Review | Bone Harvest by James Brogden

In 1916, a WWI deserter hears of a deity called Moccus. Its followers, the Farrow, worship it in exchange for invincibility and long life. But the deserter has his own plans. In 2020, a woman struggling from early-onset dementia thinks her new allotment neighbours have something to hide. But who will believe her?

The favour of Moccus is not some deferential celestial reward if you say enough Hail Marys and eat fish on Fridays every week until you die. It is writ in the flesh and blood and muscle and bone of his worshippers, gifted from that of himself.

Bone Harvest opens from the trenches of WWI and it’s intense! A deserter, Everett, meets a group of other deserters called The Grey Brigade. Amongst them is a man named Bill who tells him about a half-boar, half-human god called Moccus aka He Who Eats The Moon. I loved the first half of the book showing Everett coming to terms with the Farrow and their rituals. It’s hedonistic and gory. There’s animal sacrifice and cannibalism, and the way these acts are justified by the characters is pretty shocking! The writing is unflinching and expressive. I thought Everett is a magnetic main character with skewed moral values. It took some time for me to realise that he might not be the hero of the story.

The second half of the book focuses on Dennie, a woman struggling with early-onset dementia. She’s suspicious of the two strangers taking on a nearby allotment plot that used to belong to her old friend. Who knew allotments could cause so much drama! I liked Dennie, she’s dismissed as a “loopy old dear” but she has steel in her bones. She also has a Great Dane named Viggo and he’s awesome! I thought the supernatural influence added emotional weight to Dennie’s situation.

I did find this half loses some intensity as it also shifts focus to David, an allotment holder with a sick daughter, and Matt, a troubled young man. There’s a cosy mystery vibe that lacks the sharp teeth of the earlier parts of the story. But I enjoyed the premise of a sinister cult shaking up a quiet rural community. It’s fascinating to see ancient beliefs clashing with modernity and the repercussions on innocent people. This is a book that doesn’t hesitate to spill blood.

Bone Harvest is one of the best surprises of the year for me. If you love folk horror with some great characters, give this a go!

CW: animal deaths, cannibalism, domestic abuse

I received a copy from Titan Books for review purposes.

About the author: James Brogden

Photo by Andrew Reshetov