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The Wild Hunt
The islanders have only three rules: don’t stick your nose where it’s not wanted, don’t mention the war, and never let your guard down during October.
Leigh Welles has not set foot on the island in years, but when she finds herself called home from a disappointing life on the Scottish mainland by her father’s unexpected death, she is determined to forget the sorrows of the past—her mother’s abandonment, her brother’s icy distance, the unspeakable tragedy of World War II—and start fresh. Fellow islander Iain MacTavish, a RAF veteran with his eyes on the sky and his head in the past is also in desperate need of a new beginning. A young widower, Iain struggles to return to the normal life he knew before the war.
But this October is anything but normal. This October, the sluagh are restless. The ominous, bird-like creatures of Celtic legend—whispered to carry the souls of the dead—have haunted the islanders for decades, but in the war’s wake, there are more wandering souls and more slaugh. When a local boy disappears, Leigh and Iain are thrown together to investigate the truth at the island’s dark heart and reveal hidden secrets of their own.
Rich with historical detail and a skillful speculative edge, Emma Seckel’s propulsive and pulse-pounding debut The Wild Hunt unwinds long-held tales of love, loss, and redemption.
Leigh Welles has not set foot on the island in years, but when she finds herself called home from a disappointing life on the Scottish mainland by her father’s unexpected death, she is determined to forget the sorrows of the past—her mother’s abandonment, her brother’s icy distance, the unspeakable tragedy of World War II—and start fresh. Fellow islander Iain MacTavish, a RAF veteran with his eyes on the sky and his head in the past is also in desperate need of a new beginning. A young widower, Iain struggles to return to the normal life he knew before the war.
But this October is anything but normal. This October, the sluagh are restless. The ominous, bird-like creatures of Celtic legend—whispered to carry the souls of the dead—have haunted the islanders for decades, but in the war’s wake, there are more wandering souls and more slaugh. When a local boy disappears, Leigh and Iain are thrown together to investigate the truth at the island’s dark heart and reveal hidden secrets of their own.
Rich with historical detail and a skillful speculative edge, Emma Seckel’s propulsive and pulse-pounding debut The Wild Hunt unwinds long-held tales of love, loss, and redemption.
351 pages, Paperback
First published August 2, 2022
167 people are currently reading
10300 people want to read
About the author
Emma Seckel
1 book143 followersEmma Seckel is an award-winning writer and photographer. She spent four windswept years nestled in a small town on the east coast of Scotland while studying at the University of St Andrews, from which she graduated in 2017 with both her Master of Arts (Honours) in English, and an enduring vendetta against seagulls. When not writing, taking photos, or scrolling Instagram, Emma can usually be found knitting increasingly elaborate sweaters for her friends and family. She currently lives in Vancouver, Canada.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 452 reviews
November 23, 2022
Emma worked very hard on this book. Five stars, a round of snaps, and a treat from the prize drawer for Emma!
July 31, 2022
Leigh left the small island she grew up on years ago to find something more for herself just after the end of World War II. When she receives word that her father has had an accident, she finds herself back in her childhood home just in time for the month of October. Every October, the slaugh – raven-like creatures who haunt the island – grow restless and terrorize the villagers. After she arrives, a boy goes missing, and Leigh finds herself working with an old friend to discover the secrets of the island.
This was an okay work of magical realism. The characters weren’t easy to connect with, and I didn’t become emotionally involved with any of them. They were lacking depth, development, and weren’t written in a relatable way. This unfortunately made it difficult to care much about the plight of the characters and the island itself.
The pacing of this work wasn’t great. The first half of the work is slow moving with almost no buildup of tension or dread. The last third of the book is fast paced with things actively happening and some secrets becoming exposed, making the work more interesting and enjoyable overall. I didn’t feel that the work was blended well – there are two main focuses (the supernatural slaugh and the aftermath of WWII), and they never came together in satisfying or meaningful way. I also felt that there were a lot of things left unanswered even by the end of the work, which made for an unsatisfying read. The last few chapters of the work jumped around dramatically trying to wrap everything up, but so much happened in so little time that it was difficult to have any real connections to these conclusions. They didn’t feel meaningful at all.
I think the work could use another round of editing. There were several instances where it felt overly repetitive, making those parts drag on. I didn’t feel like this work was very atmospheric and the setting descriptions left much to be desired, making the entire thing not as immersive as I hoped it would be. However, the narrator did an excellent job with the accents and different characters and excelled at bringing the characters to life.
Overall, this was an okay book. I didn’t find it as immersive or atmospheric (or spooky) as I wanted it to be. I still recommend it for an easy magical realism read, but it wasn’t quite what I wanted.
My thanks to NetGalley and HighBridge Audio for providing me with a review copy of this work, which will be published on August 02, 2022. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.
This was an okay work of magical realism. The characters weren’t easy to connect with, and I didn’t become emotionally involved with any of them. They were lacking depth, development, and weren’t written in a relatable way. This unfortunately made it difficult to care much about the plight of the characters and the island itself.
The pacing of this work wasn’t great. The first half of the work is slow moving with almost no buildup of tension or dread. The last third of the book is fast paced with things actively happening and some secrets becoming exposed, making the work more interesting and enjoyable overall. I didn’t feel that the work was blended well – there are two main focuses (the supernatural slaugh and the aftermath of WWII), and they never came together in satisfying or meaningful way. I also felt that there were a lot of things left unanswered even by the end of the work, which made for an unsatisfying read. The last few chapters of the work jumped around dramatically trying to wrap everything up, but so much happened in so little time that it was difficult to have any real connections to these conclusions. They didn’t feel meaningful at all.
I think the work could use another round of editing. There were several instances where it felt overly repetitive, making those parts drag on. I didn’t feel like this work was very atmospheric and the setting descriptions left much to be desired, making the entire thing not as immersive as I hoped it would be. However, the narrator did an excellent job with the accents and different characters and excelled at bringing the characters to life.
Overall, this was an okay book. I didn’t find it as immersive or atmospheric (or spooky) as I wanted it to be. I still recommend it for an easy magical realism read, but it wasn’t quite what I wanted.
My thanks to NetGalley and HighBridge Audio for providing me with a review copy of this work, which will be published on August 02, 2022. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.
September 14, 2022
A mysterious post WWII historical fiction novel set on a remote, northern, Scottish isle... on audio!? Yes, please!
I was fortunate to receive an ARC audiobook of The Wild Hunt from NetGalley, Emma Seckel, the author, and the publisher, in exchange for my honest review. Thank you!
This novel grabbed me immediately due to the wonderful writing, along with the uber-talented narrator, Ruth Urquhart. She has a divine Scottish accent that is mysterious, moody, and perfect for the darkly atmospheric setting on this small Scottish isle post WWII. Urquhart was able to seamlessly incorporate various female and male characters, always adding to the sense of realism, mystery and intrigue.
It features a strong female protagonist, Leigh Welles, (me singing: "Hallelujah"!) who is returning to the island from the mainland for her father's unexpected funeral. Leigh originally left behind the heartbreaking and painful memories in her past, including the abandonment of her mother, by moving away. We learn so much about Leigh, through the magical words of Emma Seckel and Urquhart's narration. In fact, the characters are all well created and flushed out throughout this novel.
Following WWII, many men didn't return to this island and the rest of the islanders are depressed and superstitiously naive. There is one man, a pilot, Iain MacTavish, who did return from the war and he seems like he is in a fog most of the time. Rightly so....he is missing the others who weren't as fortunate as he, and is grieving over losing his wife. Iain MacTavish makes a valuable partner to Leigh in this dark, sad, slow-paced, and moody setting.
Here comes the part that many readers will love and others, like me, tremendously didn't or won't enjoy. There are some creepy, dark, mythical bird-like creatures called the "sluagh" (pronounced slu-ahh) who return to the island every fall for a month. As part of a well known Celtic myth, the sluagh, are part demonic spirits and carry away the souls of the recently departed. Imagine an insane influx of these creepy-ass birds on their island due to their lost men in the recent war. (I used to love supernatural and mythical stories at a (younger) age, but I'm at the point now, especially following Covid, where I just crave and love a well-written book. Can be historical fiction, a good mystery and thriller, but just not too dark and/or miserable.) Don't stop reading yet....
This novel has a very slow pace up to this point, setting the stage for another disaster. A teenage boy goes missing on the island. Did the sluagh take him on purpose or by mistake? What will the islanders do? Well, Leigh and Iain aren't going to just sit by and let this go. Their combined quest is what picks up the pace, drama and continued interest in the story. This novel is SO WELL done that I put aside the creepy sluagh and had to finish it.
If you love a good, dark, mythical thriller, this will be right up your alley. Personally, I'd go for the audiobook bonus: the amazing narrator who brings the writer's words to life!
I was fortunate to receive an ARC audiobook of The Wild Hunt from NetGalley, Emma Seckel, the author, and the publisher, in exchange for my honest review. Thank you!
This novel grabbed me immediately due to the wonderful writing, along with the uber-talented narrator, Ruth Urquhart. She has a divine Scottish accent that is mysterious, moody, and perfect for the darkly atmospheric setting on this small Scottish isle post WWII. Urquhart was able to seamlessly incorporate various female and male characters, always adding to the sense of realism, mystery and intrigue.
It features a strong female protagonist, Leigh Welles, (me singing: "Hallelujah"!) who is returning to the island from the mainland for her father's unexpected funeral. Leigh originally left behind the heartbreaking and painful memories in her past, including the abandonment of her mother, by moving away. We learn so much about Leigh, through the magical words of Emma Seckel and Urquhart's narration. In fact, the characters are all well created and flushed out throughout this novel.
Following WWII, many men didn't return to this island and the rest of the islanders are depressed and superstitiously naive. There is one man, a pilot, Iain MacTavish, who did return from the war and he seems like he is in a fog most of the time. Rightly so....he is missing the others who weren't as fortunate as he, and is grieving over losing his wife. Iain MacTavish makes a valuable partner to Leigh in this dark, sad, slow-paced, and moody setting.
Here comes the part that many readers will love and others, like me, tremendously didn't or won't enjoy. There are some creepy, dark, mythical bird-like creatures called the "sluagh" (pronounced slu-ahh) who return to the island every fall for a month. As part of a well known Celtic myth, the sluagh, are part demonic spirits and carry away the souls of the recently departed. Imagine an insane influx of these creepy-ass birds on their island due to their lost men in the recent war. (I used to love supernatural and mythical stories at a (younger) age, but I'm at the point now, especially following Covid, where I just crave and love a well-written book. Can be historical fiction, a good mystery and thriller, but just not too dark and/or miserable.) Don't stop reading yet....
This novel has a very slow pace up to this point, setting the stage for another disaster. A teenage boy goes missing on the island. Did the sluagh take him on purpose or by mistake? What will the islanders do? Well, Leigh and Iain aren't going to just sit by and let this go. Their combined quest is what picks up the pace, drama and continued interest in the story. This novel is SO WELL done that I put aside the creepy sluagh and had to finish it.
If you love a good, dark, mythical thriller, this will be right up your alley. Personally, I'd go for the audiobook bonus: the amazing narrator who brings the writer's words to life!
November 29, 2022
This tale, set in a remote village in postwar Scotland, ended up being a fantastic read. I went into the book expecting an eerie story with a hint of the supernatural. I definitely got that, but the author delivers so much more.
Leigh Welles and her brother had both left for the mainland, but after their father's death, Leigh is back to settle her affairs. She is also somewhat at loose ends, having failed to maintain employment. One gets the sense that she is drifting from day to day at her father's home.
Her return home hasn't been easy. Many of her contemporaries were lost during World War II. One doesn't mention the War on the island - and then there's October. Every October the sluagh get restless. These eerie birds swarm the island and residents take precautions to ward them off. However, in recent years they have grown denser and more aggressive. The villagers refuse to discuss them in any detail with Leigh, and their haunting of the island lends a very eerie mood to this stark tale.
It's not all darkness, though. As Leigh tries to find her footing on the island, she crosses paths with Iain McTavish, a young widower also looking for a new beginning. Iain was more a contemporary of Leigh's older brother, but it's a small island so the two have an acquaintance to renew.
On the one hand, this book tells an intriguing tale of family and community secrets and a mystery to be solved. However, the author also uses her postwar setting to make this novel a sometimes dark but definitely quite effective picture of communal grief. There's something starkly beautiful about this book that captured me. And amidst the creepy doings and mournful secrets, there's also a hopeful love story woven in. Memorable, and I will definitely reread this one someday.
CW: descriptions of death and war, family estrangement, human and animal death
Leigh Welles and her brother had both left for the mainland, but after their father's death, Leigh is back to settle her affairs. She is also somewhat at loose ends, having failed to maintain employment. One gets the sense that she is drifting from day to day at her father's home.
Her return home hasn't been easy. Many of her contemporaries were lost during World War II. One doesn't mention the War on the island - and then there's October. Every October the sluagh get restless. These eerie birds swarm the island and residents take precautions to ward them off. However, in recent years they have grown denser and more aggressive. The villagers refuse to discuss them in any detail with Leigh, and their haunting of the island lends a very eerie mood to this stark tale.
It's not all darkness, though. As Leigh tries to find her footing on the island, she crosses paths with Iain McTavish, a young widower also looking for a new beginning. Iain was more a contemporary of Leigh's older brother, but it's a small island so the two have an acquaintance to renew.
On the one hand, this book tells an intriguing tale of family and community secrets and a mystery to be solved. However, the author also uses her postwar setting to make this novel a sometimes dark but definitely quite effective picture of communal grief. There's something starkly beautiful about this book that captured me. And amidst the creepy doings and mournful secrets, there's also a hopeful love story woven in. Memorable, and I will definitely reread this one someday.
CW: descriptions of death and war, family estrangement, human and animal death
June 10, 2022
“Haunting” - you’ll hear this description over and over with this book and it’s so true in multiple ways. This is a beautiful book which spoke so much about grief and how that changes or consumes people. What really hit me over and over were the matter-of-fact mentions of how the Second World War impacted everyone, both those fighting and the ones left behind. Everyone was marked in one way or another and the cessation of fighting didn’t bring peace to their minds and spirits. “All those boys” indeed.
It was a hard and slightly confusing book at times which might be due to me reading an advance copy from Tin House. Or possibly, this was also a book that demanded you pay attention and connect the pieces to understand the puzzle, a process I loved and I couldn’t wait to get back to the story each time I was forced to put it down.
Highly recommended for readers who like a historical setting with a strong supernatural element.
It was a hard and slightly confusing book at times which might be due to me reading an advance copy from Tin House. Or possibly, this was also a book that demanded you pay attention and connect the pieces to understand the puzzle, a process I loved and I couldn’t wait to get back to the story each time I was forced to put it down.
Highly recommended for readers who like a historical setting with a strong supernatural element.
October 17, 2022
equal parts eerie and achingly beautiful. gorgeously written, perfectly paced, and totally unique. i love melancholic, whimsical, haunting stories like this. definitely a new favorite. <3
also, HIGHLY recommend the audiobook!
also, HIGHLY recommend the audiobook!
April 30, 2022
I received and ARC of this book.
I really enjoyed this book. It was compelling, atmospheric, evocative, and a bit creepy; all while telling a timely and timeless story.
Leigh Welles suddenly returns to the small remote Scottish island where she grew up after receiving word that her father has drowned as the result of an accident. Leigh moved to "the mainland" after WWII to find her way in the world, but was unsuccessful, and feels a bit embarrassed and ashamed among the people she left behind. Iain MacTavish is a former RAF pilot who lost a great deal in the war and has returned to the island to try to find a way to rejoin post-war life. Both have returned to a different island, however, during the strange and eldritch month of October. Every year, from October 1st to the 31st, the sluagh flock to the island in great numbers. Named for the legendary Celtic "lost souls," these birds have always been eerie and disconcerting. But is seems that in the past several years the birds have taken on even more dark and ominous behavior. Amidst the threat of the birds, a teenager goes missing, and Leigh and Iain feel obligated to discover not only what has happened to him, but also what might be the truth behind what is happening on their island.
The author does a wonderful job right off the bat of creating an atmosphere of isolation, desolation, and slight dread. As soon as Leigh returns and the first sluagh show up, the reader knows that something strange and perhaps otherworldly is going on. The fact that the islanders completely accept the dangerous and escalating behavior of the birds adds to the feeling of almost mythological preternaturalness. When Hugo disappears the tension and creepiness of the story are ratcheted up, and--while the story has an almost ethereal and unhurriedly mythic fable-like quality--it becomes very gripping and is very difficult to put down.
Another great aspect of the book was the way tragedy, loss, grief, and sadness are woven in, both literally and allegorically. The residents of the island have faced unspeakable hardships both during and after WWII, and the way they have dealt and are dealing with these issues are extremely significant--both for their time and the present day. Whatever dark force has a grip on the island must be addressed, and if the islanders cannot come to terms with it, the force may completely take control of the windswept speck of land.
I would certainly recommend this book. It tells a very relevant tale in a lyrical, slightly frightening, and hauntingly poignant way. It would be perfect for a rainy October day. If you enjoy historical fiction, magical realism, Celtic mythology, or a creepy tale, you should definitely check this book out.
I really enjoyed this book. It was compelling, atmospheric, evocative, and a bit creepy; all while telling a timely and timeless story.
Leigh Welles suddenly returns to the small remote Scottish island where she grew up after receiving word that her father has drowned as the result of an accident. Leigh moved to "the mainland" after WWII to find her way in the world, but was unsuccessful, and feels a bit embarrassed and ashamed among the people she left behind. Iain MacTavish is a former RAF pilot who lost a great deal in the war and has returned to the island to try to find a way to rejoin post-war life. Both have returned to a different island, however, during the strange and eldritch month of October. Every year, from October 1st to the 31st, the sluagh flock to the island in great numbers. Named for the legendary Celtic "lost souls," these birds have always been eerie and disconcerting. But is seems that in the past several years the birds have taken on even more dark and ominous behavior. Amidst the threat of the birds, a teenager goes missing, and Leigh and Iain feel obligated to discover not only what has happened to him, but also what might be the truth behind what is happening on their island.
The author does a wonderful job right off the bat of creating an atmosphere of isolation, desolation, and slight dread. As soon as Leigh returns and the first sluagh show up, the reader knows that something strange and perhaps otherworldly is going on. The fact that the islanders completely accept the dangerous and escalating behavior of the birds adds to the feeling of almost mythological preternaturalness. When Hugo disappears the tension and creepiness of the story are ratcheted up, and--while the story has an almost ethereal and unhurriedly mythic fable-like quality--it becomes very gripping and is very difficult to put down.
Another great aspect of the book was the way tragedy, loss, grief, and sadness are woven in, both literally and allegorically. The residents of the island have faced unspeakable hardships both during and after WWII, and the way they have dealt and are dealing with these issues are extremely significant--both for their time and the present day. Whatever dark force has a grip on the island must be addressed, and if the islanders cannot come to terms with it, the force may completely take control of the windswept speck of land.
I would certainly recommend this book. It tells a very relevant tale in a lyrical, slightly frightening, and hauntingly poignant way. It would be perfect for a rainy October day. If you enjoy historical fiction, magical realism, Celtic mythology, or a creepy tale, you should definitely check this book out.
August 13, 2022
thank you so much to tin house for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for a review.
ah, fantasy. me and you have a love-hate relationship. i either love it, or i hate it. but i didn’t love this nor hated it. it’s right in the middle.
i would first off like a to give a round of applause to emma seckel’s imagery and writing of nature. any book that has good imagery just grabs my soul and keeps it there. i love good imagery.
you can clearly tell that emma seckel has phenomenal writing and the world-building is amazing. the book grabs you in from the start and immediately drops you into this world. at first you don’t fully understand what is going on but then slowly you pick up on some more details and it gets explained a bit more.
the book immediately catapults you into this emotional rollercoaster and hooks you with its amazing writing.
now let me explain why this got a three stars.
unfortunately, i’m not a fantasy reader. as much as i want to be a fantasy reader, i’m not. i love books that feel like autumn (and this book quite literally takes place in october) however fantasy is not really my thing.
it’s hard for me to grasp all different story lines and characters and things happening. now this book isn’t high fantasy don’t get me wrong. i think that anyone who enjoys fantasy or in general wants to read some fantasy, this is the way to go. it’s a simple, easy book to read (even though it is not easy at all times during the book) and will keep you engaged.
however for me, at times i felt that i was spacing out a bit and not remembering what was happening. i dont blame that on the book however, the fault is all mine. but the book felt a bit rushed at the beginning to get the story done while i was barely able to catch up with the plot.
other than that, this is a pretty decent book. recommend to all fantasy lovers and just people who want to read some fantasy. 3 stars
ah, fantasy. me and you have a love-hate relationship. i either love it, or i hate it. but i didn’t love this nor hated it. it’s right in the middle.
i would first off like a to give a round of applause to emma seckel’s imagery and writing of nature. any book that has good imagery just grabs my soul and keeps it there. i love good imagery.
you can clearly tell that emma seckel has phenomenal writing and the world-building is amazing. the book grabs you in from the start and immediately drops you into this world. at first you don’t fully understand what is going on but then slowly you pick up on some more details and it gets explained a bit more.
the book immediately catapults you into this emotional rollercoaster and hooks you with its amazing writing.
now let me explain why this got a three stars.
unfortunately, i’m not a fantasy reader. as much as i want to be a fantasy reader, i’m not. i love books that feel like autumn (and this book quite literally takes place in october) however fantasy is not really my thing.
it’s hard for me to grasp all different story lines and characters and things happening. now this book isn’t high fantasy don’t get me wrong. i think that anyone who enjoys fantasy or in general wants to read some fantasy, this is the way to go. it’s a simple, easy book to read (even though it is not easy at all times during the book) and will keep you engaged.
however for me, at times i felt that i was spacing out a bit and not remembering what was happening. i dont blame that on the book however, the fault is all mine. but the book felt a bit rushed at the beginning to get the story done while i was barely able to catch up with the plot.
other than that, this is a pretty decent book. recommend to all fantasy lovers and just people who want to read some fantasy. 3 stars
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April 6, 2023
A book that revels in its prose and ambiance a little more than it needs to, but is nevertheless still good?
Leigh Welles has returned to the Scottish island she grew up in after four years away to bury her father. The island has remained trapped in the wartime mindset, unable to move forward, unable to look back, frozen in time and with its residents both haunted and hunted by the slaugh, the crows who carry the spirits of the within them. When a boy goes missing, Leigh and widower/war-hero Ian search for him, and uncover secrets within their community.
I enjoyed it mostly for the historical research and exploration of the lingering scars of loss from war within an isolated community, although I felt that it could have been sheared down quite a bit. Also, I felt the Great Secret was more small secret than anything, maintaining the mystery without ever really going into more depth. I also really enjoyed Leigh (and Maisie!) and her determination to fix everything despite her feelings of helplessness and shame from her failed time on the mainland. It's a weird thing to like, but you realize as the book goes on that Leigh was a hero in her own way throughout the war, and just how far the bonds of community go.
I think that this is a fantastic read if you are looking for something with the same vibes as The Scorpio Races but in adult form.
Leigh Welles has returned to the Scottish island she grew up in after four years away to bury her father. The island has remained trapped in the wartime mindset, unable to move forward, unable to look back, frozen in time and with its residents both haunted and hunted by the slaugh, the crows who carry the spirits of the within them. When a boy goes missing, Leigh and widower/war-hero Ian search for him, and uncover secrets within their community.
I enjoyed it mostly for the historical research and exploration of the lingering scars of loss from war within an isolated community, although I felt that it could have been sheared down quite a bit. Also, I felt the Great Secret was more small secret than anything, maintaining the mystery without ever really going into more depth. I also really enjoyed Leigh (and Maisie!) and her determination to fix everything despite her feelings of helplessness and shame from her failed time on the mainland. It's a weird thing to like, but you realize as the book goes on that Leigh was a hero in her own way throughout the war, and just how far the bonds of community go.
I think that this is a fantastic read if you are looking for something with the same vibes as The Scorpio Races but in adult form.
December 1, 2023
Tense, atmospheric, and slow moving, The Wild Hunt weaves a masterful tale that will remain in you like an ache, like the memory of an embrace, the harsh call of a crow.
Iain MacTavish can’t let go of the war. Leigh Welles seems to have missed it. When a boy they both feel a tie to goes missing, the two work together to find him and, in the process, discover more about themselves and their home than they could have imagined.
It is crows and it is sorrow, it is grief handled so well and inner dialogue that speaks to the soul and, always, a slow releasing of hurt. An admittance to the ability of still being able to feel joy and contentment when you thought yourself undeserving of it. It is a thousand stories and only a few told. I loved every line. I will recommend it forever, starting here, now.
Iain MacTavish can’t let go of the war. Leigh Welles seems to have missed it. When a boy they both feel a tie to goes missing, the two work together to find him and, in the process, discover more about themselves and their home than they could have imagined.
It is crows and it is sorrow, it is grief handled so well and inner dialogue that speaks to the soul and, always, a slow releasing of hurt. An admittance to the ability of still being able to feel joy and contentment when you thought yourself undeserving of it. It is a thousand stories and only a few told. I loved every line. I will recommend it forever, starting here, now.
May 24, 2022
OK, I'm not thrilled about this book. I saw the title and immediately thought, "YES. FOLKLORE. YES. WILD HUNT." For those of you who may not know, the Wild Hunt, in folklore, is a chase led by some kind of mythological creature or figure along with his/her army of spirits/supernatural beings, like Odin, Theodoric the Great, etc. The hunters are usually elves or Valkyries or animals of some kind. So when I saw that there were crows that were wreaking havoc on a Scottish island, I thought oh yes, psychopomps, I'm all in.
But that's not QUITE what this is. Leigh has returned to her hometown after learning of her father's death. Her mother left them when Leigh was 10, and her brother, Sam, left soon after. World War II was happening, and most of the boys on the island joined up and many of them died, either in the war, or by suicide. The island is now left reeling with the aftermath of the war, and hasn't made any changes since the end of the war, as if they're in a holding pattern, and then they have to deal with the sluagh - the crows that come every October and wreak havoc on the island for a month. It is customary to open the season with Gaelic ceremonies and to close the month by celebrating with Gaelic traditions. It's just a part of life there. If any of you have read "Rainy Season" by Stephen King, you'll understand this idea. Before the year in which the book takes place, only two people have disappeared during that month, thought to have been taken by the birds.
The birds themselves are creepy, obviously, because there is an unnatural feel about them. They only show up in groups of 3s, they will straight up wreck your house, tear up animals, and just mess with everything. The problem is that they have gotten continually worse year after year, and the islanders have started to believe in musings of the old man on the island who tells them what they should do, such as hang offal on the doors of the shops, draw runes in blood, and hang up iron charms, in addition to nailing wood over the windows. But in addition to dealing with the sluagh, the island is still reeling from the war, and it's just a lot. And then one of the boys on the island kills a crow and disappears.
Leigh, who is at loose ends after the death of her father, and Iain, who is still living in the memories of the war, decide to team up to find the missing boy after the islanders have given up. But this is where I started to have questions about the book, and they were never answered.
I don't want to give spoilers, but there is an apparition that shows up and we don't really get into that. There are whispered voices asking questions but we don't really get into that. I don't totally understand how the crows are connected to the war and the the sluagh's increasingly aggressive behavior, or why they seem to be going after Leigh. I don't understand the ending, except for one part that I did understand after reading the wikipedia article when I finished the book (I recommend that, it was a neat little thing). I don't know why Leigh's brother Sam is such a jerk and we don't really get into it other than that he saw horrible things during the war and maybe Leigh wanted him to talk about it? So he's just going to run her out of the house and sell it? I don't think I understood how Iain and the woman he lives with are related (is she Caroline's mom?? But he knew her from before and didn't know Caroline from before??). I don't know how to break the cycle of the sluagh - according to legend, they are the spirits of the unforgiven dead. That is confusing. Who hasn't been forgiven? Why wouldn't they be forgiven? Have they not forgiven themselves? Why are there so many?? It's just very confusing.
Overall, it was a good, solid book that did a wonderful job describing a small community in the aftermath of war. I think we needed to understand more of the timeline (I think this takes place four years after the war ended but it feels like it's been a year, max), more about the sluagh, more about the runes, and all the other folklore stuff. The arc I was given was not edited well with regards to chapters and who was talking to who, and that could have played a part. It felt like it really skipped around because sections weren't given enough spacing. I still think the title is misleading and was pretty bummed about that.
But that's not QUITE what this is. Leigh has returned to her hometown after learning of her father's death. Her mother left them when Leigh was 10, and her brother, Sam, left soon after. World War II was happening, and most of the boys on the island joined up and many of them died, either in the war, or by suicide. The island is now left reeling with the aftermath of the war, and hasn't made any changes since the end of the war, as if they're in a holding pattern, and then they have to deal with the sluagh - the crows that come every October and wreak havoc on the island for a month. It is customary to open the season with Gaelic ceremonies and to close the month by celebrating with Gaelic traditions. It's just a part of life there. If any of you have read "Rainy Season" by Stephen King, you'll understand this idea. Before the year in which the book takes place, only two people have disappeared during that month, thought to have been taken by the birds.
The birds themselves are creepy, obviously, because there is an unnatural feel about them. They only show up in groups of 3s, they will straight up wreck your house, tear up animals, and just mess with everything. The problem is that they have gotten continually worse year after year, and the islanders have started to believe in musings of the old man on the island who tells them what they should do, such as hang offal on the doors of the shops, draw runes in blood, and hang up iron charms, in addition to nailing wood over the windows. But in addition to dealing with the sluagh, the island is still reeling from the war, and it's just a lot. And then one of the boys on the island kills a crow and disappears.
Leigh, who is at loose ends after the death of her father, and Iain, who is still living in the memories of the war, decide to team up to find the missing boy after the islanders have given up. But this is where I started to have questions about the book, and they were never answered.
I don't want to give spoilers, but there is an apparition that shows up and we don't really get into that. There are whispered voices asking questions but we don't really get into that. I don't totally understand how the crows are connected to the war and the the sluagh's increasingly aggressive behavior, or why they seem to be going after Leigh. I don't understand the ending, except for one part that I did understand after reading the wikipedia article when I finished the book (I recommend that, it was a neat little thing). I don't know why Leigh's brother Sam is such a jerk and we don't really get into it other than that he saw horrible things during the war and maybe Leigh wanted him to talk about it? So he's just going to run her out of the house and sell it? I don't think I understood how Iain and the woman he lives with are related (is she Caroline's mom?? But he knew her from before and didn't know Caroline from before??). I don't know how to break the cycle of the sluagh - according to legend, they are the spirits of the unforgiven dead. That is confusing. Who hasn't been forgiven? Why wouldn't they be forgiven? Have they not forgiven themselves? Why are there so many?? It's just very confusing.
Overall, it was a good, solid book that did a wonderful job describing a small community in the aftermath of war. I think we needed to understand more of the timeline (I think this takes place four years after the war ended but it feels like it's been a year, max), more about the sluagh, more about the runes, and all the other folklore stuff. The arc I was given was not edited well with regards to chapters and who was talking to who, and that could have played a part. It felt like it really skipped around because sections weren't given enough spacing. I still think the title is misleading and was pretty bummed about that.
August 18, 2022
Pub day: 8-2-2022 - Out Now!
This eerie and atmospheric read is set on a remote Scottish island where each October the Sluagh, bird-like creatures of Celtic legend that are said to carry the souls of the dead, take over the island.
This was chilling at times as we walked the island and learned stories of souls lost during the Second World War. The pace is very slow for the first half of the book and then it picks up substantially. A lot happens in what felt like a short period of time, which made the end fly by.
This has a subcategory of Horror on Goodreads but it didn’t feel like that to me so don’t let that deter you. There’s even some romance in the mix. I enjoyed this debut novel and look forward to seeing what Seckel does next!
If you enjoy a slow burn, small-town drama with some mystical vibes, you’ll most likely enjoy this!
Thank you RB Media and Netgalley for the alc in exchange for an honest review!
October 28, 2022
{Rated PG-13: slight language, gore, suicide, violence and drugs/alcohol - PROMPT: Winnie & Mo book club pic for Nov. 2022} I had such high hopes for this book. Set on a Scottish island during post WWII. Murders of crows, island myths and folklore, with an ominous atmosphere and secrets to unfold. I mean… what’s not to like?! But alas, I had to really slog through this entire novel. It’s extremely slow and when it finally started to pick up about half way through, it just fell short on delivering any real excitement. I couldn’t connect with any of the characters, so it was really hard to feel any emotions towards the things that were happening to them as well as the island itself. This book had so much potential and I was so bummed when I didn’t get any spooky vibes throughout the entire novel. Bummer man.
October 22, 2022
This was very eerie and heartwrenching at times. Deeeeeeep grief and war ptsd are dealt with in this book. But there is also love. FANTASTIC DEBUT!
August 2, 2022
AUGUST 2, 2022: HAPPY PUB DAY!
Spooky, sad, and a little bit sexy: honestly, what else could you need?
If you are our Heroine Leigh Wells, you need quite a bit. You've been called back to your ancestral island home, far flung from the wild shores of Scotland. World War Two did not hit your home directly, but it stole many young men and sent very few back home. The few that returned are not who they once were. The island is not what it once was. The Sluagh (sloo-ah) still return every October, but every year they come back wilder.
The Sluagh, a familiar spirit of Gaelic folklore, manifest themselves here as crows. Not just any crows, these crow are enormous and bloodthirsty. The island's dwindling inhabitants brace themselves every year with rites and rituals: offerings are burnt, charms are hung, and windows are boarded over- but since the war, the restless spirits have become even more restless.
The lost spirits of the Sluagh, the missing boys of the island, and those who were left behind.
Leigh may feel left behind in many ways, but she returns to The Wild Hunt as the prodigal daughter after scraping by in the "big city" of the mainland for several miserable years. She's not alone in her misery; families are fractured, farms are failing, and the old gods are creeping into the new.
This book had be in it's claws from page one. I could not set it down. I was drawn in by the mythology and the minutia. I was drawn in by hidden ancient temples and stockings that were more darning than stocking. I could taste the cold salt wind and feel the frightening beat of feathered wings. This was a one-day read, but a several-week thought process. I already have a "waiting list" of folks waiting to dive in next.
In the words of many a doomed soldier (written with aching sincerity by Seckel):
I received this ARC from the Tin House Galley Club in exchange for a fair and honest review
Spooky, sad, and a little bit sexy: honestly, what else could you need?
If you are our Heroine Leigh Wells, you need quite a bit. You've been called back to your ancestral island home, far flung from the wild shores of Scotland. World War Two did not hit your home directly, but it stole many young men and sent very few back home. The few that returned are not who they once were. The island is not what it once was. The Sluagh (sloo-ah) still return every October, but every year they come back wilder.
The Sluagh, a familiar spirit of Gaelic folklore, manifest themselves here as crows. Not just any crows, these crow are enormous and bloodthirsty. The island's dwindling inhabitants brace themselves every year with rites and rituals: offerings are burnt, charms are hung, and windows are boarded over- but since the war, the restless spirits have become even more restless.
The lost spirits of the Sluagh, the missing boys of the island, and those who were left behind.
lain picked at a hole in the blanket covering Leigh's knees, the thread unravelling between his fingers. He said, "I think probably we should all stop punishing ourselves for the things we did or didn't do."
Leigh may feel left behind in many ways, but she returns to The Wild Hunt as the prodigal daughter after scraping by in the "big city" of the mainland for several miserable years. She's not alone in her misery; families are fractured, farms are failing, and the old gods are creeping into the new.
This book had be in it's claws from page one. I could not set it down. I was drawn in by the mythology and the minutia. I was drawn in by hidden ancient temples and stockings that were more darning than stocking. I could taste the cold salt wind and feel the frightening beat of feathered wings. This was a one-day read, but a several-week thought process. I already have a "waiting list" of folks waiting to dive in next.
In the words of many a doomed soldier (written with aching sincerity by Seckel):
What a grand adventure we had together.
I received this ARC from the Tin House Galley Club in exchange for a fair and honest review
October 22, 2025
This is the perfect creepy tale to read for Halloween and the story itself is set in October. Even better it's not the ordinary "run of the mill" plot that you've read dozens of times before. Instead it's something way more unique and that is one reason why I had really enjoyed this book. I don't know about you but I have never heard of the Sluagh before. They are from Scottish myth and they look like crows but they apparently carry spirits of the deceased. The tiny isolated island is overrun by Sluagh every October - they arrive just like clockwork by the thousands on the first of the month. And these past few years they have been rather vicious. The blood flows...
And that is the scene that Leigh goes home to. But her home is far from perfect. The town isn't what she remembers either. This is a post World War II story so it's about how the war has affected the town in a very negative way. The things in here describe how hard things were after the war, how it was hard to go back to normal. The people are suffering but they don't know what to do about it.
I found a theme in here about choices and guilt. You know, the "I should have done this instead of that". It's woven into the plot perfectly. Many of the characters are just full of guilt and they don't know how to handle it, so they are drowning from it. And then the birds come ...
While reading this I sensed that there was some big secret to be discovered, some reason for the birds and their ghastly behavior. The plot doesn't exactly move fast, but yet it doesn't seem slow either. It doesn't drag. I found myself caught up in the life of Leigh, Iain and the others. There were characters in here who I hated, like her brother Sam. I thought he was very cold and callous. In some ways I felt he was worse than the birds.
But the problem in a way was this town. I could practically feel the negative energy oozing from it. And I just couldn't see how it could be fixed.
But darkness begets darkness. And it's a dark tiny little island.
The island itself is never actually named but it's apparently somewhere near Shetland Island. It has wild ponies, goats and way too many murderous crows. And a bunch of broken people.
The Sluagh may be the creature in here but the book is about the people and how they recover from very dark times.
And that is the scene that Leigh goes home to. But her home is far from perfect. The town isn't what she remembers either. This is a post World War II story so it's about how the war has affected the town in a very negative way. The things in here describe how hard things were after the war, how it was hard to go back to normal. The people are suffering but they don't know what to do about it.
I found a theme in here about choices and guilt. You know, the "I should have done this instead of that". It's woven into the plot perfectly. Many of the characters are just full of guilt and they don't know how to handle it, so they are drowning from it. And then the birds come ...
While reading this I sensed that there was some big secret to be discovered, some reason for the birds and their ghastly behavior. The plot doesn't exactly move fast, but yet it doesn't seem slow either. It doesn't drag. I found myself caught up in the life of Leigh, Iain and the others. There were characters in here who I hated, like her brother Sam. I thought he was very cold and callous. In some ways I felt he was worse than the birds.
But the problem in a way was this town. I could practically feel the negative energy oozing from it. And I just couldn't see how it could be fixed.
But darkness begets darkness. And it's a dark tiny little island.
The island itself is never actually named but it's apparently somewhere near Shetland Island. It has wild ponies, goats and way too many murderous crows. And a bunch of broken people.
The Sluagh may be the creature in here but the book is about the people and how they recover from very dark times.
September 25, 2023
A chilling story that masterfully blends mystery, mystique, drama, suspense, and romance, it feels like that as much as this was a story on Leigh Welles’s inner story, it also touched on how everyone on the island deals with their ancient history and the lingering spirits who pester them. In a almost grown up version of the Nancy Drew series, Emma Seckel greatly portrays her protagonist as a detective trying to figure out the secretes of the island yet also masterfully adds great depth to Leigh’s character as we see her juggle with many interior and exterior struggles and beliefs. However, while Leigh certainly shines, the whole depictions of background characters and settings and landscape is so well written it feels poetic.
If you’re in the mood for a good chilling autumn book I highly recommend this!
If you’re in the mood for a good chilling autumn book I highly recommend this!
December 23, 2024
This book was really hard to read, but I didn’t want to dnf because I was so curious as to what was going on. I’m glad I finished it, but wouldn’t read it again. I think it had to many characters so that was hard to follow.
August 16, 2024
a very slow burn. well written with fully formed characters that kept me reading. an unusual setting with historical fiction flavors. i’m still a bit dodgy on supernatural undertones and wish they had remained undefined in the end. it was worth the time but was less invigorating that i had hoped.
March 14, 2022
The Wild Hunt by Emma Seckel is a great WWII/post-era historical fiction novel that is an excellent debut.
This book is so unique and entertaining. Of course I came for the HF, but stayed for the mystery, suspense, surprises, and the dark, atmospheric vibe.
This book has a great balance between real and ethereal. Dark, foggy layers are placed upon the historical fiction narrative. It was almost as if there was a psychological thriller aspect to it. The remote location of an island off mainland Scotland gives the reader a perfect backdrop for what the author is trying to project towards her audience.
It was rich, complex, engaging, and addictive. Looking forward to more from this author in the future.
5/5 stars
Thank you NG and Tin House for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.
I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication on 8/2/22.
This book is so unique and entertaining. Of course I came for the HF, but stayed for the mystery, suspense, surprises, and the dark, atmospheric vibe.
This book has a great balance between real and ethereal. Dark, foggy layers are placed upon the historical fiction narrative. It was almost as if there was a psychological thriller aspect to it. The remote location of an island off mainland Scotland gives the reader a perfect backdrop for what the author is trying to project towards her audience.
It was rich, complex, engaging, and addictive. Looking forward to more from this author in the future.
5/5 stars
Thank you NG and Tin House for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.
I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication on 8/2/22.
August 26, 2022
In Daphne du Maurier’s 1952 story “The Birds,” a Cornish seaside town is bombarded by fleets of kamikaze birds, “blackbird, thrush, the common house sparrow, and … a vast quantity of pigeons and starlings.” Writing in the aftermath of the Second World War, with Germany’s air raids still fresh, du Maurier — a founding genius of modern Gothic horror — conveyed the bewildering terror of a bombing raid.
Emma Seckel’s eerie, melodic debut novel, The Wild Hunt, also set in the aftermath of World War II, evokes similar anxieties, only Seckel’s birds are the “sluagh” — airborne “in-between” creatures of Celtic legend. Each October, on an island of “grass and rock and heather” off the Scottish coast, a door opens; the “border between this world and the next” grows thin; and the sluagh descend to blacken the sky like “great unnatural clouds,” killing animals and people. Islanders stave off the sluagh as best they can, whispering prayers around bonfires and hiding indoors, but there is no defeating the dark forces of destiny.
Emma Seckel’s eerie, melodic debut novel, The Wild Hunt, also set in the aftermath of World War II, evokes similar anxieties, only Seckel’s birds are the “sluagh” — airborne “in-between” creatures of Celtic legend. Each October, on an island of “grass and rock and heather” off the Scottish coast, a door opens; the “border between this world and the next” grows thin; and the sluagh descend to blacken the sky like “great unnatural clouds,” killing animals and people. Islanders stave off the sluagh as best they can, whispering prayers around bonfires and hiding indoors, but there is no defeating the dark forces of destiny.
January 14, 2023
This novel is haunting and poignant. I will write a substantial review later and simply list highlights-
1. Excellent evocation of a remote, haunting Scottish island - she excelled at weaving in descriptions of the landscapes with the actions of the characters.
2. It feels haunting the deeper you delve into the story - she has a good grasp of grief and the stasis / hopelessness it creates in a community
3. A female heroine who doesn’t have a dramatic life changing personality shift to save the day. She’s still flawed by the end but not in a tedious way.
4. I already dislike birds. I’m afraid of crows for life now.
5. I liked the way she ended the story - even though it was open ended.
1. Excellent evocation of a remote, haunting Scottish island - she excelled at weaving in descriptions of the landscapes with the actions of the characters.
2. It feels haunting the deeper you delve into the story - she has a good grasp of grief and the stasis / hopelessness it creates in a community
3. A female heroine who doesn’t have a dramatic life changing personality shift to save the day. She’s still flawed by the end but not in a tedious way.
4. I already dislike birds. I’m afraid of crows for life now.
5. I liked the way she ended the story - even though it was open ended.
August 26, 2024
This book excelled in descriptive language and imagery for the landscape, place and time. That’s the only reason why I kept reading all the way to the end.
The characters - not so much. It felt like I was reading the same thing over and over for 3/4 of the book. It started to get interesting at the end with the characters developing deeper below surface, but I wish it had that same pace throughout the book. It was interesting to read about the folklore which was a main theme in the novel - the relationship between animals & man & environment & spirits - reminded me of core Indigenous beliefs - except within a Scottish context. I would read another book by her if she wrote it.
The characters - not so much. It felt like I was reading the same thing over and over for 3/4 of the book. It started to get interesting at the end with the characters developing deeper below surface, but I wish it had that same pace throughout the book. It was interesting to read about the folklore which was a main theme in the novel - the relationship between animals & man & environment & spirits - reminded me of core Indigenous beliefs - except within a Scottish context. I would read another book by her if she wrote it.
February 22, 2023
A haunting novel. So many awful things have caused sadness on their island after WWII. The island is visited by the slaugh, crowds of crows, which are tormenting the locals. Some ghostlike qualities but good things do happen near the end, Maybe tied-up too coincidentally yet I enjoyed it.
August 14, 2022
The Wild Hunt takes place on a Scottish island overrun by crows just after WWII. It's a bit underbaked and overstuffed with a dollop of ye olde gaelic-whatever but I ended up kinda liking where it went. More psychological than actual horror although there's definitely a The Birds element as well and I could smell the romance coming a mile away. Watch your eyes though, those crows are mean!
I'd give it another half star if I were able.
I'd give it another half star if I were able.
October 6, 2023
honestly chef’s kiss. perfect october read! it literally is just about how a bunch of spooky horrible spirit birds torment an island every october. oh and also GRIEF and GUILT!! definitely cultivated an atmospheric and tense vibe and it did emotionally move me at times. I have questions abt who Sam was trying to sell the house to tho. like who is moving to this island…
March 13, 2024
⭐️ 3 stars
Well, I think this is an okay book for me especially with so many things unanswered and just becoming mysteries. Also, the ending is just like that? huh, okay then.
Well, I think this is an okay book for me especially with so many things unanswered and just becoming mysteries. Also, the ending is just like that? huh, okay then.
October 11, 2025
I loved this. Hitchcock-esq bird scenes, a foggy Scottish island in October, some genuinely creepy moments — it was a good read for this time of year. I have a deep love for Scotland and, randomly, generations-long crow lore in my family, so maybe I’m biased, but I thought this was beautiful, and I was fully engaged throughout. I grew to appreciate how flawed the characters were too. Leigh was pretty immature at times, Iain was a hot mess, Sam was pompous and mean, but it just highlighted the messiness of being human and trying to grapple with unimaginable tragedy and loss.
July 25, 2022
2.5 stars
RTC
RTC
May 23, 2023
A haunting and memorable tale of post-war grief interspersed with Scottish folklore set on a dreamy coastal island.
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