The Sacrificial Tree It consists of forty-four folk gothic horror stories, all based on the northern Swedish peasantry and their folklore. The stories take place high in the mountains, deep within the pine forests, and in isolated village communities, where you can encounter vengeful witches, malevolent spirits, and murderous farmers...
Some days, she thought about taking a rope from the shed and hanging herself from a ceiling beam in the barn. These were big and heavy thoughts for an eleven-year-old, and perhaps they weren’t meant entirely seriously. More and more often, her walks ended in a grove dominated by an ancient elm tree. Something drew her there. Winter came, and she continued to visit the grove. Nine days before the winter solstice, she was chased by the neighbor’s angry dog while on her way to the grove. The dog cornered her by the neighbor’s barn. Sofie grabbed a piece of plank and knocked the dog unconscious. "I’ll show that beast," she thought. After searching for a while, she found a rope and a sack in the barn, which she used to stuff the dog into.
Once in the grove, Sofia hung the dog from a branch and felt a rare shiver of pleasure course through her body as the dog thrashed and whined before being strangled. She bowed her head in respect for death, and when she lifted her gaze again, she had a vision. In it, she saw how the tree had been used for sacrifices in pagan times. Nine dogs, nine horses, and nine people hung there. The bodies looked so real, as if they were actually hanging there in this moment in the year 1845. The ropes creaked as the dead bodies swayed slowly in the cold winter wind blowing in from the field. The midday sun reflected in the sacrificed ones’ wide, bloodshot eyes.
(From the short story The Sacrificial Tree)
The author behind this is Per Faxneld (b. 1978). He is a researcher in religious history and a specialist in occultism and satanism. On these topics, he has written several provocative books, which have been published both in Sweden and internationally. The Sacrificial Tree is his debut work of fiction.
The book is also richly and atmospherically illustrated by Swedish artist Mimmi Strinnholm (b. 1990). Her artistic expression spans techniques such as assemblage, embroidery, photography, drawing, and silhouette cutting.
The Sacrificial Tree is released in a devilish packaging. Inspiration for the format, font, and paper was drawn from old, occult curse and worship books found in the basement of the Royal Library.
The book is fully illustrated with 44 illustrations and printed on 100% recyclable paper.
What the reviewers say:
"Whether you want to curl up under a blanket with Per Faxneld's horror miniatures as cozy reading, or take it a step further and reflect more deeply on the symbols and societal context of the texts, I can only recommend grabbing The Sacrificial Tree. It is definitely worth reading."
– Gyseren
"The stories are structured as small, unsettling tableaux and are beautifully supported by Mimi Strinnholm's dark, black-and-white illustrations. The Sacrificial Tree is, in other words, a real treat for horror fans."
– Litteratursiden
A fine and (un)settling little book, which I highly recommend if you have a penchant for devils, witches, malevolent spirits, and murderous farmers.
– Bogrummet
