What do you think?
Rate this book
They Drown Our Daughters
"The best kind of story―one that will both break your heart and scare the hell out of you." ―Jennifer McMahon, New York Times bestselling author of The Children on the Hill
If you can hear the call of the water,
It's already far too late.
They say Cape Disappointment is haunted. That's why tourists used to flock there in droves. They'd visit the rocky shoreline under the old lighthouse's watchful eye and fish shells from the water as they pretended to spot dark shapes in the surf. Now the tourists are long gone, and when Meredith Strand and her young daughter return to Meredith's childhood home after an acrimonious split from her wife, the Cape seems more haunted by regret than any malevolent force.
But her mother, suffering from early stages of Alzheimer's, is convinced the ghost stories are real. Not only is there something in the water, but it's watching them. Waiting for them. Reaching out to Meredith's daughter the way it has to every woman in their line for generations―and if Meredith isn't careful, all three women, bound by blood and heartbreak, will be lost one by one to the ocean's mournful call.
Part queer modern gothic, part ghost story, They Drown Our Daughters explores the depths of motherhood, identity, and the lengths a woman will go to hold on to both.
If you can hear the call of the water,
It's already far too late.
They say Cape Disappointment is haunted. That's why tourists used to flock there in droves. They'd visit the rocky shoreline under the old lighthouse's watchful eye and fish shells from the water as they pretended to spot dark shapes in the surf. Now the tourists are long gone, and when Meredith Strand and her young daughter return to Meredith's childhood home after an acrimonious split from her wife, the Cape seems more haunted by regret than any malevolent force.
But her mother, suffering from early stages of Alzheimer's, is convinced the ghost stories are real. Not only is there something in the water, but it's watching them. Waiting for them. Reaching out to Meredith's daughter the way it has to every woman in their line for generations―and if Meredith isn't careful, all three women, bound by blood and heartbreak, will be lost one by one to the ocean's mournful call.
Part queer modern gothic, part ghost story, They Drown Our Daughters explores the depths of motherhood, identity, and the lengths a woman will go to hold on to both.
Audiobook
First published July 12, 2022
213 people are currently reading
24008 people want to read
About the author
Katrina Monroe
11 books393 followersKatrina Monroe is the author of They Drown Our Daughters; Graveyard of Lost Children; and Through the Midnight Door. A private investigator by day, she lives in Minnesota with her wife, two children, and Eddie, the ghost who haunts their bedroom closets.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 653 reviews
Read
August 24, 2022Source of book: NetGalley (thank you)
Relevant disclaimers: None
Please note: This review may not be reproduced or quoted, in whole or in part, without explicit consent from the author.
And remember: I am not here to judge your drag, I mean your book. Books are art and art is subjective. These are just my personal thoughts. They are not meant to be taken as broader commentary on the general quality of the work. Believe me, I have not enjoyed many an excellent book, and my individual lack of enjoyment has not made any of those books less excellent or (more relevantly) less successful.
Further disclaimer: Readers, please stop accusing me of trying to take down “my competition” because I wrote a review you didn’t like. This is complete nonsense. Firstly, writing isn’t a competitive sport. Secondly, I only publish reviews of books in the subgenre where I’m best known (queer romcom) if they’re glowing. And finally: taking time out of my life to read an entire book, then write a detailed review about it that some people on GR will look at would be a profoundly inefficient and ineffective way to damage the careers of other authors. If you can’t credit me with simply being a person who loves books and likes talking about them, at least credit me with enough common sense to be a better villain.
*******************************************
I appreciated the atmosphere of this—always here for gothic vibes and people throwing themselves into the sea—but, for me personally, the ending didn’t quite come together.
The plot is mostly centred on Meredith Strand. In the midst of separating from her wife, she returns to her hometown of, I shit you not, Cape Disappointment (I looked this up, it’s a real actual place, God bless America) with her daughter, Alice. Her family own a disused lighthouse and a shonky “museum” about mermaids—oh, and apparently the Strand women are under a curse that makes them hear voices calling them and compels them to run into the sea, though given this has its origins in the late 19th century, Meredith is half-convinced it’s simply undiagnosed mental illness. The book weaves together about five generations of drowning women, with fragments of their lives and histories slowly being revealed as Meredith deals with the recent death of her mother and attempts to protect her daughter from whatever darkness hangs over the family.
I mean, this is pretty ambitious storytelling, though for me it was most successful at the beginning of the book, when everything is mystery, burgeoning dread, and it’s unclear what is supernatural and what, well isn’t. I liked that Meredith is explicitly queer but that her queerness, while relevant to her, is not necessarily relevant to the story. Which is to say, this is a book about motherhood, family history, and gendered generational trauma, and the fact that Meredith is gay, that Alice is the child of two women, does not exclude them from this type of narrative. I also appreciated Meredith’s complicated relationship with her mother, and the sections from Judith’s POV (especially her contemporary POV) are especially striking, as she grapples with grief, regret, old age, and … err … supernatural threat. While the writing sometimes sways a little far towards exposition for my personal tastes (there’s more than one occasion of a character just disgorging several paragraphs of speech to another character while the narrative declares, “why did she just say that to them?”—which is one of my least favourite devices, since, unless it’s used sparingly and specifically, it tends to come across to me like the writer has given up) I did enjoy the atmosphere and the sense of place.
Where the book fell down for me—and, again, your mileage may vary here—was that I wished some of the women in the generations between Regina, Judith and Meredith were a bit more distinct. I slightly lost track of who was who, and who was whose daughter, towards the middle, and their stories started blurring together for me. This could well have been intentional, of course, but I just feel I would have liked to know more about what defined them and drove them as individuals in particular social and cultural contexts. I mean, beyond a compulsion to walk into the sea in front of their daughters.
The other thing that kind of didn’t work for me was the mish mash of supernatural versus non-supernatural elements at the end of the book. This is, again, very much a personal taste thing but when supernatural elements are both real and working thematically and allegorically within the text I tend to find them most effective when there’s just one of them. And I know that a world that contain ghosts can obviously also contain witchcraft or whatever else you want but I felt that some of magical elements were almost working against the central mystery/threat. Especially because they were often super hand-waved. I mean, maybe my priorities are just screwed but, even if my family was under a sea curse, if we also had a secret to extreme longevity I might be … uh. Kind of interested?
All of which said, this is a satisfying and ambitious piece of modern gothic that I broadly recommend if it’s the kind of thing that you’re into.
I do have one further element of the book that I want to talk about a bit, but it will involve spoiling literally everything so … you’ve been warned. Continue at your own risk etc. etc.
So, err, as you can probably tell from the summary motherhood is a big theme of the book. Now, obviously, I’m well out of my lane here, so please do take what I’m about to say with a massive heaping of salt, but something I had a bit of trouble with was the valorisation of self-sacrificial motherhood towards the end of the book. The “curse” on the family is actually the ghost of Regina Strand’s daughter who accidentally drowned while Regina was attempting to use legit witchcraft to protect herself and her family. I mean, it’s a whole complicated thing where Regina is doing the witchcraft and her niece sees her doing the witchcraft and the niece threatens to tell everyone so Regina sort of lets the niece fall down the stairs and is about to hoik her body into the sea except her daughter sees and *hand waves*. It later turns out Regina, despite being from the late 19th century, is still alive (due to witchcraft again—seriously, why does nobody in this book care about this) and has been kidnapping other women’s daughters (because reasons? Trying to find her own dead daughter again?) but it also trying to appease the spirit she believes is the vengeful niece instead of her lost daughter. Anyway, Meredith finds her, there’s fights and stuff, and Regina is eventually sacrificed to the waves so that her daughter can be reunited with her mother. EXCEPT it turns out that Regina is too rubbish at being a mother for this to count, so Meredith voluntarily sacrifices herself in order to bring an end of the drowned daughter’s grief and end the “curse” on the family.
And, obviously, women can be bad mothers, just like anyone can be a bad parent, and there’s nothing inherently wrong with writing stories that explore this theme. But bad mother is SUCH a difficult trope, especially because it’s so entangled with misogynistic ideas about, y’know, women in general. I’m not saying that this book is itself using the trope misogynistically (firstly, I don’t think it is, secondly it’s not my place to offer that kind of commentary) and, in fact, the relationship between Merdeith and Judith, and Meredith and Alice, are nuanced and three-dimensional. But Regina is … Regina is complicated, I think?
I mean she kicks off the book by committing legit murder (and then has as long, later career in kidnapping and more murder) and people who commit murder tend not to be good people but everything gets kind of very mushed together with her? She’s trying to witchcraft her husband precisely TO keep her family because he’s cheating on her, and she lives in a society where she has no social or legal power whatsoever. So, while I don’t mean to take up a staunch pro witchcraft stance, I kind of can’t really blame her for that? And she definitely resents the niece she murders because her husband treats her better than he does his own daughters but, again, that suggests that her husband is a shitheel not that she is a bad mother (or even that bad a person) and the murder IS an accident. Just like the loss of her daughter is an accident. And, the problem is, I don’t quite know how we get from here to kidnapping, emotionally abusive dynamics with other women’s daughters, further murder and—ultimately—being so definitively a bad mother that drowning in the sea with the ghost of her daughter just isn’t enough anymore. On top of which, Regina doesn’t recognise that the “evil” spirit in the sea IS her daughter: she thinks it’s her vengeful niece. I can see why you might go hide out on island, losing your mind, for a hundred plus years if you thought someone was trying to drag you to doom because they fell down some stairs in your vicinity. But you might feel differently if you knew it was, in fact, the ghost of your daughter you’ve been (admittedly toxically) grieving for a century?
Also I do get that self-sacrifice is a … a … I’m just going to go with complicated again … complicated theme. I kind of assume that most of us can see why we might theoretically sacrifice ourselves for a child just on principle alone, let alone everything that gets folded into that f it happens to be our child (and I mean “our child” broadly, not just biologically). But I think the idea that motherhood and self-sacrifice are integral to each other is … is … maybe feeding into problematic ideas about the value of women in general? Particularly the way we feel we have a cultural right to pass judgement on women, and exert ownership over them, particularly in the context of children and childbirth. (I’m saying ‘women’ specifically here because while, obviously, one does not have to be a woman to have children, this is a highly gendered context). Essentially I think I felt that Meredith having to “redeem” Regina’s “failure” of motherhood through voluntary self-sacrifice kind of stripped agency from both women: from my perspective, Regina was very much the victim of her context (like you don’t witchcraft your husband and let people fall downstairs if you have ANY other options) and I’m kind of uncomfortable with the idea that the only circumstances in which we seem willing to accept that a mother has done enough for her children is if she literally dies for them.
Relevant disclaimers: None
Please note: This review may not be reproduced or quoted, in whole or in part, without explicit consent from the author.
And remember: I am not here to judge your drag, I mean your book. Books are art and art is subjective. These are just my personal thoughts. They are not meant to be taken as broader commentary on the general quality of the work. Believe me, I have not enjoyed many an excellent book, and my individual lack of enjoyment has not made any of those books less excellent or (more relevantly) less successful.
Further disclaimer: Readers, please stop accusing me of trying to take down “my competition” because I wrote a review you didn’t like. This is complete nonsense. Firstly, writing isn’t a competitive sport. Secondly, I only publish reviews of books in the subgenre where I’m best known (queer romcom) if they’re glowing. And finally: taking time out of my life to read an entire book, then write a detailed review about it that some people on GR will look at would be a profoundly inefficient and ineffective way to damage the careers of other authors. If you can’t credit me with simply being a person who loves books and likes talking about them, at least credit me with enough common sense to be a better villain.
*******************************************
I appreciated the atmosphere of this—always here for gothic vibes and people throwing themselves into the sea—but, for me personally, the ending didn’t quite come together.
The plot is mostly centred on Meredith Strand. In the midst of separating from her wife, she returns to her hometown of, I shit you not, Cape Disappointment (I looked this up, it’s a real actual place, God bless America) with her daughter, Alice. Her family own a disused lighthouse and a shonky “museum” about mermaids—oh, and apparently the Strand women are under a curse that makes them hear voices calling them and compels them to run into the sea, though given this has its origins in the late 19th century, Meredith is half-convinced it’s simply undiagnosed mental illness. The book weaves together about five generations of drowning women, with fragments of their lives and histories slowly being revealed as Meredith deals with the recent death of her mother and attempts to protect her daughter from whatever darkness hangs over the family.
I mean, this is pretty ambitious storytelling, though for me it was most successful at the beginning of the book, when everything is mystery, burgeoning dread, and it’s unclear what is supernatural and what, well isn’t. I liked that Meredith is explicitly queer but that her queerness, while relevant to her, is not necessarily relevant to the story. Which is to say, this is a book about motherhood, family history, and gendered generational trauma, and the fact that Meredith is gay, that Alice is the child of two women, does not exclude them from this type of narrative. I also appreciated Meredith’s complicated relationship with her mother, and the sections from Judith’s POV (especially her contemporary POV) are especially striking, as she grapples with grief, regret, old age, and … err … supernatural threat. While the writing sometimes sways a little far towards exposition for my personal tastes (there’s more than one occasion of a character just disgorging several paragraphs of speech to another character while the narrative declares, “why did she just say that to them?”—which is one of my least favourite devices, since, unless it’s used sparingly and specifically, it tends to come across to me like the writer has given up) I did enjoy the atmosphere and the sense of place.
Where the book fell down for me—and, again, your mileage may vary here—was that I wished some of the women in the generations between Regina, Judith and Meredith were a bit more distinct. I slightly lost track of who was who, and who was whose daughter, towards the middle, and their stories started blurring together for me. This could well have been intentional, of course, but I just feel I would have liked to know more about what defined them and drove them as individuals in particular social and cultural contexts. I mean, beyond a compulsion to walk into the sea in front of their daughters.
The other thing that kind of didn’t work for me was the mish mash of supernatural versus non-supernatural elements at the end of the book. This is, again, very much a personal taste thing but when supernatural elements are both real and working thematically and allegorically within the text I tend to find them most effective when there’s just one of them. And I know that a world that contain ghosts can obviously also contain witchcraft or whatever else you want but I felt that some of magical elements were almost working against the central mystery/threat. Especially because they were often super hand-waved. I mean, maybe my priorities are just screwed but, even if my family was under a sea curse, if we also had a secret to extreme longevity I might be … uh. Kind of interested?
All of which said, this is a satisfying and ambitious piece of modern gothic that I broadly recommend if it’s the kind of thing that you’re into.
I do have one further element of the book that I want to talk about a bit, but it will involve spoiling literally everything so … you’ve been warned. Continue at your own risk etc. etc.
So, err, as you can probably tell from the summary motherhood is a big theme of the book. Now, obviously, I’m well out of my lane here, so please do take what I’m about to say with a massive heaping of salt, but something I had a bit of trouble with was the valorisation of self-sacrificial motherhood towards the end of the book. The “curse” on the family is actually the ghost of Regina Strand’s daughter who accidentally drowned while Regina was attempting to use legit witchcraft to protect herself and her family. I mean, it’s a whole complicated thing where Regina is doing the witchcraft and her niece sees her doing the witchcraft and the niece threatens to tell everyone so Regina sort of lets the niece fall down the stairs and is about to hoik her body into the sea except her daughter sees and *hand waves*. It later turns out Regina, despite being from the late 19th century, is still alive (due to witchcraft again—seriously, why does nobody in this book care about this) and has been kidnapping other women’s daughters (because reasons? Trying to find her own dead daughter again?) but it also trying to appease the spirit she believes is the vengeful niece instead of her lost daughter. Anyway, Meredith finds her, there’s fights and stuff, and Regina is eventually sacrificed to the waves so that her daughter can be reunited with her mother. EXCEPT it turns out that Regina is too rubbish at being a mother for this to count, so Meredith voluntarily sacrifices herself in order to bring an end of the drowned daughter’s grief and end the “curse” on the family.
And, obviously, women can be bad mothers, just like anyone can be a bad parent, and there’s nothing inherently wrong with writing stories that explore this theme. But bad mother is SUCH a difficult trope, especially because it’s so entangled with misogynistic ideas about, y’know, women in general. I’m not saying that this book is itself using the trope misogynistically (firstly, I don’t think it is, secondly it’s not my place to offer that kind of commentary) and, in fact, the relationship between Merdeith and Judith, and Meredith and Alice, are nuanced and three-dimensional. But Regina is … Regina is complicated, I think?
I mean she kicks off the book by committing legit murder (and then has as long, later career in kidnapping and more murder) and people who commit murder tend not to be good people but everything gets kind of very mushed together with her? She’s trying to witchcraft her husband precisely TO keep her family because he’s cheating on her, and she lives in a society where she has no social or legal power whatsoever. So, while I don’t mean to take up a staunch pro witchcraft stance, I kind of can’t really blame her for that? And she definitely resents the niece she murders because her husband treats her better than he does his own daughters but, again, that suggests that her husband is a shitheel not that she is a bad mother (or even that bad a person) and the murder IS an accident. Just like the loss of her daughter is an accident. And, the problem is, I don’t quite know how we get from here to kidnapping, emotionally abusive dynamics with other women’s daughters, further murder and—ultimately—being so definitively a bad mother that drowning in the sea with the ghost of her daughter just isn’t enough anymore. On top of which, Regina doesn’t recognise that the “evil” spirit in the sea IS her daughter: she thinks it’s her vengeful niece. I can see why you might go hide out on island, losing your mind, for a hundred plus years if you thought someone was trying to drag you to doom because they fell down some stairs in your vicinity. But you might feel differently if you knew it was, in fact, the ghost of your daughter you’ve been (admittedly toxically) grieving for a century?
Also I do get that self-sacrifice is a … a … I’m just going to go with complicated again … complicated theme. I kind of assume that most of us can see why we might theoretically sacrifice ourselves for a child just on principle alone, let alone everything that gets folded into that f it happens to be our child (and I mean “our child” broadly, not just biologically). But I think the idea that motherhood and self-sacrifice are integral to each other is … is … maybe feeding into problematic ideas about the value of women in general? Particularly the way we feel we have a cultural right to pass judgement on women, and exert ownership over them, particularly in the context of children and childbirth. (I’m saying ‘women’ specifically here because while, obviously, one does not have to be a woman to have children, this is a highly gendered context). Essentially I think I felt that Meredith having to “redeem” Regina’s “failure” of motherhood through voluntary self-sacrifice kind of stripped agency from both women: from my perspective, Regina was very much the victim of her context (like you don’t witchcraft your husband and let people fall downstairs if you have ANY other options) and I’m kind of uncomfortable with the idea that the only circumstances in which we seem willing to accept that a mother has done enough for her children is if she literally dies for them.
Read
June 12, 2024Strolling along a beach, watching the waves ebb and flow, is usually a fun, relaxing experience. Not so for the residents of Cape Disappointment, in this multi-generational tale of a ghostly, ocean-dwelling figure that lures the women of one extended family to their doom.
Could this spirit be seeking revenge for her accidental death, many years ago, or could there be an even darker purpose behind these hauntings?
Author Monroe expertly weaves a tale, full of atmosphere, magic and unspoken dread.
It's quite a page-turner, so give this great book a try. -Louisa A.
Could this spirit be seeking revenge for her accidental death, many years ago, or could there be an even darker purpose behind these hauntings?
Author Monroe expertly weaves a tale, full of atmosphere, magic and unspoken dread.
It's quite a page-turner, so give this great book a try. -Louisa A.
July 11, 2022
"Could a person see with their soul? Hear with their heart?"
Locals say Cape Disappointment is haunted. With a name like that, how could it not be?
Lighthouses aren't just stunning to look at, they serve a purpose. They are used to warn ships of dangerous shallows and rocky coasts. They light the way for safe sailing. Can they also be used to keep other kinds of danger at bay?
Told in different timelines, They Drown Our Daughters is chilling and atmospheric with strong gothic vibes. Meredith and her young daughter have come back to Meredith's childhood home. Her mother is in the early stages of Alzheimer's Disease believes the stories are real. She doesn't just believe it, she knows it. She can hear it in the seashell. She knows it is becoming her granddaughter as it has beckoned every woman in their family for generations.
In the past, we see the lighthouse ever vigilant as it sets the stage for what is to come.
"Water, water everywhere and nary a drop to drink..."
This book touches on many things: mothers and daughters, relationships, family legacy, and tragedy. Part ghost story, part mystery, part supernatural, part fantasy. This book jumps around in time but is never confusing. There were things that I wanted more of an explanation on, but overall, this was an enjoyable gothic tale.
The author even included questions at the end for discussion.
Atmospheric, gothic, chilling
Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
See more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com
Locals say Cape Disappointment is haunted. With a name like that, how could it not be?
Lighthouses aren't just stunning to look at, they serve a purpose. They are used to warn ships of dangerous shallows and rocky coasts. They light the way for safe sailing. Can they also be used to keep other kinds of danger at bay?
Told in different timelines, They Drown Our Daughters is chilling and atmospheric with strong gothic vibes. Meredith and her young daughter have come back to Meredith's childhood home. Her mother is in the early stages of Alzheimer's Disease believes the stories are real. She doesn't just believe it, she knows it. She can hear it in the seashell. She knows it is becoming her granddaughter as it has beckoned every woman in their family for generations.
In the past, we see the lighthouse ever vigilant as it sets the stage for what is to come.
"Water, water everywhere and nary a drop to drink..."
This book touches on many things: mothers and daughters, relationships, family legacy, and tragedy. Part ghost story, part mystery, part supernatural, part fantasy. This book jumps around in time but is never confusing. There were things that I wanted more of an explanation on, but overall, this was an enjoyable gothic tale.
The author even included questions at the end for discussion.
Atmospheric, gothic, chilling
Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
See more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com
June 21, 2022
Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press for this ARC of “They Drown Our Daughters” by Katrina Monroe, out SOON on July 12th!!! 📚 ❤️
Who doesn’t love the beach and water and relaxing waves and mist and sandy toes… You might feel a little different about ALL those things after reading this gothic horror thriller. I love the multi-generational various viewpoints of a female-centered tale of true eerie creepiness, guaranteed to deliver nightmares and eerie, skin-crawling feelings. Author Katrina Monroe beautifully writes this chilly story based upon all of our mama bear’s love and protection of our children, and you’ll find yourself in each of these intriguing women throughout the years. Regardless of the beach-creepiness, absolutely a brilliant summer read. But will YOU go into the water again?!! 🏖 🧜♀️
Who doesn’t love the beach and water and relaxing waves and mist and sandy toes… You might feel a little different about ALL those things after reading this gothic horror thriller. I love the multi-generational various viewpoints of a female-centered tale of true eerie creepiness, guaranteed to deliver nightmares and eerie, skin-crawling feelings. Author Katrina Monroe beautifully writes this chilly story based upon all of our mama bear’s love and protection of our children, and you’ll find yourself in each of these intriguing women throughout the years. Regardless of the beach-creepiness, absolutely a brilliant summer read. But will YOU go into the water again?!! 🏖 🧜♀️
August 4, 2022
I’m the first one to jump at a queer, haunting ocean story. but this one didn’t work for me.
the pacing was borderline unbearable for me. there were so many times I almost dnf’ed this but I ultimately still wanted to know what would happen— I was disappointed in the end, anyway.
without getting into spoilers, this wasn’t the story I wanted and I don’t think the ending was satisfying for all the buildup.
gorgeous cover though.
the pacing was borderline unbearable for me. there were so many times I almost dnf’ed this but I ultimately still wanted to know what would happen— I was disappointed in the end, anyway.
without getting into spoilers, this wasn’t the story I wanted and I don’t think the ending was satisfying for all the buildup.
gorgeous cover though.
April 5, 2022
They Drown Our Daughters is a masterful take on family curses and mermaid legends. Told from the points of view of five generations of women bound to the ocean, this book reeks of salt air and dust.
What I really loved about this book was the atmosphere. The author made it feel like I could feel the ocean breeze and feel the sand between my toes. And I loved it despite hating the beach in real life. My only complaint is that it felt like there were gaps in the story in some places and some things could have been fleshed out better. Other than that I loved it, though. Definitely be on the lookout for this one.
*thank you to the publisher for sending me an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
What I really loved about this book was the atmosphere. The author made it feel like I could feel the ocean breeze and feel the sand between my toes. And I loved it despite hating the beach in real life. My only complaint is that it felt like there were gaps in the story in some places and some things could have been fleshed out better. Other than that I loved it, though. Definitely be on the lookout for this one.
*thank you to the publisher for sending me an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
January 15, 2024
Haunting and atmospheric is an apt description for this one. Many books use that in their description, and they are usually off the mark, but it thoroughly fits in this case.
This story is told in multiple POVs across timelines and shifts in scenes. It is easy to get confused, but if you can hammer down the personalities, the story flows like the waves of the ocean. The narrators are the women from a family line that has made a bargain with a supposed sea ghost or witch.
This is a story about protecting your daughter at all costs, even if it means pulling away from her, fighting for her, or giving up your life for her.
The book's final quarter was both the most interesting and the most muddied in flow. I was left with so many questions about characters that were brought in and not resolved sufficiently. I think this is purposeful to go with the ghost story, but it feels unsatisfactory to me as a reader.
Overall a solid 3.5 Star rounded up to 4.
This story is told in multiple POVs across timelines and shifts in scenes. It is easy to get confused, but if you can hammer down the personalities, the story flows like the waves of the ocean. The narrators are the women from a family line that has made a bargain with a supposed sea ghost or witch.
This is a story about protecting your daughter at all costs, even if it means pulling away from her, fighting for her, or giving up your life for her.
The book's final quarter was both the most interesting and the most muddied in flow. I was left with so many questions about characters that were brought in and not resolved sufficiently. I think this is purposeful to go with the ghost story, but it feels unsatisfactory to me as a reader.
Overall a solid 3.5 Star rounded up to 4.
June 8, 2022
A stunning, vividly atmospheric and deeply unsettling multi generational story!
I can confidently say that this is the best book I have read so far this year. I can see this being extremely successful and well beloved when it comes out. (So keep your eyes peeled for it.) So I feel so lucky to have gotten to read this book. Much less get an ARC copy for it!
As I said previously, They Drown Our Daughters is so atmospheric. I could feel the sand between my toes and the salt water mist hitting my face. While this is predominantly a character based story,I still found the gothic atmosphere to be so conspicuous and the writting to be alluring. And honestly, they were my favorite parts of the book.
Between the rich atmosphere and writting style it added so much depth to the story. I found her writting to be very much like Jeniffer McMahon. So if your a McMahon fan, I highly recommend this one! I've also seen this compared to Silvia Moreno Garcia. And while I see where the similarities, I think this is more like the movie Dark Water.
I genuinely have nothing bad to say about this. And while I could sit here all day and gush, I'm going to end this here.
If you are a fan of gothic, horror or thrillers, definitely give it a try when it comes out on July 12th.
Thank you so much to Sourcebooks for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!!
I can confidently say that this is the best book I have read so far this year. I can see this being extremely successful and well beloved when it comes out. (So keep your eyes peeled for it.) So I feel so lucky to have gotten to read this book. Much less get an ARC copy for it!
As I said previously, They Drown Our Daughters is so atmospheric. I could feel the sand between my toes and the salt water mist hitting my face. While this is predominantly a character based story,I still found the gothic atmosphere to be so conspicuous and the writting to be alluring. And honestly, they were my favorite parts of the book.
Between the rich atmosphere and writting style it added so much depth to the story. I found her writting to be very much like Jeniffer McMahon. So if your a McMahon fan, I highly recommend this one! I've also seen this compared to Silvia Moreno Garcia. And while I see where the similarities, I think this is more like the movie Dark Water.
I genuinely have nothing bad to say about this. And while I could sit here all day and gush, I'm going to end this here.
If you are a fan of gothic, horror or thrillers, definitely give it a try when it comes out on July 12th.
Thank you so much to Sourcebooks for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!!
June 23, 2022
Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press, NetGalley and the author for providing this title in exchange for an honest review!
If you're a daughter with a complicated relationship with your mother, you can go ahead and read this book instead of going to therapy.
Just kidding! Please go to therapy. But, also read this.
When I say "They drown our daughters" blew my mind, I'm not exaggerating.
Meredith has always felt like an unwanted child. Until she managed to get away from Cape Disappointment, her mother kept her at arm's length, yet at the same time, within arm's reach, telling her stories of monsters lurking in the water. Things are not much different when Meredith returns to her hometown with her daughter Alice, a motherhood Meredith was never eager to claim but is now willing to do anything to protect. She knows they come from a line of "troubled" women, women who disappeared, women who took their own lives. Mothers, leaving traumatized daughters behind. She knows folk legends of killer mermaids are not behind it, but mental illness. And then the water starts to call.
This was a beautifully written, character-driven, chilling ghost story that, at its core, is really about trying to break the cycle of generational trauma, and a fantastic metaphor for mental illness. It's about finally, really, understanding, and forgiving, and making the choice to do different, because you also have the tools to do different.
The novel follows present day Meredith, but alternates with the point of view of the mothers and daughters who came before her back to Regina, the woman who started it all. The prologue really hooked me in, and I enjoyed slowly seeing the puzzle pieces fall into place. About halfway through, I felt as unable to stop reading as the women felt powerless to get away from the ocean they both loved and feared.
The descriptions were as vivid as if you were there, and the plot was fast-paced and masterfully crafted.
The ending shocked me, but it felt fitting. This book will definitely stay with me for a long time, I highly recommend it!
Trigger warnings: suicide and suicide attempt, child murder
If you're a daughter with a complicated relationship with your mother, you can go ahead and read this book instead of going to therapy.
Just kidding! Please go to therapy. But, also read this.
When I say "They drown our daughters" blew my mind, I'm not exaggerating.
Meredith has always felt like an unwanted child. Until she managed to get away from Cape Disappointment, her mother kept her at arm's length, yet at the same time, within arm's reach, telling her stories of monsters lurking in the water. Things are not much different when Meredith returns to her hometown with her daughter Alice, a motherhood Meredith was never eager to claim but is now willing to do anything to protect. She knows they come from a line of "troubled" women, women who disappeared, women who took their own lives. Mothers, leaving traumatized daughters behind. She knows folk legends of killer mermaids are not behind it, but mental illness. And then the water starts to call.
This was a beautifully written, character-driven, chilling ghost story that, at its core, is really about trying to break the cycle of generational trauma, and a fantastic metaphor for mental illness. It's about finally, really, understanding, and forgiving, and making the choice to do different, because you also have the tools to do different.
The novel follows present day Meredith, but alternates with the point of view of the mothers and daughters who came before her back to Regina, the woman who started it all. The prologue really hooked me in, and I enjoyed slowly seeing the puzzle pieces fall into place. About halfway through, I felt as unable to stop reading as the women felt powerless to get away from the ocean they both loved and feared.
The descriptions were as vivid as if you were there, and the plot was fast-paced and masterfully crafted.
The ending shocked me, but it felt fitting. This book will definitely stay with me for a long time, I highly recommend it!
Trigger warnings: suicide and suicide attempt, child murder
June 30, 2022
3.0 Stars
This was a slow burning Gothic Horror novel that explores a difficult mother daughter relationship.
Told over multiple perspectives and characters, the narrative jumped around quite a bit. I personally did not love this narrative structure because I found it rather disjointed.
This is a very character driven island and I struggled to connect with the leading ladies. The mother purposely was written to be a headstrong women, yet these traits made her a frustrating character. I appreciated the subtle inclusion of LGBT+ relationships however.
My favourite aspect of this novel was easily the lore surrounding the island. I enjoyed the quiet gothic atmosphere.
This is a good horror novel, but not particularly to my personal tastes. I would more recommend this one to readers who love slower character driven Gothic fiction.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
This was a slow burning Gothic Horror novel that explores a difficult mother daughter relationship.
Told over multiple perspectives and characters, the narrative jumped around quite a bit. I personally did not love this narrative structure because I found it rather disjointed.
This is a very character driven island and I struggled to connect with the leading ladies. The mother purposely was written to be a headstrong women, yet these traits made her a frustrating character. I appreciated the subtle inclusion of LGBT+ relationships however.
My favourite aspect of this novel was easily the lore surrounding the island. I enjoyed the quiet gothic atmosphere.
This is a good horror novel, but not particularly to my personal tastes. I would more recommend this one to readers who love slower character driven Gothic fiction.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
July 19, 2022
Once upon a time, a wronged woman was willing to do whatever it took to secure her daughter's future.
Maybe if her intentions had been pure, maybe if they had not held a tinge of selfishness things would have turned out differently.
Instead, what she set in motion ruined the lives of generations to come.
Years later, rumors of witchcraft and a curse on the women are still fodder for gossip and pranks, and occasional vandalism on the family property.
When Meredith returns to her childhood home with her young daughter in tow, there is no happy reunion between her and her mother. Old wounds are reopened, and danger lurks in the water, waiting for its chance to claim another life.
This story is told on multiple timelines, from the points of view of several generations of women. I would describe it as historical horror fiction that makes its way into the modern day. It is atmospheric and dark, touching on the bonds between mothers and daughters and what it takes to sever them. There is a bit of supernatural mystery woven in, with a quick pace that kept me turning the pages. I was all in on this story until probably the final third when it took a weird turn without an adequate explanation.
I still enjoyed the story but that irked me enough to deduct a star.
4 out of 5 stars.
My thanks to Poisoned Pen Press
Maybe if her intentions had been pure, maybe if they had not held a tinge of selfishness things would have turned out differently.
Instead, what she set in motion ruined the lives of generations to come.
Years later, rumors of witchcraft and a curse on the women are still fodder for gossip and pranks, and occasional vandalism on the family property.
When Meredith returns to her childhood home with her young daughter in tow, there is no happy reunion between her and her mother. Old wounds are reopened, and danger lurks in the water, waiting for its chance to claim another life.
This story is told on multiple timelines, from the points of view of several generations of women. I would describe it as historical horror fiction that makes its way into the modern day. It is atmospheric and dark, touching on the bonds between mothers and daughters and what it takes to sever them. There is a bit of supernatural mystery woven in, with a quick pace that kept me turning the pages. I was all in on this story until probably the final third when it took a weird turn without an adequate explanation.
I still enjoyed the story but that irked me enough to deduct a star.
4 out of 5 stars.
My thanks to Poisoned Pen Press
Read
August 10, 2023Listened to the audiobook! Full review to come :)
March 14, 2022
A beautifully written gothic novel, with some compelling characters and an edgy underlying tension to it that works really well.
It is the story of a lineage haunted by a curse and told within a generational setting. The women in this story are complex and the author brings an atmospheric and creepy sense to proceedings.
If you love a good gothic drama this will be for you.
It is the story of a lineage haunted by a curse and told within a generational setting. The women in this story are complex and the author brings an atmospheric and creepy sense to proceedings.
If you love a good gothic drama this will be for you.
December 11, 2022
There's just too many heavy things out of this story for me to process right now,leaving me feeling exhausted,overwhelmed and confused. There's just too many things going on in this complex,multi-generational story about a cursed family who all acted very strangely like they are not a family or even related.
A lot of things that did not make any sense to me. I am still trying to fathom on what i just read here as my minds got all jumbled up and messed up with so many things,weird things going on here. Well there's some weird LGBTQ-lesbianism theme, witchcraft/sorcery/spells, murder, attempted murder, suicides,attempted suicides, depressions,kidnapping/abduction, beating,drugging and locking down a kidnap person, violence, aggression,drinking,making out on the beach,etc. Arrghh!
There's just too much and too many things going on,weird things and weird characters that didn't make any sense to me,with so many povs from God knows,four or was it five generations of women of the same descendants that keep switching on and off between them,with some left unanswered with no proper closure,especially to Constance/the witch's family/descendants.It's all very hazy,confusing and messed up to me. And not to forget, this story really drags and is very slow, which makes me bored and feeling depressed and drained out until i had to take a long breaks in between before i forced myself to finish it (but i skipped and jumped most of the parts for a quicker read and faster ending.
So, sadly this story is worth of only a 2🌟 out of 5 for me. That is only because i love the theme of motherhood,even though i am not a mother yet myself but i understand those feelings of being one,as i am currently taking care of my own elderly mother and taking over her role as well,as both a daughter and a mother to her as she is now incapable of caring for herself and acts just like a baby/a child. So i know those feelings; those sadness,despairs,regrets,frustrations,sacrifices,etc of failing to be a good mother, and a good daughter, failing to do something to make things better and right again, failing to heal, to bring back hope and a smile to the person you loved most, to protect them,to keeping them safe, to love them or make them feel loved and appreciated, to make them feel worthy only to find myself being a bad,worthless and useless mother and a daughter for failing in all of these things,for making a bad decisions and choices in life, for hurting the person you loved the most out of frustrations,despairs and anger you had with yourself,for failing to do what's best and you hoped for for the beloved person. In the end, we are all flawed and messed up in our own ways,just like the mothers' characters in this story.
Thank you to the author, the publisher and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review of the e-ARC copy of this book.
A lot of things that did not make any sense to me. I am still trying to fathom on what i just read here as my minds got all jumbled up and messed up with so many things,weird things going on here. Well there's some weird LGBTQ-lesbianism theme, witchcraft/sorcery/spells, murder, attempted murder, suicides,attempted suicides, depressions,kidnapping/abduction, beating,drugging and locking down a kidnap person, violence, aggression,drinking,making out on the beach,etc. Arrghh!
There's just too much and too many things going on,weird things and weird characters that didn't make any sense to me,with so many povs from God knows,four or was it five generations of women of the same descendants that keep switching on and off between them,with some left unanswered with no proper closure,especially to Constance/the witch's family/descendants.It's all very hazy,confusing and messed up to me. And not to forget, this story really drags and is very slow, which makes me bored and feeling depressed and drained out until i had to take a long breaks in between before i forced myself to finish it (but i skipped and jumped most of the parts for a quicker read and faster ending.
So, sadly this story is worth of only a 2🌟 out of 5 for me. That is only because i love the theme of motherhood,even though i am not a mother yet myself but i understand those feelings of being one,as i am currently taking care of my own elderly mother and taking over her role as well,as both a daughter and a mother to her as she is now incapable of caring for herself and acts just like a baby/a child. So i know those feelings; those sadness,despairs,regrets,frustrations,sacrifices,etc of failing to be a good mother, and a good daughter, failing to do something to make things better and right again, failing to heal, to bring back hope and a smile to the person you loved most, to protect them,to keeping them safe, to love them or make them feel loved and appreciated, to make them feel worthy only to find myself being a bad,worthless and useless mother and a daughter for failing in all of these things,for making a bad decisions and choices in life, for hurting the person you loved the most out of frustrations,despairs and anger you had with yourself,for failing to do what's best and you hoped for for the beloved person. In the end, we are all flawed and messed up in our own ways,just like the mothers' characters in this story.
Thank you to the author, the publisher and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review of the e-ARC copy of this book.
September 3, 2022
Thanks to NetGalley & Poisoned Pen Press for an eARC of this book. The following review is my honest reflection on the text provided.
I wanted to love They Drown Our Daughters . A multi-generational curse, a mysterious lighthouse over a haunted cape, and ghost stories mixed in with witches - what's not to love?
I struggled to stay invested at times, and the way the narrative jumps between perspectives adds to the disjointed feeling. The underlying tension throughout kept me reading - I had to find out what would happen - but with all that buildup, the payoff in the end just wasn't worth it. Though this would have changed the entire plot, I think the best parts were those set in the past, and it would've been a stronger story if it had all been set in the past. I don't know if I just didn't connect to the modern characters or if it all felt out of place, but I felt disconnected.
"Though the days of burning a witch at the stake were long over, it would only take a word from her husband to get Regina locked in a sanatorium forever."
There are definitely good parts. Monroe does a wonderful job making you feel deeply unsettled with small moments and things being just a little bit off. While there are big moments, you don't need them to set a scene and a mood that is perfect for this gothic horror. The writing is gorgeous, even if I didn't particularly care for the story.
With too many unremarkable characters, a slow pace, and an unsatisfying ending, I didn't leave They Drown Our Daughters on a high note.
Review originally posted here on Britt's Book Blurbs.
I wanted to love They Drown Our Daughters . A multi-generational curse, a mysterious lighthouse over a haunted cape, and ghost stories mixed in with witches - what's not to love?
I struggled to stay invested at times, and the way the narrative jumps between perspectives adds to the disjointed feeling. The underlying tension throughout kept me reading - I had to find out what would happen - but with all that buildup, the payoff in the end just wasn't worth it. Though this would have changed the entire plot, I think the best parts were those set in the past, and it would've been a stronger story if it had all been set in the past. I don't know if I just didn't connect to the modern characters or if it all felt out of place, but I felt disconnected.
"Though the days of burning a witch at the stake were long over, it would only take a word from her husband to get Regina locked in a sanatorium forever."
There are definitely good parts. Monroe does a wonderful job making you feel deeply unsettled with small moments and things being just a little bit off. While there are big moments, you don't need them to set a scene and a mood that is perfect for this gothic horror. The writing is gorgeous, even if I didn't particularly care for the story.
With too many unremarkable characters, a slow pace, and an unsatisfying ending, I didn't leave They Drown Our Daughters on a high note.
Review originally posted here on Britt's Book Blurbs.
Amazon | Blog | Bookstagram | Reddit | Wishlist
September 20, 2022
"Mysterious things bumped the bottom of the boat. Huge, dark shapes curled under the water, which she saw out of the corner of her eye and refused to look at directly. Like the monsters under the bed, if she didn’t acknowledge them, they didn’t exist-or so she told herself."
The dark depths of any body of water frighten me. The not knowing what’s lurking underneath and the unexplored are what give me nightmares. That is what I thought this book was going to do to me. Frighten me enough to think twice before jumping into the ocean again.
The hauntingly beautiful cover brought me to this book. It’s feminine but ghastly at the same time. Like the ocean, it speaks of the unknown.
This started off like any other book with deep secrets, it had this sort of intensity that built up towards the first chapter. It had me hooked and I needed to know more. As the story progressed I started to lose interest. The story was slow moving and I figured out the big secret early on which was a huge bummer. I got to a point where I was over this and skimmed the rest. My theory was right and I feel as if I had read the entire thing.
They Drown Our Daughters was an okay read. I was impressed at first but that didn't last very long. Guessing the ending ruins books for me most of the time. It certainly did with this one.
The dark depths of any body of water frighten me. The not knowing what’s lurking underneath and the unexplored are what give me nightmares. That is what I thought this book was going to do to me. Frighten me enough to think twice before jumping into the ocean again.
The hauntingly beautiful cover brought me to this book. It’s feminine but ghastly at the same time. Like the ocean, it speaks of the unknown.
This started off like any other book with deep secrets, it had this sort of intensity that built up towards the first chapter. It had me hooked and I needed to know more. As the story progressed I started to lose interest. The story was slow moving and I figured out the big secret early on which was a huge bummer. I got to a point where I was over this and skimmed the rest. My theory was right and I feel as if I had read the entire thing.
They Drown Our Daughters was an okay read. I was impressed at first but that didn't last very long. Guessing the ending ruins books for me most of the time. It certainly did with this one.
Read
June 5, 2022Oh I hate to do this, DNF @ 33%.
Now, the cover of this book is absolutely stunning. It caught my eye and immediately made me request it.
This book started out very strong and I was absolutely captivated; a multigenerational curse, and a mermaid?!
I loved the opening with Regina that tells you how the curse was formed. I love the writing. And then it switched to modern day and that’s where the writing started to lose me.
The downside of this is that this is a little too slow moving for me. And every chapter beginning with a different character, isn’t allowing me to really fall in love with any of them.
Unfortunately, I’ve decided to put this one down. It just isn’t holding my attention.
Thank you to the publisher for my arc.
Now, the cover of this book is absolutely stunning. It caught my eye and immediately made me request it.
This book started out very strong and I was absolutely captivated; a multigenerational curse, and a mermaid?!
I loved the opening with Regina that tells you how the curse was formed. I love the writing. And then it switched to modern day and that’s where the writing started to lose me.
The downside of this is that this is a little too slow moving for me. And every chapter beginning with a different character, isn’t allowing me to really fall in love with any of them.
Unfortunately, I’ve decided to put this one down. It just isn’t holding my attention.
Thank you to the publisher for my arc.
August 10, 2022
I was enjoying this atmospheric read so much until that stupid ending and the last 120 pages really ruined this for me.
So all this time Regina is alive and it’s not Liza who’s haunting the ocean but Marina??? Are you kidding me? And even after the climax the author had to sacrifice Meredith because emotional damage. Literally couldn’t connect with Meredith and her shitty behaviour at all. What a waste of a great suspenseful plot!
So all this time Regina is alive and it’s not Liza who’s haunting the ocean but Marina??? Are you kidding me? And even after the climax the author had to sacrifice Meredith because emotional damage. Literally couldn’t connect with Meredith and her shitty behaviour at all. What a waste of a great suspenseful plot!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 26, 2022
I wanted to love this, because I love gothic spooky stories, mermaids and the PNW setting! However, the chronology of the stories was confusing and the build was a bit too slow for my liking. It ended in an unsatisfying way and I still feel wishy washy towards it..
April 29, 2024
Didn't like it.
July 12, 2022
Thank you, Katrina Monroe, NetGalley, and Poisoned Pen Press for the opportunity to read this book! It releases on July 12th, 2022!
“Everyone around here talks about the cape like it exists for the sole purpose of either killing or blessing them. Curses or Mermaids. They forget…” She sipped the vodka, willing it to stay down. “It’s all about the mothers.”
THEY DROWN OUR DAUGHTERS
I was so excited to be given an opportunity to read They Drown Our Daughters by Katrina Monroe because they said it is perfect for fans of Jennifer McMahon, whom I love! Be prepared for multiple perspectives and timelines, but the main timeline begins in the present when Meredith leaves her wife and heads home to Cape Disappointment with her daughter, Alice. There are rumors that it is haunted and Meredith’s family is at the center of the rumors. While Meredith doesn’t believe in ghost stories, her mother does. But soon Meredith hears the call from the ocean and suspects her daughter does as well. Maybe she needs to start believing in order to save her daughter from a cruel family fate.
There is a lot happening in this story. It is about multiple generations of women who endure trauma and can’t escape a family curse. It all starts with one mother who would do anything, even kill, to keep her children. But is that really what happens? At first, I thought I knew where this story was headed but I am not going to lie the last quarter of the book did lose me a little bit. The finale of the book is heartwrenching, and I would be lying if I said I didn’t cry–because I totally did. But the portion before the finale could have used a little polishing. It just didn’t flow as well as the rest of the story.
Many people will hate the different timelines and perspectives but I loved it. It really dove into the inner workings of the mother-daughter relationships within this single family. The quote above states, “It’s all about the mothers.”–and it is so true. We watch Meredith go from unsure and broken from being in a terrible marriage, not being able to connect with her mother, and doubting her abilities as a mother to knowing precisely what to do and to heal the trauma of multiple generations. This book is wonderfully gothic and eerie and I was not disappointed! I definitely plan to read more of Katrina Monroe!
“Everyone around here talks about the cape like it exists for the sole purpose of either killing or blessing them. Curses or Mermaids. They forget…” She sipped the vodka, willing it to stay down. “It’s all about the mothers.”
THEY DROWN OUR DAUGHTERS
I was so excited to be given an opportunity to read They Drown Our Daughters by Katrina Monroe because they said it is perfect for fans of Jennifer McMahon, whom I love! Be prepared for multiple perspectives and timelines, but the main timeline begins in the present when Meredith leaves her wife and heads home to Cape Disappointment with her daughter, Alice. There are rumors that it is haunted and Meredith’s family is at the center of the rumors. While Meredith doesn’t believe in ghost stories, her mother does. But soon Meredith hears the call from the ocean and suspects her daughter does as well. Maybe she needs to start believing in order to save her daughter from a cruel family fate.
There is a lot happening in this story. It is about multiple generations of women who endure trauma and can’t escape a family curse. It all starts with one mother who would do anything, even kill, to keep her children. But is that really what happens? At first, I thought I knew where this story was headed but I am not going to lie the last quarter of the book did lose me a little bit. The finale of the book is heartwrenching, and I would be lying if I said I didn’t cry–because I totally did. But the portion before the finale could have used a little polishing. It just didn’t flow as well as the rest of the story.
Many people will hate the different timelines and perspectives but I loved it. It really dove into the inner workings of the mother-daughter relationships within this single family. The quote above states, “It’s all about the mothers.”–and it is so true. We watch Meredith go from unsure and broken from being in a terrible marriage, not being able to connect with her mother, and doubting her abilities as a mother to knowing precisely what to do and to heal the trauma of multiple generations. This book is wonderfully gothic and eerie and I was not disappointed! I definitely plan to read more of Katrina Monroe!
May 28, 2022
Thank you to Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for providing me an ebook copy of The Drown Our Daughters by Katrina Monroe. The following is my honest review.
I genuinely enjoyed this novel about curses and the love and selflessness of mothers. It was not quite horror but something more than a mystery and it hit just the right spot for me.
The Plot
Meredith, dealing with a split from her wife, takes her young daughter Alice back to Meredith's childhood home on Cape Disappointment, where she has always felt an inexplicable pull towards the ocean. But as old gossip of a curse on her family begins again, followed by one tragedy after another, and interspersed with histories of all the cursed women in Meredith's family, it turns out the curse may be more real than she could've dreamed.
The Good
The plot was excellent and I have no complaints about the writing either. The atmosphere of the whole book was melancholy and creepy which made me never want to put it down. Most of the side characters were really intriguing, especially the "bad" ones.
I love kids but I usually don't like to read them as characters in books. However, I appreciate that 7 y/o Alice was pretty essential to the plot here, and she was pretty well written.
I don't want to give any spoilers, but the ending is not your typical "family stands hand-in-hand, happy they still have each other while the screen faces to black" type ending. That's a positive for me, but if you need your stories with a perfect HEA maaaaybe give this one a pass.
The Not-So-Good
I thought it was a weird start and didn't care for most of the main characters until well into the book, especially Meredith. Although given her character arc its possible that was intentional.
Towards the end of the book things went off the rails a little and got weird. Weird is good but this was pretty well established as a story set in the real world, and this one curse was a bizarre paranormal element that no one really believed in. Then 80% of the way in you throw in another magical thing that barely anyone questions? It was later explained, sort of, but by that point it had thrown off the whole pacing of the book. Not the end of the world, but a strange choice.
But really what kept it from being a 5 star book is that I never felt like I take connected with Meredith. Her choices get sometimes so far-ferched and selfish that I couldn't imagine her as a real person. I wish the book had been longer and some of Meredith's ancestors had been given more page time. I really liked some of them but it was hard to keep track of a 6 generation family tree in 300 pages.
Overall a very good, very sad read. Definitely recommend if you like slow burn, creepy paranormal stories that center women.
__________________________________
Wow. Well. That was depressing. Rtc.
I genuinely enjoyed this novel about curses and the love and selflessness of mothers. It was not quite horror but something more than a mystery and it hit just the right spot for me.
The Plot
Meredith, dealing with a split from her wife, takes her young daughter Alice back to Meredith's childhood home on Cape Disappointment, where she has always felt an inexplicable pull towards the ocean. But as old gossip of a curse on her family begins again, followed by one tragedy after another, and interspersed with histories of all the cursed women in Meredith's family, it turns out the curse may be more real than she could've dreamed.
The Good
The plot was excellent and I have no complaints about the writing either. The atmosphere of the whole book was melancholy and creepy which made me never want to put it down. Most of the side characters were really intriguing, especially the "bad" ones.
I love kids but I usually don't like to read them as characters in books. However, I appreciate that 7 y/o Alice was pretty essential to the plot here, and she was pretty well written.
I don't want to give any spoilers, but the ending is not your typical "family stands hand-in-hand, happy they still have each other while the screen faces to black" type ending. That's a positive for me, but if you need your stories with a perfect HEA maaaaybe give this one a pass.
The Not-So-Good
I thought it was a weird start and didn't care for most of the main characters until well into the book, especially Meredith. Although given her character arc its possible that was intentional.
Towards the end of the book things went off the rails a little and got weird. Weird is good but this was pretty well established as a story set in the real world, and this one curse was a bizarre paranormal element that no one really believed in. Then 80% of the way in you throw in another magical thing that barely anyone questions? It was later explained, sort of, but by that point it had thrown off the whole pacing of the book. Not the end of the world, but a strange choice.
But really what kept it from being a 5 star book is that I never felt like I take connected with Meredith. Her choices get sometimes so far-ferched and selfish that I couldn't imagine her as a real person. I wish the book had been longer and some of Meredith's ancestors had been given more page time. I really liked some of them but it was hard to keep track of a 6 generation family tree in 300 pages.
Overall a very good, very sad read. Definitely recommend if you like slow burn, creepy paranormal stories that center women.
__________________________________
Wow. Well. That was depressing. Rtc.
June 23, 2022
On my blog.
Rep: lesbian mc
CWs: suicide, drowning
Galley provided by publisher
They Drown Our Daughters is a compelling paranormal thriller. The story follows Meredith Strand, who returns to her childhood town following her separation with her wife. Along with her comes her young daughter. Back here is her mother, suffering from Alzheimer’s and convinced of the existence of a curse on their family.
This is a book full of gorgeous and atmospheric writing, that transports you to Cape Disappointment and its characters. It’s a book that so fully evokes the place that you could imagine that you had been there as it’s all unfolding. That’s the best part of this book, really: the way it sends you there, in amongst the sea mist and the small town. You feel as though you can see it all happening right in front of you.
And this extends to the characters as well. There are quite a few POVs, what with the flashbacks to the other women of the family, but each of them feels entirely distinct and their own character. I think there could have been the danger that they’d all merge into one, with that many of them, but they don’t. Each and every one of them leaps into life off the page.
It’s a slowbuilding novel, really, gradually leading up to the present-day mystery and its ramifications (I’m trying to be vague here, since I can’t remember how much of this part the blurb reveals). You know as little about what is going on as Meredith does, although the past flashbacks do hint at something.
So the twist when it came—it was unexpected, in a sense. I suppose that makes it a good twist. However, it was unexpected also in that it didn’t feel at all telegraphed and was more of a complete tone change from the rest of the book. This wasn’t necessarily bad, but it left me a little disoriented for the rest of the book and I’m not sure I could say I enjoyed the final act because of it. That’s not to say that, overall, I didn’t love the book. It’s an odd one, really. I think if I reread it and knew the twist, then perhaps I would enjoy it better? We’d have to see.
But on the whole, this is a book I’d highly recommend. If you want to spend a few days transported to a small seaside town and its secrets, this is the book for you.
Rep: lesbian mc
CWs: suicide, drowning
Galley provided by publisher
They Drown Our Daughters is a compelling paranormal thriller. The story follows Meredith Strand, who returns to her childhood town following her separation with her wife. Along with her comes her young daughter. Back here is her mother, suffering from Alzheimer’s and convinced of the existence of a curse on their family.
This is a book full of gorgeous and atmospheric writing, that transports you to Cape Disappointment and its characters. It’s a book that so fully evokes the place that you could imagine that you had been there as it’s all unfolding. That’s the best part of this book, really: the way it sends you there, in amongst the sea mist and the small town. You feel as though you can see it all happening right in front of you.
And this extends to the characters as well. There are quite a few POVs, what with the flashbacks to the other women of the family, but each of them feels entirely distinct and their own character. I think there could have been the danger that they’d all merge into one, with that many of them, but they don’t. Each and every one of them leaps into life off the page.
It’s a slowbuilding novel, really, gradually leading up to the present-day mystery and its ramifications (I’m trying to be vague here, since I can’t remember how much of this part the blurb reveals). You know as little about what is going on as Meredith does, although the past flashbacks do hint at something.
So the twist when it came—it was unexpected, in a sense. I suppose that makes it a good twist. However, it was unexpected also in that it didn’t feel at all telegraphed and was more of a complete tone change from the rest of the book. This wasn’t necessarily bad, but it left me a little disoriented for the rest of the book and I’m not sure I could say I enjoyed the final act because of it. That’s not to say that, overall, I didn’t love the book. It’s an odd one, really. I think if I reread it and knew the twist, then perhaps I would enjoy it better? We’d have to see.
But on the whole, this is a book I’d highly recommend. If you want to spend a few days transported to a small seaside town and its secrets, this is the book for you.
February 22, 2022
I loved They Drown Our Daughters by Katrina Monroe. It is a character driven story with gothic vibes and hints a ghost story. This is the story of multiple generations with the setting of an ocean which provides cohesion to the story with an eerie twist, with an emphasis on the relationship between a mothers and daughters. All of these are components that drew me into the story and the combination of lyrical prose and a psychologically intense story made it difficult for me to put this book down. Katrina Monroe’s style is reminiscent of Wendy Webb and Jennifer McMahon. Fans of gothic ghost stories will definitely want to pick this book up! Thanks to Netgalley for the advanced readers copy!
August 28, 2022
4 stars on a technical level, but very close to a 5-star read when it comes to "vibes". Katrina Monroe nails that gothic-haunted-coastal-vibe that is pretty much my brand when it comes to atmospheric reads.
Full review to follow.
Full review to follow.
March 18, 2022
“If you can hear the call of the water, it’s already far too late.”
It was a curse that went awry in the 19th century, a curse that now plagues multiple generations of women as they are called time and time again to Cape Disappointment.
They say the Cape is haunted, they told the girls to get out stay away; but something keeps drawing them in to the coastal town, where one family is never safe.
They Drown our Daughters centres around Judith, her daughter Meredith and granddaughter Alice in a multi-generational saga of atmospheric, gothic/suspense horror. Meredith feels that she must head back to the cape following marital problems; almost immediately odd things start to call to both her and her daughter from the depths of the sea.
Judith is terrified, overbearing and seemingly a little unhinged as she strives to keep the girls out of the water, away from the “mermaid”, and the curse that has plagued her family for over 100 years.
They Drown our Daughters has been my favourite Netgalley arc to date. The atmospheric build-up of this book coupled with a dark oceanic setting worked well to build tension.
Although the plot was fairly simple, the author has done an excellent job of layering the stories across multiple generations of this one family to build knowledge, characters and heartrates as we work up to the climax.
The pacing is deliberately slow, allowing the reader time to sit in the setting, to feel the fear of the ocean build across generations yet not be able to stop the desire, the need to feel the water. To heed the call of the woman waiting below its depths; ready to feed the curse yet again.
3.5 Rounded up
It was a curse that went awry in the 19th century, a curse that now plagues multiple generations of women as they are called time and time again to Cape Disappointment.
They say the Cape is haunted, they told the girls to get out stay away; but something keeps drawing them in to the coastal town, where one family is never safe.
They Drown our Daughters centres around Judith, her daughter Meredith and granddaughter Alice in a multi-generational saga of atmospheric, gothic/suspense horror. Meredith feels that she must head back to the cape following marital problems; almost immediately odd things start to call to both her and her daughter from the depths of the sea.
Judith is terrified, overbearing and seemingly a little unhinged as she strives to keep the girls out of the water, away from the “mermaid”, and the curse that has plagued her family for over 100 years.
They Drown our Daughters has been my favourite Netgalley arc to date. The atmospheric build-up of this book coupled with a dark oceanic setting worked well to build tension.
Although the plot was fairly simple, the author has done an excellent job of layering the stories across multiple generations of this one family to build knowledge, characters and heartrates as we work up to the climax.
The pacing is deliberately slow, allowing the reader time to sit in the setting, to feel the fear of the ocean build across generations yet not be able to stop the desire, the need to feel the water. To heed the call of the woman waiting below its depths; ready to feed the curse yet again.
3.5 Rounded up
dnf
October 2, 2022Mara Wilson's great audiobook narration can't save this book for me sadly. Something about it isn't grabbing me and it feels unbearably slow. I'm curious to know how it ends so if anyone wants to jump in my DMs and spoil it, let me know !
July 17, 2022
This one was a bit of a mixed bag for me. I enjoyed the haunting element immensely. Monroe does a bang-up job with setting a chilly scene and invoking a deep sense of unsettle without a bunch of flash and bang. Often times a quiet hum you feel in your bones is more disburbing than something grusome in your face and I think she does this very well here. Also, the link between mothers and daughters and the lengths they will go to for each other was well established throughout generations.
While I did enjoy the sliding back and forth through time to get glimpses of each generation's struggle, at times it could feel a little muddled, most especially towards the end. At the conclusion I was still left with some kind of big lingering questions. Without being revealing of spoilers all I can say is I'm okay with some mystery being held by the end but one thing in particular I would have liked spelled out, and it felt more like a plot hole to me than mystery. I can think of a reason why it was so but that isn't necessarily my job and I didn't like that it wasn't addressed more plainly. Another unfortunate thing for me was I couldn’t really connect with any of the characters. None of them were all that likeable to me, which can fine if done right, but they all were equally unremarkable too in a lot of ways, the only exception to that being the curse that plagued them and their zest to be rid of it.
I received an arc of this book from Poisoned Pen Press via NetGalley and this is my honest review.
While I did enjoy the sliding back and forth through time to get glimpses of each generation's struggle, at times it could feel a little muddled, most especially towards the end. At the conclusion I was still left with some kind of big lingering questions. Without being revealing of spoilers all I can say is I'm okay with some mystery being held by the end but one thing in particular I would have liked spelled out, and it felt more like a plot hole to me than mystery. I can think of a reason why it was so but that isn't necessarily my job and I didn't like that it wasn't addressed more plainly. Another unfortunate thing for me was I couldn’t really connect with any of the characters. None of them were all that likeable to me, which can fine if done right, but they all were equally unremarkable too in a lot of ways, the only exception to that being the curse that plagued them and their zest to be rid of it.
I received an arc of this book from Poisoned Pen Press via NetGalley and this is my honest review.
May 29, 2022
They Drown Our Daughters
Katrina Monroe
“But then the woman's arms were only curves
in the curling wave, her hair dark weeds caught
in the sea foam. A memory. Just a memory.”
They Drown Our Daughters follows Meredith as she returns to her mothers home, with her daughter Alice, after a separation. What comes with this return, is a ghost story that spans the generations. And that’s how’s it’s written. The descriptive writing, lures you in to this creepy ocean town. This modern gothic ghost story is not one to pass up.
The cover is hauntingly beautiful, that is what originally drew me to this book. The writing and the story just made it a book like no other that I have read this year.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thank you NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for the ARC
May 2, 2022
Creepy gothic mystery! What's not to love? They Drown Our Daughters begins with a parable like story ending in ribbons of horror and science fiction and doesn't let up.
We meet Meredith who has returned to Cape Disappointment with her daughter to flee marital issues. She finds herself surrounded by an eerie town filled with spooky superstitions of witchcraft.
There are so many layers to this novel and it richly explores the horror of the ocean as well as family. If you like your horror to have supernatural, if you enjoy familial curses and if you like to explore the fine line between strong women and claims of witchcraft then They Drown Our Daughters is for you!
We meet Meredith who has returned to Cape Disappointment with her daughter to flee marital issues. She finds herself surrounded by an eerie town filled with spooky superstitions of witchcraft.
There are so many layers to this novel and it richly explores the horror of the ocean as well as family. If you like your horror to have supernatural, if you enjoy familial curses and if you like to explore the fine line between strong women and claims of witchcraft then They Drown Our Daughters is for you!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 653 reviews