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The Haar
“I don’t fear death... but they do.”
Muriel McAuley has lived in the Scottish fishing village of Witchaven all her life. She was born there, and she intends to die there.
But when an overseas property developer threatens to evict the residents from their homes and raze Witchaven to the ground in the name of progress, all seems lost… until the day a mysterious fog bank creeps inland.
The Haar.
To some it brings redemption… to others, it brings only madness and death. What macabre secrets lie within… The Haar.
Romantic and deranged, The Haar is a gore-soaked folk horror fairy tale from David Sodergren, author of The Forgotten Island and Maggie’s Grave.
Muriel McAuley has lived in the Scottish fishing village of Witchaven all her life. She was born there, and she intends to die there.
But when an overseas property developer threatens to evict the residents from their homes and raze Witchaven to the ground in the name of progress, all seems lost… until the day a mysterious fog bank creeps inland.
The Haar.
To some it brings redemption… to others, it brings only madness and death. What macabre secrets lie within… The Haar.
Romantic and deranged, The Haar is a gore-soaked folk horror fairy tale from David Sodergren, author of The Forgotten Island and Maggie’s Grave.
212 pages, Paperback
First published May 17, 2022
2434 people are currently reading
57912 people want to read
About the author
David Sodergren
21 books2,863 followersDavid Sodergren lives in Scotland with his wife Heather and his best friend, Boris the Pug.
Growing up, he was the kind of kid who collected rubber skeletons and lived for horror movies. Not much has changed since then.
His best known books include the gory and romantic fairy tale The Haar, the blood-drenched folk-horror Maggie’s Grave, and the analog-horror fever dream Rotten Tommy. David also writes under the pseudonym Carl John Lee, publishing splatterpunk
novels such as Psychic Teenage Bloodbath and Cannibal Vengeance.
Growing up, he was the kind of kid who collected rubber skeletons and lived for horror movies. Not much has changed since then.
His best known books include the gory and romantic fairy tale The Haar, the blood-drenched folk-horror Maggie’s Grave, and the analog-horror fever dream Rotten Tommy. David also writes under the pseudonym Carl John Lee, publishing splatterpunk
novels such as Psychic Teenage Bloodbath and Cannibal Vengeance.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 5,073 reviews
July 13, 2023
Is "sentimental horror" even a thing? Well, it is now! This book was so good, the main character is a wee Scottish granny, facing unwanted changes to her village, and you're rooting for her the whole way through. There's themes of loneliness and bereavement, but also gore. I live by the sea in Scotland and often see the haar rolling in, I won't look at it the same way again! This haar (coastal fog) brought something in with it... and it's not Brigadoon! The memoirs at the end, kept by David Sodergren's own gran, were a perfect addition.
October 23, 2024
This was bloody, disgusting, beautiful, sad, and charming in an odd way.
The best way I can think to describe is like if The Thing and The Pisces had a Scottish baby.
I absolutely loved it!! I want to reiterate this was disgusting- holy body horror!!
The best way I can think to describe is like if The Thing and The Pisces had a Scottish baby.
I absolutely loved it!! I want to reiterate this was disgusting- holy body horror!!
July 6, 2024
The Haar that went 'Raar' gets every star from Andy Marr.
March 27, 2025
Everyone’s got a price. Everyone except Muriel McAuley. This book was nothing like I imagined it to be, but I loved everything about it. Muriel is such a deep and unique character that you were completely immersed in from her first explosive scene and everything beyond that. You felt for her in this awful situation where she is much older, widowed, being forced out of her home, all her friends are leaving the neighborhood, etc. Your heart breaks for her circumstances, but the fire inside her belly is alive and well. She is adventurous, sassy, caring, and spry. And Avalon is the very definition of horror, but is actually quite an endearing creature, too. And their dynamics together are just ‘bangarang.’ David Sodergren also had all these different plot elements worked into one another, ranging from revenge to a love story to just straight up horror at times and more. And it all worked together perfectly. This was an absolutely fantastic read and couldn’t be more worthy of a perfect 5/5. Bravo!
July 18, 2023
Good for her 😌
September 17, 2024
Seven Hours With The Haar.
The Haar is a monster that I cannot describe, even though I was given a brief description of it by the author.
As a monster it is very lazy, until it gets started, then it becomes violent and like a tsunami it goes crashing through whoever is unfortunate enough to be in its way.
It will never be a bad monster when it comes to who is gonna get it. I mean who it is going to kill. Bad people look out. The Haar is coming for you. Long live the Haar.
Four stars. ✨✨✨✨
The Haar is a monster that I cannot describe, even though I was given a brief description of it by the author.
As a monster it is very lazy, until it gets started, then it becomes violent and like a tsunami it goes crashing through whoever is unfortunate enough to be in its way.
It will never be a bad monster when it comes to who is gonna get it. I mean who it is going to kill. Bad people look out. The Haar is coming for you. Long live the Haar.
Four stars. ✨✨✨✨
January 27, 2024
I know you’re sick to death of the story of an elderly woman finding an amorphous blob that ends up being a sea creature which feasts on her enemies and embodies her late husband but buckle up because you’ll want to read this one, too. This book, which sells itself as a “folk horror fairy tale” is a hybrid of Little Shop of Horrors and Harold & Maude but way, way gorier. It also made me cry really hard because the ending is very sad and sweet and beautiful and once again this is a book about a disembodied nervous system with one big eye and endless bloodlust and when I say I cried I mean I cried. 10/10, would trick American capitalists into my bathtub to feed my blobby friend.
August 4, 2024
You are Completely Surrounded!
Come Out With Your Hands Up!...
THE HAAR by David Sodergren
Oh dear! There may be spoilers. 2 stars. I'm sorry, but I didn't find this story the least bit plausible or entertaining...
Let's jump in...
The story had a good premise. After all, who isn't a wee bit afraid of a fog bank and what may lurk therein...
John Carpenter certainly addressed that fear head-on and quite well in his 1980s movie, THE FOG...
But...
This story was a study in hatred and bigotry on many different levels...
The novel centers on the little Scottish town of Witchaven and an 80-something year old widow woman, Muriel...
The town...
... is being forced out of their cottages and off their ancestral land by Big Bad American billionaire Patrick Grant...
... who seems to be able to buy off the local Scottish police and news reporters with all his dirty American money...
As the book rambles endlessly on about the Ugly Americans, where is the law and order regarding the Scottish police? Do they not protect their citizens against murderous American billionaires?...
Who's ugly now?...
Speaking of ugly, what about portraying the youth of Scotland as murderous thugs easily hired by the Ugly Americans to rob and kill their elderly folk...
In the story, these young men set fire to an old retired man after robbing him and then laugh as he's trying to put the fire out...
And...
Lathering with anticipation of collecting their murder-for-hire filthy American money...
Now that's UGLY!!...
Then there's the cliche yelled from a police blow horn at an 80-something year old widow: You are surrounded! Come out with your hands up!!...
Reality check:
Can you imagine that really happening? I found this part to be completely laughable.
I don't know; I like my stories to be a tad more plausible than this. Otherwise, it borders on comedy (and not in a funny way).
It is too bad that the one interesting aspect of the story, the monster found in the fog by the old woman, was overshadowed by the inane nonsense of the rest of the story.
So, sorry, but I can't really recommend this novel to any serious horror fan unless they are ready to suspend all logic and enjoy bashing Americans.
Come Out With Your Hands Up!...
THE HAAR by David Sodergren
Oh dear! There may be spoilers. 2 stars. I'm sorry, but I didn't find this story the least bit plausible or entertaining...
Let's jump in...
The story had a good premise. After all, who isn't a wee bit afraid of a fog bank and what may lurk therein...
John Carpenter certainly addressed that fear head-on and quite well in his 1980s movie, THE FOG...
But...
This story was a study in hatred and bigotry on many different levels...
The novel centers on the little Scottish town of Witchaven and an 80-something year old widow woman, Muriel...
The town...
... is being forced out of their cottages and off their ancestral land by Big Bad American billionaire Patrick Grant...
... who seems to be able to buy off the local Scottish police and news reporters with all his dirty American money...
As the book rambles endlessly on about the Ugly Americans, where is the law and order regarding the Scottish police? Do they not protect their citizens against murderous American billionaires?...
Who's ugly now?...
Speaking of ugly, what about portraying the youth of Scotland as murderous thugs easily hired by the Ugly Americans to rob and kill their elderly folk...
In the story, these young men set fire to an old retired man after robbing him and then laugh as he's trying to put the fire out...
And...
Lathering with anticipation of collecting their murder-for-hire filthy American money...
Now that's UGLY!!...
Then there's the cliche yelled from a police blow horn at an 80-something year old widow: You are surrounded! Come out with your hands up!!...
Reality check:
Can you imagine that really happening? I found this part to be completely laughable.
I don't know; I like my stories to be a tad more plausible than this. Otherwise, it borders on comedy (and not in a funny way).
It is too bad that the one interesting aspect of the story, the monster found in the fog by the old woman, was overshadowed by the inane nonsense of the rest of the story.
So, sorry, but I can't really recommend this novel to any serious horror fan unless they are ready to suspend all logic and enjoy bashing Americans.
September 27, 2025
Muriel lives alone in a cottage by the sea in Scotland, having lost her husband 12 years before. She is fighting to take a stand, along with a small group of neighbours, against a billionaire named Patrick Grant. He is trying to force them from their homes in order to build a golf course.
One day after an unpleasant encounter with Grant's obnoxious son, she comes across a creature on the beach that is dying. She takes it home to care for and helps save its life.
There is a love story entangled up in this, but it's done well and doesn't distract from the horror aspect – which was nice and bloody and brutal, just the way I like it!
The antagonists were a little cliché, but let's face it, we all know loathsome people like that definitely do exist with their greed and callousness. Grant was the quintessential billionaire who thought anything and everything could be bought, regardless of the consequences.
I liked this; poor Muriel really went through it at times. I definitely got drawn in; I was getting nervous about the direction the plot would take.
Muriel was a great character. She was a tough, feisty old lady who wasn't going down without a fight... and of course, with a little help from her newfound 'friend'.
Rating this 3.5/5, but will round up.
One day after an unpleasant encounter with Grant's obnoxious son, she comes across a creature on the beach that is dying. She takes it home to care for and helps save its life.
There is a love story entangled up in this, but it's done well and doesn't distract from the horror aspect – which was nice and bloody and brutal, just the way I like it!
The antagonists were a little cliché, but let's face it, we all know loathsome people like that definitely do exist with their greed and callousness. Grant was the quintessential billionaire who thought anything and everything could be bought, regardless of the consequences.
I liked this; poor Muriel really went through it at times. I definitely got drawn in; I was getting nervous about the direction the plot would take.
Muriel was a great character. She was a tough, feisty old lady who wasn't going down without a fight... and of course, with a little help from her newfound 'friend'.
Rating this 3.5/5, but will round up.
December 11, 2024
More horror novels with elderly female protagonists, please! I absolutely loved this!
November 22, 2024
This is the kind of romance I want to read.
Thank you, Neta, for telling me to read it for the Light challenge!
Thank you, Neta, for telling me to read it for the Light challenge!
July 23, 2025
Very entertaining, foul and fun, I want to give this five stars and am two millimeters from doing so but can't quite because I've read better books in the same genre that I enjoyed/shocked me more.
The book is relevant, irreverent, violent, funny and dare I say it, deeply endearing, and I'm now a David Sodergren fan and looking forward to more of his books such as Rotten Tommy and Maggie's Grave.
The main character, Muriel, is feisty, determined and unbreakable, as well as being likeable, identifiable and the perfect heroine.
The minus one is for the sublime to the ridiculous - I hate that expression - from the fantastical to the funky, from the mildly plausible to the downright silly.
This is an innovative and shocking book, but ultimately a tad too much and, as a novella of 200 pages, a lot explodes on the pages while also being rather low on scope.
But I laughed and marvelled at the ideas, wallowed in the friendships and sentiments, and guffawed at the extreme swearing and violence, like a breath of uninhibited fresh air.
Head successfully removed from ass, beware the 'c' word liberally sprinkled like pepper on a pot roast.
Corporations can sh*t on the little people from high and regularly do, but if you fight back and enjoy having fun, why not embrace entertaining indie horror with all its frills and frolics.
The book is relevant, irreverent, violent, funny and dare I say it, deeply endearing, and I'm now a David Sodergren fan and looking forward to more of his books such as Rotten Tommy and Maggie's Grave.
The main character, Muriel, is feisty, determined and unbreakable, as well as being likeable, identifiable and the perfect heroine.
The minus one is for the sublime to the ridiculous - I hate that expression - from the fantastical to the funky, from the mildly plausible to the downright silly.
This is an innovative and shocking book, but ultimately a tad too much and, as a novella of 200 pages, a lot explodes on the pages while also being rather low on scope.
But I laughed and marvelled at the ideas, wallowed in the friendships and sentiments, and guffawed at the extreme swearing and violence, like a breath of uninhibited fresh air.
Head successfully removed from ass, beware the 'c' word liberally sprinkled like pepper on a pot roast.
Corporations can sh*t on the little people from high and regularly do, but if you fight back and enjoy having fun, why not embrace entertaining indie horror with all its frills and frolics.
March 23, 2024
The most delightful horror story I’ve ever had the pleasure of reading, with one of the fiercest, bravest and most genuine elderly ladies to ever grace a fictional dimension of existence. You, Sodergren, had me already at the opening lines, of which I am convinced will win the “Best opening lines of the century”-award when that one eventually comes around. Yes, when I read that “Muriel Margaret McAuley was eighty-four years old the first time she saw a man turned inside-out by a sea monster”, my heart skipped a beat, and I knew I’d love it, that I’d hold on and never let go.
Just like Muriel.
The blurb would tell you that she was born in Witchaven, a Scottish fishing village, and that she “intends to die there”. It would also tell you that “an overseas property developer threatens to evict the residents from their homes and raze Witchaven to the ground”. But embedded between those lines, you see, is the heartwarming and heart wrenching story of the villagers, the purity of simple living and harmony with nature.
And covered in all that gut and blood and gore is a story about greed, ambition and desperation.
That kind of story is classic, with a message so simple, yet so powerful.
Sure, rich people love money above all else and they do whatever they can to get more of it, common decency and human lives be damned. They just walk right up to you and smack you in the face with the fact that “laws don’t apply to the rich” (12). But Muriel is powerful too. She’s not afraid to fight back and say that “men like that – rich men, with no morals – did whatever it took to get ahead. They lied and cheated their way to the top, treading all over the little people beneath them without a care”, and then, with sad eyes, she sees the consequences of that behavior to the world around her and concludes that “A man with no respect for nature was the worst type of man.” And as such, “she would never understand someone who could walk through Witchaven and not feel their heart sing”. (32-33)
This message is carried on throughout the whole story, and I’d say that it’s one of the better characteristics of the book as well as its weakest feature. The fight against greed, against the “unnatural sounds” of capitalism, its invasion of privacy and encroachment on nature makes me invested in Witchhaven and Muriel, makes we want to fight for her, with her, makes me engrossed in the story. But the rich and the greedy are all basic caricatures here, fueled by judgmental views about them, devoid of any nuance, any sympathy and redeeming qualities. Had the rest of the story not been so rich with romance and passionately aggrandized with gore and otherworldly violence, I’d eventually grow tired of it, but I never did, because Muriel is the embodiment of longing and sweet memories, of having something to fight for, of finding a reason to live.
Indeed, let’s not forget that she’s old. And old age is most likely just a distant, vague, illusory state of being far into the future to many of us. But we might even fear it too. A lot. Thanks to Sodergren, though, and thanks to Muriel, I’m convinced that, when the time comes, I can decide to be so much more than my weakening body, that I can dare to venture beyond my physical age. As long as I have my memories, my willpower, my love, I can still live a meaningful life and fulfill new dreams and, as one other reviewer said, “trick American capitalists into my bathtub to feed my blobby friend” anytime I want!
Just like Muriel.
The blurb would tell you that she was born in Witchaven, a Scottish fishing village, and that she “intends to die there”. It would also tell you that “an overseas property developer threatens to evict the residents from their homes and raze Witchaven to the ground”. But embedded between those lines, you see, is the heartwarming and heart wrenching story of the villagers, the purity of simple living and harmony with nature.
And covered in all that gut and blood and gore is a story about greed, ambition and desperation.
That kind of story is classic, with a message so simple, yet so powerful.
Sure, rich people love money above all else and they do whatever they can to get more of it, common decency and human lives be damned. They just walk right up to you and smack you in the face with the fact that “laws don’t apply to the rich” (12). But Muriel is powerful too. She’s not afraid to fight back and say that “men like that – rich men, with no morals – did whatever it took to get ahead. They lied and cheated their way to the top, treading all over the little people beneath them without a care”, and then, with sad eyes, she sees the consequences of that behavior to the world around her and concludes that “A man with no respect for nature was the worst type of man.” And as such, “she would never understand someone who could walk through Witchaven and not feel their heart sing”. (32-33)
This message is carried on throughout the whole story, and I’d say that it’s one of the better characteristics of the book as well as its weakest feature. The fight against greed, against the “unnatural sounds” of capitalism, its invasion of privacy and encroachment on nature makes me invested in Witchhaven and Muriel, makes we want to fight for her, with her, makes me engrossed in the story. But the rich and the greedy are all basic caricatures here, fueled by judgmental views about them, devoid of any nuance, any sympathy and redeeming qualities. Had the rest of the story not been so rich with romance and passionately aggrandized with gore and otherworldly violence, I’d eventually grow tired of it, but I never did, because Muriel is the embodiment of longing and sweet memories, of having something to fight for, of finding a reason to live.
Indeed, let’s not forget that she’s old. And old age is most likely just a distant, vague, illusory state of being far into the future to many of us. But we might even fear it too. A lot. Thanks to Sodergren, though, and thanks to Muriel, I’m convinced that, when the time comes, I can decide to be so much more than my weakening body, that I can dare to venture beyond my physical age. As long as I have my memories, my willpower, my love, I can still live a meaningful life and fulfill new dreams and, as one other reviewer said, “trick American capitalists into my bathtub to feed my blobby friend” anytime I want!
May 5, 2022
4.5 stars. Sodergren has created one of my favourite characters of his in The Haar. Muriel is a fab wee badass granny!!
August 14, 2025
August 2025's horror theme over in the HORROR or HEAVEN Goodreads group is Indie Horror. We had a couple of great contenders that came too close to call in the voting. So I read them both!
The Haar is a short and intense novel that takes place on the shores of Scotland. The main character, Muriel, is a firecracker! It's great to see leading ladies in horror over the age of twenty-something! Muriel is decidedly beyond her 20s. She's lived a happy life until the love of her life was lost at sea. She decided to remain in her home until a rich developer from America comes to her small town, determined to buy the townspeople out and turn the town into a golf course. Muriel isn't going to stand for it! And The Haar tells her story of resistance and resilience.
I enjoyed the beginning of the book. Getting acquainted with Muriel and her backstory was fun. Once we got into the heart of the story, I lost momentum. There were a few reasons my interest waned a bit. Other than our feisty leading lady, the remaining characters felt very flat. Of course, this book is on the shorter side, so there isn't a lot of room to flesh out the characters. But I personally need that in my reading. I want to know what drives these characters! There was plenty of blood and gore for those who enjoy it. But after reading The Black Farm, this one felt a bit tame. Perhaps I should have started with The Haar this month.
These are definitely not things that ruined my enjoyment! I just wanted to enjoy it even more. A couple of things that I did enjoy include: Muriel, of course. The cover! Sodergren gives a shoutout to the artist in his comments at the end of the book. The ending - it wasn't anything I was expecting and it was perfect (in my opinion, of course). The addition of Sodergren's grandmother's notes at the very end. It was endearing to get to know a little more about the life behind the woman who loosely inspired the character I loved so much.
So, you see, I enjoyed more about the book than I didn't. I'm rating The Haar a solid 4 stars! I'll definitely be checking out more of Sodergren's writing!
The Haar is a short and intense novel that takes place on the shores of Scotland. The main character, Muriel, is a firecracker! It's great to see leading ladies in horror over the age of twenty-something! Muriel is decidedly beyond her 20s. She's lived a happy life until the love of her life was lost at sea. She decided to remain in her home until a rich developer from America comes to her small town, determined to buy the townspeople out and turn the town into a golf course. Muriel isn't going to stand for it! And The Haar tells her story of resistance and resilience.
I enjoyed the beginning of the book. Getting acquainted with Muriel and her backstory was fun. Once we got into the heart of the story, I lost momentum. There were a few reasons my interest waned a bit. Other than our feisty leading lady, the remaining characters felt very flat. Of course, this book is on the shorter side, so there isn't a lot of room to flesh out the characters. But I personally need that in my reading. I want to know what drives these characters! There was plenty of blood and gore for those who enjoy it. But after reading The Black Farm, this one felt a bit tame. Perhaps I should have started with The Haar this month.
These are definitely not things that ruined my enjoyment! I just wanted to enjoy it even more. A couple of things that I did enjoy include: Muriel, of course. The cover! Sodergren gives a shoutout to the artist in his comments at the end of the book. The ending - it wasn't anything I was expecting and it was perfect (in my opinion, of course). The addition of Sodergren's grandmother's notes at the very end. It was endearing to get to know a little more about the life behind the woman who loosely inspired the character I loved so much.
So, you see, I enjoyed more about the book than I didn't. I'm rating The Haar a solid 4 stars! I'll definitely be checking out more of Sodergren's writing!
March 27, 2025
This is a cunning romance wrapped in a folk horror story, with a bit of splatter punk and cosmic horror thrown in for spice. The setting and atmosphere were great, you could feel the grit of the sand, smell the salt in the breeze, and hear the sputtering cacophony of heartless greed. The main character feels wonderfully realized and complete, genuine and complicated. The ancillary characters have less depth, but they also fit into the story well. The other villagers, and the brief visit with family, make this story feel cozy and comfortable, none of them being extraordinarily complicated but all of them fitting into just the right grooves for the story to move ahead. The antagonists are a little heavy-handed and cartoonish, but, given the world we live in, they don’t actually feel fake or unbelievable. We don’t get to spend enough time with them to really get to their depths, but maybe there isn’t a whole lot deeper than greed and avarice, and again that worked for me. The writing worked with the setting to really give the folk horror vibes, and it was really effective. Descriptive and fast-moving, with just enough of the saccharine poetry of an ol’ timer reflecting on her life to make everything feel of a piece. The pacing was efficient, combining a legitimate sense of peril with moments of unexpected joy and then visceral retribution…. Because, yeah, there are a few outbursts of incredibly graphic violence… But those too, while over the top and happily lurid, felt balanced and had just enough viscera and chunky fluids to keep you grinning, punctuating the actual heartfelt lifelong romance that is the beating heart of the story. If you are sensitive to a touch of gore then there might be a few scenes that test your limits, I will grant that. However, underneath the splatter is a really simple but wonderful story, that actually packs an emotional punch. More importantly, it is quick, to the point, and fun. Great atmosphere, a main character you want to spend more time, tight writing and plotting, as well as heart and bodily fluids in roughly equal measure.
(Rounded up from 4.5)
(Rounded up from 4.5)
October 1, 2023
Started badly, got worse.
So many points I could raise, but in short it’s just like a very cheesy 80’s action film, full of cliche and hammy writing. Parts were just so clunky.
It literally makes no sense in places.
You keep getting sucked out of the story by ham-fisted metaphors and very convenient simplistic short-cuts.
By way of an example, three boys go to commit an arson they are paid handsomely for. They then realise someone is in the house they are burning so they douse him with petrol, beat him up and set fire to him. They do this without a seconds thought like suddenly becoming a murderer is akin to deciding last minute at a fast food restaurant that you want chicken rather than a burger. The fire is then blamed on the fact the deceased was a smoker, because fire officers wouldn’t be able to detect the use of an accelerant 😂
The main character is in turn a very frail 84 year old then able to lift heavy weights, kick over a wheelbarrow, do things a healthy person half her age wouldn’t be able to.
Every bad character has zero redeeming features. 100% bad. No nuance.
Afraid to say I pretty much dislike every aspect of the novel.
So many points I could raise, but in short it’s just like a very cheesy 80’s action film, full of cliche and hammy writing. Parts were just so clunky.
It literally makes no sense in places.
You keep getting sucked out of the story by ham-fisted metaphors and very convenient simplistic short-cuts.
By way of an example, three boys go to commit an arson they are paid handsomely for. They then realise someone is in the house they are burning so they douse him with petrol, beat him up and set fire to him. They do this without a seconds thought like suddenly becoming a murderer is akin to deciding last minute at a fast food restaurant that you want chicken rather than a burger. The fire is then blamed on the fact the deceased was a smoker, because fire officers wouldn’t be able to detect the use of an accelerant 😂
The main character is in turn a very frail 84 year old then able to lift heavy weights, kick over a wheelbarrow, do things a healthy person half her age wouldn’t be able to.
Every bad character has zero redeeming features. 100% bad. No nuance.
Afraid to say I pretty much dislike every aspect of the novel.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 23, 2023
Wow. I think I just found my new favorite gory horror author. With just 200 pages, Sodergren delivers a kickass Scottish granny, octogenarian Muriel McAuley, one of the last holdouts in a tiny seaside village refusing to sell out to the golf course loving American developer. As things go from bad to worse for Mrs. McAuley, she discovers a strange new ally left behind in the Haar, the thick Scottish mist that covers the shoreline.
It's pretty darn rare for seniors to play the starring role in this type of story. And I find it rarer still for an author to blend the goriest descriptions of death and dying with some very heartfelt, even charming love scenes. It's a book that's dedicated to the author's granny, with the fitting inclusion of her memoir at the end, featuring a Scottish granny that won't give up her home or her memories. I was rooting for our plucky heroine, even as the death count rose, penises were liquefied, and the lawyer's head pops off like a balloon detached from a stick.
Wow, again.
It's pretty darn rare for seniors to play the starring role in this type of story. And I find it rarer still for an author to blend the goriest descriptions of death and dying with some very heartfelt, even charming love scenes. It's a book that's dedicated to the author's granny, with the fitting inclusion of her memoir at the end, featuring a Scottish granny that won't give up her home or her memories. I was rooting for our plucky heroine, even as the death count rose, penises were liquefied, and the lawyer's head pops off like a balloon detached from a stick.
Wow, again.
September 30, 2024
This was such a win for me. It takes place in coastal Scotland. The FMC, Muriel, is everything I could want from a lead. She is scrappy and takes no crap from anyone. The story read to me like a demented fairytale. It is gory, yet romantic. It is enraging, yet sweet. I loved it. I love Muriel. I hate all the rich a-holes from this US-based development company. This atmosphere is divine. This is my first read by this author and will certainly not be my last. One of my favorite horror novels I've read this year.
November 4, 2025
I wasn't expecting to be so moved by a horror novel, but THE HAAR was amazing. Set in Scotland, this is a story about Muriel, an eighty-four-year old widow who is currently fighting a corrupt billionaire for the rights to her land. This is actually a lot like that beginning part of Up, when Carl is fighting to hold on to his house and the men who want to develop it keep getting increasingly aggressive and devious.
Of course, it helps if you befriend a bloodthirsty shape-shifting sea monster that can take on the form of your dead husband.
THE HAAR is a horror story but it is also a love story. I wouldn't call it a romance, exactly, because the ending is a little melancholy, but I think it has a lot of parallels with monster romances where the villains of the story are actually-- shocked gasp-- humans. We also stan a sea monster king who literally eats the rich.
I used to live in Scotland and the descriptions of its raw beauty here remind me of why I used to love it so. I also thought that the author did a great job writing an older heroine with the dignity she deserves. Apparently parts of her are loosely based on the author's own grandmother, and he included a snippet from her own memoirs at the end.
4.5 stars
Of course, it helps if you befriend a bloodthirsty shape-shifting sea monster that can take on the form of your dead husband.
THE HAAR is a horror story but it is also a love story. I wouldn't call it a romance, exactly, because the ending is a little melancholy, but I think it has a lot of parallels with monster romances where the villains of the story are actually-- shocked gasp-- humans. We also stan a sea monster king who literally eats the rich.
I used to live in Scotland and the descriptions of its raw beauty here remind me of why I used to love it so. I also thought that the author did a great job writing an older heroine with the dignity she deserves. Apparently parts of her are loosely based on the author's own grandmother, and he included a snippet from her own memoirs at the end.
4.5 stars
March 17, 2024
THE HAAR [2022] By DAVID SODERGREN
MY REVIEW 5.0 STARS OUT OF 5
This was my first brush with the writing of Scotland’s David Sodergren. Frankly, I was impressed. Ironically it is slotted into Occult Horror/Fiction like Black River Orchard I just reviewed. That, however, is where any semblance ends.
The plot reminded me of a writer snatching a common tragedy out of the newspaper, and just changing the location and the name of the ruthless property developer. In this case Sodergren sets the reader down in the Scottish fishing village of Witchaven and offers up the could-be-tragic-but-isn’t protagonist of Muriel McAuley. The antagonists are the soulless property thieves trying to vacate lifelong residents out of their homes and out of town. These developers are ruthless and unafraid to dish out harm and even murder to empty the village and raise the houses to the ground when bribes do not work.
Oh—the title of the novel [“The Haar”] is the mysterious, spooky fog bank that creeps inland. This outing by Sodergren has been called “a gore-soaked folk horror fairy tale” and also been deemed “romantic and deranged.” Tell the truth and shame the devil. It is all of that and SO much more. I REALLY liked it.
This is a tender tale of an aging widow named Muriel who still yearns for her beloved husband who was lost at sea long ago. Muriel is kind, level-headed, and realistic about her predicament and its likely negative outcome. One day she rescues a poor sea creature who had become stranded on the beach and was slowly dying.
How the heck can I elaborate very much without letting the cat out of the bag (not really a “cat” to be fair). This is a marvelous horror story. It has all the blood, gore, and violence you could want in a horror novel, and yet it manages to pull your heart strings until they almost snap, sniff, sniff (tissues, please!)
I can only say that the Scottish author may have grabbed a generic tale of unethical if not lethal property developers taking the elderly people’s homes away but he handled it like a piece of clay and molded it into one Helluva intense, moving, and unforgettable tale.
This novel is a respectable 206 pages and the author perfectly paces the action and the plot twists. His character development is well done and the spunky character of Muriel is a delight and an inspiration. I loved the plot, the twists and turns, and the ending in particular. I liked it very much. A horror story with humor, romance, and all the blood and gore you could manage. Well written and an intriguing read. I have no criticisms at all. Hey! Why did I rate this one 4.0 Stars? Let me correct that momentary lapse in judgment. It was before I wrote my review and thought about it some more.
TERRIFIC TALE OF HUMAN EVIL AND SECOND CHANCES FROM THE SEA
MY REVIEW 5.0 STARS OUT OF 5
This was my first brush with the writing of Scotland’s David Sodergren. Frankly, I was impressed. Ironically it is slotted into Occult Horror/Fiction like Black River Orchard I just reviewed. That, however, is where any semblance ends.
The plot reminded me of a writer snatching a common tragedy out of the newspaper, and just changing the location and the name of the ruthless property developer. In this case Sodergren sets the reader down in the Scottish fishing village of Witchaven and offers up the could-be-tragic-but-isn’t protagonist of Muriel McAuley. The antagonists are the soulless property thieves trying to vacate lifelong residents out of their homes and out of town. These developers are ruthless and unafraid to dish out harm and even murder to empty the village and raise the houses to the ground when bribes do not work.
Oh—the title of the novel [“The Haar”] is the mysterious, spooky fog bank that creeps inland. This outing by Sodergren has been called “a gore-soaked folk horror fairy tale” and also been deemed “romantic and deranged.” Tell the truth and shame the devil. It is all of that and SO much more. I REALLY liked it.
This is a tender tale of an aging widow named Muriel who still yearns for her beloved husband who was lost at sea long ago. Muriel is kind, level-headed, and realistic about her predicament and its likely negative outcome. One day she rescues a poor sea creature who had become stranded on the beach and was slowly dying.
How the heck can I elaborate very much without letting the cat out of the bag (not really a “cat” to be fair). This is a marvelous horror story. It has all the blood, gore, and violence you could want in a horror novel, and yet it manages to pull your heart strings until they almost snap, sniff, sniff (tissues, please!)
I can only say that the Scottish author may have grabbed a generic tale of unethical if not lethal property developers taking the elderly people’s homes away but he handled it like a piece of clay and molded it into one Helluva intense, moving, and unforgettable tale.
This novel is a respectable 206 pages and the author perfectly paces the action and the plot twists. His character development is well done and the spunky character of Muriel is a delight and an inspiration. I loved the plot, the twists and turns, and the ending in particular. I liked it very much. A horror story with humor, romance, and all the blood and gore you could manage. Well written and an intriguing read. I have no criticisms at all. Hey! Why did I rate this one 4.0 Stars? Let me correct that momentary lapse in judgment. It was before I wrote my review and thought about it some more.
TERRIFIC TALE OF HUMAN EVIL AND SECOND CHANCES FROM THE SEA
October 31, 2023
I am at a loss for words after wasting two days of my life reading this novel.
I want to begin this review by stating what i thought it would be about and how every page i turned slowly crushed and destroyed my enthusiasm and excitement about The Haar. Quickly reading the blurb and admiring the gorgeous cover designed by Trevor Henderson i anticipated a nautical horror novel featuring a folk cyclops monster that was slimy, bloody and hungry. I anticipated a village cutoff from modern civilization and a lot of prey in the form of helpless teenagers + maybe some farm animals. A quick gory read.
What I got in this quick 200 page fan fiction was soft core porn teetering upon young adult tumblr wattapad fetish drama and sci-fi horror. There is a monster, it is an over glorified jellyfish. There are victims, they are corporate…. criminals? And hired hitmen? There is a village…. it is 90% bought out to become a Hilton Resort… This book was nothing , a disappointment. The monster was not even a monster… it was a romantic and a gentleman.
Despite the plot not being exactly what i expected, the writing is immature and lazy. There is a lot that doesn’t make sense and there is a lot that did not need to be written. The main protagonist is a 90 year old woman and it doesn’t feel right to have antagonists calling her a c*nt or a b*tch. There didnt need to be any kind of sex in this novel . . . especially the kind that was in this novel. . .Talk about shape of water meets bestgore dot com. This Riverdale monster romance of a story felt like it was written by a high schooler with a porn addiction who likes punk rock. The only redeeming quality to The Haar were the kill scenes. They were gnarly but not cool enough to earn this book more than one star. I do appreciate the author’s desire to stick it to the man but even so the man got off too easy. If a henchman can get turned inside out like a meat glove why does the big bad only get a bullet? That isn’t justice… its blue balls.
I feel nervous for anyone that has to personally interact with the author in real life. . . the unhinged nature of The Haar ruined my mood upon finishing it but i still would probably try to read another book by David Sodergren to see if another novel of his can top this horror tragedy.
I want to begin this review by stating what i thought it would be about and how every page i turned slowly crushed and destroyed my enthusiasm and excitement about The Haar. Quickly reading the blurb and admiring the gorgeous cover designed by Trevor Henderson i anticipated a nautical horror novel featuring a folk cyclops monster that was slimy, bloody and hungry. I anticipated a village cutoff from modern civilization and a lot of prey in the form of helpless teenagers + maybe some farm animals. A quick gory read.
What I got in this quick 200 page fan fiction was soft core porn teetering upon young adult tumblr wattapad fetish drama and sci-fi horror. There is a monster, it is an over glorified jellyfish. There are victims, they are corporate…. criminals? And hired hitmen? There is a village…. it is 90% bought out to become a Hilton Resort… This book was nothing , a disappointment. The monster was not even a monster… it was a romantic and a gentleman.
Despite the plot not being exactly what i expected, the writing is immature and lazy. There is a lot that doesn’t make sense and there is a lot that did not need to be written. The main protagonist is a 90 year old woman and it doesn’t feel right to have antagonists calling her a c*nt or a b*tch. There didnt need to be any kind of sex in this novel . . . especially the kind that was in this novel. . .Talk about shape of water meets bestgore dot com. This Riverdale monster romance of a story felt like it was written by a high schooler with a porn addiction who likes punk rock. The only redeeming quality to The Haar were the kill scenes. They were gnarly but not cool enough to earn this book more than one star. I do appreciate the author’s desire to stick it to the man but even so the man got off too easy. If a henchman can get turned inside out like a meat glove why does the big bad only get a bullet? That isn’t justice… its blue balls.
I feel nervous for anyone that has to personally interact with the author in real life. . . the unhinged nature of The Haar ruined my mood upon finishing it but i still would probably try to read another book by David Sodergren to see if another novel of his can top this horror tragedy.
January 11, 2025
4⭐️s
Sometimes I’m like a slimy, vampiric, eternal sea creature. At least that’s what my wife tells me. I can’t tell if she’s being serious. She usually is.
This book ripped.
Sodergren’s books move with haste and determination, like once I begin, I’m incapable of extracting myself from its lure. This one was no different. Maggie’s Grave is still my favorite, but this comes in right behind it.
The good…
I love Muriel. She is an incredible antagonist, and I feel like I got to know her within a few short pages. The storyline here is compelling, the creature work is vivid and vibrant. The villains are abominable, and rooting for their bloody downfall is far too easy.
The less good…
Not much to say here. I have yet to find a Sodergen book I don’t love.
To read, or not to read…
Go read. Fit it in between longer books for a great change of pace book will a lasting effect
Sometimes I’m like a slimy, vampiric, eternal sea creature. At least that’s what my wife tells me. I can’t tell if she’s being serious. She usually is.
This book ripped.
Sodergren’s books move with haste and determination, like once I begin, I’m incapable of extracting myself from its lure. This one was no different. Maggie’s Grave is still my favorite, but this comes in right behind it.
The good…
I love Muriel. She is an incredible antagonist, and I feel like I got to know her within a few short pages. The storyline here is compelling, the creature work is vivid and vibrant. The villains are abominable, and rooting for their bloody downfall is far too easy.
The less good…
Not much to say here. I have yet to find a Sodergen book I don’t love.
To read, or not to read…
Go read. Fit it in between longer books for a great change of pace book will a lasting effect
August 17, 2025
This was silly, gross, and fun; a horror novel with heart ♥️
September 10, 2025
4/4.25 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Ebook format 📖
A creature feature but with Scottish curse words and lots of blood and guts?! Hell yes.
Can we also get more elderly characters in horror books and movies? I love you Muriel Margaret McAuley! ❤️💕
Ebook format 📖
A creature feature but with Scottish curse words and lots of blood and guts?! Hell yes.
Can we also get more elderly characters in horror books and movies? I love you Muriel Margaret McAuley! ❤️💕
August 30, 2025
Not what I was expecting at all. Whilst it did have moments where the descriptions of body horror were interesting, outside of that I was…bored?
March 7, 2023
What a strange, gruesome and moving mix of folk horror, cosmic horror, revenge thriller and bizarre romance. Mrs. McAuley is a great heroine.
July 13, 2025
Full recipe to follow once I’m done being sick
August 5, 2024
Muriel Margaret McAuley was eighty-four years old the first time she saw a man turned inside-out by a sea monster. You might think it would bother a woman of her age, but, as Muriel was fond of saying, she had seen a lot in her eighty-four short years.
I've had friends recommending David Sodergren's books to me for ages, and I've always been interested in them, but it was just one of those things that I never quite got around to until now. I'm so happy to have finally picked this book up, though, because Sodergren has a new fan in me and I can't wait to read everything he's written so far!
Muriel is such an incredible main character. I adore elderly women as main characters anyway, but I don't think I've ever seen one who was quite so incredible as a horror book's protagonist. She's such an easy character to empathize with and to root for, especially given how terrible the villains in her story are. I loved the story, the setting, and the strange, slimy Avalon so very much and I'm sad this book is over. I wasn't ready to say goodbye to Muriel's character and I can easily see this as a book I would want to revisit in the future just to spend more time with her.
Buddy read with Malli! ♥
✨ Representation: gay side characters
✨ Content warnings for:
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May 9, 2023
I had really high hopes for this book but sadly it was a huge letdown. I admit I had different expectations to what the story was going to be about and what it’d entail. Had I known it was about an elderly woman becoming obsessed with a jelly creature and pretending it’s her husband - I would’ve never picked the book up.
Sadly this is the exact king of plot or trope (?) that I hate with a passion. The widow left behind and stumbles upon something they feel connects them with their old partner and now their whole story and personality revolves around this love story that has already ended long since the story began and we have to be force fed their romance while the widow spirals into this delusion in order to ignore their problems. The worst part is the ending. We never know what really happened to Muriel’s husband but that’s okay. She decides to spend the rest of her life with the jelly thing in the ocean and just pretend that’s her real husband. Isn’t that great!? No, not really. That’s terrible! Why would she want that for herself? It feels so out of character as well. Despite how much she wants the jelly thing to be her husband she is aware that he actually isn’t him. Therefore shouldn’t she be embracing death and possibly actually having a chance to reconnect with her REAL husband in the afterlife? Instead of settling for sea jello?
Muriel is a likable character at first but like I said. I abhor characters that make their personality solely based on someone they love. So once she starts becoming infatuated with the sea jello she became less likable and all the more detestable. To the point that I was no longer rooting for her and was beginning to lose sympathy for her. Is she a bad person? No. Not at all. But she does become increasingly annoying as the plot continues and again the obsession and her sole goal being to just be able to peacefully hold a sea creature in her house and have it shape shift into her husband so she can play house with it - it’s just not my jam. Her sadness is completely understandable and valid. However the lengths she goes through to keep her delusions alive does come off as rather pathetic. It’s one thing to miss your husband. It’s another to keep a sea creature alive and beg it to cosplay as your hubby cause you have unresolved issues.
Despite the amount of times I have been ragging on the sea creature, I actually do like him. I think Arthur and Avalon (the creature) are the only likable characters in this book. The gore scenes involving Avalon were the best parts of the books. That as well as the fire scene with Arthur. They’re well written and the imagery was perfect. It also happens to be the only interesting parts in this book. Avalon and his characterization carried the plot on his back. Being able to explore him as a creature but still keep some aspects hidden was great! It helped keep the allure and what he’s capable of in the dark. Which made it all the more interesting to read about.
However the interest stops there. This isn’t necessarily a horror novel, I’d personally say. It does have horror elements but it’s mostly about a elderly woman coming to terms with her grief and regrets. The gore just spices it up a little but not a whole lot. It really is a drama more than anything. I wish there was more to say but looking back at it there really isn’t much to say.
That’s kind of literally all that happens in the book. Other than the obvious plot of being forced out of their cottage homes and such. It really is just about a woman not wanting to give up her house, still trying to process the loss of her husband, and constant repetitions about how she’s not afraid of death. Which confuses me all the more about the ending unless I’m interpreting it wrong?
Sadly this was set up not to be my cup of tea from the very beginning. It’s main plot is a trope I don’t like and I had gotten the wrong impression upon what the book would be about and what would take place. So when it wasn’t that, I was heavily disappointed and turned off. So that’s my bad. I can see more open minded people who don’t share my sentiments about tropes like this, actually liking this. Its not a bad book. Just not really my taste nor what I was looking for in terms of strictly being a horror novel.
Sadly this is the exact king of plot or trope (?) that I hate with a passion. The widow left behind and stumbles upon something they feel connects them with their old partner and now their whole story and personality revolves around this love story that has already ended long since the story began and we have to be force fed their romance while the widow spirals into this delusion in order to ignore their problems. The worst part is the ending. We never know what really happened to Muriel’s husband but that’s okay. She decides to spend the rest of her life with the jelly thing in the ocean and just pretend that’s her real husband. Isn’t that great!? No, not really. That’s terrible! Why would she want that for herself? It feels so out of character as well. Despite how much she wants the jelly thing to be her husband she is aware that he actually isn’t him. Therefore shouldn’t she be embracing death and possibly actually having a chance to reconnect with her REAL husband in the afterlife? Instead of settling for sea jello?
Muriel is a likable character at first but like I said. I abhor characters that make their personality solely based on someone they love. So once she starts becoming infatuated with the sea jello she became less likable and all the more detestable. To the point that I was no longer rooting for her and was beginning to lose sympathy for her. Is she a bad person? No. Not at all. But she does become increasingly annoying as the plot continues and again the obsession and her sole goal being to just be able to peacefully hold a sea creature in her house and have it shape shift into her husband so she can play house with it - it’s just not my jam. Her sadness is completely understandable and valid. However the lengths she goes through to keep her delusions alive does come off as rather pathetic. It’s one thing to miss your husband. It’s another to keep a sea creature alive and beg it to cosplay as your hubby cause you have unresolved issues.
Despite the amount of times I have been ragging on the sea creature, I actually do like him. I think Arthur and Avalon (the creature) are the only likable characters in this book. The gore scenes involving Avalon were the best parts of the books. That as well as the fire scene with Arthur. They’re well written and the imagery was perfect. It also happens to be the only interesting parts in this book. Avalon and his characterization carried the plot on his back. Being able to explore him as a creature but still keep some aspects hidden was great! It helped keep the allure and what he’s capable of in the dark. Which made it all the more interesting to read about.
However the interest stops there. This isn’t necessarily a horror novel, I’d personally say. It does have horror elements but it’s mostly about a elderly woman coming to terms with her grief and regrets. The gore just spices it up a little but not a whole lot. It really is a drama more than anything. I wish there was more to say but looking back at it there really isn’t much to say.
That’s kind of literally all that happens in the book. Other than the obvious plot of being forced out of their cottage homes and such. It really is just about a woman not wanting to give up her house, still trying to process the loss of her husband, and constant repetitions about how she’s not afraid of death. Which confuses me all the more about the ending unless I’m interpreting it wrong?
Sadly this was set up not to be my cup of tea from the very beginning. It’s main plot is a trope I don’t like and I had gotten the wrong impression upon what the book would be about and what would take place. So when it wasn’t that, I was heavily disappointed and turned off. So that’s my bad. I can see more open minded people who don’t share my sentiments about tropes like this, actually liking this. Its not a bad book. Just not really my taste nor what I was looking for in terms of strictly being a horror novel.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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