Eynhallow by Tim McGregor

⭐⭐⭐/5

A Frankenstein retelling that centres on a woman's heartbreaking experiences on a isolated island.

This is very much a vibes book, so if you liked Diavola by Jennifer Thorne, or Grey Dog by Elliott Gish then this will be very much in your wheelhouse.

We're following Agnes, who is a unhappily married mother of four living children, in 1800s Scotland on a desolate island inhabited by four families. One day a mysterious Mr. Frankenstein comes to the island and strange things start to occur.

The trauma the characters experience is extreme and Tim McGregor actually made me cry with it! His writing is really compelling and I felt very connected to the characters.

The pacing of this book was a little slow for me. The last 20% relates most closely with the Frankenstein story we all know, and I wish we had spent more time in this part of the story.

This story is best read in a cave on a deserted island, after watching the last of the houses burn to the ground.