The Winter Folk

This is the story of Moth, who earned her name working for the Winter Folk.

Every year, the Winter Folk gather at a secret lodge in the Appalachians, a place known as Deerhaven, refuge for the time-worn and weary. As a child, Moth heard warnings from her mother: They are heartless, wild creatures—and they got no concern of us. At twenty-one, Moth is a college dropout, indebted, impoverished, and desperate for better things. She falls instantly for Deerhaven’s beautiful antlered host, the mild-mannered Mr. Oslin. When he offers her a housekeeper’s contract—one wish granted for a winter of service—she signs without question.

But Deerhaven is a dangerous place. Staff must follow strict rules or else face dire consequences, and the guests can be unpredictable and savage. And yet, Moth endures, enticed by a rumor that Mr. Oslin is looking for a protégé. A singular worker who would stay with him forever and be transformed.

Decades later, Moth returns to Appalachia with her husband and teenage daughter. She can’t shake the feeling that she needs to return to Deerhaven, which banished her twenty years ago. As she hunts for a way in, her haunting memories and harrowing experiences come roaring back — her friends and rivals, her growing obsession with Mr. Oslin, and her mysterious exile.

A door exists in the dark of the woods. After so long away, what has Deerhaven become?

I had to marinate in this one for a moment to really decide my feelings on it, and I’m still not completely sure on it.

The concept was interesting. The Appalachian gothic tone was the perfect atmosphere. I would ignore the book for stints, then pick it up and consume large chunks at a time because the writing spilled out a story that sucked me in.

Then the conclusion of a section would come and I would gently drift up onto the beach, the wave having lost all of its height while I was waiting to reach a crest that never truly formed, let alone broke.

In contrast, you got to the end where the wave tried to build too quickly without the proper room, so when it hit the shore, it crashed down awkwardly and ineffectively. There was a lot left dangling for the sake of leaving leaving it out of reach, rather than it feeling like an intentional story point.

All that aside, I do think I enjoyed the journey overall… I think some clearing away of the trivial bits would have kept it from feeling bogged down.

Rating: 3.75/5

Spice: 1/5

Thanks to NetGalley for the copy of the eBook! #thewinterfolk #netgalleyreviews