The Seventh Sister

This novel follows seven sisters who, after the mysterious death of their parents, are sent to a remote island to live with a grandmother they have never met. There they grow up with few rules, immersed in ritual and devotion to nature gods. When tragedy strikes again, the girls must raise themselves under the shadowy protection of the Forgotten God of the Wood. Years later, they are summoned back to the island that shaped—and haunted—their childhood. The story is told from the perspective of Clementine, the middle child, across two timelines: 1999 and 2024. The writing is lyrical and almost poetic, which takes some adjustment at first. The prose is vivid and atmospheric, full of lush descriptions of the island’s greenery—so much so in fact, that it occasionally drifts into repetition. Roughly a third of the way in, the sisters have only just settled in with their grandmother, and the plot has barely begun to move. Beltane, both the island and the house, becomes a character in its own right—alive, unsettling, and deeply menacing. For much of the first half, I felt like I was waiting for something to truly happen; the opening 50% reads largely as extended scene-setting and character introduction. Around the 55% mark, the story finally pivots when Willow—who disappeared twenty-five years earlier—is found, and from there the book gains momentum and becomes genuinely gripping. The final fifth is fast-paced, tense, and hard to put down, even if it takes a long time to get there. There is also a spicy sex scene midway through that felt somewhat out of place and unnecessary within the otherwise folkloric horror tone. Minor characters are surprisingly memorable, and although a few threads remain loose or underexplained—such as Henry’s reaction to the sisters’ actions at the end—the novel ultimately delivers on its horror promise. A note for sensitive readers: there are frequent graphic and gory descriptions throughout. If you enjoy atmospheric horror steeped in nature mythology, sibling dynamics, and slow-burn dread, this is worth the journey—just be prepared for a very gradual start. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.