⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
This book floored me. I went in expecting a fun slice of horror and came out the other side completely obsessed. The Haar has everything I want in a read: eerie atmosphere, creeping dread, sudden bursts of nastiness, and at the same time, a real emotional core that caught me off guard.
Sodergren has a gift for setting. The way he captures that coastal, fog-soaked environment is just brilliant—you can practically feel the damp in your bones while you’re reading. It’s haunting but also oddly beautiful, like you’re being pulled into another world.
What makes it stand out is the character work. The central figure is so vividly drawn that you can’t help rooting for them, flaws and all. There’s a real humanity that runs through the book, even in its most grotesque or surreal moments. I found myself laughing at the dark humour one minute and feeling unexpectedly moved the next. It’s rare for horror to juggle both so well, but this nails it.
The pacing is spot on, too. It doesn’t drag, and every chapter feels like it’s building towards something. When things get intense, they really get intense—but never in a way that feels cheap. The horror is earned, and it lingers in your head afterwards.
Honestly, this is one of those books that reminds me why I love horror so much. It’s weird, it’s gory, it’s funny, it’s sad—it’s the full package. Sodergren is fast becoming one of my favourite horror writers, and this might be his best yet. Five stars without hesitation.
Gareth Ellis - Author 