Ellerie Downing lives in the quiet town of Amity Falls in the Blackspire Mountain range--five narrow peaks stretching into the sky like a grasping hand, bordered by a nearly impenetrable forest from which the early townsfolk fought off the devils in the woods. To this day, visitors are few and rare. But when a supply party goes missing, some worry that the monsters that once stalked the region have returned. As fall turns to winter, more strange activities plague the town. They point to a tribe of devilish and mystical creatures who promise to fulfill the residents' deepest desires, however grand and impossible, for just a small favor. But their true intentions are much more sinister, and Ellerie finds herself in a race against time before all of Amity Falls, her family, and the boy she loves go up in flames.
No posts yet
Kick off the convo with a theory, question, musing, or update
Your rating:
0**I was provided an electronic ARC from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for honest review.**
Erin A Craig returns with her small-town horror Small Favors. Readers follow Ellerie Downing, eldest daughter of one of the founding families in Amity Falls. Amity Falls is a small village where neighbors must support one another. The village typically gets two supply runs from the city a year, but when one of the supply runs fails it is the start of all manner of misfortunes for the village.
Craig has a talent for creating an atmosphere of dread. Not necessarily spooky or creepy, but just generally that something-bad-is-about-to-happen vibe. There is also a constant introduction of gradually more questions, the answers to which only spawn more questions. There are questions of possible supernatural issues, possible betrayal, and lots of who is this person really. Combine with a sense of being trapped by the seasons and building tensions in the village. Craig was really very successful in creating a big build up for the climax of the novel.
My biggest complaint, and really only complaint, is that everything was resolved so quickly and cleanly. Once the objective of how to fix things was discovered, it was carried out and new goals for moving forward were made with potential for a happily ever after. Happily ever after with need for extensive therapy maybe, but still. It was simply too easy, too quick, too tidy for all the tension and build-up.
I have enjoyed both of Craig's works so far, and have no issues recommending them. I eagerly look forward to her future works as well.
0 0
© 2024 Pagebound