Jak Stringer

SMALL FIRES by @Ronnie__Turner ‘We hold small fires in our palms.’ Evocative of ‘The Wicker Man’ and ‘Midsommar’, SMALL FIRES is an exceptionally atmospheric and effective literary Gothic novel which engages with notions of evil, image, gods, devils and myth. On a nameless ‘God forgotten’ Scottish island, the inhabitants (the Folk) are in thrall to their warden, a folkloric representation of the devil said to have fallen upon the island, according to local mythology. And then Lily and Della Pedley arrive from Cornwall, seeking escape from persecution for the brutal murder of their parents… SMALL FIRES blends the most affecting elements of the Gothic and folk horror literary modes. Unease and dread pervade the narrative; the very land upon which events take place is tainted with poison and corruption, infecting all who dwell there. The narrative itself is unreliable, as the reader’s understanding of events is subject to constant challenge. Violence begets violence, as cycles of trauma play out in increasingly emphatic terms. This is a supremely assured novel from Ronnie Turner. Turner’s voice is profoundly affecting, using language with control and precision to create the most intimate of terrors. I suspect I will continue to be haunted by Lily and Della for some time to come. Indeed, I hope we hear much more from Ronnie Turner and her immersive, disturbing and utterly enthralling take on the Gothic form. @OrendaBooks #SmallFires #folkhorror #gothic