Thirst

by Darren Simpson

Nobody talks about the strange happenings in Maimsbury. No one speaks of the hooded figures glimpsed in the woods, nor the children's game that went so horribly wrong. But most of all, nobody dares whisper their doubts about the river they have worshipped for centuries.

Like everyone in Maimsbury, Gorse is used to the sacrifices made every spring to the River Yeelde. The life of a farm animal - in return for a year of plenty - seems a fair trade. That is, until a tragedy leads Gorse to a blood-curdling discovery.

Because this year is a Brim Year, and after giving so much, the river needs more than an animal's life to sate its thirst...

Genres: Horror

288 pages, Paperback

Published September 11, 2025

About the author

Darren Simpson writes vivid, unruly fiction for older children and teens.

His debut novel, Scavengers, was a Guardian Best Book of the Year, and was selected for the national Summer Reading Challenge. The Memory Thieves was an Observer Book of the Month and a World Book Day Summer Read, while Furthermoor was Blackwell’s Children’s Book of the Month and a Waterstones Best Book of the Year. Darren’s stories have won awards and been translated into several languages. He’s been nominated twice for the prestigious Carnegie Medal.

His latest novel, Thirst, is out now.

Darren lives in Nottingham, where he works with the Literacy Trust to promote reading for pleasure. He loves using unusual settings to explore bravery, self-discovery, and the strangeness of the everyday.

If you'd like to find out more, visit darrensimpsonwrites.co.uk

Reviews

[Jodie Matthews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Now this is folk horror. Thirst by Darren Simpson got me straight away - so much so that I sat and read all of it in one-sitting, unwilling to stop reading until the story had reached its conclusion. This novel feels like a fable or fairytale, telling the story of Maimsbury, where everything is wonderful, but, of course, not as it seems. The townsfolk are all named after flora, they follow folk customs, respect nature, sing folk songs, and worship the river that sustains them: the River Yeelde. It’s so easy to be pulled into the world that Simpson has created – something cosy yet sinister, comforting yet quietly creepy. As the book goes on, Simpson dials up the bizarre and grotesque, until you’re in an earthy, crawling, swampy stew of weirdness.

Stone circles, rats, stags, maypoles, forest, mire, and stagnant water. This is a novel written for teens, but I highly recommend it to folk horror fans of any age because it taps into the true spirit of a folktale perfectly.

[Thespookybookclub · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh the CHOKEHOLD this book has on me!!! Review to come 🌾🩸

[jana · Rating 4 out of 5]

content warnings: murder, body horror, animal death/cruelty, gore, domestic abuse, death of a child

[Hayley (Shelflyfe) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Pushkin Press for having me along for the blogtour for 𝘛𝘏𝘐𝘙𝘚𝘛 by Darren Simpson.
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𝘔𝘢𝘪𝘮𝘴𝘣𝘶𝘳𝘺'𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘭𝘬 𝘴𝘱𝘰𝘬𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘴 𝘢 𝘵𝘢𝘱𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘺. 𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘓𝘢𝘳𝘤𝘩 𝘴𝘢𝘸 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘴 𝘴𝘱𝘳𝘢𝘸𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘧𝘭𝘰𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘦𝘳𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘨𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘣𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘷𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘮𝘢𝘭𝘴 𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘺. 𝘗𝘦𝘳𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘥 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘢 𝘵𝘢𝘱𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘢 𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘣𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨. 𝘈 𝘷𝘢𝘴𝘵, 𝘮𝘰𝘵𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘣𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘣𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘭𝘢𝘸.
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I really love folkhorror books, and Thirst is a good introduction to the genre, but in an age-appropriate way for younger readers.
It contained some of my favourite things: bog bodies; rural village life; folklore and stories that take inspiration from folklore and stories in real life; liminal spaces; and, abandoned and dilapidated churches being reclaimed by nature.
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"𝘐𝘵'𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘨𝘦𝘵 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘰𝘥𝘴. 𝘕𝘰𝘵 𝘶𝘯𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 𝘸𝘦𝘭𝘭, 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴. 𝘚𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘯 𝘰𝘯 𝘢 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘰𝘯 𝘪𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘠𝘦𝘦𝘭𝘥𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 𝘵𝘰. 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘥𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘵, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘢𝘪𝘥𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘯."
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The story is told from two main perspectives: Gorse, who is a young boy in Maimsbury, and Faye, who leaves the neighbouring village of Dauntley in search of a way to support her family.
There is a reason that Maimsbury is flourishing and prosperous while the neighbouring villages are not, but it is a secret that noone openly talks about, and there is a sense of communal shame in some regards.
Faye doesn't realise it when she arrives, but she is in danger, and though she manages to defy the odds she is hunted throughout most of the novel.
The way Gorse and Faye work together is a good element of the story as they both have their own motivations and incentives, and well as their own tensions.
However, a key takeaway from the story (which is a great message for younger readers) is that you are never too young to challenge the status quo. There is a sense within the story of defeatism from the adults; that things are just the way they are, and that's how they've always been. But younger generations continue to change the world by being the change that they want to see.
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"𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝙞𝙨 𝘢 𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘪𝘤𝘦. 𝘑𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘪𝘵'𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘺, 𝘪𝘵 𝘥𝘰𝘦𝘴𝘯'𝘵 𝘮𝘦𝘢𝘯 𝘪𝘵'𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦."
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I thought the world building throughout the story was great, especially the nods to real folklore and myths.
The hagstones reminded me of the story of the Nine Ladies in Derbyshire that were supposedly turned to stone for dancing on a Sunday, or the Black Hags in North Ulst (Scottish Outer Hebrides) who were supposed turned to stone for milking cows that weren't theirs.
I loved the detail of the wishing tree, and have seen many of these in real life (including one that is more of a wishing stump, known affectionately as 'penny post', partway up Snowdon).
And I really liked the Greenman-type character known as Dandyclogs in this story. There are so many great adult folkhorror books centred around the Greenman.
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𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘦 𝘐'𝘮 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘦, 𝘎𝘰𝘳𝘴𝘦... 𝘐𝘵'𝘴 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘰𝘭𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘯𝘢𝘭𝘴. 𝘚𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘤𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘢𝘴 𝘥𝘢𝘺; 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺'𝘳𝘦 𝘩𝘪𝘥𝘥𝘦𝘯 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘦𝘢𝘷𝘦. 𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺'𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘦 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘰𝘧 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘐'𝘮 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘭 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘮𝘢𝘺 𝘴𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘢 𝘧𝘢𝘪𝘳𝘺 𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘦, 𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘮𝘣𝘦𝘳 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘐'𝘷𝘦 𝘢𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘵𝘢𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶. 𝘍𝘢𝘪𝘳𝘺 𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘳𝘰𝘰𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘵𝘩. 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘣𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘵𝘩 𝘪𝘯 𝘧𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘪𝘯 𝘧𝘢𝘤𝘵."
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The scene setting within the woods, and the halfway-place of the mire was excellently depicted as both a space that can be beautiful and serene, yet also dangerous and threatening.
And I really liked the depiction of the adults who participate in the rituals and ceremonies of the village. This element in particular gave Midsommar and Shyamalan's The Village vibes, but again age appropriate for young readers (I'd say around the 12 year old mark upwards).
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𝘋𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘺𝘤𝘭𝘰𝘨𝘴 𝘤𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘮𝘴. 𝘌𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘨𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘴𝘦𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘪𝘵𝘴 𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘢 𝘰𝘧 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘦𝘥 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦.
𝘚𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘪𝘥 𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘮𝘢𝘥𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘸𝘪𝘨𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥𝘳𝘦𝘯'𝘴 𝘴𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘴 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘭𝘺 𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘮. 𝘖𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘤𝘭𝘢𝘪𝘮𝘦𝘥 𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘢 𝘨𝘢𝘶𝘯𝘵 𝘰𝘭𝘥 𝘮𝘢𝘯, 𝘯𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘴 𝘣𝘪𝘳𝘵𝘩, 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘢𝘳𝘮𝘴 𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘴 𝘣𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘴𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘣𝘰𝘺𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘨𝘪𝘳𝘭𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘥𝘳𝘢𝘨𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘳𝘢𝘮𝘣𝘭𝘦𝘴. 𝘚𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘪𝘥 𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘢 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘺 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘯𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘦𝘦𝘵𝘩, 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘣𝘦𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭.
𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘶𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘤𝘩𝘶𝘳𝘤𝘩 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘢𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘩𝘰𝘮𝘦, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘔𝘢𝘪𝘮𝘴𝘣𝘶𝘳𝘺'𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘨 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘢𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘬𝘦𝘱𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦.
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Considering that this book was written by a male author, it didn't contain many of the stereotypical tropes that put me off reading, which is a positive thing. However, there was one quote quite early on that made me consider whether I wanted to read on. I only include this here as it's something that is probably beneficial for the author and editor/publisher to consider when reviewing/editing future books ahead of publication:
𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘸𝘢𝘴𝘯'𝘵 𝘛𝘢𝘯𝘴𝘺'𝘴. 𝘐𝘵 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘢 𝘸𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘩𝘦'𝘥 𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘣𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦. 𝘈 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘸𝘩𝘰'𝘥 𝘣𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘧𝘶𝘭 - 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘺, 𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘶𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘯 𝘴𝘢𝘸 𝘪𝘯 𝘨𝘪𝘳𝘭𝘴 𝘯𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘥𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘰𝘥 - 𝘪𝘧 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘸𝘢𝘴𝘯'𝘵 𝘴𝘰 𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘺 𝘥𝘦𝘷𝘰𝘪𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦.
Not to say it doesn't happen, as I'm sure on rare occasions it does, but I've never read a book written by anyone other than a male author that comments on young girls nearing adulthood as being alluring...
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𝘈 𝘳𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘣𝘰𝘵𝘩 𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘴 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘴 𝘪𝘵. 𝘐𝘵 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘯𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘺𝘦𝘵 𝘢𝘭𝘴𝘰 𝘥𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘴. 𝘞𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘪𝘵𝘴 𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘧𝘭𝘶𝘹 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘧𝘭𝘰𝘸, 𝘢 𝘳𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘪𝘴 𝘢𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘥𝘪𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘺𝘦𝘵 𝘢𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘮𝘦. 𝘚𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘳𝘪𝘥𝘥𝘭𝘦𝘴 𝘧𝘳𝘢𝘺𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘷𝘦𝘪𝘭 𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 - 𝘮𝘢𝘥𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘢 𝘧𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘣𝘦𝘥 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘥.
"𝘓𝘪𝘧𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘸𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘳," 𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘔𝘶𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘪𝘯.
"𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘰 𝘪𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘯𝘴," 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘥 𝘏𝘢𝘸.
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Overall, this was a great read, and is probably the kind of book I'd have loved when I was younger - I loved Coraline, goosebumps, and other similar spooky stories back then.
I would consider reading more of Simpson's work in the future, and I do always love the middle grade/childrens books from Pushkin.

[Maddox23 · Rating 4 out of 5]

From the outset this novel is very honest about what it is—a tension filled horror which doesn’t pull its punches, even when those punches involve dogs and children. It was quite enjoyable, and I found myself rather immersed despite my usual dislike for fantastical settings.

My only real qualms are with the village and its background. This next bit will contain some spoilers. The myth of Branwen and the origin of the river’s powers was my favourite part of this book. I wish the novel spent more time on it. What we get is a big chunk of exposition told to use by Rose and then a search for Branwen which really is less of a search and more of a straight line courtesy of Faye, who somehow figures out what hundreds of years worth of people couldn’t in the space of two minutes. It really just felt like a waste of the built up tension. Yes, we get this lovely tense fight scene at the mire, but that entire ending felt far too easy given the rest of the book, especially since any really consequences are given brief mention but aren’t concluded one way or the other. The village is flooded but still has enough supplies to give to Faye, so it can’t be that bad. Gorse is suffering from the spoil but maybe there’s a cure. Larch is easily done away with by Catchpole even though the latter is portrayed as knowledgeable enough about the river that he would have known the sacrifice wouldn’t work at that point. I think I would have been more satisfied if Larch drowned in the flood. It just feels like the book tried to make the choice important, and this ending, to me, undermines it.

This brings me to my other point. When Gorse was troubled over the choice in the first place, I simply didn’t care enough to feel any of his tension. I had barely met Tansy before she falls unconscious. Likewise, we barely see Gorse’s father or anyone else in the village. Gorse cares about them, but as a reader I have no reason to. I feel like the portrayal of Faye’s family, although we never actually meet them until the end, was much better done, as her description of them was emotive enough that I felt as if I had met them.

I wish the beginning spent more time setting up the village to that extent. Show me the townsfolk, show me Gorse’s father, show me more of Tansy. Show me the myth of Branwen early on even, perhaps spun as a positive lie. I felt that the very beginning with Burdock actually did this quite well. I felt for him and his death because I had been introduced to him. I felt for him again when the river forces his corpse to walk.

Finally, I must say I would not have guessed this book was directed to 12+ year olds. I think, if you’re a parent, take caution with this age rating, as not all children will be able to handle the level of violence, cruelty and death within this book. I think death in children’s books definitely has its place, alongside mythic tales involving sacrifice and whatnot. I think when it’s this cruel, however, I’d more generally direct this towards 14+ year olds at least, especially since the narrative itself is written well and could be read by any age, so there’s no harm in holding off on this one.

3.75/5

[Snarhooked · Rating 4 out of 5]

This dark horror story combines gruesome death and folklore with a look at the moral decisions people make in order to benefit themselves and their loved ones.

It is clear from the opening that this is a story where things aren't as they seem. There's a fantastic misdirection which leads to the revelation of the true danger in the story. One of the book's themes is that some things which seem harmless have dark origins and you would be hard pushed to explain them to an outsider. The rhymes the children sing are especially creepy, but the lyrics of many of our own historical nursery rhymes are just as dark when you look into them.

Maimsbury is an insular village blessed with good fortune. The residents all have names from nature (Tansy, Chard, Gorse) so that it's clear when one is an outsider. Faye arrives in the village desperate to work to help the starving family she has left behind in her home village, which has been blighted by poor harvests. She arrives on a festival day in Maimsbury as they give thanks to the river Yeelde, which waters their crops, protects them from floods and keeps their folk safe on the river.. But the Yeelde is a hungry river, situated where the boundaries between life and death are thin. Some years the traditional sacrifice isn't enough. Gorse has accidentally discovered the truth about the Yeelde and, though horrified, is drawn in by familial obligation as he tries to recalibrate his world view.

The horror is compounded by the Yeelde itself, which is a malevolent presence throughout the story. There are some fantastic scenes when the characters are in the woods which had my heart in my mouth. The majority of the book is well paced and you want to read on. I found the ending a little abrupt and would have liked more detail but I can see the reasoning behind leaving it open-ended.

It is a grisly story which features the deaths of humans and animals so best for readers teen and above.

Thanks to Pushkin Press and Netgalley for the eARC.

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

This YA folk horror novel will appeal to those who like the sound of a small town setting, brave young protagonists and sentient, hungry forces of nature.

It takes place in Maimsbury, a town that worships the river that sustains it. Each year, the townsfolk submerge offerings of wealth and beauty, and a sacrifice taken from their livestock is drowned. But every so often a beast is not enough and the river demands a human life instead. We follow Gorse, heir to the ugly secret of how to sate the river, and Faye, the traveller seeking work who stumbles into Maimsbury at just the wrong time.

I’d say this is an ideal story for autumn, perfect for readers in their teens and above. It’s a page turner and can be read in one sitting, and it’s full of dark fairytale/cautionary tale vibes. As always with horror, you should check the trigger warnings, as pet death and domestic abuse (among other sensitive topics) are covered.

I love the way it’s written, from the botanical names of the townsfolk, to the games and songs the children learn to pass on secrets and traditions. The ways in which the town’s history is distorted into fables and curses brilliantly symbolise generational patterns, and how easily people pretend not to notice injustice when it’s to their benefit.

I only wish it had been a bit longer, as the ending feels a tad abrupt. I’d have loved to know how various townsfolk other than the protagonists reacted to the changes, and what became of the town on the whole. That said, I’d still pick up more books by this author, and will happily add this to my collection of natural horror.

Thank you to @pushkinchildrens and @darrensimpson44 for my copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Olga · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thirst by Darren Simpson is a masterclass in middle-grade horror - eerie, atmospheric, and unnervingly beautiful. Imagine if The Village and Midsommar got together and decided to terrify twelve-year-olds (in an age-appropriate way, of course). That’s the energy here.

The story centres on Gorse, a boy growing up in the isolated village of Maimsbury - a place that worships its river with quiet devotion and blood-soaked tradition. Each year, something must be sacrificed to the water. But this year, the river wants more. What unfolds is part mystery, part nightmare, and wholly compelling.

The worldbuilding is exquisite: mossy woods, decaying churches, whispers in the fog. You can smell the damp earth and feel the quiet dread of a place that’s been keeping secrets for far too long. The dual perspective between Gorse and outsider Faye works brilliantly, weaving a story that explores community guilt, moral courage, and what it really means to break free from inherited darkness.

There’s real peril here - ritual sacrifice, grief, moral compromise - yet it never strays into gratuitous territory. It’s scary because it feels true: the horror of people convincing themselves that cruelty is necessary for survival. And yet, threaded through the darkness is a glimmer of hope - that the young can see what the old have learned to ignore.

Simpson writes with cinematic tension and lyrical precision. Every page hums with unease. My only real complaint is that it ended too soon; the world he’s built deserves a longer stay (though maybe my nerves couldn’t take it).

Rich, unsettling, and gorgeously written - Thirst is a dark gem for readers ready to step up from spooky stories to something with real bite.

[Jo’s Haunted Library · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thirst is a gripping folk horror novel, appropriate for adults and teens alike. The story is told by the perspective of a teenage boy named Gorse who lives in Maimsbury, a village that seems to be a perfect place but that hides a secret or two 👀
I really enjoyed how Simpson weaved a compelling dark story with folklore and thoughtful storytelling: small town, botanical names, creepy children’s songs, cautionary/moral compass tales. What else would you need for getting into the creepy decaying Autumnal season? Perhaps…sacrifices?🩸 say less 👀

I was hooked from the beginning and truly enjoyed the book as a whole, it gave me all the creepy feelings as it was so immersive and left me on edge while I was reading it. I would say I would have loved to get to know the village residents a bit better as I feel like more secrets could be uncovered, that being said it was a solid ending that did not disappoint me.
This book was so up my alley and had so many elements that I love, anyone who knows me knows I cannot resist an eerie creepy forest and a bloody twisted tale 👻 🌲 🩸

As this is a horror book, even if appropriate for younger readers, I would advise to check trigger warnings as some themes might cause discomfort and/or distress.

[Katerina Karavapori · Rating 5 out of 5]

Make sure you have the afternoon free when you sit down with this one, because there is a high chance you will not be able to put it down until you've finished it. Simpson has created an immersive, all consuming and captivating tale which draws from folklore and tales of old, with a generous sprinkle of horror, I think fans of the genre will not be disappointed.

We're thrown into the action straight away, and, as mentioned, I was not able to put the book down until I got to the end. I genuinely believe this is not just a story for a younger audience rather than a book that can be enjoyed by children and adults alike (which is the hallmark of a great children's book to begin with, truthfully).

Gorse and Faye are well fleshed out, the worldbuilding and pace expertly delivered, but for me the strongest point and highlight has to be the atmosphere Simpson has created, slowly and carefully entangling us in a spiderweb of horror and edge-of-your-seat, page-turning storytelling.

A huge thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for my review copy, all opinions are my own.

[Rebecca R · Rating 5 out of 5]

The people of Maimsbury live under the benevolence of the River Yeeld - their harvest is abundant, the ills are healed by the water and their lives are easy. All they have to do is sacrifice an animal to the river once a year. But there is a sinister undercurrent to this seemingly idyllic village.

The story is told from two perspectives: that of Gorse, a village boy who witnesses a strange supernatural attack and then makes a horrifying discovery about the village's pact with the river,
and Faye, an outsider who has run away from home to find work to support her starving family and then finds herself trapped. Gorse is forced to face up to the culpability of people he thought he knew and trusted, and to make an impossible decision about his own future.

This is a wonderfully atmospheric folk horror, for older children and teens - tense, claustrophobic and terrifying. It reminded me a lot of 'The Village'. A chillingly good read!

[Emma Rizi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thirst by Darren Simpson is a chilling horror story written for young adults (12+). Simpson wastes no time, plunging the reader straight into the action with gripping, atmospheric storytelling. We quickly encounter a mysterious figure who lures a young boy to his death – but is it a ghost, the bogeyman, or something far darker?
From there, Simpson leads us on a tense journey through the myths and traditions of Maimsbury, a village steeped in curious customs and sinister secrets. At the heart of the story are Gorse and Faye, two teenagers who must confront danger, unravel family legacies, and face the terrifying question: who—or what—is the real monster?
This is an edge-of-your-seat tale that will keep readers turning pages late into the night, and maybe even checking under the bed before they sleep. Perfect for teens who enjoy dark suspense, folklore, and horror with heart.

[Darryl Sloan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was in the mood for folk horror this Halloween, and this one worked a treat. As a story aimed at middle graders, it's surprisingly edgy. Even violent in places, in a good way; I don't like fiction that coddles the reader, even if it's kid-lit. Old children's novels like "Carrie's War" weren't afraid to talk about hard aspects of life.

"Thirst" has similarities to "The Wicker Man" in that it's centred around the pagan belief in the necessity of human sacrifice to bring about abundance. One important difference here: the cruel magic is not a superstition. It's real and it works. In the course of the story, this brings about a soul-crushing moral dilemma for the young protagonist of the story.

I really enjoyed a previous novel by Darren Simpson, "The Memory Theieves," which I found in a free library. He's been on my radar ever since.

[Marco Scarola · Rating 4 out of 5]

A taut folk horror with surprising depth and a hero (Gorse) you can root for. The writing's dark and crackles and there's a timeless quality. The emotions of Gorse and his Mum are authentic and the stakes stay high for all the main characters throughout. Thirst takes the horror that every teen faces of seeing a cherished parent in their true light to a whole new level!

I felt for Gorse and his terrible dilemma with outsider Faye. He's torn by duty, destiny and what he really believes in. The folk lore is nicely handled and there are some holes, a few cliches and the tale is straightforward overall but Gorse and Faye make compelling heroes. And the wonderful poetry of Simspon's vivid descriptions make it well worth your time. Kind of feels like an upper Middle Grade at first but the level of horror amps up, so be warned pre-teen readers!

[Jack]

DNF @ page 100 / 35%

I didn't finish this book, but don't take that as a comment on its quality. It's nicely paced and written well. But I'm simply not the target audience, and the lens just didn't match my interests. Regardless, I would have no issue recommending this to teen readers looking for a creepy folklore tale.

[V.S. Nelson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read all of Darren's books and Thirst now takes top spot as my favourite. There's something wonderful about this one, a simple story at its core, but one that really pulls you in. I found myself really routing for Gorse and Faye and loved how the conflict played out. A great example of morally grey actions, which leads the reader to question what is right and what is wrong.

[Stacey Bookerworm · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very dark. Defintely pay attention to the recommended reading age...I loved it

[Elaine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely loved this! Excellent YA horror

[rik ✎ᝰ. · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Oh cool and flowing River Yeelde
So kind to fisher, farm and field
We reap your grace and stem your flood
With alms of beast and grain and blood."

The skirt of Tansy's dress rose about her as she waded further into the Yeelde. She looked so proud, so pretty — the perfect Yeldthanc Queen — while leading the ram deeper into the current.

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Told primarily from the perspective of a teenage boy, Gorse, living in the bountiful rural village of Maimsbury, Thirst is an intriguing entry into folk horror for the young adult audience.

Maimsbury's close-knit community comes together to celebrate the seasons and harvests in festivals that echo Celtic tradition, including to give offerings to the River Yeelde which they honour as their protector and giver of fortune. However, when something goes awry Gorse uncovers a devastating secret held by generations of villagers, leading him to choose between what he holds dear and what he believes to be right: a Trolley Problem asking readers what they would do themselves when both actions have deep consequences.

Simpson weaves several thought-provoking rhymes and song verses throughout the narrative which builds the world and its steeped tradition well. His detailed descriptions of natural — and supernatural — phenomenon inspire the imagination and successfully managed to unsettle even an adult reader at times. However, some of his word choices seem out of place for YA book ("eiderdown", "sibilant din", "burble") that will surely break the flow as readers pause to look up their definitions. The overall style of writing feels disjointed at times, as if the book was about to be graded by a really stern teacher who demands at least 5 similes per chapter.

Though I did find the historical reveal to be unique, that it was told all at once through a large chunk of dialogue half way through the book was a bit bland. I suspect the author felt it necessary so the latter half of the novel could shift to be more action-oriented, but it was disappointing given how well the seeds were sown in the first half. The introduction of a comically evil villain to defeat just further undermined the complex moral dilemma and of course, in true YA fashion, 'we don't have to care about what happens to him because he was mean >:( '

Overall, Thirst competently discusses themes of sacrifice, love, and grief through vibrant language and strong character relationships. Teenagers looking for a darker take on fantasy and supernatural forces will likely be enthralled, it just wasn't for me.


Thank you kindly to NetGalley and Pushkin Children's Books for providing me with an early ARC.

🌕🌕🌕🌑🌑 3.0 / 5

[TheHighlandBookshelf · Rating 4 out of 5]

A snappy folk horror with plenty of bite, Thirst feels like falling through the pages of a children's fable and landing headfirst in a fairytale worthy of The Brothers Grimm...

Cloaked in folkore, myth and legend, and utterly captivating until the very end this novella is suitable for both teen and adult readers alike. A perfect companion for a rainy October night ☔ especially in the run up to Halloweeeen 🎃

I would advise to check trigger warnings for this one as it was quite a bit darker than I expected especially in regards to animal harm. However, I was perhaps more sensitive to this than say the average reader as the scene involved an animal that resembled my own dear pet.

Despite this, it really is a cracking read and a credit to the folk horror subgenre! Having grown up in a very rural environment, I do love the 'small town vibes' which exacerbate the horror.