[REVIEW] Little Eve – by Catriona Ward

Reading SUNDIAL this summer made me seek out all other Ward novels available. When I saw her earlier title, LITTLE EVE, up on NetGalley for it’s reissue, I pounced. This gothic-like tale of a family living and breathing the life of a cult (a small unit, mind you, headed by their “uncle”) has a wonderful premise, as well as an overflow of potential. Unfortunately, I had trouble connecting in a way that made me naturally want to continue reading. I found the writing to be lacking, the “exciting” sequences overwhelming downplayed, and the mystery unsatisfying. Though a handful of characters meet their demise in this novel, not one felt impactful. Several came and went in a sentence or two. I felt cheated, as a result. And though Eve has depth to her, the character still felt hollow to me. They all did, actually. I think this is just a case of preference, though – for whatever reason, this one didn’t speak to me. Will that deter me from hunting down Ward’s other novels? Not at all. I loved SUNDIAL too much to let this small disappointment keeping me wanting more of Ward. 3/5

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