Author: Catriona Ward
Publisher: Tor Nightfire
Released: March 1, 2022
Received: NetGalley
Warnings: Ableism, child abuse, animal abuse/death/experimentation

If you love psychological horrors or Catriona Ward’s writing, please do not miss out on the experience that Sundial has to offer. Though I should warn readers that it is very much a dark read – one that I found to be borderline too much at times. So read with caution!

Rob always dreamed of having one of those idyllic perfect lives. You know, the ones that seem almost too good to be true? For a moment there, it seemed like she had it too – a family consisting of a husband and children, a lovely house, the works.

Then she found out the true meaning of the phrase. This life was too good to be true, and something very dark lurking beneath the surface. It all comes to a head when Rob catches her daughter whispering to imaginary friends and collecting the bones of animals. That, as they say, is only the beginning.

“Kids are mirrors, reflecting back everything that happens to them. You’ve got to make sure they’re surrounded by good things.”

As a massive fan of Catriona Ward’s horror novels, I knew that I had to give Sundial a try. Even though I was mildly afraid of it, knowing that her writing has the power to tear me apart and leave me forever haunted.

Once again, Ward uses a world of horror to address multiple subjects. It’s fascinating to see how she lays out her world. It’s also terrifying, but that’s kind of the point, right? I’ll admit that I didn’t see more of the twists and turns of this book coming – for better or worse. That’s for you to decide, I suppose.

The thing I enjoyed the most about Sundial is that it made you think. Some of these subjects have been discussed before, such as the nature versus nurture debate. Other subjects had a unique spin, which I appreciated even if they were darker versions of similar themes.

Thanks to Tor Nightfire and #NetGalley for making this book available for review. All opinions expressed are my own.

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