3.5 rounded up. The beginning of this started out pretty slowly. And the writing and wording was a little weird. I'm not sure how to explain it. It eventually did get better and then I was hooked. I did predict a couple things but it felt obvious as a fantasy reader.

It was interesting how the setting was confined to one little town, but it worked for the story. All the murmuring bones was a journey and so was this one in a different way. It was a journey of self discovery and of family and the past. Truths coming to fruition.

I enjoy Slatter's writing and find it easy to read. This was my second book by her and I have another to read on my shelf. I shall continue to dive into her stories and see where they take me.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

Having discovered Angela Slatter's Sourdough universe a few years ago (well into its existence) I quickly fell in love with the setting. Slatter has created some of my favourite dark fantasy novels of the last few years, and as such I was excited to dive back into that setting with her latest novel, The Briar Book of the Dead.

The story takes readers to the town of Silverton, where a family of witches, the Briars, watch over the town and help those that live there, despite their kind being hated by the church. The main reason why the Briars are allowed to continue existing is that Silverton is close to the border with the Darklands, an evil place inhabited by the evil Leechlords, and the Briars keep the border protected. Ellie Briar is one of the granddaughters of the two head witches of the family, but was born without any magic, something that sets her apart from the other women in her family. Because of her lack of magic Ellie struggles to be taken seriously, and is sometimes looked down on. However, when her grandmother dies, Ellie finds herself thrust into a new position, one that leads her to discover some shocking secrets of her family that have been carefully buried.

Compared to the last two books from Slatter, All the Murmuring Bones and The Path of Thorns, The Briar Book of the Dead felt like a much slower burn of a read. At least towards the beginning of the book. Things start kind of slowly, and it takes a good way into the main bulk of the book before the plot begins in full. However, this doesn't mean that the start of the book is bad by any means, as readers get to spend a lot of time with Ellie, seeing what her life if like, her relationships, and the town of Silverton itself. It helps to build this small corner of this world, and adds to the overall richness of the narrative, even if it does feel a bit like you're waiting around for things to start to begin with.

Once things begin in earnest, however, the book becomes very hard to put down. By that point you've become quite invested in Ellie and her story, and as such when the main plot ramps up you find yourself unable to stop reading. You've come to really care for Ellie and want to see her come out okay by the end. This is one of the things that I love about Slatter's books, she's able to writer incredibly engaging and realistic female protagonists that you keep wanting to read more of.

But, this is a book set within the Sourdough universe, and so despite the wonderful protagonist it's a book filled with dark subject matter, some that might test readers at times, especially when dealing with topics like miscarriage, suicide, and psychosis. Slatter doesn't shy away from making her world a cruel one, but never revels in that cruelty like some writers. Instead, it makes for a layered reading experience that will mean different things to different readers.

Overall, I had a wonderful time with The Briar Book of the Dead, and much like the other books in this world I'd happily recommend it to fans of the genre.

The Briar Book of the Dead is a captivating and enthralling story surrounding a family of witches and the town they live in, but something is happening and change is on its way

Ellie, our main character, is a witch, who isn’t truly a witch - she has no powers/magic and feels left out from her early childhood. She’s a wonderful character to read about, and she had the motivations and ideals that made me root for her, and the way she was her own separate identity was so clear. All of the characters within the book were fleshed-out and didn’t feel one dimensional, they all had their faults and i found they were all complex characters that melded to create a dark and compelling fantasy story.

The world itself is immersive and i loved reading about it, it’s all set within an established community/town which meant that we learnt more about their lives as the story developed! There’s a slight gothic atmosphere, and all of the characters interact in realistic ways that just helped the story and world feel well balanced without the reader having info dumps. Being a world with witches, we see their magic grow with them, especially Ellie, and the differences in their magic was always interesting to read about.

There are two romances within the story, but neither are overpowering and both allow for the characters to be themselves without being chained to that relationship. One of the relationships is an already established queer romance, and whilst it is not a large part of the story, it’s sweet and i enjoyed the small moments that we did see them together. And for the one that develops within the book as we read, its not a central part to the story but i loved seeing them together and how they treated each other and found comfort!

This is a wonderful witchy story that does have mention of (only slightly) Christianity/religion and its impact on the witches which i thought was a nice touch as it allowed for a character to develop and give us a larger understanding of the world

I'm gonna be honest, the thing that drew me in was the cover, the vibes are amazing. I think I've expected something else from this book but it turned out it was totally different but really great!

In this story we follow Ellie Briar, who is the first non-witch in a long time born in her family. The Briars run the town of Silverton, having been given the dispensation from the church in return for protecting the place from Leech Lords.

The start of this novel feels almost like a slice of life kind of book, where we follow Ellie taking care of different tasks required of her as a Steward to the most powerful Briar Witch. And the way I got invested in the action, even though it doesn't seem to follow any greater plot at the beginning, was really surprising to me. We really get to know our main character that grapples with the feeling of being lesser than her kin, and honestly that resonated with me and my struggling with anxiety when growing up and not being able to take care of everything that others seemed to deal with without any issues. We also get slowly immersed in the world and various mysteries and the lore. There were some surprising reveals and I was pretty shocked at where the story ended up taking us. Even though the story was at times creepy and dark, it somehow felt cozy. I got the feeling of watching some 80s movie when it, in some weird way, feels like home. It also had some maybe not so prominent, but still good, sense of humor throughout.

I don't think I want to write much more about it as I've felt my going pretty blind into the story was a perfect way to go. It was surprisingly emotional and really investing, even though it felt really different to the things I usually read. I think it might have had a similar atmosphere to my teen reads, but done in a more elaborate way. It also kind of reminds me of T. Kingfisher' books!

I'll for sure check the author's other works and eventually get a physical copy of this book! That's always a stamp of approval from me. 😅

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Thank you to The Publisher and Netgalley for an e arc. And to the Author for creating this story.

I'm gonna be honest, the thing that drew me in was the cover, the vibes are amazing. I think I've expected something else from this book but it turned out it was totally different but really great!

In this story we follow Ellie Briar, who is the first non-witch in a long time born in her family. The Briars run the town of Silverton, having been given the dispensation from the church in return for protecting the place from Leech Lords.

The start of this novel feels almost like a slice of life kind of book, where we follow Ellie taking care of different tasks required of her as a Steward to the most powerful Briar Witch. And the way I got invested in the action, even though it doesn't seem to follow any greater plot at the beginning, was really surprising to me. We really get to know our main character that grapples with the feeling of being lesser than her kin, and honestly that resonated with me and my struggling with anxiety when growing up and not being able to take care of everything that others seemed to deal with without any issues. We also get slowly immersed in the world and various mysteries and the lore. There were some surprising reveals and I was pretty shocked at where the story ended up taking us. Even though the story was at times creepy and dark, it somehow felt cozy. I got the feeling of watching some 80s movie when it, in some weird way, feels like home. It also had some maybe not so prominent, but still good, sense of humor throughout.

I don't think I want to write much more about it as I've felt my going pretty blind into the story was a perfect way to go. It was surprisingly emotional and really investing, even though it felt really different to the things I usually read. I think it might have had a similar atmosphere to my teen reads, but done in a more elaborate way. It also kind of reminds me of T. Kingfisher' books!

I'll for sure check the author's other works and eventually get a physical copy of this book! That's always a stamp of approval from me. 😅

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Thank you to The Publisher and Netgalley for an e arc. And to the Author for creating this story.

A.G Slatter is a master of building an ever present feeling of dread in her stories!!

If you haven't jumped into this authors Sourdough universe yet....what are you waiting for?! Each entry has been brilliantly woven into a tale that feels like a dark fairy tale from days past. The Briar Book of the Dead follows the same tone of the authors previous works. Her writing evokes a gloomy gothic world that is brimming with flawed and interesting characters. I did find this installment a bit slower in the beginning but readers who stick through the first qaurter of the book will be handsomely rewarded with and evocative and enticing tale!

Thanks to Titan Books and Netgalley for the ARC.

Angela Slatter has quickly become an auto-read author for me, her books are able to immediately transport you to a different place and time and wrap you in a warm blanket......all the while surrounding you with magic and ghosts!! I had such an enjoyable time reading this story and it flew by much too quickly and I could easily have stayed in this world and with its characters for much longer. The Briar witches live in and protect the small, isolated town of Silverton while also helping the citizens to administrate all aspects of their lives to make sure everyone is taken care of equitably. This arrangement has worked well for all involved until the untimely passing of the head Briar Witch and a new generation has to quickly adapt to taking control. The tale centers on Ellie Briar, who has not shown any of the powers her cousins have and has had to accept that the role she will play is not at all what she had wanted as a child. Until a fateful accident reveals a special gift that sets her on a path that will change the lives of everyone in her family and many of the town's residents, sometimes with deadly effect.
Angela always does such a brilliant job of making you feel like you know the place and characters right from the start. She creates a world full of magic that you feel could really exist and characters who are flawed and don't always make the best decisions, and then they have to accept the consequences of those decisions. The story also explores the themes of religion trying to control and determine what women are able to do, which certainly hits home right now. It's also full of family secrets and the price that younger generations have to pay when those secrets begin to come to light. If you are a fan of atmospheric stories with gothic vibes, mysterious happenings and chats with the dead, this story is definitely for you!!

Summary

I had the delight of reading A. G. Slatter’s recent gothic fantasy The Briar Book of the Dead.

Set in the same fantasy world as the Sourdough series of Slatter’s other works and her novels All The Murmuring Bones, The Path of a Thorns, The Briar Book of the Dead focuses on the town of Silverton and the surrounding regions which are protected and ruled by the Briar lineage of witches. The protagonist is Ellie Briar, the first witch with seemingly no magical powers born to her family but raised with the expectation to take on the stewardship role and support her cousin Audra when she becomes the next Briar Witch. Both motherless after a plague struck the town and took most of the inhabitants with it, Ellie and Audra have been raised by their grandmother and great-aunt, both trained to ascend to Stewardship and Briar Witch when their elders eventually pass.

Events happen much faster than Ellie or Audra had expected and soon Ellie and Audra take their positions in guiding the town of Silverton and in negotiations with the Church. This last point is thrown into chaos when a god-hound or priest arrives in Silverton for the first time in decades. The new priest is accepting of the Briar Witches and their role in the community of Silverton and seems unlikely to cause the devastation they had anticipated. At her grandmother’s funeral, Ellie hits her head and the red price that all Briar Witches pay for the use of magic – the give and take of power – is finally paid. Ellie is suddenly aware of the ghosts that Silverton apparently doesn’t have. She soon discovers webs of lies and half-truths told to protect the Briar Witches and the past misdeeds of their ancestors. Ellie Brair becomes the speaker for the Dead and the only witch able to see the ghosts and let them address whatever issues hold them to the world of the living still. Keeping this magical power that has no record in their family a secret, Ellie soon starts uncovering darker aspects of Silverton and the power of the red price that must be paid for all magic works. Awful deceptions and cruelties are revealed and Ellie struggles to keep the balance within the Briar Witches and Silverton and its inhabitants.

Review

Slatter writes with an engaging style that immediately draws the reader into this gothic fantasy world where deceptions and lies become like spiderwebs thick in an abandoned room. The unraveling of the history and truth of the Briar Witches lineage is masterfully done with skill and precise timing that keeps the story fresh and intriguing. The characters are each unique with their own voices clearly presented and the overall storytelling is spellbinding.

Conclusion

Highly recommended read for fans of Slatter’s Sourdough works, novels and for readers who enjoy reimagined gothic fairy tales, history and folklore reworked and a highly engaging dark fantasy novel. A must read!

** This is my personal opinion and does not reflect any judging decisions **

A delightfully gothic, witchy fairytale, The Briar Book of the Dead is self-contained within A.G. Slatter’s Sourdough universe.

As other reviewers have noted, the pacing is slow in the first quarter or so of the novel. The world of Silverton is deep and layered, and Ellie—the first magic-less born into her matriarchal family of witches for generations—is an immediately relatable protagonist. The oomph of the story did not come until later, but once it did I was hooked.
The mythology is also pleasantly complex, and the finer details do not need to be understood to grasp to appreciate the full worldbuilding.

Ellie Briar grows from a sympathetic character to one that is incredibly hardworking, compassionate, and self-driven. Her relationships with her family members are complex but brimming with affection, and they only twist and flower as the narrative progresses. I rooted and rooted for her, especially as the stakes—and her abilities—steadily increased. Themes of friendship, community, isolation, and feminism further endeared her to me as interspersed fables and parallels to the real world added intricacies.

The Briar Book of the Dead is a dark, flowing fantasy that features believably flawed characters, religious and magical tensions, hints of romance, and the allure of identity and power.

As most of the author‘s books this also starts out as a bit of a slow burn but then picks up the pace. I love the gothic vibes in Slatter‘s books - general elements of the uncanny are mixed perfectly with creepy folklore and create a deliciously sinister atmosphere. Really enjoyed reading this one on a cold and stormy winter’s night.

The Briar Book of the Dead is a lush gothic fantasy with strong fairytale elements that sees A.J. Slatter return to form with her equally haunting and beautiful prose. I was instantly enchanted and brought back to the universe Slatter has created. As always we learn about the subtleties of the world throughout the novel and how the world works.

I adored Ellie and her struggles of being a non-witch and coming to grips with the position of Steward she finds herself thrust into head first. When she finally discovers that while unlike her cousins she may not be a witch she does have an ability they do not, she can see and speak to the dead. Slowly she becomes their confident and aide in helping them resolve their issues all while trying to uncover the truth of her families long buried secrets.


As you can come to expect from Slatter her prose is beautiful, haunting and occasionally horror field but all the while enchanting. The world is brought to life in beautiful and vivid prose. The characters are all wonderful, even the terrible ones, and I actually loved the romance between Huw and Ellie with how it was written. There is a touch of whimsy, magic and melancholy to the world and writing and I adored it.


While this can be read as standalone I would highly recommend the Path of Thorns and All the Murmuring Bones to read more of Slatters enchanting world, smart heroines and beautiful prose.

Agh, this is such a bummer. I was really looking forward to this one and couldn't get past the first 40 pages. Everyone enjoys a slow burn from time to time, but I just couldn't get into this one at all. I am still very thankful to the publisher and author for sending this one my way, but it just wasn't for me.

5 of 5 stars
https://lynns-books.com/2024/02/12/the-briar-book-of-the-dead-by-ag-slatter/
My Five Word TL:DR Review: Put Simply – Read This Book

AG Slatter has firmly placed herself onto my favourite authors list, I’ve loved all the books I’ve read so far (and perhaps need to take a jaunt back to those I’ve missed) and The Briar Book of the Dead is no exception. I practically inhaled this book. This is a deliciously gothic tale that brings to us a family of witches who have long protected the village in which they live from the darklands that lies at their border. Gothic-fantasy at it’s absolute best.

As the story begins we make the acquaintance of Ellie, the only Briar family member who doesn’t possess the family magic making her something of a second class citizen who needs to work extra hard to prove her worth. The Briars have much family lore that has been passed down from generation to generation. They avoided the witch hunt that so many others fell victim to by striking a deal with the church, one in which they protect the rest of the country being overrun by the leeches that live on the other side of their land – they also submitted to the scrutiny of a priest who sends regular reports to confirm that they are not practicing the dark arts but simply maintaining the villagers good health. The family are on the cusp of a change in power, one that threatens everything they’ve worked so hard to achieve and on top of that they are keeping secrets that are now threatening their very existence.

I don’t want to give away any more of the plot but instead discuss what worked so well for me with this book.

Firstly, I confess, I love stories about witches. I don’t know why but I simply do. Good witches, bad witches, old crones, sweet old granny types, they all work their magic on me and I’m just a sucker for such stories. So, you could be forgiven for thinking that I’m an easy touch and this was always going to win me over with ease. But, this is definitely not the case. Slatter has a fantastic imagination and a wonderful way with words. The way she tells her stories gives me this lovely sense of nostalgia that takes me back to childhood and bedtime fairytales – but, make no mistake, these stories are not for children. These stories are creepy, sometimes sinister and definitely on the dark side.

Secondly, the writing and the pacing are perfection. It’s like Goldilocks and the three bears finding her perfect bowl of porridge, it wasn’t too hot, it wasn’t too cold,it was just right. There are moments of drama, there are moments where the atmosphere could be cut with a knife, where the forests fall silent and something sinister seems to watch from the shadows. Then the plot really comes into its own and the tension ramps up.

On top of that I adored Ellie. She is such a relatable character. She cares about others but she’s not Snow White, she can be selfish and immature at times but she takes her role within the family seriously and although I personally think she should have reached certain conclusions in a slightly quicker fashion I also understand that her own niggling insecurities play a role in keeping her from questioning things too deeply and also, deep down, she knew something wasn’t quite right – which is why she was keeping her own secrets. She has a great sense of humour too which I always appreciate. Also, Ellie is about to discover something about herself that, well, I can’t tell you – you need to discover it for yourself, but I loved this element to the story. Sorry to be such a tease but I don’t want to be that person that chucks spoilers around like confetti.

I don’t know what else I can say to tempt you. Gothicky goodness, at times darkly disturbing, witches, ghosts and vampires (off page). An adult fairytale that knocked my socks off. What more can you possibly ask for? I can’t wait to see what the author comes up with next and I admit I would love to visit the Darklands.

I received a copy through Netgalley, courtesy of the publisher, for which my thanks. The above is my own opinion.

Slatter's Sourdough universe has fast become one of my favourites, and I was thrilled about the prospect of another instalment. Thankfully, The Briar Book of the Dead contains all her usual hallmarks which made this a thrilling read: there are gothic horrors, and hints of wonderful magic, but above all there are characters who are fundamentally flawed people, and the consequences that come with that. I mean this as the biggest complement I can give; all our main characters are trying to do what they think is right, but along the way things get twisted, secrets get buried, and people make choices in order to survive. It's a fascinating portrait of human psychology, and how we cope with a world where sometimes the monsters have a human face.

That said, I did find the beginning of this book a little more difficult than some of the others. There are a lot of plot points and ideas jostling for attention in the first half, and it made the narrative feel rather stop-start, like the book itself wasn't quite sure in what direction it should be headed. This is reflected in Slatter's author notes, where she discusses some of the challenges she faced in working out exactly what this book should be. As a fan I knew it would be worth persevering - and it absolutely was - and I hope other readers give this story the same chance.

On a final note, reading the prequel novella Of Sorrow and Such is entirely optional. In some ways, I wish I hadn't read it (as it pre-emptively spoils a few of the reveals that Ellie later discovers), but ultimately I'm glad I did, as the additional context shed light on some of Ellie's struggles and added to the general sense of foreboding and questioning about what could have possibly happened in the intervening period between the end of the previous story and the start of this one. I expect this one will be a matter of readers' preferences for the unknown, if they haven't read it already.

It’s always a pleasure to dip into Angela Slatter’s Sourdough stories, and this latest offering is an absolute gem. Ellie is from a long line of witches, and believes she is without magic. Soon she is plunged into a role that requires both magic and wits. Will wits be enough? Or will she master secret newly-discovered skills in time to prevent an evil that threatens not only her loved ones and herself, but her entire village and beyond. There is so much to love about this novel, and for this reader, the characterisation turned out to be as stunning as the trials and tribulations Ellie must face. I found myself easily immersed in this imagined world that was equal parts intriguing, wonderful and surprising. Highly recommended for anyone who loves intelligent fantasy fiction outside of the generic mould. And if they haven’t read any of Slatter’s previous fiction, it will definitely have them seeking out more.

Creating depth in a story is a skill I think under-appreciated. We talk of world-building in fantasy more as an immense land and various creatures and magics flowing together. But we often forget the power that exploring relationships, generational stories, myths and how they shape people, and their more local world will be shaped by it. An excellent example of this is AG Slatter’s excellent fantasy novel The Briar Book of the Dead where a town that prizes its witches finds itself under threat magical, ghostly and most of all human.

Many years ago, the town of Silverton was falling part and dying but the Briars arrived and changed its fortunes. The Briars were powerful witches that used their powers to protect Silverton; act as a defence against the neighbouring Leech Lords and soon the role of the briar Witch was created and handed down to each generation. With a mild leash on them from the Church. Now many years later the briars are entrenched buts it’s a time of change. Gisela the current briar Witch has lost her sister and Steward Maud who passed away and the next generation are starting to prepare for when they will be charge. Audra is well on to be the next Briar Witch being the most powerful, Nia is the one who marshals the local police and protects the town, Eira is the healer and then we have Ellie the next Steward – the administrator who is the only Briar to have no magical power at all. But events start to go awry – there are small settlements now being deserted, a grieving mother has disappeared and a mysterious priest has arrived to investigate. Many secrets of Silverston and its relationship with the witches are to be uncovered and Ellie is the one required to navigate it to save the town.

I loved this story so much. Slatter head on delivers something different as we are moving away from the traditional town who fear witches to one where witches are powerful, known about and even wanted. The Briars are a powerful family, but this tale explores how power has both a price and responsibilities. On top of this for this secondary world (part of Slatters’ acclaimed Sourdough series of separate tales all based on the same magical world) our main character Ellie is non-magical despite the best efforts of her family. That meant while the others grew up with spells and developing their talents, we have instead someone who is good using their mind, deals with facts, understands her town, its customs sand its people. This story is fully set in one place and over the course of the story Slatter explains it to us – we come to know the big players, the customs, the language, and the wider people. Weaved into this are little folk tales characters tell each other that help explore the history and myths of one place which chimes with what we know of the world and informs us a bit more too. All of this makes Silverton come alive as a small world in itself, and key to the story we find what everyone knows about a place can be wrong.

This isn’t a story of twists and turns but very elegant reveals as Ellie finds what she thinks she knows about the world isn’t quite right. She is pragmatic, smart, and determined to get to the bottom of things and do her best for the Briar family and her town. A key plotline is the appearance of ghosts that Ellie is one of the few to eventually see. I’ll skirt all the details because it is an interesting idea but we see Ellie find our many of the town’s secrets and in doing so this links to recent disappearances and tragedies. This is not a story of world ending magic but something much more personal and yet the stakes as we have gotten to know Ellie and her town are extremely high for her and so we are importantly equally invested in them.

This is helped by Ellie narrating the tale to us. We get to feel her various thoughts from the minor rivalries with her sisters; her unrequited love for one of the town’s bachelors and her fears about being useless and yet also wanting to do her best. Slatter makes us feel Ellie as human being whose way of explaining things builds up the world and makes us care about what happens to her. We also possibly start to see what may be going on which Ellie’s initial blinkers and loyalty to the town doesn’t allow. Its an immensely satisfying read where all the plotlines come together but it is not cosy – this is a world that can deliver bad things happening to good people; but Ellie is not going to give up without a fight.

The Briar Book of the Dead is fascinating piece of fantasy storytelling that makes us care about a place and its people that never existed and yet by the end we know the place intimately and feel like we too have been on the journey Ellie is on. A tale of light and dark, secrets and history with more than touch of magic its strongly recommended!

I’ve been enjoying a lot of gothic styled stories at the moment and I’m absolutely loving it. This was before exception, mixed with witches, romance and complicated relationships whilst I found it a little slow to start it soon grabbed hold of my attention and didn’t let me go. Thoroughly recommended

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

** spoiler alert ** This story was so much and more. This was more a new genre for me to read, but the blurb sounded so good, I knew I had to read it and it did not disappoint. Ellie is a non-witch who find out she is able to speak to ghosts after the death of her Grandmother. As Steward of Silverton, it is her job to support the Briar Witch and the ensure the community continues to thrives, but family secrets began to unravel, making Ellie's job infinitely harder, not to mention something in town is amiss, and Ellie needs to find out what.

What I really enjoyed about this book was the multiple story lines that unraveled into each other. I also liked the constant feeling that something was not as it seemed, and trying to figure out what was wrong. I figured out early on that something wasn't right with Audra, and she made a great villain in the story. I also enjoyed Huw's arrival in the town as the replacement priest.

The ending was fantastic, all the secrets spilling out that Sandor, Maud and Gisela had kept from them. I will say my heart still breaks thinking about Liv, Bedo and their children. Their short mention in the book had me quite attached and they met such an awful end.

*Thank you to Titan Books for providing me with an ARC copy in exchange for my honest review.

Delightful and gripping gothic & witchy book. It was great to be back in the world of AG Slatter and as always, her world-building was amazing.

I did enjoy this book, however I felt it was slightly slower at the beginning. Once the pace picked up, it was a thoroughly enjoyable. Our main character was complex and well written. The world building was wonderful, giving me the sensation that I was transported into this incredible world. What a read.