Review: Wylding Hall
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3 stars. This was a fantastic way to spend 2 hours. It's been on my list forever and ever and ever - it's always recommended on Reddit and on lists of popular folk horror books - and I'm glad I finally read it, even if it wasn't a stellar knock out of the park for me.
It's about the members of a British folk band in the 70s who are forced by their manager to spend the summer on an isolated old estate in the rural countryside. They write some songs, and make some interesting recordings, but their lead singer/guitarist Julian starts to pull away, and appears to be at the center of some strange experiences at the Hall. Told in interview format as the remaining members of the band recall the events of that summer, the book oozes hippie acid vibes with a folk horror twist.
I think I would've enjoyed it more had it not reminded me so much of Daisy Jones and also had I not loved the Six Stories series so much. The Six Stories books are super crunchy, scary stories in interview format but they aren't exactly subtle, so I think I was expecting a bit more directness and a few more answers. A comp might be more along the lines of Picnic at Hanging Rock maybe (which I did absolutely love).
So: what am I missing? Is it possible this taps into some British folklore or fairy tales I'm unaware of and therefore can't catch the references? The wren stuff was confusing to me and... clearly there was something going on with time, and barrows, and different realms... I don't mind ambiguity at all, but I just couldn't quite grasp onto enough here. Which is probably the point! I just typically want more answers.
I highly recommend reading this for the writing, the moments, and the vibes.