Dark and alluring, Katie Lowe's debut is a sensory buffet of beautifully gritty prose ... [Lowe's] lush descriptions of characters and settings give the increasingly horrifying scenes an addictive quality as Violet and her friends spiral deeper into their own sense of power and twisted morality ... a contemporary horror story that harnesses the real-world frustration and anger of generations of women who find themselves overlooked, underestimated and often abused. The most impressive part of Lowe's story, however, is not the vast spread of history she includes or the increasingly violent and destructive path of her protagonist or her vivid, imagery-rich prose. It is that even as readers will judge Violet and her friends harshly, they will also, at least at times, find them strangely, intimately relatable. With the #metoo movement headlining the news and feminist empowerment at the forefront of conversation in the United States, this story of strong, angry women is well-timed. Contemporary themes of friendship, empowerment and surviving trauma are interwoven with magic, sacred rites and vengeance, making The Furies a dark and intoxicating page turner that will speak to many.
Lowe’s dark, suspenseful debut combines the teenage sisterhood of The Craft and Emma Cline’s The Girls (2016) with the violent schoolyard vengeance of Heathers. Poetic, lurid prose captures the girls’ teenage self-possession, while a heady swirl of adolescent hormones, drugs, and alcohol adds a layer of distortion to the plot. The pacing swings between languid and rapid fire, adding to the off-balance feel of Elm Hollow. Fans of Greer Macallister, Paula Hawkins, and Janelle Brown will devour Violet’s journey.
Drugs, sex, magic, and murder infuse this quick-paced read that will entertain teen and adult readers alike, weaving multiple layers of deception. While the characters are not quite fully developed, the relationship dynamics help form a solid story.
... a dark and dramatic coming-of-age tale fueled by sorrow, loss, anger, uncertainty and revenge ... This is no happy ending adolescent drama. Lowe never lets her readers or her characters relax or feel totally at ease. Threats loom large on every page ... Lowe’s novel is gothic in its details and baroque in its style. With Violet as the narrator, the book is emotional, dense, emotionally fraught, jumpy and at times overwritten. It is replete with literary and artistic allusions and references, and Lowe uses them wisely to connect ideas, though the plot itself is not as tightly knit as it could be ... From the boarding school setting to the teenage destruction to the fierce female magic, there is not a lot that is totally unique here. Still, as far as moody teen suspense goes, The Furies will satisfy many readers with its girl power gone terribly awry.
Dark woods, dead flowers, candles, a church graveyard, knives, a stolen vial of deadly nightshade, and other well-chosen details weave a subtle, persistent, and unmistakable creepiness into Violet's story ... Murder and witchcraft mix with a heady cocktail of drugs, booze, and revenge in this elegant, pitch-perfect coming-of-age story.
... powerful and atmospheric ... Lowe’s sinuous prose weaves a disturbing tale of friendship, obsession, and revenge, and readers must decide whether Violet is a trustworthy narrator. Those who thrill to dark coming-of-age tales with a dash of the uncanny will find much to enjoy.
