Mr Splitfoot is a gorgeous and rich fantasy story set in contemporary America but managing a very old-world feel. It was listed in Barnes and Noble's Best Horror Books of 2016, which was why I grabbed it in the first place. It's no more a horror story than Neil Gaiman's American Gods, but it is a delightful dark fantasy read.
In many ways this book contains two stories. The first is about Ruth and Nat, two children who grow up in the "care" of a cultish father figure, and share a love that makes everything bearable. While Ruth is female and Nat male they look to each other as sisters. Nat arrives as Ruth loses her real sister to "ageing out" and having to leave the orphanage. Their love for each other is powerful and non sexual. It seems as though Nat can speak to dead people, and the pair start to make serious money with the help of a con artist, Mr Bell, who discovers their talents. To avoid being sold into marriage, Ruth strikes a deal with the enigmatic Mr Bell.
The second is about Cora, the niece of Ruth, who has to escape her boyfriend who is trying to abort the baby she is carrying without her consent. Cora is saved by her aunt. They leave town together, at first in a car and later on foot. Their journey is slow and beautifully described.
Without giving spoilers I cannot explain how these two stories become more and more interwoven, but it is remarkably done within a beautiful Gothic ghost story.
This novel is dark and it's magical and it's well worth reading.
5/5 stars.Save
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