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The Knowing
A mysteriously chilling and provocative page-turner for devotees of supernatural and suspense thrillers.
Cora was born with a veil. She is able to discern spirits and wield the power of both the dark and the light as well as the ability to heal. Her grandmother, Mi, called it The Knowing. Cora has carried it as both a prophetic blessing and a curse, struggling under the burden until one decision changes her world. Possessed with a healer’s compulsion to help, she is unable to turn away when Fannie arrives on her doorstep, ripped, torn, and hanging precariously on the knife’s edge of death. As torn at the birth of her child, Clyde, as she was at his conception, Fannie believes she has been chosen as the vessel for this coming savior.
In this tale of magical realism and spiritual folklore, Clyde and Cora are bound by a contract of which neither can be extricated except by the destruction of the other. Will Clyde honor his mission, or will he save himself from a war he’s not ready to fight?
Cora was born with a veil. She is able to discern spirits and wield the power of both the dark and the light as well as the ability to heal. Her grandmother, Mi, called it The Knowing. Cora has carried it as both a prophetic blessing and a curse, struggling under the burden until one decision changes her world. Possessed with a healer’s compulsion to help, she is unable to turn away when Fannie arrives on her doorstep, ripped, torn, and hanging precariously on the knife’s edge of death. As torn at the birth of her child, Clyde, as she was at his conception, Fannie believes she has been chosen as the vessel for this coming savior.
In this tale of magical realism and spiritual folklore, Clyde and Cora are bound by a contract of which neither can be extricated except by the destruction of the other. Will Clyde honor his mission, or will he save himself from a war he’s not ready to fight?
352 pages, Paperback
Published February 20, 2024
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
October 10, 2024
ARC Review
This was physiological thriller/ Horror it had a few gruesome secens which didnt bother me at all and fit right up my lane! My only trope about this book was between Clyde and his mother it gave Sleepwalkers vibes by Stephen King. Cora and Clyde both have Inertrsting stories. This writer was very detailed from start to finish.. This is the authors first novel and in my opinion she did very well and I wish her nothing but the best in her future writing.
This was physiological thriller/ Horror it had a few gruesome secens which didnt bother me at all and fit right up my lane! My only trope about this book was between Clyde and his mother it gave Sleepwalkers vibes by Stephen King. Cora and Clyde both have Inertrsting stories. This writer was very detailed from start to finish.. This is the authors first novel and in my opinion she did very well and I wish her nothing but the best in her future writing.
March 17, 2024
I received this book as an ARC.
Let me start this review by saying I am super new to thrillers. But the paranormal and spiritual aspects The Knowing promised excited me, being completely unique to anything I’ve ever read. This story was deep and left me with complex unsettled feelings about the grey area between what is right and what is wrong.
This is the synopsis (my review to follow):
“Cora was born with a veil. She is able to discern spirits and wield the power of both the dark and the light as well as the ability to heal. Her grandmother, Mi, called it The Knowing. Cora has carried it as both a prophetic blessing and a curse, struggling under the burden until one decision changes her world. Possessed with a healer’s compulsion to help, she is unable to turn away when Fannie arrives on her doorstep, ripped, torn, and hanging precariously on the knife’s edge of death. As torn at the birth of her child, Clyde, as she was at his conception, Fannie believes she has been chosen as the vessel for this coming savior.
In this tale of magical realism and spiritual folklore, Clyde and Cora are bound by a contract of which neither can be extricated except by the destruction of the other. Will Clyde honor his mission, or will he save himself from a war he’s not ready to fight?”
The Knowing left me with a haunting unsated need for justice for everyone (EXCEPT FANNIE) in the story. I found myself constantly rooting for Clyde, but also wanting Cora to succeed. In the end, what I took away from this ROLLERCOASTER of a tale, is that the light and dark in everyone can be manipulated and nurtured for better or worse. The spiritual journey is a tough one to navigate when you are holding the wrong map.
Trigger Warnings:
Explicit brutal death, murder, animal harm, blood, abuse, domestic abuse, child harm, implied child murder, rape, slut-shaming, self-righteousness, and bullying.
Let me start this review by saying I am super new to thrillers. But the paranormal and spiritual aspects The Knowing promised excited me, being completely unique to anything I’ve ever read. This story was deep and left me with complex unsettled feelings about the grey area between what is right and what is wrong.
This is the synopsis (my review to follow):
“Cora was born with a veil. She is able to discern spirits and wield the power of both the dark and the light as well as the ability to heal. Her grandmother, Mi, called it The Knowing. Cora has carried it as both a prophetic blessing and a curse, struggling under the burden until one decision changes her world. Possessed with a healer’s compulsion to help, she is unable to turn away when Fannie arrives on her doorstep, ripped, torn, and hanging precariously on the knife’s edge of death. As torn at the birth of her child, Clyde, as she was at his conception, Fannie believes she has been chosen as the vessel for this coming savior.
In this tale of magical realism and spiritual folklore, Clyde and Cora are bound by a contract of which neither can be extricated except by the destruction of the other. Will Clyde honor his mission, or will he save himself from a war he’s not ready to fight?”
The Knowing left me with a haunting unsated need for justice for everyone (EXCEPT FANNIE) in the story. I found myself constantly rooting for Clyde, but also wanting Cora to succeed. In the end, what I took away from this ROLLERCOASTER of a tale, is that the light and dark in everyone can be manipulated and nurtured for better or worse. The spiritual journey is a tough one to navigate when you are holding the wrong map.
Trigger Warnings:
Explicit brutal death, murder, animal harm, blood, abuse, domestic abuse, child harm, implied child murder, rape, slut-shaming, self-righteousness, and bullying.
January 24, 2024
This book was very intriguing it touched on spiritual rituals and different types of spells. It had Cora had visions and she knew what was going to happen I. The future. This was my first time reading a book of this nature. I thought it was very good.
April 13, 2024
SPOILER!!!!!
So, I had a different interpretation of what this book would be about, and if I knew it involved crazy extremist Christianity (bigotry) and the whole deformity=evil trope, I wouldn't have picked it up personally. I thought it was going to be more about Cora and her powers.
The writing is well done, of course, for a debut novel, powerful even, but I think adding the concept of deformity was unnecessary. It drags out the first 9 chapters, with constantly calling this character ugly, deformed, a monkey...We could have still made him have evil aspects without it being tied to his "deformities" being a result of his conception (via cheating and SA).
I didn't really want Cora to succeed after the whole wanting to unalive the baby with an umbilical cord at birth. I think describing her as a healer who wants to help in the synopsis is a bit deceiving, as she is more self-serving in thinking that she is on the lighter side of things. I felt like if she could unalive Clyde with or without justification, than Clyde also had that right considering the fact that the whole town is out to get him, and he essentially wouldn't have been liked by anyone regardless of it he was nice. They basically gave him mental health issues on top of an already possessive darkness that could have been harnessed better under supportive conditions... which is not present in a healthy way in this book. That's the only thrilling factor besides Clyde's acts of unaliving animals and a horrible bully (who is painted as an innocent victim) and eventually going after Cora because he knows, she an adult, seeked to unalive him from the beginning and not even address everybody else and how they treat him.
I was also expecting to know more about The Knowing and the search for balance between light and dark. Based on the synopsis, I was expecting Cora, the healer, to help Clyde in some way to avoid a war or something, to find balance like Mi mentioned... not just seek to unalive him She's more of a hunter at that point. Instead, the whole balance concept is ignored, the "healer" thinks unaliving an infant is justified, and that watching him and waiting for others to provoke him, ao she has some actual reason to go after him. Cora isn't any "lighter" than anybody else. The whole town is actually horrendous, so I couldn't love any of the characters. Little character development.
What I got from this book is that the environment people are raised in matters, and without reforming that, nobody develops or gets to achieve balance.
I do think the author has amazing writing. The scenes were very strong, I also liked the overall vibe matching the time period. I'd like to see what they come out with next, but this was just not for me.
So, I had a different interpretation of what this book would be about, and if I knew it involved crazy extremist Christianity (bigotry) and the whole deformity=evil trope, I wouldn't have picked it up personally. I thought it was going to be more about Cora and her powers.
The writing is well done, of course, for a debut novel, powerful even, but I think adding the concept of deformity was unnecessary. It drags out the first 9 chapters, with constantly calling this character ugly, deformed, a monkey...We could have still made him have evil aspects without it being tied to his "deformities" being a result of his conception (via cheating and SA).
I didn't really want Cora to succeed after the whole wanting to unalive the baby with an umbilical cord at birth. I think describing her as a healer who wants to help in the synopsis is a bit deceiving, as she is more self-serving in thinking that she is on the lighter side of things. I felt like if she could unalive Clyde with or without justification, than Clyde also had that right considering the fact that the whole town is out to get him, and he essentially wouldn't have been liked by anyone regardless of it he was nice. They basically gave him mental health issues on top of an already possessive darkness that could have been harnessed better under supportive conditions... which is not present in a healthy way in this book. That's the only thrilling factor besides Clyde's acts of unaliving animals and a horrible bully (who is painted as an innocent victim) and eventually going after Cora because he knows, she an adult, seeked to unalive him from the beginning and not even address everybody else and how they treat him.
I was also expecting to know more about The Knowing and the search for balance between light and dark. Based on the synopsis, I was expecting Cora, the healer, to help Clyde in some way to avoid a war or something, to find balance like Mi mentioned... not just seek to unalive him She's more of a hunter at that point. Instead, the whole balance concept is ignored, the "healer" thinks unaliving an infant is justified, and that watching him and waiting for others to provoke him, ao she has some actual reason to go after him. Cora isn't any "lighter" than anybody else. The whole town is actually horrendous, so I couldn't love any of the characters. Little character development.
What I got from this book is that the environment people are raised in matters, and without reforming that, nobody develops or gets to achieve balance.
I do think the author has amazing writing. The scenes were very strong, I also liked the overall vibe matching the time period. I'd like to see what they come out with next, but this was just not for me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 18, 2025
Boykin is undoubtedly one of the most talented writers I’ve come across recently, perhaps even the best. Her ability to craft vivid scenes and allow the action to unfold naturally, rather than simply telling the reader what happens, sets her apart from many contemporary writers. However, this strength also contributes to the book’s major flaw: it desperately needs a comprehensive set of trigger warnings. The level of graphic violence and sadism is deeply unsettling, and I found myself continuing to read only in the hope that the story would reveal some redeeming quality; but alas, I couldn't find one.
My biggest concern with the book is its reliance on harmful tropes, particularly the “disability is evil” narrative and victim-blaming of a rape survivor. Having a disability does not make a person inherently evil, and no victim should ever be subjected to ostracism and condemnation based on their past relationships with their attacker. The characters, including Cora, are overwhelmingly self-righteous, making it difficult to view her as a protagonist when she vividly imagines killing a disabled infant. Even more disturbing, she passively watches as the child is bullied for his appearance, waiting for him to “turn evil” rather than offering any help.
Also, I couldn’t ignore the colorism embedded in the descriptions of the characters. The author repeatedly describes Clyde, the disabled child, as having “dark chocolate” skin, while other characters are given lighter descriptors such as “pecan” or “caramel.” This troubling pattern raises the question of whether darker skin is being equated with evil, which left me shocked and disheartened. The presence of ableism, sexism, and colorism throughout the novel is hard to overlook. If the intention was to provide a critical commentary on these harmful literary tropes, the execution falls short. Furthermore, the distinction between good and evil becomes increasingly blurred, as both sides exhibit extreme violence and cruelty. If this was meant to be the book’s central message, this should have been better explained.
My biggest concern with the book is its reliance on harmful tropes, particularly the “disability is evil” narrative and victim-blaming of a rape survivor. Having a disability does not make a person inherently evil, and no victim should ever be subjected to ostracism and condemnation based on their past relationships with their attacker. The characters, including Cora, are overwhelmingly self-righteous, making it difficult to view her as a protagonist when she vividly imagines killing a disabled infant. Even more disturbing, she passively watches as the child is bullied for his appearance, waiting for him to “turn evil” rather than offering any help.
Also, I couldn’t ignore the colorism embedded in the descriptions of the characters. The author repeatedly describes Clyde, the disabled child, as having “dark chocolate” skin, while other characters are given lighter descriptors such as “pecan” or “caramel.” This troubling pattern raises the question of whether darker skin is being equated with evil, which left me shocked and disheartened. The presence of ableism, sexism, and colorism throughout the novel is hard to overlook. If the intention was to provide a critical commentary on these harmful literary tropes, the execution falls short. Furthermore, the distinction between good and evil becomes increasingly blurred, as both sides exhibit extreme violence and cruelty. If this was meant to be the book’s central message, this should have been better explained.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 10, 2024
I received this book from goodreads in exchange for an honest review.
The book is billed as a "tale of magical realist and spiritual folklore". So Not the Case. Read to the end for my actual opinion - what follows is a brief description of the characters and the storyline.
The main characters in this book are a young married woman named Cora who was born with a "veil" sometimes called a "caul". As such she can discern spirits, see the dead, wield the power of both light and dark. She also can see the future of individuals - both light and dark. She considers it both a blessing and a curse and struggles with it.
She saves a young married woman (Fannie) who is brutally attacked & left for dead, knowing that the young woman will become pregnant from her rapist and give birth to a literal monster (her son Clyde). She has the choice to let the young woman and her baby die, not just once - but twice. Both times she makes the wrong choice.
As a result of that - many others suffer and die needlessly over the course of the next 22 years. Even Cora herself nearly dies at the hands of Clyde - when he is but a young child.
I gave the book 1 star - because I think I believe the author was trying to to give a strong message about good and evil and the ongoing battle between the two - but it falls so far short of that - its unbelievable.
The story as told is brutal and highly disturbing. It is not atmospheric and compelling as described by Author Deborah Johnson. There are some very graphic depictions of extreme brutality and violence against women, sexual sadism and a whole host of other unpalatable behaviors - including women turning a blind eye to other women's pain and suffering - and zero suspense or magic in this story.
Save yourself the time and don't bother with this one. . . - I really wish I hadn't read it.
The book is billed as a "tale of magical realist and spiritual folklore". So Not the Case. Read to the end for my actual opinion - what follows is a brief description of the characters and the storyline.
The main characters in this book are a young married woman named Cora who was born with a "veil" sometimes called a "caul". As such she can discern spirits, see the dead, wield the power of both light and dark. She also can see the future of individuals - both light and dark. She considers it both a blessing and a curse and struggles with it.
She saves a young married woman (Fannie) who is brutally attacked & left for dead, knowing that the young woman will become pregnant from her rapist and give birth to a literal monster (her son Clyde). She has the choice to let the young woman and her baby die, not just once - but twice. Both times she makes the wrong choice.
As a result of that - many others suffer and die needlessly over the course of the next 22 years. Even Cora herself nearly dies at the hands of Clyde - when he is but a young child.
I gave the book 1 star - because I think I believe the author was trying to to give a strong message about good and evil and the ongoing battle between the two - but it falls so far short of that - its unbelievable.
The story as told is brutal and highly disturbing. It is not atmospheric and compelling as described by Author Deborah Johnson. There are some very graphic depictions of extreme brutality and violence against women, sexual sadism and a whole host of other unpalatable behaviors - including women turning a blind eye to other women's pain and suffering - and zero suspense or magic in this story.
Save yourself the time and don't bother with this one. . . - I really wish I hadn't read it.
April 18, 2024
Excellent
Intriguing throughout. A great title. I picked up on this book through a review in Woman's Day Magazine or I may never have happened upon this author. This was written in a style to keep you engrossed and to feeling and experiencing every character and situation.
Intriguing throughout. A great title. I picked up on this book through a review in Woman's Day Magazine or I may never have happened upon this author. This was written in a style to keep you engrossed and to feeling and experiencing every character and situation.
Read
July 10, 2024jsut ok
March 9, 2024
It's always a good feeling to find a book that you can't put down. I went from hating Clyde to feeling sorry for him. That's definitely a testament to the author's skill in developing the character.
I think it's also a good question to ask whether Clyde could have been saved. I'm not sure what the answer is, but people who commit terrible crimes are often victims of abuse themselves. Clyde was clearly a troubled young man, and it's possible that he could have been helped if he had gotten the right support.
Ultimately, I think the book is a combination cautionary tale about the dangers of untreated mental illness and the battle between good and evil.
I think it's also a good question to ask whether Clyde could have been saved. I'm not sure what the answer is, but people who commit terrible crimes are often victims of abuse themselves. Clyde was clearly a troubled young man, and it's possible that he could have been helped if he had gotten the right support.
Ultimately, I think the book is a combination cautionary tale about the dangers of untreated mental illness and the battle between good and evil.
April 5, 2024
Gripping -with suspense slowly building
This is a strong tale that speaks of the battle between good and evil, light against darkness. I enjoyed it from start to its very satisfying ending. I recommend this story to all who enjoy tales of “things that go bump in the night”. Also, I bought the companion Audible recording spoken by Lynette Freeman who does an excellent job bringing the story and its characters to life. Kudos!
This is a strong tale that speaks of the battle between good and evil, light against darkness. I enjoyed it from start to its very satisfying ending. I recommend this story to all who enjoy tales of “things that go bump in the night”. Also, I bought the companion Audible recording spoken by Lynette Freeman who does an excellent job bringing the story and its characters to life. Kudos!
April 2, 2024
Great read! Couldn't put it down. Kept me on the edge of my seat.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews