The story unfolds slowly and there are several mysteries you can sense as the story progresses, not just Ada’s character but of those around her that come in the form of nature and residents.

For the most part it feels as though not much is happening but pieces of Ada’s past life which are a cause of her grief and despair are teased. There’s this sense of something supernatural that is causing Ada to have the luck she has so far.

The imagery during those moments of delusions she experiences are quit vivid. The writer makes these parts feel quite visceral in how they suggest Ada’s state of mind.

This was an exciting slow burn horror that will appeal to fans of historical fiction.

Ada is an inconvenience to her father: a spinster (unlike her more conventional sister), who finds more pleasure exploring nature than she does in the spiritual and corporeal. After being dismissed from a teaching position due to unseemly behavior, he shuttles her off to Lowry Bridge to distance himself from any further embarrassment. Along with a diary given to her by her sister, Ada brings her pent up anger, grief, and loneliness to her new home and teaching position.

Through time used to explore the woods, and spending time with the local “witch”, she begins to express herself and allow the words and feelings she has pent up to come out (behaviors not becoming of a woman). Slowly, she strips herself of conventional expectations, and gains a certain clarity. However, her new behaviors evoke fear and loathing by her students and fellow villagers.

So, what is happening to Ada? Has she finally snapped under the presures of her father and society? Or is her father right; is there something that has always been wrong about her? Can there be something in the woods that she frequently explores? Is it the “witch”?

This is a very satisfying Gothic tale set in the Edwardian time period. Told through diary entries, we experience her physical, emotional, and mental disintegration.
Themes of expectations and needs of women are explored; there are no happy and satisfied women here. At times, the story seems to stall. However, about 3/4 into the book, the pace and horror gains traction.

I would like to thank NetGalley and ECW Press for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Chilling slow burn! Enjoyed this book thoroughly from the get go! This book really opened my eyes to a new genre I hadn't tried too much before!

3.5/5 Stars

TL;DR - An unsettling tale of grief, longing, and small-town Puritanical politics. Less a horror story and more a “Local Woman Goes Feral” novel with brief moments of the supernatural, this book excels in atmosphere but falls short on the promised spookiness.

Big thanks to ECW Press and NetGalley for providing the ARC for this book in exchange for an honest review!

***Trigger Warnings for: mentioned death of a sibling, mentions of child abuse and on-page child abuse, mentions of domestic violence, mentions of death during childbirth and the death of an infant, Christian rhetoric and intolerance, unwanted sexual advances, dubious consent, mentions of suicidal ideation, sexism, miscarriage, mentioned death of a child, gore, minor self-harm, blood, murder, and mild cannibalism.***

“There are two Gods. […] There is the God of inside, the God of churches and prayer meetings and all that — and then there is the God of outside, the God that lives in the trees and in the dirt.”

‘Grey Dog’ by Elliott Gish is a historical literary horror novel that follows Ada Byrd, a spinster and schoolteacher who is assigned to the remote town of Lowry Bridge at the beginning of the 20th century. Fleeing her past, she hopes to start fresh in this new place, but she is still haunted by things she cannot forget. Worse still, something is watching her from the woods, following her, and then it begins to call her by name…

I have mixed feelings about this book. Overall, I did enjoy it, but I’m still left a little disappointed after finishing it.

First, the prose is pretty good. It’s simple but evocative, and I think the turn-of-the-century language is spot-on and lends itself well to the immersion of the novel. The author does a very good job of transporting you to a backwoods village in rural Canada in 1901. I highlighted a number of passages, though more often than not, it’s for what’s being said than how it’s written. Still, more highlights than a lot of things I’ve read recently. And I did really enjoy that the story is recounted to us in journal entries written by Ada herself - a really interesting literary device that was fun to read.

Second, this book is feminist AF and seething with feminine rage. It really highlights the bullshit Puritanical nonsense women have endured for centuries, at the hands of men and those of other women, which adds to the suffocating atmosphere of the novel. There are a lot of passages that hit hard in regards to this, for example:

“One might say “a good man” and mean anything — there are as many ways of being a good man, it seems, as there are of being a man at all. But there is only one way to be a good woman. It is such a narrow, stunted, blighted way to be that I wonder any woman throughout history has been up to the task. Perhaps none of us ever have.”

Chef’s kiss.

There’s sapphic rep, which I loved! On that note, I really love that the author describes things a sapphic character is doing with other women as “queer” or “gay”, as in the literal turn-of-the-century meanings (strange and joyful, respectively), but also, like, in the super gay way. I feel like it’s a little inside joke and I love it.

All those praises aired, I have two main complaints that are interconnected.

Those being, this book is very slow, and it’s barely paranormal. The first spooky-ish thing doesn’t happen until 30% in, and then there’s only sparing horror moments throughout the rest of the book. We don’t really even get to see the titular “Grey Dog”, not really, just have a few brief instances where we know it’s there. The scene in the schoolhouse is the most we get, and while I did enjoy that scene, I really wish more of the book had been that creepy and intense. I also wish there was a better explanation of the Grey Dog and it’s nature/origins, but we don’t really get much. I think if you go into this like I did, expecting a freaky, Gothic horror a la “there’s something in the woods”, you’re going to be disappointed. If you go into this treating it like a historical literary book with a slight peppering of the paranormal, I think you’ll really enjoy it. Because honestly, the real horror element of this book is the patriarchy and small-town politics.

That said, I did read this at night and very much regret it. The supernatural elements are there, but unfortunately not to the degree I look for in books billed as horror.

Final Thoughts:

Overall, I did enjoy this, but it just didn’t have enough of what I wanted to warrant me purchasing a physical copy.

I genuinely feel so bad that I didn’t enjoy this more, especially because everyone else seems to be liking it. But I fear I made a grave error requesting this in not reading the description more carefully. I am not a historical fiction person but I am a feral woman horror book and I think I just wanted more from the horror. I think this would be great for fans of Mexican Gothic or The Hacienda. It’s very atmospheric and pretty slow which I felt the same about the former two comparisons.

5 stars.

I’m obsessed. I could tell almost immediately that this was going to work for me, and it worked more and more the deeper I got into it!

A slow-burn literary horror set in a small town with themes of loss, longing, rage, nature, & womanhood. This is a crazy impressive first novel. While it is a slow burn, I was eager to keep the pages turning, wanting to devour this book. There are so many poignant quotes about what it means and how it feels to be a woman.

It was atmospheric and moody, written in a journal point of view that worked perfectly for the story. I look forward to reading more from Gish in the future.

Thanks Netgalley for this ARC <3

This was a slow burn of a book, in a good way. The entire story is told from the POV of Ada in her diary. It’s 1901 and Ada, an almost 30 year old spinster school teacher, is sent to a small town for a teaching position after a scandal at her last post. Ada is glad to get away from her overbearing father and a tragedy at home. The small town, time period, the forest and the townspeople make for an atmospheric setting. The tension builds slow and it took me by surprise when Ada’s writing starts to sound like she is becoming unhinged. Unreliable narrator, woman going mad or supernatural mystery or all of the above?

An excellent horror debut: eerie, slow-burn and thoroughly invested in its characters and its world building. The themes of queer identity and sexuality and the role of the patriarchy in a historical setting are considered and thoughtful, without ever feeling as though they dominate the narrative progression. It's brilliant to see stories like this being publishing in 2024, and I'll eagerly keep an eye out for what Gish does next

The story begins with Ada in dire need of a new beginning to escape from her past, so when a job opportunity arises, she accepts it graciously. Only for this new beginning to bring up her past and force Ada to confront it while constantly provoking more questions. This novel is wonderfully ominous and impossible to put down. The author's vivid descriptions and captivating storytelling bring Ada's journey to life.

Grey Dog drew me in at first. It is written in an attractive voice, very turn of the century, diary entries. The story is also interesting enough: A not so young (almost 30!) teacher takes a job in a small community. She lives with a childless couple and teaches her motley group of pupils. But something is wrong: Not only are there secrets in her own past, but bad things seem to be happening, and she feels watched...

But after a strong start, the book began to annoy me. For one thing, it is far too long for the narrative voice. It is always remembering, always telling, and always artificial - because I have written a diary before, and no, one does not normally write long exchanges of direct speech down or recounts everything in order. It just doesn't work to tell this story that way, and it gets boring just to follow the flow.

The second problem is the pacing. Some strange things happen, but then... nothing. The terrible secrets are revealed - but very slowly. I simply lost the will to read and had to force myself to continue. To be honest, the book is just not interesting enough for the time I had to spend with it. I started to speed read at the half way point, and did not really feel that I missed that much. If you are reading for the atmosphere, this might work better for you.

There are a lot of good ideas and I really wanted to love it. But if I had not received an ARC from netgalley, I would not have finished it. I do think it is a good first book, and I will pick up the author again, even if this was not quite my cup of tea.

I adored this book - a stunning and moving portrait, historical yet modern. The horror elements added so much depth and intrigue, I couldn't put this book down!

The year is 1901. Ada Byrd is a spinster with a past that at first, she refuses to admit to even herself. She has procured a new teaching position, and aims to teach her pupils not only arithmetic, grammar, and the Bible, but of the Outside God and all of His wonderfully macabre creations. But, as time goes on, Ada feels a sensual pull to the woods. It grips her and refuses to let go until she submits fully, leaving her meticulously crafted persona to rot in the soft earth and fallen leaves.
This is an all time new favorite. It is sapphic, deliciously bleak, and quickly paced. We are hearing from Ada first hand in the form of a diary her sister has gifted her, and oh what an adventure we go on. We see the town, Ada’s students, and supporting characters through her eyes and thoughts. Everyone is well fleshed out and interesting, the setting is atmospheric and hauntingly gothic.
What does it mean to be a woman? This is the question that inks the pages of Ada’s diary, the chilling call of what haunts the woods. Is it the false piety on a winter Sunday morning, head bowed but eyes open on a stuffy pew? Is it the lustful graze of silky hair as the person you long for sleeps blissfully unaware beside you? Or, perhaps, it’s your Christian name pricking your ear from somewhere beyond - some place that you know exists, but have never traversed out of fear and judgement. What lengths will you go to in order to find the answer as a woman who has always been told to keep your ancestral femininity at bay - letting it fester until detritus forms on your skin? Ada will have to answer these questions, no matter how difficult they can be. And after reading this, you will too.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher who provided me with an ebook copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All of these thoughts and opinions are my own.

an uncomfortably delightful read.

grey dog follows a year in the life of our narrator, miss ada byrd, as she arrives in small town lowry bridge to pick up the teaching post after a mishap in her life. gish has an amazing command of the english language, filling the books with bits of prose that i would like to gnaw on until it has become a part of me. it has quite a bit of a slow start and bits that seem to be meaningless, but everything ties together neatly — as the entire story from start to end is a slow build up, like watching a carcass go from whole to rot. a delightful horror (truly a horror, with not much scare but deep, deep feelings of horrifying discomfort) novel that captures (my favorite themes) of feminism and womanhood in the mouth of a grey dog. plain brilliant and a wonderful read!

many thanks to NetGalley and ECW Press for providing me with a free e-arc in exchange for an honest review <3

Gorgeously uncomfortable and a clear winner for anyone who'd rather read about women's wrongs than about the triumph of fitting in to a world that does not want you. I found my attention flagging at the start, but I thought the character evolution was fascinating and well worth the ride!

Grey Dog lulls you into a sense of security with its opening chapters, a first person narrative of an unwed woman on her way to a new teaching position. Shades of Jane Eyre come to mind but instead of learning of a madwoman in an attic, we experience the madness brought onto Ada from within her narrative. Gish weaves folk horror with an unfortunately timeless story of the demands put upon and expectations of women by society into a tale from the point of view of a main character who incites pity and disgust from the other characters and from us, even while we care for her and empathize with her. A quick read that is likely to stay with me for a long time. Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review. #NetGalley #GreyDog #WomenInHorrorMonth

3.5 rounded up. This took me way too long to finish. I found the first 100-120 pages such a slog to be though, that I was thinking of DNFing. However, I’m glad I stuck it out because the last 2/3 of the book is really where it shine.

This is VERY slow burn. It’s heavy on the literary fiction and historical aspect, but does have some horror elements and tension that builds. I do wish more of the horror and dread elements were in the beginning though, as that would have made me more engaged.

I think the first third could have been trimmed down quite a bit, but it comes together well and I def recommend if you enjoy books centered on female rage.

Thank you to NetGalley and ECW Press for the ARC.

Really enjoyed this, a very slow burn historical fiction/gothic horror oozing with atmosphere and tension. Reminded me of the film The Witch, in it's exploration of how stifling and limiting the societal roles forced on women were. I loved the characters in this, diary entries as a form of story telling can be so hit or miss but Ada's journal entries hit that perfect balance between feeling like a real diary, while also not distracting from the overall narrative. The pace of this felt slightly off towards the end and became too slow as we waited for the inevitable conclusion, but maybe that was just my impatience at waiting for the unbearable tension to ease up!

Thank you to Net Galley and the publishers for my e-arc of this fantastic book. Am so excited to see what Elliott Gish does next!

I usually stay away from books that are 'transcriptions' or long bouts of journal entires as I find it difficult to suspend my disbelief. But that being said, I did quite enjoy this creepy read. It's infused with elements of folklore and paints a vivid portrait of a woman grappling with the unraveling of her sanity, leading to a series of unsettling and atmospheric scenes. Would suggest you give it a good go if you're initially put off by the style – you get used to it!

A very, very slow burn of a story which is well worth the effort; not many other stories match up to the uncanny beauty of the last 50 or so pages. The historical trappings are familiar - the outcast woman with a traumatic secret, the repression and the expectations - but there is a real bite to the sense of injustice which hems protagonist Ada into a job she has no love for and a world which seems determined to force her into the role of ruined woman. Not long after her arrival in small-town Lowry Bridge, Ada begins seeing things, hearing voices, edging ever closer to joining the ranks of the madwoman who frightened her so much as a child.

But to paraphrase Mike Flanagan: this isn’t a horror story, this is a love story. On the border of Lowry Bridge, there is a forest, and in that forest...

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

4⭐️

Grey Dog is a sapphic slow burn historical literary horror about a teacher who moves to a small town in 1901.

It is written in the form of a journal, with the main character taking a detailed account of her move to this town.

I loved that the story was written as a journal. Most of the entries were fairly short which is probably one of the only reasons I was able to finish it as quickly as I did - considering it was 400 pages and very slowly paced. At the beginning I was immediately drawn in and excited to see where the story would go, but by 40-60% I was starting to get a little bit impatient. The book is very atmospheric and moody, but most of the book veers more towards literary fiction about female rage than it does horror. If you go into knowing this there is no way you will be disappointed.

"A woman laughing is always a disturbing thing for a man to witness."

*Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the free digital ARC in exchange for an honest review*