The Furies by Katie Lowe

Some stories have the power to suck you in from the very first time you lay your eyes on the pages; The Furies opens with a dead girl on a swing, so it’s clear from the get go we are dealing with something dark and delicious here.

Genres: Thriller, Young Adult
Published: 2nd May, 2019 (expected)
Goodreads
Series: N/A
Rating: 4

Violet is returning home, back to the sleepy coastal town which holds so many memories.
In 1998, after a tragic accident claimed the lives of her father and sister, she joins Elm Hollow Academy, a private girls’ school with an unpleasant history of 17th century witch trials.
There she is drawn to Robin, Grace, Alex and their charismatic teacher, Annabel; she is invited to join them in their advanced study group.
There they learn about art, literature and the grisly history of the school. Though Annabel claims her classes aren’t related to ancient rites and rituals, she warns them off the topic, describing it as little more than mythology. However, the more the girls learn, the more they start to believe that magic is real, and that together they can harness it.
But when the body of a former member of the society is found on campus nine months after the she disappeared, fingers are pointed at those closest to her. Leading Violet to wonder whether she can trust her friends, teachers, or even herself.

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Set in 1998, The Furies tells the story of Violet, Robin, Alex and Grace, four teenage girls who have a taste for witchcraft. They all go to Elm Hollow Academy (if that’s not a creepy enough name, I don’t know what is), an all girl’s school, famous for being founded by a woman who was later executed for being a witch. Was she really one? Or was she an innocent victim, so much like other women during that time?

Back in 1998 I was the same age as these girls, and guess what. I was super into all things witchy. I had a ton of books on the occult, spells, mythology, and was secretly hoping witches are actually real. What a trip down memory lane this was! The girls however are way more advanced than I ever could have dreamed of. They attend super secret meetings with Annabelle, the odd art teacher, and even practice some of the dubious rituals they found in those old books to exact revenge on those who wronged them. Do these work? Well, you tell me!

I was lost and mesmerized, as the the events unfolded; chill crept down my spine and the subtle creaking noises in the house took on a sinister, hidden meaning. But not all evil is coming from the spirit world. Some are very, very real. Bullies, manipulative people who bring out the worst in you, push you to do things you never wanted to do are way worse and their numbers are plenty at Elm Hollow.

While the author got quite heavy handed on the atmosphere and the creepy vibes, the four girls seemed a bit superficial, including Violet, our narrator. They are surrounded by people, and yet, the school somehow felt empty. For me this didn’t take away from the enjoyment however; I was carried away with all the doom and gloom just fine, and found the stories about the tragic Greek heroines absolutely fascinating.

A beautifully written, haunting novel, The Furies puts a disturbing twist on teenage friendships. After school clubs will never feel the same again!

I received a copy from the publisher via NetGalley, but the opinions are my own.