Kirkus Style Review: Slewfoot: A Tale of Bewitchery by Brom
Slewfoot: A Tale of Bewitchery
By Brom • Release Date: September 14, 2021
A spellbinding tale of witches and devils in 1666 New England.
A young Englishwoman, Abitha, struggles to adapt to the rigid rules of the Puritan settlement her drunk father sold her to. When her husband, Edward, disappears in the woods and is presumed dead, Abitha is determined to maintain their farm despite her greedy brother-in-law Wallace’s ever-increasing threats to punish her for refusing to give up the land he claims rightfully belongs to his bloodline. Meanwhile, a dark and ancient being, perhaps the very Devil himself, is reawakened by vengeful forest spirits—animals with faces of children—who call themselves the Wildfolk. Tempted by blood and encouraged by the Wildfolk to kill despite his hesitations and confusion about his true nature, the half-man, half-beast confronts Abitha, and the two find they are deeply connected by some kind of magic. Abitha and the beast, who she names Samson, enter a pact to help one another—Abitha wishes for plentiful crops and freedom from Wallace’s threats, and Samson seeks to understand his muddied past and determine whether he is a guardian of nature or a harbinger of death.
Ultimately, this is a tale of good and evil, of Pagan and Puritan, of power and revenge. While the plot feels repetitive and predictable at times, Brom’s deliciously dark descriptions, paired with his notably creepy illustrations, successfully immerse readers in the world he has created.
“She plucked the fruit. It glistened with dew, felt firm and ripe, smelled so sweet. Her mouth watered and she took a bite. When she did, the apple twitched. She looked at it, at the gash where she’d bitten. It was bleeding, like an open wound. The blood bubbled, then dark prickly legs began to emerge. They were spiders, tiny black spiders, dozens of them!”
Abitha is a fiery, headstrong protagonist readers will root for as she takes blow after blow from Wallace and the Puritan townsfolk. “‘If it is a witch they want,’ she hissed, ‘then a witch they shall have.’”
Brom expertly blends historical horror and fantasy to craft a spellbinding tale of witches and devils.
Pub Date: September 14, 2021
ISBN: 9781250622006
Page Count: 305
Publisher: Tom Doherty Associates
Review Posted Online: Feb. 11, 2024
Categories: Horror, Fantasy, Historical Fiction
Hi Morgan! I liked your review. I am glad you said that the plot is predictable and repetitive, which would cause me to hesitate to read the book. However, I am pleased that, in the same vein, you said something good about the book, which may cause me to read it anyway. Personally, I would put this book on my to-read pile.
ReplyDeleteFantastic Kirkus review - I kept seeing this book pop up everywhere!
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