Have You Read This? The Twisted Ones

Folk horror seems to be a trend right now. Whether that's a backlash to the encroachment of technological advancement, with people sacrificing traditions on the altar of Apple, or the evolution of writers who like Stephen King had found supernatural horror in a very familiar small town America, folk horror has been receiving attention in both the movies and in novels. Before continuing with this review, however, I should offer some defining characteristics of folk horror:

1. Typically a rural setting. 
2. A religion or ideology that goes beyond traditional Christianity (or completely twisting Christianity out of shape, as in "Children of the Corn"). 
3. The land or earth is involved in the religion/ideology the story references. This may also lead to a kind of ritual. 

These elements are present in T. Kingfisher's The Twisted Ones, which relies heavily on local folklore while also referencing cosmic horror.
The story focuses on Mouse, a woman who is tasked with cleaning out her grandmother's house. Joined by her dog Bongo, she encounters a house that is overflowing with clutter as well as a secret world in the woods behind her grandmother's house. With only some quirky local characters, some bizarre stones, and the words of a stepgrandfather she barely knew to guider her, Mouse is gradually pulled into this world and attracts the interest of the eponymous twisted ones.
The character of Mouse is a very sympathetic character and a humorous first person narrator. Her humor is something that doesn't distract from the creepy atmosphere of the novel but endears us to her struggles both supernatural and mundane. Another surprising positive in the book is the relationship she has with her dog Bongo. Some may find it distracting that she talks about her dog, but Kingfisher shows Mouse's obvious love for her best friend and Bongo also gets the opportunity to return that love by helping his master discover who the twisted ones and their masters are.
The twisted ones and their masters are also an appeal of the book, particularly for those who like world-building and who likes their worlds weird. The twisted ones are given names by everyone else, from effigies to poppets, but they are all unique, terrifying, and described well by Kingfisher. Made from everything from wire to bones, stones to wasps' nest, the images of these junk and corpse piles animated and full of intent provides some disturbing images that make me look forward to a graphic novel adaptation.
These two elements, the relatable Mouse and her experiences with the bizarrely unrelatable twisted ones, creates a dynamic that kept me reading until the last page. The rural setting offers an anchor for Mouse, but it's ultimately the love of her friends, both two-legged, and four that ultimately gives the book its center.