Patience Kite is a page-turning blend of folk horror and literary fiction that delves into the dark heart of a seemingly idyllic Cornish village. Set against the backdrop of an annual festival commemorating the expulsion of an accused witch, this novel explores themes of historical trauma, the power of representation, and the cyclical nature of violence.
As Pengarth prepares for its controversial celebration, a diverse cast of characters find their lives inexorably intertwined. From the power-hungry local historian to the rebellious artist, from the curious writer to the troubled adolescent, each character brings their own secrets and motivations to the fore.
With echoes of classics like The Wicker Man and contemporary works like Midsommar, Patience Kite offers a fresh and compelling take on the folk horror genre. It challenges readers to consider how the past shapes our present, and the power of community beliefs to both unite and destroy.
Patience Kite is a thought-provoking, atmospheric novel that will linger in readers’ minds long after the last page is turned.
“Deeply dark, deeply deranged – there’s nowt so queer as the folk inhabiting the Cornish village of Pengarth. Take Dean, for instance, and the curious incident of the dead dog. Or Zephaniah, the lordly owner of Langmead House and a diabolical museum of tableaux vivants, or poor moon-faced Annie, who watches over the model village and her cherished collection of oddly familiar figurines. And as for Bob, my advice to all tourists visiting Pengarth’s annual Patience Kite Festival is to steer well clear of the fudge in his gift shop.
Phil Gomm’s unsettling tale of witchcraft, superstition, centuries-old grievances, and what happens to women who transgress, is a must-read for die-hard fans of homegrown folk horror.
Set over the course of the week leading up to the Patience Kite Festival and its celebration of the treatment meted out to a 17th-century local woman accused of murdering her baby, each short, snapshot chapter is introduced by a woodcut Satanic illustration of England’s historical persecution of witches. This aide-mémoire is then cleverly echoed in the narrative by references to newspaper articles about Myra Hindley’s impending death, always accompanied by that photo, questioning our treatment and representation of ‘evil’ women in today’s society.
I was curiously reminded throughout of Dylan Thomas’s Under Milk Wood, although Stephen King’s It, David Lynch’s Twin Peaks and the benchmark of all folk horror, The Wicker Man, sprang more readily to mind. Even if you’re a general fan of horror rather than folk horror, Patience Kite won’t disappoint. But be warned, it will deeply disturb you.”
