Sarafina

by Philip Fracassi

During one of the most violent battles of the Civil War, three brothers fighting for the Confederate army decide to go AWOL and make their way home, willing to risk execution rather than be killed in a losing war. After several exhausting weeks of rough terrain, the brothers find a miracle deep in the dark woods: a homestead. Living in this remote cabin is a beautiful woman, Sarafina, and her young son, Titus. She takes the soldiers in, feeds them, offers them a place to rest. But the youngest brother is wary—something seems off. As the days pass, he discovers a mysterious creek, a strange underground cavern, and a strong sense that the cabin and the surrounding fertile land are not what they seem. The brothers soon find themselves in a new battle, an escalation of horrors they must somehow fight to survive.

Genres: Horror, Historical Fiction, Fiction, Historical, Fantasy, Audiobook, War

354 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2024

About the author

PHILIP FRACASSI is the Bram Stoker and British Fantasy Award-nominated author of the novels A Child Alone with Strangers, Gothic, Boys in the Valley, The Third Rule of Time Travel, and The Autumn Springs Retirement Home Massacre. He is also the author of the story collections Behold the Void, Beneath a Pale Sky, and No One is Safe!

His stories have been published in numerous magazines and anthologies, including Black Static, Best Horror of the Year, Nightmare Magazine, Interzone, and Southwest Review.

Philip lives in Los Angeles and is represented by Copps Literary Services, Circle M + P, and WME. You can find him on Facebook, Instagram, and Bluesky, or visit pfracassi.com.

Reviews

[Esta · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sarafina is more unhinged than a door that’s completely fallen off its hinges and is floating in outer space in another galaxy or universe. It was amazing, revolting, inventive and very concerning. It’s completely out to lunch and I mean that in the best way, as a compliment--Fracassi, respectfully… are you okay there bro? How did your brain come up with this? (Again, complimentary).

Sarafina starts off as a gruesome historical horror, with three brothers deciding to desert in the midst of a violent Civil Wartime battle and make a dangerous trek home through unforgiving wilderness. However, as you may’ve guessed… outrunning gunfire, outlasting hunger and avoiding death by injury and disease is the least of their problems.

I'm not going to talk more about the story details because the event that is Sarafina needs to be experienced for oneself. All I will say is that this went above and beyond anywhere I thought a historical-religious-body-cosmic-folkloric-witchy-horror-fairytale-coming-of-age-fantasy (I’m choosing to believe that’s a real genre) could go.

I almost think it’s one of those books where the author took “surely it can’t get worse” as a personal challenge. And the execution was really excellent, including the very unlikeable characters and lyrical but not too lyrical writing. It’s not so over-the-top that you get desensitised to the inevitable gore and body horror. And the actual story and reveals were marvellous. I think this is the most I can truly say without getting into spoiler territory really.

Finally, every single trigger warning you can think of is present in this book, almost like the author thought, gotta catch ‘em all, like Pokemon!

Definitely recommend for horror enthusiasts and people who are suspicious of trees.

Thanks so much to my friends Jamie and Fran for putting this on my radar (check out their reviews!) and to Netgalley and CLASH Books for the ARC.

[Nikki Lee (Nikkileethrillseeker) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holy Fuck!!! My dear friends, I believe I have found another favorite Philip Fracassi novel! Holy living Christ on a stick 😱! By gawd this is some straight-out-of-hell MASTERPIECE!

Three brothers are fighting for their lives for the Confederate Army. Then, they decide to go AWOL. At the 20% mark, the story takes a whole different turn. They find a cabin in the woods with a beautiful woman and child. They gladly provide refuge. The only thing is, they just found a new fresh kind of hell.

By gawd this book was every single thing I love within the horror genre! We have historical horror, folklore, religious horror, witchcraft, coming-of-age, and many terrors that follow. I am in awe of this author and his ability to write in a way that leaves you itching for more. He is a MASTER in the horror genre and once again has written another masterful tale not to be missed!

Sell your soul, pawn your xbox…. Do whatever you gotta do to get your copy!

ALL OF THE ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Eternally grateful to Clash Books, Philip, and Netgalley for the copy.

Pub Date - 4/7/26

[Char · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sarafina opens with three brothers on a civil war battlefield deciding that they’d had enough. All three go AWOL and head back home. Their journey is a difficult and long one. Being chased by their fellow soldiers, and being targets for other deserters or thieves, it’s not long before the brothers are starving, wounded and exhausted. The youngest, Ethan, discovers a home on the far side of a swamp with only a creek between them. His brothers eagerly follow across the creek to Sarafina’s domain. They think they are safe, but they’re actually in more danger there. Sarafina is no ordinary woman and her son, Titus, is a mystery. What will happen to the brothers under Sarafina’s care? You’ll have to read this to find out!

I thought this was a blast almost from the very first page. Starting with the horrors of war, there’s lots of blood and gore tossed about. The brothers are not good people, with the possible exception of Ethan, the youngest. His are the eyes we are looking through for most of the narrative. Often, Ethan is thinking of his twin sister back home, and later on in the story, we get to look through her eyes as well.

Philip Fracassi has woven a delightful tapestry of evil, horror, fantasy, body horror, historical fiction and witchcraft. I never had an idea as to exactly where all of this was going and I love when that happens.

I have developed a huge admiration for Fracassi’s work over the last few years. The Autumn Springs Retirement Home Massacre knocked my socks off last year, but now Sarafina is my second favorite from this author, and I’m glad I have a few more of his novels on hand to discover in the future.

Highly recommended for fans of horror!

*ARC from publisher/Due out April 7th, from Clash Books

[Matt M · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sarafina is the terrifying tale of three brothers fighting in the Civil War who desert the Confederacy and while fleeing come across a mysterious house in the middle of the woods, where they meet a woman, Sarafina, and a boy named Titus. War is terrifying enough, but they quickly discover even worse horrors. This novel has fantastic pacing and some of the most horrifying and brutal things that Fracassi has put to page yet, juxtaposed by beautiful prose.

Sarafina is a bruising, bombshell of a novel about brotherhood, family, faith, duty, and horrors both real and supernatural. Fracassi continues to roll on as one of the best genre writers working today.

Thank you to Earthling Publications for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[thevampireslibrary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Full review to come in SCREAM magazine.

"A fairytale like no other, Fracassi has crafted a nightmarish story weaving together threads of mythology, history, fantasy and horror that explores the bonds of brotherhood through a terrifying landscape of war, religion, and the supernatural"

[Cassie · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Time is an unusual thing,” Sarafina says quietly, eyes downcast. “Have you ever noticed how it shrinks and stretches depending on the moment? Or, in some cases, within the events surrounding us? This war, for example, has slowed time considerably, don’t you think? Days move slower. Almost sluggishly. As if history is being written in such detail that the actions of men must be drawn-out for posterity, so not a single death will be missed, a single malicious act forgotten.”

In the wake of the bloody Battle of Shiloh in 1862, three brothers fighting for the Confederacy decide to desert and make their way home to Natchez, Mississippi. They’d rather risk execution if they’re caught than face another day of endless, senseless violence and brutality in battle. After weeks of traipsing through the wilderness, facing bandits, military police, swamplands, and starvation, the brothers have nearly lost hope that they’ll ever find their way home.

But then salvation appears in the form of a young boy across a creek, who leads the brothers to his mother’s homestead, a bountiful paradise hidden deep in the forest. The boy’s mother, Sarafina, takes the brothers in, feeding them, nursing them back to health, and offering them a comfortable place to rest and recuperate. The two older brothers can’t believe their luck - but the youngest, Ethan, is wary. There’s something strange about the creek, something sinister about the giant dogs that roam the homestead, and something downright profane about the sprawling basement beneath the cabin. The brothers may have left the battlefield, but they soon find themselves fighting an entirely different war.

Sarafina is my third book by Philip Fracassi, and my favorite so far. Part historical fiction, part biblical and cosmic horror, Sarafina is a fascinating, frightening examination of good and evil - and how blurry the lines are between the two. It highlights not only the horrors of war, but also the horrors that reside within the deepest reaches of the soul. The narrative is full of tension and desperation in equal measure, with coming-of-age elements and thought-provoking philosophical questions embedded in a brutally violent, unsettling, almost otherworldly story. I was practically getting whiplash (in a good way) from cringing at a particularly grotesque scene, and then immediately being asked to ponder metaphysical questions about the nature of good and evil. All of my receptors were engaged and I loved it.

The character development is stellar, and my loyalties shifted several times as I was reading. None of the characters are particularly likable, and it isn’t always clear who the villain is. I’m still not quite sure who I was rooting for, or who I was supposed to root for, and I think that was entirely the point. I see you, Philip!!

I’m glad I have so much of Fracassi’s backlist to dive into while I’m waiting for his next new book. Sarafina has made him an auto-read author for me. Thank you to CLASH Books for the complimentary reading opportunity.

[Matt Milu · Rating 5 out of 5]

Now that’s how you properly do a twist ending! Also, is it wrong that I felt bad for Sarafina? 5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️!

[Dave C · Rating 5 out of 5]

Philip Fracassi's 'Sararfina' is yet another magnificent novel that packs so much in and does it so the highest standard. It's hard to write anything too in depth without spoiling things but suffice to say, nothing is as it seems and the horror elements are certainly horrific. The character work is superb, the prose on point and the pace unrelenting. There are some familiar fairy-tale tropes, used to great effect and these are wonderfully explained as things come to a climax.

This was an absolute blast to read, and I just wish it was longer! That's not because the story was too short, it's simply down to such enjoyable story-telling. One of my favourite reads of 2025.

A huge thank you to NetGalley and CLASH Books for the ARC!

[unstable.books · Rating 5 out of 5]

Philip Fracassi's Sarafina is a lean, merciless descent into a fresh blend of historical and folk horror, fusing Civil War brutality and creeping dread. We follow three Confederate army brothers who abandon the blood-soaked battlefield in hopes of surviving. The novel quickly strips away any illusion of safety once they find shelter with a strange woman and her unsettling son in an isolated cabin. What begins as refuge becomes entrapment, as the very land itself seems to reveal a hunger that feels ancient and inescapable. Fracassi excels at atmosphere and this story is no exception. The odd, unnatural creek and the surrounding wilderness pulse with malevolence, creating a setting that feels alive in its own right and ever-watching. The horror is not always loud, but slow, suffocating and rooted in place. Violence, both from Sarafina and other forces at play, feel inevitable. It echoes the moral rot left in the wake of war. What makes Sarafina that much more effective is the emotional weight that these characters shoulder. Guilt, fear, and desperation haunt the young men as relentlessly as the evil closing in around them. Fracassi examines survival at a cost, asking what is worth sacrificing when escape is not an option. Bleak, visceral, and beautifully controlled, Sarafina is a haunting mediation on warfare, sin, and the horrors that await when men believe they can outrun their demons. Thank you so much to CLASH Books for the ARC. This title was previously published in limited supply and will be reissued from CLASH April 07, 2026. Do yourself a favor and add it to your TBR now because you do not want to miss out! HOLY SHIT PHILIP YOU KILLED IT!! A more in-depth review to come in early 2026 from me via The Fandomentals magazine.

[RoseDevoursBooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fracassi does it again. This author just does not miss 👏🏼 From the very first page, I was completely pulled in! The story drops you into a brutal world where three brothers go AWOL during the Civil War, only to stumble into something far more terrifying. The blend of historical fiction and folklore creates a dark, nightmarish fantasy that feels like a twisted fairy tale. It weaves together witchcraft, cosmic and supernatural horror, coming-of-age elements, and religious themes of good versus evil, with references to the Book of Enoch. There are so many elements working together here, and it all comes together in a way that makes the book impossible to put down and a clear reminder of why Fracassi is a master of his craft.

War violence, an isolated cabin, a mysterious woman, a creepy child, and bloodthirsty hounds lurking in the woods… what could possibly go wrong? I absolutely love the way Fracassi builds his worlds. They feel vivid and immersive, like you are right there inside them. The atmosphere is rich, haunting, and beautifully written. One particular cave scene felt so claustrophobic it gave me genuine chills. Sarafina herself is unforgettable, with a magnetic, ominous presence I could not get enough of. Ellie, Ethan’s twin sister, carries a tragic backstory that made me both angry and deeply sympathetic. I loved what was done with her character and how her arc ultimately plays out. I would gladly read a novella centered entirely on Ellie because I was not ready to let her go.

At this point you get it. This book is incredible and easily one of my top reads of the year! If you are craving a story that mixes magic, horror, and a bit of gore, do yourself a favor and pick this one up!

[Ellery Adams · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my first Philip Fracassi novel but it definitely won't be my last!

I loved the Civil War background and the southern setting. The slow burn beginning plucks the reader from the battlefield and lures us into the deep, wild, swampy, dense countryside. Here, it a perfectly creepy atmospheric setting, we meet Sarafina–a character I liked immediately. I love a novel featuring justified villainy, and Sarafina delivers that in spades. The tension builds until the unexpected ending.

[Courtney Autumn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Set during the American Civil War, 𝗦𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗮 is a unique blend of historical fiction, horror, and fantasy. And hey, when Philip Fracassi himself declares this his best and most terrifying book yet, the bar gets set high!

After deserting the Confederate army, three brothers seek refuge at a secluded cabin with a mysterious woman named Sarafina and her peculiar child, Titus. Anything would seem like paradise after the violence and brutality of the war they’ve fled, but the idyllic safe haven they’ve stumbled upon starts to feel a little too good to be true… because it is.

With the possible exception of Ethan, the youngest, the brothers are not good people, as evidenced by their past and present actions. Most of the narrative is told through Ethan’s eyes as he begins to feel unsettled and suspicious of Sarafina despite also feeling allured by her. He often thinks as though he’s penning a letter to his twin sister, Ellie, and occasionally, the narrative shifts to her perspective back home.

Fracassi is a master at creating an eerie and disquieting atmosphere, and this skillset is on full display with 𝗦𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗮. The creek, the wilderness, and the cabin exude an unearthly and sinister energy that builds and expands until it feels all encompassing. The horrors shift from slow and subtle to swift and bold. As more truth is exposed, it begs the question of who is truly evil, and is it ever really as black and white as that? It’s haunting and visceral and another solid win from Fracassi.

🎙️ Eric Fox handles the bulk of the narration with Ellie Gossage adding her voice to the passages told from Ellie's POV; both do a great job!

✨ Thank you Libro FM for this ALC!

[Gordon · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 rounded up

[Curtis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Damn! That was Fracassi's scariest book since Boys In The Valley dropped in 2021. Y'all are gonna dig this when it gets a wider re-release. But the trade edition probably won't come with the interior artwork, and for the record, one of the drawings is of a hot naked chick, so you're definitely missing out. Actually, I should probably go re-read the page with that drawing right now.

[David Swisher · Rating 5 out of 5]

How does Fracassi do it!?!? Another absolutely stunning novel. It's damn near perfect. Hopefully this one gets a proper trade release in due time like Boys In The Valley and Gothic, because this story deserves to be read.

[L.C. Marino · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another classically toned Fracassi horror. The story showcased Fracassi’s signature voice and prowess with demonic themes, this time in the uniquely tragic American Civil War. Excellent balance of depth, pace, and character development. I loved the way he shifted the dynamics of good and bad in each act, aligning characters to each side of the argument as the story progressed. SARAFINA reinforced my appreciation for Fracassi as a leading voice in current horror.

[Hermes · Rating 4 out of 5]

CWs: Violence, Gore, Torture, Religious Themes, Mentions of Sex

Sarafina was a fun read told through the eyes of a young Confederate deserter Ethan Belle. Having joined his two older brothers at the age of seventeen to prove his worth for their overbearing father quickly learned the horrors of what the Civil War was to become. Philip Fracassi does not shy from details of firefights, landmines and the desperate fear that soldiers held once the tides of the war had shifted. We come into the story with Ethan’s foundations already shaken from what he had seen in war. I liked seeing how it was compartmentalized for him and his brother’s actions as it felt realistic while sometimes hard to stomach.

What was three brothers escaping the horror of war becomes a horror beyond comprehension when they meet with Sarafina, her son Titus and their idyllic farmstead home nestled in a grove of untouched forest. I won’t spoil too much but the atmosphere quickly pulls in a gothic style of horror with the sense of dread that the main character comes to realize is danger, while his brothers only realize when it is much too late. The darker natures of the brothers slowly come to light, and their fates are sealed on the island when Ethan himself is able to escape.

There are several parts to the story, the rise and fall falling into a few notable acts; toward the end of the story there were a few turns I hadn’t expected to come but it was a fun albeit rushed addition to add to the historical elements of things that were happening during the time at hand. At a few intervals of the story we are given a second narrator in the form of Ethan’s twin sister Ellie who had been left at home with her father. While it was interesting to get a change of perspective, it felt out of place only until the end when things began to tie together.

In the final acts, Ethan finally comes home and reckons with what he has done and lost but he’s finally brought back to his sister and he attempts to find solace. Plagued with nightmares and the callings of Sarafina, he comes into contact with the father of the local church and bares his soul, finding that the witch is more than just and in turn is something far more unholy. With the backing of the father, Ethan and Ellie make their way back to the grove where Sarafina had been preparing for something far darker than the magics that Ethan had seen with his brothers.

Without spoiling the ending, I will say it felt fast but in a satisfying way. The set up of the novel was the drawing power Sarafina had been feeding into for her time in the grove; Ethan and his brothers were the catalyst. Some of the pieces at the end of the novel only make sense if you paid close attention in the chapters with Ellie, but it was so subtle I had to do re-reads and only after the lore dump at the end did things begin to fully click together. There is a twist towards the finale that had me take a moment to sit and realize just the gravity of some of the situations at hand within the Belle family and at the end, it was an unsettling truth that concluded quite well.

Thank you to Net Galley for the eARC in exchange for a review.

[Rachel Drenning · Rating 5 out of 5]

and that, ladies and gents...is how you write a horror novel. Playing tricks on the brain of what's evil and what's good. I live historical fiction with supernatural vibes or magical realism. Fracassi has become a favorite author of mine. He knows how to write what I call Intelligent Horror. It's just plain horror mixed in with actual history or things that seem so real they could happen to anyone, and the prose is something you'd read in a Dostrovesky novel.

[Ethan · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 Rounded Up

Honestly, I’m not super sure how I feel about this. There’s a damn good, compelling story, with very cool lore and world building, to be found in what’s here. I just don’t think it’s fully realized due to some of the decisions made.

One of the biggest things working against this book for me is the choice of main character/narrator, which I only realized wasn’t fully working the further I got into the book, especially when we start to get more information about the characters but also, more importantly, about where Fracassi decides to take the story, specifically in how he address and gestures towards the main thematic elements.

I can theoretically see this book working better if there were more than just the one main narrator (with very, very brief inclusions from another character that take a few instances to not feel out of place). I just don’t think Ethan’s character lens is a smart move if he’s going to essentially be the only POV character. Reading him just starts to get really tricky. There’s already the icky bit of him being a Confederate soldier (this and the overall Civil War setting I don’t think is sufficiently explored) that immediately posits me as a reader against him and his brothers. And this isn’t necessarily a bad thing. There are plenty of successful books out there with main characters that are far from like-able. The issue here is that I felt very unsure about whether or not I “should’ve” been rooting for him or liking his character. I couldn’t get a clear grasp on Fracassi’s intent with Ethan, and this wasn’t helped by some other characters around him saying he’s “one of the good ones” or “not evil” or that he “has a pure heart” when those aren’t characteristics I would readily use to describe him at all.

Really this book’s saving grace is Sarafina. She captures the spotlight with every single scene she’s in, and I just really, really, really wish the book would’ve flipped expectations and made her the true main character. She’s just so exponentially more interesting than any of the other characters, with the slight exception of Ellie and Father McKee, by far. There’s just so much depth and intrigue in these characters that I just don’t think we’re really given enough of to the point where I think nothing short of a near-complete retooling of the book could save this story, especially if it wanted to really fully deliver on the feminist aspects of the story and ending in particular.

I don’t know. Ultimately, I just ended up wanting this book to really lean into the feminist themes it presents and go so much harder into the female rage and empowerment, but it just feels shackled by its main character/narrator. Just kinda disappointing.

I will say for gore and lore fans, there is plenty on offer here. For those interested in the more mystical and tamped down aspects of the Bible and Christian theology, definitely check this out when it eventually gets a full, wide release in either 2026 or ‘27 (I can’t remember). Maybe we’ll get lucky and some of it will be re-written by then.

[Dana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sarafina begins as a tale of three brothers fighting for the Confederacy who ditch the war and find themselves in a different horror altogether. None of the characters nor the setting are exactly what they seem, and Fracassi unveils the nightmares in his oh-so-perfect-prose way. I felt claustrophobic and short of breath at times, experiencing the terror and despair of each and every well-drawn character, and the dread and suspense are relentless through the very last page.

I have enjoyed all of Fracassi's novels, but I think this is my personal favorite. The blend of horror, fantasy, fairytale, and supernatural checked all of my boxes. Incredible book.

[Raaven💖 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!!

Philip Fracassi reigns supreme as one of my favorite horror authors. From Boys in the Valley & The Autumn Springs Retirement Home Massacre this is added to the list of books I am obsessed with.

This started out a little iffy for me just because I’m not good with books about war. I find them boring. Especially with soldiers in the Confederacy during the Civil War. We are introduced to 3 brothers who have enlisted in the war together. Mason, Archie, & Ethan are our MCs with the story being told in Ethan’s POV. As the story went on, I realized how twisted this book is. Philip knows how to write a gory horror book and this wasn’t any different. As we meet Sarafina and Titus my ideas of the story started to shift. This goes back and forth about the idea of good and evil and what makes a person truly bad. As we see more of the brothers we see what they are like inside. While we learn about them, our ideas about them go back and forth. They loved each other so much and as an older sister I understood it a bit more. Some plot points I called with the twists but the one at the end threw me. It was done so well that I was actually surprised. The epilogue at the end was also so great. It really wrapped up the story nicely, which is hard to do sometimes with books. Philip Fracassi books are for people who love complicated MCs and unreliable narrators and don’t mind a bit of gore. I even teared up a little at one point as I always do with his books. I loved this one and this was such a fun read once I was able to lock in completely.

[Iffy · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25!

This book is exactly what I expected it to be and I mean that in the best way! Fantastic blend of historical fiction and horror. The audiobook narration was so well done. The perfect amounts of mystery, intrigue, and straight up creepy. The sense of dread was so palpable up until the very last page, and honestly it lingered long after the last page which is exactly how it should be.

My only complaint was that I was craving a bit more character depth from the side characters. We follow our main POV Ethan but the side characters (his brothers, his sister, and Serafina) play such a big role that I wish we got a deeper window into them.

Loved it & would absolutely recommend. Thank you to LibroFM for the ALC!

[Carly · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.25 ⭐️ for this wicked story!

This takes place during the civil war and the main premise is about three confederate soldiers (also brothers) who desert and attempt to make their way back home. They happen to stumble upon a cabin in the woods where a beautiful woman takes them in. The story all unfurls into a hellish fight for survival. I loved how this book induced a creeping sense of dread and foreboding rather than relying on tons of gore (trust, there is a bit of this too).

I deducted a half star because I felt like it was a wee bit predictable (may not be the case for everyone!) and I would have loved to see some of the characters tap wayyy more into the female rage that was so evidently implied, but not fully enacted. The main POV is our main character Ethan - I appreciated how the character was not meant to be likeable (or trusted??) but I still found myself scared for him. I hesitate to say “rooting for him” because I’m not sure that I truly ever was 😂

Audiobook performance was off the charts!! Well done. Thank you libro fm for this ALC and to CLASH books.

[Samantha Waite · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
"my body and soul drenched in blood and sin."
Part historical fiction, part dark religious horror, 💯 a gory, brutal, terrifying masterpiece.
It has some off most frightening creatures in it. The characters are complex and the story is layered. The title character Sarafina is unforgettable, like damn. Lots of twists and absolutely captivating. Very dark, beautiful and haunting. Images that will stay with me forever. Definitely recommend.
The audiobook narration is phenomenal.

[Joshua Waselynchuk · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would rate 4.5
this book was so wild. I loved it, the horror aspects were done so well. The characters were written so well.
I really enjoyed the Audiobook so thank you Librofm for this.

[William Gray · Rating 5 out of 5]

With what I would consider my first experience with truly historical horror, Fracassi writes an enthralling slow burn set during the Civil War. Three brothers desert battle and find what they think is refuge with a mysterious woman and her son. Things are not as they seem though, and things slowly take a turn for the worst as the youngest grows more and more concerned by what is going on.

This book's strongest attribute is its perspective. Told through single POV (mostly) with one character, you think you understand what side of the line Ethan is on. But it's not so cut and dry as "good" and "evil", and the book is at its best when it is contemplating this philosophy.

I would absolutely recommend, as it is a great addition to Fracassi's catalog!

[RobynReadsBooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

When violence has already shaped you,
what feels like safety? And what feels easy to justify?

Set in the aftermath of the Civil War, the story follows three brothers who desert the violence only to encounter something more insidious. Wounded and desperate, they seek shelter in a remote rural home, isolated, domestic, seemingly generous. Run by the enigmatic Sarafina and her unsettling companion, it feels like a place meant to heal.

Ethan, the youngest brother, narrates. Peripheral in his family, he is observant, attentive. His narration sharpens a sense of enclosure, that the feeling of safety here is conditional. Soon Sarafina’s home becomes intimate and suffocating at once.

Sarafina. She resists definition: witch, demon, angel, something older. Fracassi refuses certainty, and that ambiguity strengthens the horror. Her power is psychological, sexual, devotional. This domestic space becomes the site of control.

Violence precedes the story: war (and home) has already trained these men to justify harm as survival. Sarafina recognizes that, especially in Ethan.

Dread accumulates through observation: a child who isn’t quite a child, a husband who never existed, a home that doesn’t behave like refuge. When the violence arrives, Fracassi strikes hard. The body horror is brutal, intimate and deeply unsettling.

Scope widens: religion and mythology enter as framework. To offer explanation for the violence. Some atmosphere gives way to clarity, but the central tension holds.

Anchor: grounding the story is the bond between Ethan and his twin sister. They are closely connected, have a shared history. But loyalty becomes strained.

Sarafina highlights Fracassi’s strengths: controlled atmosphere, unflinching horror and a sharp understanding of how violence moves through families and the spaces we call home.

Why I loved it:
-rural isolation and domestic enclosure
-slow burn dread rooted in observation
-brutal, intimate horror that is well-described
-ending offers no absolution

Thank you Netgalley and Clashbooks for this ARC.

[Jess Reads Horror · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley and Clash Books for the ARC!

The three Belle brothers left their home in Mississippi to fight in the civil war. Despite wanting to make their father proud and wanting to stand for something, they soon realize they will most likely die if they continued. So the three brothers desert their posts and begin their long trek home. The path proves to be a lot more tasking than they had hoped, and when they were all on the verge of giving up, a homestead appears, and a beautiful woman, Sarafina and her son Titus, welcomes them into her home. But nothing that perfect comes for free.

This was a book released in 2024 I believe, and it is now being rereleased. To start, I loved it. I’m not even a huge fan of historical fiction horror, but this is one of the few books that really blew me away. On the surface, it’s about the civil war. But soon you realize it’s much more than that. It’s about religion, body horror, witchcraft, dysfunctional families, emotional baggage and trauma. I loved Boys in the Valley, and now I’m having a hard time choosing my favorite between the two.

The way this book carried you from one emotional setting to the next was absolutely incredible. The slow reveal of the characters, the changes they go through, and the emotional depths was so well done. Sarafina is such a mysterious character, and is she a villain? Or just a woman who has powers? I honestly don’t dislike her. Was I rooting for her? Probably! Is she a witch? No need to stress over these labels…

I need Philip Fracassi to never stop writing. Highly recommend to all horror fans.

[Brennan LaFaro · Rating 5 out of 5]

I rarely read the backcover synopsis of a book anymore before I start the book itself, especially with a trusted author like Mr. Fracassi. That said, after finishing the book it put a knowing smirk on my face to see the word "escalation" used in the description. It's almost appropriate as a one-word review. I knew the general witch-in-the-woods vibe from word of mouth and began the story a little concerned about how long Fracassi took to get the reader to the titular character. There's a certain amount of trust required when you're in the hands of someone who really knows what they're doing, and how to tighten the thumbscrews. All the build-up that might seem to some like plodding in circles crescendos, buzzing louder and louder like a single violin string bowed over and over, pressure increasing to a scream, and when the reader gets to the point of the story where the escalation becomes more overt, it's obvious you were being nudged in that direction the whole time, with every detail. Sarafina is a fantastic story with more elements than should work in a single story, but masterfully weaves them together without ever leaving linear structure for more than a breath. Highly recommended.

[Marisa (marisalynnreads) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Huge thanks to Libro.fm for the gifted audiobook! Sarafina is out now!

"𝘛𝘦𝘭𝘭 𝘮𝘦 𝘌𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯, 𝘪𝘧 𝘐 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘢 𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘐 𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘣𝘦 𝘢 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵 𝘰𝘳 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘐 𝘣𝘦 𝘢 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘰, 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘧𝘦𝘢𝘳, 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘨𝘢𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘶𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘪𝘵𝘺?"

Three brothers flee the war and are labelled deserters. Seeking shelter, they stumble upon a cabin in the middle of the woods, housing a young woman and her son. She agrees to let them stay, as long as they follow her orders.

🖤

The way I inhaled this audiobook like it was my new favorite drug! Philip, again, showing why he's one of my favorite horror authors. He writes horror in such a poetic light.

I say this every time I read a new book of his, he's truly a horror writer for all. Whether you've been reading it for years or this is your first step into the genre, you will yearn for more.

This was quite a slow burn, but when it hit, it hit HARD. There's religious horror, folk lore, twisted family bonds, and even some feminine rage. Sarafina, our cottage core mama is a force to be reckoned with....