3.5*

'The Hounding' by Xenobe Purvis is a haunting debut that delves into themes of hysteria, gender, and power in 18th-century rural England. The novel's atmospheric setting and lyrical prose are truly immersive and richly developed and effectively immerses readers in the superstitions and tensions of the time. As readers, through the five Mansfield sisters who are accused of transforming into dogs we also see commentary on societal fears and the consequences of nonconformity.

However, I did find the narrative pacing uneven and certain sections felt too protracted, which did take me out of the story. The multiple perspectives also occasionally disrupted the flow of the story which. Despite these elements, I found overall that 'The Hounding' was a thought-provoking read that offers a truly compelling look at the perils of societal conformity, the dangers of mass hysteria and the marginalization of women.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House UK, Cornerstone | Hutchinson Heinemann for a digital review copy of "The Hounding" in exchange for my honest and voluntary review.

A debut with real bite! I was pulled into this historical novel with its strong elements of horror right from the start. A quote at the start suggests we are in Oxfordshire, in the village of Little Nettlebed, at the start of the eighteenth century in this tale of rural life where for much of the year a ferryman is needed and where rumours being to build up about five sisters.
The ferryman, Pete Darling, a superstitious heavy drinker is instrumental in these rumours claiming the five girls, Anne, Elizabeth, Hester, Grace and Mary Mansfield who live on farmland with their partially sighted grandfather have the ability to transform themselves into dogs.
The sense of paranoia and rumour concerning these girls who seem, because of their family circumstances, to have more freedom than the young women thereabouts is beautifully conveyed. A single narrative shifts the viewpoint onto different characters from Darling, to Temperance, wife of the publican, to Thomas, employed to help at the farm and Robin, one of the neighbours who, like the Mansfield girls, also feels an outsider in his environment. The narrative is strong, drives the reader onwards and illustrates this author’s story-telling skills.
I always like a sense of simmering hysteria in fiction (huge fan of “Black Narcissus” by Rumer Godden (1939)) and this works so well here. There’s good use of language throughout from the clever title to the way events can be misconstrued from descriptions. The wider elements of the treatment of these young women and hostility towards those not prepared to fit in makes this a hugely rewarding read. A fascinating premise, so well told.

The Hounding is published by Hutchinson Heinemann on 26th June. Many thanks to the publishers and Netgalley for the advance review copy.

The Hounding
By Xenobe Purvis

This is a stunning, breathtaking debut. The publisher calls it a feverdream, but despite it's pervasive sense of impending doom, it doesn't have the sticky feel of a feverdream. I would call it folk horror.

Five sisters, recently orphaned, living with their blind grandfather in 18th century rural Oxfordshire. They anger the local ferryman, a drunkard, who's pride is so hurt by his inability to intimidate them, he spreads a rumour that turns the whole village against the girls.

The mass hysteria reminds me of "The Dance Tree" by Kiran Millwood Hargrave, and we all know what happened to girls who didn't conform.

The narrative voice has a style associated with oral storytelling, lyrical, witty, engaging and hypnotic. I found it impossible to stop reading. With themes of sisterhood, community, loyalty, the tension arises from male toxicity and paternalistic control of girls, their bodies and their freedom, but the terror is in how easily those that were at one time, allies, become complicit.

This would make an excellent book club pick because of the themes it explores, but actually it is a story that could very well end up in the same category as Little Red Riding Hood or the Three Little Pigs (the versions before Disney got their hands on them).

Publication Date: 26th June 2025
Thanks to #PenguinRandomHouse for sending me the ARC.

This was both brilliant and not like anything I was expecting.

In a small village going through a horrible draught, 5 sisters are being suspected of turning into dogs. Is there any truth to it or is it one man's vendetta against girls who don't care about social expectations, fuelled by the villagers lack of understanding.

This book grips you instantly, and the writing flows so beautifully that I've read it in one sitting. The story is told through PoVs of different villagers and depending on whose PoV we are in it moves from heartbreaking to completely infuriating. There's part of me that wishes we got the PoV of even one of the girls but this book is not about giving us easy answers.

It's a story about toxic masculinity and what it does to young boys. It's about girls who don't fit the mold the society prepared for them and what are the consequences of that. It's a book that hits in the heart of the misogyny plaguing our society and it's a one good read.

'They were not normal, those girls. The story confirmed for everybody what they had always known: there was something unnatural about the five sisters.

Anne, Elizabeth, Hester, Grace and Mary are five sisters growing up in rural 18 Century Oxfordshire but they've had a hard time of it. Both of their parents passed years ago and now their beloved Grandmother has also passed, leaving just their nearly blind Grandfather to try and keep them in line, keep the farm going, but he requires more help than he can give. The girls are in effect on their own and their forced independence has locals questioning just what is going on with them, no one more than the local ferryman Pete, 'It was as though they spoke a silent language he couldn't understand, it unsettled him. It made him feel less strong, less good....'. As Pete increasingly worries about his future marriage and his business rapidly drying up as the summer drought persists, he insists that these girls have turned into dogs, yes real b**ches, in front of his very eyes. Like a flame set to the tinder dry grass that surrounds them, the rumour takes flight, even among those loathe to truly believe it.

Such a unique and beautifully written story, it's hard to believe it's a debut. In true literary style, there are many messages in its lovely prose but how you interpret them is up to the reader. Told across a few POVs, the overarching point is how a vicious rumour can spread like a cancer, infecting the good sense of people who feel vindicated of their jealousy find themselves thrilled at the drama of cancelling those who defy convention. I feel that many literary lovers will enjoy contemplating this one too.

'We went out when we weren't supposed to, we were too free, and this - all of this - is our punishment. It has nothing to do with the idea of us becoming dogs, and everything to do with the fact of us being girls'.

I loved this book so much. I can’t wait to read more by the author. But I loved this book too much, I hope the author writes more.
I was hooked by the whole premise and I’m not normally a history fan

The Hounding is a beautifully weird and atmospheric little book, and the debut novel from Xenobe Purvis. I’ve read quite a few debuts this year that have really impressed me, and this one was no exception; I will definitely be reading more from this author! The Hounding tells the story of a strange family, the Mansfields, five sisters who live on their farm with their grandfather. With their grandmother recently passed, both the girls and their grandfather are grieving and learning how to live without her while facing the scrutiny of the increasingly judgmental townsfolk. Strange and violent things begin happening one exceptionally hot summer in the village, and people begin suspecting that the girls are hiding something monstrous. At its core this book is about misogyny, conformity, and feminine rage, and I think Purvis did a fantastic job of portraying the really sinister and pervasive ways men go about persecuting women they deem “unladylike.”

I think the only thing that I would have liked from this book is to get a perspective from the girls themselves. Don’t get me wrong, I COMPLETELY understand the author’s decision to only include perspectives from the (mostly) men around them, it 100% adds to the message of misogyny and moral panic and definitely added to the tension and mystery, but I just loved the girls and found them to be such fun characters. Like I said, that’s definitely just a me thing though and I completely understand that it was a conscious decision not to include their direct perspectives.

Overall, I think this was a weird, unsettling, and atmospheric gothic novel that had some really solid messaging and an intriguing plot. The characters were well developed and felt real (for better or for worse, I definitely wanted to murder Pete on every single page he appeared) and the setting was lush and descriptive. I really enjoyed my time with this one, and I will definitely be checking out more from this author in the future!

The Hounding
Xenobe Purvis
UK release date 26th June

' The old thought returned to him, that he'd rather they were dogs than damaged girls..'

Firstly, the cover. I obviously couldn't resist it. Secondly, a group of girls who allegedly turn into dogs and run rampage.. I couldn't resist that either. And thirdly- this debut novel is written by a fellow Alumni from my old University so I knew I definitely had to read it. And..... I really did enjoy it but probably for different reasons than many others did if im honest.

Set in 18th Century Oxfordshire, where its a man's world and a man's word holds absolute power this is a story about four sisters who evoked fear amongst the men of their little village because they dared to be a little bit different, and they dared not to conform. Described as 'The Crucible meets The Virgin Suicides,' this is a tale about being different, and about being persecuted for being different.

A very hauntingly written mix up of a folk tale meets urban myth, meets fairy tale meets gothic, this book is full of misogyny, feminine rage and a man's need to hold ultimate power over a woman and the lengths he will go to to get this power. It's about superstition, fear, obsession and anger and perfectly highlights how as a human race we ridicule, fear and persecute those who choose to be different. It is dark, quite disturbing, with some upsetting scenes and some scenes that bought out a real feral anger in me I never knew I had. A fairly short read, I loved the writing, really enjoyed the story but I just felt the ending was a bit rushed. However, if you enjoy folk tales with a twist then I think you will love this ..... 🌟🌟🌟

The Hounding tells the story of a family of 5 orphaned girls living with their recently widowed and blind grandfather on the outskirts of a small 18th century Oxfordshire village. It is an unusually hot summer and the rivers are drying up, leaving people anxious about a poor harvest and a hard winter to follow. This is a world where the new sciences must coexist with strong religious beliefs, tradition and ancient superstition and these, along with the relentless heat, join to create a simmering tension as the villagers look for someone to blame. When Pete, the ferryman, claims to have seen the girls change into dogs, rumours abound through the village and grow dangerous.

I loved this book. It is so atmospheric - the heat and the tension are both beautifully depicted and make it feel languorous as well as dangerous, with a fairy tale quality. The mystery that always surrounds the girls is absorbing – it’s never quite clear throughout the book what is actually happening and the doubt it gives us is a wonderful way to evoke the villagers’ own sense of suspicion and fear. The portrayal of time and place is completely convincing and make it easy to see how accusations such as witchcraft came to pass. Rumours and lies spread rapidly, people are quick to believe them especially as the girls don’t behave as it’s believed they should, and they are literally ‘hounded’ for being different and hard to understand.

Although the story is centred around the girls, we never really meet them or hear their thoughts. All their behaviour is seen in scraps from a distance, mainly through the eyes of 4 men – Joseph, their blind grandfather, who can never really see what is happening before him; Thomas, who has come to work on their farm for the harvest; Pete, a drunken ferryman with doubts about his upcoming wedding; and Robin, a sensitive young man who doesn’t really fit into the village’s way of life. I found the glimpses we had of them fascinating – their different characters, the suggestion of something terrible happening to one of them, their development into womanhood – and it was interesting to see how different they appeared depending on whose views were being portrayed.

This is a short book but it really packs a punch with its strange and unsettling atmosphere. Highly, highly recommended.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy in return for an honest review. I’ve put this full review on Goodreads and an abridged version on Waterstones, which I will also add to Amazon on publication day.

A rural village in 18th Century England is convinced five sisters are turning into dogs, in this atmospheric debut. Lyrical and engaging, touching on topics of women’s place in society and class unrest, it captures the infectious mindset of rural England when religion and reality is questioned. However telling the girls’ stories through the villagers rather than their own eyes takes away the immediacy – I’d have loved to see a first person plural narrative. A good debut, I’d be interested to see what the author does next.

What a wonderfully strange and unsettling book. Not really sure what to make of it but can say that I enjoyed reading something so different.

Please see the link for the review.

I have reviewed The Hounding for book recommendation and sales site LoveReading.co.uk. I’ve chosen it as both a Liz Pick of the month, and a LoveReading Star Book.

What an unusual story. Either we were faced with shapeshifters in the 18th century or the whole book was the description of an old man’s dream.
Whichever, we see what can happen when a person is viewed by the masses as ‘different’ - as the five sisters in this story were. Even to the reader, making no judgements, it did feel as if there was something different about them. They didn’t act like ordinary girls. They all came across as a bit wild or maybe they were feral? It’s for you to read and decide.

This had potential.
I could see what it was trying to do but it needed something more.
Maybe a little longer so they could go more into depth in some areas.
Overall it was a decent read.

Utterly bizarre in the best way possible. I adored the 18th century small village setting, I completely tore through this book! The language is truly exquisite, I'm amazed this is a debut. Cannot wait to see what Xenobe Purvis writes next!

The Hounding by Xenobe Purvis is a haunting historical novel set in 18th-century Oxfordshire, where the five Mansfield sisters become the focus of suspicion and fear in the village of Little Nettlebed. As strange events unfold and rumours of the sisters transforming into dogs spread, the community's paranoia escalates, leading to a chilling exploration of hysteria, otherness, and the consequences of defying societal norms.

The setting is one of its strongest elements; the atmospheric, rural 18th-century Oxfordshire backdrop gives the story a haunting, eerie quality that suits the slow-building folklore vibe. You can almost feel the fog, the isolation, and the tense suspicion simmering beneath the surface.

The writing style is lyrical which adds to the gothic tone, although at times it can feel a little overwrought. The narrative takes its time unfolding, which might frustrate readers looking for a punchier pace, but it does allow the creeping paranoia to settle in gradually. There is also something fascinating about how the novel explores hysteria and fear of the ‘other’. It does not always land perfectly, but it raises thought-provoking questions.

Overall, it is a decent read if you are in the mood for something a bit strange and atmospheric, but it may not stick with you the way other gothic or historical novels do.

An unconventional tale, set in 18th century Oxfordshire, 'The Hounding' draws the reader into the surreal and feral world of the Mansfield sisters. One stifling summer, witch hunts not far in the past, the five girls are accused of transforming into a pack of dogs.

A swift, sharp, biting look at girlhood, 'The Hounding’s characterisation is visceral and evocative, with plenty of complex and multi-layered interactions. However, the real strength is the atmosphere. Purvis has created a glorious shimmering heat mirage of a novel in which nothing is quite what it seems and only one thing remains true: it is dangerous to be a dog, but even more dangerous to be a girl.

I really struggled with this read. I loved the scene-setting in the first few pages, and it had tonnes of potential with gothic themes - I think I was expecting more of a thriller or more of *something* but this felt neither here nor there. Not much seemed to happen in the book and I got very lost with too many characters, none of them very developed.

The thing I found the most tricky was the writing style. It almost felt like I was reading a classic, the language used was too much for me and it felt like a slog. I almost DNFed a number of times because I simply wasn’t enjoying the reading experience.

In terms of the storyline, despite being such a short read it still felt too long for what actually happened. Things did pick up slightly towards the end, but this just wasn’t the book for me unfortunately.

Right, I think I may be in the minority here but this was not the read I was expecting. You guys know I love weird books and the blurb sounded right up my street, but I just felt a little flat after finishing.

In Little Nettlebed the Mansfield sisters are the talk of the town; they’re mysterious, parentless and not exactly welcomed by the other residents. When a bad encounter with the ferryman Pete takes place, a vicious rumour starts and people become even more untrusting of the Mansfield sisters.

I can definitely see what the author has tried to do here. The women in this book are not treated as equals, and we see this particularly in the barmaid Temperance. Also portraying how a rumour started by a man can have such a profound effect on a small town, and the Mansfield sisters falling victims to this. The issue for me was that none of the story felt it had much depth. I didn’t feel myself caring for any of the characters and the “mystery” was kind of confirmed within the first half of the book. Maybe I’ve missed something here but I was expecting to be screaming WTF for most of the book.

I really hate not raving about a book pre publication but like to keep it real over here and this one just didn’t live up to expectations.

Huge thanks to the publisher for this early copy x

Dnf really early on, just not for me, but thank you for the gifted arc. The writing style just didn't work in my brain.