The Lost Village by Camilla Sten is a modern Gothic novel that explores the mystery of an abandoned village in rural Sweden where the entire population disappeared, leaving behind only a dead woman and a newborn infant. The story unfolds through two interwoven timelines, one set in the present day following a young filmmaker and her crew as they investigate the village for a documentary, and the other set in 1959 detailing the events leading up to the disappearance. The book delves into themes of female isolation, psychological issues, and atmospheric horror, creating a chilling and suspenseful narrative that keeps readers engaged.

Characters:

The characters exhibit complexity and realism, often struggling with personal demons and the weight of history, contributing to the narrative's tension.

Writing/Prose:

The writing style is engaging, utilizing a dual timeline format to create tension and explore character dynamics, while vividly depicting the eerie setting.

Plot/Storyline:

The narrative revolves around a documentary film crew investigating a mining village where the entire population vanished without a trace, with intertwining timelines revealing the events leading to the disappearance.

Setting:

The setting is an abandoned Swedish mining village, creating a haunting atmosphere that complements the mystery and horror themes.

Pacing:

The pacing starts slow, allowing for suspenseful buildup, and accelerates in the latter parts as the mystery unfolds and tensions rise.

As I sit up and bat the sleep out of my eyes, I see Tone reach out and turn off the radio. The crackling immediately disappears, replaced by the dull hum of the engine and the pent-up silence of the v...

Notes:

Alice is the main character who is fascinated by the stories of her grandmother about Silvertjarn, an abandoned village in Sweden.

The village of Silvertjarn mysteriously lost its entire population of 900 residents in 1959, except for a dead woman and a crying baby.

Alice, along with her friends, goes to the village to film a documentary about its history and what happened to the villagers.

The story alternates between the present day and past events leading up to the village's disappearance.

Strange occurrences happen around Alice and her crew, including odd radio noises and mysterious figures watching them.

The novel uses a dual narrative structure, revealing insights from Alice's great-grandmother, Elsa, about the village's decline and the arrival of a charismatic pastor.

The themes explored include mental illness, religious fanaticism, and the portrayal of women in society, reflecting on past and current prejudices.

Many readers express a sense of creeping dread built throughout the book, likening it to horror films like The Blair Witch Project.

Camilla Sten is the daughter of popular Swedish crime writer Viveca Sten.

The novel explores the psychological and supernatural elements intertwined with the mystery of the village's disappearance.

Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings

The book contains content that includes themes of violence, mental illness, and historical trauma.

From The Publisher:

*BEST MYSTERY/THRILLER FOR THE YEAR* for NPR

"Come for the mounting horror and scares, but stay for a devastating examination of the nature of family secrets." - New York Times book review

"[A] scary, highly entertaining debut...that pays homage to Shirley Jackson." - South Florida Sun Sentinel

A Most Anticipated Book Goodreads * Publishers Weekly * Crime Reads * Popsugar * Bookish * #1 Loanstar Pick in Canada

An Indie Next pick!

A Library Reads Pick!

The Blair Witch Project meets Midsommar in this brilliantly disturbing thriller from Camilla Sten, an electrifying new voice in suspense.

Documentary filmmaker Alice Lindstedt has been obsessed with the vanishing residents of the old mining town, dubbed "The Lost Village," since she was a little girl. In 1959, her grandmother's entire family disappeared in this mysterious tragedy, and ever since, the unanswered questions surrounding the only two people who were left-a woman stoned to death in the town center and an abandoned newborn-have plagued her. She's gathered a small crew of friends in the remote village to make a film about what really happened.

But there will be no turning back.

Not long after they've set up camp, mysterious things begin to happen. Equipment is destroyed. People go missing. As doubt breeds fear and their very minds begin to crack, one thing becomes startlingly clear to Alice:

They are not alone.

They're looking for the truth…

But what if it finds them first?

Come find out.

"RELENTLESSLY CREEPY." -Alma Katsu, author of The Hunger (An NPR Best Horror Novel)

"IMPOSSIBLE TO STOP READING." -Ragnar Jonasson, author of The Island

"Readers will revel in the chills." - Booklist

Ratings (31)

Loved It (16)
Liked It (8)
It Was OK (6)
Did Not Like (1)

Reader Stats (69):

Read It (32)
Want To Read (31)
Did Not Finish (1)
Not Interested (5)

1 comment(s)

Quizeen

It Was OK

11 months

I wanted it to be scarier than it was. Kinda meh.

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The Lost Village

Camilla Sten