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Sourdough Universe
Het heksenboek van Ellie Briar
Een hypnotiserend sprookje over geesten, heksen en dodelijke geheimen
De heksenfamilie Briar runt al eeuwen het stadje Silverton. In ruil voor deze alleenheerschappij beschermen ze de bewoners door hun vaardigheden en magie sluw in te zetten. Normaal gesproken zouden de familieleden worden verbrand vanwege hun tovenarij, maar de kerk laat de familie met rust zolang ze beloven de grens met de Donkere Landen, waar gevreesde wezens de scepter zwaaien, te bewaken.
Ellie Briar is de eerste niet-heks die in driehonderd jaar in haar familie is geboren. Ze heeft zich altijd al het buitenbeentje gevoeld en zichzelf met slechts haar menselijke vermogens moeten bewijzen. Als haar grootmoeder en enige vertrouweling plotseling overlijdt, neemt Ellies nicht Audra haar positie als hoofdheks over. Ellie belandt midden in de chaos van haar nieuwe rol als rentmeester. Ze wordt de rechterhand van Audra met een enorme verantwoordelijkheid en er gebeuren vreemde dingen in het stadje Silverton. Langzaam maar zeker weet Ellie niet meer wie ze kan vertrouwen.
Als ze na een onverwachte val ontdekt dat ze het vermogen heeft om de doden te zien en te spreken, blijkt algauw dat er een hoop sinistere familiegeheimen zijn die niet langer verborgen kunnen blijven. Haar speurtocht leidt haar van de ene openbaring naar de andere en Ellie komt achter een verwoestend complot dat alles dreigt te vernietigen waar de Briar-heksen zoveel voor hebben opgeofferd.
De heksenfamilie Briar runt al eeuwen het stadje Silverton. In ruil voor deze alleenheerschappij beschermen ze de bewoners door hun vaardigheden en magie sluw in te zetten. Normaal gesproken zouden de familieleden worden verbrand vanwege hun tovenarij, maar de kerk laat de familie met rust zolang ze beloven de grens met de Donkere Landen, waar gevreesde wezens de scepter zwaaien, te bewaken.
Ellie Briar is de eerste niet-heks die in driehonderd jaar in haar familie is geboren. Ze heeft zich altijd al het buitenbeentje gevoeld en zichzelf met slechts haar menselijke vermogens moeten bewijzen. Als haar grootmoeder en enige vertrouweling plotseling overlijdt, neemt Ellies nicht Audra haar positie als hoofdheks over. Ellie belandt midden in de chaos van haar nieuwe rol als rentmeester. Ze wordt de rechterhand van Audra met een enorme verantwoordelijkheid en er gebeuren vreemde dingen in het stadje Silverton. Langzaam maar zeker weet Ellie niet meer wie ze kan vertrouwen.
Als ze na een onverwachte val ontdekt dat ze het vermogen heeft om de doden te zien en te spreken, blijkt algauw dat er een hoop sinistere familiegeheimen zijn die niet langer verborgen kunnen blijven. Haar speurtocht leidt haar van de ene openbaring naar de andere en Ellie komt achter een verwoestend complot dat alles dreigt te vernietigen waar de Briar-heksen zoveel voor hebben opgeofferd.
443 pages, Hardcover
First published February 13, 2024
341 people are currently reading
13583 people want to read
About the author
A.G. Slatter
12 books698 followersAKA Angela Slatter
Angela Slatter is the author of All The Murmuring Bones (Titan Books, purchase links below). That will be followed by The Path of Thorns in 2022. Both are gothic fantasies set in the world of the Sourdough and Bitterwood collections.
In February 2021, Tartarus Press published The Tallow-Wife and Other Tales, the third mosaic collection in the Sourdough world series. In March 2022, The Bone Lantern (a novella set in the Sourdough world) will be published by Absinthe Press (an imprint of PS Publishing).
Angela is also the author of the supernatural crime novels from Jo Fletcher Books/Hachette International: Vigil (2016), Corpselight (2017) and Restoration (2018), as well as ten other short story collections, including The Girl with No Hands and Other Tales, Sourdough and Other Stories, The Bitterwood Bible and Other Recountings, A Feast of Sorrows: Stories, and The Heart is a Mirror for Sinners and Other Stories. Vigil was nominated for the Dublin Literary Award in 2018.
Angela is represented by Meg Davis of the Ki Agency in London: meg@ki-agency.co.uk
She has won a World Fantasy Award, a British Fantasy Award, a Ditmar, two Australian Shadows Awards and seven Aurealis Awards.
Angela’s short stories have appeared in Australian, UK and US Best Of anthologies such The Mammoth Book of New Horror, The Year’s Best Dark Fantasy and Horror, The Best Horror of the Year, The Year’s Best Australian Fantasy and Horror, and The Year’s Best YA Speculative Fiction. Her work has been translated into Bulgarian, Chinese, Russian, Italian, Spanish, Japanese, Polish, French and Romanian. Victoria Madden of Sweet Potato Films (The Kettering Incident) has optioned the film rights to one of her short stories (“Finnegan’s Field”).
She has an MA and a PhD in Creative Writing, is a graduate of Clarion South 2009 and the Tin House Summer Writers Workshop 2006, and in 2013 she was awarded one of the inaugural Queensland Writers Fellowships. In 2016 Angela was the Established Writer-in-Residence at the Katharine Susannah Prichard Writers Centre in Perth. She has been awarded career development funding by Arts Queensland, the Copyright Agency and, in 2017/18, an Australia Council for the Arts grant. She teaches for the Australian Writers’ Centre.
She is also the author of the novellas, Of Sorrow and Such (Tor.com) and Ripper (in Horrorology: The Lexicon of Fear).
Angela Slatter is the author of All The Murmuring Bones (Titan Books, purchase links below). That will be followed by The Path of Thorns in 2022. Both are gothic fantasies set in the world of the Sourdough and Bitterwood collections.
In February 2021, Tartarus Press published The Tallow-Wife and Other Tales, the third mosaic collection in the Sourdough world series. In March 2022, The Bone Lantern (a novella set in the Sourdough world) will be published by Absinthe Press (an imprint of PS Publishing).
Angela is also the author of the supernatural crime novels from Jo Fletcher Books/Hachette International: Vigil (2016), Corpselight (2017) and Restoration (2018), as well as ten other short story collections, including The Girl with No Hands and Other Tales, Sourdough and Other Stories, The Bitterwood Bible and Other Recountings, A Feast of Sorrows: Stories, and The Heart is a Mirror for Sinners and Other Stories. Vigil was nominated for the Dublin Literary Award in 2018.
Angela is represented by Meg Davis of the Ki Agency in London: meg@ki-agency.co.uk
She has won a World Fantasy Award, a British Fantasy Award, a Ditmar, two Australian Shadows Awards and seven Aurealis Awards.
Angela’s short stories have appeared in Australian, UK and US Best Of anthologies such The Mammoth Book of New Horror, The Year’s Best Dark Fantasy and Horror, The Best Horror of the Year, The Year’s Best Australian Fantasy and Horror, and The Year’s Best YA Speculative Fiction. Her work has been translated into Bulgarian, Chinese, Russian, Italian, Spanish, Japanese, Polish, French and Romanian. Victoria Madden of Sweet Potato Films (The Kettering Incident) has optioned the film rights to one of her short stories (“Finnegan’s Field”).
She has an MA and a PhD in Creative Writing, is a graduate of Clarion South 2009 and the Tin House Summer Writers Workshop 2006, and in 2013 she was awarded one of the inaugural Queensland Writers Fellowships. In 2016 Angela was the Established Writer-in-Residence at the Katharine Susannah Prichard Writers Centre in Perth. She has been awarded career development funding by Arts Queensland, the Copyright Agency and, in 2017/18, an Australia Council for the Arts grant. She teaches for the Australian Writers’ Centre.
She is also the author of the novellas, Of Sorrow and Such (Tor.com) and Ripper (in Horrorology: The Lexicon of Fear).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 542 reviews
January 31, 2024
The Briar Book of the Dead is an absolutely delightful read, somewhat reminiscent of
Practical Magic
or The Witches of Bone Hill, although it's much darker and more fantastical than either. The Briar family of witches has ruled over Silverton for hundreds of years, but when a new priest arrives and residents start disappearing, Ellie Briar must unravel the mystery and keep the town she's sworn to protect safe.
I basically loved everything about this book and was hooked from the very beginning. Ellie is a wonderful main character – she's brave, loyal, and principled, but not at all in a one-dimensional way. In fact, all of the characters are multi-faceted and complex, even (and perhaps especially) the villains. I especially enjoyed the complexity of Gisela's character, much of which isn't revealed until after her death.
The world-building, too, is wonderful. Silverton is a small town on the edge of the Darklands (where the terrible Leech Lords live), but it's also so much more. It's full of interesting people and legends and creatures, and I tremendously enjoyed reading about how the Briar Witches had shaped and transformed the town and its inhabitants over the centuries. Apparently the author has previous novels set in the same world, so if you're familiar with her work then you'll probably recognize the details. This is the first of her books I've read, but I didn't feel as if I was missing out on anything as far as the history goes.
There's romance to be found in this novel, but it's not at all sappy or fairy tale-ish. As someone who doesn't particularly enjoy romance in the books I read, this was a huge plus. It's not even all that relevant to the plot, and the story would have changed minimally had it not been included at all.
I saw the ending coming – well, perhaps not the specific events, but I did guess who the Big Bad was rather early on. That's not necessarily a negative thing since I don't think the author meant for it to be a complete surprise anyway (it's pretty obvious that there's something “off” about this particular character from the beginning). And there's so much more to the climax of this novel than just the reveal of the villain's identity – it's suspenseful and dramatic and pretty much perfect in every way.
Overall, The Briar Book of the Dead was a fantastic read and definitely one of my highlights of 2023. If you like dark and atmospheric tales about witches, ghosts, and other fantastical beings, you'll likely enjoy this one, too.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Titan Books for providing me with an advance copy of this book to review.
I basically loved everything about this book and was hooked from the very beginning. Ellie is a wonderful main character – she's brave, loyal, and principled, but not at all in a one-dimensional way. In fact, all of the characters are multi-faceted and complex, even (and perhaps especially) the villains. I especially enjoyed the complexity of Gisela's character, much of which isn't revealed until after her death.
The world-building, too, is wonderful. Silverton is a small town on the edge of the Darklands (where the terrible Leech Lords live), but it's also so much more. It's full of interesting people and legends and creatures, and I tremendously enjoyed reading about how the Briar Witches had shaped and transformed the town and its inhabitants over the centuries. Apparently the author has previous novels set in the same world, so if you're familiar with her work then you'll probably recognize the details. This is the first of her books I've read, but I didn't feel as if I was missing out on anything as far as the history goes.
There's romance to be found in this novel, but it's not at all sappy or fairy tale-ish. As someone who doesn't particularly enjoy romance in the books I read, this was a huge plus. It's not even all that relevant to the plot, and the story would have changed minimally had it not been included at all.
I saw the ending coming – well, perhaps not the specific events, but I did guess who the Big Bad was rather early on. That's not necessarily a negative thing since I don't think the author meant for it to be a complete surprise anyway (it's pretty obvious that there's something “off” about this particular character from the beginning). And there's so much more to the climax of this novel than just the reveal of the villain's identity – it's suspenseful and dramatic and pretty much perfect in every way.
Overall, The Briar Book of the Dead was a fantastic read and definitely one of my highlights of 2023. If you like dark and atmospheric tales about witches, ghosts, and other fantastical beings, you'll likely enjoy this one, too.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Titan Books for providing me with an advance copy of this book to review.
July 25, 2025
Once the engine starts, it's great
Personnes d’un certain âge had an experience that I think most of you young folks now manage to avoid: starting a small gasoline engine with a pull cord. Here's what that's like. You always start by flooding the carburetor. Then you pull the cord, the engine turns over, and stops. You do it again and again. Finally, maybe on the fourth pull the cylinder fires once -- "putt". Then, on the next pull, you hear it fire three times -- "Putt, putt, putt," and stall again. At last, you pull once more time, the engine catches, you open the throttle a bit -- "Roar!", and you're off.
I mention this, because that's what reading A.G. Slatter's The Briar Book of the Dead was like. At the beginning I could feel Slatter trying to start this plot. She'd pull the cord, it turned over and failed to catch. Finally, about a third of the way into the book, I felt the engine fire. The next chapter after that it sputtered a bit and stalled. Finally, at about 50% the engine caught and the story took off with a roar. I was interested in reading the Acknowledgements to learn that my experience in reading was paralleled by hers in writing it. She started it in 2015, then it stalled. It lay fallow for years before she took it up again.
Now, the most important thing I have to tell you is that once the engine catches, it's a great ride.
This is a story of a family of witches -- the Briar family. They are all women -- Briar women have daughters only, no sons. It is told from the point of view of Ellie Briar, who is not a witch -- she has no magic. Her grandmother and all her sisters have magic. The Briars live in the isolated mountain town of Silverton, and they run the place, benevolently, with the cooperation of the townspeople. One of them is The Briar Witch, who is by way of ruling the town. That is not Ellie -- since she has no magic. Ellie is the Steward -- her sisters are the chief Healer, the chief Vigilant (think Chief of Police), and so on.
The ordinary magic of the Briar family is less important to the story than you might expect. It is really the story of a family -- a more dysfunctional family than it first appears to be -- but no spoilers! Ellie gradually discovers and reveals the forgotten history of her family. Things get exciting at the end.
The Briar Book of the Dead is a good ride. Even though it's slow to start, you will feel, when you reach the end that you've had a lot of fun.
I thank Edelweiss and Titan Books for an advance reader copy of The Briar Book of the Dead. This review expresses my honest opinion.
Blog review.
Personnes d’un certain âge had an experience that I think most of you young folks now manage to avoid: starting a small gasoline engine with a pull cord. Here's what that's like. You always start by flooding the carburetor. Then you pull the cord, the engine turns over, and stops. You do it again and again. Finally, maybe on the fourth pull the cylinder fires once -- "putt". Then, on the next pull, you hear it fire three times -- "Putt, putt, putt," and stall again. At last, you pull once more time, the engine catches, you open the throttle a bit -- "Roar!", and you're off.
I mention this, because that's what reading A.G. Slatter's The Briar Book of the Dead was like. At the beginning I could feel Slatter trying to start this plot. She'd pull the cord, it turned over and failed to catch. Finally, about a third of the way into the book, I felt the engine fire. The next chapter after that it sputtered a bit and stalled. Finally, at about 50% the engine caught and the story took off with a roar. I was interested in reading the Acknowledgements to learn that my experience in reading was paralleled by hers in writing it. She started it in 2015, then it stalled. It lay fallow for years before she took it up again.
Now, the most important thing I have to tell you is that once the engine catches, it's a great ride.
This is a story of a family of witches -- the Briar family. They are all women -- Briar women have daughters only, no sons. It is told from the point of view of Ellie Briar, who is not a witch -- she has no magic. Her grandmother and all her sisters have magic. The Briars live in the isolated mountain town of Silverton, and they run the place, benevolently, with the cooperation of the townspeople. One of them is The Briar Witch, who is by way of ruling the town. That is not Ellie -- since she has no magic. Ellie is the Steward -- her sisters are the chief Healer, the chief Vigilant (think Chief of Police), and so on.
The ordinary magic of the Briar family is less important to the story than you might expect. It is really the story of a family -- a more dysfunctional family than it first appears to be -- but no spoilers! Ellie gradually discovers and reveals the forgotten history of her family. Things get exciting at the end.
The Briar Book of the Dead is a good ride. Even though it's slow to start, you will feel, when you reach the end that you've had a lot of fun.
I thank Edelweiss and Titan Books for an advance reader copy of The Briar Book of the Dead. This review expresses my honest opinion.
Blog review.
November 8, 2024
I listened to this book for hours every day for 4 days. I am absolutely gutted that it's over. I never would leave these Briar witches of Silverton. Edgar's story of the Witch's War in chapter 37 will stay with me forever. How appropriate to hear it on November 7th.
I have soooooo much to say, but I said it in a manuscript that is coming next year, I'll be able to do a full review soon. Just know that I love A. G. Slatter's books with all my heart and I would never be able to choose between The Path of Thorns or this book. I am OBSESSED. Quite literally my new favorite author. Also you should know I checked out the eBooks from the library and read them while I listened to the audiobook on hoopla at the same time, which I highly recommend!
Love love love
I have soooooo much to say, but I said it in a manuscript that is coming next year, I'll be able to do a full review soon. Just know that I love A. G. Slatter's books with all my heart and I would never be able to choose between The Path of Thorns or this book. I am OBSESSED. Quite literally my new favorite author. Also you should know I checked out the eBooks from the library and read them while I listened to the audiobook on hoopla at the same time, which I highly recommend!
Love love love
Want to read
September 5, 2024I trust Miss A.G. Slatter to provide the most delicious gothic vibes and (maybe) I trust myself to not let a full year pass by before picking it up!
March 6, 2024
I realize “speaker-for-the-dead” is an incredibly niche area in fantasy, but it’s one that I seem to gravitate to and love.
This was the weird, witchy gem my mood reading was craving.
This was the weird, witchy gem my mood reading was craving.
April 26, 2024
Actual rating: 3.5 stars
This was a solid story, but the pacing was was a little too slow for me.
This was a solid story, but the pacing was was a little too slow for me.
March 18, 2024
So I was wrong about the vampires (hopefully the next book please please please?) but there was a hot priest.
And honestly? Hot priest comprises most of my review 😂 But for real, this was a really slow start and it took me 33-50% to be fully into it, which is why this isn't a 5 star for me. By the end, though, I was definitely hooked and invested.
----------------------------
Original Review
----------------------------
First killer mermaids and ghosts and kelpies, then werewolves and hands of glory, and now vampires and witches?
It's like AG Slatter is single-handedly working to deliver delicious, gothic books about all my favourite spooks, one by one.
And honestly? Hot priest comprises most of my review 😂 But for real, this was a really slow start and it took me 33-50% to be fully into it, which is why this isn't a 5 star for me. By the end, though, I was definitely hooked and invested.
----------------------------
Original Review
----------------------------
First killer mermaids and ghosts and kelpies, then werewolves and hands of glory, and now vampires and witches?
It's like AG Slatter is single-handedly working to deliver delicious, gothic books about all my favourite spooks, one by one.
March 17, 2024
The Briar Book of the Dead features an intricately designed world that ultimately overshadows the limited plot. The author's note at the beginning mentions a short story that is not necessary to the reading experience, but on further investigation the author has multiple collections of short stories set in this world. That lack of background information can be felt in this novel. Although the characters and magic were interesting, my ultimate feeling was that I was missing an immense amount of context. Allusions were constantly made to other towns, lore, and history, but they ultimately had no part the main storyline. I'm not convinced that readers can in fact read this novel as a standalone outside the greater context of the Sourdough world.
The characters and the plot additionally suffer because of this. It is clear Slatter has a deep understanding of her world's lore and the complex polities therein. But that left the characters of this novel more shallow and uneven, relying on worldbuilding to entice you rather than character development. Father Huw as a character is very nearly unnecessary to the story, yet plays a significant roll in its climax. Ellie, our main character and POV, falters between naive and abused insignificant daughter and steadfast leader in ways that can feel like whiplash. And Audra's character arc is pulled out of thin air in the last 10% of an overly long story. More time should have been spent with the central characters rather than building the quotidian life of the town.
I was intensely curious about the god-hounds and the Leech Lords who were constantly mentioned in this novel, even the sisters who went below. That tale seemed to take center stage only for Ellie to completely ignore them when they finally appeared in the final 5% of the novel. I kept hoping the plot would turn towards them. Instead we got naive revenge and pseudo-sibling drama. It's clear how much time Slatter has invested in this world, and I kept wondering why it resulted in this particular story among all the other ideas that were brought up as background information. This book missed the mark for me.
The characters and the plot additionally suffer because of this. It is clear Slatter has a deep understanding of her world's lore and the complex polities therein. But that left the characters of this novel more shallow and uneven, relying on worldbuilding to entice you rather than character development. Father Huw as a character is very nearly unnecessary to the story, yet plays a significant roll in its climax. Ellie, our main character and POV, falters between naive and abused insignificant daughter and steadfast leader in ways that can feel like whiplash. And Audra's character arc is pulled out of thin air in the last 10% of an overly long story. More time should have been spent with the central characters rather than building the quotidian life of the town.
I was intensely curious about the god-hounds and the Leech Lords who were constantly mentioned in this novel, even the sisters who went below. That tale seemed to take center stage only for Ellie to completely ignore them when they finally appeared in the final 5% of the novel. I kept hoping the plot would turn towards them. Instead we got naive revenge and pseudo-sibling drama. It's clear how much time Slatter has invested in this world, and I kept wondering why it resulted in this particular story among all the other ideas that were brought up as background information. This book missed the mark for me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 19, 2025
Perfect witchy tale for the spooky season!
This checks all my boxes: gothic, magic, witches, mystery vibes.
Ellie Briar lacks magic but comes from a renowned witch family. Among her cousins, there is minor jealousy, but Ellie has abilities not yet discovered. Her confidence grows as she is successful in her new role as family steward. They all knew the danger the governing church from a distant town posed to their survival. However, homegrown evil had been overlooked.
Two things make this book a standout. One is the characterization. It really drew me into the story and setting. The other one is the sinister plot. There is a nice twist that propels the danger elements.
Although I used the term sinister with the plot, the descriptions are not gory. The horror is light.
And I will mention the steamy scenes are closed doors in case that matters.
Do yourself a favor and enjoy this cozy fantasy/horror read before the spooky season is gone.
This checks all my boxes: gothic, magic, witches, mystery vibes.
Ellie Briar lacks magic but comes from a renowned witch family. Among her cousins, there is minor jealousy, but Ellie has abilities not yet discovered. Her confidence grows as she is successful in her new role as family steward. They all knew the danger the governing church from a distant town posed to their survival. However, homegrown evil had been overlooked.
Two things make this book a standout. One is the characterization. It really drew me into the story and setting. The other one is the sinister plot. There is a nice twist that propels the danger elements.
Although I used the term sinister with the plot, the descriptions are not gory. The horror is light.
And I will mention the steamy scenes are closed doors in case that matters.
Do yourself a favor and enjoy this cozy fantasy/horror read before the spooky season is gone.
February 9, 2024
Brilliant piece of fantasy storytelling as a world of magic, family secrets and history all come alive
Full review - https://www.runalongtheshelves.net/bl...
Full review - https://www.runalongtheshelves.net/bl...
March 7, 2025
Ik moest in het begin van het boek er een beetje inkomen, maar vanaf blz 100 zat ik er helemaal in. Deels kwam dit ook doordat sommige zinnen vrij lang waren.
In het begin wordt vooral de worldbuilding goed uit de doeken gedaan. Je leert het stadje Silverton met zijn inwoners beter kennen en ook hoe dit stadje geregeerd wordt en hoe dit verschilt met de andere steden. Je krijgt vaag iets mee over leechlords, waarvan de heksen Silverton beschermen, maar er wordt niet veel op in gegaan. Het is echt een boek wat vooral over heksen (en Ellie de 'niet-heks') gaat gecombineerd met geesten. Perfect combo als je het mij vraagt.
In het boek lees je vooral vanuit Ellie Briar, zij is de enige zonder magie in haar heksenfamilie. Ellie maakt door het boek heen zeker een mooie ontwikkeling en groei door. Je leert ook haar familieleden door het boek beter kennen en geheimen komen aan het licht. Over pater Huw had ik graag meer willen weten, er werd wel wat uit de doeken gedaan over hem maar niet ontzettend veel.
Toen ik in het boek zat vond ik het moeilijk weg leggen. Je voelt door het boek heen dat dingen niet kloppen en richting het einde komen de plottwisten en ontknopingen aan het licht. Het een iets meer voorspelbaar dan het ander. Ik heb echt genoten van dit heerlijke heksenboek en als je het boek gelezen hebt dan snap je ook dat het uiterlijk van het boek echt perfect is gekozen.
Het is een duister boek vol familiegeheimen, verschrikkelijke gebeurtenissen, geesten en heksen. De sprookjes in het boek waren een mooie toevoeging. Ik zou graag meer willen lezen over het leven van de familie Briar! Een geweldig boek voor de heksenliefhebbers!
In het begin wordt vooral de worldbuilding goed uit de doeken gedaan. Je leert het stadje Silverton met zijn inwoners beter kennen en ook hoe dit stadje geregeerd wordt en hoe dit verschilt met de andere steden. Je krijgt vaag iets mee over leechlords, waarvan de heksen Silverton beschermen, maar er wordt niet veel op in gegaan. Het is echt een boek wat vooral over heksen (en Ellie de 'niet-heks') gaat gecombineerd met geesten. Perfect combo als je het mij vraagt.
In het boek lees je vooral vanuit Ellie Briar, zij is de enige zonder magie in haar heksenfamilie. Ellie maakt door het boek heen zeker een mooie ontwikkeling en groei door. Je leert ook haar familieleden door het boek beter kennen en geheimen komen aan het licht. Over pater Huw had ik graag meer willen weten, er werd wel wat uit de doeken gedaan over hem maar niet ontzettend veel.
Toen ik in het boek zat vond ik het moeilijk weg leggen. Je voelt door het boek heen dat dingen niet kloppen en richting het einde komen de plottwisten en ontknopingen aan het licht. Het een iets meer voorspelbaar dan het ander. Ik heb echt genoten van dit heerlijke heksenboek en als je het boek gelezen hebt dan snap je ook dat het uiterlijk van het boek echt perfect is gekozen.
Het is een duister boek vol familiegeheimen, verschrikkelijke gebeurtenissen, geesten en heksen. De sprookjes in het boek waren een mooie toevoeging. Ik zou graag meer willen lezen over het leven van de familie Briar! Een geweldig boek voor de heksenliefhebbers!
March 28, 2024
This was one of my most anticipated releases this season, but it didn't quite live up to my (albeit not small) expectations.
It was good, don't get me wrong!
But it took quite a long time to get the story-progression and traction going.
More than half the book was spent setting the stage for a play that never quite reached the sort of magic or crescendo I hoped for after really loving All The Murmuring Bones.
Ellie was an OK main character, but it took me a while to actually start liking her.
In fact, it took me another while to start liking the book altogether and that was a bit of a letdown.
I think it has a lot of great qualities, such as really cool magic, a nicely woven mystery and problem - handled well together with Ellie and other characters.
Yet, it all boils down to taking too long to turn into something I started caring all that much about.
I'll nevertheless look forward to more stories by Slatter - and might even add this one to my collection, simply because I friggin' adore that gorgeous cover.
It was good, don't get me wrong!
But it took quite a long time to get the story-progression and traction going.
More than half the book was spent setting the stage for a play that never quite reached the sort of magic or crescendo I hoped for after really loving All The Murmuring Bones.
Ellie was an OK main character, but it took me a while to actually start liking her.
In fact, it took me another while to start liking the book altogether and that was a bit of a letdown.
I think it has a lot of great qualities, such as really cool magic, a nicely woven mystery and problem - handled well together with Ellie and other characters.
Yet, it all boils down to taking too long to turn into something I started caring all that much about.
I'll nevertheless look forward to more stories by Slatter - and might even add this one to my collection, simply because I friggin' adore that gorgeous cover.
March 4, 2024
5 stars
Absolutely loved this! The world, the intrigues, the characters (absolutely loved Ellie and Sandor), how their history was slowly unraveled; it all kept me engaged from beginning till the end. Definitely need to read more by this author.
Characters 10
Atmosphere 10
Writing Style 10
Premise 10
Execution/Plot 10
Execution/Pace 10
Execution/Setup 10
Enjoyment/Engrossment 10
Absolutely loved this! The world, the intrigues, the characters (absolutely loved Ellie and Sandor), how their history was slowly unraveled; it all kept me engaged from beginning till the end. Definitely need to read more by this author.
Characters 10
Atmosphere 10
Writing Style 10
Premise 10
Execution/Plot 10
Execution/Pace 10
Execution/Setup 10
Enjoyment/Engrossment 10
September 25, 2025
4.25/5
“The whole place smells of unwashed old man; sweat and bitterness and barely suppressed rage.”
My third favorite novel from A.G. Slatter’s Sourdough Universe. I almost wish I hadn’t read All the Murmuring Bones and The Path of Thorns first because I feel they’re superior novels and didn’t enjoy this one as much.
“The whole place smells of unwashed old man; sweat and bitterness and barely suppressed rage.”
My third favorite novel from A.G. Slatter’s Sourdough Universe. I almost wish I hadn’t read All the Murmuring Bones and The Path of Thorns first because I feel they’re superior novels and didn’t enjoy this one as much.
Read
December 13, 2023I’ve said it multiple times, but it bears repeating: Angela Slatter is one of the best contemporary fantastists. If you haven’t been reading her, you should be. This novel is set within her Sourdough Universe, a sneaky sequel to the novella Of Sorrow and Such, but you don’t have to have read that or any Sourdough stories to be fully engaged in Slatter’s world (inspired by European myth and fairytales). Here, we’re introduced to a family of witches, the Briars, who govern the town of Silverton and keep the Leech Lords at bay - the main reason why the Church hasn’t ransacked the village and burnt the Briars at the stake. But things are a-changing. The two elderly matriarchs, Maud and Gisella, have died - only several days apart - leaving Ellie to be the Steward, but more importantly, Audra, her cousin, as the Briar Witch. Ellie doesn’t have a magical bone in her body and has always felt second-rate to her cousins. But after a knock to her head, leaving a bloody graze, Ellie discovers that she can see and even speak to ghosts - which should be impossible because Silverton has been free of ghosts for three centuries, banished by the first Briar Witch. Stories are essential to the Sourdough Universe. They aren’t just a form of entertainment; they are also cultural touchstones and historical documents. They are the life, the soul of a society. And it’s never more evident than in this beautifully written, astute and intricately layered novel.
did-not-finish
November 9, 2024(September/October 2024 Gothic Ghouls Book Club pick)
October 30, 2024
What a read! What a joy! What a PLEASURE - and that is the only right way to treat and enjoy this book: Like a pleasure. Although the first 100 pages were subjectively very hard for me, looking back it was probably just an introduction to Slatter's writing style. A queen of world building. A lover of the smallest details. I can understand if it might be too long-winded, too detailed for some, but Slatter succeeds in creating an atmosphere where you can literally see, sense, feel and smell the exact details. You are woven into an intensity that is cozy, witchy, but also absolutely gruesome and cruel. Cassandra Khaw wrote that Slatter writes "witches like no other". And after reading this book, I can only agree - refreshing, classic, very unique and enchanting. A must read for all gothic-cozy-witchy-horror lovers!
August 13, 2025
Yesss, my favourite brand of witchy storytelling: dark and eerie and awful in the traditional sense of the word. Beautifully written too! I particularly loved all the folklore tales the characters told each other. And the worldbuilding is spectacular: you really get the sense that there is a lot going on outside of Silverton. Definitely gonna read the other books set in this verse!
May 7, 2025
As the first non-witch to be born in her family for generations, Ellie Briar feels the weight of lack of ability, but has trained hard to learn how to be the family's steward, handling finances, and all manner of other concerns, such as helping the townspeople with any number of problems. No matter, however useful and integral she is to the town, a few of Ellie's cousins needle her and undercut her.
She has also ensured that the far off church does not learn of the death of the priest who was assigned to the town years ago. (He became the lover of the family matriarch.)
At the story's opening, Ellie is attempting to soothe a grieving new mother, whose baby died. Ellie needs the woman to name the baby, so the Briar witches can ensure that the baby's ghost does not arrive to plague the town. Interestingly, for a town that has existed for generations, there are no ghosts, and the Briar witches are responsible for keeping the town ghost free and other threats.
Ellie's cousin Audra has been training to assume power when the matriarch dies, and Ellie knows that they are both to work as a team going forward. The only thing is, this day happens much sooner than either expected when the matriarch dies suddenly. Audra sends Ellie off out of town to check in with the outlying farms, while Audra, the new Briar Witch, heads out of town, telling no one where she is headed. And, to make matters more complicated, Ellie begins seeing and hearing ghosts.
Ellie begins her life as Steward, and not only hears townspeople's problems, but begins solving them with information from the ghosts. Ellie also finds that she must also hear ghosts' final words, log them in a book, before they can go to their rest. Ellie knows that her family will be horrified by her new ability because Briar witches are not supposed to be able to do what she does. Naturally, she does her best to hide this from the others, while Audra begins behaving in ways that don't seem guaranteed to keep the Church away or keep townspeople happy.
This was fantastic. I loved the interwoven fables, the complex family dynamics, the magical lore, the touch of romance, and the atmosphere conjured by A.G. Slatter throughout this captivating story.
She has also ensured that the far off church does not learn of the death of the priest who was assigned to the town years ago. (He became the lover of the family matriarch.)
At the story's opening, Ellie is attempting to soothe a grieving new mother, whose baby died. Ellie needs the woman to name the baby, so the Briar witches can ensure that the baby's ghost does not arrive to plague the town. Interestingly, for a town that has existed for generations, there are no ghosts, and the Briar witches are responsible for keeping the town ghost free and other threats.
Ellie's cousin Audra has been training to assume power when the matriarch dies, and Ellie knows that they are both to work as a team going forward. The only thing is, this day happens much sooner than either expected when the matriarch dies suddenly. Audra sends Ellie off out of town to check in with the outlying farms, while Audra, the new Briar Witch, heads out of town, telling no one where she is headed. And, to make matters more complicated, Ellie begins seeing and hearing ghosts.
Ellie begins her life as Steward, and not only hears townspeople's problems, but begins solving them with information from the ghosts. Ellie also finds that she must also hear ghosts' final words, log them in a book, before they can go to their rest. Ellie knows that her family will be horrified by her new ability because Briar witches are not supposed to be able to do what she does. Naturally, she does her best to hide this from the others, while Audra begins behaving in ways that don't seem guaranteed to keep the Church away or keep townspeople happy.
This was fantastic. I loved the interwoven fables, the complex family dynamics, the magical lore, the touch of romance, and the atmosphere conjured by A.G. Slatter throughout this captivating story.
Read
July 3, 2025time for another shot at this
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i'm intrigued by this, but i shot myself in the foot starting after realizing i'm pretty burnt out on pure fantasy right now. i'll revisit after. it's not you, it's me
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i'm intrigued by this, but i shot myself in the foot starting after realizing i'm pretty burnt out on pure fantasy right now. i'll revisit after. it's not you, it's me
December 25, 2023
This is another very strong entry in Slatter’s sourdough universe. She’s in the select group of authors I will buy immediately, no questions asked.
Compare to *All the Murmuring Bones* and *The Path of Thorns* this started out a little slow for me. A little slow, but I was thoroughly hooked at the same time. Overall, I have no complaints about the pacing; the tension built so slowly and gradually that I almost didn’t notice it until everything exploded. It felt like the proverbial (and apocryphal) frog in the pot not noticing the water getting hot.
Plot summary: set in a village where the god hounds leave witches alone, because the witches are able to effectively guard the border with the leech-lords (oft mentioned in other books, but not yet seen AFAIK). The village is ruled by a single family of witches, the Briars. There’s something of a leadership crisis coming up: the current ruling generation is getting old, and their children all died of a plague or madness. The grandchildren are capable but only barely adults, and haven’t had the time to get all the training that would normally take place.
Our protagonist is Ellie, one of these grandchildren, and the only Briar for generations to *not* be a witch. Ellie is part of the family, but her lack of power means she struggles to be taken seriously. She’s internalized this as well, and struggles to value herself as highly as she should. The family in general recognizes her capabilities as an administrator, and her advice and ideas about how to govern the village shouldn’t logically be given less weight than those of her cousins. And yet.
Slatter does an excellent job writing characters that are very believably flawed. They make bad decisions, but because no one likes to actually *admit* they've made a bad decision, they have the very human tendency to justify and double down. There are consequences and problems caused by them. Slatter's talent as a writer comes through in that I want to slap them for being idiots even as I cheer for them.
Highly recommended. As with other Slatter books, these are part of the same wider universe, with vague references to other books, and yet entirely standalone.
My blog
Compare to *All the Murmuring Bones* and *The Path of Thorns* this started out a little slow for me. A little slow, but I was thoroughly hooked at the same time. Overall, I have no complaints about the pacing; the tension built so slowly and gradually that I almost didn’t notice it until everything exploded. It felt like the proverbial (and apocryphal) frog in the pot not noticing the water getting hot.
Plot summary: set in a village where the god hounds leave witches alone, because the witches are able to effectively guard the border with the leech-lords (oft mentioned in other books, but not yet seen AFAIK). The village is ruled by a single family of witches, the Briars. There’s something of a leadership crisis coming up: the current ruling generation is getting old, and their children all died of a plague or madness. The grandchildren are capable but only barely adults, and haven’t had the time to get all the training that would normally take place.
Our protagonist is Ellie, one of these grandchildren, and the only Briar for generations to *not* be a witch. Ellie is part of the family, but her lack of power means she struggles to be taken seriously. She’s internalized this as well, and struggles to value herself as highly as she should. The family in general recognizes her capabilities as an administrator, and her advice and ideas about how to govern the village shouldn’t logically be given less weight than those of her cousins. And yet.
Slatter does an excellent job writing characters that are very believably flawed. They make bad decisions, but because no one likes to actually *admit* they've made a bad decision, they have the very human tendency to justify and double down. There are consequences and problems caused by them. Slatter's talent as a writer comes through in that I want to slap them for being idiots even as I cheer for them.
Highly recommended. As with other Slatter books, these are part of the same wider universe, with vague references to other books, and yet entirely standalone.
My blog
February 12, 2025
This is my favorite of Slatter's Sourdough Universe novels thus far. It has a direct connection to Of Sorrow and Such for anyone who loved that novella, though it takes place 300 years later.
November 19, 2023
Slatter's Sourdough universe, in which The Briar Book of the Dead is set, is a twisty, tangled work of art, and this is yet another fabulous contribution to it. Looking at the world of Sourdough as a whole, it's a bit like if you took Jeff VanderMeer's Ambergris novels and set them on a much larger, grander scale spanning generations - and then made them all focused around complex women, generational trauma and politics, and the power of social influence.
Unlike the later Ambergris books (which I felt were perhaps a bit too tidy and pat), every story and novel set in the world of Sourdough makes the world deeper rather than pulling back the curtain too far and making it feel shallow and understandable. Each new entry promises more, raises questions, and creates a web of connections so deftly handled that it's endless fractal lace rather than a mere tapestry. The closer you look, the more you see hidden and glimmering between the threads.
The Briar Book of the Dead is dark, gothic, and witchy in all the ways I could ever want. It lives up to every promise I've come to expect from Slatter, and I recommend it whole-heartedly.
Unlike the later Ambergris books (which I felt were perhaps a bit too tidy and pat), every story and novel set in the world of Sourdough makes the world deeper rather than pulling back the curtain too far and making it feel shallow and understandable. Each new entry promises more, raises questions, and creates a web of connections so deftly handled that it's endless fractal lace rather than a mere tapestry. The closer you look, the more you see hidden and glimmering between the threads.
The Briar Book of the Dead is dark, gothic, and witchy in all the ways I could ever want. It lives up to every promise I've come to expect from Slatter, and I recommend it whole-heartedly.
March 24, 2025
4.5!
I was torn on giving this a 4 or a 5 because I adored so much of the book, the premise was super cool, and she has a gorgeous writing style. However the ending felt a touch rushed in comparison to the rest of the book making the pacing feel a bit erratic.
However I do really rate and recommend this book for anyone wanting something cosy, a tad spooky, and so much fun. I loved the main character (Ellie) immediately, as well as the world Angela Slatter developed. I’ll definitely pick up her other books. ☺️
Ooh edit: special love for the intrigue and folklore. I love how many characters shared family oral history starting with “this tale came to my mother by her grandmother, who was told by her grandmother before her..” or some variant!!
I was torn on giving this a 4 or a 5 because I adored so much of the book, the premise was super cool, and she has a gorgeous writing style. However the ending felt a touch rushed in comparison to the rest of the book making the pacing feel a bit erratic.
However I do really rate and recommend this book for anyone wanting something cosy, a tad spooky, and so much fun. I loved the main character (Ellie) immediately, as well as the world Angela Slatter developed. I’ll definitely pick up her other books. ☺️
Ooh edit: special love for the intrigue and folklore. I love how many characters shared family oral history starting with “this tale came to my mother by her grandmother, who was told by her grandmother before her..” or some variant!!
February 17, 2024
Thank you so much Titan Books for sending me an early copy of this book!
This is perfect for lovers of all things witchy and ghostly. I truly think this would have been a perfect October read!
I loved how so many small plot points were teased during the book, because the pay off when they all came together at the end was just beautiful. I really got attached to these characters (especially Sandor).
I’m sad this is a standalone because I want more!
This is perfect for lovers of all things witchy and ghostly. I truly think this would have been a perfect October read!
I loved how so many small plot points were teased during the book, because the pay off when they all came together at the end was just beautiful. I really got attached to these characters (especially Sandor).
I’m sad this is a standalone because I want more!
February 10, 2025
In ‘Het heksenboek van Ellie Briar‘, volgen we het verhaal van Ellie, rentmeester van de Briarheksen in opleiding.
Haar familie runt al eeuwenlang het stadje Silverton en met twee oudere grootmoeders, wordt het tijd dat de volgende generatie klaar staat om het stokje over te nemen.
Door onvoorziene gebeurtenissen, blijkt dit alleen sneller dan Ellie en haar nichten hadden verwacht…
Angela Slatter weet met ‘Het heksenboek van Ellie Briar’ opnieuw een betoverende wereld te creëren, maar dit keer met een iets minder sterke balans in tempo en spanning.
De eerste helft van het boek voelde voor mij wat traag aan. Er werd veel informatie gegeven, maar er gebeurde weinig, waardoor het verhaal moeilijk op gang kwam. Het kostte me dan ook moeite om in het verhaal te komen.
Maar gelukkig loont het doorzetten, want in de tweede helft komt de spanning meer tot leven. De dynamiek tussen Ellie en haar nichten wordt steeds intenser, mysterieuze gebeurtenissen stapelen zich op, en uiteindelijk ontvouwt zich een boeiend plot met een verrassende wending. Dit zorgde ervoor dat ik alsnog volledig in het verhaal werd meegezogen.
Ellie Briar zelf vond ik een fantastisch personage! Ze is ontzettend loveable en maakt een prachtige ontwikkeling door. Als lezer ga je echt van haar houden.
De bij-personages waren kleurrijk en stuk voor stuk uniek, wat het verhaal een extra touch gaf. Wat mij betreft waren ze dan ook absoluut een toevoeging aan het verhaal, al had ik met name bij het personage van Huw iets meer diepgang willen zien.
Angela’s schrijfstijl is overigens weer heerlijk beeldend en sprookjesachtig. Ik had wel graag iets meer uitwerking gezien in de worldbuilding en de duistere wezens die op de achtergrond aanwezig zijn. Het is duidelijk dat de Briarheksen een grens bewaken waar “gevreesde wezens” niet overheen kunnen, maar ik had graag iets van deze wezens willen zien om het verhaal echt te ervaren.
Het voelde nu soms als een verhaal teveel vanuit één kant, waarbij vooral de Briarheksen en Silverton centraal staan.
Het einde rond af met een prettig epiloog en daarnaast een kort bonusverhaal.
Conclusie
Ondanks de wat trage opbouw is ‘Het heksenboek van Ellie Briar‘ opnieuw een prachtig verhaal van Angela Slatter.
Ze weet van magie en een sprookjesachtige setting een leuk verhaal te maken. De personages waren in dit geval zeker de kracht van het verhaal.
Is het ingewikkelde fantasy met veel diepgang? Zeker niet. Maar na de eerste helft van het boek heb ik absoluut genoten!
Een aanrader voor liefhebbers van magische verhalen met sterke vrouwelijke personages!
Haar familie runt al eeuwenlang het stadje Silverton en met twee oudere grootmoeders, wordt het tijd dat de volgende generatie klaar staat om het stokje over te nemen.
Door onvoorziene gebeurtenissen, blijkt dit alleen sneller dan Ellie en haar nichten hadden verwacht…
Angela Slatter weet met ‘Het heksenboek van Ellie Briar’ opnieuw een betoverende wereld te creëren, maar dit keer met een iets minder sterke balans in tempo en spanning.
De eerste helft van het boek voelde voor mij wat traag aan. Er werd veel informatie gegeven, maar er gebeurde weinig, waardoor het verhaal moeilijk op gang kwam. Het kostte me dan ook moeite om in het verhaal te komen.
Maar gelukkig loont het doorzetten, want in de tweede helft komt de spanning meer tot leven. De dynamiek tussen Ellie en haar nichten wordt steeds intenser, mysterieuze gebeurtenissen stapelen zich op, en uiteindelijk ontvouwt zich een boeiend plot met een verrassende wending. Dit zorgde ervoor dat ik alsnog volledig in het verhaal werd meegezogen.
Ellie Briar zelf vond ik een fantastisch personage! Ze is ontzettend loveable en maakt een prachtige ontwikkeling door. Als lezer ga je echt van haar houden.
De bij-personages waren kleurrijk en stuk voor stuk uniek, wat het verhaal een extra touch gaf. Wat mij betreft waren ze dan ook absoluut een toevoeging aan het verhaal, al had ik met name bij het personage van Huw iets meer diepgang willen zien.
Angela’s schrijfstijl is overigens weer heerlijk beeldend en sprookjesachtig. Ik had wel graag iets meer uitwerking gezien in de worldbuilding en de duistere wezens die op de achtergrond aanwezig zijn. Het is duidelijk dat de Briarheksen een grens bewaken waar “gevreesde wezens” niet overheen kunnen, maar ik had graag iets van deze wezens willen zien om het verhaal echt te ervaren.
Het voelde nu soms als een verhaal teveel vanuit één kant, waarbij vooral de Briarheksen en Silverton centraal staan.
Het einde rond af met een prettig epiloog en daarnaast een kort bonusverhaal.
Conclusie
Ondanks de wat trage opbouw is ‘Het heksenboek van Ellie Briar‘ opnieuw een prachtig verhaal van Angela Slatter.
Ze weet van magie en een sprookjesachtige setting een leuk verhaal te maken. De personages waren in dit geval zeker de kracht van het verhaal.
Is het ingewikkelde fantasy met veel diepgang? Zeker niet. Maar na de eerste helft van het boek heb ik absoluut genoten!
Een aanrader voor liefhebbers van magische verhalen met sterke vrouwelijke personages!
April 22, 2024
Excellent, beautifully written, deeply atmospheric and cleverly plotted. Our main character is the only non-magical woman in a family of witches, and it was so satisfying seeing how powerful her competence, intelligence and kindness end up being, even without magic. I love her to bits.
It's an interesting mix of small and large scale, we're confined to a small incredibly remote town, but there's so much going, and just when you think we've settled down there's a new player or element showing up. And, as with all other Slatter books, I absolutely loved the setting, there's the ancient house, the old town histories and mysteries, the looming dark woods, all the small town politics and egos.
It was nice seeing how the story was interwoven with the other Sourdough universe stories, it makes it all seem so real and lived in. Even though it took me ageeees to see the main connection.
It's an interesting mix of small and large scale, we're confined to a small incredibly remote town, but there's so much going, and just when you think we've settled down there's a new player or element showing up. And, as with all other Slatter books, I absolutely loved the setting, there's the ancient house, the old town histories and mysteries, the looming dark woods, all the small town politics and egos.
It was nice seeing how the story was interwoven with the other Sourdough universe stories, it makes it all seem so real and lived in. Even though it took me ageeees to see the main connection.
March 19, 2024
«The Briar Book of the Dead» de Angela Slatter es una magnífica historia de brujas gobernando su pueblo. Nuestra protagonista, sin embargo, no tiene poderes. Hasta que empieza a ver fantasmas. Una novela en el mundo de «Masa Madre» con detalles muy chulos. Muy recomendada.
April 4, 2025
This book is a 3.5/4 star for me.
It had a really interesting storyline by the end however, it started off slow.
The beginning was more world building, detail and history of the characters. I found the story started to gain more interest around chapter 6 then again around 100 pages into it. After, I really wanted to know what was going on even though I had my suspicions of “who” just not the “why”.
The book is built around a family of witches and the story of their bloodline and what they stand for. Along the way there are obstacles, ghosts and unfortunate events.
It does have some suspenseful elements, magical moments and fairy tales from this world.
Overall, I enjoyed it. But it is a book to be patient with.
It had a really interesting storyline by the end however, it started off slow.
The beginning was more world building, detail and history of the characters. I found the story started to gain more interest around chapter 6 then again around 100 pages into it. After, I really wanted to know what was going on even though I had my suspicions of “who” just not the “why”.
The book is built around a family of witches and the story of their bloodline and what they stand for. Along the way there are obstacles, ghosts and unfortunate events.
It does have some suspenseful elements, magical moments and fairy tales from this world.
Overall, I enjoyed it. But it is a book to be patient with.
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