Eerie ... I thought it was really interesting that we never get the girls’ perspectives — if not a little obvious as to the messaging of the book, which is that their perspectives are consistently ignored ... Sometimes, Purvis is a little too on the nose ... If you’re looking for a novel that addresses the unfairness of being a girl and how being a wild animal is almost preferable, with interesting perspectives from the villagers, a little spooky atmosphere and an ambiguous ending, this is the book for you.
Purvis, whose prose style is clipped and flinty, keeps a shrewd distance from the sisters, refusing to conclusively dispel the claims of their metamorphoses ... Irony that Ms. Purvis hammers home perhaps too forcefully. But she is excellent at evoking the fear of the unknown and the lure of the mob.
Inspired if undercooked ... The story alludes to modern-day paranoia and scapegoating without offering significant surprises or memorable insights, but it sustains an eerie vibe, and Purvis depicts the disturbing sisters and bucolic setting in sensual prose. Neo-gothic diehards will find enough to enjoy.
