Literary horror set in Canada

Submitted: 8th April 2024

Grey Dog – Elliott Gish

This novel struck me as different and unusual – literary horror set in a fictional Canadian village – Lowry Bridge. A woman goes there to escape her past and soon finds out that she hasn’t come without any baggage. Some things have followed her here…

Map of locations in Grey Dog

BOARDING PASS INFORMATION

Destination : Canada

Author guide: Elliott Gish

Genre: literary horror

Food and drink to accompany: nothing. You need your full attention on what’s around you

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A novel to transport you to a small Canadian village

Map of locations in Grey Dog

There are some wonderfully unique novels coming out of Canada at the moment and this is one of them! The cover got me first of all – that two headed animal – what was that all about? The half deer, half dog creature. Well, that got my attention.

I wasn’t sure if literary horror was my thing going into this. I haven’t read a lot of horror and wouldn’t read any at night (my dreams are just too vivid for their own good!) This is a very interesting and exciting read however. A slow burn, but this is vital to build up Ada’s world. Ada is around 30 and lives in 1901. She arrives at a town called Lowry Bridge – separated by a bridge that keeps the bad side from the good. Ada teaches and lives with a very religious couple.

I enjoyed meeting Ada and getting to grips with her world. There is a lot that is strange around her town and at first, she seems to enjoy getting to know people and discovering her new home. However, there is that sense of unease from the off. You just know something is around the corner!

Map of locations in Grey Dog

By the time Ada starts to see strange things and hear strange sounds, I think I was too. As I said, I have a very vivid imagination and this book was a trampoline for all manner of thoughts and a sense of foreboding. The two sides of the town – good and bad – that was a nice touch. And when Ada starts to question things and no one believes or listens to her.

I started to wonder just who Ada was and what she was doing in Lowry Bridge. Could she really see and hear things? What happens when everyone thinks you are the mad one in their town? This was a novel that led me by the hand but I was blindfolded and constantly surprised at the route it took. What a premise and a style for a horror!

Ada was a fine, richly drawn and compelling character. Ooh this book just twisted my mind! So much in here – political and religious themes, history, women’s role in society and gothic, fables from the past.

On this basis of this book ( a debut) I really want to see what the author does next!