Starve Acre
It’s that time of the month again - the something strange1 movie/book club - and presumably because it’s October we’ve got something suitably scary lined up. In this one, a couple living in rural England grieve the loss of their child, but begin to wonder if he might not actually be gone.
When it comes to spooky countryside stuff, it’s always hares isn’t it? Here, the husband digs up the bones of a hare in a cursed ancient field and some mad shit kicks off.
You’ve got the convergence of a few factors here that are inherently weird. Kids that start off fine but start to turn weird, then die. Hares. Ancient trees, burial grounds, seances, Land Rovers… the lot. It’s a very English novel, evocative of what Morris dancers might be into after dark.
It’s not a particularly long book, but takes every opportunity to build a sense of menace and foreboding. I like how Hurley meanders between the past and present, carefully choosing when to reveal elements of the past that are clearly having an effect on the current goings on.
I also like his muted, easy prose. There no bombastic scenes here, just quiet terror that builds and builds. The almost matter-of-fact tone lends it an air of legitimacy, and the story feels deeply rooted in the sorts of folk tales you hear about up in the hills.
I’m looking forward to the film version of this, it really feels like a great candidate for a screen adaptation.