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Sundial
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Best Horror (2022)Sundial is a new, twisty psychological horror novel from Catriona Ward, internationally bestselling author of The Last House on Needless Street.
You can't escape what's in your blood...
All Rob wanted was a normal life. She almost got it, too: a husband, two kids, a nice house in the suburbs. But Rob fears for her oldest daughter, Callie, who collects tiny bones and whispers to imaginary friends. Rob sees a darkness in Callie, one that reminds her too much of the family she left behind. She decides to take Callie back to her childhood home, to Sundial, deep in the Mojave Desert. And there she will have to make a terrible choice.
Callie is worried about her mother. Rob has begun to look at her strangely, and speaks of past secrets. And Callie fears that only one of them will leave Sundial alive…
The mother and daughter embark on a dark, desert journey to the past in the hopes of redeeming their future.
You can't escape what's in your blood...
All Rob wanted was a normal life. She almost got it, too: a husband, two kids, a nice house in the suburbs. But Rob fears for her oldest daughter, Callie, who collects tiny bones and whispers to imaginary friends. Rob sees a darkness in Callie, one that reminds her too much of the family she left behind. She decides to take Callie back to her childhood home, to Sundial, deep in the Mojave Desert. And there she will have to make a terrible choice.
Callie is worried about her mother. Rob has begun to look at her strangely, and speaks of past secrets. And Callie fears that only one of them will leave Sundial alive…
The mother and daughter embark on a dark, desert journey to the past in the hopes of redeeming their future.
292 pages, Hardcover
First published March 1, 2022
About the author
Catriona Ward
25 books4,292 followersCATRIONA WARD was born in Washington, DC and grew up in the United States, Kenya, Madagascar, Yemen, and Morocco. She read English at St Edmund Hall, Oxford and is a graduate of the Creative Writing MA at the University of East Anglia. Her fourth novel, the gothic thriller Sundial (2022 - Viper, Tor Nightfire) was Observer Thriller of the Month and a USA Today, CNN and Apple Books selection for best new fiction. Stephen King called Sundial ‘Authentically terrifying…. Do not miss this book.’
Ward’s third breakout novel The Last House on Needless Street (2021 - Viper, Tor Nightfire) won the August Derleth Prize and has been shortlisted for the Kitschies, the British Book Awards, the South Bank Award, and the World Fantasy Award. Esquire magazine listed it as one of the top 25 best horror novels of all time. Rights have been sold in twenty-nine territories, it was a Richard and Judy Book Club selection, a Times Book of the Month, Observer Book of the Month, March Editor’s Pick on Radio 4’s Open Book, a Between the Covers BBC2 book club selection and a Sunday Times bestseller. The Last House on Needless Street is being developed for film by Andy Serkis and Jonathan Cavendish’s production company, The Imaginarium. Stephen King said of The Last House on Needless Street, ‘I was blown away. It's a true nerve-shredder that keeps its mind-blowing secrets to the very end. Haven't read anything this exciting since GONE GIRL.’
Ward’s second novel Little Eve (2018 - W&N, Tor Nightfire) won the 2019 Shirley Jackson Award, the August Derleth Prize at the British Fantasy Awards and was a Guardian best book of 2018. Nightfire will publish Little Eve for the first time in the US in 2022. Ward’s debut Rawblood (2015 - W&N, Sourcebooks) also won the 2016 August Derleth, making her the only woman to have won the prize three times. Her short stories have appeared in numerous anthologies and have been shortlisted for various prizes. She lives in London and Devon.
Ward’s third breakout novel The Last House on Needless Street (2021 - Viper, Tor Nightfire) won the August Derleth Prize and has been shortlisted for the Kitschies, the British Book Awards, the South Bank Award, and the World Fantasy Award. Esquire magazine listed it as one of the top 25 best horror novels of all time. Rights have been sold in twenty-nine territories, it was a Richard and Judy Book Club selection, a Times Book of the Month, Observer Book of the Month, March Editor’s Pick on Radio 4’s Open Book, a Between the Covers BBC2 book club selection and a Sunday Times bestseller. The Last House on Needless Street is being developed for film by Andy Serkis and Jonathan Cavendish’s production company, The Imaginarium. Stephen King said of The Last House on Needless Street, ‘I was blown away. It's a true nerve-shredder that keeps its mind-blowing secrets to the very end. Haven't read anything this exciting since GONE GIRL.’
Ward’s second novel Little Eve (2018 - W&N, Tor Nightfire) won the 2019 Shirley Jackson Award, the August Derleth Prize at the British Fantasy Awards and was a Guardian best book of 2018. Nightfire will publish Little Eve for the first time in the US in 2022. Ward’s debut Rawblood (2015 - W&N, Sourcebooks) also won the 2016 August Derleth, making her the only woman to have won the prize three times. Her short stories have appeared in numerous anthologies and have been shortlisted for various prizes. She lives in London and Devon.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 4,168 reviews
March 15, 2024
After thoroughly enjoying The Last House on Needless Street, I was excited to see what else Catriona Ward has up her sleeve. But after finishing Sundial, I'm not sure I totally got it.
On the surface, Rob has the family she's always dreamed of: a husband and two beautiful daughters. But when her eldest daughter Callie starts acting strange and her husband seems to encourage it, Rob decides the best thing for everyone is to take Callie to Sundial, the desert town where she grew up. She left Sundial many years ago, swearing never to go back, but now she suspects it will give her the answers she's been looking for.
This was a really uneven reading experience for me. Initially, I had a lot of trouble getting into the story. There was something about the style that came across a bit awkward, with its abundance of odd phrases and metaphors and even characters. I think this is done on purpose to give the narrative a sense of discordance, but it made it hard to follow. It wasn't until the halfway point that I felt like I was finally invested enough in the story to want to continue.
There's a lot going on in here, maybe too much. What at first seems like a dysfunctional family story quickly morphs to include spousal and child abuse, animal abuse, infidelity, scientific experiments gone wrong, ghostly interactions, and lots of maggots. I'm a simple girl, and all of this put together confused me a bit. At times, I wasn't sure what exactly was going on or what the focus was supposed to be.
There is even a story within the story. It is a completely separate thing, but it uses the same names as the characters in our main story. If you're scratching your head like, What? you're not the only one. I'm not afraid to admit I was really befuddled. Even though it was only a few pages here and there, it didn't feel necessary and could've easily been left out.
That isn't to say I didn't enjoy the story because there were parts that really grabbed me. But as a whole, it reads more like a first draft instead of a final one. There were lots of interesting ideas, but they don't all seem to congeal into a cohesive narrative that flows and makes sense. Still, I remain a fan of Ward's imagination, and I suspect I'll keep coming back for more.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
See also, my thoughts on:
The Last House on Needless Street
~~~~~~~~~~~~
✧ Connect with me ✧ Instagram ✧
On the surface, Rob has the family she's always dreamed of: a husband and two beautiful daughters. But when her eldest daughter Callie starts acting strange and her husband seems to encourage it, Rob decides the best thing for everyone is to take Callie to Sundial, the desert town where she grew up. She left Sundial many years ago, swearing never to go back, but now she suspects it will give her the answers she's been looking for.
This was a really uneven reading experience for me. Initially, I had a lot of trouble getting into the story. There was something about the style that came across a bit awkward, with its abundance of odd phrases and metaphors and even characters. I think this is done on purpose to give the narrative a sense of discordance, but it made it hard to follow. It wasn't until the halfway point that I felt like I was finally invested enough in the story to want to continue.
There's a lot going on in here, maybe too much. What at first seems like a dysfunctional family story quickly morphs to include spousal and child abuse, animal abuse, infidelity, scientific experiments gone wrong, ghostly interactions, and lots of maggots. I'm a simple girl, and all of this put together confused me a bit. At times, I wasn't sure what exactly was going on or what the focus was supposed to be.
There is even a story within the story. It is a completely separate thing, but it uses the same names as the characters in our main story. If you're scratching your head like, What? you're not the only one. I'm not afraid to admit I was really befuddled. Even though it was only a few pages here and there, it didn't feel necessary and could've easily been left out.
That isn't to say I didn't enjoy the story because there were parts that really grabbed me. But as a whole, it reads more like a first draft instead of a final one. There were lots of interesting ideas, but they don't all seem to congeal into a cohesive narrative that flows and makes sense. Still, I remain a fan of Ward's imagination, and I suspect I'll keep coming back for more.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
See also, my thoughts on:
The Last House on Needless Street
~~~~~~~~~~~~
✧ Connect with me ✧ Instagram ✧
November 20, 2022
Dear horror/ psychological thriller lovers! Just put down the books you plan to read it and urgently start reading this one ! This is the biggest winner of the year!
Last year I was addicted to Last House on Needless Street! I was so close to climb up the roof and scream “Read that book!” This year I plan to do exactly the same thing! Because this book is even better! Dysfunctional sisterhood bonds, psychological twists you never see it coming, mind blowing POVs, darkness pouring chapters, violence, shock, whirlwind mind games, bleak, claustrophobic dog farm theme, jaw dropping cliffhangers, deeply layered characters, the saddest, creepiest, harshest back stories you hardly digest! This book is definitely MASTERPIECE! I couldn’t put it down! It gives me creeps! It shattered my heart! It freaked me out! But I couldn’t help myself to fall so hard for it!
Let’s quickly look at the plot:
Rob, English teacher, mother of two daughters, married with charming professor; correction: cheat scumbag who has serious anger issues. When she sees her 12 years old Callie starts acting weirder like collection animal bones, talking with ghosts, she gets worried at first. And when she finds out Callie might hurt her little sister Annie, she thinks that’s the last straw.
She takes the matters into her own hands and takes her daughter with her to drive to Sundial, the creepiest place she’s inherited from her parents. Rob is adamant to come clean with her daughter by sharing their family’s dark past. When her story will be over, she has to make the toughest decision to save her daughters. How far she could go to save them? Can she save the daughters from the darkness she’s kept for years? Who is the real monster? It seems like for saving their family, someone should be sacrificed, but who?
This is the best work of the author and even it’s too early to announce, this is the best horror book of 2022 ( I am all set to vote for it on Goodreads choice awards just like I voted for Last House on Needless Street)
I’m giving five billion stars! It’s definition of pure PERFECTION! I absolutely highly recommend it!
Millions of thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan-Tor/Forge -Tor Nightfire for sharing this incredible digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest opinions.
Last year I was addicted to Last House on Needless Street! I was so close to climb up the roof and scream “Read that book!” This year I plan to do exactly the same thing! Because this book is even better! Dysfunctional sisterhood bonds, psychological twists you never see it coming, mind blowing POVs, darkness pouring chapters, violence, shock, whirlwind mind games, bleak, claustrophobic dog farm theme, jaw dropping cliffhangers, deeply layered characters, the saddest, creepiest, harshest back stories you hardly digest! This book is definitely MASTERPIECE! I couldn’t put it down! It gives me creeps! It shattered my heart! It freaked me out! But I couldn’t help myself to fall so hard for it!
Let’s quickly look at the plot:
Rob, English teacher, mother of two daughters, married with charming professor; correction: cheat scumbag who has serious anger issues. When she sees her 12 years old Callie starts acting weirder like collection animal bones, talking with ghosts, she gets worried at first. And when she finds out Callie might hurt her little sister Annie, she thinks that’s the last straw.
She takes the matters into her own hands and takes her daughter with her to drive to Sundial, the creepiest place she’s inherited from her parents. Rob is adamant to come clean with her daughter by sharing their family’s dark past. When her story will be over, she has to make the toughest decision to save her daughters. How far she could go to save them? Can she save the daughters from the darkness she’s kept for years? Who is the real monster? It seems like for saving their family, someone should be sacrificed, but who?
This is the best work of the author and even it’s too early to announce, this is the best horror book of 2022 ( I am all set to vote for it on Goodreads choice awards just like I voted for Last House on Needless Street)
I’m giving five billion stars! It’s definition of pure PERFECTION! I absolutely highly recommend it!
Millions of thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan-Tor/Forge -Tor Nightfire for sharing this incredible digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest opinions.
May 8, 2024
**3.5-stars rounded up**
Rob doesn't have a good relationship with her husband. In fact, their relationship is so toxic that I had to take a break only 10% into the book just to get away from it.
The couple have two young daughters. Callie, the oldest, favors her father, while Annie, the youngest, is definitely her mother's favorite.
Rob struggles to understand Callie and her increasingly disturbing behaviors. Unfortunately, the older Callie gets, the more frightening her behaviors become. It even seems that Callie may pose a serious threat to Annie, something Rob cannot stand for.
Rob's husband, Irving, doesn't see the way Callie is. He doesn't understand Rob's concerns, not that she could have expected him to be on her side anyway.
Knowing she has to do something before tragedy strikes, Rob steals Callie away and heads back to Sundial, the mysterious property where Rob grew up, deep in the Mojave desert. What her parenting plans are for after that point seem ominous, at best.
After the pair arrives at Sundial, the focus shifts to exposing the history behind the property, about Rob's childhood and the truth of who she really is. Through this, the Reader also learns how Rob's own history could be influencing her current circumstances, as well as her daughter's lives.
I was very intrigued by the past perspective. It was an interesting set-up and like nothing I have read before. I enjoyed the SF-feel of some the activities occurring during Rob's childhood.
I do think it is important to note that Rob's parents kept dogs on the property and I don't mean as pets. I was hesitant once I discovered that because I am quite sensitive to any harm coming to animals in books.
I can get past it, as long as it is not too drawn out, or as long as it has a point within the larger narrative more than just shock value. In this story, there's a point. There were a few places I had to skim read, but for the most part, it didn't have too much of an impact on my overall enjoyment level.
There were times that I even wished the entire book was just the past perspective, but on arriving at the end, it became clear why there's two perspectives. I was impressed with how Ward tied it all together, as well as the themes explored by doing so.
The ending was wild and crazy, but I liked it. For the most part, while I wouldn't say I enjoyed this story, as there is literally no joy to be found within these pages, it's definitely intriguing. Ward succeeded in keeping me uncomfortably interested the whole way through.
It's the kind of story where you are desperate to know what the heck is going on. I won't claim to understand the points Ward is trying to make here 100%, but I think I have enough of it to be impressed.
Unique from start-to-finish, this is definitely worth a pick-up for Readers with the stomach and mental fortitude to tackle such a story.
Thank you so much to the publisher, Tor Nightfire, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I think it is fair to say that I will pick-up whatever Ward throws at us next!
Rob doesn't have a good relationship with her husband. In fact, their relationship is so toxic that I had to take a break only 10% into the book just to get away from it.
The couple have two young daughters. Callie, the oldest, favors her father, while Annie, the youngest, is definitely her mother's favorite.
Rob struggles to understand Callie and her increasingly disturbing behaviors. Unfortunately, the older Callie gets, the more frightening her behaviors become. It even seems that Callie may pose a serious threat to Annie, something Rob cannot stand for.
Rob's husband, Irving, doesn't see the way Callie is. He doesn't understand Rob's concerns, not that she could have expected him to be on her side anyway.
Knowing she has to do something before tragedy strikes, Rob steals Callie away and heads back to Sundial, the mysterious property where Rob grew up, deep in the Mojave desert. What her parenting plans are for after that point seem ominous, at best.
After the pair arrives at Sundial, the focus shifts to exposing the history behind the property, about Rob's childhood and the truth of who she really is. Through this, the Reader also learns how Rob's own history could be influencing her current circumstances, as well as her daughter's lives.
I was very intrigued by the past perspective. It was an interesting set-up and like nothing I have read before. I enjoyed the SF-feel of some the activities occurring during Rob's childhood.
I do think it is important to note that Rob's parents kept dogs on the property and I don't mean as pets. I was hesitant once I discovered that because I am quite sensitive to any harm coming to animals in books.
I can get past it, as long as it is not too drawn out, or as long as it has a point within the larger narrative more than just shock value. In this story, there's a point. There were a few places I had to skim read, but for the most part, it didn't have too much of an impact on my overall enjoyment level.
There were times that I even wished the entire book was just the past perspective, but on arriving at the end, it became clear why there's two perspectives. I was impressed with how Ward tied it all together, as well as the themes explored by doing so.
The ending was wild and crazy, but I liked it. For the most part, while I wouldn't say I enjoyed this story, as there is literally no joy to be found within these pages, it's definitely intriguing. Ward succeeded in keeping me uncomfortably interested the whole way through.
It's the kind of story where you are desperate to know what the heck is going on. I won't claim to understand the points Ward is trying to make here 100%, but I think I have enough of it to be impressed.
Unique from start-to-finish, this is definitely worth a pick-up for Readers with the stomach and mental fortitude to tackle such a story.
Thank you so much to the publisher, Tor Nightfire, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I think it is fair to say that I will pick-up whatever Ward throws at us next!
January 21, 2023
“Sundial” by Catriona Ward is a novel I was excited to read ever since I read “The Last House on Needless Street” which I absolutely loved. That incredible book put her on my radar and since she’s such an amazing author, I wanted to keep reading everything she wrote. I finally got to read this novel for a book club and at first, it drew me in. Before I get into it, I wanted to give everyone a heads-up about several serious trigger warnings.
This novel has violence against women, kids, and animals. There is a ton of animal cruelty and experiments against dogs/puppies which I felt wasn’t needed at all. As a dog owner, it didn’t bother me reading this because it’s just words but I know readers can get triggered by this so I wanted to let everyone know. The level of animal cruelty in this one is the most I’ve ever read in a novel so please keep that in mind.
Now that I’ve said that, I enjoyed all the unique characters in this novel, and knowing Ward��s great style of writing, I was excited about where the story could potentially go. The character development was good but one issue I had right from the start was the names of some of them. I wish instead of Rob and Jack, they had different names as at first, it got a bit confusing because those are typically male names and not female names. It took me a bit to remember that and I also didn’t like another character’s name in Falcon.
Unfortunately, when things start getting good and creepy, “Sundial” started to drag on a bit around the 30% mark. I figured it would probably pick up again soon but that wasn’t the case here. It stalled for a huge chunk of reading, from the 30% - 70% mark and that’s a huge no-no in my book. The issue for me was that it got confusing since Ward decided to go the route of telling a story within a story, going back to the past and then the present then back to the past as it disrupted the natural flow of reading.
I don’t mind flashbacks but it wasn’t done right and just dragged on everything. I actually started to dread any of the flashback chapters because they were boring and then all the animal cruelty/puppy farm stuff on top of that just didn’t make it a pleasant read. It was too much dialogue and fluff that just completely took me out of the story from those chapters dealing with the past.
There were way too many timelines here and I felt it was a long, drawn-out read while reading. It would have been better if it was trimmed down a bit, especially the chapters dealing with the past. If it was just kept in the present with maybe a chapter or two explaining the past and why it mattered in the present, it would have probably worked out better.
When it comes to the ending, it was alright but it didn’t change my overall impression of “Sundial” as this novel didn’t really click with me. Perhaps I went in with too high of an expectation than I should have due to the massive success of “The Last House on Needless Street” and how much I enjoyed it but this wasn’t anywhere near as good as that novel, unfortunately.
I give “Sundial” by Catriona Ward a 3/5 as she is a fantastic author but this wasn’t great. This novel was a decent read if anything. It wasn’t terrible but it also wasn’t outstanding. It was an okay read in the grand scheme of things but I definitely expected much more. I honestly feel all that violence against dogs wasn’t needed and completely overshadowed this novel big time. It dragged on way too much and when it’s a huge chunk of a novel, that’s a major turn-off for me. Her incredible writing saved this from being a 1 as I hope her next novel is better than this one. I’m still a huge fan of Ward and will keep reading her work but this just wasn’t it. Screaming face.
This novel has violence against women, kids, and animals. There is a ton of animal cruelty and experiments against dogs/puppies which I felt wasn’t needed at all. As a dog owner, it didn’t bother me reading this because it’s just words but I know readers can get triggered by this so I wanted to let everyone know. The level of animal cruelty in this one is the most I’ve ever read in a novel so please keep that in mind.
Now that I’ve said that, I enjoyed all the unique characters in this novel, and knowing Ward��s great style of writing, I was excited about where the story could potentially go. The character development was good but one issue I had right from the start was the names of some of them. I wish instead of Rob and Jack, they had different names as at first, it got a bit confusing because those are typically male names and not female names. It took me a bit to remember that and I also didn’t like another character’s name in Falcon.
Unfortunately, when things start getting good and creepy, “Sundial” started to drag on a bit around the 30% mark. I figured it would probably pick up again soon but that wasn’t the case here. It stalled for a huge chunk of reading, from the 30% - 70% mark and that’s a huge no-no in my book. The issue for me was that it got confusing since Ward decided to go the route of telling a story within a story, going back to the past and then the present then back to the past as it disrupted the natural flow of reading.
I don’t mind flashbacks but it wasn’t done right and just dragged on everything. I actually started to dread any of the flashback chapters because they were boring and then all the animal cruelty/puppy farm stuff on top of that just didn’t make it a pleasant read. It was too much dialogue and fluff that just completely took me out of the story from those chapters dealing with the past.
There were way too many timelines here and I felt it was a long, drawn-out read while reading. It would have been better if it was trimmed down a bit, especially the chapters dealing with the past. If it was just kept in the present with maybe a chapter or two explaining the past and why it mattered in the present, it would have probably worked out better.
When it comes to the ending, it was alright but it didn’t change my overall impression of “Sundial” as this novel didn’t really click with me. Perhaps I went in with too high of an expectation than I should have due to the massive success of “The Last House on Needless Street” and how much I enjoyed it but this wasn’t anywhere near as good as that novel, unfortunately.
I give “Sundial” by Catriona Ward a 3/5 as she is a fantastic author but this wasn’t great. This novel was a decent read if anything. It wasn’t terrible but it also wasn’t outstanding. It was an okay read in the grand scheme of things but I definitely expected much more. I honestly feel all that violence against dogs wasn’t needed and completely overshadowed this novel big time. It dragged on way too much and when it’s a huge chunk of a novel, that’s a major turn-off for me. Her incredible writing saved this from being a 1 as I hope her next novel is better than this one. I’m still a huge fan of Ward and will keep reading her work but this just wasn’t it. Screaming face.
March 2, 2022
“Kids are mirrors, reflecting back everything that happens to them. You’ve got to make sure they’re surrounded by good things.”
I can’t think of a better book to be reviewing on Halloween, because this one gave me ALL the heebie jeebies.
Catriona Ward has done it again. She’s built another creepy house of mirrors where so much of what you see isn’t what you think it is, and even the parts that you think you’re seeing clearly change with each step. By nature, I’m not one who devours books in a day, and I’m no joke the wimpiest person I know when it comes to horror, but I stayed glued to these pages for hours, even when it was genuinely disturbing … and it IS. This is top notch psychological horror that will get inside your head and make itself at home for awhile.
As with The Last House on Needless Street, there’s very little I can say about the plot that won’t be too much, but I’ll give the bare bones premise. Rob is a mom and teacher, married to Irving, an English professor, and they have two daughters, Callie, twelve, and Annie, nine. On the outside, they’re a normal family living the suburban life, but inside their walls lie secrets, betrayals, and threats … and for Rob, a long-buried past at Sundial, her Mojave Desert childhood home, that she’s forced to confront when circumstances with Callie bring it screaming to the surface.
The story is told in the past and present, mostly by Rob, with scattered chapters told by Callie and even some book within a book chapters. Callie’s chapters were 'chills up my spine' creepy and Rob’s were like a Pandora’s box that I was never sure I wanted to see inside of - each lift of the lid unveiling new horrors. It’s provocative, with content warnings galore, but it's also an extremely thought-provoking book about human nature and how much we can control it. I've put those content warnings under spoiler tags at the end, but PLEASE read them if you have particular triggers you're concerned about.
It’s a solid 4.5 star read, but I’m rounding down to 4 stars, due to some upsetting content and not being a huge fan of the book within a book chapters. I found them confusing and didn’t feel they added much to the story, but that’s just personal preference. All-in-all, it's an amazing follow-up to her last book. It's much more straightforward and less ‘mind-bendy’ than The Last House on Needless Street, but the wickedly good twists (and there were some doozies!), as well as the ideas about human nature, still blew my mind and leave me eagerly waiting for her next book!
★★★★ ½ ❤
Thanks to Macmillan-Tor/Forge, NetGalley and author Catriona Ward for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinions. It’s due for publication on March 1, 2022.
CONTENT WARNINGS
I can’t think of a better book to be reviewing on Halloween, because this one gave me ALL the heebie jeebies.
Catriona Ward has done it again. She’s built another creepy house of mirrors where so much of what you see isn’t what you think it is, and even the parts that you think you’re seeing clearly change with each step. By nature, I’m not one who devours books in a day, and I’m no joke the wimpiest person I know when it comes to horror, but I stayed glued to these pages for hours, even when it was genuinely disturbing … and it IS. This is top notch psychological horror that will get inside your head and make itself at home for awhile.
As with The Last House on Needless Street, there’s very little I can say about the plot that won’t be too much, but I’ll give the bare bones premise. Rob is a mom and teacher, married to Irving, an English professor, and they have two daughters, Callie, twelve, and Annie, nine. On the outside, they’re a normal family living the suburban life, but inside their walls lie secrets, betrayals, and threats … and for Rob, a long-buried past at Sundial, her Mojave Desert childhood home, that she’s forced to confront when circumstances with Callie bring it screaming to the surface.
The story is told in the past and present, mostly by Rob, with scattered chapters told by Callie and even some book within a book chapters. Callie’s chapters were 'chills up my spine' creepy and Rob’s were like a Pandora’s box that I was never sure I wanted to see inside of - each lift of the lid unveiling new horrors. It’s provocative, with content warnings galore, but it's also an extremely thought-provoking book about human nature and how much we can control it. I've put those content warnings under spoiler tags at the end, but PLEASE read them if you have particular triggers you're concerned about.
It’s a solid 4.5 star read, but I’m rounding down to 4 stars, due to some upsetting content and not being a huge fan of the book within a book chapters. I found them confusing and didn’t feel they added much to the story, but that’s just personal preference. All-in-all, it's an amazing follow-up to her last book. It's much more straightforward and less ‘mind-bendy’ than The Last House on Needless Street, but the wickedly good twists (and there were some doozies!), as well as the ideas about human nature, still blew my mind and leave me eagerly waiting for her next book!
★★★★ ½ ❤
Thanks to Macmillan-Tor/Forge, NetGalley and author Catriona Ward for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinions. It’s due for publication on March 1, 2022.
CONTENT WARNINGS
March 1, 2022
HAPPY PUBLICATION DAY!
The latest unique offering from the author of The Last House on Needless Street is about a woman named Rob, married with two children. The family is quite dysfunctional, which quickly becomes evident. When Rob fears that her older daughter, Callie, might not be the sweet princess she hoped she’d be, she decides to take matters into her own hands.
Rob and Callie take a trip to Sundial, the desert home that Rob grew up in. Sundial has a dark and disturbing history…one that Rob was hoping never to revisit. Now she’ll have to face her past if she wants her family to have a future.
I can’t say too much about the plot. I didn’t love it. I didn’t hate it. I didn’t find it as clever as Needless Street. I didn’t feel that brilliant level of bamboozlement that I hoped for, and I found it to be rather slow-paced until the climax. If I can be frank, there are also some awkward and pointless “book within a book” chapters that probably could’ve been left out.
And yet, the prose is rich and unique…and I did have a desire to soldier on. I thought this would be 2 stars at best, but the last 15% is exceptionally solid! I enjoyed the direction the story went in, and there was a delicious reveal and some sneaky bits and bobs that kept me plowing through to the end.
Overall, a bit of a mixed bag. I’m glad to have read it…but I am an outlier as I didn’t find it absolutely brilliant and exciting. Many reviewers have been blown away by this one, so make sure to check out their fab reviews!
TW: Reader beware that a large part of the plot has to do with dogs and other animals in an unpleasant fashion. Interestingly enough, while it is difficult to read, I was able to disassociate myself from feeling truly bothered by it (for the most part). I think that’s because this story can feel so “out there” at times, making it easier not to view it through an emotional lens. Therefore, I wasn’t affected by it as much as I normally would be. With that being said, I wouldn’t have picked this one up if I knew more about that aspect of the plot.
Thank you to Tor Nightfire for sending me a physical ARC in exchange for an honest review. Visit Sundial (or don’t) on 3/1/22.
Review also posted at: https://bonkersforthebooks.wordpress.com
The latest unique offering from the author of The Last House on Needless Street is about a woman named Rob, married with two children. The family is quite dysfunctional, which quickly becomes evident. When Rob fears that her older daughter, Callie, might not be the sweet princess she hoped she’d be, she decides to take matters into her own hands.
Rob and Callie take a trip to Sundial, the desert home that Rob grew up in. Sundial has a dark and disturbing history…one that Rob was hoping never to revisit. Now she’ll have to face her past if she wants her family to have a future.
I can’t say too much about the plot. I didn’t love it. I didn’t hate it. I didn’t find it as clever as Needless Street. I didn’t feel that brilliant level of bamboozlement that I hoped for, and I found it to be rather slow-paced until the climax. If I can be frank, there are also some awkward and pointless “book within a book” chapters that probably could’ve been left out.
And yet, the prose is rich and unique…and I did have a desire to soldier on. I thought this would be 2 stars at best, but the last 15% is exceptionally solid! I enjoyed the direction the story went in, and there was a delicious reveal and some sneaky bits and bobs that kept me plowing through to the end.
Overall, a bit of a mixed bag. I’m glad to have read it…but I am an outlier as I didn’t find it absolutely brilliant and exciting. Many reviewers have been blown away by this one, so make sure to check out their fab reviews!
TW: Reader beware that a large part of the plot has to do with dogs and other animals in an unpleasant fashion. Interestingly enough, while it is difficult to read, I was able to disassociate myself from feeling truly bothered by it (for the most part). I think that’s because this story can feel so “out there” at times, making it easier not to view it through an emotional lens. Therefore, I wasn’t affected by it as much as I normally would be. With that being said, I wouldn’t have picked this one up if I knew more about that aspect of the plot.
Thank you to Tor Nightfire for sending me a physical ARC in exchange for an honest review. Visit Sundial (or don’t) on 3/1/22.
Review also posted at: https://bonkersforthebooks.wordpress.com
October 12, 2022
3,5/5
Moja recenzja składałaby się z przekleństw, więc Wam jej podaruję 😂
Moja recenzja składałaby się z przekleństw, więc Wam jej podaruję 😂
March 16, 2022
The less said about the plot the better, so suffice it to say that this centres on Rob, her daughters Callie and Annie and with her marriage to serial philanderer Irving as another important element. Sundial is Rob’s deceased parents home in the Mojave Desert where the ‘old dead and gone’ Rob takes her daughter Callie for reasons which become increasingly apparent.
I couldn’t write this review for over 24 hours because I was too stunned and unable to put pen to paper, stunned, but in a good way. First of all, this book won’t be for everyone especially the faint of heart as there are several triggers. However, the beautiful writing is unbelievably powerful I’m unable to put it down and it’s as if you are being held there by magnets or is that because of the magnetic prose? The characterisation is incredible and the sections where Callie speaks to us are truly amazing and mind blowing. As the book progresses each chapter reveals more of their personality and nature and there are some major surprises in store that leads to questions that people have debated for years about nature or nurture.
To start with you think you’re engaged in some sort of toxic game albeit the mortal combat kind and then you realise it goes much, much deeper than that. The dynamics between all the main characters will give you every kind of chill and that raises a multitude of emotions. Sundial has a unique atmosphere that begs a million questions and trust me, it’s unlikely you’ll see its truth as it’s beyond your wildest dreams or more accurately nightmares. There are so many twists and turns it will explode your brain. It’s amazing, incredible, creepy, horrifying and utterly unforgettable.
Overall, for me this is an absolute winner albeit a horrifying one! Brilliant!
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Serpents Tale/Viper/Profile Books for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.
I couldn’t write this review for over 24 hours because I was too stunned and unable to put pen to paper, stunned, but in a good way. First of all, this book won’t be for everyone especially the faint of heart as there are several triggers. However, the beautiful writing is unbelievably powerful I’m unable to put it down and it’s as if you are being held there by magnets or is that because of the magnetic prose? The characterisation is incredible and the sections where Callie speaks to us are truly amazing and mind blowing. As the book progresses each chapter reveals more of their personality and nature and there are some major surprises in store that leads to questions that people have debated for years about nature or nurture.
To start with you think you’re engaged in some sort of toxic game albeit the mortal combat kind and then you realise it goes much, much deeper than that. The dynamics between all the main characters will give you every kind of chill and that raises a multitude of emotions. Sundial has a unique atmosphere that begs a million questions and trust me, it’s unlikely you’ll see its truth as it’s beyond your wildest dreams or more accurately nightmares. There are so many twists and turns it will explode your brain. It’s amazing, incredible, creepy, horrifying and utterly unforgettable.
Overall, for me this is an absolute winner albeit a horrifying one! Brilliant!
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Serpents Tale/Viper/Profile Books for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.
March 1, 2022
NOW AVAILABLE!!
Something is happening and it's not what I thought.
that line sums up my experience with this book; hell, it sums up my experience with catriona ward, after last year's The Last House on Needless Street:
Something is happening and it's not what I thought.
this is another elaborately-wrought story about which the less said the better, but in broad strokes, it's about a woman named rob who, yearning for a normal, unremarkable life after an...unconventional upbringing, has painstakingly created the home of her dreams; designing, renovating and decorating her safe little suburban nest, but her domestic life is in shambles—her marriage is almost theatrically toxic,* her eldest daughter callie is a death-obsessed and bullying daddy's girl, while sweet young annie is fragile and sickly.
rob seems extraordinarily passive; accepting irving's numerous infidelities, his violent rages and threats, studiously not-reacting to callie's sly insinuations with the calm patience of a saint, but you know what they say: still waters do not fuck around, and when rob finds callie's secret bone collection and has reason to suspect annie's bones might soon be added to that collection, she takes callie on a road trip to sundial; her childhood home deep in the mojave desert for some tough love, hard truths, and difficult choices.
and—oof. tough, hard, difficult, those words are understating the vibe, as rob sits callie down for the creepiest mother-daughter bonding session ever, sharing the story of her childhood growing up with her sister jack isolated from the world-at-large on sundial's sprawling compound, where their father falcon and stepmother mia were a pair of hippie scientists—if you can wrap your head around that juxtaposition—studying animal behavior by conducting research experiments on dogs. so many dogs.
that's enough to entice you, yes? because this one is a haunting slow-burning doozy that'll break your heart and give you goosebumps at the same damn time.
it's a credit to her writing that i was caught so off-guard by this one. after an extended period of "WTF is going on?," it's one twist after another, but i should have seen that first sucker-punch coming after reading The Last House on Needless Street and that's all i will say about that. shame on me, indeed.
it's another masterful, delicious striptease of a novel, and while it probably plays too rough for sensitive readers (so many dogs), it's a tremendously effective piece of psychological horror that, like The Last House on Needless Street, made me want to read it all over again immediately.
in conclusion:
Something is happening and it's not what I thought.
* this is some vicious marital sparring, boy:
********************************
when a glitchy thing happens six times in an ARC by a notoriously tricksy author, you have to wonder whether it's a recurring typo or if you're Miss.ing something.
i will wait and see
conclusion: typo.
and a lot more than 6 times.
dammit—i really wanted it to MEAN something. still—a badass-wonderful book.
come to my blog!
Something is happening and it's not what I thought.
that line sums up my experience with this book; hell, it sums up my experience with catriona ward, after last year's The Last House on Needless Street:
Something is happening and it's not what I thought.
this is another elaborately-wrought story about which the less said the better, but in broad strokes, it's about a woman named rob who, yearning for a normal, unremarkable life after an...unconventional upbringing, has painstakingly created the home of her dreams; designing, renovating and decorating her safe little suburban nest, but her domestic life is in shambles—her marriage is almost theatrically toxic,* her eldest daughter callie is a death-obsessed and bullying daddy's girl, while sweet young annie is fragile and sickly.
rob seems extraordinarily passive; accepting irving's numerous infidelities, his violent rages and threats, studiously not-reacting to callie's sly insinuations with the calm patience of a saint, but you know what they say: still waters do not fuck around, and when rob finds callie's secret bone collection and has reason to suspect annie's bones might soon be added to that collection, she takes callie on a road trip to sundial; her childhood home deep in the mojave desert for some tough love, hard truths, and difficult choices.
and—oof. tough, hard, difficult, those words are understating the vibe, as rob sits callie down for the creepiest mother-daughter bonding session ever, sharing the story of her childhood growing up with her sister jack isolated from the world-at-large on sundial's sprawling compound, where their father falcon and stepmother mia were a pair of hippie scientists—if you can wrap your head around that juxtaposition—studying animal behavior by conducting research experiments on dogs. so many dogs.
that's enough to entice you, yes? because this one is a haunting slow-burning doozy that'll break your heart and give you goosebumps at the same damn time.
it's a credit to her writing that i was caught so off-guard by this one. after an extended period of "WTF is going on?," it's one twist after another, but i should have seen that first sucker-punch coming after reading The Last House on Needless Street and that's all i will say about that. shame on me, indeed.
it's another masterful, delicious striptease of a novel, and while it probably plays too rough for sensitive readers (so many dogs), it's a tremendously effective piece of psychological horror that, like The Last House on Needless Street, made me want to read it all over again immediately.
in conclusion:
Something is happening and it's not what I thought.
* this is some vicious marital sparring, boy:
"I'm going to wait," he said. "For when this fighting is over, and we're happy again. We'll go to French restaurants like we used to. We'll fall back in love. So deeply in love that it burns us to be apart. Then, one day—maybe we'll be having breakfast, maybe we'll be watching a movie. Something normal. But you'll look over to me to make a joke, ask a question, and I'll be gone. Then you'll look for Callie, and she'll be gone too. I'm going to leave you when you least expect it, and I'm taking her with me," He looms over me and plants a kiss on my forehead, light as a dry leaf. "I'm smarter than you," he said. "I've got endurance. I can wait long enough to make it really hurt." He picked up his glass of water from beside the night table and hurled it at the wall. The sound was like the world opening. Glass flew like diamonds. Irving smiled at me. Then he got into bed and a moment later he was asleep.
********************************
when a glitchy thing happens six times in an ARC by a notoriously tricksy author, you have to wonder whether it's a recurring typo or if you're Miss.ing something.
i will wait and see
conclusion: typo.
and a lot more than 6 times.
dammit—i really wanted it to MEAN something. still—a badass-wonderful book.
come to my blog!
March 30, 2023
**Many thanks to NetGalley, Macmillan-Tor/Forge, and Catriona Ward for an ARC of this book!! Now available as of 3.1!! Now in paperback!**
What if an experiment in nature vs. nurture went wrong...horrifically wrong?
Dark, dizzying, disturbing, and dazzling, Catriona Ward is BACK to explore just that in Sundial!
Much like Needless Street, you are GUARANTEED to leave this read with more questions than answers. To start the story off, you have Rob, wife to Irving, and mother to daughters Callie and Annie. She lived a sheltered and unique life growing up in a mysterious community in the Mojave desert known as Sundial. She is now settled into semi-normalcy with her husband and works as a professor, but has the darkness she was immersed in as a child followed her there? It certainly seems to be popping up in daughter Callie, who displays an odd fascination with animal bones and talks to figures nobody can see. Rob feels an urgency and a calling, driving her back to the desert and a desperation to protect her family at all costs. Are the murky and muddy waters of her mind clear enough to save her daughter from herself...or is it Callie who needs protecting before she becomes just one more secret the desert keeps?
Ward's books are deftly plotted, and Sundial is no exception. The opening provides a quick hook, and chapters alternate between Rob in the present and past, and Callie, giving just enough from each perspective and gore at different points to peak your interest...AND turn your stomach. The first 40% of this one whizzed by in a dizzying blur for me, as tiny pieces of Rob and Callie's worlds were brought to light. Ward's writing is as sharp and crafty as ever, painting the scenes that let you get absolutely entrenched in her horrifying world. She is an author who is dedicated to the craft, and this is ALWAYS evident throughout her work.
At this midpoint, however, things began to slow down dramatically for me, and several glimpses into Rob's past were revealed....and went on for quite a while. This sharp contrast to earlier chapters was a hit on the pacing and unfortunately, at the same time, the book started to veer into very dramatic animal abuse territory. Many of these scenes are graphic, and although they aren't my primary animal of choice, if you are a dog lover: TAKE PAUSE before picking up this book! You may be able to skip some of the content, but when it comes to Ward, details matter, and you won't want to miss much.
There is also some book-within-a-book content that could have been eliminated entirely. My guess is that it was included to urge the reader to question further what was real and what was fantasy, but then again, that seems to be a recurring theme with Ward's writing anyway. Like Needless Street, I CERTAINLY could benefit from a re-read...but unlike Needless Street, I can't say that I'd have interest in revisiting this one. As hypnotic, poignant, dramatic, and artfully crafted as this book was, I just didn't love the plot. I can't say too much about it for obvious reasons, but from about 40-80%, my interest definitely waned. Luckily, Ward's trademark whopper of a twist popped up in the third act to carry me to the finish line, and it was quite the well hidden surprise, certainly enough to keep my twist-loving heart happy!
There's a reason why many are calling Catriona Ward the heir to Stephen King's throne: she has the goods in spades and she can WRITE. Honestly, there's something breathtaking and haunting about her prose, and the fact that I didn't love this plot yet I am still dying to read her next book really speaks volumes about the dynamic superstar Ward has already become in the horror genre. I cannot wait to see what baffling, creepy, disturbing, and twisted tale she has ready for us next!
…or as Callie would say, Grinning Face! 😉
3.5 stars, rounded up to 4 for PHENOMENAL writing!
What if an experiment in nature vs. nurture went wrong...horrifically wrong?
Dark, dizzying, disturbing, and dazzling, Catriona Ward is BACK to explore just that in Sundial!
Much like Needless Street, you are GUARANTEED to leave this read with more questions than answers. To start the story off, you have Rob, wife to Irving, and mother to daughters Callie and Annie. She lived a sheltered and unique life growing up in a mysterious community in the Mojave desert known as Sundial. She is now settled into semi-normalcy with her husband and works as a professor, but has the darkness she was immersed in as a child followed her there? It certainly seems to be popping up in daughter Callie, who displays an odd fascination with animal bones and talks to figures nobody can see. Rob feels an urgency and a calling, driving her back to the desert and a desperation to protect her family at all costs. Are the murky and muddy waters of her mind clear enough to save her daughter from herself...or is it Callie who needs protecting before she becomes just one more secret the desert keeps?
Ward's books are deftly plotted, and Sundial is no exception. The opening provides a quick hook, and chapters alternate between Rob in the present and past, and Callie, giving just enough from each perspective and gore at different points to peak your interest...AND turn your stomach. The first 40% of this one whizzed by in a dizzying blur for me, as tiny pieces of Rob and Callie's worlds were brought to light. Ward's writing is as sharp and crafty as ever, painting the scenes that let you get absolutely entrenched in her horrifying world. She is an author who is dedicated to the craft, and this is ALWAYS evident throughout her work.
At this midpoint, however, things began to slow down dramatically for me, and several glimpses into Rob's past were revealed....and went on for quite a while. This sharp contrast to earlier chapters was a hit on the pacing and unfortunately, at the same time, the book started to veer into very dramatic animal abuse territory. Many of these scenes are graphic, and although they aren't my primary animal of choice, if you are a dog lover: TAKE PAUSE before picking up this book! You may be able to skip some of the content, but when it comes to Ward, details matter, and you won't want to miss much.
There is also some book-within-a-book content that could have been eliminated entirely. My guess is that it was included to urge the reader to question further what was real and what was fantasy, but then again, that seems to be a recurring theme with Ward's writing anyway. Like Needless Street, I CERTAINLY could benefit from a re-read...but unlike Needless Street, I can't say that I'd have interest in revisiting this one. As hypnotic, poignant, dramatic, and artfully crafted as this book was, I just didn't love the plot. I can't say too much about it for obvious reasons, but from about 40-80%, my interest definitely waned. Luckily, Ward's trademark whopper of a twist popped up in the third act to carry me to the finish line, and it was quite the well hidden surprise, certainly enough to keep my twist-loving heart happy!
There's a reason why many are calling Catriona Ward the heir to Stephen King's throne: she has the goods in spades and she can WRITE. Honestly, there's something breathtaking and haunting about her prose, and the fact that I didn't love this plot yet I am still dying to read her next book really speaks volumes about the dynamic superstar Ward has already become in the horror genre. I cannot wait to see what baffling, creepy, disturbing, and twisted tale she has ready for us next!
…or as Callie would say, Grinning Face! 😉
3.5 stars, rounded up to 4 for PHENOMENAL writing!
March 13, 2022
*Upping my rating to 4.5 stars after discussing a theory with a few people, and being even more impressed. Catriona Ward I need to ask you a question!!!*
A disturbing, confusing and violent psychological horror about buried secrets..
No plot summary for this one, I think if you're a horror fan, you should go in as blind as you can! But just know it's about a weird, toxic, dysfunctional family, a creepy house in the desert and a woman running from her past.
How does Catriona Ward come up with this stuff?! Her mind is a dark place indeed!
I would be reading this and thinking that I had it figured out, that I knew the characters, and then it would shift and I would be surprised! Not sure why I thought that after being blown away by The Last House on Needless Street, but I was!
Like most horror stories, this has a whole list of trigger warnings, particularly animal abuse, so go carefully, especially if you are a dog lover.
Sundial slowly got inside my head and freaked me out. At times it was too much and I had to set it aside, at others I couldn't stop reading, especially the last 20%, which had twist after twist! The writing was so clever, and I didn't see many things coming, which I should have! It was haunting, and horrifying and yet I couldn't look away.
Most of the characters were definitely unlikeable and unhinged at times. I would feel myself raging at certain ones and then not, then incensed again. They were so well done. I particularly liked Callie's pov. Her strange emoji talk got stuck in my head, and now I can't help thinking like her *grinning face*
As much as I obsessed over this book, the middle part took me a while to read. It dragged, and the pace was certainly hit by the (in my opinion) unnecessary book within a book. I usually like these, but in this case, I found myself skimming these parts.
Similarly to Needless Street, I probably won't read this dark and disturbing book again anytime soon, but I am glad I read it. Although it shocked, horrified, repulsed and stressed me out in parts, I can't help admiring it. It didn't have the same wtf moment as that book, but it was well done, and that ending?! I almost threw my kindle!
A must read for psychological horror fans! Just push through that middle part, and the animal abuse if you can stomach it!
🏜️🏜️🏜️🏜️ 1/2
Many thanks to NetGalley UK and Serpents tail/Viper/profile books for the ARC, in exchange for an honest review, it was my pleasure!
A disturbing, confusing and violent psychological horror about buried secrets..
No plot summary for this one, I think if you're a horror fan, you should go in as blind as you can! But just know it's about a weird, toxic, dysfunctional family, a creepy house in the desert and a woman running from her past.
How does Catriona Ward come up with this stuff?! Her mind is a dark place indeed!
I would be reading this and thinking that I had it figured out, that I knew the characters, and then it would shift and I would be surprised! Not sure why I thought that after being blown away by The Last House on Needless Street, but I was!
Like most horror stories, this has a whole list of trigger warnings, particularly animal abuse, so go carefully, especially if you are a dog lover.
Sundial slowly got inside my head and freaked me out. At times it was too much and I had to set it aside, at others I couldn't stop reading, especially the last 20%, which had twist after twist! The writing was so clever, and I didn't see many things coming, which I should have! It was haunting, and horrifying and yet I couldn't look away.
Most of the characters were definitely unlikeable and unhinged at times. I would feel myself raging at certain ones and then not, then incensed again. They were so well done. I particularly liked Callie's pov. Her strange emoji talk got stuck in my head, and now I can't help thinking like her *grinning face*
As much as I obsessed over this book, the middle part took me a while to read. It dragged, and the pace was certainly hit by the (in my opinion) unnecessary book within a book. I usually like these, but in this case, I found myself skimming these parts.
Similarly to Needless Street, I probably won't read this dark and disturbing book again anytime soon, but I am glad I read it. Although it shocked, horrified, repulsed and stressed me out in parts, I can't help admiring it. It didn't have the same wtf moment as that book, but it was well done, and that ending?! I almost threw my kindle!
A must read for psychological horror fans! Just push through that middle part, and the animal abuse if you can stomach it!
🏜️🏜️🏜️🏜️ 1/2
Many thanks to NetGalley UK and Serpents tail/Viper/profile books for the ARC, in exchange for an honest review, it was my pleasure!
March 7, 2022
2.5 rounded up
I don't think I was the right audience for this book.
I like a good horror novel from time to time, and I loved The Last House on Needless Street, so I was eagerly anticipating this one. It does have a very eerie feel throughout, and the premise is definitely creepy and quite Stephen King-like. Yet, while I can do creepy/scary, I don't love gore (and this book has a lot). Also, I never fully comprehended what was going on until it was too late for it really to engage with me as a reader.
In general, this is the story of Rob (female) and her husband Irving, who are in a tense, combative marriage. They have two children, the older, Callie, is acting bizarrely (collecting bones, talking to imaginary "pale creatures") and Irving thinks what she's doing is fine. The younger, Annie, is the brunt of Callie's ire and Rob is at her wit's end. Rob takes Callie to her family compound, Sundial, a very remote place in the Mojave desert. Secrets about the past abound.
Part of the problem I had with this one is that the revelation of the "twists" came at a point where I had either a) figured them out long before or b) they weren't at a time to make the greatest impact. If the reader would have been clued into what occurred in the past much earlier and it became a suspenseful, tense stand-off between good and evil, I might have been able to get behind it more than I did.
There's a LOT of thematic "meat" to chew on here--nature vs. nurture, experimentation, twins, parenting, etc. The writing is good, and for the right reader, this novel will really connect. It just didn't do it for me, because in the end I was left with a kind of puzzlement and mostly unsettled, dissatisfied feeling.
Trigger warning: Tons of animal experimentation. Piles and piles of maggots.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions are my own.
I don't think I was the right audience for this book.
I like a good horror novel from time to time, and I loved The Last House on Needless Street, so I was eagerly anticipating this one. It does have a very eerie feel throughout, and the premise is definitely creepy and quite Stephen King-like. Yet, while I can do creepy/scary, I don't love gore (and this book has a lot). Also, I never fully comprehended what was going on until it was too late for it really to engage with me as a reader.
In general, this is the story of Rob (female) and her husband Irving, who are in a tense, combative marriage. They have two children, the older, Callie, is acting bizarrely (collecting bones, talking to imaginary "pale creatures") and Irving thinks what she's doing is fine. The younger, Annie, is the brunt of Callie's ire and Rob is at her wit's end. Rob takes Callie to her family compound, Sundial, a very remote place in the Mojave desert. Secrets about the past abound.
Part of the problem I had with this one is that the revelation of the "twists" came at a point where I had either a) figured them out long before or b) they weren't at a time to make the greatest impact. If the reader would have been clued into what occurred in the past much earlier and it became a suspenseful, tense stand-off between good and evil, I might have been able to get behind it more than I did.
There's a LOT of thematic "meat" to chew on here--nature vs. nurture, experimentation, twins, parenting, etc. The writing is good, and for the right reader, this novel will really connect. It just didn't do it for me, because in the end I was left with a kind of puzzlement and mostly unsettled, dissatisfied feeling.
Trigger warning: Tons of animal experimentation. Piles and piles of maggots.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions are my own.
March 26, 2022
Ominous
Sundial is an intricate psychological thriller that keeps us guessing on the scheming of an array of chilling characters. The frightening machinations and location of the story make for a restless but intriguing reading experience filled with horror and abuse.
Rob is married to Irving with two young daughters, Callie and Annie. Callie is distant with Rob, talks to imaginary friends, and collects tiny bones.
The history of Sundial, with its animal abuse, physical abuse, drug abuse, and Rob’s malignant memories of her childhood with her sister, paints an ominous atmosphere of horror and dark secrets. Watching the story unfold filled me with fear as incidents result in a gory outcome or near miss. The unpredictability and complexity of the story, while intriguing at times, was also difficult to follow.
I think this is one of those experiences where you get the sense the author forgot about the storytelling and let the convolutions of her imagination take her into a space that not everyone followed. Reflecting on the story, I understand how all the pieces finally fell into place, but how I got here, I don’t know. There was another ‘irrelevant’ storyline within the story as if I wasn’t confused enough. This felt confusing for the most part.
Catriona Ward delivers rich and vivid prose that is a joy to read, and this is best seen in her previous book ‘... Needless Street’. She does dare to dive into dark and horrific tones that keep you in terrifying suspense. What Needless Street brought was a mind-blowing psychological twist, but in this novel, the twists were too confusing and not as compelling. The story’s momentum dropped significantly in the middle sections and nearly resulted in me giving up. I just didn't enjoy this one as much.
I imagine this book will have significant differences of opinion, and I wrestled with the rating; the most accurate would be 3.5 stars. I want to thank Serpent’s Tail / Viper / Profile Books and NetGalley for providing a free ARC in return for an honest review.
Sundial is an intricate psychological thriller that keeps us guessing on the scheming of an array of chilling characters. The frightening machinations and location of the story make for a restless but intriguing reading experience filled with horror and abuse.
Rob is married to Irving with two young daughters, Callie and Annie. Callie is distant with Rob, talks to imaginary friends, and collects tiny bones.
“‘One of our children just tried to kill the other,’ I say. The reality of it sends cold fingers down my spine. ‘Mothers pass things down, don’t they?’ Irving’s voice is soft. ‘The secrets I keep for you, Rob.’”Their family life doesn’t feel normal, never mind the disturbing childhood Rob experienced with her sister Jack. The story takes us into both worlds and timelines, which Rob and Callie cleverly narrate. Trying to resolve violent suspicions regarding Callie, Rob takes her to her childhood home in the Mojave Desert, to a complex called Sundial.
The history of Sundial, with its animal abuse, physical abuse, drug abuse, and Rob’s malignant memories of her childhood with her sister, paints an ominous atmosphere of horror and dark secrets. Watching the story unfold filled me with fear as incidents result in a gory outcome or near miss. The unpredictability and complexity of the story, while intriguing at times, was also difficult to follow.
I think this is one of those experiences where you get the sense the author forgot about the storytelling and let the convolutions of her imagination take her into a space that not everyone followed. Reflecting on the story, I understand how all the pieces finally fell into place, but how I got here, I don’t know. There was another ‘irrelevant’ storyline within the story as if I wasn’t confused enough. This felt confusing for the most part.
Catriona Ward delivers rich and vivid prose that is a joy to read, and this is best seen in her previous book ‘... Needless Street’. She does dare to dive into dark and horrific tones that keep you in terrifying suspense. What Needless Street brought was a mind-blowing psychological twist, but in this novel, the twists were too confusing and not as compelling. The story’s momentum dropped significantly in the middle sections and nearly resulted in me giving up. I just didn't enjoy this one as much.
I imagine this book will have significant differences of opinion, and I wrestled with the rating; the most accurate would be 3.5 stars. I want to thank Serpent’s Tail / Viper / Profile Books and NetGalley for providing a free ARC in return for an honest review.
March 4, 2022
Let me start off by saying I almost DNF after the first two chapters. I was wondering what in the hell I was reading and this could not be the same author I read before. Seriously, I couldn't hate the parents more if I tried. I muscled through my distaste, mumbling to myself, I have lost my mind. Then suddenly the whole book changed, I couldn't put it down. The twists were crazy and shocking. I was changing my predications constantly, and I was wrong every time. I am still mad at the ending. I need to know what happens to the neighbor!! Recommend!
Please do NOT read this if you are triggered by animal deaths/abuse.
Please do NOT read this if you are triggered by animal deaths/abuse.
December 2, 2021
I expected this to be creepy but never in my wildest imagination would I have guessed just how strange of a story this would be or in which direction this story would go. Just like with her previous novel, the brilliant, Last House on Needless Street, nothing is what it seems.
Rob had a difficult childhood growing up in the Mojave Desert at Sundial, her family home, with eccentric, hippie type parents. Homeschooled and sheltered from society she always dreamed of her escape.
Rob now married with two girls of her own, making a career as an English teacher, feels her past is finally in the rearview mirror. Then her oldest daughter, Callie, starts to exhibit strange behaviors. Talking to herself, collecting animal bones, and violent tendencies aimed toward Rob and her youngest daughter, Annie.
Rob knows that in order to save Callie from the dark forces of her mind that she will have to take her back to Sundial, just mother and daughter, to explain to her not only the families dark history but also to save her from herself.
"You can only do three things with danger: run away from it, fight it, or make friends with it."
That's all I can say plot wise.
I would like to say that Catriona Ward is a brilliant writer and storyteller. Where she comes up with this stuff I will never know and maybe that's a good thing. *shivers* She doesn't just think outside of the box she takes that box and crushes it with her bare hands. My kind of gal.
This book is pitch black dark, cringe inducing, and DYSFUNCTIONAL - yes, all caps are necessary. Triggers, triggers, everywhere especially if you're a dog lover. Proceed with caution.
Overall I really enjoyed this. However, some things I found really baffling. I couldn't quite understand all the ins and outs of Sundial and what they were actually doing or why they were doing it. Also, there were some unanswered questions in the end or maybe I just missed the explanations due to my own confusion. I'll never know.
Catriona Ward, if you keep writing stories then I will keep reading them. Work that imagination, girl! 4 stars!
Thank you to the wonderful Michael David who kindly sent me his arc copy to read. You're the best!
Rob had a difficult childhood growing up in the Mojave Desert at Sundial, her family home, with eccentric, hippie type parents. Homeschooled and sheltered from society she always dreamed of her escape.
Rob now married with two girls of her own, making a career as an English teacher, feels her past is finally in the rearview mirror. Then her oldest daughter, Callie, starts to exhibit strange behaviors. Talking to herself, collecting animal bones, and violent tendencies aimed toward Rob and her youngest daughter, Annie.
Rob knows that in order to save Callie from the dark forces of her mind that she will have to take her back to Sundial, just mother and daughter, to explain to her not only the families dark history but also to save her from herself.
"You can only do three things with danger: run away from it, fight it, or make friends with it."
That's all I can say plot wise.
I would like to say that Catriona Ward is a brilliant writer and storyteller. Where she comes up with this stuff I will never know and maybe that's a good thing. *shivers* She doesn't just think outside of the box she takes that box and crushes it with her bare hands. My kind of gal.
This book is pitch black dark, cringe inducing, and DYSFUNCTIONAL - yes, all caps are necessary. Triggers, triggers, everywhere especially if you're a dog lover. Proceed with caution.
Overall I really enjoyed this. However, some things I found really baffling. I couldn't quite understand all the ins and outs of Sundial and what they were actually doing or why they were doing it. Also, there were some unanswered questions in the end or maybe I just missed the explanations due to my own confusion. I'll never know.
Catriona Ward, if you keep writing stories then I will keep reading them. Work that imagination, girl! 4 stars!
Thank you to the wonderful Michael David who kindly sent me his arc copy to read. You're the best!
February 27, 2022
How weird is too weird?
I’m keeping this brief, and sans synopsis, because this author just wasn’t for me. I found Sundial fantastical, overly long and slow, with the last half descending into the equivalent of a drug induced haze. Once you stripped away the surrealism, the dreamlike prose, and the nonsensical metaphors I reckon there was only one good twist – the rest have been done before, including the ending. And, did every character have to be so strange and unhinged? I accept that they were all damaged souls, but still, come on, it just wasn’t realistic or relatable.
I’m not going to count the experiments on dogs (as horrible as they were), against the author, as I was warned via friend’s reviews yet I still chose to read this, so I have only myself to blame. And, if that had of been the only part I hated, I would’ve overlooked it as it was relevant to the plot, but sadly the dogs parts were just the tip of the iceberg of things I found wrong with this book.
Considering the high ratings this one’s receiving, there are plenty of readers who enjoyed this book, but I’m afraid I just can’t recommend this title.
I’d like to thank Netgalley, Viper, and Catriona Ward for the e-ARC.
If my review hasn’t put you off then Sundial’s release date is the 10th March, 2022.
I’m keeping this brief, and sans synopsis, because this author just wasn’t for me. I found Sundial fantastical, overly long and slow, with the last half descending into the equivalent of a drug induced haze. Once you stripped away the surrealism, the dreamlike prose, and the nonsensical metaphors I reckon there was only one good twist – the rest have been done before, including the ending. And, did every character have to be so strange and unhinged? I accept that they were all damaged souls, but still, come on, it just wasn’t realistic or relatable.
I’m not going to count the experiments on dogs (as horrible as they were), against the author, as I was warned via friend’s reviews yet I still chose to read this, so I have only myself to blame. And, if that had of been the only part I hated, I would’ve overlooked it as it was relevant to the plot, but sadly the dogs parts were just the tip of the iceberg of things I found wrong with this book.
Considering the high ratings this one’s receiving, there are plenty of readers who enjoyed this book, but I’m afraid I just can’t recommend this title.
I’d like to thank Netgalley, Viper, and Catriona Ward for the e-ARC.
If my review hasn’t put you off then Sundial’s release date is the 10th March, 2022.
July 12, 2022
When people say something is "unthinkable," what they usually mean is that they don't want to think it. They are resistant to an idea. But that is not what unthinkable means. I know that, now. It means to be confronted with a thought so vast, dark and monstrous that it will not fit into any known shapes in your mind. It is poison and madness flowering behind your eyes.
When I read The Last House On Needless Street last year and it became one of my favorite reads of the year (perhaps my singular favorite, even), I worried that Catriona Ward could end up being one of those authors with whom I would have this shining, brilliant moment for one book, and then end up disappointed in the next. I think most readers know this specific sort of pain, and it's what makes me a bit apprehensive whenever reading my second book from an author. Thankfully, those fears were entirely pointless, because Sundial has immediately cemented itself as one of my favorite books of 2022 and I'm already itching to read more from this author.
It's possible to feel the horror of something and to accept it all at the same time. How else could we cope with being alive?
Not only did I adore this book, but I feel comfortable saying Catriona Ward is a new favorite author for me and I'll read anything she writes. I was constantly blown away by how gorgeous and strange the narrative voice was on its own in this story, alongside the atmospheric, intricate setting and the masterful twists — all executed by a cast of characters that, with one exception, were flawed and often terrible, yet bizarrely endearing. Rob and Callie, our two POV characters, have a laundry list of issues between the two of them, and yet I adored them both somehow (especially Callie).
I buried my old self at Sundial. We need to leave parts of Callie here, too.
Beyond gushing about the characters and the writing, there's nothing I can say about the plot, because one thing Catriona Ward does so brilliantly is her twist-weaving and I wouldn't dare spoil a single one of them (yes, there are several). Just trust me when I say that this book left me stunned and in awe, and I'm already desperately wanting to re-read it just so I can watch it all play out with the knowledge of how it ends. I adored every page of this book and highly recommend it.
✨ Content warnings for:
All quotes come from an advance copy and may not match the final release. Thank you to the publisher for the review copy! All thoughts are honest and my own.
Buddy read with the lovely Ashley! 💖
———
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March 30, 2022
2.5 stars. Having loved the brilliant, unforgettable Last House on Needless Street, I purchased Catriona Ward's eagerly-anticipated next novel, Sundial, on its release day. I found this novel also unforgettable, but not for the right reasons. I regret I was disappointed, but my review should not sway prospective readers. I encourage them to read the many admiring and praiseworthy reviews.
The author writes dark psychological novels and can get into the minds of the emotionally disturbed with powerful, vivid prose. However, the thoughts and recollections of her characters are often unreliable due to faulty or buried memories, confabulation, or deliberate lies. Every character was strange or unhinged, and I felt I was being manipulated and misdirected. As a result, the traumatized and damaged characters were not relatable, and I failed to connect with them on any emotional level. I felt distanced from the story.
The concept or premise was brilliant, but I became lost early in a story that seemed rambling and disjointed. This may have been a deliberate attempt to provoke a feeling of discordance in the reader. The slow, uneven flow of the story and its lack of cohesive narrative was not for me.
This was a dark, gory, disturbing and even disgusting tale. There were elements of the supernatural, surrealism, dreamlike prose, and silly metaphors. I don't mind these elements, but the book's structure kept me emotionally disconnected, and I was not feeling the suspense. The book was of average length but felt much longer.
There are many elements that some readers may find unappealing. Among them are the potential for a child to become a serial killer, much animal abuse in unscientific, misguided experiments, child confinement and torture. There is marital discord, infidelity, family dysfunction, a horrific backstory, lots of maggots and bones.
The story begins with a middle-class couple, Irving and his wife, Rob. They have two daughters. The older girl, Callie, shows some ominous signs of animal abuse, imaginary friends, ghostly apparitions, and the potential to harm her younger sister. The couple is not in agreement with the danger she may present. In fact, they continuously argue about everything. As Irving ignores Callie's weird behaviour, Rob flees with her to the compound Sundial, where she grew up in the hot Mojave desert. Here Rob hopes to bond better with her weird daughter and hopefully improve Callie's behaviour. The plot now switches at times to memories Rob had while living in Sundial with her twin sister, two adults, and their helpers. This is a horrific, disturbing story. Cattle are kept on the compound and dogs that undergo cruel experiments based on faulty science. A ruined, abandoned Dog Farm near Sundial plays an important part in the backstory.
Callie's past is also exposed. Callie has seen changes in her mother, which was reinforced by Irving telling his daughter that Rob was becoming mentally unbalanced. Callie fears only one of them will leave Sundial alive.
The past and present stories are told interspersed with chapters of fantasy written by Rob. I searched in these for clues, but these chapters only provided unnecessary interruptions in the narrative and could have been omitted.
I felt that the story would have been more effective if told in a more linear style. There was an upswing in exciting action and danger near the end, but the conclusion was ambiguous. Unexpected twists were in abundance, but I was beyond caring by the time they were revealed.
The author writes dark psychological novels and can get into the minds of the emotionally disturbed with powerful, vivid prose. However, the thoughts and recollections of her characters are often unreliable due to faulty or buried memories, confabulation, or deliberate lies. Every character was strange or unhinged, and I felt I was being manipulated and misdirected. As a result, the traumatized and damaged characters were not relatable, and I failed to connect with them on any emotional level. I felt distanced from the story.
The concept or premise was brilliant, but I became lost early in a story that seemed rambling and disjointed. This may have been a deliberate attempt to provoke a feeling of discordance in the reader. The slow, uneven flow of the story and its lack of cohesive narrative was not for me.
This was a dark, gory, disturbing and even disgusting tale. There were elements of the supernatural, surrealism, dreamlike prose, and silly metaphors. I don't mind these elements, but the book's structure kept me emotionally disconnected, and I was not feeling the suspense. The book was of average length but felt much longer.
There are many elements that some readers may find unappealing. Among them are the potential for a child to become a serial killer, much animal abuse in unscientific, misguided experiments, child confinement and torture. There is marital discord, infidelity, family dysfunction, a horrific backstory, lots of maggots and bones.
The story begins with a middle-class couple, Irving and his wife, Rob. They have two daughters. The older girl, Callie, shows some ominous signs of animal abuse, imaginary friends, ghostly apparitions, and the potential to harm her younger sister. The couple is not in agreement with the danger she may present. In fact, they continuously argue about everything. As Irving ignores Callie's weird behaviour, Rob flees with her to the compound Sundial, where she grew up in the hot Mojave desert. Here Rob hopes to bond better with her weird daughter and hopefully improve Callie's behaviour. The plot now switches at times to memories Rob had while living in Sundial with her twin sister, two adults, and their helpers. This is a horrific, disturbing story. Cattle are kept on the compound and dogs that undergo cruel experiments based on faulty science. A ruined, abandoned Dog Farm near Sundial plays an important part in the backstory.
Callie's past is also exposed. Callie has seen changes in her mother, which was reinforced by Irving telling his daughter that Rob was becoming mentally unbalanced. Callie fears only one of them will leave Sundial alive.
The past and present stories are told interspersed with chapters of fantasy written by Rob. I searched in these for clues, but these chapters only provided unnecessary interruptions in the narrative and could have been omitted.
I felt that the story would have been more effective if told in a more linear style. There was an upswing in exciting action and danger near the end, but the conclusion was ambiguous. Unexpected twists were in abundance, but I was beyond caring by the time they were revealed.
February 12, 2022
And you thought YOUR family was dysfunctional!
It’s official. I am a compete Catriona Ward stan. After being bowled over by the incredible The Last House On Needless Street, I could not wait to get my hands on her next book. I am happy and excited to say that Ward’s next effort did NOT disappoint. Glittering, dark, shocking, horrifying prose - Ward is an heiress to Stephen King’s throne. (It was King’s recommendation that got me to read Needless Street, and I couldn’t be happier to have found this wonderful author.)
Ward’s writing is hypnotic and totally immersive. You forget where you are reading her work, and just become a part of her mesmerizing and horrifying world. It sucks you in and holds you there when it’s beautiful and also when it’s completely uncomfortable and horrifying.
This book will not be for everyone but oh man, was it ever for me. The book is about a pair of female twins named Rob and Jack. The disturbing nature of their lives, particularly their upbringings by a weird pair of parents on a cult-like compound called Sundial, creeps into the story bit by bit until you are totally immersed in the crazy. I was immediately and totally fascinated with the narrating twin Rob, her husband Irving, and her two daughters from the start. Rob worries that one of her daughters may be a psychopath in the making. This sounds like a simple plot that you’ve read before, but I promise you, it is not. The book then delves into an incredible and horrifying story of nature vs. nurture, the significance of the so-called psychopath or “warrior” gene, bizarre psychological experiments, horrible parenting, weird twin relationships….and that’s not even the half of it. This author knows how to do multiple narrators: slightly different from Needless Street, this book has way fewer narrators but man does it pick the right ones.
I really cannot stress enough how haunting, beautiful and unique Ward’s writing is. This author has an incredible dark gift. Her style is so individual and this story is so creepy that I think you will either love it or be repulsed by it. I definitely loved it (and as evidenced by Needless Street, many others do too).
One thing to mention is that if you are a dog lover (I am) there are some tough scenes in this book. If animal harm is a deal-breaker for you, this book is not for you. I still appreciated the book and these scenes because I felt the way these scenes were done underlined and symbolized the other horrors of the book - similar to how King has done it in his books. To my mind it was depicted for a reason and was in no way glorified. But be aware of this if it’s something you don’t want to read. It’s not something that can easily be skipped and it’s difficult reading. But the meaning behind the dogs in the book, as a metaphor and a plot point, was huge for me.
I had a great time savoring, being stressed out by, and reveling in this super creepy book. The ending was sufficiently insane and perfect, with a totally unforeseen yet perfect twist. This is the kind of great horror book that really goes deep on the nature of evil - what makes a horrifying person that way? Can anything be done about it? Is it always completely evident who the true psycho is?
Yep, so, I loved this book. An easy five-plus stars from me. I sure hope Ward writes fast because I am ready for another book from her, like, right now. Creepy, spooky, horrifying, but also beautiful, in that way only a few horror authors can really do. Get ready to watch Catriona Ward because she’s just getting started, but she is already one of the greats.
Thanks to Macmillan Tor Forge, NetGalley, and the author for this totally immersive, awesome, and creepy reading experience. I plan to read it again soon.
It’s official. I am a compete Catriona Ward stan. After being bowled over by the incredible The Last House On Needless Street, I could not wait to get my hands on her next book. I am happy and excited to say that Ward’s next effort did NOT disappoint. Glittering, dark, shocking, horrifying prose - Ward is an heiress to Stephen King’s throne. (It was King’s recommendation that got me to read Needless Street, and I couldn’t be happier to have found this wonderful author.)
Ward’s writing is hypnotic and totally immersive. You forget where you are reading her work, and just become a part of her mesmerizing and horrifying world. It sucks you in and holds you there when it’s beautiful and also when it’s completely uncomfortable and horrifying.
This book will not be for everyone but oh man, was it ever for me. The book is about a pair of female twins named Rob and Jack. The disturbing nature of their lives, particularly their upbringings by a weird pair of parents on a cult-like compound called Sundial, creeps into the story bit by bit until you are totally immersed in the crazy. I was immediately and totally fascinated with the narrating twin Rob, her husband Irving, and her two daughters from the start. Rob worries that one of her daughters may be a psychopath in the making. This sounds like a simple plot that you’ve read before, but I promise you, it is not. The book then delves into an incredible and horrifying story of nature vs. nurture, the significance of the so-called psychopath or “warrior” gene, bizarre psychological experiments, horrible parenting, weird twin relationships….and that’s not even the half of it. This author knows how to do multiple narrators: slightly different from Needless Street, this book has way fewer narrators but man does it pick the right ones.
I really cannot stress enough how haunting, beautiful and unique Ward’s writing is. This author has an incredible dark gift. Her style is so individual and this story is so creepy that I think you will either love it or be repulsed by it. I definitely loved it (and as evidenced by Needless Street, many others do too).
One thing to mention is that if you are a dog lover (I am) there are some tough scenes in this book. If animal harm is a deal-breaker for you, this book is not for you. I still appreciated the book and these scenes because I felt the way these scenes were done underlined and symbolized the other horrors of the book - similar to how King has done it in his books. To my mind it was depicted for a reason and was in no way glorified. But be aware of this if it’s something you don’t want to read. It’s not something that can easily be skipped and it’s difficult reading. But the meaning behind the dogs in the book, as a metaphor and a plot point, was huge for me.
I had a great time savoring, being stressed out by, and reveling in this super creepy book. The ending was sufficiently insane and perfect, with a totally unforeseen yet perfect twist. This is the kind of great horror book that really goes deep on the nature of evil - what makes a horrifying person that way? Can anything be done about it? Is it always completely evident who the true psycho is?
Yep, so, I loved this book. An easy five-plus stars from me. I sure hope Ward writes fast because I am ready for another book from her, like, right now. Creepy, spooky, horrifying, but also beautiful, in that way only a few horror authors can really do. Get ready to watch Catriona Ward because she’s just getting started, but she is already one of the greats.
Thanks to Macmillan Tor Forge, NetGalley, and the author for this totally immersive, awesome, and creepy reading experience. I plan to read it again soon.
April 9, 2022
2.5⭐️
You really had me there in the first half.
The children’s drawings on the wall (iykyk) had my jaw on the floor. But when the storyline about the dogs got introduced, the plot stopped making sense and I fell out of love with the story.
You really had me there in the first half.
The children’s drawings on the wall (iykyk) had my jaw on the floor. But when the storyline about the dogs got introduced, the plot stopped making sense and I fell out of love with the story.
May 4, 2022
3.5 ⭐️
“How are you feeling? Are you a bad dog too?”
I didn’t love this one nearly as much as The Last House on Needless Street - but then I thought that book was fucking fantastic. So the bar was probably a bit high 😂
We begin with Rob, her husband Irving and their two daughters Callie and Annie. The entire family is pretty toxic, and when Rob is pushed to breaking point she takes Callie away on a trip to her childhood home - Sundial.
We then get flashback chapters of Rob as a child, living at Sundial with her sister Jack and a collection of adults.
I won’t go into too much detail as it’s best to go in blind. But I just wasn’t as blown away as I hoped to be.
I found most of the characters annoying, a lot of the secrets could have been dealt with better if people just communicated.
I enjoyed it, I think I just had higher expectations - if this was her debut I’d probably give it 4 stars.
“It’s possible to feel the horror of something and to accept it all at the same time. How else could we cope with being alive.”
“How are you feeling? Are you a bad dog too?”
I didn’t love this one nearly as much as The Last House on Needless Street - but then I thought that book was fucking fantastic. So the bar was probably a bit high 😂
We begin with Rob, her husband Irving and their two daughters Callie and Annie. The entire family is pretty toxic, and when Rob is pushed to breaking point she takes Callie away on a trip to her childhood home - Sundial.
We then get flashback chapters of Rob as a child, living at Sundial with her sister Jack and a collection of adults.
I won’t go into too much detail as it’s best to go in blind. But I just wasn’t as blown away as I hoped to be.
I found most of the characters annoying, a lot of the secrets could have been dealt with better if people just communicated.
I enjoyed it, I think I just had higher expectations - if this was her debut I’d probably give it 4 stars.
“It’s possible to feel the horror of something and to accept it all at the same time. How else could we cope with being alive.”
August 27, 2022
4.5/5
JAKIE TO BYŁO DZIWNE CHORE NIEPOKOJĄCE ZASKAKUJĄCE
wspaniale się bawiłam!!!
JAKIE TO BYŁO DZIWNE CHORE NIEPOKOJĄCE ZASKAKUJĄCE
wspaniale się bawiłam!!!
January 12, 2022
Sundial’s written in the kind of crafted prose style I associate with mid-market, literary fiction, a choice presumably intended to legitimise the cheaply manipulative material it showcases. And there’s an abundance of this material to get through, the plot’s so packed with incident it’s straining at the seams. So, we get domestic violence, bad-seed siblings, dodgy twins, genetic experimentation, adultery, child abuse, hippy counterculture, mass murder, drug addiction, and gory details of the mistreatment of animals who feature in a rehashed version of one of MKUltra’s infamous projects. As if all that weren’t enough, the story’s told from a number of alternating perspectives, across timeframes, and interspersed with a surreal, macabre school story jotted down by one of the main characters. Yet, somehow, even with all that going on, I found this both irritatingly slow and shockingly dull: a long-winded, drip-feed of a novel, interrupted by sudden bursts of preposterous, gruesome twists. I think it’s fair to say this one definitely wasn’t for me - not least for the distasteful inclusion of lovingly-detailed instances of animal cruelty, operating as a device to prop up a bizarrely hackneyed narrative - reviewers who claim these scenes weren’t gratuitous, might want to brush up on the meaning of the term. But it’s a fairly slick, readable, decent enough example of its subgenre, and I’ve no doubt it’ll be hugely popular with readers who enjoy this particular brand of commercial horror.
Thanks to Netgalley, and publisher Viper, imprint of Serpent’s Tail for an arc in exchange for an honest, unedited review.
Thanks to Netgalley, and publisher Viper, imprint of Serpent’s Tail for an arc in exchange for an honest, unedited review.
January 24, 2022
You can't escape what's in your blood...
I went into this one with high hopes as I was blow away with her spine tingling page turner The Last House on Needless Street. I was hoping for a HUGE payoff and a jaw dropping read. This one fell a little short for me. I can't fault her writing or her imagination. They are both stellar. But for whatever reason, this one did not blow me away. Having said that, I do think this would make an interesting dark movie.
Rob grew up in Sundial, deep in the dessert. All she wanted was a normal life, to fit in, have friends, get married and have children. She did those things but not everything is normal. Her daughter, Callie collects tiny bones and talks to imaginary friends. Rob fears for her daughter. She knows something is not right. She worries about her. She decides it is time to take her daughter to Sundial. Just the two of them. Who said you can never go home again?
As Rob and Callie journey to Sundial, readers are given a glimpse into Rob's past as we are shown their present. Things are dark, strange, full of intense characters. I just wished I had been wowed by this book. For part of the book, I was bored. Yes, I said it bored and I thought this is going to be a 2-star read. With The Last House on Needless Street, I was shocked, stunned and surprised. It was dark and creepy. I loved it! This for me was strange and left me thinking "what did I just read?" It's strange and weird and I couldn't help but think, this feels like a book, Rob Zombie would like to make into a movie.
Others are enjoying this more than I did. I'm out in outlier alley waving from the sideline encouraging you to read other reviews as well. Although this didn't wow me, I did enjoy it, especially the last half. I will be reading more of her work in the future, this one for me was good not great.
***Some things happen in this book to various animals which may be triggers for some.
Thank you to Macmillan-Tor/Forge and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com
I went into this one with high hopes as I was blow away with her spine tingling page turner The Last House on Needless Street. I was hoping for a HUGE payoff and a jaw dropping read. This one fell a little short for me. I can't fault her writing or her imagination. They are both stellar. But for whatever reason, this one did not blow me away. Having said that, I do think this would make an interesting dark movie.
Rob grew up in Sundial, deep in the dessert. All she wanted was a normal life, to fit in, have friends, get married and have children. She did those things but not everything is normal. Her daughter, Callie collects tiny bones and talks to imaginary friends. Rob fears for her daughter. She knows something is not right. She worries about her. She decides it is time to take her daughter to Sundial. Just the two of them. Who said you can never go home again?
As Rob and Callie journey to Sundial, readers are given a glimpse into Rob's past as we are shown their present. Things are dark, strange, full of intense characters. I just wished I had been wowed by this book. For part of the book, I was bored. Yes, I said it bored and I thought this is going to be a 2-star read. With The Last House on Needless Street, I was shocked, stunned and surprised. It was dark and creepy. I loved it! This for me was strange and left me thinking "what did I just read?" It's strange and weird and I couldn't help but think, this feels like a book, Rob Zombie would like to make into a movie.
Others are enjoying this more than I did. I'm out in outlier alley waving from the sideline encouraging you to read other reviews as well. Although this didn't wow me, I did enjoy it, especially the last half. I will be reading more of her work in the future, this one for me was good not great.
***Some things happen in this book to various animals which may be triggers for some.
Thank you to Macmillan-Tor/Forge and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com
November 18, 2022
"It's possible to feel the horror of something and to accept it all at the same time. How else could we cope with being alive?"
Seriously, don't even crack this one open if you are of a squeamish nature. Catriona Ward likes to nudge those little dust spiders scuttering around inside the dark corners of your mind. The ones whose images cast giant shadows on the walls inside your cranium when your eyes open and the light gets in.
Rob is more mannequin than mom. She's created a life for her family in the suburbs with two daughters, Callie and Annie, and husband Irving with his quirky ways. Rob even has a teaching certificate and works at the local school. It's all window dressing, folks, until you draw the curtain back. And Catriona Ward is drawin' the curtain back in this one.....
Rob's older daughter, Callie, is what one would call "difficult". She zigs when you say zag. But at twelve, such intense behavior is causing this picture life to unravel at a fast clip. Callie's room smells like the local morgue with tiny bones clipped to walls and setting on table tops. Her arguing and her disruptive behavior is more than a cause for concern for Rob. Rob observes a darkening personality in Callie.....so much so that Rob fears for the well-being of little Annie. Callie's eyes are filled with devious deeds in the making.
So Rob tells Irving that she is taking Callie on a trip to her old family ranch in the Mojave Desert called Sundial. Rob feels the vibes of her old life in the desert with a reawakening within Callie herself. Rob already knows that there's something seeping through this bloodline. And is there a means in the desert to break through what is clutching Callie?
And once we set foot on Sundial, there's no turning back. Ward will bring out the life videos of Rob's past and we won't be able to look away. We'll see all the crooked pieces shoved together to form a bizarre collage from all those years. And it's heavy. I'd liken it to being trapped within a winding maze with no sense of where the Exit sign may be. As readers, snippets of past actions may or may not be relevant. Characters may or may not be who they present themselves to be. Lordy!
Ward's writing is the draw. It either speaks to you or it does not. And that's why this has more sliced reviews than the roll-out of pizzas at peak time happenin' at Pizza Hut. Either you were grabbed or you were ungrabbed. Hardly in-between. Catriona Ward does Horror like a second skin. Step within these walls and check your horrorama meter around every corner. It be flashin'.
Seriously, don't even crack this one open if you are of a squeamish nature. Catriona Ward likes to nudge those little dust spiders scuttering around inside the dark corners of your mind. The ones whose images cast giant shadows on the walls inside your cranium when your eyes open and the light gets in.
Rob is more mannequin than mom. She's created a life for her family in the suburbs with two daughters, Callie and Annie, and husband Irving with his quirky ways. Rob even has a teaching certificate and works at the local school. It's all window dressing, folks, until you draw the curtain back. And Catriona Ward is drawin' the curtain back in this one.....
Rob's older daughter, Callie, is what one would call "difficult". She zigs when you say zag. But at twelve, such intense behavior is causing this picture life to unravel at a fast clip. Callie's room smells like the local morgue with tiny bones clipped to walls and setting on table tops. Her arguing and her disruptive behavior is more than a cause for concern for Rob. Rob observes a darkening personality in Callie.....so much so that Rob fears for the well-being of little Annie. Callie's eyes are filled with devious deeds in the making.
So Rob tells Irving that she is taking Callie on a trip to her old family ranch in the Mojave Desert called Sundial. Rob feels the vibes of her old life in the desert with a reawakening within Callie herself. Rob already knows that there's something seeping through this bloodline. And is there a means in the desert to break through what is clutching Callie?
And once we set foot on Sundial, there's no turning back. Ward will bring out the life videos of Rob's past and we won't be able to look away. We'll see all the crooked pieces shoved together to form a bizarre collage from all those years. And it's heavy. I'd liken it to being trapped within a winding maze with no sense of where the Exit sign may be. As readers, snippets of past actions may or may not be relevant. Characters may or may not be who they present themselves to be. Lordy!
Ward's writing is the draw. It either speaks to you or it does not. And that's why this has more sliced reviews than the roll-out of pizzas at peak time happenin' at Pizza Hut. Either you were grabbed or you were ungrabbed. Hardly in-between. Catriona Ward does Horror like a second skin. Step within these walls and check your horrorama meter around every corner. It be flashin'.
Shelved as 'dnf'
December 13, 2021DNF - pg. 100.
I really liked Ward's The Last House on Needless Street. It was creepy, subversive and sad. But... well, I don't know if I just have a poor memory, but I do not remember being bothered by super flowery, kinda awkward language like I was with this one.
Maybe it just worked better with the story being told in the author's previous book. Here, I found it jarring on multiple occasions. Sometimes the author would use nonsensical metaphors that I assume are supposed to sound clever and interesting.
Or similes that read awkwardly to me.
Other times it would be the characters performing weird actions to, I think, make the book seem edgier, grittier.
To be fair, if this is anything like The Last House on Needless Street, there may very well be a weird yet completely sound explanation for all of this. But, unlike Last House, I'm really struggling to make it through this one. Guess I'll wait for other readers' verdicts.
I really liked Ward's The Last House on Needless Street. It was creepy, subversive and sad. But... well, I don't know if I just have a poor memory, but I do not remember being bothered by super flowery, kinda awkward language like I was with this one.
Maybe it just worked better with the story being told in the author's previous book. Here, I found it jarring on multiple occasions. Sometimes the author would use nonsensical metaphors that I assume are supposed to sound clever and interesting.
I'm finally getting ready for bed when Irving yells my name. There is something sticky in his voice.
Or similes that read awkwardly to me.
My insides curl up like baby mice
Other times it would be the characters performing weird actions to, I think, make the book seem edgier, grittier.
Irving reached out and pinched the bridge of my nose so hard I heard the cartilage squeak.
To be fair, if this is anything like The Last House on Needless Street, there may very well be a weird yet completely sound explanation for all of this. But, unlike Last House, I'm really struggling to make it through this one. Guess I'll wait for other readers' verdicts.
March 27, 2022
I know I'm in the minority here but I found Sundial a little disappointing. I loved Last House on Needless Street because it kept me guessing. Sundial, however, I found slow, draggy and nowhere near as clever as it wanted to be.
Some of the twists I saw coming, some I didn't. But the first 175 pages were a chore that I pushed through while hoping for a big firework ending that would make it all worthwhile. It didn't.
On the plus side: the writing was great and the story was unique.
Though definitely not for me, I see a lot of love out there for it so maybe it will be for you:)
Some of the twists I saw coming, some I didn't. But the first 175 pages were a chore that I pushed through while hoping for a big firework ending that would make it all worthwhile. It didn't.
On the plus side: the writing was great and the story was unique.
Though definitely not for me, I see a lot of love out there for it so maybe it will be for you:)
March 7, 2022
Having been enamored with 2021's THE LAST HOUSE ON NEEDLESS STREET, I jumped on the opportunity to read SUNDIAL. I was not disappointed!
Rob and her cheating, despicable husband are doing their best to raise their two girls. However, Rob thinks that her oldest daughter, Callie, may be trying to hurt her little sister, Annie. As a few more suspicious events occur, Rob becomes more and more concerned, and decides to separate the two, by bringing Callie with her out to a desert compound left to her by her deceased parents. Once there though, events spiral out of control, until....well, I guess you'll just have to read this to find out!
Just like in NEEDLESS STREET, SUNDIAL holds most of its secrets close until the very end, just not quite as successfully. I thought I might have an inkling of what would happen, but I was only partially right. Because of Rob's personal history, I didn't care for her as much as I should have, but I had to admire her strength either way. The dynamics between all the characters were constantly changing; consequently my feelings for them were constantly changing as well. I love that.
The scenes taking place in the desert at Sundial were so vividly described, I could almost feel the dry, hot, days and the cool-then downright cold nights. To me, Sundial itself was a character.
I feel like I do need to point out that dogs play a large part in this story and what happens to them is just not good. If this kind of thing is a trigger for you, you might want to skip this one. I am not a fan of animal abuse stories, but the way it was portrayed here, it was not too much for me. Your mileage may vary.
Even though this book didn't touch my heart as deeply as Needless Street did, it was still cleverly constructed, well written, surprising, and included characters that were constantly in a state of flux. All of these things, to me, spell out a harrowing read and I heartily recommend it!
*Thanks to Tor Nightfire, for the ARC in exchange for my honest feedback!*
Rob and her cheating, despicable husband are doing their best to raise their two girls. However, Rob thinks that her oldest daughter, Callie, may be trying to hurt her little sister, Annie. As a few more suspicious events occur, Rob becomes more and more concerned, and decides to separate the two, by bringing Callie with her out to a desert compound left to her by her deceased parents. Once there though, events spiral out of control, until....well, I guess you'll just have to read this to find out!
Just like in NEEDLESS STREET, SUNDIAL holds most of its secrets close until the very end, just not quite as successfully. I thought I might have an inkling of what would happen, but I was only partially right. Because of Rob's personal history, I didn't care for her as much as I should have, but I had to admire her strength either way. The dynamics between all the characters were constantly changing; consequently my feelings for them were constantly changing as well. I love that.
The scenes taking place in the desert at Sundial were so vividly described, I could almost feel the dry, hot, days and the cool-then downright cold nights. To me, Sundial itself was a character.
I feel like I do need to point out that dogs play a large part in this story and what happens to them is just not good. If this kind of thing is a trigger for you, you might want to skip this one. I am not a fan of animal abuse stories, but the way it was portrayed here, it was not too much for me. Your mileage may vary.
Even though this book didn't touch my heart as deeply as Needless Street did, it was still cleverly constructed, well written, surprising, and included characters that were constantly in a state of flux. All of these things, to me, spell out a harrowing read and I heartily recommend it!
*Thanks to Tor Nightfire, for the ARC in exchange for my honest feedback!*
March 1, 2022
HAPPY PUBLICATION DAY!
I take small bites of an apple in the shape of a circle
Those who can read apple code understand the meaning behind my message.
Don’t read apple? 🍎
Rob and Jack will help!
Sundial is Psychological horror at its best! If you loved The Last House on Needless Street, Catriona Ward delivers another unbelievably disturbing story about an extremely dysfunctional family.
Warnings: animal abuse, torture, domestic violence
Rob leads a normal life in the suburbs as Irving’s wife and the mother of two daughters. However, all is not as it seems. When Rob starts to notice suspicious, dark behavior from her daughter Callie, she takes her on a trip to her childhood home, Sundial, in the Mojave desert. Sundial holds long buried secrets that threaten to change everything. Who will return from this disturbing adventure to the truth?
I highly recommend that you pay attention to the trigger warnings on this book, as it is very DARK, GRUESOME, and difficult to read at times. If these don’t bother you, then buckle up for a very original plot with plenty of twists and turns that will make your head spin!
The crazy dysfunctional dynamic between Rob and Irving is reminiscent of Samantha Downing. It is cringeworthy at times, but I could not look away! Many parts of the plot are over the top, but I enjoyed it nonetheless. I am excited to see what Ward will come up with next!
4/5 stars
Expected publication date 3/1/22
Thank you to NetGalley and MacMillan-Tor/Forge for the ARC of Sundial by Catriona Ward in exchange for an honest review.
I take small bites of an apple in the shape of a circle
Those who can read apple code understand the meaning behind my message.
Don’t read apple? 🍎
Rob and Jack will help!
Sundial is Psychological horror at its best! If you loved The Last House on Needless Street, Catriona Ward delivers another unbelievably disturbing story about an extremely dysfunctional family.
Warnings: animal abuse, torture, domestic violence
Rob leads a normal life in the suburbs as Irving’s wife and the mother of two daughters. However, all is not as it seems. When Rob starts to notice suspicious, dark behavior from her daughter Callie, she takes her on a trip to her childhood home, Sundial, in the Mojave desert. Sundial holds long buried secrets that threaten to change everything. Who will return from this disturbing adventure to the truth?
I highly recommend that you pay attention to the trigger warnings on this book, as it is very DARK, GRUESOME, and difficult to read at times. If these don’t bother you, then buckle up for a very original plot with plenty of twists and turns that will make your head spin!
The crazy dysfunctional dynamic between Rob and Irving is reminiscent of Samantha Downing. It is cringeworthy at times, but I could not look away! Many parts of the plot are over the top, but I enjoyed it nonetheless. I am excited to see what Ward will come up with next!
4/5 stars
Expected publication date 3/1/22
Thank you to NetGalley and MacMillan-Tor/Forge for the ARC of Sundial by Catriona Ward in exchange for an honest review.
March 22, 2022
I enjoyed The House on Needless Street and could not wait to pick up Sundial. Look at this creepy cover! Catriona Ward’s books are classified as psychological horror, and I think that’s the perfect way to describe them. They mostly feel like true psychological thrillers, so they are perfect for readers who want to cross over and dabble in horror.
Rob wants a life like everyone else. Married with kids, living in the ‘burbs. Callie, her oldest daughter, has some quirks, though. She is a bone collector and has other dark habits. Her behavior reminds Rob of the life she escaped from.
Likewise, Callie worries about Rob. She is too focused on Callie and talks about things in the past she doesn’t understand.
Rob takes Callie to Sundial, deep in the desert, where she grew up. There they have a journey together, one that is not a straight line. Who is the monster? Can Rob save her daughters from the darkness of her past? There are some triggers here for dog and animal lovers. I was able to skip over these parts and not feel like I missed out on the story.
Sundial is full of imagination and had twists I never saw coming. It’s super dark and made me cringe many times, which is what I expect from this genre. The second half of the story is especially strong and that’s when it really takes off. I’m excited for where Ward’s storytelling takes us next. Bring on the weird!
I received a gifted copy.
Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com and instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader
Rob wants a life like everyone else. Married with kids, living in the ‘burbs. Callie, her oldest daughter, has some quirks, though. She is a bone collector and has other dark habits. Her behavior reminds Rob of the life she escaped from.
Likewise, Callie worries about Rob. She is too focused on Callie and talks about things in the past she doesn’t understand.
Rob takes Callie to Sundial, deep in the desert, where she grew up. There they have a journey together, one that is not a straight line. Who is the monster? Can Rob save her daughters from the darkness of her past? There are some triggers here for dog and animal lovers. I was able to skip over these parts and not feel like I missed out on the story.
Sundial is full of imagination and had twists I never saw coming. It’s super dark and made me cringe many times, which is what I expect from this genre. The second half of the story is especially strong and that’s when it really takes off. I’m excited for where Ward’s storytelling takes us next. Bring on the weird!
I received a gifted copy.
Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com and instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader
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