The Hounding

The story is based on an old myth and takes place in a small village in England in the early 18th century. Something is wrong with the Mansfield sisters: they don’t behave as women should—at least in the opinion of the village ferryman. One day, he claims to have seen them turn into dogs, but is there any truth to his story, or is it just an angry man’s way of punishing women who don’t fit the stereotype? When other villagers hear strange barking at dusk, the line between imagination and reality seems to blur… It’s a captivating novel and perfect if you’re looking for a short read with a mythical twist!

This book had a lot of telling and very little showing. I just generally felt like it missed a lot of opportunities to be great. I wanted it to lean more into the gruesomeness, into the horror, which it doesn't and would normally be fine, but the book really doesn't offer anything else in its place. Pete is an interesting character, despite his NUMEROUS flaws, but that's about it. Every other character felt more or less the same and the plot is repetitive and kind of nothing new when you take a closer look. It's not a bad book per se, but not really a great one either, sadly.