:
Catriona Ward was born in Washington DC and grew up in the US, Kenya, Madagascar, Yemen and Morocco. She studied English at St Edmund Hall, Oxford followed by the UEA Masters in Creative Writing. After living in New York for 4 years where she trained as an actor, she now works for a human rights foundation and lives in London.
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