Review: Mists & Megaliths by Catherine McCarthy

 Mists and Megaliths, the newest short story collection by Catherine McCarthy, is steeped in Welsh folklore and could only be told by a storyteller such as McCarthy. The love and reverence McCarthy has for her homeland and its folklore are apparent throughout the book. Some stories contained in this collection include, but aren’t limited to:

 

Cragen- a young girl’s imaginary friend will do whatever it takes to keep her to itself.

Two’s A Company, Three’s A Shroud- when burial accommodations become tight in your village, you never know who your new neighbor might be.

Jagged Edges- an old railway guard reminisces about the rail lines that he worked his entire life and the disuse and ruin that they have become.

MARA- a couple’s life is turned upside down by the spirit box they bring home from holiday.

 

I loved this collection. While the stories fit in the horror genre, I would say that they are firmly more of the quiet horror variety. Even so, McCarthy has given us a wide variety to read: Eco-horror, cosmic horror, dark comedy, and even heartfelt as you will find in the story “Coblynau,” which was my favorite of the entire book.

Take the time to read the short notes included before each story, they really enhanced the reading for me.

 

5/5 Stars

 

Many thanks to Catherine McCarthy for providing me an eARC of this book to read and review. All thoughts and opinions of this work are my own.