Audiobook Review: Sacrificial Animals by Kailee Pedersen

I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.

Sacrificial Animals by Kailee Pedersen

Mogsy’s Rating (Overall): 3.5 of 5 stars

Genre: Horror

Series: Stand Alone

Publisher: Macmillan Audio (August 20, 2024)

Length: 7 hrs and 40 mins

Author Information: Website

Narrator: Yung-I Chang

Billed as a supernatural horror that explores ancient Chinese mythology, this book almost went into the DNF pile, but in the end I’m glad it didn’t. The payoff, while slow in coming, was ultimately satisfying and illuminating, the final chapters packing such a punch that made it made the early struggle feel worthwhile.

Sacrificial Animals by Kailee Pedersen is a tense, atmospheric slow-burn and oftentimes brutal family drama that pulls the reader into the dark and deeply disturbed world of the Morrow family. Set in Stag’s Crossing, a farm in rural Nebraska, the novel introduces Nick, the youngest of two sons raised by the family patriarch, Carlyle, after the boys’ mother died in childbirth. Harboring a deep mistrust of outsiders, Carlyle isolated his family and was physically and emotionally abusive with Nick and his older brother Joshua, fostering tensions and resentment that strained their relationships. Feeling like the meeker and more mediocre son, Nick has long suspected that their father favored Joshua, the intelligent and handsome heir who has been chosen to take over the farm one day.

But then after college, Joshua committed the ultimate offense in Carlyle’s xenophobic, racist eyes—he married Emilia, an Asian American woman. Promptly disowned, Joshua was cut off from Stag’s Crossing, only receiving occasional updates about the farm from Nick, who later moved to New York. Eventually, there came the day when Nick had to inform Joshua that their father was dying, and that despite their long-standing estrangement, Carlyle wishes to have both his sons back under the same roof, hoping to make peace before his death. To show his sincerity, the old man even invited Emilia.

However, the ensuing reunion is a disaster. Carlyle’s toxic presence continues to drive a wedge between the family members, and regardless of his invitation to Emilia, he’s still bitter about Joshua’s marriage. Even worse, the presence of his brother’s wife has sparked an obsession in Nick for the enigmatic woman, and their resulting affair adds even more fuel to an already dangerous situation.

Initially, this book was a tough read because it seemed to do everything wrong in its first few pages. That is, if you’re not immediately turned off by the graphic killing of two fox pups in the opening scene, then you’ll probably find yourself gritting your teeth through some of the most pretentious and purplish prose I’ve ever read. Sure, it’s possible that it was more noticeable because I was listening to the audiobook, but seriously, enough with the overwrought metaphors! And how many times can an author possibly insert a word like “anodyne” into the first few chapters before it starts feeling like an affront to your sanity?

You might also be wondering, why is this categorized as horror? Where are the supernatural elements? These were the questions I was asking myself as well. To be fair, the horror aspect is somewhat recognizable. As the narrative shifts back and forth between past and present, the timeline following Nick’s traumatic childhood certainly stands out as truly horrific. Carlyle’s cruelty seemed to know no bounds, inflicting pain and trauma upon both his sons, but it was especially bad for Nick, who lived with fear and shame growing up as a queer teen in his father’s house. Carlyle’s hatred of foxes is also a recurring theme, and I want to caution anyone with a soft spot for animals that this book contains several scenes of violence towards wildlife that are very, very upsetting.

Still, at the end of the day, these examples remain grounded in the realm of earthly horrors. While they may inspire their own brand of fear, what happened to the supernatural and mythological elements promised in the blurb? Well, I guess that’s the crux of it. The answer to that question won’t come until near the end, when, at long last, all that gradual buildup culminates in an explosive final act. And when that moment comes, the payoff is as insane as it is satisfying.

So, here’s the TLDR: Sacrificial Animals isn’t going to be for everyone. It very nearly wasn’t for me. Reading it wasn’t easy, and there were many moments early on where I wondered if the story was losing me, with its heavy subject matters, sluggish pacing, and overly flowery prose. That said, by the time I finished, I did feel rewarded, if also completely exhausted. In the end though, I have to say the struggle was part of the experience. If you enjoy the work of authors like Andy Davidson (this book strongly reminded me of The Hollow Kind), and you can look past its technical flaws and have the stomach to endure the darkest and most uncomfortable themes, then I say go for it.