A Literary Apothecary

Thank you to Union Square & Co. and NetGalley for this Advanced Reader Copy!

It’s been a bit since I picked up an ARC, and Vervain Hollow was always going to be very intriguing to me. I love stories about cults, and I’ve loved most of the books I’ve read that have been labeled “Gothic,” so this was a no-brainer. I’m so glad I got approved for this book! Rounded up from 3.75.

Vervain Hollow burned to the ground a year ago with Vervain himself still inside. The survivors of the fire told stories of a powerful leader who could grant them unimaginable abilities, but they were labeled cultish fanatics. In the present, Laura is drawn back to Vervain Hollow by rumors that Vervain is still alive, and she would do anything to restore him to his former glory.

Laura is annoying. I don’t think that’s a controversial opinion, but it’s also a bit more of a nuanced opinion than it first seems to be. She is willing to steal from her friends, lie, and sacrifice everyone important to her in the name of pleasing Vervain. Laura is intentionally frustrating because she goes through a pretty significant character arc. The story is told in two timelines, the past and the present, so the reader gets the opportunity to view how Laura became who she is now, and then they get to watch her overcome that person. I thought it was really well done, though I do think she gets off a bit easily for some of her more despicable actions. Her reasons for becoming her “worst self” are fairly sympathetic, and I did feel for her. I liked some of the thematic elements of “lessening” yourself as a woman to please a man. It was compelling.

Aliyah is Laura’s best friend, and probably the most likable character in the story. She has a very strong sense of justice that never wavers, and she’s a huge driver of the momentum. Aliyah is smart and funny, and she’s the only member of the cult who wants to use the power to do something good for the world. A lot of Aliyah’ storyline deals with her race and police brutality, but I think the author handles it fairly well. She’s portrayed as correct in her feelings, actions, and desires for justice.

The other cult members also play their roles very well within the story. Cassie is the favorite of Vervain in the beginning, and she’s a bit selfish and immature, but also energetic and fun. Jacob sees himself as the responsible one, but he’s always trying to curry more favor and gain more power. Daniel is the only cult member with strong connections to the outside world, so he feels torn between the cult and his old life. Each character feels well fleshed out and distinct in both their voice and their beliefs.

Vervain is a little bit unknowable, and I like that the author didn’t feel the need to really label him. He’s not a ghost or a demon or an angel or a god necessarily, and in doing so it means that the reader has no preconceived notions of how this character or his powers function. It places the reader in Laura and Aliyah’s shoes as they find out more about him and his power. I also really liked the way his powers actually work. Vervain isn’t really able to “harm” the cult members directly, but that doesn’t mean he has no power over them. He controls the house, and he’s able to use the house to control the members. It’s unique, and it leads to more interesting conflict than if Vervain just zapped them with lightning or something. The author also emphasizes Vervain’s inhumanity and the way it affects his motivations and reactions to the human cult members.

It took a little while for me to get into the writing. It’s hard to explain, but I think the first several chapters of this book were a little bit stilted. It was difficult to get into a flow state of reading because I kept stumbling over some awkward sentences or odd metaphors. For example, this is the opening paragraph of the first chapter:

We came up the long driveway to the Hollow. From the back seat I fixated on the gravel track framed by stubby, thrusting trees, revealing at last a corner of the house: Jedidiah Drake’s fever-dream folly, dropped in the middle of Indiana farmland like an angel crippled by its fall…

It’s a bit awkward with the descriptions (thrusting trees?), the alliteration of “fever-dream folly,” and the metaphor of the angel is a bit intense. I do honestly like it in hindsight because it gives some insight into the character of the house, having spread and bent “wings,” and to the cult and Vervain. On initial reading, though, it feels a bit clunky. Laura also refers to Vervain as “you” for most of the story, i.e. I saw you standing in the kitchen. I don’t love second person writing, but I do really like this as a character choice for Laura. It’s a bold choice in general.

Laura’s entire life has been framed around the idea of Vervain, a person she sees as a god, so it makes a ton of sense that in the writing she refers to him in the same way we would refer to a god while praying. From a metatextual point, I feel like you could argue that the reader is a “god” while in the act of reading Laura’s story, being semi-omniscient and in control, but I think that’s taking the metaphor a bit far. Regardless, this was something I was able to get used to, and I do like how it was used to demonstrate Laura’s character growth.

The story is very atmospheric. Gothic is a perfect descriptor for the vibes of Vervain Hollow, both the novel and the house itself. The descriptions were very vivid and sensory, especially regarding the cold. The house is also described wonderfully as this sprawling, messy home with turrets and stairs to nowhere. On one hand, I really like that it’s difficult to get a grasp on the architecture of the home, especially considering the more magical elements of the house, but on the other, I was a little bit confused about some climatic moments because I couldn’t really picture where the characters were supposed to be. I almost think Vervain Hollow would’ve benefited from a map at the beginning, of the “standard” layout of the house at least.

I wouldn’t consider the horror in this book to be too frightening. It’s definitely more Gothic than horrific with the moving, shifting house, and a ghost story that never quite tips over into a real haunting. The main thing the members of the cult are afraid of is not Vervain himself or the ghost or the power, they’re afraid of being isolated from the cult. I think that’s a really interesting take on a cult story and it feels a bit more realistic. It’s a more interpersonal horror than something traditionally “scary.”

Unfortunately, I think the ending lost a little bit of steam. A lot of the climax is metaphorical and internal, so the “rules” get a little bit loose. Some events happened without me really understanding how they worked in full. The confusing geography also was a bit of a hindrance here because I thought the areas where Laura was supposed to be in the climax had burned down. I understand that part of the house was stone, so it wouldn’t burn, but I never really understood which parts didn’t burn. I also didn’t really understand why Laura had to take the actions she took instead of taking a simpler path. It’s hard to explain without spoilers, and I don’t want to spoil this book. It was easy enough to shrug off these complaints and have a good time, but I wish the ending had a little bit more impact. More of a “WOW” and less of an “…okay?”

I would recommend Vervain Hollow. I love books about cults, and I think the way this novel utilized power as a way to control people was an interesting exploration of the way cults can change relationships and behaviors. This would be an excellent fall/winter read, I think, so put it on your TBR!

Vervain Hollow is releasing June 16th, 2026!
(Please note any quoted passages are subject to change before release.)

Trigger warnings:

alcohol, attempted rape, sexual assault, blood, cults, fire/fire injury, homophobia, police brutality, misogyny, gun violence.