After the sudden death of her father, Marion Althouse relocates with her mother and sister to the island of Sawkill Rock. Surrounded by thick forests, wild horses, and rocky coastlines, Sawkill is hiding more than just secrets. Plagued by decades of disappearances, the island has trouble keeping young girls safe. Marion and her family are the new housekeepers of the marvellous Kingshead mansion. It is home to a generation of women, the Mortimers, known for their independence from men. However, when the Althouses arrive, Marion senses that the residents of Sawkill may be hiding the whereabouts of these missing girls. Marion and her best friend, Zoey, take matters into their own hands and try to end the string of disappearances, once and for all.
The female-centered cast in this novel was amazing. The girls were kick ass and got shit done. I honestly really enjoyed all of the characters and did not see some plot twists coming. To say that this is perfect for fans of Stranger Things hits the nail on the head for this novel. It was creepy and unexpected, but had amazing underlying tones of strength and unity. The representation for bisexual, lesbian, and asexual characters was welcomed in open arms and (from what I understand as not being a part of any of these groups so correct me if I’m wrong) was good representation.
Claire Legrand has brought out consistently amazing novels and I cannot wait to see what she comes up with next. This is the perfect spooky read for the upcoming fall months and should be on everyone’s to-be-read. 5/5 stars to the Queen of Creepy!
Sawkill Girls will be released October 2nd and available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers. Thank you to HarperCollins Canada for providing a copy in exchange for an honest review.
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Synopsis | Goodreads
Beware of the woods and the dark, dank deep. He’ll follow you home, and he won’t let you sleep.
Who are the Sawkill Girls?
Marion: the new girl. Awkward and plain, steady and dependable. Weighed down by tragedy and hungry for love she’s sure she’ll never find.
Zoey: the pariah. Luckless and lonely, hurting but hiding it. Aching with grief and dreaming of vanished girls. Maybe she’s broken—or maybe everyone else is.
Val: the queen bee. Gorgeous and privileged, ruthless and regal. Words like silk and eyes like knives, a heart made of secrets and a mouth full of lies.
Their stories come together on the island of Sawkill Rock, where gleaming horses graze in rolling pastures and cold waves crash against black cliffs. Where kids whisper the legend of an insidious monster at parties and around campfires.
Where girls have been disappearing for decades, stolen away by a ravenous evil no one has dared to fight… until now.
