A review by swampmouth
The Adirondack Witch, by Patrick Reuman
4.0
Four stars for scaring the absolute shit out of me. Maybe it's growing up surrounded by bush, and spending so much time in it as a kid, but nothing stresses me out quite like settings like this.
While I found Hank pretty unlikable, and Charlie and Scott's reveal as figments of Hank's identity not a huge shock, I felt that this added to the narrative rather than taking away from it. It turned Hank's perspective into one that was clearly unreliable which added a layer of agitation as I read it.
I feel like on top of that, while Hank is clearly unstable and unable to manage his life or feelings, that allows a level of "well maybe the witch was real and did get them". Yes, the "darkness" can be a straightforward allegory for Hank's internal anguish and violence, I think it could *also* be read as Hank being an easy scapegoat for a larger evil.
All in all, a very engaging read that kept me second guessing and searching for clues and answers the whole way through.
My only critiques would be that the pacing is a little awkward, and the characters could have used a little more personality. Otherwise I thought it was a fun salute to the witch in the forest trope, a la the Blair Witch, The Ritual, The VVitch etc.
While I found Hank pretty unlikable, and Charlie and Scott's reveal as figments of Hank's identity not a huge shock, I felt that this added to the narrative rather than taking away from it. It turned Hank's perspective into one that was clearly unreliable which added a layer of agitation as I read it.
I feel like on top of that, while Hank is clearly unstable and unable to manage his life or feelings, that allows a level of "well maybe the witch was real and did get them". Yes, the "darkness" can be a straightforward allegory for Hank's internal anguish and violence, I think it could *also* be read as Hank being an easy scapegoat for a larger evil.
All in all, a very engaging read that kept me second guessing and searching for clues and answers the whole way through.
My only critiques would be that the pacing is a little awkward, and the characters could have used a little more personality. Otherwise I thought it was a fun salute to the witch in the forest trope, a la the Blair Witch, The Ritual, The VVitch etc.