Who Would Like This Book:
Looking for a spooky folk horror novel with a dash of dark humor? "The Twisted Ones" is a perfect pick! The story follows a relatable, down-to-earth protagonist and her delightfully loyal dog, Bongo, as they tackle a bizarre hoarder house in rural North Carolina - all while stumbling upon genuinely unsettling mysteries in the woods. If you love creepy, atmospheric books with a grounded, witty narrator and enjoy scary reads that don’t revolve around gory violence (and where the dog is absolutely safe!), this one’s for you. Fans of folk horror, cosmic chills, and the "weird in the woods" vibe will feel right at home.
Who May Not Like This Book:
This book might leave hardcore horror fans wanting more if they’re looking for non-stop terror, relentless scares, or an intense rollercoaster ride. If you prefer straight-up horror without humor or want airtight, high-stakes suspense throughout, Mouse’s practical and sometimes quippy narration could break immersion for you. Some readers who dislike frame narratives, overly chatty inner monologues, or lighter, character-driven horror may also find it less compelling. And if you’re not into stories inspired by classic weird fiction like Arthur Machen and Lovecraft, it may not be your cup of tea.
About:
"The Twisted Ones" by T. Kingfisher is a chilling horror novel that follows Mouse as she cleans out her hoarder grandmother's home in rural North Carolina. Uncovering a terrifying secret in the woods surrounding the house, Mouse discovers that monsters are real and have a sinister agenda. The book is praised for its spine-chilling moments, well-written characters, creepy setting, and solid background in folklore and legend. The plot twists are lauded for being on target and making sense, with a tight writing style and believable dialogue that keeps readers engaged.
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Notes:
Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings
Content warnings include themes of domestic abuse, psychological distress related to hoarding, and body horror.
From The Publisher:
Winner of the RUSA Award for Best Horror
When a young woman clears out her deceased grandmother's home in rural North Carolina, she finds long-hidden secrets about a strange colony of beings in the woods in this chilling novel that reads like The Blair Witch Project meets The Andy Griffith Show.
When Mouse's dad asks her to clean out her dead grandmother's house, she says yes. After all, how bad could it be?
Answer: pretty bad. Grandma was a hoarder, and her house is stuffed with useless rubbish. That would be horrific enough, but there's more-Mouse stumbles across her step-grandfather's journal, which at first seems to be filled with nonsensical rants…until Mouse encounters some of the terrifying things he described for herself.
Alone in the woods with her dog, Mouse finds herself face to face with a series of impossible terrors-because sometimes the things that go bump in the night are real, and they're looking for you. And if she doesn't face them head on, she might not survive to tell the tale.
From Hugo Award-winning author Ursula Vernon, writing as T. Kingfisher, The Twisted Ones is a gripping, terrifying tale bound to keep you up all night-from both fear and anticipation of what happens next.
Ratings (138)
Incredible (22) | |
Loved It (40) | |
Liked It (44) | |
It Was OK (23) | |
Did Not Like (8) | |
Hated It (1) |
Reader Stats (339):
Read It (145) | |
Currently Reading (1) | |
Want To Read (163) | |
Did Not Finish (2) | |
Not Interested (28) |
7 comment(s)
Somewhat intriguing plot ruined by poor writing. Reads like a first draft published after a cursory glance. Unsure if the main character is supposed to be insufferable or not.
It's fine. I like the narrator's voice a lot, but I think it's better suited for a different genre besides horror. I think if the novel were just about family dynamics and cleaning out a hoarder's house, I would have eaten it up and read it into infinity. But the combination of cozy backwoods characters with snarky remarks just doesn't match with the horror elements.
4 stars for creeping me out but not really scaring me that much.
Thank you Netgalley for the ARC of this book. This was a great, mysterious tale. The book pays homage to Arthur Machen's short story The White People. It was definitely a page turner. A lot of humor in this one. The main character's personality I adored. Definitely recommend.
It was.. fine, I guess. Some genuinely creepy, suspenseful and intense moments, let down by a drawn-out final act. I guess I was looking for more serious horror. I've read and enjoyed a couple of comedy horror books, but they were the sort where everyone cracks jokes every second page and the humour is actually funny.
The Twisted Ones hinges a lot on atmosphere. Kingfisher relies on the voice of the main character (and a character randomly introduced later whose main function seems to be to dress flamboyantly, talk like a movie script and be The Cool Older Woman) to carry the book. And don't get me wrong, I have nothing against older female protagonists, but these ones have no depth.
I get that the protagonist was meant to be quirky or whatever, but she was so ordinary and it felt like the author was sending some "Omg I'm so kewl!" message that just didn't translate.
The climax felt way too rushed and whilst the horror came through, it did so via Informed Attribute for the most part.
Loved it. Brilliant writing, very atmospheric. One of the rare horror books that actually scared me and left an impression.
This book was as the other book I recently reviews "the right book at the right time" kind of moment. I was expecting something more intense and scarier but found this as a "light" but fun and interesting horror. I liked the whole house situation with her grandma, that she had to clear out after her passing. Definitely added to the spookyness.
This book was pretty good! The writing was easy to follow and wasn’t too slow or fast paced for me. Was expecting more to happen though. The ending was pretty good but not too much pay off. Will be giving this authors work another read.
What can you read after
The Twisted Ones?
About the Author:
T. Kingfisher, also known as Ursula Vernon, is the author and illustrator of many projects, including the webcomic "Digger," which won the Hugo Award for Best Graphic Story and the Mythopoeic Award. Her novelette "The Tomato Thief" won the Hugo Award for Best Novelette, and her short story "Jackalope Wives" won the Nebula Award for Best Story. She is also the author of the bestselling Dragonbreath, and the Hamster Princess series of books for children. Find her online at RedWombatStudio.com.
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