The Ravening is a gripping, claustrophobic horror story that explores both real and paranormal threats, leaving a lasting impact on the reader. It offers a bizarre, thought-provoking horror experience that would be perfect for a Jordan Peele-style horror film.

Detailed Breakdown:
Characters: 6/10
I never expect to get attached to any characters in a horror novel. However, Jenna, the protagonist, stood out as a fun, hard-edged character shaped by her tough upbringing. I found her compelling to read about and really enjoyed her witty zingers.

Atmosphere/Setting: 8/10
The setting was one of the most horrifying aspects of the novel. It added depth to the mood, acting both as an enigma and a symbol of safety at different times.

Writing Style: 7/10
Initially, I struggled with the writing but eventually grew to appreciate it. I spent the entirety of the book trying to determine what was really happening and felt there were significant plot holes, but the style won me over.

Plot: 8/10
The plot was intriguing, keeping me questioning what was real and what was a figment of the protagonist’s imagination. The story unfolded like a fever dream, raising doubts about whether the events were real or the result of Jenna’s hallucinations.

Intrigue: 7/10
I found myself thinking about the story even when I wasn’t reading, particularly curious about Jenna’s fate.

Logic: 6/10
The plot had some unexplained elements, and at times, the events felt too convenient. However, most loose ends were tied up by the end. The story’s reliance on superstition and lore meant that some knowledge was intentionally left ambiguous.

Overall Enjoyment: 7/10
I’m glad I picked up The Ravening and enjoyed it overall, despite a few minor issues. It left a lasting impression, earning 4 stars.

A modern reiteration of the myth of Kronos: the rite of Cronus stopped, overturned by an iron willed woman, fulled by self belief and what else: love... I am afraid I've really struggled with the narrative, which I found ludicrous. Full of stereotypes like: the rich wanting immortality, the overly rich manipulating anything and everything for their own gains; secret medical clinics conducting all sorts of experiments, conspiracies around the Knights Templar Order and so on...I really couldn't put up with everything mixed in, to make The Ravening even remotely believable!

Like other reviewers, I must say this doesn't hold a candle to Church's previous novel. While the horror elements where a bit much for me, overall it was a pleasant novel that I've truly enjoyed. Sadly I cannot say the same about The Ravening(I think the only enjoyable bit was that it was based in Manchester, Salford even hahaha, I really love that Church writes about where I live!), but hopefully the next one is going to be a good one!

Daniel Church's *The Ravening* is a chilling, atmospheric horror novel that grips readers from the very first page, immersing them in a world where ancient evil and personal trauma collide. The story follows Jenna, a woman whose life has been marked by tragedy and abuse, as she battles not only the demons of her past but also a far more sinister, supernatural threat.

At its core, *The Ravening* is a tale of survival—both physical and emotional. Jenna, haunted by the mysterious disappearance of her mother on a shadowy woodland road when she was a teenager, has grown into a tough, wary woman who has learned that trust often leads to betrayal. Escaping an abusive relationship, she finds solace in a new romance with her girlfriend, Holly, and hopes for a brighter future. But as the novel progresses, it becomes clear that the darkness Jenna has been fleeing isn’t just metaphorical. There are forces at work—ancient, malevolent, and terrifying—that refuse to let her find peace.

Church masterfully weaves together Jenna’s inner turmoil with the creeping dread of the supernatural. The claustrophobic tension in the novel is palpable, as Jenna’s personal struggles mirror the mounting horror she faces. The pacing is relentless, with the sense of doom intensifying as Jenna is drawn deeper into the mystery surrounding her mother’s death and the evil that haunts her.

What makes *The Ravening* stand out in the horror genre is its deep character work. Jenna is a fully realized protagonist whose pain, resilience, and hope feel incredibly real. Her relationship with Holly provides moments of tenderness and relief, but the novel never lets readers forget that darkness is lurking around every corner. Church portrays Jenna’s struggle to believe in love and goodness as a powerful emotional arc, making her journey as much about reclaiming her sense of self as it is about battling external threats.

The horror elements in *The Ravening* are masterfully handled. Church draws on classic Gothic tropes—dark forests, mysterious disappearances, ancient evil—but infuses them with a modern edge, keeping the reader on edge with unpredictable twists and genuinely terrifying moments. The novel’s villains, both human and supernatural, are unnerving in their cruelty and persistence, creating a sense of inescapable menace.

The setting plays a crucial role in amplifying the tension. Church’s depiction of the isolated, ominous landscapes Jenna must navigate adds a sense of dread and claustrophobia to the narrative. The novel feels like it is closing in on the reader, much like the forces that close in on Jenna.

However, amidst the terror, *The Ravening* is ultimately a story about hope and the possibility of finding light even in the darkest of times. Jenna’s strength, her will to fight, and her love for Holly anchor the novel, offering moments of redemption and resilience in the face of overwhelming evil.

*The Ravening* is a must-read for fans of psychological and supernatural horror. Daniel Church has crafted a gripping, haunting tale that explores the darkness within and around us, all while delivering a powerful, emotional story of one woman’s fight for survival and belief in the possibility of love.

This book was a journey, and I have mixed feelings about it.

I actually ended up quite enjoying it. I found it gripping, albeit a bit slow in some parts, however I was really thrown because in my opinion, the blurb is not conducive to this book.

I applied for this ARC after reading the blurb, and was expecting a folk and/or eco horror with some monsters from the forest. While yes, we got that, a significant part of this story line revolved around stealthing, kidnapping, confinement, isolation, and forced pregnancy. Despite the fact that I ended up enjoying this book, if that had been clear in the blurb, I likely wouldn't have applied for it. Further, there were no content warnings for these triggering topics.

As such, my rating is indicative of this missing information, despite the fact that I enjoyed the book.

This was a gripping, visceral read that was well written and I could be interested in reading the authors other works.

I really enjoyed The Hollows. However, this one was not for me. The publisher description was so completely different from the actual book that it seemed like it was done on purpose,, but not in a good way. Thank you to NetGalley for the chance to read and review this book.

2.5 of 5 stars rounded to 3
https://lynns-books.com/2024/09/26/review-the-ravening-by-daniel-church/
My Five Word TL:DR Review: Didn’t Really Work For Me

I enjoyed The Hollows by this author so was really looking forward to this one but ultimately it just didn’t work it’s magic. But, first things first.

This gets off to a very intriguing start. Jenna and her mother are travelling when their car breaks down. Stranded in the forest things escalate quickly and Jenna’s mother disappears. Fast forward and Jenna is 30 (ish), the mystery of her mother was never solved and has left her with severe trauma and trust issues She struggles to hold down a relationship for more than a couple of months until recently meeting Holly. The two, on the face of it, feel like opposites, but they click somehow. They’ve just returned from a camping holiday, not something Jenna would usually undertake as she remains afraid of the forest since that terrible night when her mother went missing.

From here the story takes a completely different tack and not one that I was particularly expecting. The horror wasn’t what I was hoping for, don’t get me wrong, the situation that Jenna finds herself in is definitely horrific, claustrophobic and anger inducing – and I don’t want to go into detail here as it’s probably best discovered during the read – but it simply wasn’t what I was hoping for.

So, what did and didn’t work for me.

I liked the ancient evil that is at play. It’s a terrifying beast and there were some very creepy moments whenever it put in an appearance.

There are a couple of occasions where Jenna is, let’s say, making a break out – I found these gripping and tense.

In terms of criticisms. I found it very difficult to like any of the characters and this is really a problem for me. I wanted to like Jenna, she’s been through a lot and in fact continues to experience some terrible situations, but I didn’t find myself really caring. The same with the relationship with Jenna and Holly, it just felt very flat, they didn’t really come across as though they even liked each other to be honest, it was all super prickly. And, this is a small niggle, but the constant use of the word ‘babe’, it really irritated me, to the point I was actually becoming really grumpy and skipping over the dialogue in order to avoid it. On top of that, I’m not really a lover of dream sequences in stories and they play quite an integral part here. They rarely work for me.

I think some of my issues literally fall into the ‘its me not you’ category. There were some exciting moments, some tense scenes and the final chapters rolled out more of the horror that I was expecting. It just felt like a lot to get through in order to get to that point.

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

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC.

The Ravening by Daniel Church is a chilling and immersive horror novel that delves deep into the human psyche and the supernatural. The story centers around Jenna, a woman whose life has been marked by trauma and loss. From the mysterious disappearance of her mother to escaping an abusive relationship, Jenna’s journey is one of survival and resilience.

Set in a small, eerie town, the novel creates a claustrophobic atmosphere that keeps readers on edge. Church’s writing is vivid and haunting, painting a picture of a world where ancient evils lurk just beneath the surface. The plot is a masterful blend of psychological horror and supernatural elements, making it a compelling read for fans of both genres.

Jenna’s character is deeply relatable, her struggles and fears palpable. Her relationship with her new girlfriend, Holly, adds a layer of emotional depth to the story, highlighting themes of trust and love amidst the darkness. The antagonist, an ancient evil that refuses to let Jenna go, is terrifying yet intriguing, driving the narrative forward with relentless tension.

Church’s ability to weave historical cult conspiracies with modern-day horror is impressive, creating a story that feels both timeless and contemporary. The pacing is relentless, with each chapter building on the suspense and horror of the previous one. The climax is shocking and satisfying, leaving readers with a lingering sense of unease.

The Ravening is a standout in the horror genre, offering a fresh take on familiar themes. It’s a must-read for anyone who enjoys a well-crafted, spine-chilling story that explores the depths of human fear and the supernatural.

I thought this was very good and I will have to add this to the shop shelves. Thank you for the chance for us to review.

I really enjoyed this book. Jenna witnessed her mother's death as a child years later what killed her mother comes after her. Although the plot diverges it doesn't take away the enjoyment of the read. I will be looking forward to more from this author. Thanks to Angry Robot and Netgalley for this review ARC

This novel promises to follow a young woman, Jenna, who witnessed the traumatic death of her mother on a lone forest road as a teenager, when evil comes after her once more. This description piqued my interesting and I was excited to pick it up. I also really enjoyed the first chapter and the dread it built.
However, this novel suffers for two reasons: It is too long and the summary does not even hint at a major change in plot at around the 25% mark of the book. As some other reviews have mentioned and which I wish I had read before requesting a review copy of this book, the summary could use some rewording to let readers know which direction the story will go. While the first chapter is really well written and delivers the dread I was hoping for, the story soon switches to that of a pregnant woman kidnapped by her ex-boyfriend and locked up with intention of forcing her to deliver his baby (which is not something I would have picked up had I known as it is not the type of story I enjoy). While it does ultimately tie together with the overall supernatural plot of the story, it was not what I was expecting at all and so definitely negatively influenced my enjoyment of the book.
When the first escape attempt immediately starts after she gets kidnapped, it was clear that one was doomed from the beginning and it was really interesting to read. However, due to the sheer quantity of running away and hiding and running and hiding (and on and on and on) it soon became too much and felt repetitive and tiring. From around 30% to 60% of the story I found myself very bored, as most of it was focused on (a variety of) escapes and particularly the second escape attempt dragged out even longer due to constant POV switches. Despite the many changes in scenery the actions of the villains as well as Jenna’s actions are soon repetitive as well. In the last quarter of the book my attention was piqued once more, as finally the lore was being revealed and we learned more about what exactly was going on and why all these things are happening to Jenna specifically. While I found that part interesting again, at that point unfortunately it was not enough to raise my opinion of this book higher.
I found the heavy inclusion of British vernacular intriguing and enjoyed reading the dialogue. I also liked the short flashbacks to the Templar’s which show which past events caused all this. In general, I think this could have been a fascinating horror story if it was shortened and the description revealed what can actually be expected of the story. All in all, I cannot give this story more than 2 stars.

Tw: slight fatphobia, death of parent, violence and injury, forced confinement, kidnapping, imprisonment, threats of rape, impregnation through deception (hole in condom), forced birth, threats of forced medical impregnation, gun violence, murder, forced institutionalization, graphic attempted suicide, homophobia, (past) bullying, violence, burning alive

This book gave me the full blown CREEPS!!!!

Jenna's mother disappeared when Jenna was a teen and she knows what she heard.... That night never left Jenna.

Present day, Jenna is a mess. She is pregnant with a baby she doesn't want but as she goes to the clinic she is kidnapped!

Things are not what it seems and there is something lurking that is not human..

The creature is CHILLING!! Its basically a horror/thriller twisty ride that you can feel breathing down your neck!

It could have been a bit shorter. That's my only issue but I love the writing style and I was fully absorbed into this book!

4.5 stars

This is the second book i have read from the author Daniel Church and once again i really enjoyed The Ravening. The author has very good talent for indulging the readers with his description and portrayal of horror elements. Filled with action, horror and suspense i went into the book anticipating said genres and i liked it a lot.

The characters were written really well, i liked Jenna she was a tough girl. Each of the other characters had all different personalities so it was easy to feel for them and feel the characters developments. We also learn about Jenna's past which i found really intriguing and was constantly wondering what was going on which is something i really love when reading horror books and this one definitely had all the right elements and is a eye catching read. The overall plot and development as the book goes on is dark and engaging and will keep you turning the page to the very end.

A true horror but claustrophobic read that i would recommend to others to read.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and Angry Robot for the copy of this arc in exchange of my full honest review.

Sadly I am dnfing the Ravening. DNF @ 25% It started so good, Iwas expecting a five star horror read but this is not what's being promoted. I also find it repetitive and uninterested. Took me a long time to come this far and I'm not even slightly curious about what is happening. I have to accept that this is not for me. I don't want to see the word lovey for a long time.

Overall, I was a bit disappointed with this book. The story dragged on too much for me as of the second half of the book - I was just not as captivated by it as I would've liked to be.

Loved this book! Loved the plot and it kept me hooked highly recommended. Was a quick read for me and hoping to read more from this author.

Which is scarier? Finding a monster in the kitchen or instead a strange person staring at you? Horror is about the reaction to the situation and a human acting menacingly can be even scarier as it feels as if the rules of our society are being broken. In Daniel Church’s action-packed horror tale The Ravening we swerve between the horrors of the human and the demonic to create something with a return to that unusual sub-genre the occult thriller. It’s a tricky one to talk about but was a fun ride!

At fifteen Jenna and her mother are travelling on the south coast to meet up with her father to start a holiday. But their car breaks down and when Jenna’s mother goes to try and fix the engine something horrific comes from the darkness and leaves Jenna traumatised in her seat, the car damaged, and her mother is never seen again. Many years later Jenna is a very closed off person rarely sharing her past and rarely ever making a connection. After a particularly difficult relationship with a controlling upper class boyfriend Jenna has started a new happier relationship with Holly. Possibly the first person that Jenna has ever felt comfortable with but Jenna is shocked to discover that she is pregnant and really does not want to become a mother. Before anything can be done though Jenna finds herself kidnapped and held prisoner. Many now want Jenna to serve their own agendas and the monsters from her past are lurking in the shadows.

This is very much a book full of reveals swerving in directions that I was not quite expecting. The opening chapter with young Jenna and dangers in the woods suggests we are in the folk horror genre that is very common at the moment but soon we are back in gritty Manchester and the villains appearing next are very human. We seem to switch genres into human psychological horror with Jenna being held prisoner and this gets into quite dark territory on issues of consent and woman’s right to choose. In many ways these sections hark back to the horror stories and films of the 1970s and 1980s where people would find themselves under the spell of people who want control for various agendas. Horror can have a vein of social commentary and puts you into the horror of feeling oppressed and out of control. Jenna is very clear what she wants, and her captors refuse to see her as a human being. There is no nuance here and actually that feels right to show us the stark lack of control a woman can experience even when your captors are ever so polite and posh. Church makes it quite stark and brutal and making this is all about money and power ensures it feels very tense.

But simmering alongside this is that early mystery of Jenna’s mother and we move back and forth into supernatural territory and even the mysterious world of dreams and nightmares. Jenna has to battle enemies in both our world and the magical plains and there are moments of racing action with moments of hope being quickly dashed which raises question of can the ultra-loner Jenna actually trust anyone. The democ entity we face here is vividly disturbing and has a great name I will let you discover but it feels a dangerous presence whenever it appears. This is why this feels more the realm of the occult tale that was prominent in the 1950-70s where normal people suddenly find in villages and country estates with strange powerful people making very bad demonic bargains. Here this feels a 21dst century take on the idea with a bisexual heroine rather than lantern jawed hero and a damsel in distress taking the lead roles. We still have lots of guns appearing and weird changing dreamscapes that very accurately bring to life parts of the Northwest (a refreshing take on the usual southern country estates the old genre takes focused on - Surrey really was quite popular back then)

There are a few things that I wished had got expanded upon. Jenna finds herself up against several villains, but they often feel a little shallow. Although there is a great and unusual sequence where Jenna calls one out about their agenda being so small and empty which was very refreshing. Villains who can banter are fun but sometimes I really wanted to know a little bit more about how they had got here. The other issue is the book has a coda that for me feels a little too fast to be effective and needed a few more pages to breathe and make us take stock of what’s been going on before the action resumed.

Despite that this was incredibly readable, and I sped through it wanting to know what happened next in one night. Church is skilled at getting action focused plots in a recognisable Britain that feels like it is in the 2020s even if it respects past traditions and that the final outcome never feels very predictable means I’m quite engaged. Highly recommended for horror fans.

The Ravening is a horror/thriller, and while aspects of both genres were present throughout, it felt less like a mix than a 50/50 split. The first half of the book was heavy thriller, with an adult Jenna trying to escape a house where she is being held against her will for nefarious reasons, then the horror really amped up in the second half as Jenna fought an ancient evil for control of her body (and not in the way you might be thinking). It was a pretty cool shift from “Oh no, the bad guys are these people!” to “Oh dear god, this is also terrifying in a crazy supernatural way!”

As a main character, Jenna felt a bit one-note. She has (with good reason!) a very hard time trusting people and opening herself up to love, and while I’d expect that to be mentioned a fair bit, it’s really the only deep thing we learn about her. The story is told in third person from her POV and she has a lot of conversations with her inner voice, which, when it responds, calls her ‘babe,’ and it drove me crazy. A ‘babe’ here and there would have been okay, but almost every time her inner voice said anything, it threw a ‘babe’ in there. I think it’s because Jenna sometimes thought the inner voice sounded like her girlfriend, Holly, who calls her ‘babe,’ but even so, it was just too much. Otherwise, Jenna was easy to sympathize with and root for, and I formed some pretty strong feelings for a couple other characters too. Like big time hatred! But I was supposed to hate the people I hated, so it was a good hatred.

The story is interesting with a unique premise. I’ve never come across anything like it and I enjoyed it. I want to talk about some specific bits but when I consider the blurb, I feel like anything I say could be a spoiler. There were some excerpts from old texts inserted between chapters throughout the book that gave vague information about the ancient evil, allowing the reader to piece things together, but as soon as you read the final excerpt, everything is explained by someone anyway. We’re given the same explanation, but less vague, as if the author doesn’t trust the reader to have figured it out. So the excerpts feel sort of purposeless. My favorite part of the book was the dreamlike sequences that reminded me a lot of some fantasy I’ve read and I think horror fans who are also fantasy readers would enjoy those scenes as much as I did. I wasn’t expecting such a strong fantasy feel but I liked it!

This was definitely a dark story about a girl, Jenna who at 15 sees the disappearance of her mother and then 15 years later she is still not over her traumatic experience. I have to say there was parts of this story I definitely did not expect based on the synopsis, but it was still a good horror story. I did read this relatively fast only to see what was going to happen next. It was interesting and dark.

The Ravening had the potential to deliver a gripping horror narrative but, unfortunately, fell short of expectations. While the premise of supernatural elements mixed with Templar lore intrigued me, the execution felt tedious and uneven. The story quickly became repetitive, weighed down by excessive wordiness and infodumps that detracted from the tension and pacing.

The plot itself struggled to maintain plausibility, with key events and characters feeling unrealistic and unconvincing. This made it difficult to immerse myself in the story, and the suspension of disbelief required felt insurmountable. What should have been chilling or dramatic moments were often undercut by clumsy plotting and strained believability.

Furthermore, the novel touches on deeply sensitive themes such as miscarriage, rape, forced pregnancy, and child killings. These topics, which require careful handling, were approached too lightly, missing the nuance and gravity they deserved. The lack of thoughtful exploration of these issues diminished their emotional impact and left me feeling disconnected from the narrative.

While there were flashes of clever ideas and moments of tension, The Ravening ultimately failed to come together as a cohesive, engaging story. For those familiar with the author's previous works, this novel may be a disappointment.

I was unpleasantly surprised by "The Ravening". I loved the author's previous works, and though I did realize the comparison to Stephen Graham Jones was a bit of an hyperbole, I expected something equally well-written and riveting as Church's other books. It was not to be. I found the story repetitive, tediously wordy, with several unnecessary infodumps. The plot felt totally unrealistic and unconvincing, and the suspension of disbelief required proved too much for me. I did finish the book, but it took me a long while. The story also touched too glibly on such controversial themes as miscarriage, rape, forced pregnancy, baby and child killings, and abortion. Even a debut novel would have taken some time to write thoughfully about them, put them into perspective, and tighten everything up. I'm unsure what happened but I cannot recommend this book.