#the hounding

[jennamacaroni]

She contained experience beyond her years. She seemed to know about hardship, how it crept into one's life like a cuckoo, casting out happiness forever. Happiness was frail and flimsy: a petal, a whisper. Hardship was constant. It was muscular and loud. Only fools forgot this vital fact, her face explained. Only fools failed to let it guide their every waking thought and deed.

Xenobe Purvis, "The Hounding"

[haveyoureadthisbook-poll]

Have you read The Hounding by Xenobe Purvis (2025)?

yes

no

I didn't finish it

I've never heard of it

Voting ended onJun 28

[elegantlovelyreader]

The Hounding

Xenobe Purvis

9/10

What a book. This book actually took me a really long time to read despite it being short, and it's not because I didn't like it, the plot was unfolding beautifully, and the different POVs were so interesting, but I think this was the first time I've read a book where a main character makes me so mad, upset and uncomfortable. It is very hard to read a particular POV because Purvis is just that good of a writer! While this book is about five sisters, it also is not. I believe this book is about the dangers of alcoholism and the delusions it can bring. I also think it's about the dangers of believing in a drunk man. It shouldn't matter if the girls are actually dogs or not, and that question barely gets answered in the book, but the one consistency is alcohol, the alehouse and violence. There's a lot of commentary on Men and their role in society. How being gentle is not allowed, and to be soft is to be weak. Overall I really enjoyed my read, I went through an entire colour wheel of emotions when reading this book. I felt both exposed and examined. The biggest emotion was being uncomfortable. If you are a fan of 'Angels Before Man' or 'I Who Have Never Known Men' I truly believe you'd enjoy this as well. Speculative Fiction is slowly becoming one of my favorite genres and I'm very much loving it!

Quote I've saved:

"If violence was their god, then the alehouse was their church" -pg 51 ARC

[anxiousgirl]

I’m really fucking with this and what a gorgeous cover!

[chiapet0]

"if violence was their god, then the alehouse was their church"

The Hounding by Xenobe Purvis

[cursedkoolaid]

"Christ wasn't kind to the devil," he said, finishing his pint. "The devil doesn't deserve kindness."

Temperance tutted. "Those girls are not the devil, Pete Darling, and you know it."

(Xenobe Purvis The Hounding)

[syzygyblvd]

PLEASE this book is so funny sometimes

"He would pick every cherry in the orchard, and then he would hurl himself into the river to meet the wretched end that he deserved."

all because he was worried his crush was sick and immediately thought he was being too mean😭 relatable