Epeolatry Book Review: Undead Folk by Katherine Silva
Disclosure:
Our reviews may contain affiliate links. If you purchase something through the links in this article we may receive a small commission or referral fee. This happens without any additional cost to you.
Title: Undead Folk
Author: Katherine Silva
Genre:Occult Horror, LGBTQ+ Horror
Publisher: Strange Wilds Press
Publication Date: 1st May, 2024
Synopsis: Beyond the smoke-choked skies of an apocalyptic United States, a woman travels the desolate railroad tracks of a small town in search of revenge and a quiet place to settle. Her only companion is an undead fox: animated with backwoods herbal magic and the soul of a middle-aged father who died before the world fell into darkness.
Undead Folk is a short, harrowing tale of sacrifice, loss, and damnation.
Undead Folk by Katherine Silva is a short book, yes, a quick read, yes, but a small offering which makes a huge impact. That there is a ‘zombie fox’, actually turns out to be incidental. The undead aspect in terms of biology has no real bearing on the story – to me, anyway. What is important, is the spirit this reanimated corpse houses, and even more poignant, the bond between them. Ella knows who she has summoned, but the fox doesn’t, it only has limited awareness. This evolves gradually as they journey together so that the fox is reaching for Ella, trying to remember who they were to each other, and this adds a layer of tremendous poignancy and keeps you trying to work out the relationship (friend, brother … who?)
Whilst this is clearly signed as a story of revenge for the losses and trials Ella has experienced, nothing else is made clear upfront. The layers have been crafted to provide a gradual understanding of Ella’s purpose, forcing us to accompany her on her journey at her pace. We are there, walking beside her, unhurried, knowing she will tell us in her own good time. We are as much her companions as the fox she has chosen.
When the time comes to reveal the fox’s identity, it is a real surprise, and even more moving because of it. And in a way, it’s almost as if Ella has kept that aspect of identity hidden from herself, because when both know the truth, it leads her to confront her own actions and motives, to question everything that has driven her.
This is a beautifully crafted, quiet story of grief and love and loss. The prose is poetical but in a way that fits the story; its engaging and literary and a fine example of an indie writer showing the world what the genre can produce in terms of quality.
/5
- About the Author
- Latest Posts
Stephanie Ellis writes dark speculative prose and poetry and has been published in a variety of magazines and anthologies. Her longer work includes the folk horror novels, The Five Turns of the Wheel, Reborn, and The Woodcutter, and the post-apocalyptic/horror/sci-fi The Barricade, and the novellas, Bottled and Paused. Her dark poetry has been published in her collections Lilith Rising (co-authored with Shane Douglas Keene), Foundlings (co-authored with Cindy O’Quinn) and Metallurgy, as well as the HWA Poetry Showcase Volumes VI, VII, VIII, and IX and Black Spot Books Under Her Skin. She can be found supporting indie authors at HorrorTree.com via the weekly Indie Bookshelf Releases. She can be found at https://stephanieellis.org and on Blue Sky as stephellis.bsky.social.
