Publishers Weekly
05/17/2021
Artist and author Brom (Lost Gods) turns his darkly fantastic but unfocused vision toward 17th-century Connecticut, bringing ecospirituality and grim vengeance into a familiar colonial gothic milieu without offering much innovation. A mysterious presence awakens in the wilderness beyond Abitha and Edward Williams’s land outside fictional Sutton, Conn., and begins to feed, eventually killing Edward. When the presence emerges from the forest as a man with horns and goat legs and connects Abitha to the magic her late mother used, Abitha ignores Puritan warnings about demons and joins the creature, naming him Samson. Samson and Abitha work together to save her farm and uncover Samson’s true identity, but powerful men and vindictive spirits stand in their way. The first half of Brom’s story plods mirthlessly through establishing obvious conflicts, and the culmination of those conflicts is painfully bleak. The brutal treatment of women accused of witchcraft and the scapegoating of the Pequot people are especially unpleasant and, though perhaps historically accurate, feel gratuitous here. Excitement arrives in the final quarter, but by then many readers will have given up. Brom’s eerie paintings add aesthetic appeal, but all but his most devoted fans can skip this one. (Sept.)
From the Publisher
A USA TODAY BESTSELLER!
"I loved this book. A roaring, bloody, beautiful work of pure imagination." —Andy Davidson, author of The Hollow Kind
"Slewfoot is a lusciously dark tale of witchcraft and devilry ... This book was tailor-made for lovers of folk horror and everyone who wants to live deliciously." —Mallory O'Meara, bestselling author of The Lady from the Black Lagoon
"Punctuated by moments of unanticipated levity as well as unmitigated terror, this clever and imaginative tale is not to be missed by fans of dark fantasy and historical horror." —Library Journal
"A fast-paced, hallucinogenic fairy tale...delivering likable protagonists, exotic beasties, and scoundrels whom we long to see at table with their just desserts." —Christopher Buehlman, author of The Blacktongue Thief
“Slewfoot takes hold of the maxim 'sympathy for the devil' and yanks hard on that literary taproot, unearthing a far more elemental and complex truth. Demon or no, evil or not, the mighty stag Slewfoot deserves our love and devotion. All hail Brom, all hail Slewfoot!” —Clay McLeod Chapman, author of The Remaking
"Which is worse? The Devil of the forest or the terror of Puritan village rumors, accusations, and lies? At the crossroads of victimhood and vengeance, Abitha makes her choice—and blood follows." —Richard Kadrey, New York Times bestselling author of the Sandman Slim series
“This is a tale that will unsettle readers as they vacillate between fear and celebration. ... For all who enjoy historical horror with healthy doses of dark fantasy, witchcraft, and vengeance.” —Booklist Reviews
“Slewfoot is creepy, crawly, bloody fun. If you’re looking for a witchy, thrilling ride that also has a philosophical soul, grab a copy of Slewfoot—and don’t put it down until you’ve finished it.” —BookPage (Starred Review)
"Slewfoot is an extraordinary, harrowing tale about a remarkable friendship and a demon trying to find his soul. It’s a journey of witchcraft, misogyny, paganism, and piety. It left me spellbound and my tortured black heart devoured this story looking for more." —Cemetery Dance
Library Journal
05/21/2021
Having been sold into marriage at 17 by an opportunistic father, London native Abitha is an outcast, her loose hair and tongue incurring both disdain and distrust from her fellow villagers. The piety and paranoia of Puritan 1660s New England instills in readers an unease and concern for Abi, particularly when her husband, Edward, meets a sudden death. Then it becomes her responsibility to fight against Edward's brother for the rightful ownership of their farm, aided by little more than her own conviction and the skill for charms and divinations that she inherited from the women in her family. Concurrent to these events is the awakening of an ancient spirit, called "Father" by the animal brethren who invoked him. While searching for the meaning of his existence, the spirit encounters and becomes something of an ally to Abitha. Each of them tests the limits of their power—for better or worse. VERDICT Punctuated by moments of unanticipated levity as well as unmitigated terror, this clever and imaginative tale is not to be missed by fans of dark fantasy and historical horror.—Emily Vinci, Schaumburg Twp. Dist. Lib., IL
