The first half of this book felt incredibly slow and more world building than any real plot. We see a bit of the dynamic that Pel has with Nancy but it honestly got so repetitive at the beginning that I almost DNF'd the book. BUT the second half really kicked it up a notch and got quote dark and gritty really quickly and I actually ended up really enjoying it. I liked Nancy and Madge and the balancing act between old and new beliefs. I liked the gothic and folk horror esque vibe to this with the wildness of the Moor and the fantasy elements playing a part. This definitely sets itself up for a second book and, if it is anything like the last portion of this book, I look forward to reading it.

This was a mixed bag. I enjoyed myself, but I also put it down halfway through, forgot it existed, and didn’t pick it up again for two months. The prose broke grammar “rules” in interesting, evocative ways that I got fed up with pretty quickly for the added effort I had to put into reading it. The worldbuilding was cool, a new take on lesser known fairy folktales, and it drew some interesting parallels with the religious divisions arising from the establishment of Methodism during the period. The character work was… fine; I suspect some of the reason I didn’t get really invested in Nancy and Pel was because of the slightly distant voice of the prose. I probably won’t seek out the second book, but I’m not opposed to trying it if mood and opportunity strikes.

Sam K Horton’s epic story started as a bit of a slow burner, but it is definitely worth persevering. By the end I was total immersed in this world and completely invested in solving the mystery of the deaths on the moor. Horton’s world building of both the human and the fairy realms in 18th Century Cornwall is fascinating. By setting it in this period Horton throws the gradual move away from folklore towards scientific understanding into sharp relief. What happens in a community that starts to reject its ancient traditions? Would fairy-folk punish humans for their diminishing faith or would the fairy world itself dwindle and diminish when less people had faith and belief in them and their role in the natural world? Horton explores this dilemma in a creative and intriguing way.

A good fantasy book that had wonderful prose. I loved all the characters especially Nancy. The mystery was fun and I loved the eerie atmosphere. 4 stars.

I enjoyed this story (begin of a series? the cliffhanger was real) a lot. The style of writing is incredible mysterious and perfect for the story; it transports the reader straight into the harsh but magical moors. I love stories in which the magic is not floral, beautiful, and tame but wild, mischievious, and unpredictable. The main characters all had their flaws (Pel, you never learn) but I was rooting for them to solve the mystery in time. Thankfully, we've been set up for a continuation of Nancy and Pel's story, to which I very much look forward to.

A fantastic beautifully written fantasy! I adored this book, Nancy and pat have firmly secured a place in my heart. I loved how dark this fantasy was and it genuinely made me a little scared at points,

I thought the main plot was a little predictiable but it was so gripping and had so many other twists and turns I wasnt bothered at all!

I really hope we get a book 2, I need more Nancy (and Pel, Pat, and Selkie too) in my life

A stunning debut.
Gorse is a dark and rich book about the old and the new. Faith and friends. I loved it.
Nancy was a brilliant protagonist and I cannot wait to read more about her in what I hope will be a sequel which arrives soon. I particularly enjoyed her relationship with Pel and found myself hoping for a return (IYKYK)
The language used to describe the moors was rich and detailed. Not hard to get through in anyway and of a definite style which I liked. Though it was clear who was responsible for the deaths in the village I still really enjoyed seeing the plot lay out and am really intrigued by Nancy’s murmur.
I look forward to reading more by this author. Hard recommend.

Gorse

Pel, the Keeper of the Moor, together with his young apprentice Nancy is charged with acting as a broker between the villagers and the fae folk. But after a serious of unexplained deaths, the villagers are becoming frustrated that he’s no longer fit for the job.
They are turning away from the old ways and looking towards the Church for answers. Rev Cleaver, whose own son has died as a result of bad interaction with the Fae, is a rather formidable fellow. Early on in the book we are shown quite quickly that his refusal to accept any alternative beliefs than his own is going to cause big problems. Especially when he’s able to rile up the villagers in turning against Pel and the old ways.

I’m not sure why but there was something about this book that didn’t land for me. It really dragged which meant I was reluctant and unenthusiastic to pick it up, but without a concentrated reading, I found it hard to remember who the characters were and what they were doing.
It’s possibly a case of over-saturation of this genre. The covers are so beautiful and enticing, but I feel like I’m getting to the point where I’ve read something too similar recently.
So, to be fair on the author, this is probably a case of ‘it’s not you, it’s me’.

Gorse described itself as a folkloric dark-academia-esque fantasy, and one thing done really well was the imagery. The moors, the Folk themselves, and so many settings in the book were described so vividly that you feel like you're really there amongst it all.
The things that proved hard to like for me were the pacing and the characters. The pacing in this book was really slow - the action started more than halfway in -and the story itself is told in a rather choppy manner that I just didn't like personally. Moreover, I found Pel hard to like, and I would have really liked to see more characterization of Nancy beyond what we were given here - maybe a next installment in the series?
All in all, a solid and quite readable book. If you enjoy folklore and Fae Folk fantasy, you might enjoy this.
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

I enjoyed this folk horror novel, the small town setting was excellent, as well as the presence of the small folk and folk beliefs blended with some murder mistery... It definitely was a really good read!

This was a nicely done haunting myster,y, with a cramped small town setting. The characters interact so nicely which gives a vibe of modern folktale. The beginning could have been tighter, but from about halfway onwards, the story really picks up the pace and I become instantly engrossed. The magic system was unique as well. Overall, decently done.

Thank you NetGalley and Sam K Horton for allowing me to read this early, it has been on my Wishlist since I saw it announced, and I was not disappointed!
A beautiful Folk-lore mystery, filled with wonderful characters and a dark moody atmosphere. Loved it! Perfect read for wet and windy afternoons

I read an eARC of this book on NetGalley so thank you to the author and publisher.

This was a wonderful, affectionate exploration of Cornish folklore. This dark, historical novel follows a community tormented by a killer. Where danger persists because of a war between church and ancient traditions.

This is a beautifully written book, celebrating heritage, nature and those who seem to protect the ancient bond with the spirits of the land.

We see humans being corrupted by their denial of the natural world and their attempt to master it. A severe lack of respect for non-human residents of the moors leads to harrowing consequences. Only a few brave individuals seek to protect the spirits of the moor.

Alongside this beautiful folklore story we also have a bond between teacher and student and father and adopted daughter and a coming of age story. This was a wonderful book.

I wish more books were written about this particular strand of magic and folklore, and was delighted to see this labelled as book one of a series. Excited to return to the moor and these brilliant and compelling characters. With thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for sending me an advance copy in return for an honest review.

Good world-building but after a while I found the story started to drag due to the use of a very choppy writing style and the overly descriptive language. Perhaps it's a book that one should linger over but personally I need a bit more engagement and this was just too slow. By the time the pace picked up I'd almost lost interest. I need to add that I'm not averse to a slow unfolding and I loved Katherine Arden's Bear and the Nightingale (to which this book was compared) but this wasn't for me.

Gorse will be well-liked. It is the first instalment in the Eythin Legacy series and is an example of speculative fiction mixing folklore, religion/beliefs, and fantasy.

Set in the 18th century Britain, the village Mirecoombe is going through some change.
The new vicar Cleaver and the old Keeper Pel’s practices and principles are in clash.
Some deaths have occurred, and Nancy and Pel try to solve the mystery, each in their own ways.

I wanted to like this book more than I did. The concept and the atmosphere appealed to me, however I found the plot not well-balanced; well-paced and interesting around after page 45, the about the middle of the book, and not slow but not getting at what makes the essence of this story in a better pace.

The prose contributed to this imbalance with its descriptiveness.

I recommend it and I hope this book and its ideal audiences meet soon.
I might read the sequel because the world building has been established now. Yet, despite being sure that the author has worked so hard to write this book, the writing style did not appeal to me %100.

Concept and themes: 4
Characterisation: 3.5 (+0.5 for Nancy)
Plot: 3
Structure and pacing: 2.5
Prose: 3

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book.

Set against the backdrop of 18th century Cornwall, Gorse weaves a folkloric tale blending genres of historical fiction, fantasy and murder/mystery. Drawing inspiration from English fairytales, particularly the story of the bear and the nightingale, the novel introduces readers to a world where ancient beliefs and fae forces collide with the rigid structure of religious dogma. The book had a very slow start for me, but picked up the pace at about 50%. I enjoyed the dark moody setting and, as always, the fairy lore. I thought the characters were well written and the relationships thoughtful and interesting. However, in my opinion, the book could benefit from a bit of editing. The bones of a really spectacular book are there, but it’s padded in a way that takes away from the best parts of the story. Honestly, I think with a few nips and tweaks, it has incredible potential. The book is set up to be a series and I will most likely read the next to see how the author’s journey progresses.

Folklore batting faith in 18th century Cornwall. The setting is atmospheric and vivid, I was on those moors with these characters. The murders are brutal and there is gore in the gorse. The role of the keeper is intriguing and dangerous. The MMC is a cantankerous old man and his understudy has been held back. We watch her come into her own, absolutely loved her characters development. I loved how dark this book and all of the folk, especially the brownies! The themes explored throughout are just a perfect backdrop to the tale. I cannot recommend this dark folk tale enough. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC. This is a voluntary review of my own thoughts.

Thank you to Solaris for my review copy.

4.5 stars

When I say I want more books about faeries, this is what I mean. Give me piskies, brownies, boggarts, I want all of them.

Horton weaves a tale that feels like a folklore tale we already know, but imparts his own spin (like all good folk horror should be!) The moors were so vivid that I could be running wild on them with Nancy.

I loved Nancy as a character so much. She was so headstrong and I loved seeing how she overcame what the plot threw her way. And I adored her relationship with Pel (he's really such a grumpy old man.)

The themes of folklore vs faith were so interesting to read and I cannot wait to see what happens next!