A Land so Wide: Big shout out to Erin A. Craig and Netgalley for providing a digital ARC.

The first half of this book was a compelling story that I could not put down. The story follows a girl named Greer Mackensie who lives in small town, Mistaken.

The first half of the book revolved around the town and I was fascinated. The secrets, the warding stones, and the hunt. Their way of life kept me flipping the page to experience more. On top of that, there was an eeriness to the book that I really appreciated.

This being said, once Greer makes it into the forest, I feel as though most of the buildup from the first half of the book has completely fallen. There was an unnecessary love triangle that just felt like a page filler. After the second half of the book fell off, we were left with a bland and unsatisfying end to this book.

I wish I could talk about this book more because I did love the first half, but my frustration with the lack of a completion that a normal ending has - has unfortunately clouded my perspective of the first half. I would absolutely love a book based mostly in the small town though.

I’ve been a fan of Erin A. Craig’s brand of eerie fantasy ever since Small Favors. She’s reliably great at conjuring atmosphere, and A Land So Wide continues that streak. The setting has that signature Craig vibe: misty, claustrophobic forests, whispered magic, and a creeping sense that something is terribly wrong just out of sight. That part? Loved it.

That said... for a book marketed as her adult debut, this felt very YA. Aside from a few mild horror elements and a pinch of spice, it reads like a young adult fantasy. Especially Greer, the main character. Greer is said to be 27, but on the page she feels more like a teenager. She's the classic YA lead: a bit of an outsider, unknowingly special, prone to dangerous choices for the boy she loves, and somehow entangled in a love triangle that didn't need to be there. Honestly, if you told me she was 19, I wouldn’t blink.

Greer is likable enough—relatable, sure—but not the sharpest tool in the shed. More than once, I found myself muttering, “Greer, come on,” or “No shit, Sherlock.” She isn’t unbearable by any means, but following her isn’t particularly rewarding either.

The pacing also stumbles. The first half is all world-building, which, to be fair, is detailed and interesting but the actual plot takes ages to kick in. Then everything important happens in a rush near the end, crammed into the last 30 - 35 pages. I didn’t hate the ending, but I can’t help thinking there was a more impactful (and darker) version that would’ve landed better.

Despite all that, I enjoyed myself. The atmosphere alone makes it worth reading, especially if you like your fantasy with a side of fog-drenched mystery and creeping dread. Just don’t go in expecting a truly adult story. This is more “slightly spicier YA in a grown-up coat.”

3.5 stars, rounded up

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

ARC review

"A Land So Wide" by Erin A. Craig is a blend of dark fairytale and romantic fantasy.

Thank you Headline for the e-ARC (via Netgalley).
Opinions from this review are completely my own.

I read and loved the books in the "Sisters of the Salt" series so I wanted to read this book too.

There is a dark atmosphere in this story and enough mystery to keep me intrigued.

The main character is Greer, a mapmaker living in a cursed small town.
She is a strong character, with a big heart and a lot of courage.
But even if she is 27, in many cases she feels younger.

The pace of the story is a bit faster in the first half and slower after.
Still, there are twists and new information that Greer uncovers after living to find her boyfriend.
I liked that there is magic and creatures that resemble vampires (that are inspired from Scottish folklore).

The love triangle was not something that I expected, but I am glad with the choice from the end.

If you like dark, gothic, fantasy books, you should try this one.

A Land So Wide is a beautifully atmospheric dark fairytale. The small-town setting is isolated, eerie and surrounded by nature. The forests are epic and I felt totally immersed. I loved the town as well, which has some strange traditions that are linked to its secrets. I felt the suspense, fear and loneliness of its people. One person absolutely stood out, Greer who is a dreamer, mapmaker and wayward. Her character is relatable and likeable. As she uncovers the history of her origins and the town there is also a lovely romance subplot. The romance felt sweeping and intense. I was very much invested. This along with the folklore and stunning prose made for a delightful read that I would highly recommend. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for a copy. This is a voluntary review of my own thoughts.

When I encounter a book by this author, I never even check what the book is about. I trust it's good. So, I pre-ordered a copy and when I stumbled upon this book on Netgalley I also requested a digital review copy. Headline granted me one and so I started reading!

Just like the previous books by this author, this book is very atmospheric. From the very first page the story starts getting under your skin and it stays there long after finishing the book. Although the town where this story is set is small, it has its own culture, its own habits, its own traditions and of course its secrets. Together with the heroine we slowly learn more and more about their situation and what has happened to get them into this situation.

The heroine of the story is actually a very relatable character. Like a lot of young girls she fell in love and in this case the guy she fell in love with is everything you'd want a boyfriend to be. Caring, thoughtful, kind, gentle and funny. It's therefore easy to understand why she's doing what she's doing, why she goes as far as she goes, why she fights. She not a hothead running straight into danger. She's a girl in love fighting for a future with the guy she fell in love with.

The fantasy aspect of this book, though. It took me a little time to really get used to it and I'm still not entirely sure what I think of the finale and how everything ends. It's a satisfying ending, in a way. It's also a fitting ending. It's also. A lot. It's hard to describe. It's intense, it's complicated, it's dark, it's emotional and at times it's a little confusing to understand everything. However, since I'm still thinking about this book daily, I'd say it didn't bother me that much after all.

Erin A. Craig’s first adult novel follows mapmaker (and talented listener) Greer Mackenzie, who has grown up trapped in a Canadian settlement by a curse that drags residents back at night. When the love of her life evades the curse, wanderer Greer should be elated. But she knows he stands little chance against the Bright-Eyeds, ravenous creatures that haunt the woods. She ventures out to save her lover, and what she discovers beyond the wards changes how she views her history and herself.

I enjoyed so much about this book. Erin A. Craig creates rich, gothic atmosphere, draws on all the senses in her descriptions and uses Scottish folklore for the basis of an interesting species of creatures. The story reads like a dark fairytale, with manipulative fathers, brave heroines and challenge-based traditions (like the Hunt, a game of hide-and-seek where boys search for the women they’ll marry). Greer is a strong protagonist who makes a lot of mistakes but has a selfless heart. The Gathered (a group of murderous Bright-Eyeds) are brutal villains, driving the action. If you want a different take on vampires, this might be the tale for you.

I loved the mystery elements, but I’m not always a huge fan of the love triangle trope, and I did feel some of the reveals relating to the second love interest were easy to guess. I also wish there was more closure at the end, particularly around characters we meet at the start.

That being said, this is a pining-filled trek through a spooky forest, perfect for reading in a pile of blankets, and I’m sure it’s going to find a place on many an autumn TBR.

Trust me, NO ONE is more devastated than me!!!!

Something is just so off with this one compared to Erin A Craig's other books - most of which are 5 star reads for me and I've read house of salt and sorrows multiple times!! The dark and eerie atmosphere I know Erin A Craig for just isn't really present here, it's bland! Sure, the bright eyes were interesting and the mystery of what was going on in this town/with the people kept me intrigued for a while but as soon as we hit that 50% mark it seriously went down hill.

This is is meant to be adult but it was painfully immature. The dialogue, the character decisions, and the romance honestly ruined this story... blergh!

There's lots of telling and no showing... plus the ending was SUCH a slog to get to and then for it to be a let down?? I'm sad. This is not what I expected!

I guess I just need to stick with the sisters of salt series but I did enjoy the thirteenth child a lot so not sure what's happened here.

Sadly, not for me.

-Sarah

*Thank you to NetGalley + Headline Books for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review

I went into this one completely blind, trusting that Erin A. Craig wouldn’t lead me stray, and I was pleased to find a perfectly creepy dark fairytale that kept me hooked from the beginning. 🖤

This author is always so good at making the settings of her books feel very vivid, in this case it was the perfect mix of real world and fantasy, pairing the Canada of the early settlers with Scottish folklore. The ominous and eerie feeling that was present throughout the story was also perfectly done.

For the first half of the book I was intrigued by all the mysteries of the town. I couldn’t predict in which direction the story was going to go next an I loved that! this was my favorite part.

When the mysteries finally begin to be revealed, I admit I wasn’t as thrilled, and in my opinion the final confrontation was the less satisfying part of the book.

My only other criticism is that the main character feels a lot younger than is said to be. I kept forgetting she was supposed to be 27, since too often her thought process and decisions seemed to belong to a teen girl, even though this book is marketed as adult and not YA.

That said, I still enjoyed this book very much! If you liked the previous books from this author you won’t be disappointed.

2.5 rounded up for goodreads and netgalley.
It was a rather underwhelming read. The beginning of the story was too long and its pace was too slow. Maybe the story would have had a better impact on me if it was shorter. Also, I didn’t connect with the characters at all. And some moments felt out of place and threw me off the story. However, the atmosphere was quite good. In some ways, its aesthetic reminded me of the movies Fear Street: 1666 and The witch. I would still recommend this book for the fall season especially.

Thank you to Netgalley for an e-ARC in exchange for a honest review.

3.75 stars

Thank you so much for the early copy of this book. I liked the premise of this book but it just wasn't my type of book. It was a perfect book for the fall season coming up too.

Oh I really wanted to love this book, but for some reason it just didn’t work for me.

I loved the setting for this one and the vibes were impeccable. The idea of the creepy woods and these big stones protecting the people of Mistaken gave a blanket of mystery and really added to the folklore vibes. I also really enjoyed the glimpses into the past when the first settlers came, again it added to the folklore and stories passed down to the present day.

Unfortunately, this read way more like a YA novel, Greer felt very young and naive to me, I spent most of the book thinking she was around 16 years old. The relationship with Ellis also felt much like young love and the way her father controlled her added to that.

Overall, enjoyable but not gripping enough, I found myself skimming towards the end rather than savouring every minute. Sorry Erin 😭

A Land So Wide
⤷ ⭑⭑⭑.𝟱

꒰ In the town of Mistaken, you should never forget to return within the town's Warding Stones before the Third Bellowing. Otherwise, it would be too late. The Warding Stones will pull whoever was beyond back to town, whether they wanted to go or not. Greer MacKenzie, daughter of Mistaken's head steward, is a devoted believer of The Benevolence, the force that gifted the town with these Warding Stones that protected them from the notorious Bright-Eyeds from crossing into town. ꒱

Release Date: September 2, 2025 ⟢

⟢ Let me tell you, as soon as I learned that Erin was releasing her first adult novel centered on a mysterious town protected by enigmatic stones that shield its residents from dangers beyond the border, I was instantly captivated. Fans of the TV series 'From' will find themselves drawn in just as I was. For the best experience, I recommend going into this book blind!

Everything about the town fascinated me, from the enigmatic Warding Stones to 'The Hunt'—a tradition Mistaken holds every seven years, where all young men and women participate by running and hiding in the town's Hunting Grounds to find their matches.

As expected from Erin A. Craig, her writing style is eerie yet enchanting. She has truly perfected giving her books a Gothic aura that can really mesmerize you. And you can bet that many of my highlights were about the beautiful sentences and paragraphs she wrote. I was hooked with every page, eager to find out what would happen next for Greer and the town of Mistaken. Wanting to learn more about Mistaken, to find out what happened to the people who escaped the borders, and of course, the Bright-Eyeds.

The characters, however, could have been more polished because they still felt very YA, despite it being Craig's first adult novel. Greer was interesting from the start; although she is the daughter of the town's head steward and a suitable match for the men of Mistaken, she is seen as an eccentric and peculiar by the townsfolk because of her enhanced hearing, to the point that she hears even the quietest whispers. But at 27, she's made some questionable choices and proves herself an unreliable narrator. However, you can understand why she is the way she is, given her sheltered environment and her desire to explore more of the world beyond.

Once we reached Part 2 of the story, the pacing slowed down. While we finally got answers to our questions, I found myself pulled out of the story because it shifted focus to a newly introduced character, their relationship, and details I won’t mention here to avoid spoilers. But it felt quite unncessary or could've given less spotlight than it did. The second half almost felt like a different book or story entirely, and I kept wanting to return to the town that initially hooked me.

If there was one thing I wanted more of in the book, it was moments with Louise, Greer’s best friend. Louise piqued my interest because her personality was the complete opposite of Greer’s. While Greer would pray to The Benevolence and offered gifts, Louise questioned its existence and doubted the creatures haunting the town’s borders. Their friendship captivated me from the beginning, and I wish we saw more of it or more of Louise by the end.

Other than that, this story was one that kept me up at night because it kept me thinking about the possibilities it held. This is my third Erin A. Craig book and definitely not the last! Please make sure to check this book out this coming September 2025

Thank you to NetGalley, Headline Books, and of course, Erin A. Craig for providing an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. Please remember that this opinion is my own. ⭑

I really enjoyed Craig's ya novels, so I was excited to see her dip her toes into the adult genre. She excels at building eerie and mystical atmospheres, and "A Land so Wide" is no different. Honestly, the whole about first 40% of the book really spoke to me, even if it's not the newest idea: a remote village surrounded by a protective magical ward to keep the monsters lurking in the forest beyond out, but only as long as the inhabitants pay regular tribute to the so called Benevolence, the godlike beings responsible for the magical warding. Also, noone who spends a single night in this village can ever leave: as soon as the sun sets, no matter where you are outside the ward, it'll pull you right back into the confines of the village. It's intriguing and weird, and this kind of setting just always gets me.

Sadly, neither the characters nor the narrative or really the entire second 50% of the book managed to keep my interest. Greer is the typical Very Special Girl, her great love was barely a character so I didn't really feel anything about her following him into the dangerous woods to save his life, there is for some reason a really weird love triangle with another character that could have been intriguing as less of a love interest, more of an obsessed maybe-antagonist. The second part of the book has such a weird narrative change that it completely destroyed the atmosphere built beforehand, and from a pacing standpoint it just takes way too long for Greer to finally do what the description of the book tells us she will do and leave the village. I think it was somewhere between 45 to 50% of the book. And once the big mysteries are all revealed, the whole book just kind of falls apart. I didn't care anymore about anything that was happening.

If not for some violent scenes and (very mild) sexual content this also reads YA to the core. Greer is supposed to be 27 but honestly reads like a 17 year old most of the time. I was just hoping for something... grittier, I guess, something that marks a clearer departure from YA.

Still, while dragged out a little too much, the first half of the book is actually pretty good and at times almost amazing. So far that I'm still giving it 3 stars, though it's really a solid 2,5.

Thanks to NetGalley and Headline for the arc!

🌟🌟🌟/5

I was promised a dark, richly atmospheric fairy tale steeped in Scottish folklore and Erin A. Craig delivered...until she did not. It got off on a great start and then, at what was supposed to be a pivotal moment in the story, started going downhill and just got worse until it ended on a bland note.

The first half was magnificent! It delivered everything I expected from a story like this, with amazing 'small town with lots of secrets' AND 'creepy forests you should better stay away from' vibes. EC's prose was excellent and her storytelling felt very visual. It almost had a folk horror element to it which I loved. I'd give the first half a 4.5/5.

The entire second half didn't work for me. After the sense of dread the first half created, I was ready for creepier vibes and stellar plot twists in the second but I got...THAT instead. The premise mentions Greer escaping into the woods which doesn't happen in the book until around the 48% mark. I wouldn't have had a problem with that if not for how quickly the plot devolved after that. First, there was a lot of wandering around. Then came the love traingle-ish situation which was wholly unnecessary. Greer and Ellis's romance was good enough but Finn gave me the ick. The pacing felt too fast and too slow at all the wrong places. The vibes weren't that great either.

What made the story a complete letdown was how underwhelming the reveals were. I was at the edge of my seat in the beginning, but couldn't take the book seriously when the 'action' finally started. The second half felt like a different book altogether. Characters came and went in a way that made no sense, the climax was atrocious, and Greer's character arc didn't feel complete by the end.

When I read 'Scottish folklore' in the blurb, I was looking forward to something more...folkloric. I had incredibly high expectations from 'A Land So Wide', but was left wanting for more. I'd give the second half a 1.5/5, and the book a 3/5 because of just how good the first half was.

I think I can safely say that Craig's books just aren't my jam. That isn't to say this was terrible, there were parts that I thought were really well done. Just in general, it read more as YA than the adult novel I was promised, the pacing was a little off and the plot felt both predictable and out there.

Greer was great, but at 27, she read more like a 17 year old. Her voice, her actions, everything just screamed young adult, and while her sheltered life could have accounted for some of her naivete, I just would have loved for her to be written more for the age she was meant to be. That being said, she's still an interesting character, forthright, unwilling to bend, and when you consider the town she grew up in, both of those things are kind of amazing. Side character wise, there are none that I would class as particularly well developed. You have the best friend, the father, the love interest, and they all play these parts well enough, but there wasn't really any depth to them, meaning that some of the emotional moments through the book didn't really hit as well as I would have liked.

I did think that Craig did a great job on the horror aspects on this book. It went darker than I expected, and there were parts that definitely creeped me out a little. But the danger and creeping darkness that loomed through the story, didn't really fit in with the narrative choice, mainly because of the feel of the characters age, as well as the writing feeling more like a YA it just felt a little jarring in places. I also felt like the looming danger, this big monster that had been hanging over our heads for the majority of the book was pretty easily defeated. Despite that, I did enjoy the lore Craig built around these so called monsters, how she weaved them into the history of the world, leaving us breadcrumbs as to how they fit into Greer's story.

I guess one of the main reasons I felt like this screamed YA was the lack of consequences for the characters actions, something that I find is more prevalent in YA than adult. She makes a pretty big choice towards the end of the book, but then just goes off to live her HEA as if nothing happened, as if all the lore that had been built up just didn't apply to her? I don't think this was helped by the pacing either. It was a slow burner, and to be honest, the first 40% or so of the book was my favourite. Seeing Greer in her village, learning about the history of the town, seeing the backwards nature of it. This was where the story really shone for me, but once she headed off into the forest to search for Ellis, it all got a sidetracked by a plot twist that, while predictable, still managed to throw me in the way it was delivered.

It was just a bit of a meh read for me, and after not loving a previous book of Craig's, I think I'll just have to call it that her books don't work for me, which is a shame. I think had I gone in expecting this to be a YA then I might have enjoyed it more? But it just fell flat for me as an adult novel in so many ways. If you're looking for a stand-alone fantasy I would potentially still give this a go. It wasn't a terrible read, and I do think there will be plenty of people out there who will enjoy it.

Erin A. Craig is an insanely captivating writer, and she truly has a talent for wrapping her writing around you, dragging you into her worlds. So to say I was excited for her adult debut is putting it mildly.

The premise of this book was so eerie, so instantly engaging, and the first half of the story was dedicated to exploring the world and our main character, Greer. Learning about the village of Mistaken and its history, along with its religion and belief in the supernatural Benevolence, was fascinating and a bit creepy, filled with foreboding. When the synopsis of the book covers basically the entire first half of the story (pro tip: don't read the synopsis), it's a feat in itself that the first half of the book was so strong. There was this atmospheric build-up through it all, which is one of my favourite things about Erin A. Craig's writing.

Sadly, for me, the second half was a bit of a letdown. It became a different type of story, not necessarily a bad story, but a paranormal romance story. While the first half was this slow burn build-up of the world and its ways, the second half was a bit more . . . typical. (It also had a pseudo-love triangle, which wasn't really what I thought I was signing up for.)

I thought the relationships in Mistaken, such as Greer with her father or with Ellis' entire family, were one of the highlights. There was so much history and backstory to all of the people in Mistaken, and I was completely engaged with this weird little village. It was giving folk horror vibes in a wonderful way, so the later pivot to more paranormal fantasy was extra disappointing to me personally.

There's a lot to love about this book - Greer as a main character, the obvious care of the history and build-up of a town that's a character in itself, the writing - but ultimately, I wish it had kept to the things I initially loved about it instead of veering in a different direction.

Thank you to the publisher, Headline, and to NetGalley for the ARC.

Thank you so much Headline for the arc!

„This stranger was winter itself, harsh lines,
sharp shadows, and the eerie stillness that grabbed hold of the world after a deep snowfall.“

🌲Secluded settlement
🌲Generational secrets
🌲Canadian wilderness
🌲Enforced matrimony
🌲Folklore creatures

What I liked:
The setting and the vibes were impeccable! A small, secluded settlement on the Canadian coast, surrounded by deep woods and mountains, with barely any connection to the outside world. Besides the wolves and bears, unnatural and violent creatures lurk in the woods, waiting for townspeople to wander too far from their village.
I also enjoyed the glimpses into the arrival of the first settlers. They made the mix of folklore, history, and mystery even more compelling. I could feel the uncanny lure of the almost claustrophobic wilderness throughout the entire book.

What I didn’t like:
The main character is surrounded by a lot of ignorant men who make decisions for her. It starts with her father who believes he has the right to decide whom she marries, and ends with her boyfriend, who makes decisions for their relationship without even including her. I kept hoping she would confront them all at some point. A bit of female rage would have been appropriate. Overall the main character didn’t feel like she was 27; she read much younger. She could easily be a barely 18 YA protagonist.

It's been a hot minute since I last read a book by Erin A. Craig, and once again as soon as I started this book I was reminded why I love her writing. It's creepy, beautiful and so, so magical. Immediately, we're immersed into this eerie story, feeling both creeped out and cosy with the settings and descriptions.

I loved Greer as a main character, she's the definition of wanderlust, a soul desperate to break free from the confines of her small town Mistaken and explore the unknown with her soulmate, Ellis, by her side. She's almost an outcast in Mistaken with her strange, heightened hearing, and her love of map-making. I don't want to spoil anything, but I just adored learning about her history, the mysteries of her heritage and her in general. I enjoyed that she's the epitome of screaming with the rage of being trapped or forced into things.

Whilst the romance is a massive part of the plot, and the whole reason Greer adventures out of safety to rescue her love, I did feel like it was kind of lacking. The beginning scenes with Greer and Ellis were cute, we get to see some sweet moments, but then there's nothing until the end, and even then I was hoping for a more heartfelt, desperate reunion and epilogue.

The plot was great, though the pacing did drop in the middle for a while, I enjoyed the story and horror elements, Erin A. Craig has always been a master of dropping in things to remind readers of the unsettling atmosphere of the book. The Bright-Eyed's were interesting, I think they're based on some folklore I'm not aware of, but regardless they were unsettling and I liked how they were incorporated into the plot.

The ending did feel a little rushed for me, but I enjoyed the way things wrapped up. The final chapter does leave a possibility of a sequel, which I'm open for!

Overall, this is such a perfect read for the upcoming spooky season, and I'm definitely recommending this!

4/5 🌟