Aderyn, a gravedigger in the village of Colbren, spends her days burying the dead and her nights putting them back in the ground when they rise as restless, rotting "bone houses." After her father disappears into the forest surrounding a magical mountain, she teams up with Ellis, an aspiring mapmaker hiding a chronic injury. The pair travels into the heart of the woods to find the source of the curse that animates the corpses. They face skeletal wolves and ancient Welsh magic while uncovering the connection between Aderyn’s family lineage and the mountain's power.
Readers of dark fantasy and folklore-driven horror find this book a bleak but grounded study of mortality. It appeals to those interested in archaeological horror and Welsh mythology who appreciate a story where the protagonist works a physical, gritty trade. The reader walks away with a perspective on grief that treats death as a natural end rather than a monster to be feared. It provides a look at how people live alongside inherited trauma and permanent physical disability while navigating a world that demands survival.
Practical, clear-cut and escapist; an easy read.
Best for readers like The Escapist Adventurer. Which reader are you?
- Published
- 2019
- Language
- EN
