Set in a private girl’s school, this may have the typical topics of similar books, but with the addition of not only witchcraft, but also the mystery of a missing girl.

The setting of the story is as important as any of the characters. The town itself is bleak and desolate, while Elm Hollow Academy is where an accused witch was burned in the 17th century. Violet’s friends (and teacher) all seem untrustworthy, as she tries to figure out what happened to Emily, their friend who mysteriously disappeared before she arrived.

A a great book which will keep you guessing throughout.

I was left feeling really underwhelmed. The story was boring and bordering on the predictable. This could have been so much better.

I found this book to be overwhelmingly uninteresting. I found it hard to remain interested in the plot as the characters were so unbelievable and predictable. Their friendship, which was the main crux of the story, seemed little to non-existent. I wouldn't read a Katie Lowe book again.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for a copy of this book.

I absolutely did not like it and I'm wondering, from reading other reviews, that maybe it was just not my type of book?!

The characters did nothing for me and I felt no connection to any of them, which is a shame as the synopsis was promising.

Thank you to Netgalley and Harper Collins UK, for the review copy. This is an unbiased review of the author's work and style. If you want plot lines and spoilers please see the publishers blurb and other reviewers' reports.

When I read the publisher's blurb I wondered if I was witnessing the initial blooming of a successor to J K Rowling's wizarding tales, sadly I wasn't. This story starts with good clear writing and promise, but soon it seems to diminish into a coming of age saga.
The narrator, also a protagonist, was intriguing then slowly become boring, the tale slowed and I gave up. I am sure if you are interested in the woes of growing up and the angst that comes with it, the then this book is for you. If like me you like your stories to move along the path the publisher promised, without to many detours and side issues, then possibly it is not for you.
I do not blame my disappointment on the author - albeit some of the prose is overwritten, I am willing to admit the fault probably lies with me.
There is no doubt that Kate Lowe can write, and I am sure she will have a great future in the Gothic genre. I wish her luck. I have awarded four starts, as I think there was such promise in the opening pages that she is bound to entertain those who like this type of novel.

What a fantastic début!

I found “The Furies” to be a thoroughly enjoyable and first-class read. Katie Lowe told this story with great skill and I adored the throwback to the 1990s. The wicked comedic aspect added a touch of lightness to the grimness and noir.

Thanks to NetGalley, HarperCollins UK and the author, Katie Lowe for my complimentary copy of The Furies. My honest review is entirely voluntary.

This book has some interesting topics, teenage drinking, drugs and rape, mixed with murder. It should feel a little dark and indie, but instead it feels bright and chirpy. This story is about 4 girls who are dabbling in the dark arts, bound by the actions they do, and a need to be accepted, or escape - but its also about loss and fighting back.

I wanted to like this book and some elements I did. I devoured the book and wanted to keep reading but reflectively, I’m not entirely sure why. The characters were insufferable, some not entirely necessary and none seemed to be fully fleshed with motivation.

The story was disjointed, jumping from scenario to scenario with no logical flow.

Not quite a fan.

2/5 Stars

I would like to thank Netgalley and Harper Collins Uk for providing an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Alright, let me be honest from the beginning: it was me, not the book. The premise is super interesting but god I could not get into it. I was bored and found the characters insufferable and, mostly, I could not follow the writing. What I mean is that it confused me and was just not to my taste at all.

I can definitely understand why people would love this book but I didn’t and ended up skimming the last 30% because I simply could not continue reading. If you know me then you know that I never DNF but this book almost brought me to do it. But this is all literally because of my personal taste in books and writing. So if you think you’ll like this book, then go for it! It simply was not the book for me.

This book was not what I was expecting from the description. However I really enjoyed the story.

The tale begins with a sixteen year old girl found dead on school property with no known cause of death. We then hear from Violet and her recollection of the events leading up to the discovery.

The story does not rush to the end and this helps you get to know the characters and get entwined with the story.

I was reminded of both the Craft and partly of Gentleman and Players through the narrative and thoroughly enjoyed it.

It almost goes without saying that 'The Furies' brings to mind 'The Secret History', and while it lacks something of the depth and complexity of Tartt's modern classic, there is still plenty here that her fans will enjoy.... I was thoroughly smitten from the opening chapter! An assured and very enjoyable debut.

When I first heard about THE FURIES, I was intrigued. Four friends, a private school, and witchcraft. I absolutely needed to read it. It was darker and, at times, more gruesome than I expected, but it was also suspenseful, thought-provoking, and gripping.

The story is told from the point of view of an adult Violet who remembers and reflects on her teenage years when she started attending Elm Hollow Academy, a private girls’ school in a small English town. A tragic accident took away her father and her sister and left her mother in a catatonic state in front of the TV all day long. So it's not a surprise when Violet finds herself drawn to Robin, Alex, and Grace. Not only she is accepted in their exclusive group, but she is also admitted in their secret club led by Annabel, one of the teachers in the school.

THE FURIES is a story about toxic female friendship, obsession, witchcraft, and murder. It will creep you out, it will make you uncomfortable, but you won't be able to put it down until the very last page.

A contender for one of my books of the year - outstanding! Such a dark mix of teenage angst, witchcraft and murder. How far would you go to fit in to a new group? Cannot wait to see what is next from this author.

A difficult book to review and even harder to like. I found the events jumped somewhat making it difficult to follow. Obviously, the book was intended to show evil as the result of bad girls but also witchcraft when used for ill. Whether witchcraft worked or was coincidence was well portrayed. The premise that a teacher should pluck out girls with issues in order to encourage them to believe women should be strong to the detriment of men was difficult to accept. That these girls spent so little time in lessons and showed no respect for their teachers in a supposedly superior school also didn't ring true. Having said all that I did want to keep reading and find out what happened.
Many thanks to Netgalley/Katie Lowe/HarperCollins UK for a digital copy of this title. All opinions expressed are my own.

Violet at 16 is a vulnerable and isolated young girl. Her father and sister died tragically in an accident and her mother simply can't cope with her own grief never mind Violet's. No-one else had seemed to want to take responsibility either so Violet was told to take however much time she needed off school until she felt better. Now tell a 15-year-old girl that and you just don't see them for dust.
Twelve months later exams had been taken and Violet had returned to school for them. She had miraculously done ok but knew that with the right teachers that she could have smashed it. When her mother suggests that she uses insurance money from the accident that she had been in with her dad and sibling to further her education then she jumps at the chance. Violet enrolls at Elm Hollow Academy for girls.
Elm Hollow Academy is a pretty creepy place, with a creepy colourful history of strange goings on to go with it. Violet is taken under the wings of a group of girls, with one girl, Robin, having a particular interest in her. The four of them are invited by the art teacher to take extra special classes. The story takes on a real dark side and opens up a 'secret school' tradition that only a handful of pupils can be part of.
The things that bind the girls together are also the things that drive them apart as the more they learn the hungrier they become to get to the ultimate goal. They find themselves on a roller coaster of events that they can't seem to stop. Friendships and trust are pushed to the limit in the tight group.
Now I will make it clear that this felt more like a book for teenagers and seems to focus more on the story than the characters. There are a couple of shocking storylines that the girls follow, which are a little disturbing but at the same time make thrilling read that left me feeling uneasy.
Murder, mystery and the occult are all busy storylines in this book. A very creepy read for teenagers.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an e-copy of this book which I have reviewed honestly.

My review: 🌟🌟🌟🌟



The Furies by Katie Lowe is set in 1998, in the UK, in a coastal town of no name. Violet is 16, and has just changed schools after a car accident which killed her father and baby sister, and from which she walked away. Her mother is seeking forgetfulness from the horrific accident by drinking all the time.



The new school is a private one, called Elm Hollow Academy. Violet has the usual problems changing school, of not knowing anyone, and feeling like she doesn't fit in. Then she becomes part of a group of 3 other girls, who have special lessons from the art teacher, Annabel, but these aren't art lessons.



This is a story of teenagers trying to take control of their lives, drinking, taking drugs, and taking out their anger and confusion on rituals that might actually have power. And at the same time, we know where it's going to lead to, as it's at the very beginning of the book: a young woman found dead on a swing.



This is Katie Lowe's debut novel, and it's powerful! You are swept along with them on their adventure, and as the book is from Violet's perspective, and we have an older Violet telling the story. I haven't watched the Craft, but it felt like a mixture of the Heathers (actions have consequences), and Gossip Girl (for the bitchy, private school). The fact that my two reference points for this are TV and film shows I haven't read many books like this.



The Furies was published on 2nd May 2019, and is available to buy on Amazon and on Waterstones. I've found a link to where you can search for local bookshops, including independent!



I was given this book for free in return for an unbiased review, so my thanks to NetGalley and to Harper Collins (the publishers) for this book.




Check out my GoodReads profile to see more reviews!

I really wanted to love this book, however I just couldn't connect to the characters at all. So this meant I just didn't care about their journey at all.
The 'good girl gone bad' trope really didn't keep me engaged and everytime I put down this book I felt myself being forced to give it another chance.
I didn't feel as though there was any suspense throughout this book - even though the first couple of pages were so brutally descriptive I did wonder what I was letting myself in for.
This would probably suit younger thriller readers a lot more due to the juvenile behaviours of the characters, unfortunately it just wasn't for me.

I was drawn to The Furies as it was described as having the same vibes as The Secret History by Donna Tartt, but aside from a group of students thinking themselves elite to the masses, I didn't draw any comparisons. I did find myself thinking of that amazing 90s movie, The Craft, at certain points though due to the witchcraft element in the story.

The lead character Violet find herself a new girl at a posh school and due to her rebellious ways is chosen to become part of an elite (secret) society of women. They study the stories of great women from history, as well as exploring ones closer to home - their school was the site of witch trials back in the day. I did like this feminist feel to the narrative, but overall, the pace wasn't there for me and I kind of feel like I've read this book before. Sorry, this one just wasn't for me.

Recommended if you like: YA, Vigilante Justice, Witchcraft and Goth novels, some amount Historical Fiction and all Female leads.

"Art isn't supposed to look nice. It's supposed to make you feel something." This is what I had to keep telling myself while navigating through the mess this book blossomed out to be, the mess reaching a crescendo and then screeching to a halt and completely arranging itself in perfect order. It was difficult reading the whole story, but it was absolutely worth it.
The Furies is a frustrating novel, mainly because of the feeble, unreliable, fickle and frankly hopelessly lost protagonist. She was an intelligent kid and so it was pretty difficult to see her fuck up her life with every page, getting pulled into deathly company; high school is bad enough as it is without being sucked into a group of sociopaths with violent, killer tendencies.
But aside from the irritation and exasperation one might feel while getting to know Violet and her excrutiating-to-read-about self-destructive tendencies, there were deep depths to analyse on a psychological level for several characters and the underlying theme of the story.
Revenge, lust and feminism (often bordering on misandry) were three of the running themes. Of course, the lure the dark magic and witchcraft played an obvious role in the direction the revenge plans took. But the witchcraft, the rituals and the spells were mainly a cover, a safety net, for the girls just discovering their sexuality, while fending off stranger touches that do not wait for their consent. Not to mention the fact that the school's history with the Witch Trials and executions inspired that sort of an atmosphere.
Other than the regular growing up to and beyond adolescense, pettered with experimentations, disappointments and discoveries, Violet's apathy and cold detachment from her mother shocked me. The traumatic accident that left her father and sister dead and her the only survivor wasn't something either she or her mother coped with well- Violet drowning in bad company, booze and drugs and her mother, well, drowning in social isolation and TV. But her mother tried to reach out to her daughter more than a few times to ask about her detoriating physical being, but Violet time and time again harshly pushed her away till the time she finally moved out for good. None of them seeked the professional help they both so clearly needed, but Violet's shirking away of her mother seemed grossly over-the-top and almost unforgiveable to me.
I appreciated the slot. but not the prose. Many sentences were knotted, long and a riddle to read. The prose jumped from dream to reality, from past to present, from one person speaking to another abruptly, with little notice, made it tiresome to read. Another thing that bothered me was the animal cruelty and the lack of remorse displayed at murder. But then again, sociopaths.
In conclusion, this book- much like the description suggests- gives you plenty of gory murders, gory descriptions, ritualistic dark magic and Witchcraft. Not a bad read, overall.

Violet has faced tragedy in losing her sister and father to a car crash she survived, but found that she was on her own, her mother having sunk into a despair so deep she would never come out of it. Violet educates herself and gains entry to an exclusive girls' school with a reputation for witchcraft in the seaside town she calls home. Fearing being an outsider among mostly wealthy girls, she sees a red head and is drawn to her. Robin finds Violet and introduces her to her friends, Grace and Alex, the school's odd set, and Violet finds a replacement for the family she's lost.

For Violet, the close friendship she's forged with Robin is always precarious, always not quite settled, always something to be anxious about. It is also as destructive as it is comforting for her, and she soon starts to drink, take drugs, lose weight, but finds an acceptance she didn't think possible.

How far, then, would she go to remain part of this group, limned with darkness, tragedy and fear. How far do es she believe what her teacher Annabel is telling them, and do the books owned by Alex's mum really record magic spells fuelled by righteous female vengeance? I mean, they can't work, can they?

A slow starting novel, this, more a portrait of teenage female angst and the cliquey nature of friendships and the the suffocating existence in a dead-end seaside town that has little going for it beyond a small university and the private girls' school, Elm Hollow. But it grows darker almost without being noticed, and the antics of the girls take a sinister twist. A horror story at its most basic, psychological, paranormal, and bloody, the skill of the writer is to never allow it get silly, never become parody or melodramatic. Stark, deep and engaging.