I devoured this book. I can sometimes have trouble with abstract-like books as oftentimes there’s so much confusion I’m unable to glean any kind of feeling from them. But Saskia Nislow was able to create a kind of a hallucinatory dark fairy/folk tale with just enough horror and enchantment to keep me glued to the pages.

There were parts of the story that reminded me of Maurice Sendak’s Outside Over There and even a tiny bit of Where the Wild Things Are. And of course there were touches of changeling, kelpie and other folklore throughout. I think these little nuggets of connection helped me to invest just a little bit more into the novel, which is always helpful.

I found Saskia Nislow’s choices endlessly interesting. Like using descriptive identifying traits instead of names (The One Who Runs Away, The Crybaby, The Liar) and that they use italics when the children speak but quotation marks when the adults speak. It made me think that they had a reason for everything, even if I couldn’t figure it out lol.

As for the message of the book, that’s something I’m still thinking over tbh. It could be something as simple as children trying to navigate a complicated world on their own, especially these days. Or there could be something deeper. Either way, I already know this one requires a reread sometime soon and I’m not mad about it.

Where in the hell has this book been all my life?? It was like the trifecta of all I love about horror! Physical and psychological isolation, being stuck on an island and not knowing who to trust, feeling very alone and paranoid. Folk horror, strange occurrences and very old creatures that people seem to only just be able to keep at bay. And good old beautiful revenge.

The story carries suspense from the very first page. Our main character, Mara, has woken up to find herself buried alive with no memory of how she got there or what came before. Once she punches her way out she has little choice but to rely on the locals to help her remember. However, slowly but surely, with the help of two non locals, Mara starts to become aware that what she’s been told is not the truth.

The narrative is done through multiple POVs which can sometimes detract from the pace and suspense of the story. But that was not the case with this one for me. Each one gives relevant insight into both the mystery and the characters while also holding the suspense taut.

The only teensy issues I had with the book were that a very minor character was introduced that I was sure would have a more integral purpose later on but was never mentioned again, which left me confused why she was mentioned at all. Also, I felt the ending was a little bit too quick. I thought more reckoning was in order but on the other hand I know there’s a fine line between drawn out and rushed.

Burial Tide will most definitely be filed away under one of my favorite horror novels. I definitely recommend it for those who like a mystery tied into their folk horror.

CW: Body horror, gore, violence, forced captivity