Book number 52 for 2024; 5/5 stars (and then some).
I wasn’t sure what to expect when I started reading this book, but it definitely was not what I got. The author has a wonderful presence on Facebook, constantly sharing hilarious memes about the realities of life. This book does not mirror those memes at all. There’s pretty much nothing at all hilarious about it. Oh, sure, I laughed a few times. But the story itself is both delightful and terrifying.
Imagine if your favorite childhood book/story came to life. Imagine if you got a free trip to visit the estate of its author. Imagine if you discovered what your favorite childhood author was really like and it wasn’t at all like you imagined. Imagine if Wind in the Willows was a horror story.
If you can imagine all of those things, you might have a glimpse of what Winterset Hollow is.
John Eamon Buckley is our hero. He and his two best friends, Mark and Caroline, who are a couple, get a chance to travel to the island estate of Edward Addington, author of Eamon’s and Caroline’s childhood favorite book, Winterset Hollow. Parts of this book are represented by poems throughout the story. I have to say I really enjoy the meter of the poetry, and the way it tells a tale.
Included in the original tale are Runnymeade Rabbit, Phineas the Fox, Binghamton Bear, and Olivia the Owl. And Flackwell the Frog.
The trip goes fine until our trio find a way through the gate in the fence that surrounds the property, and manage to make their way to Addington’s house. Unexpectedly, the door of the house opens, and they come face to face with Runnymeade, himself, a larger than life, human-sized rabbit. He’s much older, now, and missing a leg, but he is very much alive and talking. Also present in the house is a frog, Flackwell, who happens to be a gourmet cook, and is preparing a feast for them all to celebrate Barley Day, a “holiday” that is featured in the children’s tale.
Everyone else that was on their boat trip to the island also winds up at the house, and they all take part in the feast. Everything is just peach keen. Until it’s not. And then the terror begins, as the animals begin hunting the humans.
And that’s about as much of the plot as I will give up. There is a totally unexpected (at least by me) plot twist on page 214. This book is amazing. The story is engaging and gripping. I didn’t want to put it down. Mr. Durham’s writing style is also quite engaging and he really knows how to spin a yarn. This world that he has created is both charming and horrifying all at the same time. How can this be? you may ask. That, I cannot answer. You will have to read it for yourself. At one point, I really liked Finn (Phineas) the Fox. Until I didn’t. Again. Read it for yourself.
I highly recommend this book for any lovers of dark fantasy and/or horror. If you like Watership Down, The Wind in the Willows (I hope Mr. Durham does not mind me comparing his tale to that book), and other stories, like that, with an added twist of some terrifying horror, you simply must read this book! If you might enjoy the thought of Pooh, Tigger, Rabbit, Kanga, and Eeyore hunting humans through the Hundred Acre Wood, this book is definitely for you!
TTFN, y’all!
The Constant Reader 