Starve Acre

by Andrew Michael Hurley

The worst thing possible has happened. Richard and Juliette Willoughby's son, Ewan, has died suddenly at the age of five. Starve Acre, their house by the moors, was to be full of life, but is now a haunted place.

Juliette, convinced Ewan still lives there in some form, seeks the help of the Beacons, a seemingly benevolent group of occultists. Richard, to try and keep the boy out of his mind, has turned his attention to the field opposite the house, where he patiently digs the barren dirt in search of a legendary oak tree.

Starve Acre is a devastating new novel by the author of the prize-winning bestseller The Loney. It is a novel about the way in which grief splits the world in two and how, in searching for hope, we can so easily unearth horror.

Genres: Horror, Fiction, Gothic, Mystery, Fantasy, Contemporary, Paranormal

225 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 1, 2019

About the author

Andrew Michael Hurley (born 1975) is a British writer whose debut novel, The Loney, was published in a limited edition of 278 copies on 1 October 2014 by Tartarus Press[ and was published under Hodder and Stoughton's John Murray imprint in 2015.

Reviews

[Paromjit · Rating 5 out of 5]

Andrew Michael Hurley has a real gift for the gothic style, horror tinged, atmospheric storytelling that immerses the reader here in a chillingly dark and disturbing world. He draws on his trademark themes of history, superstitions and folklore in a ominous narrative that goes back and forth in time. The Willoughbys have relocated to the rural Yorkshire Dales to an inherited home, Starve Acre, a name that certainly doesn't inspire comforting heartwarming pictures. For Richard and Juliette as parents, the very worst that could have happened is swamping their lives, the unbounded intense grief at the loss of their little 5 year old boy, Ewan. Ewan had been a sweet and happy boy, but had changed drastically recently, becoming more temperamental and worryingly cruel, with locals afraid of him and leaving his parents concerned. They deal with their grief in different ways, with Richard focusing on the history of Starve Acre, and the field with the legendary Stythwaite Oak, discovering wood block prints depicting hangings, the scary figure of Jack Grey and unearths hares bones.

Juliette remains convinced that Ewan is still there, but worried that his presence is weakening. To address this, she invites into their home an occultist group, The Beacons. The unnerving events that follow are not what was planned as it all culminates in one hell of a freaking shocker of an ending. Hurley gives us vivid rich descriptions of the location, and leaves the reader unsure as to what is real, whether the fantastical elements can be believed, and the tortuous grim nature of the hell that is grief. This novella held me in its chilling and tightly gripping arms, right from the start until I finished it all in one sitting, upon which I was left stunned and dazed as I returned back to reality.

This book should be on everyone's list as the dark nights of the approaching Autumn inch closer, it is perfect reading fare for Halloween. Highly recommended. Many thanks to John Murray Press for an ARC.

[Peter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ominous
Starve Acre is a folk horror tale, full of menace and fuelled by guilt. Richard and Juliette Willoughby, and their young son Ewan moved to Richard’s family home in the Yorkshire Dales following the death of his parents. The house known as Starve Acre has unhappy memories for Richard as he recalls his father’s mental breakdown. The unfriendliness of the house and the surrounding fields haven’t changed and the main field that folklore tells of homing the legendary Stythwaite Oak sees nothing ever grow there. The barren field of dirt is vividly drawn and the huge Oak tree is imagined as it may once have dominated the landscape. The tree carries a supernatural history that radiates evil where it was once used as a hanging tree - hanging young men for crimes that seemed out of character. Although it no longer exists above ground, Richard is convinced its root system is still there and infecting the surrounding area. As he digs to discover any evidence he uncovers wooden carvings and the untouched skeleton of a hare.

Ewan dies at 5 years of age after a period where the community witnessed episodes of his cruelty to animals and other children. The story deals with switchbacks in time to Ewan’s activities and he insisted that it was Jack Grey telling him to do those evil things. Jack Grey is the local bogeyman who seems to manipulate others into doing evil acts. Richard and Juliette are dealing with the bereavement of their son in different ways but Juliette is riddled with guilt and we wonder what may be the source of those emotions.

“It seemed to Richard sometimes that Juliette had actually brought twins into the world: Ewan and Guilt. The latter had always been the stronger of the two. It fed more, weighed more, demanded more of their attention. When it had outlived Ewan, it had grown larger still.”

Juliette insists she can still feel Ewan’s presence in the house but his spirit is drifting away. She calls in the Beacons as mediums to communicate with Ewan and identify what she is feeling. The Beacons leave abruptly, shaken and frightened, and advise the Willoughbys to move out immediately.

The ability to start the story with the suspicion of evil, introduce paranormal folklore, and continuously ramp up the horror and dark content to a shocking aberrant conclusion, is convincingly achieved in this novel. The suspense of lurking peril adding to an evil foreboding atmosphere is masterfully crafted by Andrew Michael Hurley. The location is vividly portrayed with an air of warning hanging on every scene and the well-drawn characters fit the story perfectly. I enjoyed the mix of the guilty parents, Juliette, whose mind is slowly slipping into madness or compliance with the supernatural, while Richard feels the frustration and despair of not accepting paranormal signs and being unable to convince his wife that her behaviour is irrational and they need to get away from this abnormal environment.

If I had one issue, it is that I expected a bit more horror or trauma from this story even though I appreciate the threat of horror is often greater than the horror itself.

I recommend reading this book and I'd like to thank John Murray Press and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC version in return for an honest review.

[Beata · Rating 4 out of 5]

Starve Acre was a perfect read for this time of year.
The story is woven around a folk tale of a tree that was used for hangings hundreds of years ago and which possibly made the soil barren around Starve Acre, a house that has belonged to the Willoughbys for generations. The house now belongs to a couple, Juliette and Richard, who grieve after the death of their five-year-old son. The theme sounds simple, however, everything that surrounds the house and the fields around it is not. In the course of the story we learn about the family past, and about Ewan, the boy who died unexpectedly, and who showed most disturbing traits with regard to his personality.
The novel is creepy and chilling, and the folklore tales incorporated into it add to its atmosphere.
*A big thank-you to Andrew Michael Hurley, John Murray Press and NetGalley for arc in exchange for my honest review.*

[Beverly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gorgeous cover art of a giant tree with a hangman's noose makes Starve Acre a beautiful, little book to behold. It is just as chilling and absorbing and lovingly written on the inside. I felt I could see the house, the dead wood, and where the digging was taking place. The cold seemed to seep into your bones. This author has a real gift for imagery.

The story is a dreary one, a couple has lost their young son. Ewan died at five years old, worse even than this, his memory is benighted by the boy's cruelty before he passed. He had become someone his parents didn't recognise.. His father is more forgiving and denying of the past and ignores his wife's misgivings. She is slowly unraveling and he is ineffectual at helping her.

The house and wood close by are haunted by a spirit, according to folklore; Jack Grey seems to have blighted the land and the spirits of anyone who lives there. What made me frustrated with the story is how the father witnessed a supernatural event, but won't believe anyone else who even hints at the idea of a malignancy in the land. This more than anything left me feeling frustrated, and is kind of a trope of supernatural stories. He won't believe in it, even when he sees it with his own eyes.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well.... I did not expect that ending....

[Sadie Hartmann · Rating 5 out of 5]

STARVE ACRE by Andrew Michael Hurley (The Loney, Devil's Day)

Release Date: New edition, July 2023
General Genre: Folk Horror
Subgenre/Themes: Book to Movie, Gothic, Folklore, Psychological, Domestic Drama, Small Town Horror
Writing Style: brisk pacing, character-driven, cinematic, authentic dialogue, 2 parts/no chapters

What You Need to Know: Richard and Juliette Willoughby are grieving the loss of their young son in different ways. Juliette seems unable to let him go while Richard is ready to move on and have another child. As their marital story is told to readers, readers gather small clues as to why their child Ewan was so different and what happened to him just before he died.

My Reading Experience: Grief and Folk horror together in one book? This is my jam. When I tell you that I was glued to these pages, I mean positively whisked away to the setting of this book. Juliette and Richard move to Richard's family home in the Dales despite the fact Richard didn't have the best childhood experience there. Juliette 100% believes that the property will be ideal for raising their child.
The author LOVES to drop little breadcrumbs and clues for readers to gather from the characters. There is so much going on behind the scenes, between the lines, it's just delicious. I collected ideas and guesses the whole time.
How much do you love that? Readers, how much do you love when the author is letting you in on their secrets while they are additionally keeping those same secrets from the characters. It's my favorite. So many times while I was reading this book, the characters were doing something in the darkness, while they think nobody is watching--BUT WE ARE. WE ARE WATCHING.
And folk horror? Are you kidding me?
It is the most fun when a naive couple try so hard to pretend everything is normal, everything is fine but all the while, we see it all coming apart at the seams. The denial, the squabbles between husband and wife, the rejection of the supernatural, the occult, the paranormal...horror fans thrive under these conditions. It's so fun when we know something they don't know and it's just a wait-it-out-and-see game between author and reader. All the spoils go the reader. The reward is just waiting for you at the end of this book.
A new favorite folk horror. All the stars. I can't wait for the movie and I can't wait to read more by this author.


Final Recommendation: You need this book if you love grief horror, the occult, folklore, small town secrets, marital secrets, building suspense, something sinister in the woods, creepy kids, and a banger, one-sitting read.
Comps: Dark Harvest, Halloween Fiend, Cunning Folk, Children of the Corn

[Janie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book in two sittings. Combining a troubled family with a property possessing a nefarious history, this book is impossible to put down until the final unsettling pages. A fast and ominously intense read.

[Berengaria · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

short review for busy readers: a short low-key English folk horror novel about a sinister rural legend returning to its old tricks after a few centuries of slumber. Excellent setting, lore and creep factor, but rather slow in the telling. Decent writing. Takes some thought at the end to get the full picture of what's been happening. Annoying or unlikeable characters.

in detail:
I'm not a fan of what has traditionally been labelled horror. That is, slasher and splatter movies or cheesy flicks about demonic dolls or exorcisms, etc. Blood, gore, guts...no, thanks.

But folk horror like this is different. It takes those rural legends and traditions that surround village life and imbue them with a type of sinister dread. (I suppose it's a natural outgrowth of the ghost story...except it's a rural myth that's doing the haunting, not a traditional ghost. )

"Starve Acre" fits exactly into that space. The legend and history surrounding the sinister old figure of Jack Grey is exactly the type of creepy haunting by an unreal (or is he?) entity that is going to set me all aflutter. It's Pagan in the best way possible. 😍

Too bad the story's just so damn slow.

Drip. Drip. Drip. 😒

What's also a drag is that our main characters of Richard and Juliette are two very stubborn, stupid people...if we don't take into account that Jack Grey's influence is more far reaching than it looks on the surface.

On the surface, it looks like this ancient sprite is doing a repeat of what he did back in the 1600s with Richard and Juliette's young son, Ewan. But that's most likely not what's really going on. What's really going on is that Jack Grey has had his claws into all three of them from the moment they moved to Starve Acre. Richard's dad was supposed to do the honours, but he got shipped off to the sanatorium before he could. Enter family with young son. Perfect for Jack Grey's needs!

That's a very cool twist. But unfortunately, it's expressing itself in that most tiresome of paranormal story tropes "I don't believe in the supernatural. I demand a rational explanation for why I'm being haunted by this disembodied hand while wraiths swirl around my head."🙄

Richard comes off like an imbecile for most of the tale.

From Juliette, we get the trope of the guilt-ridden mother who still annoyingly believes her dead child is alive somewhere, although she was there when he died. Mummy's here, sweetie! Come back to mummy! And won't listen to sense or be helped, even when it's very clear to her something is wrong. Double 🙄 plus a yick.

In summary:
The concept and the lore in Starve Acre are absolutely perfect. A full 5 stars!

The execution is far too slow. 3 stars.

I didn't care too much for having to be patient with tropes I don't enjoy in order to see the overall pattern, which could possibly have been shown differently. 2 stars.

The writing was fine. 3 stars.

That equals 3.25, so a 3.5 will do.

[Blair · Rating 5 out of 5]

In a manner of speaking, I'd already read Starve Acre. A novella of the same title, published under the pseudonym Jonathan Buckley, was issued as part of the Eden Book Society series earlier this year. I loved it (you can read my review here). But this new version promised an expanded take on the themes of the novella, plus a different ending, so I was still excited to (re?)read it.

Richard and Juliette Willoughby are in mourning for their young son, Ewan. In the aftermath of his death, their world has lost its colour. Their home, Starve Acre, becomes a dead, ugly place, replete with unwanted memories. The surrounding countryside, starkly rendered in Hurley’s prose, is no longer beautiful but unremittingly bleak: ‘It seemed to Richard that February simply refused to leave the dale’. The unwelcoming nearby village of Stythwaite seems closed off entirely.

Richard has become obsessed with digging in a field on the Willoughbys’ property (the literal Starve Acre, one assumes), looking for evidence of the legendary ‘Stythwaite Oak’. ‘Away from the house he found a degree of peace. Ewan never bothered him out here in the field.’

Juliette, too, feels Ewan’s presence – in a more literal sense. The Willoughbys’ neighbour Gordon has introduced her to a group called ‘the Beacons’, who claim to be able to make contact with the dead, or something like that – their methods and aims are deliberately nebulous. When a visit from the Beacons coincides with Richard unearthing the skeleton of a hare, Juliette’s supernatural beliefs are only strengthened.

My first experience of reading Starve Acre was one of delighted discovery. The story sank its claws into me slowly, building a sense of increasing dread through a number of threads: the flashbacks that reveal Ewan’s character; the transformation of the hare; the eerie woodcuts Richard finds in his father’s library. This reading was, naturally, different: I already knew the bones (no pun intended) of the plot. But it is still gripping, still impeccably atmospheric, still an unforgettable gem of subtle, creeping horror. Plus there are some fantastically effective additions, particularly with regards to Ewan.

As in all Hurley’s fiction, landscape is significant. The farm, the village and the surrounding dale are among the strongest aspects of Starve Acre, so beautifully detailed that they could be laid out in front of you. I think of some of the settings in this book and I instantly feel colder. The story is set in the 1970s; when there is a bit of period detail, it’s something wonderfully specific that instantly calls up a visual, like Juliette’s sister Harrie’s car, a ‘tea-coloured Austin’.

While there are expanded and/or rewritten scenes throughout, this edition differs most from the original towards the end. And what’s interesting there is that material has actually been cut from the original version, so that the story ends on a more striking note of horror but also, somehow, more ambiguously.

Starve Acre is the best kind of horror novel. It’s disturbing and creepy in parts, and it makes those parts work to the best of their potential through its slow-burning pace. It’s also more than a horror novel, tackling themes of grief, parenthood, belonging and tradition – and doing so successfully. With The Loney and Devil’s Day, it completes a hat-trick of brilliant novels from this author, all of which feel like future cult classics.

I received an advance review copy of Starve Acre from the publisher through NetGalley.

TinyLetter | Twitter | Instagram | Tumblr

[Ceecee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having really enjoyed The Loney and Devils Day I was really pleased to receive this ARC and I was not disappointed. From the opening sentences with the beautiful winter descriptions of Croftendale in the Yorkshire Dales right through to the mind blowing ending I was hooked. This is the story of Richard, Juliette and Ewan Willoughby and their home Starve Acre. It is a story of grief, guilt and sorrow following the death of young Ewan, it encompasses local legends, superstitions, magic and beliefs. The story weaves effortlessly from before Ewan died to afterwards and we learn how Ewan changes and becomes a cause of consternation and fear to the villagers as well as to his mother.

Starve Acre is well depicted and I enjoyed the sections where Richard reorganises his father’s books and finds the wood block prints which show the legendary Stythwaite Oak (which is on their land and Richard is excavating for), later on he finds one that shows Jack Grey the local bogeyman and later on he finds ones which depict hangings from centuries ago. Jack Grey and the tree have a major effect on Ewan. One minute he is ‘morose’ then ‘hyperactive’ and certainly he becomes vindictive. For instance, he joyfully builds a snowman with his parents, the next day he viscously destroys it. I found Richards and Juliette’s reaction to Ewan and his subsequent death very thought provoking. They didn’t know what Ewan’s life meant- he took all their love and filled them with sorrow. Juliette is initially inert and wracked with grief but later this changes. Richard tries to keep busy with the excavation in order to find some acceptance and peace.

There is a lot of magic and superstition in the story. Mrs Forde and the Beacons were interesting and Mrs Forde senses something fetid in the house which turns out to be true. The hares bones that Richard finds during the excavation of the tree and what happens later is certainly magical and strange. Richard feels the discovery brings a ‘sense of imminence of things brimming on the cusp’. I don’t want to give away any spoilers but the hare causes a few jaw dropping moments. Gordon, one of their friends tries to warn them of impending doom.

What a read! The ending socks you right between the eyes. It was fantastic in every sense of the word. It was eye popping, jaw dropping, heart stopping, mind boggling, dumbfounding and amazing. It is extremely well written with some beautiful descriptions. It is a dark tale so when Ewan welcomes New Years Eve guests with some gorgeous malapropisms that is a welcome laugh out loud moment! It is very different and you have to suspend disbelief but it is so well written and really worth reading.

Thanks to NetGalley and John Murray Press for an ARC in return for an honest review.

[Ken · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderfully atmospheric folk horror tale that instantly hooked me from the first page.

We know from the outset that something tragic has happened to Richard and Juliette's five year old son Ewan.

The narrative cleverly converges two timelines as the reader follows the family who's recently moved into a house on the Moors, whilst the manner in which both parents come to terms with the sudden death of their son.

The tension really builds especially as we learn that Ewans behaviour had started to become erratic leading upto his death.

I found this to be such a quick disturbing read that fitted perfectly for this time of year.
I loved the questions posed early on as to what exactly alter Ewan and how much the grief in losing a child is going to play on the couple.
Especially Juliette who is convinced that her boy still continues to live in some form.
The Yorkshire setting really adds to the atmosphere in this tension building gothic mystery.

[ABCme · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a book to devour. The writing is exquisite, the characters are indepth, the bleak end of Winter scenery on the quiet moor heartbreakingly beautiful.

Richard and Juliette have recently lost their young child and are each grieving in their own way. Richard hides on the moor, Juliette in her deceased son's bedroom. They grow further apart each day.
An occult healing session turns their world upside down.

Starve Acre is a story with few characters, traveling at a slow but very pleasant pace, giving the reader space to fully engage in this couple's emotional landscape.

Thank you Netgalley and John Murray Press for the ARC.

[Jasmine · Rating 2 out of 5]

I honestly have to sit here and question what I just read. Before I get people coming into my comments saying 'you just didn't get it', I got it. I fully understood the overarching concept of grief and withdrawal. Honestly, that was one of my favourite parts: seeing how eventually we got less information about the characters, almost as if their gradual disappearance from the narrative was like disappearing within an overwhelming sense of grief. I did think Hurley did a great job of expressing the many horrific forms that grief can take.

Nonetheless, there was just no plot to this book. I was waiting for some excitement, a shiver down my spine, a sentence to make me look up and not want to look back at the page again, but there was nothing. I wasn't horrified by the book, merely unsettled by the weirdness. It was a feeling similar to the one I had when I read 'The Need' by Helen Phillips: confusion. I wanted more from this book, more of the gothic element. I really like an isolated manor story. Isolation and exclusion from society give room for an insanely creepy narrative, but I don't think the house as a plot device was used to its full potential.

This book could have been great if there were less ambiguity and more plot. I can understand why ambiguity makes for a great horror story, but usually, that ambiguity doesn't mean a lack of plot, it means not knowing the full picture of what happened. I don't really think there was a full picture to base this story off in the first place. This book just did not work for me at all and, if it wasn't so short, I don't think I would have finished it.

Thank you to Andrew Michael Hurley, Netgalley and John Murray Press for providing me with an e-copy in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

[Mike Mason · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book found in hospital charity shop on visit to my dad. Eyes caught the red hare on the cover and the words written on each side of the book end pages.

Sad story of a couple (Richard and Juliette) who lose their five year old son (Ewan) and try to come to terms with their grief. The wife by introducing some Occultists into her life. The husband by digging in a field for the roots of an ancient hanging oak. And finding the bones of a Hare that reanimates itself.

Whilst not a visceral shell shock horror story ala King or Straub. This story built well to the crescendo.

One of the reviews on the back cover states:

‘The best closing line of any novel we have read this year…A strange and unsettling read.’ Both comments spot on.

Some great quotes:

…’a church was merely a meeting place for the mentally ill, and that all who gathered there- priest and parishioners- were as fearful and asanine as schizophrenics. There was no God, no heaven or hell, no posthumous judgement for wickedness or reward for piety; there was no resurrection, no transfiguration, no illimitable bliss, no life everlasting. The sum of human existence was collagen and calcium phosphate. And then nothing.’

As a lapsed Catholic I found this tough to digest.

‘It seemed to Richard sometimes that Juliette had actually brought twins into the world: Ewan and guilt.’

Brilliant writing and a quick read. A nice afterword by the Author also included in this edition.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Richard and Juliette Whilloughby are mourning the death of their troubled 5 year old son, Ewan. Their once joyful house is now a house of grief. Juliette refuses to leave the house, sleeps in Ewan's room, and barely eats any more. Richard worries for her. He'll do anything to help her but it falls on deaf ears. When her sister Harriett comes to town to stay and talk sense into her things take a terrible turn for the worse.

"It seemed that he’d come into the world only to take all their love and then fill them with sorrow."

Whoa! This book was a complete surprise and more disturbing than I thought it would be. We go back and forth in time so the reader can meet Ewan before his death and then to see all the repercussions this tragedy causes in the present. I was completely captivated from beginning to end. And that ending? DAMN!!!! 😨🐇 <--- IYKYK! Yikes! 4 stars!

[Ends of the Word · Rating 5 out of 5]

And so, the secret is out. Starve Acre, originally issued by Dead Ink Books as part of their Eden Book Society series, was not written by the elusive (by which read “fictional”) 1970s author Jonathan Buckley, but is, in fact, Andrew Michael Hurley's third novel. Starve Acre has now been published by John Murray under Hurley’s name and with new cover art. Having enjoyed "Buckley"’s horror novella, I was eager to read this version, curious to discover whether it would be an expanded take on the original.

As it turns out, I would say that around 85% of the text of the two novels is identical, such that the forthcoming version of Starve Acre is less a reworking than a variant of the previous edition. There is an important difference, which I’ll come to later but, in essence, the book remains the same: to quote Hurley himself, a work “very much in the folk horror tradition”, about “how grief strips the world into two”. So, if you’ve already read my review of the Eden Book Society edition, bear with me: there will be some repetition which, in the circumstances, I trust can be forgiven.

Starve Acre’s protagonists are Richard and Juliette, a couple who have lost their only son, Ewan, and are trying to get to grips with this tragic, life-changing event. Whilst Juliette believes that Ewan lives on in their house in rural Yorkshire, Richard, an archaeologist by profession, becomes obsessed with the sterile field contiguous to this house, and what lies buried beneath its dark soil.

The Eden Book Society series is based on the fictional premise that its books were written back in the 1970s. True to that brief, the original story contained some period-specific references which suggest that decade (such as Richard working on a typewriter and the conspicuous lack of mention of more recent technologies such as mobile phones). This ‘historical’ backdrop has been retained. However, in true folk horror tradition, the evil which lurks within the pages of the novel is ancient and timeless – an age-old shadow which is at one with the landscape and soil, an arcane folk figure which has terrified the villagers for centuries and which returns to curse the ‘city outsiders’ who naively try to live a dream of a simple country life.

This evil is nudged back to existence after Hurley’s protagonists, Richard and Juliette relocate from Leeds to the rural house which used to belong to Richard’s parents. Richard is not too keen on this move, particularly since it evokes memories of his father’s final mental breakdown. Juliette, however, fantasizes about their little son Ewan playing with the village children, and about raising a family of rascally young Willoughbys far from the hustle and bustle of the city. These dreams are shattered when Ewan dies in circumstances which remain vague and unexplained. Juliette falls into a debilitating depression, whereas Richard, like his father before him, spends days digging in the soil of the neighbouring “Starve Acre”, unearthing what look like the roots of an ancient “hanging tree” and the bones of a large hare. A well-meaning neighbour introduces the couple to a local mystic who conducts a séance-like ceremony in the house. It all goes horribly wrong, leading to the novella’s chilling denouement.

The story’s narrative is deftly handled, shifting seamlessly between the grief-soaked present of the Willoughbys, flashbacks to Ewan’s disturbed final months and half-remembered legends of bogeymen of English folklore.

At first I struggled to detect any notable novelty in this edition of Starve Acre, except for a subplot concerning Richard’s mother, which helps to reinforce the us-and-them mentality of the village folk. The major – and quite surprising – difference comes at the very end. I would not like to give the game away and so what I will reveal is that whilst the new version of Starve Acre is not as graphically violent as the original edition, it achieves an equally powerful climax by shifting to the final pages one of the most disturbing and hair/hare-raising images of the novella.

If anything, this new ending emphasizes a sense of ambiguity which the novella shares with some classic ghost and horror stories including, to name just one famous example, Oliver Onions’ The Beckoning Fair One. Thus, Starve Acre can be read literally as a supernatural tale or, at another level, as a study of a descent into madness and obsession, its otherworldly elements merely the morbid imaginings of sick minds. Either way, Hurley continues to confirm his status as the current master of folk horror.

[Ivana - Diary of Difference · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wishlist | Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Ko-fi



Reading Starve Acre by Andrew Michael Hurley was a unique reading experience for me. Starting right after Halloween, it was the perfect eerie continuation of the spooky reading mood. Thank you to the teams at Tandem Collective and John Murray Press, for sending me a gifted copy of this book.

Synopsis:

The worst thing possible has happened. Richard and Juliette Willoughby’s son, Ewan, has died suddenly at the age of five. Starve Acre, their house by the moors, was to be full of life, but is now a haunted place.

Juliette, convinced Ewan still lives there in some form, seeks the help of the Beacons, a seemingly benevolent group of occultists. Richard, to try and keep the boy out of his mind, has turned his attention to the field opposite the house, where he patiently digs the barren dirt in search of a legendary oak tree.

Starve Acre is a devastating new novel by the author of the prize-winning bestseller The Loney. It is a novel about the way in which grief splits the world in two and how, in searching for hope, we can so easily unearth horror.

My Thoughts:

The writing in Starve Acre is so descriptive and very atmospheric. You can feel that odd vibe coming from the house and the field, as well as from the characters. The plot flows nicely and it’s quite an easy and fast-paced book to read. The plot twists and escalations are unexpected, and the author leaves a lot of questions unanswered, leaving it to the reader to form a conclusion. When we chatted in the readalong group, it was interesting to see that everyone had different perceptions of different scenes, which was quite intriguing to see.

Starve Acre focuses on grief. It shows that no two experiences can be the same, and that people react very differently. It also showed the evil in a way I have never seen it written before. Such horror, such cruelty, no remorse. Just pure darkness. It made my stomach twirl a few times, and I actually enjoyed it.

Even though Starve Acre left me shocked and speechless in the end, this was a book I really enjoyed and devoured with pleasure. If you are looking for a gothic horror read this winter – this is the perfect book for you!

[Fiona MacDonald · Rating 2 out of 5]

Another book that I have heard so many great things about, but it seemed like I completely missed the point of the story. Hurley's writing is very lyrical, and there are some gorgeous descriptions of 'Starve Acre' - the eerie but beautifully rustic house that Richard and Juliette have moved to with hopes of giving their young son Ewan a country upbringing after being cooped up in Leeds. But tragically, Ewan dies and the couple slowly start to unravel, even more so when Juliette's sister Harrie appears. Juliette believes that Ewan is still there with them, especially after a visit from the village medium, and Richard finds the bones of a hare in the field; and day by day it becomes more "filled out" - gaining flesh, blood and hair. It also seems to have an affinity towards Starve Acre. Things are just very weird and surreal, and there is plenty of symbolism scattered about. It didn't leave me feeling particularly freaked out, just a bit unsettled. The last page is strange. I suppose that's the mark of a good suspense but I'm afraid it didn't hit the mark with me.

[JJtheBookNerd · Rating 3 out of 5]

Richard and Juliette live on the edge of the moors in an isolated place called Starve Acre. They are grieving the loss of their 5-year-old son, Ewan. Juliette, in particular, is feeling the loss hard and seems to think Ewan is still in the house. She wants to call in a group of psychics (known locally as the Beacons) to help her make contact.

In an effort to try and escape his grief, Richard begins to excavate the field across the road. His profession as an art historian means this is an interest of his. Starve Acre is barren land; legend has it hangings used to take place there and have poisoned the soil. One day, he discovers the skeleton of a hare.

This started off a bit too wordy and rambling. The Author was trying to be a bit too pretentious with his prose, which made it clunky and didn't flow well. This did settle down a bit as the book went on.

The timeline of the book alternates from the present to before Ewan dies. The lack of chapters just made it one big block of text with no breaks; hence, the timelines started blending together, and it all got a bit jumbled. There were several times I had to go back and re-read to double-check which timeline I was reading.

Richard was a bit of an exasperating character. I think I can only describe him as weak. He was also an enabler. First with his son's erratic behaviour, and then his wife, who was clearly very sick with grief and needed help.

Richard insisting he didn't believe in the supernatural, even when an event happened right in front of his own eyes over the course of several days, was infuriating. I found that his narrative was unreliable.

Juliette's behaviour with Ewan when he was alive also didn't make sense at times. I think that whatever had gotten into Ewan had also taken hold of both Richard and Juliette to a degree too, given some of their odd behaviour. That isn't apparent at first, but as the story progresses, you do start to wonder.

This is a folklore tale, with hints of the supernatural passing through into the present. Heavy on grief and the mental anguish that arises from it. It does have an eerie atmosphere, but it relies heavily on ambiguity, which I don't mind if done well. This, however, left a lot of unanswered questions to various pieces of the story, which just led to it feeling unsatisfying upon conclusion. The ending was just... weird.

I'm rating this one 2.5/5, but will round up.

[Nancy Oakes · Rating 4 out of 5]

full post here:
https://www.oddlyweirdfiction.com/201...

I don't read a lot of contemporary horror novels, but there are a few authors whose books I will preorder once I know they're on the horizon for publication. Andrew Michael Hurley is one of these people -- I absolutely loved his The Loney (in my opinion the best book he's written), quite enjoyed his Devil's Day, and now he's back with another fine novel, Starve Acre. This time around Hurley is much more straightforward in terms of horror than the previous two, but don't be fooled: what happens here, as in the case of his earlier books, plays out on many different levels other than simply gut-reaction horror. It is truly one of the most disturbing contemporary novels on the darker side I've read in a while, in a good way, of course.


Once again, Hurley sets his story in a remote, rural locale, more specifically in the Yorkshire Dales. It is here where Richard Willoughby and his wife Juliette have come to live in his family home, Starve Acre, handed down to Richard after the death of his mother. Juliette was convinced that it would be better to start and raise their family in the Dales rather than the city in which they live, and eventually their son Ewan was born. As the novel begins, it is clear however that this is a couple in the depths of grief, as their only child has died. Juliette spirals into deep depression and despondency to the point of spending each night on a mattress in Ewan's room, where she hopes to "pick up the faintest traces of Ewan," still remaining there by filling the space with mirrors and making recordings every night, hoping for "moments of contact." Richard, who is on a sort of enforced sabbatical from teaching History at university, copes by staying busy with some sort of work, organizing his father's library and after discovering old woodcuts there, seeking the location of and hoping to excavate the roots of the old Stythwaite Oak, which, as legend has it served as the local gallows tree. His friend Gordon tries to warn Richard away from continuing his search, but disregarding his advice, Richard continues on, finding nothing but a skeleton of a hare which he brings into his home to study it. In the meantime, Gordon, hoping to offer help to Juliette in some measure, introduces her to a strange group of mystics called The Beacons who organize a sort of seance in the Willoughby home. The story truly launches from this point, and we are taken back in time to Ewan's childhood and life at Starve Acre up to the time of his death. A few somewhat cryptic hints by the author clue us in that perhaps not all was well there, but little by little we get a more complete picture as to why.

I have to say that this is the sort of contemporary horror story I actually enjoy reading, very rare in my repertoire these days. Starve Acre is a novel about what is left behind after the loss of a child, with much of the story focusing on the landscape of grief itself. The supernatural elements are subtle and nicely layered, secrets are unfolded little by little, and there is that lovely sense of ambiguity that kept this book in my mind for a long time while thinking about it. While it may seem to move a bit slowly, that's actually a plus in this case since it culminates in one of the most unexpected, horrific endings I've encountered in a very long time. My single complaint centers around Richard and the hare, to which the author provides a not-so satisfying explanation toward the end of the novel which I didn't buy at all. Since I don't want to spoil things I can't go into detail, but astute readers will figure it out. Despite that particular flaw, I can without hesitation recommend Starve Acre -- Hurley is so very talented, his work is refreshingly original, and I've become a true fangirl.

I have an extra copy, so if anyone in the US would like it, I am happy to give it to you, free and I'll pay the postage to get it to you. It needs a home ...

[Troy M. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Grief, guilt, a troubled child, and a bit of the occult – without a heavy plot to drive the book, you can pretty much sum it up with those few words – Starve Acre is a folk-horror esque novella that takes place in a tiny British hamlet, where a husband and wife are quietly grieving their dead son in their own ways – Richard Willoughby, who seems to be some type of college professor or researcher, is fervently trying to dig up the remains of a historically-significant oak tree on the field on Starve Acre that he inherited from his father(This tree may or may not have been a tool in several hangings centuries ago). Juliette, convinced that her son’s spirit is still alive via passing glances in mirrors, still sleeps on a cot in the dead child’s bedroom. Richard is working through the loss by burying himself(quite literally) in the fields of Starve Acre, bringing bits and bobs and bones back into the house, meanwhile Juliette is going through her own version of grief by desperately clinging to traces of her deceased son, and attempting to enlist some mildly occult-ish characters to perform a séance of sorts. Interspersed with glimpses into the past of the boy, Ewan, and his troubled, violent past, complete with ‘voices’ from the field, and you’ve got the general gist of much of the novel.

As I kinda led with, there really isn’t a crazy amount that actually happens in this book. I don’t mean that it isn’t a good read, nor that it doesn’t have some scary, tense bits, but it’s heavier on the folk and flashback aspects than it is on action sequences and plot movements. The story definitely evokes grief, loneliness, and hopelessness, and the short length does keep things tight, it definitely isn’t boring. I enjoyed the descriptions of Starve Acre and the surrounding areas, even if some of the prose/imagery was a little excessive. For whatever strange reason, I have always liked books where there is some aspect in the neighborhood of ‘digging for treasure’, and this fulfilled that for sure.

The story was paced very well, and things gradually fell into place, bit by bit. The limited scope of the setting means we only have precious few characters, and considering the grief, the Willoughby’s(main couple) are unreliable narrators at best. I’ve been big into isolated UK/British horror and dystopian novels lately, and this one absolutely fits the bill. A bit devoid of action for my personal takes, and a little pretentious in some of the descriptions, particularly early on. Overall, a good, tense read, and a great snapshot of grief. 3/5

[Blair · Rating 5 out of 5]

Richard Willoughby took over his parents' farmhouse, Starve Acre, so he and his wife Juliette could start a family, but they have always been regarded as outsiders by the villagers of Stythwaite. Now, their son Ewan is dead and Juliette, mired in grief and depression, is a shadow of her former self. Richard has been coping by throwing himself into work – he's a university lecturer – but eventually he's forced to take some leave. In the absence of other distractions, Richard begins methodically digging up a field on his property, searching for the roots of an ancient tree that was once the stuff of local legend. Meanwhile, a neighbour is determined to convince Juliette that a spiritualist can help dispel her grief.

Starve Acre packs a hell of a lot of detail and nuance into its 96 pages. Every character is beautifully drawn, including the secondary ones such as the Willoughbys' friend Gordon and Juliette's sister Harrie. Ewan's transformation is both intriguing and eerie. Great care is taken, too, over the setting, with the fictional village easy to envision: a closed-off, insular place, pleasant to observe but difficult to live in; Starve Acre an ugly house amid a bleakly beautiful landscape. And then, of course, there's the hare...

Sometimes I know from the very beginning that I'm going to fall in love with a book. Other times, its genius dawns on me very slowly, with a kind of gradual delight. Starve Acre belongs in the latter category. I was wowed by how perfectly the many threads were drawn together. The story also emits a deeply effective sense of creeping dread.

As for the identity of the author, the cat is out of the bag on this one: it's Andrew Michael Hurley. Starve Acre was announced under Hurley's own name at the recent Hodder 2019 preview event. (I'm not sure yet whether their edition will be exactly the same book, or whether the story will be expanded: I'm interested to find out, as the novella feels entirely complete in itself, but is also so dense with detail that it could easily be developed further.) Even without this knowledge, I'd have pegged Starve Acre as Hurley's. The intricacy of the imagined geography, in particular, is strongly reminiscent of his previous work, and some character traits and relationships echo his brilliant novel Devil’s Day.

TinyLetter | Twitter | Instagram | Tumblr

[Forrest · Rating 4 out of 5]

Note: This is a review of the The Eden Book Society edition, released under the pseudonymn Jonathan Buckley.

"Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me."

As I made my way through Starve Acre, I could not help but notice the strong similarities between the initial conceit and that of the movie Wake Wood, a movie I greatly enjoyed. But the copyright on this edition read 1972, claiming that the book was originally published in that year and re-released by a reincarnated Eden Book Society. I thought, "Wow, the makers of Wake Wood must have ripped off this obscure book"! Silly me. Only when I saw "the 1972 Subscribers" and recognized friend's names and twitter handles in the list did I realize that I had been duped. No, it appears, the author of this book ripped off Wake Wood, at least in a couple of key elements: 1) The death of a couple's child is the central driving factor of the narrative and, 2) the locals know something that the new move-ins do not, and they are all acting rather strangely.

After that, the plot, thankfully, becomes more original. I won't spoil it for you, as there are plenty of spoilers that could give it away, but the real power in the book shows in the denouement, not in the body of the story, really. The beginning of the end of the book quite took me by surprise, but while making my way through the ending I thought "no, this couldn't have ended any other way". It was then that I really saw the brilliant confluence of the writing, seemingly disparate narrative threads coming together seamlessly, like an atonal symphony (albeit a simple one) that comes together in an inevitable crescendo. But after the action of what one would consider the end (on many different levels), the after-action sequence is what shocked me. Downright shocked me, sending those proverbial chills up my spine. It was a tight, sudden knife twist, after I had already been stabbed, unexpected, and elevating the horror to another level.

Knowing now that the book was written by Andrew Michael Hurley, and having heard from a lot of people that I "ought" to read Hurley (that "ought" being something that, frankly, makes me bristle a bit), I can see why people like his writing style. It flows very well (this was a very quick read) and the characters are strong. The wicked ending after the ending almost makes up for what I take to be the blatant theft of ideas from Wake Wood. I will likely read Hurley (I hear The Loney is not to be missed), but I won't be reading the Hurley version of the book, newly released. So, feel free to send spoilers my way. But, keep it on the down-low. We don't want to dig more creepy things out of the ground, do we?

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having enjoyed Andrew Michael Hurley’s previous novels, “The Loney,” and “Devil’s Day,” I was excited to read his latest work. “Starve Acre,” is a novella length story, set in a similar, bleak countryside setting, as his previous books. Dr Richard Willoughby, a university professor, inherits his family home – the starkly named, ‘Starve Acre,’ and moves there – a little against his better judgement – with wife Juliette. Their son, Ewan, is much wanted by Juliette, who adores the boy. However, Richard recalls his own family being viewed as outsiders in the small, rural, community and, before long, history begins to repeat itself. Ewan’s behaviour causes concern and the family find themselves isolated. When Ewan dies, grief overtakes Juliette, and her search for answers leaves her and Richard at odds.

This is a strange, almost magically creepy, read, with the house a real presence in the story. The acre that the title refers to, is a field, next to the house, in which nothing ever grows. The site once housed a huge tree and Richard spends his time looking for the roots of a tree, in soil which does not even house worms. I liked the other characters, which flesh out the story, including Juliette’s rather bossy sister and their local friend, Gordon. A perfect Halloween read, by an author who is becoming a ‘must read,’ for me. I received a copy of this book from the publisher, via NetGalley, for review.

[Zuky the BookBum · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this authors work, it's the type of horror that is so subtle, almost imperceptible, and then you realise you're backed into a corner, suddenly trapped and terrified. ⁠
⁠
This book is a folk horror look at grief and explores the idea that while nature can appear to be welcoming and a safe haven, it can also reflect back at you the death and cruelty it holds and has witnessed.⁠
⁠
This is a really slow moving novel, but it keeps you glued to it's pages as it unravels the past alongside the present that slowly begin to merge into one another. Hurley's writing is simply beautiful, it's easy to read in a way that you can picture and experience events along with the characters.⁠ ⁠
⁠
I love books where the scenery and setting becomes a character itself, and this one does it perfectly!⁠
⁠
I found it hard to like the characters in this story, and initially I thought this might cause me to dislike this story, however I soon realised that it didn't matter much. They each had some likeable aspects to them, so it wasn't distracting enough to make me not want to read about them.⁠
⁠
The ending in this is something to behold, most readers of this one will be sure to tell you that it's pretty unforgettable! The story ends reasonably ambiguously, so only go into this one if you're happy to be left asking questions.⁠
⁠
The only thing that I didn't like about this book was one, what I consider to be, large plot-hole. I don't want to give away any spoilers but there is one thing that happens which is accepted easily by our main character, Richard, which is entirely hypocritical to what he preaches about throughout the rest of the story. I really wanted to be able to look past it, but my annoyance with it stuck long after reading.⁠
⁠
Overall though, this was an incredible read. I've read and enjoyed two books by Hurley now and I can't wait to read more! This ticked all the folk horror boxes for me!

[mimi (depression slump) · Rating 2 out of 5]

If you like gothic stories, with a bit of supernatural, this is the book for you. Andrew Michael Harris is the author for you.
Unfortunately, I don't like these types of books - and movies - even if I keep trying at least once a year. The more I try, the less I archive but this won't stop me.
So here I am, one more time, trying to explain why you shouldn't hate this story.

Saying it’s quite disturbing won't actually explain how I feel about it, but it comes closer. Is it disturbing in a positive way, in a negative way, in a way I don't even know? Yes, all of them.
Confusing and disturbing can also be a good thing, like when you watch a horror movie because you want to be scared. So, as I already said, if you like the genre you're good.
Besides the usual characteristics of these type of stories, I'm disappointed because I expected more. Maybe I expected the happily-ever-after ending or at least an ending where something was explained, but it's pretty clear the author wants you to find the answers you're looking for. And this is why I'm not happy: I’d rather him to say what to think about a specific moment or which one is the truth.
He gave us some options and then left them there so you could choose your favorite. And this is a big no for me.

Also, he could have just chosen if tell the story from the point of view of Richard or Juliette. This third narrator that knows everything and anything is not right for this setting and confusing at the time.

In the end, you probably have more questions than answers. Maybe, like me, you're still figuring out what’s the point of this story.
I hope you can find it.

↠ 2.5 stars

[SueLucie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have read both this author’s previous books and been impressed by his skills at conjuring atmosphere. He gives us more of the same here with a setting on the Yorkshire moors in an isolated farmhouse and its adjacent field, the focus of local superstition and a grisly history. The tension is heightened by the family’s own recent history and the tragic loss of their 5-year-old son. The circumstances of his death are unclear for most of the book. The events leading up to it, though, and the child’s abrupt change in personality create such an atmosphere of foreboding I feared to find out what happened.

Central to the story are the different ways the parents handle their grief, looking in such different directions that their health and their marriage are threatened. Richard focuses on practical things, researching the history and folklore of the property, Starve Acre, while Juliette seeks comfort and answers in the spiritual. This was reminiscent of AMH’s previous novel, ‘Devil’s Day’, and was just as effective.

A psychological and supernatural story in one - recommended.

With thanks to John Murray Press via NetGalley for the opportunity to read an ARC.

[Jessica Woodbury · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has a kind of Edwardian feel crossed with a 70's horror movie like The Changeling. Which is not something I ever really expected but I sure did enjoy it. Once again Hurley brings us a piece of affecting folk horror with a strong sense of place.

This is a dead child book with flashbacks so it is also a haunted child book. These are two of my least favorite tropes but here I did not mind them. There is a lot here that will feel familiar but a lot that is new, and somehow Hurley brought this light touch to it so I didn't feel so bogged down in the grief and misery of it. It is all these unexpected bits that show up so casually, the tropes that don't go the way you think they will, that help it along.

Our narrator, Richard, is a scholarly type. He is the emotionally shut down father so many of these stories have, who has distanced himself from the pain all these events cause. It gives the story some remove but it also gives it that momentum as Richard's skepticism keeps sending him in all kinds of directions, often making everything worse.

You could make a hell of a slow indie horror vibes movie out of this.

[Karl]

Cover by Daren Hopes

[MadameD · Rating 5 out of 5]

Story 5/5
Audiobook 5/5