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bisexualbookshelf's review
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC!
Julia Armfield’s "Private Rites" immerses readers in an eerie, atmospheric blend of psychological horror and intricate family dynamics. From the opening chapter, the novel establishes a palpable tension and a deep sense of unease that only intensifies as the story unfolds. Armfield's prose is strikingly beautiful, luring readers into a world where every detail feels meticulously crafted to build suspense and foreboding.
The novel centers on the lives of three estranged sisters—Isla, Irene, and Agnes—who are drawn back to their family home following their father's death. Each sister is vividly characterized, their individual struggles and complex relationships with one another brought to life through Armfield’s deft storytelling. Isla, the therapist with self-destructive tendencies, Agnes, the reluctant heir, and Irene, grappling with her own past and present, form a triad of compelling and deeply flawed protagonists.
Armfield excels at creating a chilling atmosphere. The horror elements are subtle, often lurking just beneath the surface of the sisters’ interactions and memories. The recurring imagery of rain and floods adds to the sense of an impending environmental apocalypse, tying the personal tragedies of the sisters to a larger, almost biblical catastrophe.
However, the novel’s structure occasionally feels disjointed. The interludes set in the City, while beautifully written, initially seem like clumsy world-building dumps. As the story progresses, these sections start to make more sense, contributing to the dystopian setting, yet their integration could have been smoother. The alternating points of view within chapters can be jarring, shifting rapidly between the sisters and the City’s cryptic passages, sometimes causing confusion.
One of the novel’s strengths lies in its exploration of sisterhood and familial roles. The sisters are trapped in their childhood dynamics, unable to escape the roles imposed on them by their father and their shared history. Armfield delves into how unresolved family trauma shapes their identities and relationships, a central thesis that resonates deeply throughout the narrative.
Despite the atmospheric tension and strong character development, some elements of the plot remain frustratingly ambiguous. The involvement of a religious cult, hinted at through various characters and plot points, never fully coalesces into a clear or satisfying explanation. The mystery surrounding Agnes’s mother and the cult’s apocalyptic intentions feel underdeveloped, leaving readers with more questions than answers. This ambiguity, while intriguing, sometimes tips into confusion, detracting from the novel’s overall impact.
Nonetheless, Armfield’s ability to blend horror with a poignant examination of family dynamics makes "Private Rites" a compelling read. The environmental disaster backdrop and the sisters' struggle against their past and each other create a narrative that is both haunting and thought-provoking. The book’s final act, particularly Isla’s sacrifice , adds a layer of emotional depth and resolution that, despite the lingering ambiguities, brings a satisfying conclusion to the sisters’ tumultuous journey.
In conclusion, "Private Rites" is a beautifully written and deeply atmospheric novel that will appeal to fans of psychological horror and literary fiction. While it may not reach the same heights as Armfield’s previous work, "Our Wives Under the Sea", it remains a testament to her skill as a storyteller. With its rich prose and complex characters, it’s a novel that digs deep and forces the reader to think about love, loss, and how we can all keep going together.
📖 Recommended For: Fans of Psychological Horror and Literary Fiction, Readers Fascinated by Complex Family Dynamics, Admirers of Atmospheric and Eerie Prose, Fans of Gillian Flynn’s Sharp Objects and the TV show “Succession.”
🔑 Key Themes: Familial Trauma and Dysfunction, Psychological Horror and Supernatural Elements, The Impact of Environmental Catastrophe, Exploration of Sisterhood and Identity, The Weight of Grief and Memory.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent and Suicide
Moderate: Self harm, Alcohol, and Dementia
Minor: Infidelity, Sexual content, Child abuse, Drug use, and Police brutality
rokojo's review against another edition
4.5
If you enjoyed the sogginess and lesbianism of Our Wives Under the Sea, you’re in for a treat because Private Rites is queerer and damper than ever.
I love Armfield’s writing and really enjoyed this, each sentence is really rich and poetic, and I found myself reading slower to try to soak it all in.
Most of the story reads like lit-fic, exploring three sisters who have recently lost their father, with whom they had a troubled relationship. We see their relationships with each other, and their significant others, the fallout of their difficult upbringing, all backdropped by the ever-rising water slowly drowning the city.
Underneath, there is a subtle undercurrent that something darker is going on, and this doesn’t come fully into focus until the very end.
I was fascinated by the characters, their stories, motivations, and relationships with each other. This is a thoroughly queer story and this, like with OWUtS, feels so refreshing and powerful to me in the realness and complexity of its depiction.
Different parts reminded me of Ling Ma’s Severance in terms of continuing with the mundanity of life as the world ends, as well as Bong Joon-Ho’s Parasite with the flooding basements set apart from a wealthy family’s modernist house that nevertheless feels somehow haunted.
I think if you’re seeking a true horror story, this may be a bit disappointing, but I definitely felt harrowed throughout by the ways we can be cruel to those we love, the impending end of the world we feel helpless to do anything about, and by the additional promise of something worse still to come.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicide
Minor: Self harm
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