Reviews with content warning for Gore - Lute

Nina Treadway is the lady of Lute, but she’s only lived there for seven years, since she got married to Hugh. As a foreigner, she doesn’t believe in the island’s day of the tithe, but as things start going wrong all around her, she wonders if it might be more than a superstition.

Folk horror! A mysterious day of human sacrifice as an island extracts the price of its bounty from its residents! An American abroad! And that cover is so very beautiful, and so very haunting. Alas, Lute didn’t really live up to my expectations.

This is quite an atmospheric read, and the author does a good job of painting a picture of Lute, an isolated, idyllic island that has sinister undertones at times. There’s a lot of talk of Lute “wanting” things, and the author convinced me enough that the island was alive enough to have a will of its own. The close knit community is vivid, the characters both minor and major who populate the island well-sketched.

However, I did think there were some odd choices made in the framing of the plot and setting that felt unnecessary and impacted my enjoyment. For example, there’s a lot made of Nina being unlucky, but her backstory when revealed was underwhelming. There’s apparently a third world war raging in this setting, but it has pretty much no impact on the story. I didn’t really feel Nina’s affection for her children and husband, which decreased any sense of urgency the reader might feel about their welfare.

I read the audiobook version of this book, which is narrated by Victoria Blunt. I thought she did a good job as Nina’s voice, sometimes soothing and sometimes direct. She elevated the story for me – I’m not sure I would have enjoyed it as much as I did had I read a physical version.

Disclaimer: I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley. This is my honest and voluntary review.

Content Warnings

morgan_sierra's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? N/A
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

This book is a delightful tale and a really interesting setting and world. The only thing I wish is that it was far more concise in parts and expanded in the others. The idea of it taking place in such a short amount of time is great but the first 80 pages are a bit dull. The tension and excitement of the story doesn’t really build much until page 130 or so and then finally it starts to grow and get exciting. This story is a lovely little story I just wish for more than what it was.

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bookcaptivated's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.25

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sarrie's review against another edition

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dark sad slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.5

2.5?
I'm not sure exactly what the... point? On this one was. I saw some themes on home, parenthood, sacrifice, etc. Yet it all seemed to lack something for me.
The plot itself seemed pretty predictable, and for the book was just weirdly crammed. I feel like perhaps we needed more space to explore what the author was doing and seeing, more tension needed created for it to really pack an umph.
Additionally I really just did not like that romance?

I know she was on the island for 7 years and the person in question 'hated her' the 'whole time'. Did he fall in love with her at first sight? Which coincidently would have been on his wife and child's funeral?! There just wasn't any development there. Maybe I missed it but what seemed to be described was - She arrived, newly married and he hated her. In fact he got into a fight with her new husband/his old best friend (which seems to be implied to have something to do with her?), then proceeded to 'hate' her but in truth pine over here since. Keep in mind she showed up like days after his family died in a fire.

It was just kind of ick and felt very awkward. I had other icky feelings on how parenthood, death of a parent, children at risk felt clumsily handled but I think this just wasn't for me.

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brigettes's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

thriller, dark and mysterious. a very unique concept. great twist at the end that I only guessed a chapter or two before it happened. a bit gory and hard to read at times, touches on some dark topics and there was lots of constan tension (the attempts at reprise from this weren't great), but overall a good thriller.

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bookishbutch's review against another edition

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challenging dark hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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mandysreadinglist's review against another edition

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3.5

Gripping, dark, and unsettling.

Philosophically heavy: ethics, morality, mortality.

TW: death, murder, gore.

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