Book Review | Cunning Folk by Adam Nevill

Tom, Fiona, and their child, Gracey, move into their new home in rural England. Excited to own a house for the first time, Tom believes he can fix the dilapidated house with a dark history — the previous occupant had committed suicide. But the work necessary to make their home livable is more than expected, and their neighbours are visibly hostile. Their interactions escalate, leading to confrontations that reach beyond the human realms into black magic, curses and terrible power.

Between the building’s long periods of lying empty, none of the five previous owners decorated the bedrooms. Maybe because no one stayed long enough. A notion that dims his thoughts with a dread tinted the same tone as the room’s pall.

Have you ever had neighbours from hell? What happens when you meet neighbours who want nothing more than for you to leave? Cunning Folk captures this situation and the terrifying ways it plays out.

After years of living in a one-bedroom flat in the city, Tom and Fiona decide to take a chance at owning their dream home in the countryside. They envision a peaceful life near nature, where their daughter, Gracey, and their puppy, Archie, can play in the woods.  But the house is rotting; with unfinished rooms, broken plumbing, and a mess of a garden that requires extensive renovation. And things take a dreadful turn when Tom meets their neighbours, the Moots. I thought the writing superbly describes the characters’ discomfort at their aggressive interactions with strangers who live next door. Tom feels helpless in his home and threatened by his elderly neighbours. His sense of paranoia soon turns into an obsession.

While he deals with the tangible house issues, Gracey is haunted by bad dreams and eerie visions of grotesque creatures. Her explorations of the woods behind the house fill you with trepidation because it doesn’t feel like a normal place. All of these add to the sense of otherness in this house, driving a wedge in Tom and Fiona’s marriage. She’s unhappy at being the sole income earner and at Tom’s lack of progress in home renovation. Her faith in this home and him dwindles day by day. What is obvious though, is their love for Gracey, which is the sole bright point in this otherwise bleak story.

I have enjoyed the author’s brand of folk horror and this book is no exception. While the story takes a while to get going, I couldn’t put it down once it hits the first hurdle for the family. I liked the fascinating details in scenes involving black magic and otherworldly forces of evil. The morbid sense of humour gives an off-kilter feeling that ratchets up the tension. The claustrophobic fears, tension and despair of the characters feel real. No one is safe and no one is protected. It’s a study of a man’s descent into madness but also a testament of a father’s love. The ending is brilliant and surprisingly emotional. How far would you go to save your loved ones?

Much like the house in this book, Cunning Folk requires an investment to wade through the ugliness and horror before reaching the end. But it is worth it.

CW: graphic violence, suicide, animal death

I received a digital copy from the author for review purposes.

About the author: Adam Nevill

Photo by Sean Benesh