In eighteenth century England, five young sisters brought up by their grandparents are mourning the loss of their grandmother. The villagers find them strange, and one villager in particular, ferryman Pete Darling, is offended by their independence and disdain of him. He's prone to visions (probably due to drunkenness) and begins to say that he's seen the girls turn into dogs. Over a long, hot summer, events escalate and tragedy ensues.
This was one of those stories that has a feyness and other-worldiness about it that is never resolved - you can believe the girls can turn into dogs, or you can see it as an allegory for their response to the way they are looked on with superstition and fear by simple villagers. Even the most doughty and sensible of them - Temperance, the publican's wife; Robin, the farm lad; Thomas, their grandfather's righthand man; and their grandfather himself, do not know what to make of the girls.
The story definitely has an air of The Virgin Suicides, with the girls observed through others' eyes - the reader never actually gets an insight into their own thoughts, adding to the air of mystique which pervades the narrative.
A thought-provoking and engaging story, this leaves us questioning once again the role of the patriarchy in keeping women in their place, and reminds us that - thankfully - it is not always possible. Though women will always pay the price for their independence.
I was particularly struck by the title. The Hounding may suggest the girls' metamorphoses into dogs, but equally it suggests a witch hunt, with all the menace and danger that ensues for innocenet people who dare to be different from the their neighbours.

A story surrounding the mysteries and lives of the folk in a small village, Little Nettlebed Oxfordshire, in the 18th century, particularly Pete Darling, the ferryman, pub landlady Temperance, young local lads Richard and Robin, Thomas the new farmhand, and the five Mansfield sisters, orphans living with their grandfather Joseph on his farm. Told from the perspectives of these villagers, stories abound over the way the girls conduct themselves and they come under close scrutiny. When strange events start happening everyone is on high alert. With the witch trials in the not so distant past, some have long memories.

From the blurb this sounded a such a good read, and the opening chapters certainly backed this up. The isolation of the area, plus the lives of the villagers was well written, with the beliefs of the time very much at the core of the book. Oppressive and suffocating, life in a small community means everyone has an opinion and tall tales soon spread as gospel.

Well written and atmospheric, this should have been a captivating read, but I needed more depth of characters rather than so many POV.

A good debut.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House UK, Cornerstone.

I really like this book a lot. It The setting of it and the premise isn't completely original, young women hundreds of years ago being mistrusted because they are a little unusual, confident, assertive, independent etc, and the local people or officials set out to 'hound' them. In this case though, you never quite know the real truth of the matter and whether the 5 girls involved are actually turning into vicious dogs at will, or it's just a nasty rumour. It's a time of rumour, superstition, hallucination and unmet and misunderstood desires, festering in the heat of an English summer, where it's clear that someone will die by the end once events reach their climax. The 5 girls have been brought up by their grandmother after their mother died in childbirth and the asides are interesting in this area of female experience. There's a funeral of a woman who died in childbirth described in detail, that really struck me, where the pallbearers forced to carry the coffin are all pregnant women themselves, one sobbing, as a reminder of what their fate might be. I assumed that this was a documented piece of research that went into the scene, but whether it was or not, it's entirely believable that it happened and that's partly due to the careful, spare description, never overblown or cliched, which convinces the reader. It was a good read, and I wanted to know what happened eventually to the 5 girls, I wanted more...

3.5 ⭐

I think we've all read this book before, young females, doesn't conform to the norm, so probably something wrong with her.
Surprisingly this time it's not a witch though, but a dog.
The five sisters are accused of turning into dogs.
Small village life has a lot to answer for where rumours getting out of hand are concerned.
A good multiple pov story, that did have me wondering a few time, who was telling the truth.

An interesting read, told from multiple perspectives, there is a haunting quality to the story which lasts long after reading. You never quite know what is just rumour and what is reality, but it certainly conveys the isolation of rural life, and the dangers which women were exposed to through gossip. Quite a quick read, with no unnecessary padding. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in return for an honest review of the book.

The Hounding follows the five Mansfield sisters through the perspectives of the villagers of Little Nettlebed. The sisters took the death of their grandmother hard and all the villagers think the girls are odd and dangerous. A strange rumour is spread around the village that the sisters have been seen turning into dogs. The witch trials left a mark on the village and the villagers believe something strange is taking place in Little Nettlebed.

The atmosphere was well done in this book and I could feel the village vibes. I think this had a lot to say in regard to the way women were treated in this time period. The story was easy to follow and this was a good read. I would recommend this book for people who enjoy books with uncanny vibes.

"The Hounding" by Xenobe Purvis is a short but hauntingly beautiful book about 5 sisters who are accused of turning into dogs. Set in Oxfordshire in the 18th Century, the Witch Trials are supposed to be a thing of the past but are these girls being set up? Told from multiple points of view, I am unsure who is a reliable narrator. I think this book will stick with me for a while.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

The Hounding follows 5 perspectives from a small English town, all with very different backgrounds and ages. The main focus of this story is the 5 Mansfield sisters who the town slowly believe are turning into dogs.

What I loved about this is how different the perspectives were. Each character is really distinguishable and has very different ideas of what is happening in the town. The dialogue is very believable as well.

This gave me We Have Always Lived in the Castle vibes, and I enjoyed this a lot more!

The only downside was the ending as this felt a little rushed and I would have liked some of the characters to have a bit more closure. But all in all, I really enjoyed this and would recommend!

What a great read! I was completely taken with this book, The story flows along like the 18th Century village that it depicts, The characters sit so comfortably within the plot that you feel that you know them. The Mansfield Sisters are odd! but are they dangerous? Pete the ferry man ( its only a small punt across the river Thames in Oxfordshire) is a complex troubled character who through drink and jealousy is the root of the sisters troubles as he stirs up doubts and fears in the hot relentless summer days that slowly reduce the rivers flow. giving him more time to drink and spread rumours in this troubled tale.
This is a standout read, beautifully written My only regret is that now I have read this book I cannot discover the characters and place for the first time!!

I would like to Thank the author Xenobe Purvis, Publishers Random House Cornerstone and Netgalley for this ARC copy in exchange for my honest views

I thought it was really interesting way of having the story unfold from the perspective of multiple villagers with different motivations. The ending was superb.

The Hounding is the perfect winter read! I've so enjoyed this dark, brooding, strange story of five sisters - Anne, Elizabeth, Hester, Grace and Mary - orphans living with their elderly, blind grandfather. The sisters become the subjects of unsettling rumours, and strange secrets, and as the novel unfolds unearthly things seem to happen. Fear sweeps through the girls' village, fuelled by misogyny and fear and ignorance. The fate of the sisters hangs in the balance, resulting in a tense, quietly thrilling reading experience. It made me think about how the world has historically viewed women, especially certain women who don't comply with the usual order of things, as somehow threatening, and how this needs to change. I will certainly read more by this author.

The Mansfield sisters are for sure a force to be reckoned with. Anne, Elizabeth, Hester, Grace and Mary see no need to conform to expectations of behaviour outside of their home, the girls all in mourning remain dressed in black, a shadow in the periphery. There is fear in the unknown and what a perfect demonstration.

The narrative brings multiple POVs from the residents of Little Nettlebed, and you gradually come to know the girls through glimpses and fleeting interactions, rumours and gossip. This of course as well as the residents themselves: there’s the men, then there’s Temperance. Like her namesake, the embodiment of moderation and reason, an ally in a swarming mob.

The sisters each have their own remarkable personalities. Anne is the one most people talk about. Anne resembles the motherly force in the household. As the eldest sister, she has a bewitching effect on so many, with men often ending up treating her (and any sisters in her company) in a rude, demeaning and aggressive manner in response to a perceived ominous force. (How dare a woman have any power/influence/impression over a man.) That is until Thomas comes to understand her beauty - after all it appears it is not something you notice, but something you come to learn.

This is a tale of the relentless pursuit of the Mansfield sisters, from a man’s word, in light of a sighting, a rumour entrenched in the unholy, that is sure to send a shiver. A tale where it is better to be a hound than an unwell woman.

I cannot express how much I loved so many parts to this book, I could keep going on and on, I’m trying to restrain myself so you all actually read this far.

Thank you to NetGalley for the eARC - what an absolute treat this was! I absolutely recommend you all read this.

The Hounding is an electrifying debut that grips you by the throat and doesn’t let go until the final page. Xenobe Purvis masterfully weaves a tale of mystery and psychological tension, creating an atmosphere so thick with dread you could cut it with a knife.

The protagonist is hauntingly relatable, caught between the sinister pull of the past and the chilling realities of the present. Purvis’ prose is razor-sharp, vivid, and evocative, painting a world that’s as eerie as it is immersive. Every twist and turn is meticulously crafted, keeping you on edge and guessing until the jaw-dropping conclusion.

This book isn’t just a thriller, it’s a deeply unsettling exploration of guilt, obsession, and the lengths to which we go to protect our secrets. The Hounding will stay with me for a long time. A true gem of modern suspense.

Told via multiple POVs, and reminiscent of Virgin Suicides, this is the story of Mansfield sisters, who are too much for their small village men.
The themes and the concept/premise are interesting. Purvis’ craft is great, especially considering this is a debut novel.
As for the plot and characterisation, I wanted more focus, clarification and exploration. I understand that how the society perceives these young women was the main point, however when we have multiple POVs, the focus shifts at times.
3.5 stars.

I did enjoy this novel but wanted more. I felt the ending came abruptly and it could've benefited from being longer and more detailed. For example, I felt like the sisters themselves had very little character development and remained distant to the reader - I found myself more interested in the lives and relationships of other characters such as Robin and Richard, Temperance and John, and Thomas and his brothers/family. I found the repeated refrain that it was preferable that the girls to be dogs than 'disobedient' females to be heavy-handed and over-egged - one would hope the reader could make that inference for themselves.

The Hounding tells the story of five sisters living in a village who are accused of turning into dogs. It's told from the perspective of the people around them including their grandfather, the pub landlady, and the ferryman. I can see the comparison to the virgins suicides with this framing, and the crucible with the mass hysteria that can get whipped up when conditions are right. Overall I enjoyed it, even if I would have enjoyed seeing the perspective of the sisters themselves.

Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for an e-ARC of this book!

This is an eery novel set in the small village of Little Nettlebed in 18th century Britain. We follow a family of five young sisters living alone with their blind grandfather, having recently lost their grandmother, and the villagers around them spreading rumours that something is not as it seems with these girls.

The notion that these girls can turn into dogs originates from the drunk and unreliable town ferryman who glimpses something strange in the distance and is then fuelled on over time by other accounts. We watch as the townspeople (men), begin to conspire together that despite the hardship these sisters have experienced there is an unexplained weirdness that they will not let go. In no time a group of sisters is transformed within the imaginations of these townsfolk from innocent young girls to a pack of wild dogs.

It is never truly revealed as to whether these sisters are truly turning into dogs, and I don’t think we need to know. It would have been nice to have more material from the perspective of the sisters, to see their dynamics and the feminine urges and rages they must be experiencing as the refuse to back down from the villagers accusing them.

Themes of group conformity, misogyny, prejudice, and patriarchal suffering.

Overall, a really enjoyable read, I would say it is a mix between The Virgin Suicides and Lapvona. Definitely recommend, a fantastic debut.

FAVOURITE QUOTES:
“She thought about what they all went through each day: the great, gruelling trial of being a woman in a world governed by men. How painful it was, and how humiliating.”

“The old thought returned to him, that he’d rather they were dogs than damaged girls. He’d rather they were free than confined by him.”

I can’t believe this is a debut! The writing was mesmerising and haunting, Purvis managed to capture the essence of summer and the stifling heat so well. I really enjoyed the switch in narrators and the unreliability of it all. As readers we never truly know if someone is perceiving something as true, we’re just as lost as the villagers. The sisters, their grandfather and the other characters were such vivid people that this felt like a movie playing in my head. Dizzying and addictive this was a fantastic story with such an interesting premise.

This book is a masterpiece. A hauntingly beautiful story of superstition and how it is rooted in misogyny. Set in an 18th century small village on the River Thames, the book tells the story of 5 sisters after the loss of their parents and grandmother through the viewpoints of different people within the village. The girls are suspected of changing into dogs and terrorising the town, stemming from accusations by the deeply chauvinistic ferryman. A reflection on how women are expected to fit into prescribed gender roles, and how society falls to pieces when they don’t. I loved it.

‘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 us becoming dogs, and everything to do with the fact of us being girls.’

In eighteenth-century Oxfordshire, in the oppressive heat a neurosis is strife in Little Nettlebed concerning five sisters: Anne, Elizabeth, Hester, Grace, and Mary live in a nice home on the outskirts of the village plagued by the recent death of their grandmother and matriarch as their parents are dead. Despite their significant loss, people in the village find the girls sense of connection with one another and unconventionality gives the locals plenty to gossip about. Joseph, the girls’ grandfather is a sweet, yet old man, struggling with the decline of his sight whilst trying to raise the girls and keep his property in order with the help of maids and a new farmhand Thomas. One of the main complainants of the girls’ behaviour and strangeness is started by Pete Darling, a ferryman who works transporting villagers from one side of town to the other, and his religious fanaticism seeds a evil belief of why the Mansfield girls are strange. A fascinating and fast pace reflection on the strangeness of women, and ultimately the strangeness of how mere girls being unconventional threatens society itself.