Play Book Tag discussion

The Many by Wyl Menmuir - 3* - My Review

This book is set in an isolated Cornish village, where a young villager, Perran, dies under unusual circumstances. Ethan is one of four remaining local fishermen and catches have become rare. He knew and liked Perran. Timothy is an outsider who, ten years later, purchases Perran’s dilapidated house in the village and plans to renovate it. As Timothy tries to integrate into the community, he discovers that the villagers are still haunted by the death of Perran. The atmosphere in the village is tense, and the villagers are secretive, making Timothy's attempts at connection challenging. Timothy is curious. He wants to know more about Perran and keeps asking unwanted questions.

The novel delves into themes of memory, guilt, loss, and the impact of environmental degradation. The atmosphere is eerie, and the story unfolds with a sense of foreboding. It is tinged with elements of folk horror and the supernatural. There are some events near the end where the real blends with the surreal, and an unanticipated event clarifies and changes the reader’s understanding of the storyline. I tend not to like “twists” like this that change everything that came before it. I ultimately found it strange and unsettling. Having said that, I would read another book by this author.