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The Homecoming
The Homecoming is Zoë Apostolides’s debut novel. Quietly disturbing, it tells the story of Ellen, a young ghost-writer sent to record the memoirs of an elderly woman living in a remote Northumberland manor. Elver House is dilapidated, its faded beauty falling to ruin.
The assignment seems simple enough: Ellen will spend a week conducting interviews at Elver House before returning to London to write Miss Carey’s autobiography. She and her editor know very little about Miss Carey besides her request to be interviewed in person; Ellen’s editor has agreed the dates and gathered scant information, but it’ll be up to Ellen to tease out the story.
The village is remote and rural, and Elver is no quaint country cottage but a wild and sprawling estate. Ellen digs deeper into the history of Elver, preparing to return to London and write her client's book. In doing so, she must confront much more than she bargained for, and realises that Miss Carey is being haunted by more than the past.
Part mystery, part ghost story, this is a story about isolation, memory, spirits and secrets, intergenerational friendship and motherhood.
The assignment seems simple enough: Ellen will spend a week conducting interviews at Elver House before returning to London to write Miss Carey’s autobiography. She and her editor know very little about Miss Carey besides her request to be interviewed in person; Ellen’s editor has agreed the dates and gathered scant information, but it’ll be up to Ellen to tease out the story.
The village is remote and rural, and Elver is no quaint country cottage but a wild and sprawling estate. Ellen digs deeper into the history of Elver, preparing to return to London and write her client's book. In doing so, she must confront much more than she bargained for, and realises that Miss Carey is being haunted by more than the past.
Part mystery, part ghost story, this is a story about isolation, memory, spirits and secrets, intergenerational friendship and motherhood.
256 pages, Paperback
First published July 25, 2025
6 people are currently reading
307 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 75 reviews
March 17, 2025
At first, “The Homecoming” felt like a modern homage to the classic gothic tale. An isolated and dilapidated manor house, fallen from grandeur. A young woman sent to spend time secluded alone with the mysterious and elusive lady of Elver House. A nearby river holds secrets as well as hordes of juvenile eels that writhe and roll below the surface.
I was getting serious “The Woman in Black”/Poe vibes.
Then the story kind of stalls. Sure, the atmosphere is still there, but the creeping eeriness and sense of dread fizzles out. We get a lot of internal monologue which felt so unnecessary (I really don’t need a detailed account of all the ingredients used in each meal the narrator makes thanks). You can see the big “twist” from a mile away, and while there’s still a slight sense of foreboding, the reader is left in limbo.
I can appreciate the author wanting to tell a secondary story about the main characters below the surface level “horror”: the historical role of women and how it translates to present day. The expectations to become mothers and caretakers while giving up our own friendships and dreams. The isolation created by our “roles”. This was a great story in itself, but really took away from the original plot and also throws readers out of any attempt to be present in the dank, dreary and bizarre encounters Ellen was presently having.
The eels are more metaphoric/symbolic than actually front row characters in themselves, and this was a bit disappointing. I had hoped for a more central (possibly supernatural) part for them.
Ellen and Catherine were uniquely developed, but even though one is there to ghost write a biography, and one is supposed to tell their life story, minimal time was actually spent hearing about Catherine’s life as the lady and sole heir of the historical house and its expansive lands.
I’ll definitely be keeping my eyes peeled for more works by Apostolides, but hope that future books are more in theme with their synopses. If you’re going to put a tale in a horror category- make it true to that genre.
Lastly, I looked online, throughout the book and even on the publisher’s website, but I couldn’t find a credited cover artist. It’s a wonderfully eye catching piece of work, so it’d be great to know who created it (even if it’s the author or publishing company themselves).
Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and Salt Publishing for a copy.
I was getting serious “The Woman in Black”/Poe vibes.
Then the story kind of stalls. Sure, the atmosphere is still there, but the creeping eeriness and sense of dread fizzles out. We get a lot of internal monologue which felt so unnecessary (I really don’t need a detailed account of all the ingredients used in each meal the narrator makes thanks). You can see the big “twist” from a mile away, and while there’s still a slight sense of foreboding, the reader is left in limbo.
I can appreciate the author wanting to tell a secondary story about the main characters below the surface level “horror”: the historical role of women and how it translates to present day. The expectations to become mothers and caretakers while giving up our own friendships and dreams. The isolation created by our “roles”. This was a great story in itself, but really took away from the original plot and also throws readers out of any attempt to be present in the dank, dreary and bizarre encounters Ellen was presently having.
The eels are more metaphoric/symbolic than actually front row characters in themselves, and this was a bit disappointing. I had hoped for a more central (possibly supernatural) part for them.
Ellen and Catherine were uniquely developed, but even though one is there to ghost write a biography, and one is supposed to tell their life story, minimal time was actually spent hearing about Catherine’s life as the lady and sole heir of the historical house and its expansive lands.
I’ll definitely be keeping my eyes peeled for more works by Apostolides, but hope that future books are more in theme with their synopses. If you’re going to put a tale in a horror category- make it true to that genre.
Lastly, I looked online, throughout the book and even on the publisher’s website, but I couldn’t find a credited cover artist. It’s a wonderfully eye catching piece of work, so it’d be great to know who created it (even if it’s the author or publishing company themselves).
Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and Salt Publishing for a copy.
April 18, 2025
Being a modern take on a gothic ghost story, The Homecoming has all the ingredients of a very good old fashioned haunted house tale, but also includes a secondary plot about the young ghostwriter Ellen. Both stories interweave beautifully and address themes of loneliness, motherhood, obligations and greed. I found the fact that Ellen's story was set in London very well done as it contrast enormously with the rural, distant and secluded setting of Elver House, and yet the emotions that people feel are very similar.
I must say I particularly liked the modern part of the London life of Ellen as it was very recognizable and it offered some grounding which was very necessary after the gloomy chapters that describe Elver House and its owner Miss Carey. I also very much appreciated the ending, which I thought was very well crafted, for both storylines.
After reading this debut, the author Zoë Apostolides will certainly be an author to watch for any further publishing.
Thank you NetGalley, Salt Publishing, and the author for allowing me to be an early reader. All opinions are my own.
I must say I particularly liked the modern part of the London life of Ellen as it was very recognizable and it offered some grounding which was very necessary after the gloomy chapters that describe Elver House and its owner Miss Carey. I also very much appreciated the ending, which I thought was very well crafted, for both storylines.
After reading this debut, the author Zoë Apostolides will certainly be an author to watch for any further publishing.
Thank you NetGalley, Salt Publishing, and the author for allowing me to be an early reader. All opinions are my own.
February 5, 2025
Thanks to NetGalley and Salt Publishing for the advanced read!
I really enjoyed this atmospheric horror, perfect for readers like me who prefer a slower pace, small cast, and a reveal that will leave you unsettled but still able to sleep at night (probably 😅) I actually did not figure out the twist ahead of time which made the ending more fun for sure. The imagery of the elvers and all the facts we learn about them were fascinating. The subplot with Ellen’s friend didn’t weave into the story naturally for me until the very end so I would have liked to draw a more obvious connection between those memories and Ellen or Catherine’s experiences at Elver House. However, I think this is a fantastic debut novel and I’d love to read more from this author in the future!
I really enjoyed this atmospheric horror, perfect for readers like me who prefer a slower pace, small cast, and a reveal that will leave you unsettled but still able to sleep at night (probably 😅) I actually did not figure out the twist ahead of time which made the ending more fun for sure. The imagery of the elvers and all the facts we learn about them were fascinating. The subplot with Ellen’s friend didn’t weave into the story naturally for me until the very end so I would have liked to draw a more obvious connection between those memories and Ellen or Catherine’s experiences at Elver House. However, I think this is a fantastic debut novel and I’d love to read more from this author in the future!
February 25, 2025
Oh wow, I loved this Gothic novel! I speed through this book. The writing in this book is wonderful and I enjoyed every minute of it. I also was very surprised about the ending.
February 1, 2025
A moody, damp, dark, gothic, feminist tale and with eels for flavor. (I kind of wish there had been more eels to be honest.)
4.5 stars. I clocked what was going on about half way. I think it took me longer to figure out why we were getting the flashbacks about her friend than to figure out the main plot. Then it all weaves together. The writing style is perfect for the tone of the book, descriptive and thoughtful. I will be thinking about this book for a while.
It isn’t going to be for everyone. If you are looking for a scary story to tell in the dark this isn’t for you. But it you are looking for an eerie brooding tale of the inner lives of women, you will feel at home in this story.
Thank you to NetGalley and Salt Publishing for this advanced copy. All opinions are my own.
4.5 stars. I clocked what was going on about half way. I think it took me longer to figure out why we were getting the flashbacks about her friend than to figure out the main plot. Then it all weaves together. The writing style is perfect for the tone of the book, descriptive and thoughtful. I will be thinking about this book for a while.
It isn’t going to be for everyone. If you are looking for a scary story to tell in the dark this isn’t for you. But it you are looking for an eerie brooding tale of the inner lives of women, you will feel at home in this story.
Thank you to NetGalley and Salt Publishing for this advanced copy. All opinions are my own.
October 31, 2025
This debut novel dropped through my door as a total surprise: not only was it unsolicited, but I’d not heard about it. In this modern take on the traditional haunted house story, Ellen is a ghostwriter sent from London to Elver House, Northumberland, to work on the memoirs of its octogenarian owner, Catherine Carey. Ellen will stay in the remote manor house for a week and record 20 hours of audio interviews – enough to flesh out an autobiography. Miss Carey isn’t a forthcoming subject, but Ellen manages to learn that her father drowned in the nearby brook and that all Miss Carey did afterwards was meant to please her grieving mother and the strictures of the time. But as strange happenings in the house interfere with her task, Ellen begins to doubt she’ll come away with usable material. I was reminded of The Woman in Black, The Thirteenth Tale, and especially Wakenhyrst what with the local eel legends. The subplot about Ellen drifting apart from her best friend, a new mother, felt unnecessary, though I suppose was intended to bolster the main theme of women’s roles. There’s a twist that more seasoned readers of Gothic fiction and ghost stories might see coming. While I found this very readable and perfectly capably written, I didn’t get a sense of where the author hopes to fit in the literary market; she’s previously published a true crime narrative. [Full disclosure: I once collaborated with Zoë on a Stylist assignment.]
Originally published on my blog, Bookish Beck.
Originally published on my blog, Bookish Beck.
April 2, 2025
"The Homecoming" is a slow burn ghost story, with a smattering of the gothic sensibilities of an old, crumbling manor house, a larger peek into the lives of two women, and touch of eels. I enjoyed it quite a bit, as I needed a slower paced, introspective story after the ramshackle pace of my last read.
Ellen is a young, modern woman, working in London as a ghost-writer, when she goes on assignment to a forgotten manor house in Northumberland to interview the elderly spinster, Miss Carey, who lives there alone. It's a week-long assignment, after which Ellen will return to London to ghost write Miss Carey's memoire.
But the situation is a little bit off from the get-go. There's no road to the house, and one must walk the final path on foot. The house is seemingly abandoned, and when Miss Carey does finally show up, she is forgetful and seemingly out of sorts. There was a passage in the story where Ellen hears Miss Carey's shuffling down the hall, and I half-expected (and entirely wanted) the shuffling sound to come from the eel-feet of Miss Carey! Alas, that was not the case, as the eels in the story remained firmly in their river.
Apostolides' writing is quite lovely, and the descriptions of the manor and its former life are vivid and real. Sometimes it felt a bit jarring when Ellen's story suddenly introduced the second person "you" into the narrative, and I quickly understood that Ellen was also writing to her childhood friend in the city, from whom she is estranged. As the story progresses, it becomes apparent that this is much more than a ghost story, but it is also a story about the choices that women make, when they choose to remain unmarried and childless in the face of familial or work obligation, in contrast to the more natural lifecycle that the eels represent.
Overall, I'm really glad that I picked up this book (thanks to those eel-feet!), and that Netgalley and Chris at Salt Publishing allowed me the opportunity for an early read. I thought this was wonderful.
Ellen is a young, modern woman, working in London as a ghost-writer, when she goes on assignment to a forgotten manor house in Northumberland to interview the elderly spinster, Miss Carey, who lives there alone. It's a week-long assignment, after which Ellen will return to London to ghost write Miss Carey's memoire.
But the situation is a little bit off from the get-go. There's no road to the house, and one must walk the final path on foot. The house is seemingly abandoned, and when Miss Carey does finally show up, she is forgetful and seemingly out of sorts. There was a passage in the story where Ellen hears Miss Carey's shuffling down the hall, and I half-expected (and entirely wanted) the shuffling sound to come from the eel-feet of Miss Carey! Alas, that was not the case, as the eels in the story remained firmly in their river.
Apostolides' writing is quite lovely, and the descriptions of the manor and its former life are vivid and real. Sometimes it felt a bit jarring when Ellen's story suddenly introduced the second person "you" into the narrative, and I quickly understood that Ellen was also writing to her childhood friend in the city, from whom she is estranged. As the story progresses, it becomes apparent that this is much more than a ghost story, but it is also a story about the choices that women make, when they choose to remain unmarried and childless in the face of familial or work obligation, in contrast to the more natural lifecycle that the eels represent.
Overall, I'm really glad that I picked up this book (thanks to those eel-feet!), and that Netgalley and Chris at Salt Publishing allowed me the opportunity for an early read. I thought this was wonderful.
February 5, 2025
i don't know how to feel about this, i read through this super quickly but ended up dissatisfied & disappointed in the end.
the premise: Ellen has one simple job: spend five days at Elver House, record 20 hours of interviews with Miss Carey, then head home to London and ghostwrite her memoirs. easy enough, right? trading the comfort of her flat for the quiet village of Conger Brook, Ellen expects a cozy cottage, a charming elderly woman, and a straightforward assignment. instead, nothing goes as planned. the house looms at the village’s edge, the weather turns ominous, and there’s no phone signal—just one red flag after another. but she pushes forward, determined to do her job. yet, as she unearths Miss Carey’s past, Ellen starts to wonder: is she the one uncovering the story, or is the story closing in on her?
the setting was claustrophobic and eerie, with a creeping sense of wrongness that won’t let go. it feels slow at first like it’s taking its time but before I know it, the plot has wrapped itself around me, tightening with every page. BUT this one was pretty predictable, and i kept getting stuck on Ellen's reflections about her childhood friend. that whole subplot—how their friendship faded after marriage and motherhood—felt underdeveloped and didn’t really go anywhere it felt like a filler and it takes away from the plot. and bringing up Ellen's mom and her complicated relationship with her (NOT NECESSARY) i get that it might’ve been tying into themes of isolation or even the mother-daughter dynamic with Miss Carey, but it didn’t add much to the overall story. it felt like an idea that never fully landed.
then again. i finished the book in under two days, so it wasn’t a waste of time, but it left me wanting more. thank you Salt Publishing for trusting me to read the book and give my honest thoughts about it. maybe it just wasn't for me.
3.5 stars
the premise: Ellen has one simple job: spend five days at Elver House, record 20 hours of interviews with Miss Carey, then head home to London and ghostwrite her memoirs. easy enough, right? trading the comfort of her flat for the quiet village of Conger Brook, Ellen expects a cozy cottage, a charming elderly woman, and a straightforward assignment. instead, nothing goes as planned. the house looms at the village’s edge, the weather turns ominous, and there’s no phone signal—just one red flag after another. but she pushes forward, determined to do her job. yet, as she unearths Miss Carey’s past, Ellen starts to wonder: is she the one uncovering the story, or is the story closing in on her?
the setting was claustrophobic and eerie, with a creeping sense of wrongness that won’t let go. it feels slow at first like it’s taking its time but before I know it, the plot has wrapped itself around me, tightening with every page. BUT this one was pretty predictable, and i kept getting stuck on Ellen's reflections about her childhood friend. that whole subplot—how their friendship faded after marriage and motherhood—felt underdeveloped and didn’t really go anywhere it felt like a filler and it takes away from the plot. and bringing up Ellen's mom and her complicated relationship with her (NOT NECESSARY) i get that it might’ve been tying into themes of isolation or even the mother-daughter dynamic with Miss Carey, but it didn’t add much to the overall story. it felt like an idea that never fully landed.
then again. i finished the book in under two days, so it wasn’t a waste of time, but it left me wanting more. thank you Salt Publishing for trusting me to read the book and give my honest thoughts about it. maybe it just wasn't for me.
3.5 stars
April 8, 2025
I'm kind of conflicted on this. I love a good gothic horror story, but this is kind of not a horror story? It's marketed as such but I would say it's more of a mystery. So I went into this expecting something that ultimately wasn't delivered.
It feels like there's two stories here clashing for dominance. On one hand it's a slow burn gothic ghost story/memoir set in a worn down estate about one woman's long life, and with a nice little mystery attached to it. On the other the gothic vibes fizzle out about half way through and we're left with a underbaked story about women's roles in society--when women were expected to be wives and bear children--and how that left so many women feeling unfulfilled and isolated with their lives and reaching the end of their life with regret.
Apostolides' writing is fantastic and really sets the mood in the house. She's able to write dread very well, and is great at building up tension and having us on the edge of our seat waiting for something to happen. However I had some issues with the pacing of the story and the major twist of the story is quite predictable early on, so I felt myself get a little irritated waiting for the story to get to that point.
I feel like with a bit of cleaning up, this could've been a great gothic ghost story about legacy and the horrors of gender roles for young women before the push of equal rights. But for a debut novel this is a great starting point, so I am excited to see Zoe Apostolides further down the line.
*Thank you to Netgalley and Salt publishing for an arc copy of this book. All opinions expressed are entirely my own*
It feels like there's two stories here clashing for dominance. On one hand it's a slow burn gothic ghost story/memoir set in a worn down estate about one woman's long life, and with a nice little mystery attached to it. On the other the gothic vibes fizzle out about half way through and we're left with a underbaked story about women's roles in society--when women were expected to be wives and bear children--and how that left so many women feeling unfulfilled and isolated with their lives and reaching the end of their life with regret.
Apostolides' writing is fantastic and really sets the mood in the house. She's able to write dread very well, and is great at building up tension and having us on the edge of our seat waiting for something to happen. However I had some issues with the pacing of the story and the major twist of the story is quite predictable early on, so I felt myself get a little irritated waiting for the story to get to that point.
I feel like with a bit of cleaning up, this could've been a great gothic ghost story about legacy and the horrors of gender roles for young women before the push of equal rights. But for a debut novel this is a great starting point, so I am excited to see Zoe Apostolides further down the line.
*Thank you to Netgalley and Salt publishing for an arc copy of this book. All opinions expressed are entirely my own*
November 22, 2025
Exceptional debut novel. A ghost writer is given an assignment to talk to an elderly lady in an isolated house in Northumberland, she finds herself in a strange situation which reveals itself by the end of her stay. With perfect prose, pace and plotting you find yourself submerged in this novel.
July 8, 2025
Thank you so much to Salt Publishing for providing me with an E-ARC!
3.25 stars!!
I loved how the atmosphere was written!!!! I needed to get that off my chest. Gothic, unsettling, really painted a picture to imagine and the whole vibe it gave off.
The way the atmosphere was done and the setting was perfect and really held my attention and interest to what the heck was going on and was going to happen. Sadly towards the midpoint it felt like it was dragging a little, maybe because I was really hoping the horror aspect would kick in, but I sort of worked out how things were going to go but overall I really just enjoyed the writing style. So happy to have had a chance reading The Homecoming as I'll definitely make sure to keep an eye out for future work by Zoë Apostolides.
3.25 stars!!
I loved how the atmosphere was written!!!! I needed to get that off my chest. Gothic, unsettling, really painted a picture to imagine and the whole vibe it gave off.
The way the atmosphere was done and the setting was perfect and really held my attention and interest to what the heck was going on and was going to happen. Sadly towards the midpoint it felt like it was dragging a little, maybe because I was really hoping the horror aspect would kick in, but I sort of worked out how things were going to go but overall I really just enjoyed the writing style. So happy to have had a chance reading The Homecoming as I'll definitely make sure to keep an eye out for future work by Zoë Apostolides.
July 24, 2025
I loved the idea behind this book, which is what drew me in. We have a ghost writer staying at and interviewing a lady in a haunted mansion called Elver House in the English countryside. As I've been a ghost writer, love books about old houses, and have a fascination for elvers (baby eels), this seemed like it was written just for me. It's a fast, enjoyable read as we try to determine why the lady who lives at Elver House wants Ellen to write her autobiography. The problem is that the lady is losing her memory and has lived a very isolated life, so it takes Ellen days to draw the story out from her. Still, it seems like something is missing. This is one of those books that doesn't reveal its secrets until the end and has a sense of place comes alive in your mind.
February 18, 2025
left me wanting a whole lot more. also, considering the cover was expecting lot more eels in the story. eels can be creepy, just saying.
thanking netgalley & publishers for the arc.
thanking netgalley & publishers for the arc.
February 1, 2025
Ellen’s had many assignments before as a ghost writer, but none as strange as Elver House. She arrives amidst a storm, locals reluctant to speak of the house and its caretaker, Catherine Carey. The house itself is beautiful, in a sort of ramshackle way, fallen to disrepair over the years as its caretaker has grown older. As Ellen conducts her interviews of Miss Carey, her life, and the house, she gets more involved than she expects.
I wasn’t quite sure what to expect from this one when I started reading it. It has a bit of a lot of things in it: part memoir (on behalf of Miss Carey), part mystery, and a dive into women’s roles in society. I figured out the plot line pretty early on, and spent the majority of the book waiting for Ellen to catch up to me. It is a slow burn, but wraps up pretty neatly by the end.
Recommended if you like: slow burn mysteries, ghost stories
I received an advanced copy of this book via NetGalley, but all opinions are my own.
October 25, 2025
[ARC received through Netgalley]
What a book!!!! I enjoyed this book so much. The prose was beautiful, delicate and elegant but also impactful and so so so important with setting the tone of the book. I loved the little parallels to Ellen’s own life, the descriptions of Elver House, the eels. Very funny (in a creepy twisted way) the fact that Ellen’s job is to be a ghost writer, considering.
I really loved all the parallels drawn between Miss Carey and Ellen’s best friend and I loved the fact that the friendship between Ellen and her best friend was itself a kind of Haunting that plagued Ellen, with its own final homecoming.
If you love horror books about spooky ancient houses and metaphors based on the life-cycle of eels, this is the perfect book for you.
EDIT post reread
This book is even more beautiful on second read, what a perfect little gem I found
What a book!!!! I enjoyed this book so much. The prose was beautiful, delicate and elegant but also impactful and so so so important with setting the tone of the book. I loved the little parallels to Ellen’s own life, the descriptions of Elver House, the eels. Very funny (in a creepy twisted way) the fact that Ellen’s job is to be a ghost writer, considering.
I really loved all the parallels drawn between Miss Carey and Ellen’s best friend and I loved the fact that the friendship between Ellen and her best friend was itself a kind of Haunting that plagued Ellen, with its own final homecoming.
If you love horror books about spooky ancient houses and metaphors based on the life-cycle of eels, this is the perfect book for you.
EDIT post reread
This book is even more beautiful on second read, what a perfect little gem I found
May 9, 2025
Atmospheric, slippery and unsettling, The Homecoming is as much a ghost story as it is a story of grief and isolation. I couldn't put it down; it gets its hooks in you from the get go and turns up the narrative heat so subtly you don't realise til it's bubbling over. Unreal debut, can't wait to see what Zoë Apostolides does next!
Thank you to Salt Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC!
Thank you to Salt Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC!
June 27, 2025
A modern gothic tale about the choices women make, the choices which are available to them, and the ways in which obligation and social expectation bind them.
The Homecoming follows Ellen, an independent woman working as a ghost-writer in London, as she embarks on her latest assignment to Elver House, in the rainy hills of Northumberland. There, she has been tasked with interviewing the elderly Catherine Carey in preparation for writing her memoirs.
Ellen arrives for her week-long assignment on a dark and rainy evening to find that the remote Elver House is in fact an eerie dilapidated manor, and Miss Carey, its sole occupant, is unexpectedly elusive, enigmatic, and strangely reticent to be interviewed. As Ellen spends more time in the house and with Miss Carey, she finds herself caught between a growing feeling of unease and an emerging sense of kinship and responsibility towards the older woman.
This story really plays with the idea of haunting - haunting as an action, a loss, a recursion, and as a homecoming – in a way that is extremely layered. Ellen’s career as a ghost-writer feels like clever allusion to this theme as a form of writing where the author’s voice metaphorically ‘haunts’ the finished work; forever drifting at the fringes of the text, sublimated, unacknowledged, and perhaps someday forgotten (and you thought I was going to say it was because it has the word ‘ghost’ in the title – ha!).
Metamorphosis is a similarly recurrent theme, embodied physically by the young eels (the elvers of Elver House) swimming within the brook which flows through the grounds of the manor. This theme knits together the narrative threads of the history of Elver House, with its many eras and transformations, and the complicating changes in Ellen’s own life and relationships. Motherhood, too, is here explored as a form of metamorphosis; an irreversible change in a woman’s life which ripples outwards to impact everyone close to her.
The horror here is very light-on, as the narrative is more of a tip of the hat to the gothic genre, rather than a true ‘horror’ in its own right. Readers expecting outright scares may come away disappointed, but enjoyers of eerie slow-burn mysteries may find themselves right at home, and I personally found myself breaking out in goosebumps several times from the unsettling atmosphere. Those who enjoyed Laura Purcell’s The Silent Companions will find similar themes, explored in a modern context, here.
While I was able to predict the ending very early on (as I suspect most readers of gothic fiction will), this did not at all diminish my enjoyment of the story. Ellen’s interviews with Miss Carey were absolute highlights and, if anything, I would have liked to have heard more about her life and experiences as caretaker of the house.
Structurally, the timeline of Ellen’s stay at Elver House is occasionally confusing, arising from some slightly clumsy handling of the framing narrative. However, this does not detract from the well-handled execution of the themes and characters. At approximately 250 pages, the narrative moves along at a satisfying pace and never outstays its welcome, and Apostolides’ atmospheric descriptions of the house and surrounding countryside were an absolutely delight.
Overall, this was a very enjoyable read, if not a particularly scary one, and I look forward to reading more from Zoë Apostolides in the future.
______________
Thank you to NetGalley and Salt Publishing for providing this digital reviewer copy, in exchange for my honest opinion.
The Homecoming follows Ellen, an independent woman working as a ghost-writer in London, as she embarks on her latest assignment to Elver House, in the rainy hills of Northumberland. There, she has been tasked with interviewing the elderly Catherine Carey in preparation for writing her memoirs.
Ellen arrives for her week-long assignment on a dark and rainy evening to find that the remote Elver House is in fact an eerie dilapidated manor, and Miss Carey, its sole occupant, is unexpectedly elusive, enigmatic, and strangely reticent to be interviewed. As Ellen spends more time in the house and with Miss Carey, she finds herself caught between a growing feeling of unease and an emerging sense of kinship and responsibility towards the older woman.
This story really plays with the idea of haunting - haunting as an action, a loss, a recursion, and as a homecoming – in a way that is extremely layered. Ellen’s career as a ghost-writer feels like clever allusion to this theme as a form of writing where the author’s voice metaphorically ‘haunts’ the finished work; forever drifting at the fringes of the text, sublimated, unacknowledged, and perhaps someday forgotten (and you thought I was going to say it was because it has the word ‘ghost’ in the title – ha!).
Metamorphosis is a similarly recurrent theme, embodied physically by the young eels (the elvers of Elver House) swimming within the brook which flows through the grounds of the manor. This theme knits together the narrative threads of the history of Elver House, with its many eras and transformations, and the complicating changes in Ellen’s own life and relationships. Motherhood, too, is here explored as a form of metamorphosis; an irreversible change in a woman’s life which ripples outwards to impact everyone close to her.
The horror here is very light-on, as the narrative is more of a tip of the hat to the gothic genre, rather than a true ‘horror’ in its own right. Readers expecting outright scares may come away disappointed, but enjoyers of eerie slow-burn mysteries may find themselves right at home, and I personally found myself breaking out in goosebumps several times from the unsettling atmosphere. Those who enjoyed Laura Purcell’s The Silent Companions will find similar themes, explored in a modern context, here.
While I was able to predict the ending very early on (as I suspect most readers of gothic fiction will), this did not at all diminish my enjoyment of the story. Ellen’s interviews with Miss Carey were absolute highlights and, if anything, I would have liked to have heard more about her life and experiences as caretaker of the house.
Structurally, the timeline of Ellen’s stay at Elver House is occasionally confusing, arising from some slightly clumsy handling of the framing narrative. However, this does not detract from the well-handled execution of the themes and characters. At approximately 250 pages, the narrative moves along at a satisfying pace and never outstays its welcome, and Apostolides’ atmospheric descriptions of the house and surrounding countryside were an absolutely delight.
Overall, this was a very enjoyable read, if not a particularly scary one, and I look forward to reading more from Zoë Apostolides in the future.
______________
Thank you to NetGalley and Salt Publishing for providing this digital reviewer copy, in exchange for my honest opinion.
June 9, 2025
I wanted to love this, I really did. The premise was great, the writing was suitably gothic and the first quarter had me more than intrigued. But it just didn't click.
Also, there were some details that bugged me that I felt shouldn't have made it to the finished story. Namely, Ellen arrives at the house on a Friday and comments that the clocks went back an hour that night. That doesn't happen on a Friday. She then speaks to her boss on the next day, the Saturday, only for her boss to have to ring off because she has a work meeting and has to do the school run...on a Saturday. Later, we hear about the house being opened to the public in the 80s and get reference to a photo with a teenager wearing a Nirvana shirt...Nirvana only released their debut album in '89, so this didn't sit right with me. We also learned that the house eventually stopped opening to the public when Lady Diana died, and they took their website down and stopped taking bookings. Diana died in 97...I really can't imagine many private homes had their own online ticket booking website in 1997...I remember the internet from then and it wasn't much!
A shame, because there were lots of passages I liked here, but most of them followed the path of the whole book - they just led to something unsatisfying. The eels, for instance...loads of creepy potential there...but massively underused. Or all the pieces with Ellen talking about her friend, about how their lives have changed and how they've grown apart - they were brilliantly written, some of my favourite parts in fact, but didn't really lead anywhere.
Then the overall ending itself, which was also a disappointment. It felt rushed, it felt like it ran out of steam, and was overwhelmingly underwhelming.
A shame!
Thanks to the publishers and NetGalley for the review copy.
Also, there were some details that bugged me that I felt shouldn't have made it to the finished story. Namely, Ellen arrives at the house on a Friday and comments that the clocks went back an hour that night. That doesn't happen on a Friday. She then speaks to her boss on the next day, the Saturday, only for her boss to have to ring off because she has a work meeting and has to do the school run...on a Saturday. Later, we hear about the house being opened to the public in the 80s and get reference to a photo with a teenager wearing a Nirvana shirt...Nirvana only released their debut album in '89, so this didn't sit right with me. We also learned that the house eventually stopped opening to the public when Lady Diana died, and they took their website down and stopped taking bookings. Diana died in 97...I really can't imagine many private homes had their own online ticket booking website in 1997...I remember the internet from then and it wasn't much!
A shame, because there were lots of passages I liked here, but most of them followed the path of the whole book - they just led to something unsatisfying. The eels, for instance...loads of creepy potential there...but massively underused. Or all the pieces with Ellen talking about her friend, about how their lives have changed and how they've grown apart - they were brilliantly written, some of my favourite parts in fact, but didn't really lead anywhere.
Then the overall ending itself, which was also a disappointment. It felt rushed, it felt like it ran out of steam, and was overwhelmingly underwhelming.
A shame!
Thanks to the publishers and NetGalley for the review copy.
April 2, 2025
This book was mostly unexpected.
Following the protagonist through the motions, I anticipated wrong. At every turn of e-page, at every beginning of a new chapter, I thought I could tell what would happen. But I did not.
We follow Ellen's POV while she reaches Elver House, once a glorious estate in Northumberland, now almost falling into pieces. There she meets Miss Catherine Carey, whose memories she needs to record and then edit into a ghostwritten memoir. Only that the feeling is eerie, the villagers, sus, and Ellen is plagued with memories and glimpses of her own life, in retrospective.
I would definitely follow the author's further books, as this is an intriguing debut. There's not as much going here in terms of action as in terms of introspection, and the protagonist's inner life is rich and threads some important paths that interest me as well, such as motherhood vs the choice of staying childless, or career ethics.
--
Thank you Salt Publishing & Net Galley for the e-ARC.
Following the protagonist through the motions, I anticipated wrong. At every turn of e-page, at every beginning of a new chapter, I thought I could tell what would happen. But I did not.
We follow Ellen's POV while she reaches Elver House, once a glorious estate in Northumberland, now almost falling into pieces. There she meets Miss Catherine Carey, whose memories she needs to record and then edit into a ghostwritten memoir. Only that the feeling is eerie, the villagers, sus, and Ellen is plagued with memories and glimpses of her own life, in retrospective.
I would definitely follow the author's further books, as this is an intriguing debut. There's not as much going here in terms of action as in terms of introspection, and the protagonist's inner life is rich and threads some important paths that interest me as well, such as motherhood vs the choice of staying childless, or career ethics.
--
Thank you Salt Publishing & Net Galley for the e-ARC.
March 9, 2025
This is the story of a ghost writer finding the most compelling story of her career. Venture to Elver house to find out the secrets of Miss Carey, an older woman who manages her family’s estate.
This story had many good elements, and I particularly enjoyed the moments when Ellen is telling the story to her once best friend. Apostolides does a great job at capturing how relationships change as you age.
While I thought this book had some lovely moments, it also had a few things that didn’t work for me. I felt that the pacing could have been quicker to build more tension and that the horror could have come through stronger.
That being said, if you love creeping tension, sprawling old estates, and ghost stories, then come home to Elver House.
This story had many good elements, and I particularly enjoyed the moments when Ellen is telling the story to her once best friend. Apostolides does a great job at capturing how relationships change as you age.
While I thought this book had some lovely moments, it also had a few things that didn’t work for me. I felt that the pacing could have been quicker to build more tension and that the horror could have come through stronger.
That being said, if you love creeping tension, sprawling old estates, and ghost stories, then come home to Elver House.
February 15, 2025
3 stars--I liked the book.
Ellen is a ghostwriter who is assigned to collect and write the memoirs of a woman living alone in a haunted English manor. I enjoyed the plot quite a bit, and thought the themes of motherhood--especially motherhood with daughters--was well done. However, overall I thought the book could have been a short story.
I received this review copy from the publisher on NetGalley. Thanks for the opportunity to read and review; I appreciate it!
Ellen is a ghostwriter who is assigned to collect and write the memoirs of a woman living alone in a haunted English manor. I enjoyed the plot quite a bit, and thought the themes of motherhood--especially motherhood with daughters--was well done. However, overall I thought the book could have been a short story.
I received this review copy from the publisher on NetGalley. Thanks for the opportunity to read and review; I appreciate it!
March 8, 2025
Thanks to Salt Publishing and NetGalley for the eArc.
A great debut! The book begins very atmospheric and I was waiting for ...something... the whole time but nothing happens, really. Things proceed calmly, but kind of claustrophobic at the same time? And then comes the twist in the last chapters. I did see it coming but that only made it a "HA!" kind of thing, not a disappointment.
I connected with the secondary friendship story on a very personal level. As the intentionally childfree friend this mirrored a lot of my own experience and I thought it was a nice tie in with the main story. I liked how the memories were interwoven and connected to what was happening in the present time, it all made sense in the end.
I also really enjoyed the gentle writing, the way that everything was made clear to me without describing it too much. A very enjoyable read for me, a nice modern gothic story.
A great debut! The book begins very atmospheric and I was waiting for ...something... the whole time but nothing happens, really. Things proceed calmly, but kind of claustrophobic at the same time? And then comes the twist in the last chapters. I did see it coming but that only made it a "HA!" kind of thing, not a disappointment.
I connected with the secondary friendship story on a very personal level. As the intentionally childfree friend this mirrored a lot of my own experience and I thought it was a nice tie in with the main story. I liked how the memories were interwoven and connected to what was happening in the present time, it all made sense in the end.
I also really enjoyed the gentle writing, the way that everything was made clear to me without describing it too much. A very enjoyable read for me, a nice modern gothic story.
March 16, 2025
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!
This is a fantastic debut for an author. The writing style is wonderful. I really enjoyed the twist and didn’t figure it out which I loved because I’ve read so many books and that just takes the fun out of it for me. I enjoyed the slow burn, gothic style horror. The writing is very descriptive and I’ve thought about it quite a bit since finishing it. I gave myself some time before writing this review. I can’t wait to read more from this author.
This is a fantastic debut for an author. The writing style is wonderful. I really enjoyed the twist and didn’t figure it out which I loved because I’ve read so many books and that just takes the fun out of it for me. I enjoyed the slow burn, gothic style horror. The writing is very descriptive and I’ve thought about it quite a bit since finishing it. I gave myself some time before writing this review. I can’t wait to read more from this author.
March 5, 2025
Let me start off by saying that this book was market at least to me as horror and that to me is a misstep. I think I would have enjoyed it far more if I wasn’t waiting for the shoe to drop so to speak.
Ellen is a young(ish) woman who ghost writes the lives of her clients. In a way this mirror the way that she seem to be almost ghost writing her own life.
She’s on the cusp of many things, the women around her are staring to have children and shes not ready for that step in fact she might never be ready for that step but its clear that she at least to some existent resents the expectation of her to be a mother.
She’s not old yet and yet she feels her youth slipping away from her, reminiscing about the time she had with the mysterious YOU she seems almost to be writing this narrative for.
When shes contracted to write the biography of the mysterious Miss Carey int the sprawling Enver House Ellen is forced to dwell in a state of uncertainty. Miss Carey is mysterious and something is simply off.
What starts off as a memory laps reveals itself to be a gothic setting not only of house and home but also of memory, soul and body.
I enjoyed the gothic setting quite a bit. The decaying house, the possibility of ghosts past and present all made an enthralling backdrop for Ellen to explore.
Ellen herself was quite sad character. Both easy to root for, as a person in a similar life state and hard because the way she spoke of her loved one going through motherhood while raw and often and under represented perspective felt a bit resentful in a way that I personally didn’t love.
The twist unfortunately reveals itself self pretty early on, so if twist are important for you that might be a bit of a let down. I for one do not like a twist so it didn’t much matter to me.
I wish most of all that the Eels had more of a pay off. That they were sinister or more mysterious or housed the dead or something.
A fairly long book for how little happens but with beautiful prose and an emotional resonance.
Thank you Net Galley and Salt Publishing for the ARC and the chance to review!
Ellen is a young(ish) woman who ghost writes the lives of her clients. In a way this mirror the way that she seem to be almost ghost writing her own life.
She’s on the cusp of many things, the women around her are staring to have children and shes not ready for that step in fact she might never be ready for that step but its clear that she at least to some existent resents the expectation of her to be a mother.
She’s not old yet and yet she feels her youth slipping away from her, reminiscing about the time she had with the mysterious YOU she seems almost to be writing this narrative for.
When shes contracted to write the biography of the mysterious Miss Carey int the sprawling Enver House Ellen is forced to dwell in a state of uncertainty. Miss Carey is mysterious and something is simply off.
What starts off as a memory laps reveals itself to be a gothic setting not only of house and home but also of memory, soul and body.
I enjoyed the gothic setting quite a bit. The decaying house, the possibility of ghosts past and present all made an enthralling backdrop for Ellen to explore.
Ellen herself was quite sad character. Both easy to root for, as a person in a similar life state and hard because the way she spoke of her loved one going through motherhood while raw and often and under represented perspective felt a bit resentful in a way that I personally didn’t love.
The twist unfortunately reveals itself self pretty early on, so if twist are important for you that might be a bit of a let down. I for one do not like a twist so it didn’t much matter to me.
I wish most of all that the Eels had more of a pay off. That they were sinister or more mysterious or housed the dead or something.
A fairly long book for how little happens but with beautiful prose and an emotional resonance.
Thank you Net Galley and Salt Publishing for the ARC and the chance to review!
August 15, 2025
The Homecoming was beautifully written and the pacing was perfect. There were also a lot of fun facts sprinkled in that made it interesting. The vibes were a mix between The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield and the movie A Cure for Wellness.
While I enjoyed the story, I was disappointed because it isn’t really horror and the ending wasn’t very surprising. I think there were a ton of missed opportunities here that would have made this a 5-star read.
While I enjoyed the story, I was disappointed because it isn’t really horror and the ending wasn’t very surprising. I think there were a ton of missed opportunities here that would have made this a 5-star read.
February 6, 2025
*4.5 stars*
I cannot believe this book is a debut! The Homecoming has everything I love in a ghost story. The perfectly paced slow burn and creepy but beautiful atmosphere pulled me in from the first page, and reminded me of some of the classics of the genre. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and I hope to see more stories from this author in the future! I would recommend The Homecoming for readers who enjoy slow burn gothic books with emotional depth.
Thank you to NetGalley & Salt Publishing for the arc! All thoughts & opinions in the review are my own.
I cannot believe this book is a debut! The Homecoming has everything I love in a ghost story. The perfectly paced slow burn and creepy but beautiful atmosphere pulled me in from the first page, and reminded me of some of the classics of the genre. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and I hope to see more stories from this author in the future! I would recommend The Homecoming for readers who enjoy slow burn gothic books with emotional depth.
Thank you to NetGalley & Salt Publishing for the arc! All thoughts & opinions in the review are my own.
June 1, 2025
The protagonist of Zoë Apostolides’s debut novel, The Homecoming, is Ellen, a young ghostwriter sent from London to a remote village in Northumberland to interview Catherine Carey, the elderly owner of the dilapidated Elver House. Although Ellen was raised in the Cumbrian countryside, even that doesn’t prepare her for the wild setting of this stately home—named after the young eels that populate the local river. She arrives at the ruinous house on a dark night and is shocked to find no one at home. However, Miss Carey appears the following morning, and over the next week or so, Ellen attempts—though not without difficulty—to extract memories of Catherine’s upbringing, her father’s tragic death, and a lifetime spent in the dark shadow of the house, which is haunted by its own past and that of its inhabitants.
Zoë Apostolides’s debut is a highly atmospheric tale steeped in Gothic and horror tropes. There are clear echoes of the “haunted house” genre in the suspenseful descriptions of Miss Carey’s mansion and the elderly woman’s tales of the spirits that roam its rooms. The sense of an “outsider” among villagers who know more than they let on evokes strong folk horror vibes. I particularly liked the image of the “elvers”—the eels whose eerie presence brings a sense of dread, while also serving as a metaphor for the voyages of life. Apostolides brings a contemporary feel to a well-established genre by skilfully combining these elements with a portrayal of the predicaments faced by a young woman in today’s world. Miss Carey never married, and this seems to mirror Ellen’s own situation as a woman reluctant to conform to society’s expectations of settling down and having children. The first-person narration alternates with second-person passages addressed to Ellen’s best friend, who, she feels, has drifted away after marriage and motherhood.
There is much to enjoy in this reimagining of the Gothic haunted house genre. However, one key point affected my overall enjoyment of the novel. The central plot premise hinges on a twist à la M. Night Shyamalan, which I saw coming from the early chapters. Now, I don’t purport to be any more perspicacious than the next reader, which leads me to believe that Apostolides intended for us to be one step ahead of the protagonist. If that’s the case, though, I think it may be a misjudgement, as it dulls the element of surprise that might otherwise have had a greater impact—at least in my view.
That said, this is still a debut I would recommend, especially for its atmosphere and for its poignant and insightful character descriptions.
3.5*
https://endsoftheword.blogspot.com/20...
Zoë Apostolides’s debut is a highly atmospheric tale steeped in Gothic and horror tropes. There are clear echoes of the “haunted house” genre in the suspenseful descriptions of Miss Carey’s mansion and the elderly woman’s tales of the spirits that roam its rooms. The sense of an “outsider” among villagers who know more than they let on evokes strong folk horror vibes. I particularly liked the image of the “elvers”—the eels whose eerie presence brings a sense of dread, while also serving as a metaphor for the voyages of life. Apostolides brings a contemporary feel to a well-established genre by skilfully combining these elements with a portrayal of the predicaments faced by a young woman in today’s world. Miss Carey never married, and this seems to mirror Ellen’s own situation as a woman reluctant to conform to society’s expectations of settling down and having children. The first-person narration alternates with second-person passages addressed to Ellen’s best friend, who, she feels, has drifted away after marriage and motherhood.
There is much to enjoy in this reimagining of the Gothic haunted house genre. However, one key point affected my overall enjoyment of the novel. The central plot premise hinges on a twist à la M. Night Shyamalan, which I saw coming from the early chapters. Now, I don’t purport to be any more perspicacious than the next reader, which leads me to believe that Apostolides intended for us to be one step ahead of the protagonist. If that’s the case, though, I think it may be a misjudgement, as it dulls the element of surprise that might otherwise have had a greater impact—at least in my view.
That said, this is still a debut I would recommend, especially for its atmosphere and for its poignant and insightful character descriptions.
3.5*
https://endsoftheword.blogspot.com/20...
July 21, 2025
I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for a fair review.
An atmospheric and haunting gothic mystery that also manages to weave in a look at the expectations placed on women in domestic spaces, The Homecoming isn’t exactly surprising in its twist, but is very enjoyable nonetheless.
I'd call this a Gothic mystery, as it has almost all the tropes: run-down secluded manor house, woman main character, creepy but not horrific scenes, and a social critique. All the best Gothic stories have some grander theme woven in, though this one addresses it head-on rather than through allegory or more subtle means.
I really enjoyed this book. I can't say I love it, but that's only because the twist was super obvious to me, to the effect that the reveal felt too drawn out. I guessed it around 30 percent and knew at 45, though a tagline on the blurb that I didn’t read kind of spoils it. If we're supposed to know the twist early on, the fact that Ellen does not is a choice I’m not sure works.
Yet, that's not to say the book isn't enjoyable even knowing the twist. It's immensely interesting because the main character is likable, Ms. Carey's memories give it a historical fiction feel at times, and the house is so atmospheric. It does move at a rather slow pace, and I could have used a few more flashbacks from Ms. Carey to really cement the central theme of the book, but I found myself unable to put it down. It takes on the feel of a classic Gothic story at times due to its languid pace. It’s more The Woman in White vs Starling House.
The house, as I said, is great - it’s grand yet falling down, with interesting grounds. The elvers were cool - I didn’t really know what those were, and the idea of their migration as a sort of homecoming fit well with the overall theme. The initial scenes of the novel are downright scary and really drew me into the story. If the author wanted to try a full-on horror novel, I’m sure she’d write a great one.
The writing, for being first person (which I’m very picky about), was well done. The book has a few interesting second-person lines, which tie into the theme and make the novel feel like a long letter at times. This was fun.
The main theme of the book is motherhood, specifically the role of women if/once they become mothers, which is an important topic. Unfortunately, I found the approached was a bit too heavy-handed. Despite the second-person lines here and there, there isn’t enough about it until the end, it sort of falls flat/feels unfinished, and we could have gotten more with Ms. Carey's life to broaden this topic/make comparisons.
Still, a solid 4-star read and impressive for a debut.
An atmospheric and haunting gothic mystery that also manages to weave in a look at the expectations placed on women in domestic spaces, The Homecoming isn’t exactly surprising in its twist, but is very enjoyable nonetheless.
I'd call this a Gothic mystery, as it has almost all the tropes: run-down secluded manor house, woman main character, creepy but not horrific scenes, and a social critique. All the best Gothic stories have some grander theme woven in, though this one addresses it head-on rather than through allegory or more subtle means.
I really enjoyed this book. I can't say I love it, but that's only because the twist was super obvious to me, to the effect that the reveal felt too drawn out. I guessed it around 30 percent and knew at 45, though a tagline on the blurb that I didn’t read kind of spoils it. If we're supposed to know the twist early on, the fact that Ellen does not is a choice I’m not sure works.
Yet, that's not to say the book isn't enjoyable even knowing the twist. It's immensely interesting because the main character is likable, Ms. Carey's memories give it a historical fiction feel at times, and the house is so atmospheric. It does move at a rather slow pace, and I could have used a few more flashbacks from Ms. Carey to really cement the central theme of the book, but I found myself unable to put it down. It takes on the feel of a classic Gothic story at times due to its languid pace. It’s more The Woman in White vs Starling House.
The house, as I said, is great - it’s grand yet falling down, with interesting grounds. The elvers were cool - I didn’t really know what those were, and the idea of their migration as a sort of homecoming fit well with the overall theme. The initial scenes of the novel are downright scary and really drew me into the story. If the author wanted to try a full-on horror novel, I’m sure she’d write a great one.
The writing, for being first person (which I’m very picky about), was well done. The book has a few interesting second-person lines, which tie into the theme and make the novel feel like a long letter at times. This was fun.
The main theme of the book is motherhood, specifically the role of women if/once they become mothers, which is an important topic. Unfortunately, I found the approached was a bit too heavy-handed. Despite the second-person lines here and there, there isn’t enough about it until the end, it sort of falls flat/feels unfinished, and we could have gotten more with Ms. Carey's life to broaden this topic/make comparisons.
Still, a solid 4-star read and impressive for a debut.
March 31, 2025
Ellen is a ghost writer for clients wishing to write their memoirs. Her newest client, Miss Carey, has requested she stay at her home for the duration of the interviews. Unusual, but Ellen agrees, nonetheless.
From the beginning of her arrival to Elver House, things are unsettling, a foreboding eeriness and tone. That part I liked. The slow burn of a horror novel just starting out. We follow Ellen as she interviews Catherine and the townspeople to get a better picture for the book. The eeriness continues as our "twist" unfolds, which for me, was predictable.
This could have been a much shorter novel. There was a lot of internal monologues that didn't contribute to the plot and flashbacks to her friendship that she only refers to as "you". The flashbacks to this friendship felt random and almost interrupted the story, creating more of an annoyance than helping the story progress.
This was labeled as a horror novel, but I would disagree. I would say this would fall more along the lines of literacy fiction. The writing style was beautiful, and I really felt like I was at Elver House, or the brook, contemplating the life of eels.
What I really liked, was the age-old discussion of being childfree, choosing to be childfree and living with that decision. Ellen never wanted kids, "you" had one and she felt shafted and alone. Miss Carey's mother did not want her, and you feel Catherine's sadness as she grapples with those heavy emotions and childhood. As someone who is childfree by choice, this resonated with me, and I appreciated seeing this in mainstream media because I do believe it is a topic that is hardly written about.
There are a few things that didn't make sense to me. Obviously, the friendship part didn't really need to be in the novel. I feel like it didn't contribute to the plot at all. I think Miss Carey's character was underdeveloped and I didn't feel connected to her or her history. I was hoping for more. A big AHA moment in Miss Carey's life that never came. She was an old lady who lived at a historic house. And that was about it.
It wasn't all bad. Imagery and writing style were spot on and I did feel like it read at a quick pace. It kept my interest, and I read quickly to get to that twist. And I felt like Ellen was my friend, relatable, easy going and a go-getter.
I wouldn't say I would read it again, but I didn't mind it.
3/5 stars rounded up. I want to thank NetGalley, the author and publishers for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
From the beginning of her arrival to Elver House, things are unsettling, a foreboding eeriness and tone. That part I liked. The slow burn of a horror novel just starting out. We follow Ellen as she interviews Catherine and the townspeople to get a better picture for the book. The eeriness continues as our "twist" unfolds, which for me, was predictable.
This could have been a much shorter novel. There was a lot of internal monologues that didn't contribute to the plot and flashbacks to her friendship that she only refers to as "you". The flashbacks to this friendship felt random and almost interrupted the story, creating more of an annoyance than helping the story progress.
This was labeled as a horror novel, but I would disagree. I would say this would fall more along the lines of literacy fiction. The writing style was beautiful, and I really felt like I was at Elver House, or the brook, contemplating the life of eels.
What I really liked, was the age-old discussion of being childfree, choosing to be childfree and living with that decision. Ellen never wanted kids, "you" had one and she felt shafted and alone. Miss Carey's mother did not want her, and you feel Catherine's sadness as she grapples with those heavy emotions and childhood. As someone who is childfree by choice, this resonated with me, and I appreciated seeing this in mainstream media because I do believe it is a topic that is hardly written about.
There are a few things that didn't make sense to me. Obviously, the friendship part didn't really need to be in the novel. I feel like it didn't contribute to the plot at all. I think Miss Carey's character was underdeveloped and I didn't feel connected to her or her history. I was hoping for more. A big AHA moment in Miss Carey's life that never came. She was an old lady who lived at a historic house. And that was about it.
It wasn't all bad. Imagery and writing style were spot on and I did feel like it read at a quick pace. It kept my interest, and I read quickly to get to that twist. And I felt like Ellen was my friend, relatable, easy going and a go-getter.
I wouldn't say I would read it again, but I didn't mind it.
3/5 stars rounded up. I want to thank NetGalley, the author and publishers for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
July 6, 2025
Solid debut! This book has all the classic gothic elements we know and love. A stranger coming to stay in a crumbling, ancient mansion out in the middle-of-nowhere England. Elver House is a beautiful place that has seen its share of death throughout its time. At one point the home was used as a hospital for soldiers during the war. Ellen has come to visit after her employer was contacted to help write a memoir for the guardian of the home, Catherine Carey. After Ellen arrives she quickly find that the reigning matriarch has some incredibly strange habits.
I feel like this may have been more suited as a short story or novella. I enjoyed the base story but much of the book is monotonous daily behavior. I kind of expected things to intertwine a bit more but they never really did. I LOVE detailed books with extensive world building but hoped for more connected bits.
Elver House is well done and imagining the Conger Brook was *wild.* Ellen and Catherine are well dimensioned but I was expecting more from Catherine’s recollections. I appreciated the commentary on women within society and the distinctions awarded to mothers and fathers, but overall this book never crescendoed quite the way I’d anticipated it would. It’s an atmospheric, slower book that I wouldn’t really chuck into the horror section. There is a supernatural element but it’s minimal and I expected some of the other components (ie the overflowing with eels brook) to factor in more than they did. I will say I initially read “eel babbing” as “eel bobbing” and was really impressed that kids across the pond stick their mouths into water to grab eels as opposed to the apples we use here in the States. A nice read but not quite what I had prognosticated. I will definitely look for more of Apostolides’ work in the future if she continues to try her hand at horror.
I feel like this may have been more suited as a short story or novella. I enjoyed the base story but much of the book is monotonous daily behavior. I kind of expected things to intertwine a bit more but they never really did. I LOVE detailed books with extensive world building but hoped for more connected bits.
Elver House is well done and imagining the Conger Brook was *wild.* Ellen and Catherine are well dimensioned but I was expecting more from Catherine’s recollections. I appreciated the commentary on women within society and the distinctions awarded to mothers and fathers, but overall this book never crescendoed quite the way I’d anticipated it would. It’s an atmospheric, slower book that I wouldn’t really chuck into the horror section. There is a supernatural element but it’s minimal and I expected some of the other components (ie the overflowing with eels brook) to factor in more than they did. I will say I initially read “eel babbing” as “eel bobbing” and was really impressed that kids across the pond stick their mouths into water to grab eels as opposed to the apples we use here in the States. A nice read but not quite what I had prognosticated. I will definitely look for more of Apostolides’ work in the future if she continues to try her hand at horror.
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