📖 Book: The Lamb by Lucy Rose

Mini Muddled Rating

☕☕☕☕☕

📝 The Muddled Summary

The story is about a young girl named Margot and her “mama”. They live in a mouldy, run-down dilapidated homestead in the middle of a forest off the beaten track. The main thing to know about the mother and daughter pair, is that they are cannibals. Catching strays by leaving nails on roads is all Margot has ever known.

Margot divulges their story and as it unravels, it becomes truly heartbreaking. This is much more than a folk horror. It examines the complexities of mother daughter relationships, childhood trauma, the fear of growing up / growing old. Lucy explores the subject of narcissistic mothers and enmeshment in The Lamb.

🎭 The Vibe

Fairy tale, poetic, singsongy, forlorn, childlike, rage, blood, longing.

💥 What Stuck with Me

“When you were small, you were easy to love. You’d do anything for me. Every word I spoke was gospel and you looked at me like I was the most beautiful woman in the world. But something has changed, Little One,’ Mama whispered, careful and quiet. ‘And I’m wondering if it’s quite possible, I don’t love you the same anymore.’

🌱 Real Life Lesson

Address your issues before you think of being a parent! Obviously I realise that sometimes you don’t even know you have issues until you have a child yourself, I know it’s not as easy as that. If I could give any advice though, it would be to address any childhood traumas so that you don’t carry on the cycle.

🧩 Mental Health Threads

Narcissistic mothers • Generational trauma • Enmeshment  • Complex mother/daughter relationships.

👀 I’d Recommend This If…

This book won’t be for everyone, it’s gory, sad and would be triggering for some. I am personally on a quest to read books about family dysfunction, complex parent/child relationships, due to my own experiences and healing journey. I’m also a gothic / folk horror addict. That said, if you enjoy adult fairy tales and beautiful writing this may also be for you.

⚠️ Worth Knowing

This book talks about cannibalism and does not shy away from descriptive accounts! Make sure you’re not eating whilst reading, unless… I digress! Child abuse is also a major subject matter.

📝 Final Thoughts

Such a sad but beautifully told tale. I can’t wait for Lucy’s next book! Her writing style is so unique, I don’t remember ever reading a book quite like this.

🌿 Comfort / Distress Balance (out of 5)

Emotionally heavy: 💔💔💔💔💔

Hopeful elements: 🌤️🌤️

Comfort read potential: ☕