Hello, Magical Book Nerds! ✨📚💫
I’m excited to share that I’ve achieved my GoodReads Challenge goal of reading one book this year! Yes, “only” one book was my goal, and here is why.
That book was The Unmothers by Leslie J. Anderson, and it couldn’t have been more pitch-perfectly timed if I had asked the Greek Muse Calliope herself for a recommendation. I discovered the book in a BookBub newsletter while preparing to embark on my self-proclaimed season of #FolkHorrorFall. After reading the synopsis, I could not resist:
The Unmothers by Leslie J. Anderson
The Unmothers Synopsis
In this raw and lyrical folk horror novel, a journalist sent to a small town begins to unravel a dark secret that the women of the town have been keeping for generations.
Marshall is still trying to put the pieces together after the death of her husband. After she is involved in a terrible accident, her editor sends her to the small, backwards town of Raeford to investigate a clearly ridiculous rumor: that a horse has given birth to a healthy, human baby boy.
When Marshall arrives in Raeford, she finds an insular town that is kinder to the horses they are famous for breeding than to their own people. But when two horribly mangled bodies are discovered in a field—one a horse, one a human—she realizes that there might be a real story here.
As she’s pulled deeper into the town and its guarded people, her sense of reality is tipped on its head. Is she losing her grip? Or is this impossible story the key to a dark secret that has haunted the women of Raeford for generations?
Unbearably tense and utterly gripping, this atmospheric tale of female rage, bodily autonomy, and generational trauma hails the arrival of a masterful storyteller.
Why I Picked It Up
What initially drew me to this book was its elevator pitch—imagine The Wicker Man with horses, or so they said. However, I did not choose the book because of the horses or equestrian themes. As someone who has had a bit of a tumultuous history with horses—love and fear, thanks to a few bites and kicks!—I was intrigued by how these majestic creatures would play into a folk horror setting.
But then the name-drops happened. I can’t resist a well-placed name-drop in a thoughtfully-written review. If you tell me a book is going to have Midsommar vibes or take me back to that exquisitely dark, first folk horror season of True Detective, my page-turning fingers are gonna twitch… and yes I will indulge the craving.
First Impressions
I was about a third into The Unmothers when publishing career duties called me away—beta reading a manuscript for a client (which, by the way, turned out to be a fantastic experience). Once that project was done, I couldn’t wait to return to this eerie narrative, especially during the spooky season. Leslie J. Anderson has a gift for writing atmospheric, doomed, slow-burn horror settings with enigmatic characters that worm their way into your heart.
From the first page, there’s an unsettling vibe that perfectly sets the stage for a folk horror exploration. The story is set in a small, shadowy village where the line between reality and superstition blurs. The locals are more attuned to their horses than to their neighbors, which only adds to the mysterious aura. And there’s a whole lot of WTAF going on… it reels you in slowly, tightly, and thoroughly.
Midway Musings
At first, I wasn’t sure I felt connected to the main protagonist Marshall, but by about the halfway point, I felt deeply invested in her, which made everything more frightening and dire. But my favorite character was Brittany. If you want to listen to a passage I read from Brittany’s POV on my YouTube Channel, click here. This chapter perfectly captures what makes this book truly special and relevant for life in a Post-Roe, “your body, my choice forever” era. Brittany’s biggest chapter was chapter thirteen, and that was the point when I knew I could not turn back. As far as the name drops, by the halfway point, this book reminded me most of True Detective.
On another note, early on, what I appreciated most about Leslie’s writing was the realistic, hard-hitting, but sensitive portrayals of difficult topics like opioid addiction and teen pregnancy. She handled it with compassion, yet without pulling any punches, and that kind of nuance can be difficult to get right, especially in a debut novel. As the story unfolds, it’s these human elements that ground the story’s more fantastical aspects in a heart-wrenching pull to reality. The humanity of her writing makes the folklore and magical elements feel more real, while the horror becomes increasingly terrifying.
Wrapping Up
Once the book reached its emotionally draining, incredibly satisfying conclusion, I felt The Wicker Man comparisons like I’d been firmly placed in my magical element. Dare I say, I would honestly read a second book in this Raeford experience. Yes, this town put us all through hell, but just like Marshall, I kinda want to visit again, just to see what the people… and The Forest is up to!
This is a 5/5 star book for me, one I will hold in my heart and keep on my bookshelves for a very long time.
The Book Vlog
If you want to watch me experience this book in real-time, check out my cozy, cathartic Unmothers book vlog on YouTube!
Let’s Chat!
Have you read The Unmothers? What did you think of the book? Do you have any other folk horror titles to recommend? What are you currently reading? Whether it’s horror, true crime, or sweet romance, I would love to chat about books here in the comments! ~J. 📚✨🤓
Jaye Rochon is a writer, Telly Award-winning video editor, bookish witch, opera singer, and gamer. On her social media platforms, just as in real life, she pursues dark creativity with a touch of whimsy. ✨🖤💫
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