Bookseller Reviews
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A Modern English Folk Story
Deeply moving, yet strangely disturbing, Andrew Michael Hurley's third novel, Starve Acre, establishes him at the forefront of a growing sub genre in liter... READ MORE
A gorgeously written gothic novella
I became a fan of Andrew Michael Hurley after reading his first book, 'The Loney'. His writing is always beautiful, precise, with an exquisite attention to... READ MORE
Folklore laid out in decaying prints, facts blurring with hysteria, a tale of grief with gothic edginess
A boy, a dead hare, a hanging tree;
Barren land, dead boy, a hare;
Buried tree, buried history, a hare.
Grief - first for the boy who failed to thrive,
th... READ MORE
Terrifically bleak northern gothic.
Determinedly grim & resolutely malevolent, 'Starve Acre' is a wonderful addition to Michael Hurley's developing suite of northern gothic fiction. Hurley di... READ MORE
Stunningly sinister
At last, a really creepy read for autumn 2019!
The Willoughbys have just lost their only son, Ethan. Trapped in the remote wilderness of Starve Acre, the... READ MORE
Deliciously Unsettling
Eerie and uncomfortable, this is a cleverly put-together novel. We slowly learn more about Juliette, Richard and their son, and as the story unfolds it bec... READ MORE
A truly great 3rd novel
I love Hurley's writing. He's up there with Shirley Jackson as a writer of subtext, someone who manages to write just enough to make you feel uncomfortable... READ MORE
Best Paperback of 2020
A fantastic hybrid of gorgeous English Pastoral and folkloric nightmares - Starve Acre is a story of what you might dig up if you go looking under the eart... READ MORE
Disturbing but beautiful
I was in the mood for a read that was a bit of a spine-tingler and this sounded like it would be just right.
It's about a grieving couple whose son has di... READ MORE
Folk Horror & Grief
A folkloric, uncanny look at the presences and absences that haunt our lives in grief. Beautiful evocations of landscape and shifting weather. For fans of ... READ MORE
Chilling until the very end...
I received a review copy from the publisher in exchange for an impartial review.
This book was disturbingly addictive. Juliette and Richard move into the... READ MORE
Ghost story with a surprise ending
Family lose a young lad as he had a heart condition,the mother is taking it very badly.They moved into their parents house on the edge the moors that has t... READ MORE
Synopsis
Waterstones Fiction Book of the Month for November 2020
The worst thing possible has happened. Richard and Juliette Willoughby's son, Ewan, has died suddenly at the age of five. Starve Acre, their house by the moors, was to be full of life, but is now a haunted place.
Juliette, convinced Ewan still lives there in some form, seeks the help of the Beacons, a seemingly benevolent group of occultists. Richard, to try and keep the boy out of his mind, has turned his attention to the field opposite the house, where he patiently digs the barren dirt in search of a legendary oak tree.
Starve Acre is a devastating new novel by the author of the prize-winning bestseller The Loney. It is a novel about the way in which grief splits the world in two and how, in searching for hope, we can so easily unearth horror.
A BBC Radio 4 Book at Bedtime
Publisher information
- Publisher: John Murray Press
- ISBN: 9781529387308
- Number of pages: 256
- Dimensions: 196 x 128 x 18 mm
- Weight: 180g
- Languages: English
Customer Reviews
View allDeliciously gothic and beautifully written
Richard and Juliette are grieving the loss of their five year old son, Ewan, at Starve Acre, their inherited home in a rural English village. Richard has t... READ MORE
Read with the lights on
Until I read some reviews of this book I had never heard of the folk horror genre, but that sums up this tale well. An unsettling combination of folk lore,... READ MORE
Folk horror at its finest...seriously chilling
“Everything is buried for a reason’ - from the back cover of the original ‘Starve Acre’ novella.
My thanks to John Murray Press for an eARC via NetGalley ... READ MORE
Atmospheric and very unsettling
Andrew Michael Hurley is an author I have come to admire very much. He uses the wild rugged unpredictable Lancastrian coast (The Loney) and the beautiful d... READ MORE
Couldn't get into it
I was initially really excited about winning a copy of this book for two reasons. The first, I am a horror genre fan, and second, the synopsis sounded real... READ MORE
Halloween Read done to perfection
I really was not expecting to love this book as much as I did. It came at a time of the year when spooky and haunting tales are welcome along with Hallowee... READ MORE
A haunting and gothic tale
Starve Acre tells the story of Richard and Juliette, a couple who have moved with their 5 year old son Ewan, to the Yorkshire Dales. When Ewan dies unexpe... READ MORE
The Barren Earth
It took me a little while to actually get in to the book as, initially, the words overpower the story. The language and sentence construction I found to b... READ MORE
Creepy
It was the cover of this book "starve acre" that pulled me in. Just from the cover I thought this would be a horror the description even further confirms m... READ MORE
Mixed feelings
Starve Acre follows the story of the Willoughbys who are struggling to cope after the death of their son. We know from the start that Ewan has died but don... READ MORE
Disturbing
Oh my! I found this one very disturbing! Wasnt my cup of tea but nonetheless I did enjoy it.
I felt so bad for Richard! I felt like he didnt really know w... READ MORE
Dark tale
Starve Acre tells a story of a family that loses their child. The story moves from now which is 6 months after the boy died and different times in the past... READ MORE
Chilling
I do not normally read this type of book but I ended up enjoying immensley. The story is centered around two parents, Richard and Juliette, who are learnin... READ MORE
Two Words
Unadulterated tosh.
Starve Acre is an unsettling, honest and haunting read
I'll just start by highlighting the stunning artwork of this hardback copy. The image of an old tree that has a rope tied into a loose noose hanging from o... READ MORE
Amazing!
Beautifully written, beginning with poetic descriptions of nature I wasn't sure what to expect from 'Starve Acre'. I was certainly not disappointed by the ... READ MORE
Slow and Delicious
This was a short read. A creepy horror type read. Not an in your face horror; the boogyman is always just out of sight. Richard and Juliette live in a hous... READ MORE
Recommended Read
I really enjoyed 'The Lonely' and 'Devil's Day' by Andrew Michael Hurley so it came as no surprise that this was a winner for me as well.
Hurley's books ar... READ MORE
Atmospheric
This book tells the story of Richard and Juliette Willoughby. Their son Ewan died at just five years old and the couple are having a hard time coming to te... READ MORE
Slow and Delicious
This was a short read. A creepy horror type read. Not an in your face horror; the boogyman is always just out of sight. Richard and Juliette live in a hous... READ MORE
Unsettling in the best way
Eerie, isolated, the rural setting of Starve Acre manages to unsettle readers with its unsettled, potentially supernatural tone. Told through the present-d... READ MORE
Wonderfully creepy and atmospheric!
“He says my name sometimes. Tells me to come to the tree.”
Richard and Juliette Willoughby are grieving after the death of their five-year-old son, Ewan, ... READ MORE
A growing sense of unease permeates in a compelling & atmospheric tale of grief and the surreal.
As someone who would normally give a wide berth to a horror story and the unexplainable I certainly did not expect to be mesmerised by Starve Acre, however... READ MORE
Beautiful style of writing
For me, the story was the least important part. I think this author could write a shopping list and make it interesting because of the beautiful way he use... READ MORE
Slow and Delicious.
This was a short read. A creepy horror type read. Not an in your face horror; the boogyman is always just out of sight. Richard and Juliette live in a hous... READ MORE
Compelling, chilling and quality modern gothic writing
From the opening I was completely absorbed by the chilling winter air that sets the tone of the book. It felt like the type of read to sit under a blanket ... READ MORE
Atmospheric
A young couple have lost their son and thought grieving they are losing each other and just cannot communicate anymore.
Juliette still believes their son E... READ MORE
Starve Acre
I have enjoyed Andrew Michael Hurley's previous books very much but he has surpassed himself with Starve Acre. This is a dark and suturing read that gives ... READ MORE
Brilliant!!!
The Loney was one of my favourite books the year it was published & I also enjoyed Devil's Day, so I was really excited to get hold of another of Andrew Mi... READ MORE
Atmospheric
‘Starve Acre’ is one of those books that I will remember for a while to come. From the first page I was gripped. The book felt spooky and claustrophobic, ... READ MORE
Didn't quite get it
This isn't my usual genre of book but I read the first impression and was really keen to find out what happened next. The book is certainly gripping as I r... READ MORE
A tale of superstition, folklore and legend, in a dark and unsettling world.
Atmospheric, full of menace and with disturbing images this is a tale of superstition, folklore and legend, in a dark and unsettling world.
Richard and J... READ MORE
A growing sense of unease permeates in a compelling & atmospheric tale of grief and the surreal.
As someone who would normally give a wide berth to a horror story and the unexplainable I certainly did not expect to be mesmerised by Starve Acre, however... READ MORE
Not bad
Not bad
Dark & psychological
Firstly, let me just say that the jacket imagery is spectacular. I love the idea of the focal point of the story being in the spotlight and this really ma... READ MORE
A wonderfully creepy tale.
Prepare for a tense, rather scary read!
Starve Acre was a novel that had me wondering whether I’d picked up the right book. I thought I’d chosen a book abo... READ MORE
Haunting
The perfect spooky story for a winter’s night. Short and chilling this is one of the best horror story I’ve read in years.
Sent shivers down my spine
The stark cover is very eye catching although gives little away, that said the cover certainly fits the tone of this book which is dark and haunting. The o... READ MORE
Could have been better!
Given this is a Novella I could have read this a lot quicker, but I struggled a little with this.
Having taking the time to read other reviews, a lot foun... READ MORE
I loved it
This book was incredible, it was sad but intriguing and a little bit dark, it shows the battle against grief of two parents and how they both try and deal ... READ MORE
Creepy story linking grief and folklore
I don'y usually like scary stories but this absorbed me through two days although I wasn't brave enough to read it at night. The setting on the border of t... READ MORE
Dont know where it left me.
Not my genre, but was interested in the initial booksellers reviews, so gave it a go.
On the plus side, the prose was very good, making this easy to fin... READ MORE
A , B MOVIE OF A BOOK : contains Spoilers:
Well it's better than " THE LONEY " just , ...HURLEY writes characters well , especially annoying Women , but just when you think at the start " ok this ... READ MORE
Haunting and Beautiful
The book is about Richard and Juliette, trying to get on with their lives after the sudden death of their five year old son, Ewan, a problem and complex ch... READ MORE
Perfect Autumn Reading
I was drawn to this book by the somber but beautiful artwork on the cover. I hadn’t yet read anything by this author but having discovered Starve Acre, I’m... READ MORE
Uncanny Happenings - I loved it!
I am a fan of the darker side of literature, particularly folk horror and magic realism and Starve Acre did not disappoint! The first chapter drew me in st... READ MORE
Perfectly Chilling
When the death of their son happens to quickly for them to wrap their heads around, Richard and Juliette have to suddenly deal with the after effects of cr... READ MORE
2 BOTTLES OF WINE
It’s got the basics of an idea , as has the OTHER RUBBISH “ THE LONEY “ but in my view , Don’t bother this and that other nonsense , THE LONEY isn’t wor... READ MORE
Slow Atmospheric Read
This book is described as a gothic horror and I had high expectations for it.
It’s starts with an introduction to Richard and Juillete who are trying to g... READ MORE
Thrilling and Sad
This is a brilliant read.
Wonderful well written plot and story line that had me engaged from the start.
Love the well fleshed out characters and found the... READ MORE
Lovely cover
I love the cover design but was disappointed that it didn't come with the sprayed edges as were shown in the photographs for the item.
Disturbing, sad and haunting.
Starve Acre, the house which Richard and Juliette inherited when Richard’s mother died, lies in a wild area of the Yorkshire Dales with Stythwaite, the nea... READ MORE
Not my cup of tea
I love creepy stuff and horror novels but this just didn't do it for me.
All the pagan and folklore themes and references wasn't my kind of thing in a nove... READ MORE
This is a really strange book
I wasn't exactly blown away by it, to me it was just okay. Apart from the ending, I didn't find any of it exactly surprising or chilling. I'm not a huge fa... READ MORE
A Creeping Folkloric Nightmare
Richard and Juliette have lost their only son, Ewan, and neither of them knows how to cope. Starve Acre, the family house that had begun to feel home is no... READ MORE
Very strange...
This was such a strange novel, a blend of horror folklore and myth and the supernatural.
Richard and Juliette have tragically lost their young son Ewan but... READ MORE
Great fantasy story
Looking at the cover this isn’t the type of book I would choose, however I was hooked from the beginning. The story of what happens to Ewan which doesn’t b... READ MORE
ONLY THE LONEY , OR STARVE THE LONEY , OR ACRE FOR AN ENDING
Add the two together , you may get a half decent story but with no ending , to speak off , IE make Andrew from the LONEY grow up to be Richard in Starve ... READ MORE
Darkly disturbing
Juliette Willoughby and her husband Richard are both grieving for their son, Ewan, who died at just five years old but their grief takes very different for... READ MORE
It was okay
So this books had the potential to be better than I thought. It was good in some places but I struggled to get into others. I think a second read would hop... READ MORE
Absolutely loved it!
Having really enjoyed The Loney and Devils Day I was really pleased to read this and I was not disappointed. From the opening sentences with the beautiful ... READ MORE
Excellent folk horror
Andrew Michael Hurley has been the main author behind the resurgence in the folk horror genre and has been perfecting his style from The Loney to Devil's D... READ MORE
Didn’t find it chilling
Was recommended this and the person was so excited about it but it didn’t hit the spot for me at all. It was more strange than chilling, an interesting rea... READ MORE
A horror folklore novel that will leave you feeling replete!
Being (1) a lover of horror | fantasy | folklore, and (2) British, it was unequivocally going to be the case that I would waste no time in buying and diges... READ MORE
Astonishing
From the opening descriptions until the very end, I was gripped.
It’s been a while since I’ve read descriptions so well written and captivating. Being fro... READ MORE
Left with an open Maw
Never have I read a book with such beautiful language. Characters you love to hate everyone of them a total horror in their own way.
Still think of this... READ MORE
Odd
This was a bit of a strange one, I'm in two minds over how I feel about this? I don't normally read this type of book so I guess I wasn't wholly comfortabl... READ MORE
Brilliant!
After reading The Loney and Devils Day I was thrilled to be given a chance to read Starve Acre. I wasn't disappointed. Andre Michael Hurleys books are so a... READ MORE
A very dark and chilling read!
Very dark! From the wonderfully evocative title to the disturbing final paragraph, this is a chilling read. Richard and Juliette move into their newly inhe... READ MORE
Does not disappoint
Devoured this book in one sitting. It's incredibly well written, drawing you into the story and wondering what will happen next. Slowly the picture builds ... READ MORE
Ghostly and haunting
A very creepy, chilling read; five year old Ewan dies suddenly and his parents are plunged into grief. When "The Beacons" arrive, they bring hope and solac... READ MORE
Folk Horror Done Right
A book in my "to read" pile for far too long. Devoured in 2 days!
Haunting, addictive and beautifully written.
A fast paced and deliciously disturbing read!
'Death had been to Starve Acre and that was the way of it sometimes'
Such a fast paced and page turning story!
This wasn't too creepy or disgusting. Due... READ MORE