What do you think?
Rate this book
The Hollow Tree
After losing her hand in a tragic accident, Rachel is plagued by vivid nightmares of a hollow tree, and a hand reaching from it, begging her for help. Terrified that she is going mad, Rachel experiences phantom sensations of leaves, trees, and finally a hand that grasps hers and pulls a young woman into Rachel's world. She has no idea of who she is, but Rachel can't help but think of the local legend of Oak Mary, the corpse of a woman found hidden in a hollow tree, and who was never identified. Three myths have grown up around the body; was she a spy, a prostitute or a murdered gypsy? Rachel is desperate to learn the truth, but darker forces are at work. For a rule has been broken, and Mary is in a world where she doesn't belong...
482 pages, Paperback
First published March 6, 2018
74 people are currently reading
2064 people want to read
About the author
James Brogden
27 books335 followersJames Brogden is a writer of horror and dark fantasy. A part-time Australian who grew up in Tasmania and the Cumbrian Borders, he has since escaped to Birmingham UK and now lives in the Jewellery Quarter. When not writing he can usually be found up a hill, poking around stone circles and burial mounds. A recovering ex-teacher and lego addict, he is owned by two cats who do not approve of this nonsense.
His short stories have appeared in various anthologies and periodicals ranging from The Big Issue to the BFS Award-Winning Alchemy Press. His novel 'The Plague Stones' was shortlisted for the August Derleth Award in 2021 and his most recent novella, ‘The Dwimfolk’ was published by PS Publishing in October 2025. He is currently writing for Warhammer's Black Library.
@jamesbrogden.bsky.social
Insta: jameswbrogden
His short stories have appeared in various anthologies and periodicals ranging from The Big Issue to the BFS Award-Winning Alchemy Press. His novel 'The Plague Stones' was shortlisted for the August Derleth Award in 2021 and his most recent novella, ‘The Dwimfolk’ was published by PS Publishing in October 2025. He is currently writing for Warhammer's Black Library.
@jamesbrogden.bsky.social
Insta: jameswbrogden
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 178 reviews
June 11, 2018
3.5 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2018/06/10/...
I love horror novels based on urban legends, though in the case of The Hollow Tree, I only found out that it was inspired by a local myth in the author’s hometown after I finished the book. In his afterword, James Brogden describes the real life 1944 discovery of a woman’s skeleton inside the trunk of a hollow elm in Hagley Wood, Worchestershire, England. Her real identity was never discovered—and neither were her murderer’s—before the remains mysteriously went missing, and subsequently, a graffiti message appearing on a nearby wall reading “Who put Bella in the Wych Elm” soon solidified the legend behind the investigation. Fascinated, I went to do some more reading on the topic, and was chilled by what I found out. Unsolved crimes and mysteries tend to have that effect on me, and when it comes to the details behind “Wych Elm Bella”, I could certainly understand why the case would be a treasure trove of ideas for a horror writer.
Brogden, however, has created something truly vast and impressive out of Bella in the Wych Elm urban legend, drawing heavily on its basis as well as a lot of the rumors and theories surrounding it. The protagonist of The Hollow Tree is Rachel Cooper, a young woman whose life is suddenly shattered when she loses her hand in a traumatic boating accident. Fighting hard to remain optimistic through her recovery and therapy, she soon learns to adapt with living with only one hand, as well as how to deal with the symptoms related to limb loss such as phantom pain. But unfortunately, there is little she can do about the nightmares. In her dreams, she keeps seeing vivid images of a hollow tree, with a hand reaching out to her from it, as if begging for help. Soon, the visions get so bad that Rachel is starting to experience delusions even during her waking hours. Her missing hand also keeps bothering her, feeling so present and alive, experiencing all kinds of sensations that should not be possible. In a way, it almost feels like the hand is still there, but in another world…
For the purposes of this novel, the “Bella in the Wych Elm” legend has been changed to “Mary in the Hollow Oak”, though a lot of its other story elements have remained the same. I don’t really want to elaborate on how Rachel’s role relates to Mary’s fate in case I accidentally reveal too much, but suffice to say, the two women’s lives will be forever entwined because of Rachel’s connection to that “other place”.
To me, The Hollow Tree feels very much like a story told in several distinct parts. The first third of the book is a very good character study of Rachel. We’re along for the ride when she and her husband Tom go on that fateful boating trip that turns both their lives upside down, and the accident is as terrible as you would expect. I really felt for Rachel, who now must face her new reality of living without her left hand, but her determination and courageous attitude soon endeared me to her. I admired her a lot for her optimism, but at the same time, her struggles were portrayed realistically. Sometimes, memories of the incident would drag Rachel into a dark place, but those are also the moments in which her character felt the most genuine, with her true nature shining through as she resolutely refuses to wallow in her self-pity or to blame anyone for her problems. In fact, much of the suspense in this book stems from the fact that Rachel is so independent, always opting to tackle conflicts head on by herself, and that defiant streak often leaves her alone in many frightening situations.
For the rest of the book, however, my feelings were a bit more mixed. Sometimes, when too much is revealed too early on or all at once, a story can lose much of its mystique, and I think this is what happened here. Rachel’s nightmares and visions kept me intrigued for much of the first third; the ambiguity made me wonder if there was truly a supernatural explanation for all of the things she was seeing and dreaming, or perhaps they were simply the delusions of the protagonist’s stressed mind. So when all was revealed in the second third, it almost felt like the suspense was shattered too soon. In a way, it was like being able to see behind a magician’s tricks, removing all sense of wonder and mystery. While there was still plenty of action and danger to follow, sadly the story never quite managed to regain its foreboding atmosphere and eeriness, becoming a lot more like a straightforward paranormal thriller. Since I had been expecting a lot more horror, this made me feel slightly disappointed.
As a result, the later parts of the book took me a lot longer to read, because I just didn’t feel as invested in those sections of the story as I did in the first third. However, I won’t deny I found the ideas behind the novel intriguing, and I still loved the fact that it was inspired by a such a fascinating urban legend. While it’s true that the book could have been a lot more atmospheric and disturbing, ultimately I think The Hollow Tree would make a pretty good choice for fans of paranormal suspense and light horror.
I love horror novels based on urban legends, though in the case of The Hollow Tree, I only found out that it was inspired by a local myth in the author’s hometown after I finished the book. In his afterword, James Brogden describes the real life 1944 discovery of a woman’s skeleton inside the trunk of a hollow elm in Hagley Wood, Worchestershire, England. Her real identity was never discovered—and neither were her murderer’s—before the remains mysteriously went missing, and subsequently, a graffiti message appearing on a nearby wall reading “Who put Bella in the Wych Elm” soon solidified the legend behind the investigation. Fascinated, I went to do some more reading on the topic, and was chilled by what I found out. Unsolved crimes and mysteries tend to have that effect on me, and when it comes to the details behind “Wych Elm Bella”, I could certainly understand why the case would be a treasure trove of ideas for a horror writer.
Brogden, however, has created something truly vast and impressive out of Bella in the Wych Elm urban legend, drawing heavily on its basis as well as a lot of the rumors and theories surrounding it. The protagonist of The Hollow Tree is Rachel Cooper, a young woman whose life is suddenly shattered when she loses her hand in a traumatic boating accident. Fighting hard to remain optimistic through her recovery and therapy, she soon learns to adapt with living with only one hand, as well as how to deal with the symptoms related to limb loss such as phantom pain. But unfortunately, there is little she can do about the nightmares. In her dreams, she keeps seeing vivid images of a hollow tree, with a hand reaching out to her from it, as if begging for help. Soon, the visions get so bad that Rachel is starting to experience delusions even during her waking hours. Her missing hand also keeps bothering her, feeling so present and alive, experiencing all kinds of sensations that should not be possible. In a way, it almost feels like the hand is still there, but in another world…
For the purposes of this novel, the “Bella in the Wych Elm” legend has been changed to “Mary in the Hollow Oak”, though a lot of its other story elements have remained the same. I don’t really want to elaborate on how Rachel’s role relates to Mary’s fate in case I accidentally reveal too much, but suffice to say, the two women’s lives will be forever entwined because of Rachel’s connection to that “other place”.
To me, The Hollow Tree feels very much like a story told in several distinct parts. The first third of the book is a very good character study of Rachel. We’re along for the ride when she and her husband Tom go on that fateful boating trip that turns both their lives upside down, and the accident is as terrible as you would expect. I really felt for Rachel, who now must face her new reality of living without her left hand, but her determination and courageous attitude soon endeared me to her. I admired her a lot for her optimism, but at the same time, her struggles were portrayed realistically. Sometimes, memories of the incident would drag Rachel into a dark place, but those are also the moments in which her character felt the most genuine, with her true nature shining through as she resolutely refuses to wallow in her self-pity or to blame anyone for her problems. In fact, much of the suspense in this book stems from the fact that Rachel is so independent, always opting to tackle conflicts head on by herself, and that defiant streak often leaves her alone in many frightening situations.
For the rest of the book, however, my feelings were a bit more mixed. Sometimes, when too much is revealed too early on or all at once, a story can lose much of its mystique, and I think this is what happened here. Rachel’s nightmares and visions kept me intrigued for much of the first third; the ambiguity made me wonder if there was truly a supernatural explanation for all of the things she was seeing and dreaming, or perhaps they were simply the delusions of the protagonist’s stressed mind. So when all was revealed in the second third, it almost felt like the suspense was shattered too soon. In a way, it was like being able to see behind a magician’s tricks, removing all sense of wonder and mystery. While there was still plenty of action and danger to follow, sadly the story never quite managed to regain its foreboding atmosphere and eeriness, becoming a lot more like a straightforward paranormal thriller. Since I had been expecting a lot more horror, this made me feel slightly disappointed.
As a result, the later parts of the book took me a lot longer to read, because I just didn’t feel as invested in those sections of the story as I did in the first third. However, I won’t deny I found the ideas behind the novel intriguing, and I still loved the fact that it was inspired by a such a fascinating urban legend. While it’s true that the book could have been a lot more atmospheric and disturbing, ultimately I think The Hollow Tree would make a pretty good choice for fans of paranormal suspense and light horror.
March 23, 2018
Let’s start with the most important- I really really really really really really really really – takes a breath– really really really really really really liked this book. Honestly? I took a chance on the book simply for the striking cover, and damn it, I wanted to find out who danced with Mary Oak before she died. I was not entirely prepared for the fullness this book presented to me.
The Hollow Tree is quite a dark read- it’s about solving the pasts’ grim mystery in a web of myths. Myths which essentially have come to life from the other side to fight for being named the truth. You see, the dark side has its own agenda and what living humans have created around this female body found in a trunk of a tree in word alone has gathered momentum and its own life. Sounds pretty darned ominous now, doesn’t it?
The good news for anyone that shies away from the ‘horror’ label is that it’s not one of those in your face types of horror. It’s more like a ‘let’s tell a really long, creepy story around the campfire’ kind of stories and my, does it have substance. I really like what the author did here with the body that was found in the tree and how the three myths played into the plot. It’s also really well written and delivered so that there is just the right amount of description and pace to keep the story hurtling along as it guides you deeper into the maze of questions, danger and possible endings…
Simply brilliant and seriously captivating!
The book starts off with introducing us to Rachel who tragically loses her hand in an accident and then starts having nightmares and delusions. For quite a while I was left on the edge of suspicion- is this stuff REALLY happening to her, or is she actually just having a serious ‘trip’ due to the meds she’s on following her accident. It does get quite ‘leave your logic of the real world behind the door’ pretty quickly but it only solidifies the fact that we are dealing with the otherworldly here.
I really do not want to give anything away here in terms of details to the story but as the blurb mentions- Rachel pulls things into the real world… from that other place… yikes!
After the first few pages I wasn’t sure I was going to like Rachel very much but throughout the book, she shows me who she really is. She’s determined and brave and so bloody sensible when it comes to pointing fingers of blame, especially when it comes to the accident she had. I mean, she doesn’t point the blame untowardly at all and I so respected her for that. Her relationship with her husband was thoroughly ‘couple goals’ and he was a really understanding chap. I was at some stages expecting him to turn out to be a real bastard, especially after Rachel’s accident, because authors are tricksters… But that was not the case and I was pleasantly surprised. So, in terms of characters- the whole cast of them- total win!
The three myths (the murdered gypsy; spy; prostitute) that have been weaved into this horror story get fully explained- their past lives, their personalities, their deaths. I felt for each of these women because essentially I was on a journey with all three during a time of war and I wasn’t sure I was prepared to find which one of these myths was the truth. Or how any of these myths was going to play out on Rachel’s quest for answers.
But a good book doesn’t leave you hanging in a puddle of questions and a labyrinth of confusion, and gives you something else to get excited about. And such it was, that Brodgen threw a right curveball into the mix to help tie off any questions, any answers to the question ‘Why?’. It was freaking delicious and as such the ending was super satisfying. As far as books go, this is a solid ‘pick it up and read it in as few sittings as you can’.
I just want to further make the point before I close off this review that I came to like Rachel a whole lot- what a show of personality, what a demonstration of a human with their heart in the right place. And ultimately, what a brave woman to answer to the darkness that calls out to her for help.
Even though this is an otherworldly horror novel (which only scares the lightweights! 😛 ), it’s also thoroughly entertaining and gripping! It’s multiple stories and lives within one story and one life. It’s solving a mystery, fighting with myths (literally) and as it reaches the final turn before the conclusion, it delivers the extra moment of ‘I see! That all makes sense now!’
The Hollow Tree is quite a dark read- it’s about solving the pasts’ grim mystery in a web of myths. Myths which essentially have come to life from the other side to fight for being named the truth. You see, the dark side has its own agenda and what living humans have created around this female body found in a trunk of a tree in word alone has gathered momentum and its own life. Sounds pretty darned ominous now, doesn’t it?
The good news for anyone that shies away from the ‘horror’ label is that it’s not one of those in your face types of horror. It’s more like a ‘let’s tell a really long, creepy story around the campfire’ kind of stories and my, does it have substance. I really like what the author did here with the body that was found in the tree and how the three myths played into the plot. It’s also really well written and delivered so that there is just the right amount of description and pace to keep the story hurtling along as it guides you deeper into the maze of questions, danger and possible endings…
Simply brilliant and seriously captivating!
The book starts off with introducing us to Rachel who tragically loses her hand in an accident and then starts having nightmares and delusions. For quite a while I was left on the edge of suspicion- is this stuff REALLY happening to her, or is she actually just having a serious ‘trip’ due to the meds she’s on following her accident. It does get quite ‘leave your logic of the real world behind the door’ pretty quickly but it only solidifies the fact that we are dealing with the otherworldly here.
I really do not want to give anything away here in terms of details to the story but as the blurb mentions- Rachel pulls things into the real world… from that other place… yikes!
After the first few pages I wasn’t sure I was going to like Rachel very much but throughout the book, she shows me who she really is. She’s determined and brave and so bloody sensible when it comes to pointing fingers of blame, especially when it comes to the accident she had. I mean, she doesn’t point the blame untowardly at all and I so respected her for that. Her relationship with her husband was thoroughly ‘couple goals’ and he was a really understanding chap. I was at some stages expecting him to turn out to be a real bastard, especially after Rachel’s accident, because authors are tricksters… But that was not the case and I was pleasantly surprised. So, in terms of characters- the whole cast of them- total win!
The three myths (the murdered gypsy; spy; prostitute) that have been weaved into this horror story get fully explained- their past lives, their personalities, their deaths. I felt for each of these women because essentially I was on a journey with all three during a time of war and I wasn’t sure I was prepared to find which one of these myths was the truth. Or how any of these myths was going to play out on Rachel’s quest for answers.
But a good book doesn’t leave you hanging in a puddle of questions and a labyrinth of confusion, and gives you something else to get excited about. And such it was, that Brodgen threw a right curveball into the mix to help tie off any questions, any answers to the question ‘Why?’. It was freaking delicious and as such the ending was super satisfying. As far as books go, this is a solid ‘pick it up and read it in as few sittings as you can’.
I just want to further make the point before I close off this review that I came to like Rachel a whole lot- what a show of personality, what a demonstration of a human with their heart in the right place. And ultimately, what a brave woman to answer to the darkness that calls out to her for help.
Even though this is an otherworldly horror novel (which only scares the lightweights! 😛 ), it’s also thoroughly entertaining and gripping! It’s multiple stories and lives within one story and one life. It’s solving a mystery, fighting with myths (literally) and as it reaches the final turn before the conclusion, it delivers the extra moment of ‘I see! That all makes sense now!’
April 18, 2021
The Hollow Tree by James Brogden was a pleasant story, despite the morbid theme of it all. After Rachel Cooper has a tragic accident and loses her arm, she has to cope with a new way of life and adjust to a new reality, where even the most trivial tasks like preparing coffee must be relearned. However, her problems don't end there. Her accident opened her up to the world of the dead, and she establishes contact with that "other side" and can pull lost souls back through, giving them a second chance at life. Her life becomes strangely entangled with the death of a woman 70 years ago, a woman whose name is unknown, and the only information people have about her is the fact that her body has been found inside a hollow oak tree.
I listened to the audiobook of this, and the narration was really good. The story was interesting, and despite the dark theme, it has a lighthearted feel to it. I had expected something a bit darker based on how the book is marketed, but instead, it had more of a mystery feel to it alongside witty writing that makes it an entertaining read. Rachel, our main character, is very humorous and has a way of making light of her very tragic situation. The mystery of the woman found in that hollow oak tree is peeled layer by layer, as we explore different variations of her presumed identity, always hoping that the one we are currently exploring is the truth.
There are some plot conveniences which make the logic behind why things take place a bit slippery. As long as you don't take those elements too seriously and go along with what is being presented, it's an interesting ride.
It's a cozy read, with pleasant characters and an intricate story that keeps you wanting to learn more. I wouldn't classify this as horror though, since I barely saw any horror elements, just a dark theme and a looming mystery we are itching to uncover.
I do recommend listening to the audiobook, it is very well narrated and Sarah Nichols does an excellent job giving life to the characters, especially with her distinct accents.
3 stars to Oak Mary!
I listened to the audiobook of this, and the narration was really good. The story was interesting, and despite the dark theme, it has a lighthearted feel to it. I had expected something a bit darker based on how the book is marketed, but instead, it had more of a mystery feel to it alongside witty writing that makes it an entertaining read. Rachel, our main character, is very humorous and has a way of making light of her very tragic situation. The mystery of the woman found in that hollow oak tree is peeled layer by layer, as we explore different variations of her presumed identity, always hoping that the one we are currently exploring is the truth.
There are some plot conveniences which make the logic behind why things take place a bit slippery. As long as you don't take those elements too seriously and go along with what is being presented, it's an interesting ride.
It's a cozy read, with pleasant characters and an intricate story that keeps you wanting to learn more. I wouldn't classify this as horror though, since I barely saw any horror elements, just a dark theme and a looming mystery we are itching to uncover.
I do recommend listening to the audiobook, it is very well narrated and Sarah Nichols does an excellent job giving life to the characters, especially with her distinct accents.
3 stars to Oak Mary!
Read
August 23, 2020Brogden is perhaps my favourite horror author because however dark things get (very) there's always just enough love and hope to stop things from getting unbrearable, if only for the moment. This is a terrific story blending myth and local folklore with toxic misogyny to create a monstrous threat, and women fighting back against the cruelty and brutality of it all. About as stressful as I can take (I am a wuss) but ultimately uplifting with some cheer-out-loud moments, and a tremendous piece of English mythmaking.
Read
June 20, 2021DNF
April 14, 2020
2.5
Gotta say this book left me feeling pretty “hollow”. I had a bunch of trouble with the main character’s acceptance of her new “gift”. Me thinks if something like that we’re to happen to you, you’d be a bit more shocked of your new reality. Add to that misplaced humour and the cringe-o-meter was starting to dip into the red. Fortunately, the second half of the book brought the needle back to some semblance of entertainment, instilling enough interest to plow through. Much like a dead tree however, this book will ultimately be uprooted and removed from my collection.
Gotta say this book left me feeling pretty “hollow”. I had a bunch of trouble with the main character’s acceptance of her new “gift”. Me thinks if something like that we’re to happen to you, you’d be a bit more shocked of your new reality. Add to that misplaced humour and the cringe-o-meter was starting to dip into the red. Fortunately, the second half of the book brought the needle back to some semblance of entertainment, instilling enough interest to plow through. Much like a dead tree however, this book will ultimately be uprooted and removed from my collection.
May 22, 2018
Amazeballs.
April 22, 2018
So I'm browsing the shelves at the library and this cover pops out at me and I was sold when I read this part of the blurb
When she begins to experience phantom sensations of leaves and earth with her missing limb
C'mon, what's not to love about that concept. We all hear stories about amputees having phantom pains from the missing limb but I have never heard of an author taking that phenomenon in this direction.
After a boating accident crushed her hand, Rachel has the hand amputated and shortly thereafter begins to have nightmares of a woman trapped in a hollow tree. She then starts having strange sensations with her now amputated hand, she can feel dirt, leaves, rain......
The suspense is great as she tests these new feelings and begins to uncover just how far this new "ability" may go. Is this all in her head or is her hand real in another plane of existence?
The suspense loses steam after the first half of the book as the narrative switches back in time to answer some of the questions about her nightmares. But while the suspense wanes the mystery behind the woman in the hollow tree starts to drive Rachel to delve deeper to explore all the possibilities of her now missing hand.
7/10
When she begins to experience phantom sensations of leaves and earth with her missing limb
C'mon, what's not to love about that concept. We all hear stories about amputees having phantom pains from the missing limb but I have never heard of an author taking that phenomenon in this direction.
After a boating accident crushed her hand, Rachel has the hand amputated and shortly thereafter begins to have nightmares of a woman trapped in a hollow tree. She then starts having strange sensations with her now amputated hand, she can feel dirt, leaves, rain......
The suspense is great as she tests these new feelings and begins to uncover just how far this new "ability" may go. Is this all in her head or is her hand real in another plane of existence?
The suspense loses steam after the first half of the book as the narrative switches back in time to answer some of the questions about her nightmares. But while the suspense wanes the mystery behind the woman in the hollow tree starts to drive Rachel to delve deeper to explore all the possibilities of her now missing hand.
7/10
September 4, 2018
There must be something in the popular literature zeitgeist about limbo right now.....So very glad I succumbed to my baser reading instincts and picked up on a whim what looked like a slightly schlocky horror book from the new materials shelf at the library. It was that but more; kind of like if the spirituality of Lincoln in the Bardo had been partly appropriated by Stephen King. "There are more things in heaven and earth" -- indeed, Horatio.
April 8, 2021
3.75-ish stars
I was fondly surprised by this book. It nearly got 4 solid, true stars, but at times the story felt a little bit like it was stumbling in the dark and I felt it lost tractions a few times before steering back on track again. Somewhere past the middle, but before the final confrontation I felt a bit tired by everything that was going on without seemingly leading to anything.
So, sadly, that brought my overall rating down. I actually "bonded" really well with the main character, Rachel, and she might be my favourite MC so far this year. Such a breath of fresh air! And funny. I would love to have Rachel as a friend.
As usual when I submit myself to experiencing horror in book form it doesn't tickle my horror bone very much. I seem immune to that kind of scares. So, no, I didn't find The Hollow Tree very scary, but I liked the atmosphere and the mystery. Everything having to do with Rachel's hand and "ghost pains" were really well written and creepy in the best possible way. I thoroughly enjoyed that part of the story and the "ghost hunting".
Rachel's and Tom's relationship left me wanting something more in terms of resolution towards the end. Some greater relief than what actually happened, but that's because the betrayal featured in the story would have been as good as unforgivable for me. (Speaking from experience here.)
But all in all, good story and a positive new acquaintance with a, for me, new author.
Oh, and great, great, great narrator for the audiobook! 5+ stars to Sarah Nichols!
I was fondly surprised by this book. It nearly got 4 solid, true stars, but at times the story felt a little bit like it was stumbling in the dark and I felt it lost tractions a few times before steering back on track again. Somewhere past the middle, but before the final confrontation I felt a bit tired by everything that was going on without seemingly leading to anything.
So, sadly, that brought my overall rating down. I actually "bonded" really well with the main character, Rachel, and she might be my favourite MC so far this year. Such a breath of fresh air! And funny. I would love to have Rachel as a friend.
As usual when I submit myself to experiencing horror in book form it doesn't tickle my horror bone very much. I seem immune to that kind of scares. So, no, I didn't find The Hollow Tree very scary, but I liked the atmosphere and the mystery. Everything having to do with Rachel's hand and "ghost pains" were really well written and creepy in the best possible way. I thoroughly enjoyed that part of the story and the "ghost hunting".
Rachel's and Tom's relationship left me wanting something more in terms of resolution towards the end. Some greater relief than what actually happened, but that's because the betrayal featured in the story would have been as good as unforgivable for me. (Speaking from experience here.)
But all in all, good story and a positive new acquaintance with a, for me, new author.
Oh, and great, great, great narrator for the audiobook! 5+ stars to Sarah Nichols!
April 24, 2018
The Hollow Tree is an astonishingly good book. I was completely gripped by it from start to finish. That sounds like a total cliché, but it is actually true, and the more I read it the better it became. I absolutely loved it. I really didn't want the book to end, in fact I spent a day on playing around social media avoiding the inevitable finish.
I won't go into the plot, that's what the sales description is for, but let me say that even if you think it all sounds a bit too complicated and fantastic to be entertaining that is not the case - the story is original and very readable and the characters are likeable and believable, even the minor ones. There was brilliant humour, chilling pathos and bed-wetting horror in spades. All in all, a very satisfying read. It would make a fabulous film.
I really enjoyed Mr Brogden's last novel Hekla's Children but he (like Spinal Tap) has definitely ramped his writing skills up to 11 on the dial for The Hollow Tree.
My book of 2018 without a doubt.
Sent from my iPad
I won't go into the plot, that's what the sales description is for, but let me say that even if you think it all sounds a bit too complicated and fantastic to be entertaining that is not the case - the story is original and very readable and the characters are likeable and believable, even the minor ones. There was brilliant humour, chilling pathos and bed-wetting horror in spades. All in all, a very satisfying read. It would make a fabulous film.
I really enjoyed Mr Brogden's last novel Hekla's Children but he (like Spinal Tap) has definitely ramped his writing skills up to 11 on the dial for The Hollow Tree.
My book of 2018 without a doubt.
Sent from my iPad
September 28, 2020
I had high hopes for a story that begins with the protagonist losing an arm and having to adjust to life with a disability, even before supernatural elements come into play.
The pace was dragging before p350, but that’s about where I got actively angry about the character’s (author’s?) attitude toward sex work. The protagonist insists that the spirit she’s communing with can’t be a prostitute, oh no, that’s too terrible to believe, especially since she thinks the spirit may be related to her family. And the men who paid for sexual services are referred to, with scare quotes, as “clients.” Like it’s bogus terminology.
Once the storyline shifts into uncovering family secrets, I was bored and when it ended with the married but childless protagonist having a baby, I rolled my eyes so hard you could probably hear it. Such a frustrating ending after a powerful start.
The pace was dragging before p350, but that’s about where I got actively angry about the character’s (author’s?) attitude toward sex work. The protagonist insists that the spirit she’s communing with can’t be a prostitute, oh no, that’s too terrible to believe, especially since she thinks the spirit may be related to her family. And the men who paid for sexual services are referred to, with scare quotes, as “clients.” Like it’s bogus terminology.
Once the storyline shifts into uncovering family secrets, I was bored and when it ended with the married but childless protagonist having a baby, I rolled my eyes so hard you could probably hear it. Such a frustrating ending after a powerful start.
July 3, 2018
I believe James Brogden is perhaps one of my new favourite authors. To me, his writing style reminds me of a mix between Stephen King, Charles de Lint and Neil Gaiman. His stories captivate me from beginning to end to the point where I don't even realise how much I have read until I am suddenly closing the book!! I absolutely loved this novel. I found it hard to put down and I even visited the setting of the novel to get a proper feel to it - although the real urban legend upon which this tale is drawn is elsewhere in the West Midlands.
James Brogden draws up on urban legend, bits of folklore, bits of Stranger Things with his idea of the Umbra - which to me kind of felt like the Upside Down - and writes in a way that really draws you into the story.
James Brogden draws up on urban legend, bits of folklore, bits of Stranger Things with his idea of the Umbra - which to me kind of felt like the Upside Down - and writes in a way that really draws you into the story.
dnf
February 22, 2020This is probably a very good book honestly. I just am not going to get through any more of it.
I put it down after reading 150 pages of it, and it's not bad persay, but when I look at my reading goal and the amount of days left, my brain does not want to put effort into this book.
I will likely keep this around and may get an itching for it in the future, but this is officially being DNF'd for now.
I put it down after reading 150 pages of it, and it's not bad persay, but when I look at my reading goal and the amount of days left, my brain does not want to put effort into this book.
I will likely keep this around and may get an itching for it in the future, but this is officially being DNF'd for now.
September 27, 2019
3.95
Completely enjoyable thriller/horror combo - perfect read on a rainy, thundery day such as today. Love the key change from thriller to horror and the banter between Tom and Rachel despite the horrors going on around them. Good characters, engaging and fast paced plot and interesting take on the Who Put Bella in the Wych Elm mythology.
Completely enjoyable thriller/horror combo - perfect read on a rainy, thundery day such as today. Love the key change from thriller to horror and the banter between Tom and Rachel despite the horrors going on around them. Good characters, engaging and fast paced plot and interesting take on the Who Put Bella in the Wych Elm mythology.
February 2, 2019
I was a big fan of Brogden's first book Hekla's Children - particularly the way he blended the fantastical elements with a solid horror novel. The Hollow Tree does the same. It's a supernatural story firmly grounded in reality - and all the better for it. Highly enjoyable.
November 25, 2019
Got this at london comic con 2019. Loved it. Author was such a lovely guy to chat to
February 19, 2019
I found this book in an article that told me "if you like Stephen King, try these upcoming releases!" The author of the article clearly did not read any of the books on that list, least of all James Brogden's The Hollow Tree, which is not on the same planet as even the worst Stephen King book. Reading this book has reverted me into a childish state in which I will be writing this tantrum-like rant review.
Get ready for spoilers.
Let me clear one thing up straight away. This book is not scary AT ALL. Even the parts that could have been scary aren't because of the rushed, overly-simplistic writing style. There is no tension, no urgency, and no sense that there is any sort of real threat or danger.
One more thing to mention before I get going is that there is a quote from The Guardian on the top of the front cover that reads "A visceral seat-of-the-pants thriller". But, if you look underneath, there is a note stating that this is a quote from the author's first book, Helka's Children. Did they seriously blurb his other book on the front cover of this one? The quote is large and white, which pops out to anyone looking at the cover and the note below is small and dark, so it does not standout. They clearly did this to trick readers into thinking the quote was about this book! Bahhahhahhaahaha!!! What a joke. What an absolute joke!
The only thing that I liked about The Hollow Tree is that it had a good premise. Rachel loses her hand in an accident and uses that dead, missing hand to access the "umbra", which is a alternate world full of dead things. Turns out, she can use her dead hand to pull things out of the umbra and bring them into our world. She pulls a woman out of a hollow tree only to find out that this woman was never identified and the speculation about her identity has lead her to have 3 different identities. Her identities have 3 different deaths, which become personified in these evil "lesh" spirits who begin hunting her with the intention of dragging her back to their individual versions of hell. How freaking awesome, right?! Well... this book tricked me into thinking this was an original idea by the author. It is not. Now, James Brodgen deserves credit for what is his, so don't get me wrong. Not all of the plot is unoriginal. Brodgen brought life to an urban myth by elaborating on the story. It is my opinion that he should have left it dead.
Oddly enough, I stumbled upon an article about the urban legend of "Bella in the Wych Elm" when I had about 75 pages to go in The Hollow Tree. As I read the article, I thought "this is EXACTLY the plot of that stupid book I'm reading!" So I grabbed said stupid book and scanned the front and back to see if I had missed any mention of the urban legend. Nothing. I opened the book to see if I had missed any note about it in the beginning. Nothing. The only hint that this is a book based on an urban legend is the dedication, which reads: For 'Bella'. So I flipped to the back to check out the afterword where, lo and behold, the urban legend of Bella in the Wych Elm is explained. The author states "so Bella became Mary, the elm became oak" (p. 481) This is something I would have liked to know BEFORE I read the book. The only thing I liked about this book was the premise. Here I had spent like 400 pages thinking "I hate this book, but at least it has a great, original story, so I will stick it out to see how it ends." If I had known that is was not, in fact, an original premise, I would have DNF'd this book early on and not wasted my time.
I'm going to proceed with whining in no particular order about the things I did not not like in this book.
Let's start with the overall structure of the book. I have a huge problem with where the author chose to put page and chapter breaks in this book. It just flat out doesn't make sense. This book is written mostly from Rachel's perspective, but there are quite a lot of parts that are from the perspective of other people. Sometimes these perspective shifts are separated by line breaks, sometimes by chapter breaks, sometimes by stars... it's a confusing mess.
Not only is the overall structure terrible, but the writing is bad. By "bad", I mean Hollow Tree has too much exposition, the sentences are clunky, the tone is inconsistent, it uses tired tropes, the characters are terrible, the editing is shit, and the book was way too long. I think 100 pages could have been trimmed out of this book easily. Maybe even 200. So many things happen that just don't need to.
I did not like any of the characters in this book. There are really only 2 that stick around for the whole book; Rachel and her husband, Tom. Rachel and Tom are both dull and irritating. I felt sort of "meh" towards them. All other side characters are introduced when it is convenient for the plot and are quickly shoved aside. Most notably, are these 2 guys that Tom recruits to defend off these lesh spirits.
Side note: the author chooses to italicize the word "lesh" and I don't understand why. In the middle of the book, the characters refer to the lesh often and it is just strange to read it when it is always italicized. Why didn't the editor fix this?
Anyway, Tom gets these 2 guys, Callum and Jeev, to help them protect Rachel and Mary, the woman from the tree. They get a paragraph's worth of description, serve their purpose, and are never mentioned again. Yomi is another character who serves her purpose and is never mentioned again, though she lasts a bit longer than the 2 guys. Even the antagonists get the same treatment! (Btw, I had to look up the names of those characters. They were so forgettable that I couldn't remember them, despite their unique names. There are a few other side characters, but I don't give a crap enough to discuss this point further.)
There are 3 leshes after Mary, one for each of her rumored deaths. They are called "Small Man", "Green Man", and "Dark Man". Um... WTF? These are the stupidest names of any villain I have ever come across. It is almost as if they author were using these names as stand ins until he could come up with real names, but never came up with real names. It is laughable. What is even more laughable is that these bad guys just suck at being bad guys. They decide to randomly kill some kids who are huffing nitrous in the woods and graffiti "I danced with Oak Mary" on an obelisk with their blood. (Now, the scene where these kids are killed is easily the best part of the book as it is absolutely hilarious. Too bad it was only 4 pages long...)
So the Small Man, Green Man, and Dark Man kill these kids who are just trying to get high in the woods, before going after Rachel, Tom, Mary, and the 2 disposable side characters. Now these supernatural baddies have the chance to kill the 2 side characters but don't and I have no idea why. They were created to be disposable characters so why weren't they disposed of? It makes no sense. I never got the sense that the bad guys were a real threat. The threat of Rachel being seen by her family as crazy was more prevalent that the threat of the 3 bad guys. Now that I think about it, the 2 kids are the only ones who die in this book.
On to more random things I hated about The Hollow Tree.
So Rachel pulls this woman, Oak Mary, out of the umbra and Mary is taken to the hospital. Mary doesn't remember who she is and isn't familiar with today's culture because she died like 70 years ago. So Rachel is on a mission to help Mary remember who she was so she can be at peace and picks her up from the hospital to help her get her memories back. However, there is a far more important task that must be done first:
GET OUT! GET STRAIGHT OUT WITH THIS BULLCRAP! If I used my dead, missing hand to pull a woman out of another dimension the LAST thing I would do with her would be to go shopping. Seriously James Brogden?? There are other ridiculous comments in this book that make me want to scream:
Again, this is just ridiculous! This interaction makes these woman seem like idiots. I think both of these parts are supposed to be funny, but, in my opinion, it just weakened both characters and created an inconsistent tone. It takes a very skilled author to pull off a mixture of horror and humor and Brogden just doesnt make the cut.
Another thing that I hated in this book was the exposition. Often, this happens in dialogue form. James Brogden uses unrealistic dialogue between characters as a way to tell the reader what is going on. For example:
and
Seriously... these conversations only happen so that the author can tell the reader what is going on. It is infuriating.
Speaking of infuriating... the tropes in this book are terrible. Just terrible. So there is a part in the book where the main characters decide they need information. Where do they go to find it? An archive in a library of course. I'm so tired of this kind of thing in the horror genre. First of all, why does this library have documents and case files from an unsolved murder (including graphic crime scene photos)? Second of all, why does the general public have access to this? Third of all, can we all just agree to knock it off with this "hunting for info at the library" crap. Any information that you need is accessible on the Internet. I vaguely remember some excuse as to why they needed to go to the library, but I don't care enough to try to locate the reference. And, of course, our main characters find that one document with some overlooked hint at what they need to do next.
And what they need to do next is another horror genre trope that I wish we could all agree should never happen ever. They need to go to an abandoned asylum. I am so so so so tired of asylum settings in the horror genre.
The last utterly offensive trope I will mention is that it is hinted that there is some connection between Rachel and Mary. Immediately, I thought "I bet they are somehow related". And, sure enough, they are related. I think Mary (turns out she was not any of the 3 identities people had speculated about) was actually named Beatrice and she is Rachel's grandma. I think. I kind of skimmed the last 50 pages because I just wanted it over with. She might be Rachel's great-grandma, but I think that was Gigi... I don't know and I don't care.
I had a serious problem with the end of this book. The fact that it is revealed that Mary did not experience any of the 3 deaths described felt like a betrayal and made this book all the more pointless to me. Why didn't her real death become personified? None of it mattered. All 3 bad guys were bullshit. Perhaps that was why they never felt like a threat and had silly names? No, I think the truth is that Brogden just doesn't have the skill to weave a clear, purposeful, dramatic narrative.
I hate this book. And I guess I should mention that I really, really wanted to like it. I even tried convincing myself that I did like it up until the half way point. And I guess I should also say that I am glad this author published this book. He should be proud of it because I know quite a lot of people seem to enjoy it. I went in with high expectations (due to the article comparing it to King) and was disappointed. I understand that this had an impact on my reading experience and made me much more critical then I would have been if the circumstances were different. I have been on the hunt for a good horror book and, so far, have been unsuccessful with finding one that I enjoy.
I gave The Hollow Tree one star because I can't give it any less.
Get ready for spoilers.
Let me clear one thing up straight away. This book is not scary AT ALL. Even the parts that could have been scary aren't because of the rushed, overly-simplistic writing style. There is no tension, no urgency, and no sense that there is any sort of real threat or danger.
One more thing to mention before I get going is that there is a quote from The Guardian on the top of the front cover that reads "A visceral seat-of-the-pants thriller". But, if you look underneath, there is a note stating that this is a quote from the author's first book, Helka's Children. Did they seriously blurb his other book on the front cover of this one? The quote is large and white, which pops out to anyone looking at the cover and the note below is small and dark, so it does not standout. They clearly did this to trick readers into thinking the quote was about this book! Bahhahhahhaahaha!!! What a joke. What an absolute joke!
The only thing that I liked about The Hollow Tree is that it had a good premise. Rachel loses her hand in an accident and uses that dead, missing hand to access the "umbra", which is a alternate world full of dead things. Turns out, she can use her dead hand to pull things out of the umbra and bring them into our world. She pulls a woman out of a hollow tree only to find out that this woman was never identified and the speculation about her identity has lead her to have 3 different identities. Her identities have 3 different deaths, which become personified in these evil "lesh" spirits who begin hunting her with the intention of dragging her back to their individual versions of hell. How freaking awesome, right?! Well... this book tricked me into thinking this was an original idea by the author. It is not. Now, James Brodgen deserves credit for what is his, so don't get me wrong. Not all of the plot is unoriginal. Brodgen brought life to an urban myth by elaborating on the story. It is my opinion that he should have left it dead.
Oddly enough, I stumbled upon an article about the urban legend of "Bella in the Wych Elm" when I had about 75 pages to go in The Hollow Tree. As I read the article, I thought "this is EXACTLY the plot of that stupid book I'm reading!" So I grabbed said stupid book and scanned the front and back to see if I had missed any mention of the urban legend. Nothing. I opened the book to see if I had missed any note about it in the beginning. Nothing. The only hint that this is a book based on an urban legend is the dedication, which reads: For 'Bella'. So I flipped to the back to check out the afterword where, lo and behold, the urban legend of Bella in the Wych Elm is explained. The author states "so Bella became Mary, the elm became oak" (p. 481) This is something I would have liked to know BEFORE I read the book. The only thing I liked about this book was the premise. Here I had spent like 400 pages thinking "I hate this book, but at least it has a great, original story, so I will stick it out to see how it ends." If I had known that is was not, in fact, an original premise, I would have DNF'd this book early on and not wasted my time.
I'm going to proceed with whining in no particular order about the things I did not not like in this book.
Let's start with the overall structure of the book. I have a huge problem with where the author chose to put page and chapter breaks in this book. It just flat out doesn't make sense. This book is written mostly from Rachel's perspective, but there are quite a lot of parts that are from the perspective of other people. Sometimes these perspective shifts are separated by line breaks, sometimes by chapter breaks, sometimes by stars... it's a confusing mess.
Not only is the overall structure terrible, but the writing is bad. By "bad", I mean Hollow Tree has too much exposition, the sentences are clunky, the tone is inconsistent, it uses tired tropes, the characters are terrible, the editing is shit, and the book was way too long. I think 100 pages could have been trimmed out of this book easily. Maybe even 200. So many things happen that just don't need to.
I did not like any of the characters in this book. There are really only 2 that stick around for the whole book; Rachel and her husband, Tom. Rachel and Tom are both dull and irritating. I felt sort of "meh" towards them. All other side characters are introduced when it is convenient for the plot and are quickly shoved aside. Most notably, are these 2 guys that Tom recruits to defend off these lesh spirits.
Side note: the author chooses to italicize the word "lesh" and I don't understand why. In the middle of the book, the characters refer to the lesh often and it is just strange to read it when it is always italicized. Why didn't the editor fix this?
Anyway, Tom gets these 2 guys, Callum and Jeev, to help them protect Rachel and Mary, the woman from the tree. They get a paragraph's worth of description, serve their purpose, and are never mentioned again. Yomi is another character who serves her purpose and is never mentioned again, though she lasts a bit longer than the 2 guys. Even the antagonists get the same treatment! (Btw, I had to look up the names of those characters. They were so forgettable that I couldn't remember them, despite their unique names. There are a few other side characters, but I don't give a crap enough to discuss this point further.)
There are 3 leshes after Mary, one for each of her rumored deaths. They are called "Small Man", "Green Man", and "Dark Man". Um... WTF? These are the stupidest names of any villain I have ever come across. It is almost as if they author were using these names as stand ins until he could come up with real names, but never came up with real names. It is laughable. What is even more laughable is that these bad guys just suck at being bad guys. They decide to randomly kill some kids who are huffing nitrous in the woods and graffiti "I danced with Oak Mary" on an obelisk with their blood. (Now, the scene where these kids are killed is easily the best part of the book as it is absolutely hilarious. Too bad it was only 4 pages long...)
So the Small Man, Green Man, and Dark Man kill these kids who are just trying to get high in the woods, before going after Rachel, Tom, Mary, and the 2 disposable side characters. Now these supernatural baddies have the chance to kill the 2 side characters but don't and I have no idea why. They were created to be disposable characters so why weren't they disposed of? It makes no sense. I never got the sense that the bad guys were a real threat. The threat of Rachel being seen by her family as crazy was more prevalent that the threat of the 3 bad guys. Now that I think about it, the 2 kids are the only ones who die in this book.
On to more random things I hated about The Hollow Tree.
So Rachel pulls this woman, Oak Mary, out of the umbra and Mary is taken to the hospital. Mary doesn't remember who she is and isn't familiar with today's culture because she died like 70 years ago. So Rachel is on a mission to help Mary remember who she was so she can be at peace and picks her up from the hospital to help her get her memories back. However, there is a far more important task that must be done first:
When Rachel came to collect her after breakfast, Mary didn't look too thrilled at the prospect. "Are we going to try to jog my memory today, then?" she asked, in tones of glum resignation. "Is that the plan?"
"Eventually," said Rachel. "I thought we might get you some new clothes first, though. Fancy a spot of shopping?" Mary's eyes lit up." (p. 209)
GET OUT! GET STRAIGHT OUT WITH THIS BULLCRAP! If I used my dead, missing hand to pull a woman out of another dimension the LAST thing I would do with her would be to go shopping. Seriously James Brogden?? There are other ridiculous comments in this book that make me want to scream:
"Annabel [one of Mary's other identities] arched her eyebrows and leaned even closer. 'And does he? Does he do you nicely?'
'You were right - you are a slut.'
They laughed. Rachel found it hard to believe that they were gossiping about men at the same time as talking quite calmly about life after death and making wards against a supernatural entity as if thse things went together naturally." (p.240)
Again, this is just ridiculous! This interaction makes these woman seem like idiots. I think both of these parts are supposed to be funny, but, in my opinion, it just weakened both characters and created an inconsistent tone. It takes a very skilled author to pull off a mixture of horror and humor and Brogden just doesnt make the cut.
Another thing that I hated in this book was the exposition. Often, this happens in dialogue form. James Brogden uses unrealistic dialogue between characters as a way to tell the reader what is going on. For example:
"Think!" said the Small Man. "How does this benefit us?"
"She' dealt with him! We kill Mary's protector and we take her back! What is complicated about this for you?" He sidestepped again and was blocked.
"She can reach into the umbra!" protested the Small Man. "Do you know how rare that talent is? We can use it! If you kill her now only one of us can claim Mary but if we can use the woman's talent maybe both of us get to exist!" (p.283-284)
and
"So, what--you're Death?"
The Small Man sighed. "No, I am not Death. I am one of Oak Mary's potential deaths. I am a narrative, if you like. An urban myth looking for someone to believe in him."
"So you are three possible deaths trying to claim her soul?"
"You catch on quick." (p.297)
Seriously... these conversations only happen so that the author can tell the reader what is going on. It is infuriating.
Speaking of infuriating... the tropes in this book are terrible. Just terrible. So there is a part in the book where the main characters decide they need information. Where do they go to find it? An archive in a library of course. I'm so tired of this kind of thing in the horror genre. First of all, why does this library have documents and case files from an unsolved murder (including graphic crime scene photos)? Second of all, why does the general public have access to this? Third of all, can we all just agree to knock it off with this "hunting for info at the library" crap. Any information that you need is accessible on the Internet. I vaguely remember some excuse as to why they needed to go to the library, but I don't care enough to try to locate the reference. And, of course, our main characters find that one document with some overlooked hint at what they need to do next.
And what they need to do next is another horror genre trope that I wish we could all agree should never happen ever. They need to go to an abandoned asylum. I am so so so so tired of asylum settings in the horror genre.
The last utterly offensive trope I will mention is that it is hinted that there is some connection between Rachel and Mary. Immediately, I thought "I bet they are somehow related". And, sure enough, they are related. I think Mary (turns out she was not any of the 3 identities people had speculated about) was actually named Beatrice and she is Rachel's grandma. I think. I kind of skimmed the last 50 pages because I just wanted it over with. She might be Rachel's great-grandma, but I think that was Gigi... I don't know and I don't care.
I had a serious problem with the end of this book. The fact that it is revealed that Mary did not experience any of the 3 deaths described felt like a betrayal and made this book all the more pointless to me. Why didn't her real death become personified? None of it mattered. All 3 bad guys were bullshit. Perhaps that was why they never felt like a threat and had silly names? No, I think the truth is that Brogden just doesn't have the skill to weave a clear, purposeful, dramatic narrative.
I hate this book. And I guess I should mention that I really, really wanted to like it. I even tried convincing myself that I did like it up until the half way point. And I guess I should also say that I am glad this author published this book. He should be proud of it because I know quite a lot of people seem to enjoy it. I went in with high expectations (due to the article comparing it to King) and was disappointed. I understand that this had an impact on my reading experience and made me much more critical then I would have been if the circumstances were different. I have been on the hunt for a good horror book and, so far, have been unsuccessful with finding one that I enjoy.
I gave The Hollow Tree one star because I can't give it any less.
March 19, 2018
Originally published at Risingshadow.
James Brogden's The Hollow Tree is an atmospheric and intricately written dark fantasy novel for readers who love dark and unsettling stories. It's one of the finest dark fiction novels of recent years and can be highly recommended to fans of the genre.
After reading James Brogden's previous novel, Hekla's Children, I was convinced that he is a talented author and my instincts were correct. He truly is one of the best new dark fiction authors, because The Hollow Tree is a deeply captivating and satisfying reading experience that will satisfy readers who love the darker side of speculative fiction and are in need of something dark to read.
I have nothing but good things to say about this novel, because I loved everything about it and found it satisfyingly chilling and creepy. There's no fluff or unnecessary filling material in this novel, because the story is tight and well crafted. The intricate story was so impressive that it pulled me in from the start and held my attention until the end.
What makes The Hollow Tree especially interesting is the fact that it's based on real events. The inspiration behind this novel is the story of Bella in the Wych Elm (this novel is the author's own reconstruction of Bella's story and it's a good one). The connection to real events adds macabre depth and a dash of realism to the fictional story.
Here's a bit of information about the story:
The prologue: In 1945, Sergeant Nicholas Raleigh and Corporal Rhys Hughes are investigating a bomb that hasn't exploded and decide to blow it up. Soon they notice that the explosion has caused a great split to open up in an old, dead oak tree. What they find inside the tree are the remains of a young woman... Rachel Cooper is on a boat trip with her husband, Tom. A tragic accident causes her to lose her left hand. Following the amputation, Rachel begins to see nightmares about a woman trapped inside a hollow oak tree. She also experiences phantom sensations with her lost hand. The sensations and the nightmares feel real and she hears a voice saying "Not dead!"... Rachel doesn't know who the woman in her nightmares is, but she finds herself thinking about the mystery of the Oak Mary. She wants to finds out the truth about her, but there are dark and sinister forces at work, and Mary is in a world where she doesn't belong...
This marks the beginning of a mesmerising story that gradually develops into a dark and unsettling tale of dark forces, mesmerising strangeness and urban myths.
I was pleased with the characterisation, because the author has created a strong protagonist and writes well about the secondary characters. I loved the intensity of the dynamics between the characters, because the author emphasised all the right things in his story.
Rachel Cooper is a realistic and three-dimensional protagonist who has to deal with the loss of a hand due to a tragic accident. Her way of coping with the loss is handled well, because she puts up a brave face and jokes about things, but knows that she is an amputee and will never get the hand back and her life will be forever different.
I was thrilled to read about how Rachel thought that she might be losing her sanity, because she began to experience strange things that haunted her. All of the elements related to sanity and strange occurrences are fascinating, because the author manages to keep things believable, which is quite an achievement in dark fantasy.
The author writes excellently about intimacy issues following an amputation, because Rachel notices that Tom doesn't want to touch her the way he used to before she lost her hand (Tom seems to avoid touching her and doesn't want to make love to her). This puts a strain on their relationship and complicates things between them.
Relationships between family members are also handled well. I was captivated by how realistically the author wrote about Rachel's feelings towards Tom's family and how she interacted with her own mother, because her feelings felt justified and natural.
It's great that the author doesn't shy away from sex and sexuality, but writes boldly about it. He writes surprisingly well about female sexuality, which is something that is not often seen in this kind of fiction.
In my opinion, James Brogden is one of the few modern authors who write perfect dream sequences. As many readers are aware of, dream sequences can either be a good thing or an extremely bad thing when used in a wrong and annoying way. In this novel, dream sequences are an essential part of the story and work in favour of the story and enhance the overall atmosphere.
I enjoyed reading about how the author explored what the truth behind the corpse in the tree is, because urban legends have sprung up around Oak Mary (people believed that Mary might have been a Nazi spy, a prostitute or a gypsy witch, because nobody knew the truth about her). The author offers his readers three glimpses into what kind of a person Mary has been and how she ends up inside the oak tree. Each of these glimpses is unsettlingly dark and they're all connected to each other in a macabre way.
What happens between Rachel and Mary is captivating, because Mary has come back from the dead, but she doesn't belong in our world. The supernatural elements related to Mary's character and her existence are satisfyingly creepy, and the author's vision of the forces that are involved in Mary's fate is impressive. The author uses folklore elements to his advantage when writing about these elements and forces and he does it perfectly.
Rachel's ability to reach through the barrier that separates the world of the living from the world of the dead is one of the most intriguing things about the story, because each time she reaches the umbra, it causes imbalances. The umbra is a place unlike our world, because there's dark power and there are dead things, but it's also much more than that. In fear of writing spoilers, I'll restrain myself from writing more about the umbra, but it's safe to say that reading about the umbra is intriguing and very rewarding.
I enjoyed the ending of this novel, because the author has written a wholly satisfying ending to his story. It's been a while since I've seen such a good ending in this kind of a novel. I won't reveal what happens to Rachel and Mary, but I can mention that the events will please readers.
I give this novel full five stars on the scale from one to five stars, because it's - without any kind of doubt - one of the best novels of the year. I find it difficult to believe that other dark fantasy novels will be able to surpass it in terms of storytelling, originality and characterisation, because it's so much better than anything that been recently written by other authors.
James Brogden's The Hollow Tree is a brilliant British dark fantasy novel for readers who enjoy reading unsettling stories, because the story is something special and unique. It's a fresh and utterly compelling novel that should be on every horror fan's reading list. If you love dark and well written stories, you won't be disappointed by this novel.
Highly recommended!
James Brogden's The Hollow Tree is an atmospheric and intricately written dark fantasy novel for readers who love dark and unsettling stories. It's one of the finest dark fiction novels of recent years and can be highly recommended to fans of the genre.
After reading James Brogden's previous novel, Hekla's Children, I was convinced that he is a talented author and my instincts were correct. He truly is one of the best new dark fiction authors, because The Hollow Tree is a deeply captivating and satisfying reading experience that will satisfy readers who love the darker side of speculative fiction and are in need of something dark to read.
I have nothing but good things to say about this novel, because I loved everything about it and found it satisfyingly chilling and creepy. There's no fluff or unnecessary filling material in this novel, because the story is tight and well crafted. The intricate story was so impressive that it pulled me in from the start and held my attention until the end.
What makes The Hollow Tree especially interesting is the fact that it's based on real events. The inspiration behind this novel is the story of Bella in the Wych Elm (this novel is the author's own reconstruction of Bella's story and it's a good one). The connection to real events adds macabre depth and a dash of realism to the fictional story.
Here's a bit of information about the story:
The prologue: In 1945, Sergeant Nicholas Raleigh and Corporal Rhys Hughes are investigating a bomb that hasn't exploded and decide to blow it up. Soon they notice that the explosion has caused a great split to open up in an old, dead oak tree. What they find inside the tree are the remains of a young woman... Rachel Cooper is on a boat trip with her husband, Tom. A tragic accident causes her to lose her left hand. Following the amputation, Rachel begins to see nightmares about a woman trapped inside a hollow oak tree. She also experiences phantom sensations with her lost hand. The sensations and the nightmares feel real and she hears a voice saying "Not dead!"... Rachel doesn't know who the woman in her nightmares is, but she finds herself thinking about the mystery of the Oak Mary. She wants to finds out the truth about her, but there are dark and sinister forces at work, and Mary is in a world where she doesn't belong...
This marks the beginning of a mesmerising story that gradually develops into a dark and unsettling tale of dark forces, mesmerising strangeness and urban myths.
I was pleased with the characterisation, because the author has created a strong protagonist and writes well about the secondary characters. I loved the intensity of the dynamics between the characters, because the author emphasised all the right things in his story.
Rachel Cooper is a realistic and three-dimensional protagonist who has to deal with the loss of a hand due to a tragic accident. Her way of coping with the loss is handled well, because she puts up a brave face and jokes about things, but knows that she is an amputee and will never get the hand back and her life will be forever different.
I was thrilled to read about how Rachel thought that she might be losing her sanity, because she began to experience strange things that haunted her. All of the elements related to sanity and strange occurrences are fascinating, because the author manages to keep things believable, which is quite an achievement in dark fantasy.
The author writes excellently about intimacy issues following an amputation, because Rachel notices that Tom doesn't want to touch her the way he used to before she lost her hand (Tom seems to avoid touching her and doesn't want to make love to her). This puts a strain on their relationship and complicates things between them.
Relationships between family members are also handled well. I was captivated by how realistically the author wrote about Rachel's feelings towards Tom's family and how she interacted with her own mother, because her feelings felt justified and natural.
It's great that the author doesn't shy away from sex and sexuality, but writes boldly about it. He writes surprisingly well about female sexuality, which is something that is not often seen in this kind of fiction.
In my opinion, James Brogden is one of the few modern authors who write perfect dream sequences. As many readers are aware of, dream sequences can either be a good thing or an extremely bad thing when used in a wrong and annoying way. In this novel, dream sequences are an essential part of the story and work in favour of the story and enhance the overall atmosphere.
I enjoyed reading about how the author explored what the truth behind the corpse in the tree is, because urban legends have sprung up around Oak Mary (people believed that Mary might have been a Nazi spy, a prostitute or a gypsy witch, because nobody knew the truth about her). The author offers his readers three glimpses into what kind of a person Mary has been and how she ends up inside the oak tree. Each of these glimpses is unsettlingly dark and they're all connected to each other in a macabre way.
What happens between Rachel and Mary is captivating, because Mary has come back from the dead, but she doesn't belong in our world. The supernatural elements related to Mary's character and her existence are satisfyingly creepy, and the author's vision of the forces that are involved in Mary's fate is impressive. The author uses folklore elements to his advantage when writing about these elements and forces and he does it perfectly.
Rachel's ability to reach through the barrier that separates the world of the living from the world of the dead is one of the most intriguing things about the story, because each time she reaches the umbra, it causes imbalances. The umbra is a place unlike our world, because there's dark power and there are dead things, but it's also much more than that. In fear of writing spoilers, I'll restrain myself from writing more about the umbra, but it's safe to say that reading about the umbra is intriguing and very rewarding.
I enjoyed the ending of this novel, because the author has written a wholly satisfying ending to his story. It's been a while since I've seen such a good ending in this kind of a novel. I won't reveal what happens to Rachel and Mary, but I can mention that the events will please readers.
I give this novel full five stars on the scale from one to five stars, because it's - without any kind of doubt - one of the best novels of the year. I find it difficult to believe that other dark fantasy novels will be able to surpass it in terms of storytelling, originality and characterisation, because it's so much better than anything that been recently written by other authors.
James Brogden's The Hollow Tree is a brilliant British dark fantasy novel for readers who enjoy reading unsettling stories, because the story is something special and unique. It's a fresh and utterly compelling novel that should be on every horror fan's reading list. If you love dark and well written stories, you won't be disappointed by this novel.
Highly recommended!
September 12, 2023
I loved most of this book. The ending was not my favorite. But also there were a lot of passive comments that felt anti SW, slut shaming, etc and that is just not my vibe. Nothing aggressively of that view, but just the same rhetoric drilled into everyone’s head. Comments like, why can’t she be more than just a prostitute? Which end up making me say, what’s wrong with being a prostitute???? This could have used the help of a modern/contemporary woman or femme looking over everything to help eliminate anything potentially problematic since the MCs are mostly females. But also with a pub date of 2018 it’s a little more understandable that it went unnoticed I guess.
September 22, 2021
Dnf nice cover it was okay then it just got weirder and weirder however I might try the authors other work one time.
August 14, 2018
An interesting read, I was a little confused for a while about the 3 main characters of Mary, but once I’d figured it out I found I quite enjoyed reading the hollow tree! I also enjoyed the factual story of “Bella” at the end! Overall an enjoyable read!
August 17, 2022
Absolutely beautiful writing. A very creative, creepy story. I love this author's imagination. I will be reading all his books now.
What outstanding characters and such a great story.
What outstanding characters and such a great story.
August 19, 2018
Right from the off, the premise of The Hollow Tree stands out. It's about a local legend from Birmingham, albeit a fictionalised version. But rather than focus on the source of the mystery, it looks at the mythos that builds up around the mystery, making what actually happened less vital than what people choose to believe happened.
The story's protagonist, Rachael, is plunged into the mystery in a unique fashion. After losing her arm, she discovers that her "phantom limb" is quite literal. It can reach through to the other side, and allow her to bring things back. This brings with it all sorts of macabre implications, but also quite mundane ones too. The pressures of a family worried for your sanity being as immediate as those of the monsters on the hunt.
Thos book does a goid job of sucking you in and keeping you hooked. The blend of horror, mystery and drama is gripping, whilst the characters feel grounded. It's definitely worth your time.
The story's protagonist, Rachael, is plunged into the mystery in a unique fashion. After losing her arm, she discovers that her "phantom limb" is quite literal. It can reach through to the other side, and allow her to bring things back. This brings with it all sorts of macabre implications, but also quite mundane ones too. The pressures of a family worried for your sanity being as immediate as those of the monsters on the hunt.
Thos book does a goid job of sucking you in and keeping you hooked. The blend of horror, mystery and drama is gripping, whilst the characters feel grounded. It's definitely worth your time.
July 10, 2018
The second book I’ve read by James Brogden and the second absolutely incredible novel by him. I really liked this novel- a lot.
Concerning the myth of Oak Mary, and who she danced with before she died, the novel explores an urban myth near Birmingham and expands on this to create an incredibly full but very dark novel. Which I love. I wasn’t ready for the darkness of this at first but what a stunning read. Easy to get lost in; just maybe sleeping with the lights on for the next few weeks.
If you’re looking for a horror book that will frighten but in a different style to a lot of what’s on the market, I highly recommend The Hollow Tree by James Brogden.
Concerning the myth of Oak Mary, and who she danced with before she died, the novel explores an urban myth near Birmingham and expands on this to create an incredibly full but very dark novel. Which I love. I wasn’t ready for the darkness of this at first but what a stunning read. Easy to get lost in; just maybe sleeping with the lights on for the next few weeks.
If you’re looking for a horror book that will frighten but in a different style to a lot of what’s on the market, I highly recommend The Hollow Tree by James Brogden.
Read
June 24, 2020I loved this book. I live quite close and enjoyed seeing references to places I actually know. Writing was strong and the entire story was paced really well. Can't believe I haven't herd of him before. I will be checking his other work.
June 6, 2020
Now, it might not have escaped your notice that as Horror goes I quite like a bit of what is loosely termed ‘Folk Horror’ – that is to say grim stuff, based on ancient stories and legends, or where history tells us that things from the past can affect the present. Ancient artifacts, old documents, creepy monuments, all combined with old wives’ tales and superstition. “You’d best not go in those woods… horrible things happen there!” - that sort of stuff.
This isn’t quite that. In fact, set mainly in the city of Birmingham, England, it’s more urban horror than folk – although there are elements that link to those folk stories in History.
The story centres around Rachel Cooper. Married to Tom, together they’re a late-twenties- early thirties, middle-class kind of couple, with all of the opportunities and challenges that life brings. No children yet but steady jobs, looking towards buying a house and settling down - the usual sort of thing.
The story begins in earnest when Rachel has a canal boat accident on holiday. Her left arm is smashed between two boats, which leads to the lower portion of the arm being amputated. She spends time recuperating in hospital, adjusting to life when only having one hand. To her shock, Rachel finds that she can still feel sensations in her left limb as if the hand and fingers are still there.
On her return home she begins to have nightmares about three seemingly different women. All seem to be connected to the local legend of “Oak Mary” but are from different times. Annabel Clayton is a Romani woman living in the Birmingham area in the Second World War who is murdered by her husband during an air raid. Eline Lambert is a Nazi double agent working in Birmingham in WW2 sending back false information to the Germans and passing on details to British intelligence. The third, Daphne Massey, is a factory girl who makes her way by supplementing her income as a prostitute. All of the characters seem to be connected to a particular place – an old oak tree where once a body was found inside the tree’s hollow.
The issue is then why Rachel is getting these dreams, and what her connection is to the Oak Mary legend. When she begins to have hallucinations of the real modern world overlain with images of the old, her family believe that the trauma of her accident has led to some sort of mental breakdown. What it actually is is called The Umbra, a parallel world overlaying the here and now where some spirits still live on. From there appear three Deaths, the causes of Annabel, Eline and Daphne’s demises, who appear in the real world determined to kill them.
But it is weirder than that. In the last part of the book, Rachel has developed the Sight, which allows her to travel between and communicate with the everyday land of the living and the almost-parallel world of the dead…
It is a little sobering to find that James has used elements of real folklore to create this entertaining story. Some of the rather odd parts of the story are based on real events. “Oak Mary”, for example, is based upon the Birmingham story of “Bella in the Wych Elm”, where a body was found inside a tree. Though various theories have been suggested as for the reason (ancient sacrifice, ritual or gangland killing, hidden murder) the case is still unsolved today. James does well to use these details as a basis for a story that is a little more than that.
Overall, the story is entertainingly written, and the modern setting is nicely counterbalanced between that and the world of 1940s Birmingham. The characters are a little generic, but they are of such a nature that little more than the basic outline is required. This tale is more about the strange places the characters go to, and the world of The Umbra is both inspired and creepy, although who we meet are usually either sad or pleasant. There’s a nice ending which ties most things up and leaves open the possibility of further stories based around Rachel and her family.
The Hollow Tree is a great page turner. It’s nicely chilling, a little nasty in places, but nothing that a murder mystery reader would blanche at. Definitely not for minors, mind!
This isn’t quite that. In fact, set mainly in the city of Birmingham, England, it’s more urban horror than folk – although there are elements that link to those folk stories in History.
The story centres around Rachel Cooper. Married to Tom, together they’re a late-twenties- early thirties, middle-class kind of couple, with all of the opportunities and challenges that life brings. No children yet but steady jobs, looking towards buying a house and settling down - the usual sort of thing.
The story begins in earnest when Rachel has a canal boat accident on holiday. Her left arm is smashed between two boats, which leads to the lower portion of the arm being amputated. She spends time recuperating in hospital, adjusting to life when only having one hand. To her shock, Rachel finds that she can still feel sensations in her left limb as if the hand and fingers are still there.
On her return home she begins to have nightmares about three seemingly different women. All seem to be connected to the local legend of “Oak Mary” but are from different times. Annabel Clayton is a Romani woman living in the Birmingham area in the Second World War who is murdered by her husband during an air raid. Eline Lambert is a Nazi double agent working in Birmingham in WW2 sending back false information to the Germans and passing on details to British intelligence. The third, Daphne Massey, is a factory girl who makes her way by supplementing her income as a prostitute. All of the characters seem to be connected to a particular place – an old oak tree where once a body was found inside the tree’s hollow.
The issue is then why Rachel is getting these dreams, and what her connection is to the Oak Mary legend. When she begins to have hallucinations of the real modern world overlain with images of the old, her family believe that the trauma of her accident has led to some sort of mental breakdown. What it actually is is called The Umbra, a parallel world overlaying the here and now where some spirits still live on. From there appear three Deaths, the causes of Annabel, Eline and Daphne’s demises, who appear in the real world determined to kill them.
But it is weirder than that. In the last part of the book, Rachel has developed the Sight, which allows her to travel between and communicate with the everyday land of the living and the almost-parallel world of the dead…
It is a little sobering to find that James has used elements of real folklore to create this entertaining story. Some of the rather odd parts of the story are based on real events. “Oak Mary”, for example, is based upon the Birmingham story of “Bella in the Wych Elm”, where a body was found inside a tree. Though various theories have been suggested as for the reason (ancient sacrifice, ritual or gangland killing, hidden murder) the case is still unsolved today. James does well to use these details as a basis for a story that is a little more than that.
Overall, the story is entertainingly written, and the modern setting is nicely counterbalanced between that and the world of 1940s Birmingham. The characters are a little generic, but they are of such a nature that little more than the basic outline is required. This tale is more about the strange places the characters go to, and the world of The Umbra is both inspired and creepy, although who we meet are usually either sad or pleasant. There’s a nice ending which ties most things up and leaves open the possibility of further stories based around Rachel and her family.
The Hollow Tree is a great page turner. It’s nicely chilling, a little nasty in places, but nothing that a murder mystery reader would blanche at. Definitely not for minors, mind!
November 29, 2020
There's this place between the living and the dead and if you drag someone or a cat from that place between the living and the dead to the land of the living you must be careful because nasty things might come through, and if you drag a lady through it might be not one lady but three ladies rolled into one. But its ok because the hand you lost in an accident has magical powers and you might be saved by the ghost of traffic cop with a ginger goatee. Most of all trust no one.
This book is absolutely bonkers, I really like the writing but its not as good as The Plague Stones or Helkas Children.
This book is absolutely bonkers, I really like the writing but its not as good as The Plague Stones or Helkas Children.
May 26, 2018
James Brogden delivers the goods yet again and he does not stint on the action, excitement and the horror. Based on the local (to me) legend of Bella in the Wych Elm, Brogden comes at the story from an original angle, and our plucky protagonist Rachel, almost single-handedly (ahem) brings about a satisfying resolution. Brogden's style is clear and evocative, his imagery vivid, and his storytelling spot on. A cracking good read, entertaining, gripping and imaginative. Highly recommended.
Read
August 14, 2025A woman lost her hand in a terrible boating accident, but the missing appendage provided passage into the Umbre and the mystery of Oak Mary in James Brogden’s novel, The Hollow Tree. Locals tie ribbons in homage to the legendary murder victim, but the lead gets to know her personally. This book brings a misogynistic, folkloric urban legend to life, one with emotions and rage and even hope and love.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 178 reviews