“Kosa” by John Durgin is the latest book by one of my favorite new horror authors, whom I discovered in 2024. When I first read “Inside the Devil’s Nest” in January, it completely blew me away. I love Durgin’s writing style and once again, he didn’t disappoint!
Before I jump into my review, I found a bunch of trigger warnings while reading. They were…
– Drugs
– Kidnapping
– Violence against children
– Self-harm
– Suicide
– Cannibalism
– Parental abuse
– Violence against pets (dogs and cats)
– Deaths of animals
If any of these triggers you, please do not read this novel. Moving along, this had one of the most incredible and creepiest openings I’ve ever read in a horror novel. It was a bit of a slow burn at first, but I couldn’t believe what I was reading when an insane plot twist hit at the end of Part 1! That was deranged and completely unexpected, much to my delight.
Don’t worry. I will never spoil anything, but this novel was a solid read from beginning to end. A few parts dragged on, but sticking with it pays off big time. All the characters are great, from the main protagonist to one hell of an evil witch as the antagonist. Seeing each character's development throughout the story was surreal.
The brutal horror this witch brings to this novel is what you’d only find in nightmares. Several intense scenes and situations brought a unique spin to horror involving witches. “Kosa” is a great folk horror novel, one of the most unique stories I’ve ever read in this subgenre. Aside from the few parts that dragged on, this was a lot of witchy, horrific fun. I also loved how Durgin formatted this novel, telling it by breaking it up into four parts that span years of character and story development. It was nicely done, adding another layer of immersion as it takes you on a rollercoaster ride over time.
This novel took off from the 70% mark and went straight to its wild ending. The suspense and tension leading up to it, combined with the uncertainty of how it would all end, made for a great reading experience. It was a satisfying ending and one I will remember.
I give “Kosa” by John Durgin a 4/5, as it was everything you could ask for in a horror novel involving an evil witch. There are tons of gore, violence, spells, and some of the most terrifying descriptive horror I’ve ever read. This feels as if Durgin took the stories of “Hansel and Gretel” and “Rapunzel,” put them in a bloody blender, and out came “Kosa.” My only complaint was the slow start, and some parts that dragged on while reading. Still, besides that, I highly recommend this for horror fans who love stories about witches in foreboding woods with some very disturbing moments. After reading this, you will never look at red hair the same again. You have been warned.
by LTJ81