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Disturbance
A spellbinding, genre-bending debut that follows a woman’s attempt to heal from an abusive relationship―with the help of black magic.
As the sun sets on a feverishly hot July evening, a young woman spies on her teenage neighbor, transfixed by what looks like an occult ritual intended to banish an ex-boyfriend. Alone in a new town and desperate to expel the claustrophobic memories of her own ex that have followed, the narrator decides to try to hex herself free from her past. She falls in with the neighbor and her witchy friend, exploring nascent supernatural powers as the boundaries of reality shift in and out of focus. But when the creaks and hums of her apartment escalate into something more violent, she realizes that she may have brought her boyfriend’s presence―whether psychological or paranormal―back to haunt her.
With astonishing emotional depth and clarity, Disturbance explores the fallout of abuse. Propulsive and wry, this razor-sharp debut twists witchcraft and horror into a powerful narrative of one woman’s struggle to return to herself.
As the sun sets on a feverishly hot July evening, a young woman spies on her teenage neighbor, transfixed by what looks like an occult ritual intended to banish an ex-boyfriend. Alone in a new town and desperate to expel the claustrophobic memories of her own ex that have followed, the narrator decides to try to hex herself free from her past. She falls in with the neighbor and her witchy friend, exploring nascent supernatural powers as the boundaries of reality shift in and out of focus. But when the creaks and hums of her apartment escalate into something more violent, she realizes that she may have brought her boyfriend’s presence―whether psychological or paranormal―back to haunt her.
With astonishing emotional depth and clarity, Disturbance explores the fallout of abuse. Propulsive and wry, this razor-sharp debut twists witchcraft and horror into a powerful narrative of one woman’s struggle to return to herself.
224 pages, Paperback
First published June 8, 2023
22 people are currently reading
5671 people want to read
About the author
Jenna Clake
7 books28 followersJenna Clake is the author of the novel Disturbance and two collections of poetry, Museum of Ice Cream and Fortune Cookie, which received an Eric Gregory Award and was shortlisted for a Somerset Maugham Award. She lives in Newcastle upon Tyne, England.
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September 10, 2024
‘One need not be a chamber to be haunted; One need not be a house,’ wrote the poet Emily Dickinson, ‘the brain has corridors surpassing Material place.’ Sometimes the most sinister spectors are the ones that stalk our own thoughts, casting shadows to transform everyday reality in anxious shades. Such are the concerns in Jenna Clake’s unsettling debut novel, Disturbance, where the unnamed narrator finds the past doesn’t always stay dead. Befriending her teenage neighbor in hopes of freeing her from the abusive trap she sees in the younger girl’s off-and-on-again relationship with a boy who treats her cruelly, the narrator and teenager play at witchcraft to ward off their respective former boyfriends. But instead of expelling him, she is assailed by constant memories of his abuse to the point where her flat itself seems out to get her. Clake’s work as a poet is evident in the way she infuses such emotion and fluidity into her prose that spirals us through this chilling portrait of an abuse survivor. Perhaps the most disturbing aspects of Disturbance is the way it navigates the course of both emotional abuse and all the horrific manipulation, gaslighting and isolating that occurs, the kind that doesn’t leave bruises on the skin but can bruise one’s sense of self and emotional state for years to come. It is an important subject to address as 1 in 3 women experience physical violence by a partner during their lifetime with women age 18 to 24 experiencing it most commonly. Disturbance is a story that reads like a poignant cacophony of images and events that illuminate a very real tragedy that afflicts women all over, and Clake handles the story with grace as we hold our breath in the face of ghosts that haunting the mind that are more fearsome than any apparition could ever be.
‘I knew how sinister surprises can be’
While Disturbance is a horror story, it is not one in the way you expect. While there are suspenseful moments of things that go bump in the night and a literal monster central to the story, it is more of a psychological bent and the monster dresses in work clothes and hangs out with his buddies at the bar while texting women who aren’t his girlfriend. This can be a very triggering story with all the focus on emotional and physical abuse by an intimate partner (and, by proxy, this review may be because of that and if this is a concern in your own life, there are international resources for help I encourage you to check out) , but this is a horror story that befalls women everywhere. 55% of all homicides against women are committed by an intimate partner and 89% are committed by men they knew. As is shown in the novel, it is not always easy to leave an abusive situation as the most dangerous time is right after leaving a partner. 75% of domestic violence related homicides occur during a separation and there is a 75% increase of violence for at least two years after the separation. Most distressing is homicide by an abusive intimate partner during a separation increases by 500% if the partner has access to a firearm. Not to be disturbing, just that is an important factor to note not just going into this book but to be aware of in society in general.
I really enjoyed how much this story occurs in the atmosphere of the everyday. An aspect of horror Stephen King excels at is placing terror in situations that should otherwise seem safe in a horror story—like a sunny afternoon or public place—and Clake deftly captures that vibe. Around our narrator is a seemingly idyllic summer (there are mentions of children laughing while playing with hoses and other warm, summery depictions) and I love that there is a subplot threaded through of neighbors renovating a house and being all excited to show the narrator their updates (which touches on the aspects of social media I’ll discuss in a moment), yet we find her hidden inside her small flat physically ill from anxiety and seeing everything around her as threatening. But are the lights flickering due to a supernatural menace or is the bulb simply burning out? We see how there is a very real PTSD from abusive relationships that reconfigure our perceptions on reality and make a person wary of almost anything. Even Eddie, her new friend from work, who is nothing but affable and supportive, gives her fears she has acted poorly in ways that will make him lash out against her. Eddie is such a sweetheart and I adore him, and I especially appreciate that Clake shows how adult men and women can be supportive and caring of each other in ways that aren’t expressly romantic or even need to lead to romance.
‘I felt like I was living in the stomach of some awful creature.’
Central to the story is the narrator’s relationship with Chelsea, the teenage neighbor. When she witnesses Chelsea performing a ritual to ward off her boyfriend during one of the breakups, the narrator decides to investigate witchcraft and try it herself. She falls ill after her attempt and suddenly her living space seems hostile. ‘The flat had a constant aura of an impending visitor,’ she observes and the eerie sounds and flood of memories about her ex-boyfriend makes her ‘worried if he’d died and was haunting me or learned where I lived and cursed the flat.’ But is it witchcraft or are the teen girls she befriends merely playing at witchcraft. I do really love these characters, they feel so real and in their short spaces personify youthful struggles in such an effective way. Chelsea’s boyfriend is indeed a piece of shit but we also have to wonder if the narrator is taking a map of her own abuse and super-imposing it over what she assums is Chelsea’s situation. Iit should be noted, however, that even if a boy isn’t physically violent he can still be abusive and something like trying to make her jealous with other girls or being generally dismissive is not okay either—people can just be bad for you without there having to be any dramatic scar to show.
‘I could right things if I tired. I had the power to do that.’
It is fascinating to watch the narrator try to find empowerment and always feeling it is the wrong fit. She feels ‘too big’ for the chair in the therapist office which is not unlike feeling too old to hang with Chelsea and Jess. But she craves something that will make her feel in control, hence the attraction to the teen girls fixation with witchcraft. ‘She looked powerful, untouchable,’ she thinks about Jess during one of their spell attempts, ‘and I wanted to believe that I would be to if I did this and it worked.’ I think this plays into how there has been a large resurgence of interest in witchcraft: it is symbolic of women’s empowerment but it also an avenue to feel one can have control over the chaos in life. With the religion of past generations one would pray to ask for assistance whereas with witchcraft you feel you are taking matters into your own hands, which makes you feel powerful and I see how this enhances feelings of self worth. Which is especially enticing to someone with unhealthy struggles with self worth. While the magic may not actually work out here, it sort of functions as the narrator’s first attempt to believe in themselves, and that is cool. I also really appreciated the ways Clake makes you unsure for awhile if this is a book where magic will exist or not, something I recently loved about The Last Tale of the Flower Bride and found effectively used again here.
In her memories, we see a narrative of abuse that is sadly altogether too common. He isolates her from her friends by claiming they are mean to him (attacking her for not respecting his past of being bullied when she tries to dispute this), and only allows her to exist in a world he can control with mutual friends who tell her not to hurt him because he is “such a nice guy.” She knows the truth but it is a truth he keeps hidden from the world.
He stays out late, accuses her of causing any bad mood, calls her stupid, and makes her feel she is unbearable and that everything is her fault. We also see one of the biggest move in an abuser’s playbook: DARVO, which stands for deny, attack, reverse victim and offender. He portrays their relationship to her in a way that makes her question her every action and feel she wouldn’t be abused (both emotionally and physically) ‘if I just behaved.’ She has no allies in this situation as he navigates every social moment to portray her as unhinged and their friends nod knowingly when they fight as if he is the victim despite her not even knowing why he is attacking her. And amidst all this, she dare not question the barrage of texts from unknown women, because, as as the great Beyonce sang: ‘whats worst, looking jealous or crazy?’ Because society only seems to allow women to be seen as one or the other in the face of a cheating partner.
Another point that should be stressed is this can happen to anyone. It is brushed off in society far too often that it occurs to women who can’t stick up for themselves but this is far from true. I think Trevor Noah said it best when he explained something his mother once said, that abusive men usually don’t ‘[fall] in love with subservient women. He's attracted to independent women. He's like an exotic bird collector, he only wants a woman who is free because his dream is to put her in a cage.’ Not recognizing this is how a lot of abuse slips through the cracks or gets dismissed as attention grabbing or lies. We need to do better.
You begin to see why the narrator is never named: she doesn’t feel she deserves one even in her own narrative. She assesses every situation as if she is the problem, always second guesses herself, always assumes that in every interaction the other person will likely respond angrily because she is incapable of interacting appropriately. And we have to experience the narrative in this way because of the scars from her abusive relationship. Even her biggest breakthrough revelation ‘he wanted to make me feel unstable and I had let him,’ internalizes blame in the second half. She sees that he was abusive but feels ‘I permitted boundaries to be blurred.’ Which, NO, it is not your fault, he made you feel that way. Clake can truly capture this dilemma and it is more unsettling and sad than any goblin or ghastly ghost could do.
‘These exchanges felt rehearsed as though they were replaying scenes from a drama with dialogue that wasn’t real. It was an act that happened many times.’
This is a horror novel without needing to resort to the fantastical because monsters live among us and society often manipulates us into giving them the benefit of the doubt. Society is manipulated by them as well, causing us to give ‘himpathy’ to abusers—a term coined by philosopher Kate Manne to denote the excessive sympathy shown toward male perpetrators of sexual violence, especially at the expense of the women who are their victims. Disturbance is indeed a disturbing tale, one where a haunting occurs but it might be less ghosts in the walls but ghosts in the mind. This is an incredible debut, with writing that hits all its marks and keeps a delicate balance of questioning if the occurances are supernatural or not just as much as the narrator herself wonders. Abuse from intimate partners is a real and horrifying issue, and Clake handles the issue quite effectively while highlighting a story of how this occurs and the terrifying lasting effects from it all. Disturbing but ultimately an engaging novel that will have you gripping the pages with distress, Disturbance hits all the high marks it sets for itself.
4.5/5
‘I knew how sinister surprises can be’
While Disturbance is a horror story, it is not one in the way you expect. While there are suspenseful moments of things that go bump in the night and a literal monster central to the story, it is more of a psychological bent and the monster dresses in work clothes and hangs out with his buddies at the bar while texting women who aren’t his girlfriend. This can be a very triggering story with all the focus on emotional and physical abuse by an intimate partner (and, by proxy, this review may be because of that and if this is a concern in your own life, there are international resources for help I encourage you to check out) , but this is a horror story that befalls women everywhere. 55% of all homicides against women are committed by an intimate partner and 89% are committed by men they knew. As is shown in the novel, it is not always easy to leave an abusive situation as the most dangerous time is right after leaving a partner. 75% of domestic violence related homicides occur during a separation and there is a 75% increase of violence for at least two years after the separation. Most distressing is homicide by an abusive intimate partner during a separation increases by 500% if the partner has access to a firearm. Not to be disturbing, just that is an important factor to note not just going into this book but to be aware of in society in general.
I really enjoyed how much this story occurs in the atmosphere of the everyday. An aspect of horror Stephen King excels at is placing terror in situations that should otherwise seem safe in a horror story—like a sunny afternoon or public place—and Clake deftly captures that vibe. Around our narrator is a seemingly idyllic summer (there are mentions of children laughing while playing with hoses and other warm, summery depictions) and I love that there is a subplot threaded through of neighbors renovating a house and being all excited to show the narrator their updates (which touches on the aspects of social media I’ll discuss in a moment), yet we find her hidden inside her small flat physically ill from anxiety and seeing everything around her as threatening. But are the lights flickering due to a supernatural menace or is the bulb simply burning out? We see how there is a very real PTSD from abusive relationships that reconfigure our perceptions on reality and make a person wary of almost anything. Even Eddie, her new friend from work, who is nothing but affable and supportive, gives her fears she has acted poorly in ways that will make him lash out against her. Eddie is such a sweetheart and I adore him, and I especially appreciate that Clake shows how adult men and women can be supportive and caring of each other in ways that aren’t expressly romantic or even need to lead to romance.
‘I felt like I was living in the stomach of some awful creature.’
Central to the story is the narrator’s relationship with Chelsea, the teenage neighbor. When she witnesses Chelsea performing a ritual to ward off her boyfriend during one of the breakups, the narrator decides to investigate witchcraft and try it herself. She falls ill after her attempt and suddenly her living space seems hostile. ‘The flat had a constant aura of an impending visitor,’ she observes and the eerie sounds and flood of memories about her ex-boyfriend makes her ‘worried if he’d died and was haunting me or learned where I lived and cursed the flat.’ But is it witchcraft or are the teen girls she befriends merely playing at witchcraft. I do really love these characters, they feel so real and in their short spaces personify youthful struggles in such an effective way. Chelsea’s boyfriend is indeed a piece of shit but we also have to wonder if the narrator is taking a map of her own abuse and super-imposing it over what she assums is Chelsea’s situation. Iit should be noted, however, that even if a boy isn’t physically violent he can still be abusive and something like trying to make her jealous with other girls or being generally dismissive is not okay either—people can just be bad for you without there having to be any dramatic scar to show.
‘I could right things if I tired. I had the power to do that.’
It is fascinating to watch the narrator try to find empowerment and always feeling it is the wrong fit. She feels ‘too big’ for the chair in the therapist office which is not unlike feeling too old to hang with Chelsea and Jess. But she craves something that will make her feel in control, hence the attraction to the teen girls fixation with witchcraft. ‘She looked powerful, untouchable,’ she thinks about Jess during one of their spell attempts, ‘and I wanted to believe that I would be to if I did this and it worked.’ I think this plays into how there has been a large resurgence of interest in witchcraft: it is symbolic of women’s empowerment but it also an avenue to feel one can have control over the chaos in life. With the religion of past generations one would pray to ask for assistance whereas with witchcraft you feel you are taking matters into your own hands, which makes you feel powerful and I see how this enhances feelings of self worth. Which is especially enticing to someone with unhealthy struggles with self worth. While the magic may not actually work out here, it sort of functions as the narrator’s first attempt to believe in themselves, and that is cool. I also really appreciated the ways Clake makes you unsure for awhile if this is a book where magic will exist or not, something I recently loved about The Last Tale of the Flower Bride and found effectively used again here.
In her memories, we see a narrative of abuse that is sadly altogether too common. He isolates her from her friends by claiming they are mean to him (attacking her for not respecting his past of being bullied when she tries to dispute this), and only allows her to exist in a world he can control with mutual friends who tell her not to hurt him because he is “such a nice guy.” She knows the truth but it is a truth he keeps hidden from the world.
‘I felt as if though I had loved with two people: the boyfriend from before we lived together, and the one who appeared the last box came inside, when the front door was closed.’
He stays out late, accuses her of causing any bad mood, calls her stupid, and makes her feel she is unbearable and that everything is her fault. We also see one of the biggest move in an abuser’s playbook: DARVO, which stands for deny, attack, reverse victim and offender. He portrays their relationship to her in a way that makes her question her every action and feel she wouldn’t be abused (both emotionally and physically) ‘if I just behaved.’ She has no allies in this situation as he navigates every social moment to portray her as unhinged and their friends nod knowingly when they fight as if he is the victim despite her not even knowing why he is attacking her. And amidst all this, she dare not question the barrage of texts from unknown women, because, as as the great Beyonce sang: ‘whats worst, looking jealous or crazy?’ Because society only seems to allow women to be seen as one or the other in the face of a cheating partner.
Another point that should be stressed is this can happen to anyone. It is brushed off in society far too often that it occurs to women who can’t stick up for themselves but this is far from true. I think Trevor Noah said it best when he explained something his mother once said, that abusive men usually don’t ‘[fall] in love with subservient women. He's attracted to independent women. He's like an exotic bird collector, he only wants a woman who is free because his dream is to put her in a cage.’ Not recognizing this is how a lot of abuse slips through the cracks or gets dismissed as attention grabbing or lies. We need to do better.
You begin to see why the narrator is never named: she doesn’t feel she deserves one even in her own narrative. She assesses every situation as if she is the problem, always second guesses herself, always assumes that in every interaction the other person will likely respond angrily because she is incapable of interacting appropriately. And we have to experience the narrative in this way because of the scars from her abusive relationship. Even her biggest breakthrough revelation ‘he wanted to make me feel unstable and I had let him,’ internalizes blame in the second half. She sees that he was abusive but feels ‘I permitted boundaries to be blurred.’ Which, NO, it is not your fault, he made you feel that way. Clake can truly capture this dilemma and it is more unsettling and sad than any goblin or ghastly ghost could do.
‘These exchanges felt rehearsed as though they were replaying scenes from a drama with dialogue that wasn’t real. It was an act that happened many times.’
This is a horror novel without needing to resort to the fantastical because monsters live among us and society often manipulates us into giving them the benefit of the doubt. Society is manipulated by them as well, causing us to give ‘himpathy’ to abusers—a term coined by philosopher Kate Manne to denote the excessive sympathy shown toward male perpetrators of sexual violence, especially at the expense of the women who are their victims. Disturbance is indeed a disturbing tale, one where a haunting occurs but it might be less ghosts in the walls but ghosts in the mind. This is an incredible debut, with writing that hits all its marks and keeps a delicate balance of questioning if the occurances are supernatural or not just as much as the narrator herself wonders. Abuse from intimate partners is a real and horrifying issue, and Clake handles the issue quite effectively while highlighting a story of how this occurs and the terrifying lasting effects from it all. Disturbing but ultimately an engaging novel that will have you gripping the pages with distress, Disturbance hits all the high marks it sets for itself.
4.5/5
July 4, 2023
Happy Publication Day!
July 4, 2023
3.5⭐️
Jenna Clake’s Disturbance revolves around a twenty-six-year-old woman as she struggles to cope in the aftermath of an abusive relationship. Our unnamed narrator has recently moved into a new apartment after ending an abusive relationship that lasted for over four years. She is haunted by her experiences, traumatized to the point that she feels like she is always being watched, almost as if her former boyfriend is still a presence in her life. She also believes the strange occurrences in her new home are indicative of sinister forces at play. She does not socialize with her neighbors much (though she does keep her eyes and ears open), is wary of seeking professional help and works from home, limiting her interactions with the outside world. One day she observes her teenage neighbor Chelsea and Chelsea’s friend Jess performing an occult ritual of sorts and gathers that they are casting spells to “banish” Chelsea’s boyfriend with whom she is having problems. Our narrator befriends the girls and gets embroiled In their lives and their problems all the while hoping that not only would she be able to make sense of her own life and deal with her trauma but also protect another young girl from a toxic relationship. She befriends a young man by the name of Eddie, who encourages her to seek professional help. As the narrative progresses we follow our unnamed narrator as she deals with the consequences of choices she makes.
The author is unflinching in how she dissects the relationship between our unnamed narrator and her former boyfriend – the emotional and physical abuse and gaslighting and what that does to our narrator’s sense of self – her denial, self –doubt and how she is unable to emerge from her feeling of suffocation, self-blame and fear even after ending the relationship. The narrative is presented from the limited first-person POV of our narrator and we are given an intimate look into her psyche as she experiences traumatic memories, paranoia, and fixation with her neighbor’s relationship problems (projecting her own experiences onto what she believes is a toxic relationship in the making) and her obsession with spells and the occult as an outlet for her frustrations.
Touching upon themes of toxic relationships, domestic abuse and mental health this is an intense (bordering on claustrophobic) and atmospheric read. However, the ending might prove a tad less than satisfying for many readers with too many threads unresolved and much of what transpires left to the reader's interpretation. Needless to say, this is not an easy read but it is a thought-provoking one.
I paired my reading with the audio narration by Catrin Walker-Booth, who does an exceptional job of conveying the narrator's state of mind and setting the tone for this atmospheric read.
Many thanks to W.W. Norton and Company, Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for the digital review copy and the ALC. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.
May 9, 2024
-content warnings: domestic violence, abuse.
-reminded me of The Craft a little bit
-a woman, maybe in her 30s, is escaping her toxic, abusive relationship hiding out in her apartment spying on a teenage girl who lives close. The woman is fascinated by the girl and her friend who appears to be practicing witchcraft
-I wanted more witchcraft and less of the relationship backstory but it was fine
-I felt like the narrator projected her trauma on the teenage girl’s relationship, but it was part of the story-just seemed a bit unreasonable
-I loved the witchcraft scenes
-The narrator’s voice was perfect (I’m such a sucker for British accents)
-reminded me of The Craft a little bit
-a woman, maybe in her 30s, is escaping her toxic, abusive relationship hiding out in her apartment spying on a teenage girl who lives close. The woman is fascinated by the girl and her friend who appears to be practicing witchcraft
-I wanted more witchcraft and less of the relationship backstory but it was fine
-I felt like the narrator projected her trauma on the teenage girl’s relationship, but it was part of the story-just seemed a bit unreasonable
-I loved the witchcraft scenes
-The narrator’s voice was perfect (I’m such a sucker for British accents)
May 26, 2023
Disturbance centres around our unnamed narrator, a 26 year old women, who’s just moved into a flat, after leaving an abusive relationship. She oversees her teenage neighbour, seemingly doing spells in the garden, in an attempt to hex her boyfriend, and becomes intrigued. Could she do that too, and banish the presence of her ex?
While this book definitely touches on the witchy themes, it’s certainly more grounded in reality, and the real narrative here is her coming to terms with her previous relationship, and the how brutal it became. Whether there was supernatural goings on in the flat, or if the hexes worked, or not, is certainly left ambiguous enough that you could take it either way, but the main thread is absolutely the abuse, and how desperately the narrator wants to move on from that, to the point of getting involved with teenagers and their candle lit rituals.
I think it was very well done - the horror I was expecting didn’t really come from the magic and spells, it truly was the horrors of what someone can do to a person, and the slow gradual power of moving away from that, the undoing of being the person they turned you into, and the revival of yourself. I thought it was very well executed.
Also, shout out to Eddie. A good egg.
Obvious trigger warnings for abusive relationships, gaslighting, and domestic violence.
Thank you to the publishers, and Netgalley, for the early copy to review.
While this book definitely touches on the witchy themes, it’s certainly more grounded in reality, and the real narrative here is her coming to terms with her previous relationship, and the how brutal it became. Whether there was supernatural goings on in the flat, or if the hexes worked, or not, is certainly left ambiguous enough that you could take it either way, but the main thread is absolutely the abuse, and how desperately the narrator wants to move on from that, to the point of getting involved with teenagers and their candle lit rituals.
I think it was very well done - the horror I was expecting didn’t really come from the magic and spells, it truly was the horrors of what someone can do to a person, and the slow gradual power of moving away from that, the undoing of being the person they turned you into, and the revival of yourself. I thought it was very well executed.
Also, shout out to Eddie. A good egg.
Obvious trigger warnings for abusive relationships, gaslighting, and domestic violence.
Thank you to the publishers, and Netgalley, for the early copy to review.
December 24, 2023
Honestly what was the point.
This was so unenjoyable. All this is seems to be many vignettes of her ex boyfriend abusing her and her gaslighting herself.
The very detailed descriptions of her abusive and controlling relationship with her ex is very difficult to read. And way too many examples /scenarios/ etc of abuse. Considered dnf-ing but it's such a short book.
Just the gaslighting is really frustrating 😑
Just so ANNOYING to me how much of a giant baby this man is and how she just allows it. It's so bad to read about because it makes me want to rage like HELL NO. this could never be me.
I just don't get the point or why I should have read this? I wanted way more. And less focus on the abusive ex relationship.
This was so unenjoyable. All this is seems to be many vignettes of her ex boyfriend abusing her and her gaslighting herself.
The very detailed descriptions of her abusive and controlling relationship with her ex is very difficult to read. And way too many examples /scenarios/ etc of abuse. Considered dnf-ing but it's such a short book.
Just the gaslighting is really frustrating 😑
Just so ANNOYING to me how much of a giant baby this man is and how she just allows it. It's so bad to read about because it makes me want to rage like HELL NO. this could never be me.
I just don't get the point or why I should have read this? I wanted way more. And less focus on the abusive ex relationship.
June 30, 2023
ARC audiobook provided in exchange for an honest review.
This book took me completely by surprise! The narration was fantastic and fit the main character perfectly! The story is about a woman getting out of an abusive relationship and getting her own apartment. She gets invested in one of her new neighbors when she starts noticing strange stuff going on. I don’t want to say much more without giving anything away. This book is definitely a unreliable narrator situation, so make sure you’re cool with that before jumping in!
This book took me completely by surprise! The narration was fantastic and fit the main character perfectly! The story is about a woman getting out of an abusive relationship and getting her own apartment. She gets invested in one of her new neighbors when she starts noticing strange stuff going on. I don’t want to say much more without giving anything away. This book is definitely a unreliable narrator situation, so make sure you’re cool with that before jumping in!
April 15, 2024
not at all horror and barely witchy >:|
June 29, 2023
As I absolutely loved My Year of Rest and Relaxation and Boy Parts, I fell into the "for fans of" trap. And while I didn't dislike this novel, it fell short of my expectations.
February 23, 2025
This was a huge surprise for me. I loved how real it felt. I would not classify this as horror, and I think I have a bit of a loose definition of horror, so I’m not sure that that’s the best marketing of this. The narrator experiences projection of her own toxic relationship to the point where she is entirely unsure of how to perceive other’s relationships. A very real symptom of CPTSD that can majorly complicate all relationships moving forward because of the victim’s responses to perceived triggers. Thank you to NetGalley & W.W. Norton for the ARC.
June 27, 2023
3.5 stars. In Disturbance, an unnamed 26-year-old narrator becomes involved in witchcraft with her teenage neighbor and friend, in an effort to heal from the effects of the abusive relationship she's recently left.
Calling Disturbance a horror novel is really doing it a disservice, and setting a certain expectation for readers that the book doesn't quite meet. Based on the description, I expected a book filled with occult rituals and violent spirits, but that's not what Disturbance delivers. There are horrors here, but they are not supernatural. Instead, they are the all-too-real horrors of an abusive relationship, conveyed by Jenna Clake in unflinching, harrowing detail.
Once I adjusted my expectations and settled in to the flow of the narrative, which unfolds on a non-linear timeline, I was completely riveted. Clake's writing is straightforward and flowing, with a hypnotic quality to it, and her exploration of domestic violence and its aftereffects is devastating in its authenticity. Her unnamed protagonist's narration is full of vulnerability and uncertainty, which makes readers sympathize with her, even as we watch her go about her healing in such an ineffective way.
The witchcraft subplot really just serves as a catalyst for the narrator's healing process and kind of fizzles out as the book goes on, but Clake has important things to say about the destructive and long-lasting effects of abuse: the loss of self-confidence, the mental distress and paranoia, and, hopefully, the healing and rediscovery of so much that was lost.
Catrin Walker-Booth's narration of the audiobook is haunting and full of feeling -- thank you to Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for the early listening opportunity.
Calling Disturbance a horror novel is really doing it a disservice, and setting a certain expectation for readers that the book doesn't quite meet. Based on the description, I expected a book filled with occult rituals and violent spirits, but that's not what Disturbance delivers. There are horrors here, but they are not supernatural. Instead, they are the all-too-real horrors of an abusive relationship, conveyed by Jenna Clake in unflinching, harrowing detail.
Once I adjusted my expectations and settled in to the flow of the narrative, which unfolds on a non-linear timeline, I was completely riveted. Clake's writing is straightforward and flowing, with a hypnotic quality to it, and her exploration of domestic violence and its aftereffects is devastating in its authenticity. Her unnamed protagonist's narration is full of vulnerability and uncertainty, which makes readers sympathize with her, even as we watch her go about her healing in such an ineffective way.
The witchcraft subplot really just serves as a catalyst for the narrator's healing process and kind of fizzles out as the book goes on, but Clake has important things to say about the destructive and long-lasting effects of abuse: the loss of self-confidence, the mental distress and paranoia, and, hopefully, the healing and rediscovery of so much that was lost.
Catrin Walker-Booth's narration of the audiobook is haunting and full of feeling -- thank you to Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for the early listening opportunity.
July 18, 2023
wow. im so incredibly dissapointed by this book. it was incredibly boring where nothing happened. the main character fell so completely flat. i get was Clarke was trying to do with her backstory, but it went nowhere.
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April 7, 2023DNF @ 10% - did not care for MC or pacing on this one.
July 17, 2023
Narrated by an unnamed twenty-six-year-old woman, Disturbance by Jenna Clake follows our speaker as she navigates life following the end of an abusive relationship. She struggles to fill her days while also grappling with her very existence--who is she without the man she has spent four years pleasing, what are her genuine interests, and can she find herself again after she became lost minimizing every aspect of her personality? In the midst of this, strange things begin happening in her apartment. Are apartments supposed to be this loud? Should the lights turn off and back on again unexpectedly? And is that witchcraft that her sixteen-year-old neighbor is performing on the lawn late at night? Seeing this as an opportunity to purge her boyfriend from her mind for good, the narrator starts dabbling in things she doesn't totally understand.
To say I loved this book would be an understatement. I think this is truly exceptional. I can understand where some individuals who were drawn to this for the horror aspects would be disappointed in the ending but I think that's just a matter of catering expectations. This is, first and foremost, an abuse narrative. The horror elements are there to carry the story along not to detract from what is being said. If that's kept in mind, I think the full power of the book will be prevalent.
Arguably the most interesting part of the narrative to me is Clake's decision when to leave characters nameless and when to identify them. The narrator and her boyfriend are without identity but that does not mean they are not relatable. Our speaker is a woman to whom every person who has witnessed or experienced interpersonal violence can relate and the boyfriend's behaviors will ring true for this reason as well. Naming the two teenage girls shows the potential for personal reclamation of autonomy through female friendships. When we cannot always find the power without ourselves, we can lean on others to step in.
This book and Dowry of Blood by S.T. Gibson are going to be two novels I constantly recommend (especially together).
**Big thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the free eARC in exchange for an honest review.
To say I loved this book would be an understatement. I think this is truly exceptional. I can understand where some individuals who were drawn to this for the horror aspects would be disappointed in the ending but I think that's just a matter of catering expectations. This is, first and foremost, an abuse narrative. The horror elements are there to carry the story along not to detract from what is being said. If that's kept in mind, I think the full power of the book will be prevalent.
Arguably the most interesting part of the narrative to me is Clake's decision when to leave characters nameless and when to identify them. The narrator and her boyfriend are without identity but that does not mean they are not relatable. Our speaker is a woman to whom every person who has witnessed or experienced interpersonal violence can relate and the boyfriend's behaviors will ring true for this reason as well. Naming the two teenage girls shows the potential for personal reclamation of autonomy through female friendships. When we cannot always find the power without ourselves, we can lean on others to step in.
This book and Dowry of Blood by S.T. Gibson are going to be two novels I constantly recommend (especially together).
**Big thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the free eARC in exchange for an honest review.
June 26, 2023
The Premise: A woman in a new flat sees her younger neighbor and a friend performing what she perceives to be a spell or form of magic in the garden to banish an ex. The woman decides to have a go and banish her own abusive ex from her life.
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I *hate* giving one star reviews. I avoid them as much as possible, and really only pick books that truly speak to me, especially when applying for advance reader copies. But man, this book is in the wrong genre, and falls flat for me in all the ways, but it has great marketing, I'll give it that.
All in, this book is much more about abusive relationships and the fallout and PTSD that comes after. The gaslighting on the part of MC & her ex (neither of which are ever named as far as I could tell, which, while it's a stylistic choice, it makes things a bit hard to follow when she says "boyfriend" over and over while also jumping timeframes and developing a bit of a relationship with a new guy as well, even if MC says she isn't truly interested...), the PTSD of feeling 'some kinda way' about the situation, the loss of friends and family, and the desperation to control the situation from all sides.
This story read much more as though it were a portrayal of mental illness and PTSD than a portrayal of anything supernatural. The only horror here is the horror that we can inflict on ourselves and others.
On the one upside, the audiobook narration was fluid and clear, though it was very difficult to tell what was happening and when, as it jumps around without very clear indications of the timeline switches.
Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
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I *hate* giving one star reviews. I avoid them as much as possible, and really only pick books that truly speak to me, especially when applying for advance reader copies. But man, this book is in the wrong genre, and falls flat for me in all the ways, but it has great marketing, I'll give it that.
All in, this book is much more about abusive relationships and the fallout and PTSD that comes after. The gaslighting on the part of MC & her ex (neither of which are ever named as far as I could tell, which, while it's a stylistic choice, it makes things a bit hard to follow when she says "boyfriend" over and over while also jumping timeframes and developing a bit of a relationship with a new guy as well, even if MC says she isn't truly interested...), the PTSD of feeling 'some kinda way' about the situation, the loss of friends and family, and the desperation to control the situation from all sides.
This story read much more as though it were a portrayal of mental illness and PTSD than a portrayal of anything supernatural. The only horror here is the horror that we can inflict on ourselves and others.
On the one upside, the audiobook narration was fluid and clear, though it was very difficult to tell what was happening and when, as it jumps around without very clear indications of the timeline switches.
Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
September 4, 2023
I took a chance on this one while browsing the bookstore a few weeks ago. I hadn't been aware of it previously, read the back cover and it sounded creepy enough for me to cough up the cash for it. And while it is a biiiit creepy, the creepiness definitely could have been played up a bit more.
In Disturbance, we have a 26 year old woman who recently escaped an abusive relationship. She's moved to a new town and the apartment she's living in seems to have a personality of its own - complete with strange scratching sounds, footsteps across the ceiling above her (though there are no apartments above her), doors opening on their own, lights that seem to explode at random, and a frequent, chilling feeling that there is someone else in the room with her.
Unable to help herself, she begins spying on her next door neighbor, a teenage girl named Chelsea, and begins to believe that she's also a victim in an unhealthy relationship. After she catches Chelsea and her bff performing some strange witchy ritual in the front of their building one evening, she becomes friendly with the girls, sharing relationship advice and, in the interest of cleansing the negative energy around her, learning how to cast spells of her own. Spells which might actually be backfiring on her...
When you get right down to it, it's a story about healing and forgiving oneself, letting go of the memories that haunt us and exercizing our inner demons, with a little teenage witchcraft thrown in for fun.
I read it on my back deck this afternoon. It's a quick, but somewhat understimulating, read. Not one I'd recommend you run out and buy, and if you already have, it'd be ok to let it linger in the tbr pile for a little longer. You're not really missing much.
In Disturbance, we have a 26 year old woman who recently escaped an abusive relationship. She's moved to a new town and the apartment she's living in seems to have a personality of its own - complete with strange scratching sounds, footsteps across the ceiling above her (though there are no apartments above her), doors opening on their own, lights that seem to explode at random, and a frequent, chilling feeling that there is someone else in the room with her.
Unable to help herself, she begins spying on her next door neighbor, a teenage girl named Chelsea, and begins to believe that she's also a victim in an unhealthy relationship. After she catches Chelsea and her bff performing some strange witchy ritual in the front of their building one evening, she becomes friendly with the girls, sharing relationship advice and, in the interest of cleansing the negative energy around her, learning how to cast spells of her own. Spells which might actually be backfiring on her...
When you get right down to it, it's a story about healing and forgiving oneself, letting go of the memories that haunt us and exercizing our inner demons, with a little teenage witchcraft thrown in for fun.
I read it on my back deck this afternoon. It's a quick, but somewhat understimulating, read. Not one I'd recommend you run out and buy, and if you already have, it'd be ok to let it linger in the tbr pile for a little longer. You're not really missing much.
June 28, 2023
Thank you to Dreamscape & NetGalley for this one! Out July 4, 2023!
When I saw this book was horror and witchy I think I had the expectation that I was going into a readalike of the Craft which would have been cool, but the horror expressed in this book was actually a lot more terrifying.
I still don't think that horror is the appropriate assignation for this little book. It's not colorful with blood and flashing knives, it examines the real horrors of a person systematically broken, both physically and emotionally, by the abuse that they've experienced.
Our narrator is 26 and one night, sees the utter devastation a boy has wreaked on her teenage neighbor, as well as the ritualistic, witchy spell her neighbor does after.
Then she begins to think that magic can heal her from the trauma of her last relationship - a man whose abuses started small with tiny comments, culminated to cheating, leaving her locked in a hot car.
The way the writing was here was GREAT. The narrator excessively uses the phrase "my boyfriend" as she dissects her past, making the point that though this man isn't in the picture anymore, she's different than the happy, sweet person that she was formerly and the real tragedy of his abuses is the bruise that he's left on her soul.
It's her past that makes her see in her neighbor's boyfriend what she's just escaped from and through helping her do that, she comes back to herself and finds her voice again. I was left feeling like I didn't know if the magic in this was ever real, whether the true magic was survival all along.
When I saw this book was horror and witchy I think I had the expectation that I was going into a readalike of the Craft which would have been cool, but the horror expressed in this book was actually a lot more terrifying.
I still don't think that horror is the appropriate assignation for this little book. It's not colorful with blood and flashing knives, it examines the real horrors of a person systematically broken, both physically and emotionally, by the abuse that they've experienced.
Our narrator is 26 and one night, sees the utter devastation a boy has wreaked on her teenage neighbor, as well as the ritualistic, witchy spell her neighbor does after.
Then she begins to think that magic can heal her from the trauma of her last relationship - a man whose abuses started small with tiny comments, culminated to cheating, leaving her locked in a hot car.
The way the writing was here was GREAT. The narrator excessively uses the phrase "my boyfriend" as she dissects her past, making the point that though this man isn't in the picture anymore, she's different than the happy, sweet person that she was formerly and the real tragedy of his abuses is the bruise that he's left on her soul.
It's her past that makes her see in her neighbor's boyfriend what she's just escaped from and through helping her do that, she comes back to herself and finds her voice again. I was left feeling like I didn't know if the magic in this was ever real, whether the true magic was survival all along.
April 26, 2023
2.5⭐️
Like a stone thrown in calm water the ripples following abuse spread and grow wider.
Clake does an interesting job of portraying the aftermath of domestic abuse and the mental anguish that follows removal from the immediate danger. The self gaslighting, fractured self esteem and shaken confidence make for tumultuous foundation on which to rebuild a life.
But as with Hitchcock’s Rear Window, how much of what you see is a reflection of your trauma?
These triggering moments are handled with the relevant care and attention, but it’s everything around this that seems to fall flat - there’s a subplot about witchcraft that doesn’t ever fully materialise and as the book concludes we’re left with many questions unanswered.
Like a stone thrown in calm water the ripples following abuse spread and grow wider.
Clake does an interesting job of portraying the aftermath of domestic abuse and the mental anguish that follows removal from the immediate danger. The self gaslighting, fractured self esteem and shaken confidence make for tumultuous foundation on which to rebuild a life.
But as with Hitchcock’s Rear Window, how much of what you see is a reflection of your trauma?
These triggering moments are handled with the relevant care and attention, but it’s everything around this that seems to fall flat - there’s a subplot about witchcraft that doesn’t ever fully materialise and as the book concludes we’re left with many questions unanswered.
October 1, 2024
I think I went into this the best way possible- knowing and expecting nothing.
I think this is quite a hard book to pin down, it's a few things at once, which would lead you to believe it contains a lot of elements, but it's actually very simple in general, comfortingly so.
I think anyone going in with any preconceived notions about what they think or want it to be will run the risk of feeling shortchanged or let down, just allow it to be what it is and you'll hopefully see the beauty.
Beauty is the most apt word in my opinion here, there is a real beauty in the paradoxically simultaneous simplicity and complexity of watching a woman fumble through her post-breakup journey of a vicious relationship, during some of the most uncharacteristic months of her life.
Captivatingly characterized and consistently arresting descriptive and emotive language, I'd definitely recommend this.
(Edit: wrote the above review and have had to immediately come back in anger after reading a lot of the reviews on here -Very ironic that the book about a woman trying to shake the weighted memories of an abusive relationship, has been peppered with so many reviews along the lines of "not enough of XYZ..." "Wasn't as interested in the ex boyfriend stuff" and many others in the same vein.
Now I'm not saying that because of the topic this book touches on, that every critic now resembles those themes themselves. But it's just funny to me that the main character speaks so much about breaking free from her boyfriend's manipulative control (and the after-effects of that), about how hard it is, clearly in such a lonely and hopeless position, yet all a lot of the readers on here can muster in response to that is "Not witchy enough" "hardly supernatural" and disinterest in the main themes.
Somewhat fair enough if the book has been marketed as something it isn't, but it's so strange to me that people are so fickle, selfish, and reductive about a story with such a real and heavy topic, especially one that tells it really well.
All people can muster in response to reading over 200 pages of this woman's plight is that she was too whiney and her situation not witchy or supernatural enough to satisfy them- They want what they came for, and how dare the book not deliver.)
I think this is quite a hard book to pin down, it's a few things at once, which would lead you to believe it contains a lot of elements, but it's actually very simple in general, comfortingly so.
I think anyone going in with any preconceived notions about what they think or want it to be will run the risk of feeling shortchanged or let down, just allow it to be what it is and you'll hopefully see the beauty.
Beauty is the most apt word in my opinion here, there is a real beauty in the paradoxically simultaneous simplicity and complexity of watching a woman fumble through her post-breakup journey of a vicious relationship, during some of the most uncharacteristic months of her life.
Captivatingly characterized and consistently arresting descriptive and emotive language, I'd definitely recommend this.
(Edit: wrote the above review and have had to immediately come back in anger after reading a lot of the reviews on here -Very ironic that the book about a woman trying to shake the weighted memories of an abusive relationship, has been peppered with so many reviews along the lines of "not enough of XYZ..." "Wasn't as interested in the ex boyfriend stuff" and many others in the same vein.
Now I'm not saying that because of the topic this book touches on, that every critic now resembles those themes themselves. But it's just funny to me that the main character speaks so much about breaking free from her boyfriend's manipulative control (and the after-effects of that), about how hard it is, clearly in such a lonely and hopeless position, yet all a lot of the readers on here can muster in response to that is "Not witchy enough" "hardly supernatural" and disinterest in the main themes.
Somewhat fair enough if the book has been marketed as something it isn't, but it's so strange to me that people are so fickle, selfish, and reductive about a story with such a real and heavy topic, especially one that tells it really well.
All people can muster in response to reading over 200 pages of this woman's plight is that she was too whiney and her situation not witchy or supernatural enough to satisfy them- They want what they came for, and how dare the book not deliver.)
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November 16, 2025This follows a woman who was just moved into an apartment post breakup with her abusive boyfriend. She becomes a bit obsessed with a couple of neighborhood teenagers, and witnesses them performing some sort of ritual. She intentionally befriends the teenagers to learn curses/spells to banish thoughts of her ex-boyfriend.
As she reflects on her own actions and those of her former boyfriend within the confines of their relationship, there's a sort of a blur between what's coincidence and what is the supernatural/paranormal entity haunting her apartment currently.
cool vibes. could relate to the overall feeling of being in the throws of having to recalibrate your life. but it didn't pull me either one way or the other; it was short enough and done well enough that I wasn't upset to have spent time reading it. it was a great transition into the cooler days of fall. I may have enjoyed an audio version better.
As she reflects on her own actions and those of her former boyfriend within the confines of their relationship, there's a sort of a blur between what's coincidence and what is the supernatural/paranormal entity haunting her apartment currently.
cool vibes. could relate to the overall feeling of being in the throws of having to recalibrate your life. but it didn't pull me either one way or the other; it was short enough and done well enough that I wasn't upset to have spent time reading it. it was a great transition into the cooler days of fall. I may have enjoyed an audio version better.
June 29, 2023
3.5 rounded up to 4
February 24, 2025
Great writing, kinda slow build and all about trauma and abusive relationships. A little witchiness and I loved the teenage neighbours (one for their boyfriends had an unconditional offer for university in Aberystwyth)
June 9, 2024
I really enjoyed the way that this book started off as a typical witchy horror and slowly morphed into a story of growth and healing. There were some points where the narrative could feel a bit lost or meandering but it seemed to come into itself again at the end of the book.
August 8, 2025
To me this felt more like a long journal entry rather than a story. Initially I liked the direction they were going with the paranormal/haunting feel but the way the witchcraft was portrayed & overall plot had me bored & i reaaaaaaally had to make myself focus to finish it.
June 29, 2023
I am so bummed out. I really wanted to love this!
I went in with such high hopes and it fell flat for me.
While I appreciated the journey the narrator took as she left her abusive relationship, I wanted more from the storyline. I expected/wanted a lot more to happen with the witches next door.
Great premise, I just wish it had been executed differently.
*Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for sending me an audiobook ARC in exchange for an honest review*
I went in with such high hopes and it fell flat for me.
While I appreciated the journey the narrator took as she left her abusive relationship, I wanted more from the storyline. I expected/wanted a lot more to happen with the witches next door.
Great premise, I just wish it had been executed differently.
*Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for sending me an audiobook ARC in exchange for an honest review*
July 20, 2024
One of the best books I've read this year. Genuinely reads so beautifully, I felt trapped there with her.
March 1, 2025
This was just ok. Nothing much happened and it flip flopped a lot in the beginning. An ok read to pass some time
June 26, 2023
I want to start off by saying that this could be a good/neutral book for a lot of people, but I really did not like this book. I was pretty disconnected from all the characters and everything that happened. The premise of this book is definitely something that could have blown me away, but man did it not hit.
There were a good amount of sensitive topics tackled in this book, but it was lost on me. The narrator is recovering from domestic abuse, but the magic made me not feel anything. If this book was any longer I would have for sure Dnfed it.
The audio I think was what ruined this book for me. I'm not totally sure how to describe it or why, but I just hated listening to this and I'm kind of sad about it.
There were a good amount of sensitive topics tackled in this book, but it was lost on me. The narrator is recovering from domestic abuse, but the magic made me not feel anything. If this book was any longer I would have for sure Dnfed it.
The audio I think was what ruined this book for me. I'm not totally sure how to describe it or why, but I just hated listening to this and I'm kind of sad about it.
June 27, 2023
3.5 stars. Disturbance was a — well, disturbing read! It's short and fast and I enjoyed the story and the "twist" near the end. I'd classify this as more a "light" horror genre, as there are no blatant horror elements and it's more of a psychological suspense novel. In general, I don't like reading about abuse or domestic violence, but I suppose this was a bit different for me since our MC is looking back at those events in the past, after getting out of the bad situation. Overall, I enjoyed this book and the somewhat scattered was-it-magic-or-just-my-imagination journey of our unnamed female narrator.
Thank you to Jenna Clake, WW Norton, Dreamscape Media, and NetGalley for my advance audio copy.
Thank you to Jenna Clake, WW Norton, Dreamscape Media, and NetGalley for my advance audio copy.
March 4, 2025
Set during a hot English summer with flashbacks to a more recent time this novel explores life after a violent relationship. It also dabbles in “witchery”, the paranormal and the subsequent strange events in the protagonists flat.
First up I read this immediately after Nesting which was simply brilliant in its portrayal of DV. That said even without that influence I would not have admired this novel which I only finished due to its short length. Our very young 26 year old victim “befriends” her teenage neighbours and joins them in spells and other witchery. The paranormal elements were just ridiculous not aided by the writing.
“The flat came back to life: scraping from the walls, a pulsing beat … like a hand clapped over a screaming mouth, the cries were muffled. A power cut shot through the flat, silencing the buzz of electricity”.
I’m still not sure what this novel was trying to be and I’m pleased others have enjoyed it and seen something I definitely did not.
First up I read this immediately after Nesting which was simply brilliant in its portrayal of DV. That said even without that influence I would not have admired this novel which I only finished due to its short length. Our very young 26 year old victim “befriends” her teenage neighbours and joins them in spells and other witchery. The paranormal elements were just ridiculous not aided by the writing.
“The flat came back to life: scraping from the walls, a pulsing beat … like a hand clapped over a screaming mouth, the cries were muffled. A power cut shot through the flat, silencing the buzz of electricity”.
I’m still not sure what this novel was trying to be and I’m pleased others have enjoyed it and seen something I definitely did not.
April 21, 2025
Not to say that the topics and themes of the book aren't important, but I think the premise oversold and underdelivered what to expect. It's more grounded in reality, which can be horrifying, than in the supernatural and operates on comparisons of the main character against others around her. She is never named, highlighting the generalness of her development, rather than the specificity of her growth through story. Not a bad read, but just okay.
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