Erosion
Alice wanted to write a book about a perfect summer by the sea. She didn’t think it would be about magic, bones and death...
Alice wanted to write a book about a perfect summer by the sea. She didn’t think it would be about magic, bones and death...
Alice wanted to write a book about a perfect summer by the sea. She didn’t think it would be about magic, bones and death...
Gothic, Horror, Supernatural
''It all began when we found the bones…'' This is the start of Erosion, a gothic novel set on the English coast, in 1987, the year of the Great Storm. Violent weather is but one of the problems a group of friends face when they discover an ancient grave inside a crumbling cliff and decide to unearth a skull. Supernatural mystery intertwines with the problems of human relationships, of earning money, of following dreams.
Alison wants to spend a glorious summer writing her novel, Asher wants to wow audiences with his comedy routines, Zoe wants to make a living as an artist, Jo wants to make the world a better place and Baz just wants to help his friends succeed, but the events that happen change all their plans.
Death and destruction test the bonds of friendship, yet moments of beauty entwine with scenes of horror as a magical summer becomes an autumn of devastation.
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The story involves supernatural events and emphasizes the importance of friendship and the harm that poor communication and making assumptions can cause. The book is well-written. It's not your typical horror story, although it does have elements of the occult. The character development is well done, and the sense of unease is very real. I enjoyed the book. ~ Meredith Livingston (Reviewer) , Netgalley
I really enjoyed Erosion. It had a dark academia feel mixed with magic and folklore. Alison is the main character. She moves to a gothic seaside town and befriends an open-minded and welcoming group. They find some old bones (including a skull) near a friend's seaside cottage. They begin experimenting with the occult, with some pretty disastrous consequences. This is for fans of gothic, dark academia, and folk horror. ~ Steph Livesay (Reviewer), Netgalley
I enjoyed this creepy novella. It had horror tropes but was also told uniquely. It was kind of an interesting take on magic and the supernatural. The whole time, you never really know if things are magical or just weird, creepy coincidences. I also thought it was an interesting take on coming-of-age stories and books about friendships. I would definitely recommend Erosion to anyone who likes a good, spooky, atmospheric tale. ~ Erin Jay (Reviewer), Netgalley
This was a wonderfully done Gothic novel, it had everything I was hoping for from the description. It uses the concept perfectly, and the characters felt like real people, and I was invested in what was happening to them. Lucya Starza has a great writing style; I’m glad I read this. ~ Kathryn McLeer (Reviewer), Netgalley
This enjoyable short story is about friendship and what it means to become an adult: good pacing and a few twists and turns along the way. I loved the isolated setting. ~ Anastasia Ankers (Reviewer, Netgalley
The book was well written. I loved that the Chapters were named after '80s songs. My favourites were DM's Behind the Wheel, George Michael's Faith & Pet Shop Boys' It's a Sin. Very clever idea!!! I recommend this to everyone who likes a smooth, quick read. ~ Nesrin Lehmann (Reviewer, Netgalley
This was a really enjoyable book, with none of the tropes usually attached to the genre. And what is the genre? Supernatural? Occult? Creepy thriller? I'm not sure, but as an avid horror reader, I loved this book even though there was nothing typically horrific. Our protagonist is a wannabe writer who moves to a shabby British seaside town after Uni, makes new friends, and develops relationships. The gang hang around with the local eccentric who lives on a cliff edge house where they find some ancient bones they protect. Things then begin to go sideways in subtle (and not-so-subtle) ways. I love a small town setting, and I love that some of it is set in a caravan park, which really spoke to my childhood. The character arcs are beautifully written, the pace slow and steady, and the creeping dread is very real. This is a wonderfully chunky and smooth read that will keep you reading and wanting more. Full marks! 5 stars! ~ Paul Chambers (Reviewer) , Netgalley
Allison “Alice,” a new graduate from university, dreams of writing a novel. Not wanting to return to her parents’ house, she heads for the English coast. She has a romantic notion that writing a novel while summering at the coast would be idyllic. She quickly meets new friends who invite her to stay with them for the summer. Zoe and Jo are a couple and Baz and Asher live in the downstairs flat. Zoe is an artist, Jo is compassionate, Asher wants to be a comedian and Baz just wants to help his friends achieve their dreams. The friends introduce her to Charlie, a woman who lives on an eroding outcropping nearby. It is debatable whether Charlie really is a witch or has precognition. It all went sideways when they found the bones. The groups’ friendships are sorely tested. Things begin to go wrong. Arguments ensue. This book shows the reader the limits of friendship and the damage assumptions can do. There is a suggestion of horror, but I really wouldn’t label this a horror novel. There is some dabbling in the occult, which I found interesting. This is a well written and plotted novel. It is easy to read and goes by quickly. I enjoyed reading it. This is my first Lucya Starza novel and I immediately went to Amazon to look at other books by this author. I want to thank NetGalley and Collective Ink Ltd. / Moon Books for forwarding to me a copy of this very good book for me to read, enjoy and review. The opinions expressed in this novel are solely my own. ~ Joyce Fox (Reviewer), Netgalley
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars. A gothic novel set on the English coast, in 1987, the year of the Great Storm. Violent weather is but one of the problems a group of friends face when they discover an ancient grave inside a crumbling cliff and decide to unearth a skull. Supernatural mystery intertwines with the problems of human relationships, of earning money, of following dreams. Alison wants to spend a glorious summer writing her novel, Asher wants to wow audiences with his comedy routines, Zoe wants to make a living as an artist, Jo wants to make the world a better place and Baz just wants to help his friends succeed, but the events that happen change all their plans. Death and destruction test the bonds of friendship, yet moments of beauty entwine with scenes of horror as a magical summer becomes an autumn of devastation. A very fun supernatural thriller with a very cool and unique setting. Interesting characters, great worldbuilding, and a very addicting plot. Fans of the genre will find plenty to love here! ~ Christopher Scott (Reviewer) , NetGalley
“Erosion captures the reader’s interest from the very beginning, drawing them in with the force of a tidal wave. Once opened, the book is hard to put down: the style and suspense cast their enchantment. The bohemian setting of a rundown tourist village, the protagonists’ young age and dreamy demeanor are artfully contrasted by dark overtones foreshadowing impending drama. Dreams and hidden ambitions erode friendships, unchecked emotions become flammable materials, little lies snowball, and play-pretend turns serious when dabbling with necromancy escapes control. Values are revisited as the protagonists learn important life lessons. With Erosion, Lucya Starza takes the reader into a psychological liminal space where the line between magic and mundane has become indistinguishable.” ~ Daniela Simina, author of Pagan Portals – Where Fairies Meet: Parallels between Irish and Romanian Fairy Traditions, and A Fairy Path: The Memoir of a Young Fairy Seer in Training
A post-uni Bildungsroman, Lucya Starza’s Erosion explores the moral and existential choices that life presents. It draws the reader on with its easy style, engaging storyline and strong undercurrent of magical practices. Alison arrives in a run-down coastal town in 1980s Kent, hoping to write a novel. Instead, she falls in with a close-knit group of friends, amongst whom is a witch who lives on the edge of a cliff…an ancient skull is found, there are rituals, seances and deaths, friendships broken and re-made. Alison is propelled on a journey of personal transformation, as she is confronted with the great themes of truthfulness, fate and free will, to which the author gives no easy answers. On one level, this a simple tale, simply (and very readably) told, yet psychological and moral depths emerge as the story unfolds. ~ Barry Goddard, author of The Medicine Wheel, and Surfing the Galactic Highways: Adventures in Divinatory Astrology
An elegiac tale of memory, growth and regret set along the crumbling coast of 1980s Kent. ~ Ben Aaronovitch, author of The Rivers of London