First of all, I’d highly recommend skipping the synopsis, as it almost gives away the entire story. The Hounding is a short but very atmospheric read. It’s about five sisters, the Mansfield girls, who live in a village with their almost blind grandfather after their grandmother died. The girls are mysterious and independent, and they mostly take care of each other. The grandfather tries his best to understand and protect them, but because he cannot see well, he has to notice everything through sounds and small details, which is really interesting. The sisters live quietly and don’t care about men, marriage, or the village’s affairs. In the 18th century, young women were expected to marry early, so their independence upsets some men. When strange events happen- like farm animals being killed- they are accused, even though they do nothing wrong. The story shows how one man’s ego and jealousy can create terrible consequences. It can be a bit predictable, but the atmosphere, the sisters’ mystery, and how well the story shows their quiet strength made me really enjoy it.