Sacrificial Animals is a supernatural horror novel written by Kailee Pedersen, and which will be published by Titan Books in the UK and St Martin Press in the US. A slow-burn novel that blends together farm/midwestern horror with Chinese mythology, exploring the cycles of familiar abuse and the discovery of identity, all paired with a literary prose, almost lyrical, that enhances what becomes a superb piece.

A story that alternates between two timelines, past and present, following Nick Morrow, the youngest of the two sons of Carlyle Morrow, a racist, violent and paranoid man who tried to raise both of them in their image; as a result, Nick grew under fear and deeply traumatized. Carlyle calls his children as he's dying; both are expected to return to the farm, including Joshua, the older who got disowned for marrying Emilia, a woman of Asian descent.
The return of both to the farm is accompanied by the repetition of those patterns that we could already observe in the past. Joshua and Carlyle quickly warms to each other, letting Nick and Emilia to their own devices, a reminiscent of how Nick was always the lesser on the family; however, this time, the presence of the enigmatic Emilia will end blossoming a romance with Nick, who can't stop thinking that there might be something sinister in this interest.

Pedersen puts a great emphasis on exploring Nick's character, especially through those early year scenes that give us an excellent insight into his growth and his queer awakening, portraying how Carlyle's control over his life creates a long-lasting trauma; but not only that, but to the sharp reader, it also shows the first details of a shadowy presence that will end stalking the farm and altering his trajectory.
We can draw a parallelism between Nick's young experiences and the conduct patterns that are established in the return to the farm: Carlyle and Joshua getting along, while relegating poor Nick to a second plane, which also contributes to the poisoning of his mind. The cycle of trauma and violence will only be altered by the total collapse of the family on the verge of the presence that put its eyes on the farm many years ago.
Not for being secondary characters, Carlyle and Joshua are less fleshed than Nick, as they are necessary actors in this choral piece. In Carlyle, we have a violent and paranoid man, who also goes for isolation when his wife dies; and that violence is mainly exerted over the children, who will end developing different trauma as a consequence. Joshua was always his right eye, the favourite, even after his treason, and in his return is treated as the prodigal son, a cause of resentment for Nick.
Emilia itself is enigmatic, and steals the show at many points; even in those moments that she appears in the past, we can guess there's more than what the eyes can see. Seductive but also intelligent, her role is not an easy one to play.

Not only the story is excellent, but the prose also deserves a mention; Pedersen has taken a bold choice, opting for a heavy and almost lyrical prose that contributes to enhancing the atmosphere. This kind of prose makes the reader part of the story, allowing them to almost experience Nick's story through the pages, and in combination with the slow-burn pacing, it slowly raises the tension until we reach the inevitable conclusion.

Sacrificial Animals is a debut that can easily top the list of horror releases this year; the unsettling atmosphere, the characters and supernatural horror combined with Pedersen's prose create an experience that will be absolutely loved by literary horror fans. Kailee Pedersen is a voice to watch in the space, with a debut that remembers to a well-distilled whiskey, a memorable novel that will stay with me far after finishing it.