I’ve accidently chosen a few Roanoke books lately, and I’ve enjoyed reading the very different ways the authors have chosen to explain what happened. In The Curse That Binds Us, the explanation is quite evil…
The story is told through three perspectives: Redd, John, and Elinor. Redd is a teen with a mom who has odd, overbearing rules and is constantly running from a creepy box that shows up every year on Redd’s birthday. John is a mysterious teen who shows up in Redd’s life with a goal of bringing Redd back to his hometown. Then there is Elinor. Her story is the historical view of what happened at Roanoke. These three characters’ stories intertwine in such a surprising, interesting, and terrifying way.
I really enjoyed the way this entire story unfolded. It was dark and creepy at times. There are wooden masks that come to life, hell hounds that create havoc, and decisions that cost people their lives. There was a lot of world building needed, and the author did a great job of bringing everything to life.
Overall, I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys historical fiction mixed with fantasy.
Trigger warning:
Child death on the page. Child abduction on and off page.
Where to Find This Book:
Some curses can’t be outrun.
The secret to Redd’s past is locked away in a 400-year-old box that mysteriously appears every year on her birthday. For her entire life, her mother has kept them running from whatever lurks inside it. But Redd’s had enough of not knowing who she is. So when the box shows up where only she can find it, she opens it…and awakens a link to the evil her mother fought to keep dormant.
John lives in an old-fashioned village, a place of exquisite beauty and abundance. But such splendor demands that the villagers commit dark and unspeakable acts. When the link with Redd is unlocked, the village council believes they have an alternative. John is sent to find the one girl who could possibly save them…by making the ultimate sacrifice.
Eleanor sets off from England to America in 1587, pregnant and desperate to leave her ties with the devil behind. But when the captain of the ship refuses to take her and the other settlers further than Roanoke Island, what should be the beginning of a better life turns into a horrendous struggle to survive. Eleanor’s desire to see her daughter live at any cost will curse her and everyone around her for centuries to come…
Follow as Redd, John, and Eleanor’s stories twine together in a mash-up of dark contemporary and historical fantasy. The Curse That Binds Us delves into the nuances of good and evil, the price of loyalty, and the extremes we will go to for those we love.
Just the Facts:
The Curse That Binds Us by Katie Hayoz
Genre: Fantasy
Publisher: BooksGoSocial
Pub Date: December 15, 2021
I was provided a gifted copy of this book for free. I am leaving my review voluntarily.
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