Book Review | This Wretched Valley

This Wretched Valley by Jenny Kiefer paints a visceral survival horror that is loosely inspired by the unsolved Dyatlov Pass incident (albeit set in the Kentucky wilderness and in the modern social media age).

The story gets off to a strong start and the author does a fantastic job at setting up creepy scenes and creating a vivid setting that truly feels alive.

However, as the story goes on, I think what frustrated me the most was how many stupid, careless decisions the characters made. For instance, bringing your dog to uncharted rock formations, bringing old gear without backups, and administering questionable first aid. These all seem like novice mistakes experienced, professional rock climbers wouldn't make, and this ruined my immersion at times.

Qualms aside, if you enjoy supernatural survival horror (like The Ritual) where the landscape itself plays tricks on you, you’re in for a grisly treat.

Thank you, NetGalley and Quirk Books, for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Book Details:

Publication Date : January 16, 2024

Publisher : Quirk Books

ISBN: 1739234855

Pages : 304

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