hold back the tide by melinda salisbury was included in the book box club mythical monsters april box. it’s a book reminisent of the industrial past in the highlands of scotland. i read the book within a couple of days and it was book 22 on my 52 books reading challenge this year. i rated it 5 stars on good reads. you can purchase the book using my affiliate link on amazon below.
i really did love this book, it was gripping and chilling and had such a creepy atmosphere throughout. i would describe the book as subtle horror. it’s done in such a way that it’s not just the threat that keeps you reading but the mystery because you want to know the truth and the secondary antagonist is an excellent driving force too. at just over 300 pages this book is written well, it’s interesting and the feeling of sheer dread is intertwined with every sub plot. one thing i really appreciate is that the author doesn’t cop out at all for the sake of the readers feelings. she tells the story in it’s complete which i really liked.
alva, the main protagonist of the book is a really interesting character. the fact that it starts with her guide to living with a murderer is really interesting. you do see her as a little cold throughout the book, very isolated and alone, but ultimately you understand why she’s the way she is from the very first page. she’s mature beyond her years for this but it’s clear to tell she has a good heart and wants to be useful and helpful.
i found the feeling of isolation quite poignant with everything going on in the real world right now. it’s a struggle being and feeling isolated in a town with access to all of the things but being in the situation alva is in, a cut off village in the highlands, particularly right now, must be incredibly hard. thankfully, i don’t think anyone is dealing with what alva had to do. the description of the village, the mountain and the loch is done really well and i could imagine the setting throughout really clearly.
affiliate link for hold back the tide
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