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Less the Horror than the Grace
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Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
An ambitious blend of Southern Gothic, historical fiction, and literary horror.
Set in Tennessee during the sweltering summer of 1920, this novel blends a compelling mystery with a richly drawn, unsettling historical setting. Robert Owens Scott masterfully fuses Southern Gothic atmosphere, religious fervor, and historical upheaval into a timeless story. What begins as an investigation into a death at a snake-handling church quickly unfolds into a powerful exploration of faith, power, womanhood, and the cost of being cast as a monster.
The setting is brilliantly immersive, capturing the heavy heat and isolation of rural Appalachia. The narrative is beautifully layered, weaving the intense, superstition-laced tension of a snake-handling church against the backdrop of the women's suffrage movement to add depth without overwhelming the story.
The characters are equally compelling, their struggles remaining deeply human even as the narrative edges into the supernatural. Rather than relying on black-and-white morality, the story explores complex dynamics of power, belief, and fear. It offers a piercing look at how society constructs monsters out of those it simply fails to understand.
This novel is more interested in character development, atmosphere, and ideas than in delivering constant scares. Therefore the pacing can be slow at times but the writing is evocative, the historical details are immersive, and the emotional core of the story is compelling. I found myself thinking less about the mystery and more about the questions the book raises. Questions about grace, judgment, and the stories societies tell about women who refuse to conform.
Overall, Less the Horror than the Grace is a thoughtful and unforgettable read. It seamlessly blends folklore, history, and horror into a truly distinctive story. While it may not satisfy those seeking relentless, nonstop suspense, it offers an absolute treasure trove for readers who appreciate literary horror with genuine depth and heart.
Set in Tennessee during the sweltering summer of 1920, this novel blends a compelling mystery with a richly drawn, unsettling historical setting. Robert Owens Scott masterfully fuses Southern Gothic atmosphere, religious fervor, and historical upheaval into a timeless story. What begins as an investigation into a death at a snake-handling church quickly unfolds into a powerful exploration of faith, power, womanhood, and the cost of being cast as a monster.
The setting is brilliantly immersive, capturing the heavy heat and isolation of rural Appalachia. The narrative is beautifully layered, weaving the intense, superstition-laced tension of a snake-handling church against the backdrop of the women's suffrage movement to add depth without overwhelming the story.
The characters are equally compelling, their struggles remaining deeply human even as the narrative edges into the supernatural. Rather than relying on black-and-white morality, the story explores complex dynamics of power, belief, and fear. It offers a piercing look at how society constructs monsters out of those it simply fails to understand.
This novel is more interested in character development, atmosphere, and ideas than in delivering constant scares. Therefore the pacing can be slow at times but the writing is evocative, the historical details are immersive, and the emotional core of the story is compelling. I found myself thinking less about the mystery and more about the questions the book raises. Questions about grace, judgment, and the stories societies tell about women who refuse to conform.
Overall, Less the Horror than the Grace is a thoughtful and unforgettable read. It seamlessly blends folklore, history, and horror into a truly distinctive story. While it may not satisfy those seeking relentless, nonstop suspense, it offers an absolute treasure trove for readers who appreciate literary horror with genuine depth and heart.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
"But there's stuff up there that's old. Real old."
I knew I was in for a good time with this novel based on the genres (who doesn't love a titillating mix of horror, southern gothic, and mythology with a dash of historical fiction to top it all off?) and I'm happy to say that it delivered.
The novel starts off slow, but the crescendo it builds to is well worth the time it takes to get there. I was so immersed in the setting and the characters that it never felt like a drag to read which can be an issue with slower paced books. I particularly loved how the setting of Parthenon, formerly known as Snake Hollow), was just as much a character as the people were. It was gorgeously depicted and delightfully creepy.
The characters were interesting and none of them felt flat, even the obvious "bad" ones which helped propel the story forward. Theo was simultaneously frustrating and intriguing which makes sense considering his background and what he came to experience in Parthenon, His decisions made sense even if they did make me mad at times and I enjoyed seeing the citizens of Parthenon come alive in his eyes. Minnie was fascinating but did suffer toward the end of the book when it came to revealing her intentions. I thought the Suffragette plotline was done well for the most part, but we could have easily removed Bernadette as a POV character and lost nothing of real value. Not everyone needs to be a POV character; and she could have worked as a one-off instead of a constant interruption.
Overall, this was a great, haunting book that had plenty to say and was well-worth the read.
My thanks to Arundel and NetGalley for providing an advance copy of this book in exchange for my unbiased review.
I knew I was in for a good time with this novel based on the genres (who doesn't love a titillating mix of horror, southern gothic, and mythology with a dash of historical fiction to top it all off?) and I'm happy to say that it delivered.
The novel starts off slow, but the crescendo it builds to is well worth the time it takes to get there. I was so immersed in the setting and the characters that it never felt like a drag to read which can be an issue with slower paced books. I particularly loved how the setting of Parthenon, formerly known as Snake Hollow), was just as much a character as the people were. It was gorgeously depicted and delightfully creepy.
The characters were interesting and none of them felt flat, even the obvious "bad" ones which helped propel the story forward. Theo was simultaneously frustrating and intriguing which makes sense considering his background and what he came to experience in Parthenon, His decisions made sense even if they did make me mad at times and I enjoyed seeing the citizens of Parthenon come alive in his eyes. Minnie was fascinating but did suffer toward the end of the book when it came to revealing her intentions. I thought the Suffragette plotline was done well for the most part, but we could have easily removed Bernadette as a POV character and lost nothing of real value. Not everyone needs to be a POV character; and she could have worked as a one-off instead of a constant interruption.
Overall, this was a great, haunting book that had plenty to say and was well-worth the read.
My thanks to Arundel and NetGalley for providing an advance copy of this book in exchange for my unbiased review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Recent graduate Theo has arrived in the hollers of Tennessee, sent to observe the congregants of the town amidst the final push of the Suffragette Movement. He arrives to find the man he was to replace dead, and a strange but powerful woman having taken hold over the town. Deciding to continue on his assigned task, he slowly uncovers the secrets of both her and the townsfolk of Parthenon - both good and bad.
The blurb got me. There were a lot of moving pieces to this story and I was curious to see how they all connected. It was ambitious and was mostly executed well. I do believe the story would have flowed better with the removal of one perspective (not sure how much Bernadette's pieces really added, and sometimes made the flow of the overall plot feel choppy), but it doesn't necessarily detract from it, either. The only other issue I take with this book is that I'm not sure I agree with the "feminist retelling" description. I believe a more apt descriptor would be feminine rage.
If you're looking for some Southern gothic religious horror, you've come to the right place. The atmosphere of Appalachia in this time really lends itself to the mysticism and ambiance of this story. The mythology of Medusa was an interesting addition that somehow worked really well with the "snake handling" traditions that could be found in some small churches in the region during the period of this book. While this isn't a book I'll likely return to, I would recommend it to others looking for a genre-bending read. My rating: ⭐3.75⭐
Thank you to Netgalley and Arundel Publishing for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The blurb got me. There were a lot of moving pieces to this story and I was curious to see how they all connected. It was ambitious and was mostly executed well. I do believe the story would have flowed better with the removal of one perspective (not sure how much Bernadette's pieces really added, and sometimes made the flow of the overall plot feel choppy), but it doesn't necessarily detract from it, either. The only other issue I take with this book is that I'm not sure I agree with the "feminist retelling" description. I believe a more apt descriptor would be feminine rage.
If you're looking for some Southern gothic religious horror, you've come to the right place. The atmosphere of Appalachia in this time really lends itself to the mysticism and ambiance of this story. The mythology of Medusa was an interesting addition that somehow worked really well with the "snake handling" traditions that could be found in some small churches in the region during the period of this book. While this isn't a book I'll likely return to, I would recommend it to others looking for a genre-bending read. My rating: ⭐3.75⭐
Thank you to Netgalley and Arundel Publishing for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to Arundel Publishing and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this eARC - all thoughts and opinions are my own!
This is one of those books that truly surprised me! I absolutely devoured this book and hated whenever I had to stop reading because the writing just draws you in and makes you want to figure out what exactly is happening in the small mountain community of Parthenon, Tennessee! There is a lot going on in this book but if you are a fan of historical settings, religious themes, Greek mythology, feminine rage, and you’re not afraid of some big snakes, then you need to read Less The Horror Than The Grace!
I will say that because of the subject matter (Women’s Suffrage movement and the South in the 1920s, amongst other things), it was definitely a bit jarring to recognize that there would still have been a lot of animosity towards Black people in general and women in any kind of leadership positions, even amongst Christians, who are supposed to be welcoming to all. What is even more disturbing is that a lot of the speeches and statements made by the anti-suffrage movement in the book were actually taken from documented true statements made during this time in our nation’s history! Very eye-opening to say the least, and I am thankful that we as women have the rights that we do today, even though we are still on unequal footing with most of our male counterparts in many ways.
This book was a blend of historical horror with mythology and religious themes, and I thoroughly enjoyed seeing everything play out!
This is one of those books that truly surprised me! I absolutely devoured this book and hated whenever I had to stop reading because the writing just draws you in and makes you want to figure out what exactly is happening in the small mountain community of Parthenon, Tennessee! There is a lot going on in this book but if you are a fan of historical settings, religious themes, Greek mythology, feminine rage, and you’re not afraid of some big snakes, then you need to read Less The Horror Than The Grace!
I will say that because of the subject matter (Women’s Suffrage movement and the South in the 1920s, amongst other things), it was definitely a bit jarring to recognize that there would still have been a lot of animosity towards Black people in general and women in any kind of leadership positions, even amongst Christians, who are supposed to be welcoming to all. What is even more disturbing is that a lot of the speeches and statements made by the anti-suffrage movement in the book were actually taken from documented true statements made during this time in our nation’s history! Very eye-opening to say the least, and I am thankful that we as women have the rights that we do today, even though we are still on unequal footing with most of our male counterparts in many ways.
This book was a blend of historical horror with mythology and religious themes, and I thoroughly enjoyed seeing everything play out!
August 24, 2026
I went into this book mostly blind. I knew that it was about a pastor investigating a church in the Appalachian mountains in 1920 and that was about it. This book follows Theo, a young and newly graduated pastor who is trying to find his way in the world without the guiding hand of his father, George Hood, who is a famous pastor. Due to several circumstances, Theo finds himself on a road to observe a Pastor Hanley in Parthenon. And then the story commences!
I found the writing style of this book engaging and difficult to put down. However, this book often left me unsatisfied and confused. Overall, I found the book disjointed and difficult to follow. This was especially true during the action sequences.
I liked the character of Theo, I thought he was well-drawn and his motivations made sense. That said, this book brought out so many characters without a lot of clear connections between them. I don’t want to say too much here in order to stay away from spoilers, but people were thrown into odd situations and then their presence in those situations made no sense and was never explained.
The entire storyline around women’s suffrage felt like a whole other book. This book would have been better if it ended in Parthenon rather than in Nashville. This book felt like the author was trying to shoehorn women’s suffrage into a retelling of the myth of Medusa. It didn’t work and was annoying.
All together, I felt like this book left me unsatisfied and annoyed. I’m giving it 3 stars because it is readable, but I wouldn’t read it again.
I found the writing style of this book engaging and difficult to put down. However, this book often left me unsatisfied and confused. Overall, I found the book disjointed and difficult to follow. This was especially true during the action sequences.
I liked the character of Theo, I thought he was well-drawn and his motivations made sense. That said, this book brought out so many characters without a lot of clear connections between them. I don’t want to say too much here in order to stay away from spoilers, but people were thrown into odd situations and then their presence in those situations made no sense and was never explained.
The entire storyline around women’s suffrage felt like a whole other book. This book would have been better if it ended in Parthenon rather than in Nashville. This book felt like the author was trying to shoehorn women’s suffrage into a retelling of the myth of Medusa. It didn’t work and was annoying.
All together, I felt like this book left me unsatisfied and annoyed. I’m giving it 3 stars because it is readable, but I wouldn’t read it again.
June 20, 2026
**Thanks to Netgalley for this ARC. Book publishes August 16,2026**
***SPOILERS***
I was displeased that the female preacher ended up being “bad” and having to be stopped. But maybe that’s just human nature. There’s good and bad in everyone and it’s relative to some depending on circumstances.
The ending, I appreciated in the realization that melding old beliefs with science can enhance our religious perspectives. And that just because an idea is new doesn’t make it off the table for being “spiritual” or having a place within our spirituality.
I don’t know much about Medusa but am interested to learn more about her after this.
I could tell The sex scenes in here were written by a man. The descriptors used were awkward at best.
The two separate story lines felt very awkward to me and their convergence did as well but I appreciate what the author was doing.
If you are interested in Medusa, appalachia, or women’s suffrage I would recommend.
QUOTE: “People act like every little doctrine was written on stone tablets,” she said when he took a pause. “Everything’s gotta be the way they learned it or it’s evil. Seems like maybe you can tell the difference between what’s alive and what’s dead.”
***SPOILERS***
I was displeased that the female preacher ended up being “bad” and having to be stopped. But maybe that’s just human nature. There’s good and bad in everyone and it’s relative to some depending on circumstances.
The ending, I appreciated in the realization that melding old beliefs with science can enhance our religious perspectives. And that just because an idea is new doesn’t make it off the table for being “spiritual” or having a place within our spirituality.
I don’t know much about Medusa but am interested to learn more about her after this.
I could tell The sex scenes in here were written by a man. The descriptors used were awkward at best.
The two separate story lines felt very awkward to me and their convergence did as well but I appreciate what the author was doing.
If you are interested in Medusa, appalachia, or women’s suffrage I would recommend.
QUOTE: “People act like every little doctrine was written on stone tablets,” she said when he took a pause. “Everything’s gotta be the way they learned it or it’s evil. Seems like maybe you can tell the difference between what’s alive and what’s dead.”
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I received an e-ARC and am giving my honest review. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this opportunity!
I enjoyed this a lot, though I felt a bit confused by the POV switches to the suffragettes throughout the book. I felt like it added another layer of the story that, sadly, was a bit too much, maybe instead as a novella that ties in?
I thought that the main POV being through a naive boy trying to preach his beliefs and convert a small town was a very new and interesting narrative to this genre, and I liked it a lot.
Spoiler!!
I, like others it seems, was definitely not super excited about the female preacher being bad. I think that it was an interesting twist and could’ve worked if not for how much the book centered on feminism and, specifically, vying for a female preacher only to end up with the preacher being a villain rubbed me the wrong way. However, equal rights also means equal rights to be the bad guy I guess haha.
But otherwise, I really did enjoy this a lot. I’ve taken a liking to religious horror as of late, maybe it’s to do with being closeted trans and gay in a catholic school for my formative years, maybe it’s because of Leviticus (2026), who knows. But this certainly added an interesting twist to religious horror.
I enjoyed this a lot, though I felt a bit confused by the POV switches to the suffragettes throughout the book. I felt like it added another layer of the story that, sadly, was a bit too much, maybe instead as a novella that ties in?
I thought that the main POV being through a naive boy trying to preach his beliefs and convert a small town was a very new and interesting narrative to this genre, and I liked it a lot.
Spoiler!!
I, like others it seems, was definitely not super excited about the female preacher being bad. I think that it was an interesting twist and could’ve worked if not for how much the book centered on feminism and, specifically, vying for a female preacher only to end up with the preacher being a villain rubbed me the wrong way. However, equal rights also means equal rights to be the bad guy I guess haha.
But otherwise, I really did enjoy this a lot. I’ve taken a liking to religious horror as of late, maybe it’s to do with being closeted trans and gay in a catholic school for my formative years, maybe it’s because of Leviticus (2026), who knows. But this certainly added an interesting twist to religious horror.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Less the Horror than the Grace
Robert Owens Scott
3 Stars
This Historical Horror Fantasy takes place in the summer of 1920 in a fictional holler in the mountains of Tennessee. A young minister from Nashville, newly graduated from Seminary is given a special assignment to observe and report upon the practices in a rural holler church. At the same time, Tennessee's legislature is deciding on the ratification of the 19th Amendment, giving women the right to vote.
Some churches in Appalachia still practice snake handling, which is a theme the author uses to give his Southern Gothic take on the mythology of Medusa and Minerva. It wasn't until the end during the notes that I learned the story was based on this mythology and everything snapped into place in my mind. This was such an interesting and unique take that I began thinking I'd like to see more from this author only to learn further within the notes that he has passed, so this will be his final work.
Robert Owens Scott
3 Stars
This Historical Horror Fantasy takes place in the summer of 1920 in a fictional holler in the mountains of Tennessee. A young minister from Nashville, newly graduated from Seminary is given a special assignment to observe and report upon the practices in a rural holler church. At the same time, Tennessee's legislature is deciding on the ratification of the 19th Amendment, giving women the right to vote.
Some churches in Appalachia still practice snake handling, which is a theme the author uses to give his Southern Gothic take on the mythology of Medusa and Minerva. It wasn't until the end during the notes that I learned the story was based on this mythology and everything snapped into place in my mind. This was such an interesting and unique take that I began thinking I'd like to see more from this author only to learn further within the notes that he has passed, so this will be his final work.
August 2, 2026
This was a twisty and compelling mix of historical fiction and folk horror. While it gets intensely fantastical by the end the build up to that point is a slow one, with a lot of focus on the characters and there often deceptive motivations and the Appalachian setting along the way.
I found the naivety of Theo, the main protagonist just a bit overdrawn and frustrating at times but the intricacy and detail of the writing kept me moving through the story despite this and he becomes a more active and aware character as we go along. Religion is a significant theme in this novel, and I think it is handled particularly well, considering the number of threads of belief that are drawn in from tent revivals to the influence of scientific innovation on Christian teaching to pagan ritual.
I found the naivety of Theo, the main protagonist just a bit overdrawn and frustrating at times but the intricacy and detail of the writing kept me moving through the story despite this and he becomes a more active and aware character as we go along. Religion is a significant theme in this novel, and I think it is handled particularly well, considering the number of threads of belief that are drawn in from tent revivals to the influence of scientific innovation on Christian teaching to pagan ritual.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
I want to thank NetGalley and Arundel Publishing | Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), Members' Titles for providing me with an ARC.
Medusa retelling set in South with Suffrage on top of it, sign me up. It also balances gothic and horror elements beautifully.
It's a slow paced story which suits this book and allows the reader to immerse in it. And the setting acutely captures the shades of grey in the characters' lives.
Minerva and Theo were brilliant characters to explore through. But can we be done with the making the woman bad guy and stopping her? It's really overdone by now.
The sex scenes were awkward to read, perhaps because the author is a man.
I want to thank NetGalley and Arundel Publishing | Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), Members' Titles for providing me with an ARC.
Medusa retelling set in South with Suffrage on top of it, sign me up. It also balances gothic and horror elements beautifully.
It's a slow paced story which suits this book and allows the reader to immerse in it. And the setting acutely captures the shades of grey in the characters' lives.
Minerva and Theo were brilliant characters to explore through. But can we be done with the making the woman bad guy and stopping her? It's really overdone by now.
The sex scenes were awkward to read, perhaps because the author is a man.
August 12, 2026
Southern gothic meets horror meets mythology meets historical fiction. To say I was excited to read this is an understatement. I took my time reading this one because it started off a little slower and I wasn’t sure the direction of the different storylines (what women’s suffrage and this new pastor had to do with each other) but the storyline blends well at the end. I was shocked towards the end, not realizing there was going to be a twist. All the characters in the story had a point (except maybe the mother at the beginning) and made the story better. I hope we can one day see a tv series or movie for this, I would watch it in a heartbeat!
September 3, 2026
This is a bold horror with weavings of reality mixed in. Set at the time of the suffragete movement, this book has moments that can cause worries over present times in America. There is a lot of religious horror, and discussion of violence against women. While this book covers tough topics, it was worth the read. Thank-you, Arundel Publishing, for this complimentary copy. Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews