Genres are set so we know what to expect from a book, but when genres blend and mash together there’s always an air of mystery where we seek to answer the question ‘what am I in for?’. The Unmothers does just that, blending folk horror mystery in a story about a journalist, Marashall, who travels to a rural town to uncover a secret that’s been kept for generations. Marshall arrives to report on a seemingly ridiculous piece of news, that a horse has given birth to a human child. As she settles in and discovers deaths have occurred upon her arrival, the mystery gets thicker. I will lay a disclaimer, there is animal death in this one. Read with caution.

A horse that gives birth to a human child (maybe?) was what got me with this one. Give me all the weird books please. There may or may not be a creature in the woods. The rural atmosphere makes it feel as if we’re in past times. You are challenged to question what you’re being told between the pages, as horror so often does. The multiple POVs were a bit much for me so it lost me there but I still would recommend you try if you’re looking for something a little fantastical with the all to real and specifically female challenges that women have to go through. 

A slower paced story that dives into processing grief, feminine rage and generational trauma. Thank you @quirkbooks for a copy in exchange for a review, 3⭐️.