By Jenna Beresheim Staff Writer
If you’re craving an enticing novel full of the supernatural, look no further than “Hemlock Grove” by Brian McGreevy.
This horror-thriller novel was published in 2010 and only recently began to peep out of the underground after the release of a Netflix series adaptation in 2011.
Both the novel and series complement one another, so it is advised that you read the novel and use the series as supplemental information. Netflix has signed on for a total of three seasons, allowing viewers to follow favorite characters long after the end of the novel.
Vampires, werewolves, witches, oh my! “Hemlock Grove” has it all, and more. But this is not your typical supernatural series.
McGreevy focuses on the macabre: vampires replaced by Upirs, a stronger, darker breed than what we are accustomed to. Lycanthropy is hereditary, with dire consequences following those who attempt to become one outside of natural law. This book is full to the brim with blood, impressive imagery, and complicated characters.
Peter Rumancek, a werewolf from a gypsy family, moves to Hemlock Grove, Pennsylvania to start a new life with his mother. There, a string of grisly murders lead townsfolk to instantly blame him, assuming the newcomer is the base of all their problems.
With Peter trying to clear his name, fate would have it that he befriends Roman Godfrey. Known for his wealth and influence as the spoiled son of Godfrey Institute, the town’s largest company, Roman plays a key role in the two’s investigation.
Ultimately, this book has its ups and downs. If you can keep track of an entangled web of characters and how they are all connected to one another, this is the book for you. If you are not squeamish and enjoy a good, dark read, McGreevy delivers to a whole new level.
Next time you are craving vampires and werewolves, flavored with variety and seasoned with a hint of Gothic literature, look no further than “Hemlock Grove.”
