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The Devil Knows Her Name
In the isolated Appalachian town of Burrsville, Tess Wynne lives in precious quiet. Having been left for dead a century earlier, Tess made a deal with the devil to stay in the only home she’s known. Tending to her wildlife sanctuary, she keeps the land and its people safe – pulling on spidering threads of ancient magic, trying to preserve the balance of nature against the encroaching ravages of human influence. But, every autumn, the devil returns, offering Tess more power in exchange for a foothold into the human world. And, every autumn, Tess refuses.
As Tess prepares her wildlife sanctuary for the winter, an unexpected addition to Burrsville catches the local’s attention. Freshly arrived Zeke Abdee, the town’s new pastor, begins to sinisterly mould the townspeople to his will.
With everyone slowly turning on Tess, Pastor Zeke is determined to stake his claim on the very land where Tess keeps her sanctuary. Cornered, a desperate Tess pushes her magic to the darkest edges. All the while, the devil bides his time, waiting for Tess to decide if she will be prey - or predator...
As Tess prepares her wildlife sanctuary for the winter, an unexpected addition to Burrsville catches the local’s attention. Freshly arrived Zeke Abdee, the town’s new pastor, begins to sinisterly mould the townspeople to his will.
With everyone slowly turning on Tess, Pastor Zeke is determined to stake his claim on the very land where Tess keeps her sanctuary. Cornered, a desperate Tess pushes her magic to the darkest edges. All the while, the devil bides his time, waiting for Tess to decide if she will be prey - or predator...
368 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 25, 2026
About the author
C.N. Vair
2 books97 followersC.N. Vair (she/her) is a horror and dark fantasy author living in Western New York. A former journalist, she’s interested in the history and haunted corners of small towns, the magic and malice of the natural world, and power in all its forms. When she’s not writing, you can find her wandering in woods and cemeteries, growing poisonous plants in her garden, or spending time with her husband and dogs.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 185 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
‘When I learned what had killed her, I tongued the stamp on the inside of my mouth and wondered if this was the memory of god working, punishing her for birthing me.’
Wow, I had such a great time reading Fawn. I loved the initial blurb, but I can be apprehensive about gimmicky stories involving cunning women and the devil-made-flesh. Fawn is anything but. It is a slowly creeping folktale about survival, perseverance and trust in your own inner strength. Bursting with green magic, animal rescue, Appalachian horror and of course, female rage.
Watching Tess and her Fawn tear a chunk out of a cruel and small minded rural town that desperately needed its morals reevaluated was tender and sharp all at once.
Wow, I had such a great time reading Fawn. I loved the initial blurb, but I can be apprehensive about gimmicky stories involving cunning women and the devil-made-flesh. Fawn is anything but. It is a slowly creeping folktale about survival, perseverance and trust in your own inner strength. Bursting with green magic, animal rescue, Appalachian horror and of course, female rage.
Watching Tess and her Fawn tear a chunk out of a cruel and small minded rural town that desperately needed its morals reevaluated was tender and sharp all at once.
August 23, 2026
4.5, rounding up to 5.
To no one’s surprise, I absolutely devoured this. I want to grind this book into dust and sprinkle it in my coffee. It’s feral.
I’ll say it again: I love stories about angry women, and Tess is Angry. I, too, would be angry if a power-hungry zealot was set on building a megachurch on my wildlife sanctuary. I, too, would go absolutely bananas on the whole village.
This book worked for me. The setting is vaguely Appalachian, small-town, and deeply rooted in the surrounding wilderness. Tess is a witch living on a wildlife sanctuary after giving her soul to the Devil (which, in this housing market, just seems like a smart financial decision). She just wants to live in peace, keep her sanctuary wild, and care for the creatures that live there. But of course, a man enters and ruins everything.
The nature writing was probably my favorite part. Vair has such a strong grasp of the flora, fauna, and ecology of this place, and it comes through beautifully. The ecosystem really becomes a character of its own. You can feel Vair’s reverence for the natural world and the understanding that anyone who spends significant time in the wild eventually develops: nature can be beautiful, spiritual, and completely unforgiving.
The characters were good overall, though I don’t think they were quite as strong as the setting. I especially wish the Devil had played a bigger role because I found myself genuinely curious about him. I can see how keeping him somewhat ambiguous may have been intentional, but he was intriguing and had some great lines. Tess herself isn’t an especially unique character on paper, but that didn’t bother me much because the way her story is told is unique. She’s a woman who just wants to exist in her little slice of paradise, but men and society simply will not leave her be. She reminded me a lot of Abitha in Slewfoot, and I rooted for her even (especially) when she started showing her teeth.
Speaking of teeth: the fawn.
Hands to the sky, I absolutely loved the relationship between Tess and the fawn. It’s symbolic, unnerving, tender, and deeply feminine. They are both creatures expected to be prey, and watching them take their power and embrace their wickedness was probably my favorite element of the entire book. More of that, all the time, in everything…please.
If you like eerie stories with angry women, ecohorror, a little gore, and nature that is equal parts sanctuary and threat, pick this up. Especially if you enjoy stories about women who realize that the most important power isn’t given, it’s taken.
Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley for providing an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
To no one’s surprise, I absolutely devoured this. I want to grind this book into dust and sprinkle it in my coffee. It’s feral.
I’ll say it again: I love stories about angry women, and Tess is Angry. I, too, would be angry if a power-hungry zealot was set on building a megachurch on my wildlife sanctuary. I, too, would go absolutely bananas on the whole village.
This book worked for me. The setting is vaguely Appalachian, small-town, and deeply rooted in the surrounding wilderness. Tess is a witch living on a wildlife sanctuary after giving her soul to the Devil (which, in this housing market, just seems like a smart financial decision). She just wants to live in peace, keep her sanctuary wild, and care for the creatures that live there. But of course, a man enters and ruins everything.
The nature writing was probably my favorite part. Vair has such a strong grasp of the flora, fauna, and ecology of this place, and it comes through beautifully. The ecosystem really becomes a character of its own. You can feel Vair’s reverence for the natural world and the understanding that anyone who spends significant time in the wild eventually develops: nature can be beautiful, spiritual, and completely unforgiving.
The characters were good overall, though I don’t think they were quite as strong as the setting. I especially wish the Devil had played a bigger role because I found myself genuinely curious about him. I can see how keeping him somewhat ambiguous may have been intentional, but he was intriguing and had some great lines. Tess herself isn’t an especially unique character on paper, but that didn’t bother me much because the way her story is told is unique. She’s a woman who just wants to exist in her little slice of paradise, but men and society simply will not leave her be. She reminded me a lot of Abitha in Slewfoot, and I rooted for her even (especially) when she started showing her teeth.
Speaking of teeth: the fawn.
Hands to the sky, I absolutely loved the relationship between Tess and the fawn. It’s symbolic, unnerving, tender, and deeply feminine. They are both creatures expected to be prey, and watching them take their power and embrace their wickedness was probably my favorite element of the entire book. More of that, all the time, in everything…please.
If you like eerie stories with angry women, ecohorror, a little gore, and nature that is equal parts sanctuary and threat, pick this up. Especially if you enjoy stories about women who realize that the most important power isn’t given, it’s taken.
Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley for providing an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
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April 24, 2026Read for a quote!: “On the surface, a tale about a woman who sells her life to the devil only to live to fight him for her ancestral land; at its core, a sleek, sure, thought-provoking meditation on our excessive use of natural resources and the eternally restorative power of nature that can still save us."
August 27, 2026
Absolutely incredible - I devoured The Devil Knows Her Name in 24 hours from the moment I got my hands on it, and now I can't stop thinking about it. This is truly the witch book of my dreams, and the way the tension slowly ratchets up until it felt like the book (and I) were humming with it is nothing short of masterful.
May 13, 2026
Honestly, this book exceeded my expectations, which were extremely high to begin with - what a ride!
Haunting,, sinister, and full of feminine rage, Fawn is a wonderfully well written gothic folklore horror, about a woman, the men who have wronged her, a love for her town and the animals, and an adorable yet wild (iykyk) faun.
Tess, albeit stubborn and very gung-go at times, was very relatable with her emotion and her drive, and I do completely understand where she was coming from.
The narrative and story was deep and very well developed - for a debut novel the author has really knocked it out the park, absolutely stunning.
I loved every part of this, thank you so much to c.n vair, 3ambooks and NetGalley for allowing me to read this as an ARC - I am so tremendously grateful, one of my top books of the year so far for sure!
Haunting,, sinister, and full of feminine rage, Fawn is a wonderfully well written gothic folklore horror, about a woman, the men who have wronged her, a love for her town and the animals, and an adorable yet wild (iykyk) faun.
Tess, albeit stubborn and very gung-go at times, was very relatable with her emotion and her drive, and I do completely understand where she was coming from.
The narrative and story was deep and very well developed - for a debut novel the author has really knocked it out the park, absolutely stunning.
I loved every part of this, thank you so much to c.n vair, 3ambooks and NetGalley for allowing me to read this as an ARC - I am so tremendously grateful, one of my top books of the year so far for sure!
August 24, 2026
“Fawn” - “Oh Dear. I really want that necklace tho.”
★★★★☆ (4,5)
Fawn doesn’t rush, it takes its time.
This novel has bewitched me, taken me on a journey through the sanctuary and shown me what sacrifices need to be made in order to survive. If you enjoy folk horror, witchcraft and women going through lengths to fight for what they deserve, “Fawn” has got you covered. C.N. Vair has put herself on my radar with this debut novel, this woman has teeth and they have sunk themselves into me, drawing blood.
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC, I leave this review voluntarily.
★★★★☆ (4,5)
Fawn doesn’t rush, it takes its time.
This novel has bewitched me, taken me on a journey through the sanctuary and shown me what sacrifices need to be made in order to survive. If you enjoy folk horror, witchcraft and women going through lengths to fight for what they deserve, “Fawn” has got you covered. C.N. Vair has put herself on my radar with this debut novel, this woman has teeth and they have sunk themselves into me, drawing blood.
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC, I leave this review voluntarily.
July 21, 2026
Remarkable and horrifying in all the best ways. Tess is an incredible character and reflects what so many of us feel in this world we find ourselves in. She is so full of compassion and a desire to help her world and those she cares for and yet when that world and those people both fight against that help and fully turn against her the rage and betrayal and abject disappointment she feels is all too familiar. This is what good horror does (and thankfully we have so much, including this one.) It is exploration of what we see and feel every day and is both unflinching agony and much needed catharsis. A remarkable book from beginning to end that does just that.
August 27, 2026
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.
An utterly brilliant folk horror with real heart, set in the appalachian foothills. Small town nosiness mixes with ancient magic, and Tess finds her grip on safety and comfort slipping when a new pastor comes to town. Witchcraft, the devil himself, womanhood and the force of nature all entwine in this fantastic horror which feeds you a sense of eerie unease from the very beginning. I could not put this down and I felt strangely emotional by the time I finished. How far would you go to save your sanctuary? Because Tess is ready to take on the entire world if it means protecting what's hers.
An utterly brilliant folk horror with real heart, set in the appalachian foothills. Small town nosiness mixes with ancient magic, and Tess finds her grip on safety and comfort slipping when a new pastor comes to town. Witchcraft, the devil himself, womanhood and the force of nature all entwine in this fantastic horror which feeds you a sense of eerie unease from the very beginning. I could not put this down and I felt strangely emotional by the time I finished. How far would you go to save your sanctuary? Because Tess is ready to take on the entire world if it means protecting what's hers.
August 28, 2026
Thank you so much to the publisher for sending me a proof in exchange of an honest review
4.5 stars
Gloomy yet full of life. I loved this setting!! A creepy folk horror that I really sank my teeth into. Dark dealings with the devil and a clash with the local church? I’m so here for it! What an absolutely gorgeously and grotesquely written novel! I will definitely be recommending this one. It’s exactly what I needed in this late summer before autumn begins. The vibe is giving White Feather Hawk Tail Deer Hunter and I ate it up.
4.5 stars
Gloomy yet full of life. I loved this setting!! A creepy folk horror that I really sank my teeth into. Dark dealings with the devil and a clash with the local church? I’m so here for it! What an absolutely gorgeously and grotesquely written novel! I will definitely be recommending this one. It’s exactly what I needed in this late summer before autumn begins. The vibe is giving White Feather Hawk Tail Deer Hunter and I ate it up.
July 24, 2026
Easy to pick up and hard to put down as my dad would say. Vair’s intentional prose paints vivid scenes, compelling characters, and some truly unforgettable moments. I felt the entire range of emotions over the course of reading this novel; from quaint contentment in the beginning, all too real anxiety in the middle, and intense horror at the end. What a gripping ride, the first of many to come from C.N. Vair I’m sure.
August 23, 2026
More 3.5, but a very strong witchy book that’s perfect for readers who prefer nature to humans.
August 31, 2026
My rating is 4.25
Rtc
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July 10, 2026
4.5 ⭐️
August 28, 2026
Radar up, play it safe, keep it lowkey.
No targets, no triggers, keep it respectful.
Watch your back, go ghost, don't match the energy. Never let them catch you slipping.
Lock in, clock 0 errors, and maybe you won't get cooked
That’s the construct. Stay pure, stay safe.
We gaslight women into thinking they can earn a pass if they just comply. That thought has me in a chokehold almost every damn day. Then I read Fawn by CN Vair and it literally activated my feminine rage.
Tess Wynne has spent a century surviving. She lives quietly looking after her wildlife sanctuary, honouring old rituals and paying her subs to the literal Devil to keep the peace.
Then she finds a dead doe…enter the newborn fawn with a mouthful of human chompers 🦷😳
Hear me out this biological menace isn’t the biggest threat obliterating Tess’s cottagecore aesthetic. There’s a new pastor in town. There’s always a f*!king pastor.
As Tess’s land and autonomy come under threat
Fawn tests the old promise that women can avoid violence by behaving correctly. Plot twist: Playing nice is cooked. It's time to start a literal riot. The witch hunt has encountered a witch who hunts back.
Tess gives up on human rights and transitions into human wrongs and when Fawn finally lets her go properly feral, it is enormously satisfying. Unfortunately, it takes its sweet f*!king time getting there.
The atmosphere is exquisite; the land feels damp, hungry and alive. The trees are actively plotting your downfall in the Notes app. There’s blood and carrion and botanical magic and decay. HUZZAH! But those first 150 pages had me fully marooned in a damp ditch watching fungi sprout. The tea here is honest.
Don’t pick this up if you're looking for that 'sprinting with an axe' brand of feminine rage. But if you’re looking for immaculate vibes, dark folklore, and a woman slowly entering her villain arc? This is your fighter.
Because sometimes you don’t become dangerous because you stopped being afraid. You become dangerous because being afraid stopped keeping you safe.
Fawn · C.N. Vair
Thank you @NetGalley @3ambooks for allowing me the opportunity to read an advance copy in exchange for the honest tea.
No targets, no triggers, keep it respectful.
Watch your back, go ghost, don't match the energy. Never let them catch you slipping.
Lock in, clock 0 errors, and maybe you won't get cooked
That’s the construct. Stay pure, stay safe.
We gaslight women into thinking they can earn a pass if they just comply. That thought has me in a chokehold almost every damn day. Then I read Fawn by CN Vair and it literally activated my feminine rage.
Tess Wynne has spent a century surviving. She lives quietly looking after her wildlife sanctuary, honouring old rituals and paying her subs to the literal Devil to keep the peace.
Then she finds a dead doe…enter the newborn fawn with a mouthful of human chompers 🦷😳
Hear me out this biological menace isn’t the biggest threat obliterating Tess’s cottagecore aesthetic. There’s a new pastor in town. There’s always a f*!king pastor.
As Tess’s land and autonomy come under threat
Fawn tests the old promise that women can avoid violence by behaving correctly. Plot twist: Playing nice is cooked. It's time to start a literal riot. The witch hunt has encountered a witch who hunts back.
Tess gives up on human rights and transitions into human wrongs and when Fawn finally lets her go properly feral, it is enormously satisfying. Unfortunately, it takes its sweet f*!king time getting there.
The atmosphere is exquisite; the land feels damp, hungry and alive. The trees are actively plotting your downfall in the Notes app. There’s blood and carrion and botanical magic and decay. HUZZAH! But those first 150 pages had me fully marooned in a damp ditch watching fungi sprout. The tea here is honest.
Don’t pick this up if you're looking for that 'sprinting with an axe' brand of feminine rage. But if you’re looking for immaculate vibes, dark folklore, and a woman slowly entering her villain arc? This is your fighter.
Because sometimes you don’t become dangerous because you stopped being afraid. You become dangerous because being afraid stopped keeping you safe.
Fawn · C.N. Vair
Thank you @NetGalley @3ambooks for allowing me the opportunity to read an advance copy in exchange for the honest tea.
August 27, 2026
It should feel wrong to root for the witch and the devil, and yet they've never deserved to win so badly. Fawn represents both nature and femininity - two sides of the same coin - in its portrayal of "pioneer" (translation: an outdoor working woman) Tess just trying to go about her life, cleaning up the messes of an ungrateful town. She's the epitome of Nature in how she nurtures all life, giving back to the earth she owes so much to, whilst under siege from the human race and its callousness. As they raze her sanctuary to the ground all they can comment on is her appearance and knowing her place as a woman. Tess knows exactly who she is though and won't apologise for it.
Tess has more bite than most of the animals she rehabilitates, her strong will almost calling into question why she would need to rely on her magic so much when she's a force unto herself. As the magic wards begin to crumble so too do her emotional guards, and we begin to see the real Tess and connect more to her at a pace that pushes and pulls like the waters she runs from. We rage with her, we understand the stripping back of autonomy, we feel the quiet care she gives only to be met with silence. She is an entirely Female experience that feels triumphant to see and heartbreaking to know too well.
Using a fawn to embody innocence and childhood but giving it teeth to tear away expectations placed upon it feels like a cautionary tale of two meanings: 1. That nature is to respected, not disneyfied, and wild animals will fight for survival just as any human would, and should not be punished for acting accordingly; 2. Everything is not always as it seems. Threat can lurk under the softest of touches, savagery can hide behind wide eyes. The devil can be anywhere, and if you let your guard down you give him space to roam. In this instance, we'd welcome him with open arms.
Thank you 3AM and NetGalley
Tess has more bite than most of the animals she rehabilitates, her strong will almost calling into question why she would need to rely on her magic so much when she's a force unto herself. As the magic wards begin to crumble so too do her emotional guards, and we begin to see the real Tess and connect more to her at a pace that pushes and pulls like the waters she runs from. We rage with her, we understand the stripping back of autonomy, we feel the quiet care she gives only to be met with silence. She is an entirely Female experience that feels triumphant to see and heartbreaking to know too well.
Using a fawn to embody innocence and childhood but giving it teeth to tear away expectations placed upon it feels like a cautionary tale of two meanings: 1. That nature is to respected, not disneyfied, and wild animals will fight for survival just as any human would, and should not be punished for acting accordingly; 2. Everything is not always as it seems. Threat can lurk under the softest of touches, savagery can hide behind wide eyes. The devil can be anywhere, and if you let your guard down you give him space to roam. In this instance, we'd welcome him with open arms.
Thank you 3AM and NetGalley
August 25, 2026
What an absolutely magic-filled, dark, and empowering read! This book gets better and better as you get into the story. This is about good and evil, about agency, and the depths that one woman will go to protect what is hers.
Tess is bound to her land, as she has been for many decades. She made a bargain with the devil (the devil that tempted her mother and grandmother before her) when she was at the edge of death. Now she spends her days protecting the animals in her small town, wild and domesticated and she is good at her job. Her magic protects her Wildlife Sanctuary and the surrounding town, though her neighbors don't know that.
There is something off about the orphaned fawn that Tess has just rescued, though. It seems to want blood, but Tess cannot shake the loving pull she feels toward the animal. When people start sniffing around after the strange creature, digging into the oddness of Tess and her lifestyle, her carefully crafted world begins to crumble. Tess is on high alert, with forces converging on her. There is a new pastor in town and the devil always wants more from her. Tess will do what SHE must to protect what she has... no matter from whom.
This was female rage at its finest. Once Tess gets to the inevitable breaking point and all hell breaks loose, nobody is safe. I loved every single minute of this book and will continue to think about it for a while.
Tess is bound to her land, as she has been for many decades. She made a bargain with the devil (the devil that tempted her mother and grandmother before her) when she was at the edge of death. Now she spends her days protecting the animals in her small town, wild and domesticated and she is good at her job. Her magic protects her Wildlife Sanctuary and the surrounding town, though her neighbors don't know that.
There is something off about the orphaned fawn that Tess has just rescued, though. It seems to want blood, but Tess cannot shake the loving pull she feels toward the animal. When people start sniffing around after the strange creature, digging into the oddness of Tess and her lifestyle, her carefully crafted world begins to crumble. Tess is on high alert, with forces converging on her. There is a new pastor in town and the devil always wants more from her. Tess will do what SHE must to protect what she has... no matter from whom.
This was female rage at its finest. Once Tess gets to the inevitable breaking point and all hell breaks loose, nobody is safe. I loved every single minute of this book and will continue to think about it for a while.
August 31, 2026
This is a beautifully written story about a woman who sells her soul to the devil to survive, and then has to continue fighting to ensure she and her piece of the world can stay safe.
This story felt very intimate and atmospheric. I love how it starts of so charmingly with it's coziness and the descriptions of nature, and it feels like the wild nature of the world within this book is calming and embracing you. And then as the story progresses, the tension builds and it gets more feral and full of rage.
There's also so much heartbreak in this story. Tess just wants to keep her little sanctuary safe. She's happy with her small group of friends, she takes care of them and the town in small ways. But it feels like it all gets quickly torn away from her and she has to grow teeth and fight for what matters to her. And it won't be the people who turned their backs on her.
I like Tess as a character, she's so fascinating in a way that her intentions are good but her actions don't always support that. Even before her magic turns darker, she uses spells on her friends, to protect herself sure, but it also takes away some of their freedom. But she always feels like such a sympathetic character, there's no doubt she's ever doing this for any malicious reasons.
This is a great story of female rage, connection to nature and deals with the devil.
This story felt very intimate and atmospheric. I love how it starts of so charmingly with it's coziness and the descriptions of nature, and it feels like the wild nature of the world within this book is calming and embracing you. And then as the story progresses, the tension builds and it gets more feral and full of rage.
There's also so much heartbreak in this story. Tess just wants to keep her little sanctuary safe. She's happy with her small group of friends, she takes care of them and the town in small ways. But it feels like it all gets quickly torn away from her and she has to grow teeth and fight for what matters to her. And it won't be the people who turned their backs on her.
I like Tess as a character, she's so fascinating in a way that her intentions are good but her actions don't always support that. Even before her magic turns darker, she uses spells on her friends, to protect herself sure, but it also takes away some of their freedom. But she always feels like such a sympathetic character, there's no doubt she's ever doing this for any malicious reasons.
This is a great story of female rage, connection to nature and deals with the devil.
July 16, 2026
A huge thank you to NetGallery and the author for providing me with an ARC of this book ahead of publication.
To any woman who has ever felt oppressed, felt shunned or belittled, or felt like the society around her will make her into a monster for simply existing, no matter what she does -- I recommend this book. It's such a raw, unfiltered and visceral exploration of womanhood that it will make you grind your teeth with hatred, but it will also remind you of who you are. It will remind you to never make yourself smaller to be more palatable because if anyone ever tells you that you're too much to handle -- they can choke.
Wrapped up in the themes of witchcraft, toxic religion, corruption and general human hypocrisy, "Fawn/The Devil knows Her Name" is the strongest debut novel I've read in years. The parallel between Tess and the fawn she rescues is masterfully done, and the imagery of literal vs. metaphorical monstrousness is brilliantly executed.
This will definitely not be a book for everyone, but I will be looking forward to the author's new endeavours.
To any woman who has ever felt oppressed, felt shunned or belittled, or felt like the society around her will make her into a monster for simply existing, no matter what she does -- I recommend this book. It's such a raw, unfiltered and visceral exploration of womanhood that it will make you grind your teeth with hatred, but it will also remind you of who you are. It will remind you to never make yourself smaller to be more palatable because if anyone ever tells you that you're too much to handle -- they can choke.
Wrapped up in the themes of witchcraft, toxic religion, corruption and general human hypocrisy, "Fawn/The Devil knows Her Name" is the strongest debut novel I've read in years. The parallel between Tess and the fawn she rescues is masterfully done, and the imagery of literal vs. metaphorical monstrousness is brilliantly executed.
This will definitely not be a book for everyone, but I will be looking forward to the author's new endeavours.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
3.75 stars
Fawn is a folk horror set in a small isolated town where one woman has spent her life creating and nurturing her land and sanctuary. After being left for dead years ago Tes made a deal with devil to remain in her home trying to preserve the balance of nature against the predations of humans. No one really cares to understand, letting reclusive weird Tess deal with the animal problems they don’t want to.
But when a new preacher comes to the town, her carefully curated life takes a turn leading Tess to some desperate places…
I enjoyed the set up of Tess’s life and learning about her history and the magic she uses to maintain everything. Her sanctuary is her life — and when a fawn with some unusual unsettling features arrives in her life, she wants nothing more than to look after it.
But with the pastor in town, betrayals begin to mount up and her rage and disappointment builds at the entitled men who want to take from her for their own gain and her fickle friends who take very little turn against her. It was a great cascade events though it took a while to really get momentum.
The end third was full of the feminine rage, and the letting the darkness out type decisions I was hoping for! Once Tess is pushed to the edge, there is no going back and I enjoyed seeing what become of the town and her life and the role the devil played (he was very much background though).
I did find the middle to be a little slow (thought the emotional connection was important later) as she spend a lot of time just doing life, but I think I just wasn’t fully in the mood for it so I didn’t connect as much as I wanted to. I wish the devil had a little bigger of a role to play, or that he made any decisions of consequence but the end was great and It’s a good autumnal read and intro into horror.
Proof copy won in a giveaway. All thoughts are my own.
Fawn is a folk horror set in a small isolated town where one woman has spent her life creating and nurturing her land and sanctuary. After being left for dead years ago Tes made a deal with devil to remain in her home trying to preserve the balance of nature against the predations of humans. No one really cares to understand, letting reclusive weird Tess deal with the animal problems they don’t want to.
But when a new preacher comes to the town, her carefully curated life takes a turn leading Tess to some desperate places…
I enjoyed the set up of Tess’s life and learning about her history and the magic she uses to maintain everything. Her sanctuary is her life — and when a fawn with some unusual unsettling features arrives in her life, she wants nothing more than to look after it.
But with the pastor in town, betrayals begin to mount up and her rage and disappointment builds at the entitled men who want to take from her for their own gain and her fickle friends who take very little turn against her. It was a great cascade events though it took a while to really get momentum.
The end third was full of the feminine rage, and the letting the darkness out type decisions I was hoping for! Once Tess is pushed to the edge, there is no going back and I enjoyed seeing what become of the town and her life and the role the devil played (he was very much background though).
I did find the middle to be a little slow (thought the emotional connection was important later) as she spend a lot of time just doing life, but I think I just wasn’t fully in the mood for it so I didn’t connect as much as I wanted to. I wish the devil had a little bigger of a role to play, or that he made any decisions of consequence but the end was great and It’s a good autumnal read and intro into horror.
Proof copy won in a giveaway. All thoughts are my own.
August 23, 2026
Fawn is an absolutely phenomenal debut novel that masterfully delivers an incredible atmosphere and a narrative layered with profound depth. I felt deeply unsettled throughout the entire read; the thick, constant sense of anticipation waiting for that simmering feminine rage to finally unleash kept me obsessively turning the pages. The book handles its central themes beautifully, cloaking you in a heavily isolated, claustrophobic feeling while weaving in dark folklore and the looming presence of the devil. What I loved most, though, was the brilliant opposition written into the story. Balanced perfectly against the eerie horror is a tender, nurturing side that showcases a beautiful love for the earth, the local ecosystem, and the animals. It is a stunning, beautifully balanced folk horror debut that completely blew me away. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy. This is a voluntary review of my own thoughts.
August 31, 2026
Thanks to my partners PRH Audio and Berkley Publishing for the free copies! Whew… this book was a lot. Tess is such a fascinating character and I’d love to know more about what her life has been like. The story is told in dual timelines between past and present through Tess’s POV. We know what happened to her in her early years and what’s currently happening and how it’s all connected and my imagination was able to run wild about the intervening years.
Have you ever been unsettled by a fawn? I know I haven’t until now! I simultaneously wanted to hug the fawn and stay as far away from it as possible. The character of the devil was so interesting because he’s not portrayed the way I would have expected and I really liked that.
This was a creepy book and was perfectly narrated by @thekatrinalenk who is a new to me voice actor. I’m glad I was able to get the audio for this so I could listen to it when I was otherwise unable to pick up the physical book (hello commute).
I read this in under 2 days which is pretty quick for me but I really enjoyed the writing and the pacing. I kept coming back for more!
Have you ever been unsettled by a fawn? I know I haven’t until now! I simultaneously wanted to hug the fawn and stay as far away from it as possible. The character of the devil was so interesting because he’s not portrayed the way I would have expected and I really liked that.
This was a creepy book and was perfectly narrated by @thekatrinalenk who is a new to me voice actor. I’m glad I was able to get the audio for this so I could listen to it when I was otherwise unable to pick up the physical book (hello commute).
I read this in under 2 days which is pretty quick for me but I really enjoyed the writing and the pacing. I kept coming back for more!
August 29, 2026
Wow! Devoured so quickly and enjoyed every second of it!
Ferality at its best. I love stories of justifiably angry women who just want peace and to be left alone. A small town horror-thriller, gore, rooted in nature and the wilderness, and men ruin everything.
C N Vair has such a way of communicating the richness and beauty of nature and ecology. Loved the ambiguity of the devil, it kept the story centered on Tess and her power. The characters could have been stronger, but it worked for the focus and intensity of the book. Wonderful symbolism in everything, and the unnerving relationship between the Fawn and Tess was exquisite.
I can't wait for more from this author.
Fawn, UK edition.
Ferality at its best. I love stories of justifiably angry women who just want peace and to be left alone. A small town horror-thriller, gore, rooted in nature and the wilderness, and men ruin everything.
C N Vair has such a way of communicating the richness and beauty of nature and ecology. Loved the ambiguity of the devil, it kept the story centered on Tess and her power. The characters could have been stronger, but it worked for the focus and intensity of the book. Wonderful symbolism in everything, and the unnerving relationship between the Fawn and Tess was exquisite.
I can't wait for more from this author.
Fawn, UK edition.
August 29, 2026
I almost dnfd this after the first few chapters, but I'm so glad that I didn't. I like that the main character didn't let anyone walk all over her. The only complaint that I have is that I wish the devil would have been in more of the story, but it was still great.
May 8, 2026
Loved this! The imagery was simply perfection! Tess was so relatable and I just wanted her to get everything she wants, even with her flaws.
August 29, 2026
Loved this Novel. Great characters, great plot, nice plot twist! Highly recommended!
August 30, 2026
It’s been so long since I picked up a book and found it difficult to put down. This was everything I’d hoped it’d be and more.
A brilliant debut!
A brilliant debut!
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
streets are saying it’s Appalachian folk horror summer
August 1, 2026
I was really looking forward to reading this based on the Appalachian folk horror description. While I did enjoy the creeping folk horror elements, I was a little disappointed there wasn’t anything particularly Appalachian about it. It really could have been set anywhere with a forest.
I also felt the book started really strongly with the appearance of the devil and the doe, but around the 50% mark the pacing slowed too much and I became frustrated with Tess. A lot of her decisions felt counterproductive to her goal of saving the sanctuary, and combined with my frustration with the pastor, I came close to DNFing.
I’m glad I continued because the momentum picked back up, but by the end I didn’t feel particularly strongly about the outcome.
I would still recommend this, as it was well written and there was a lot to like. The magic in particular was really well done.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the free ARC provided in exchange for my honest review
I also felt the book started really strongly with the appearance of the devil and the doe, but around the 50% mark the pacing slowed too much and I became frustrated with Tess. A lot of her decisions felt counterproductive to her goal of saving the sanctuary, and combined with my frustration with the pastor, I came close to DNFing.
I’m glad I continued because the momentum picked back up, but by the end I didn’t feel particularly strongly about the outcome.
I would still recommend this, as it was well written and there was a lot to like. The magic in particular was really well done.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the free ARC provided in exchange for my honest review
June 1, 2026
Fawn - WOW 🤯 I said it before I will say it again no way this is a debut! It’s soooo good 😍👀🖤
🌲 Eerie Forest Setting
🕯️ Appalachian Folklore
😈 Devil In The Woods
🩸 Generational Fear & Inheritance
🔮 Ritual And Belief
🐾 Slow Descent Into Something Feral
🖤 Morally Grey Female Main Character
🔥 Feminine Rage
🌿 Nature Watching Back
I went in for moody forest vibes and got something darker and way more consuming
The writing is gorgeous but there’s a bite to it. It feels soft and brutal at the same time!
The story leans into Appalachian folklore and those old beliefs about the devil being something that lives in the land and in people rather than a clear figure. ieverything feels rooted in ritual, inheritance, and fear that gets passed down without question!
The folklore feels real and lived in,
Tess’s shift into something more instinctive and feral was my favourite part.Watching her get pulled further into it all felt inevitable in a way that was both unsettling and satisfying 😍
it’s a slow burn and the tension just keeps building, if you like eerie nature, quiet horror, and feminine rage with beautiful writing this one really works
still thinking about it and I don’t see that changing anytime soon! Absolutely incredible I actually think even if you don’t read horror you would eat this up!
🌲 Eerie Forest Setting
🕯️ Appalachian Folklore
😈 Devil In The Woods
🩸 Generational Fear & Inheritance
🔮 Ritual And Belief
🐾 Slow Descent Into Something Feral
🖤 Morally Grey Female Main Character
🔥 Feminine Rage
🌿 Nature Watching Back
I went in for moody forest vibes and got something darker and way more consuming
The writing is gorgeous but there’s a bite to it. It feels soft and brutal at the same time!
The story leans into Appalachian folklore and those old beliefs about the devil being something that lives in the land and in people rather than a clear figure. ieverything feels rooted in ritual, inheritance, and fear that gets passed down without question!
The folklore feels real and lived in,
Tess’s shift into something more instinctive and feral was my favourite part.Watching her get pulled further into it all felt inevitable in a way that was both unsettling and satisfying 😍
it’s a slow burn and the tension just keeps building, if you like eerie nature, quiet horror, and feminine rage with beautiful writing this one really works
still thinking about it and I don’t see that changing anytime soon! Absolutely incredible I actually think even if you don’t read horror you would eat this up!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
With the incredible pacing, gorgeous and illustrative prose, compelling main character and emotional through line, I can’t believe this is a debut novel.
The Devil Knows Her Name features just about every horror element I love, but our witch at the center, Tess, absolutely steals the show in just about every imaginable way. Ageless but forever a young woman, she contains an amount of wisdom that one can only maintain by living decades upon decades but with the sort of grit and emotional fire that seems unique to teenage girls. She loves deeply, holds on to her anger and keeps it burning bright, and has a very firm idea of right and wrong that she tries so very, very hard not to stray from.
Tess is, undeniably, a woman who’s been wronged by those in her life. Her mother and grandmother tried to make her soft and palatable to the people of Burrsville, the man she briefly entertained the affections of tried (and in some ways, succeeded) to kill her, and she’s deeply misunderstood by the community she tries to serve. While Tess is a character it’s easy to sympathize with, she’s also not a saint by any means, and Vair walks this line with effortless grace.
Tess uses her magic to control people, and at the end of the day, her desire to preserve Burrsville itself as the larger sanctuary that her animal sanctuary is held within is an inherently selfish act. Throughout the book, she says she wants these things for the town, for the people who live there, but she’s all too willing to burn these things at the altar of her ambitions. This is land she feels she’s owed, that only she can take care of, and perhaps she’s right; we see visions of what Burrsville could become in her absence, and it’s a hollow shell of a thing, but by the end, the town is abandoned and given back to nature anyways. Her fragile truce with the regular humans who live there was shattered so easily in the end, and I think that Tess would have expelled them sooner were it within her power to do so.
When we meet her, she seems fond enough of her friends, and I do think the loss of them throughout the book hurts her, but a lot of her concern has to do with how their changes are going to impact her ability to protect and control the town. Tess seems almost to view these people as nostalgic even while they’re still alive, as dolls in her dollhouse as she goes about her day. The illusion of acceptance is nice, and it feels good to have living proof of her powers; here are people who don’t remember how long she’s been there, how old she is, and that’s a reflection of her skill and the magic she wields.
All of this comes crashing down with the return of her lover slash murderer’s descendants, and while the role of the church isn’t exactly a subtle one in contrast to Tess’s witchcraft, this return to Pentecostal beliefs and witch hunts is extremely relevant to today’s world, and Tess herself says many times that she knows how she appears, that the town only barely tolerates her and the minute her otherness is put into the spotlight, they’ll turn on her nigh instantly, which she’s very correct about.
Which brings me to my favorite part of this book, which is Tess’s almost complete shirking of what one could consider the traditional role of a woman. As a child, she refuses to be soft and obedient, to adhere to the small magical workings that her mother would prefer, and doesn’t seem particularly concerned about maintaining her role as virginal and pure as an adolescent. She has no interest in settling down and getting married or having children, and doesn’t seem particularly interested in being with men in general; I’m going to say that this is due to the way that in sex between a man and a woman, the man is almost always viewed to be the one in control, the one with power. In this way, Tess compares the fawn to herself; they’re both “wrong”, creatures meant to be gentle that instead have teeth that gnash and tear and rip and rend.
And I think, ultimately, this is why the fawn could only ever meet the fate that it did. Were Tess more like her mother, more like how a woman “should” be, she would sacrifice everything she holds dear to protect her “child”. And she comes so close to doing exactly that, her life mere hours from crumbling around her, but as soon as she realizes what can be done to bind the devil to her, she does it. Of course she mourns the loss of the fawn, tries to think of anything else she could possibly do, but she was never going to be the mother who sacrificed her ambitions and power to protect her child. She never chose to have a child in the first place.
Tess is the ambitious, furious woman who wins, and that’s what firmly plants this book among my favorites for 2026. She's never forced to forgive, to make herself vulnerable, to bend or grovel, to get what she wants. She doesn't suddenly realize that what she wants is wrong, that she should want something "better" or "nicer" or "kinder". She bends the devil to her will, reclaims her home and sanctuary the way she wants to, destroys the interlopers on her land, and…well, she gets the man as well. I won’t lie, her near-feral romance with the devil was one of my favorite parts. They’re incredibly drawn to each other, and I adored that it wasn’t until she had utterly bound him that she gave in to her desires, flipping the script on who would have the “power” between them.
Will Tess’s happiness last forever? Unlikely, but she has no illusions about this herself. Her sanctuary lasted for a long time before she had to defend it, and while there may be even harder challenges ahead, I have little doubt that Tess will bring them to their knees as well.
[This ARC was provided by Berkley Publishing Group via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.]
The Devil Knows Her Name features just about every horror element I love, but our witch at the center, Tess, absolutely steals the show in just about every imaginable way. Ageless but forever a young woman, she contains an amount of wisdom that one can only maintain by living decades upon decades but with the sort of grit and emotional fire that seems unique to teenage girls. She loves deeply, holds on to her anger and keeps it burning bright, and has a very firm idea of right and wrong that she tries so very, very hard not to stray from.
Tess is, undeniably, a woman who’s been wronged by those in her life. Her mother and grandmother tried to make her soft and palatable to the people of Burrsville, the man she briefly entertained the affections of tried (and in some ways, succeeded) to kill her, and she’s deeply misunderstood by the community she tries to serve. While Tess is a character it’s easy to sympathize with, she’s also not a saint by any means, and Vair walks this line with effortless grace.
Tess uses her magic to control people, and at the end of the day, her desire to preserve Burrsville itself as the larger sanctuary that her animal sanctuary is held within is an inherently selfish act. Throughout the book, she says she wants these things for the town, for the people who live there, but she’s all too willing to burn these things at the altar of her ambitions. This is land she feels she’s owed, that only she can take care of, and perhaps she’s right; we see visions of what Burrsville could become in her absence, and it’s a hollow shell of a thing, but by the end, the town is abandoned and given back to nature anyways. Her fragile truce with the regular humans who live there was shattered so easily in the end, and I think that Tess would have expelled them sooner were it within her power to do so.
When we meet her, she seems fond enough of her friends, and I do think the loss of them throughout the book hurts her, but a lot of her concern has to do with how their changes are going to impact her ability to protect and control the town. Tess seems almost to view these people as nostalgic even while they’re still alive, as dolls in her dollhouse as she goes about her day. The illusion of acceptance is nice, and it feels good to have living proof of her powers; here are people who don’t remember how long she’s been there, how old she is, and that’s a reflection of her skill and the magic she wields.
All of this comes crashing down with the return of her lover slash murderer’s descendants, and while the role of the church isn’t exactly a subtle one in contrast to Tess’s witchcraft, this return to Pentecostal beliefs and witch hunts is extremely relevant to today’s world, and Tess herself says many times that she knows how she appears, that the town only barely tolerates her and the minute her otherness is put into the spotlight, they’ll turn on her nigh instantly, which she’s very correct about.
Which brings me to my favorite part of this book, which is Tess’s almost complete shirking of what one could consider the traditional role of a woman. As a child, she refuses to be soft and obedient, to adhere to the small magical workings that her mother would prefer, and doesn’t seem particularly concerned about maintaining her role as virginal and pure as an adolescent. She has no interest in settling down and getting married or having children, and doesn’t seem particularly interested in being with men in general; I’m going to say that this is due to the way that in sex between a man and a woman, the man is almost always viewed to be the one in control, the one with power. In this way, Tess compares the fawn to herself; they’re both “wrong”, creatures meant to be gentle that instead have teeth that gnash and tear and rip and rend.
And I think, ultimately, this is why the fawn could only ever meet the fate that it did. Were Tess more like her mother, more like how a woman “should” be, she would sacrifice everything she holds dear to protect her “child”. And she comes so close to doing exactly that, her life mere hours from crumbling around her, but as soon as she realizes what can be done to bind the devil to her, she does it. Of course she mourns the loss of the fawn, tries to think of anything else she could possibly do, but she was never going to be the mother who sacrificed her ambitions and power to protect her child. She never chose to have a child in the first place.
Tess is the ambitious, furious woman who wins, and that’s what firmly plants this book among my favorites for 2026. She's never forced to forgive, to make herself vulnerable, to bend or grovel, to get what she wants. She doesn't suddenly realize that what she wants is wrong, that she should want something "better" or "nicer" or "kinder". She bends the devil to her will, reclaims her home and sanctuary the way she wants to, destroys the interlopers on her land, and…well, she gets the man as well. I won’t lie, her near-feral romance with the devil was one of my favorite parts. They’re incredibly drawn to each other, and I adored that it wasn’t until she had utterly bound him that she gave in to her desires, flipping the script on who would have the “power” between them.
Will Tess’s happiness last forever? Unlikely, but she has no illusions about this herself. Her sanctuary lasted for a long time before she had to defend it, and while there may be even harder challenges ahead, I have little doubt that Tess will bring them to their knees as well.
[This ARC was provided by Berkley Publishing Group via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.]
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