In “Wild Hunt – Desire,” young author João Souza constructs a narrative marked by mystery, tension, and supernatural elements. Set in the enigmatic town of Church Hill, the book follows a protagonist who, while investigating her family’s past, finds herself embroiled in a silent war between hunters and creatures. In an interview, the writer discusses the construction of this dense universe, the moral conflicts that permeate his characters, and how themes such as grief, identity, and coming of age take shape within the plot.
You wrote “Wild Hunt – Desire” when you were 16, but the book delves into quite dense themes, such as grief, guilt, trauma, and moral ambiguity. What led you to want to tell a story with this kind of emotional depth so early in your life?
My desire has always been to make “Wild Hunt Desire” a story with moderately fantastical elements, or perhaps overly rational explanations, with the aim of making it sentimental and complex, giving the narrative a three-dimensionality, and making it more cohesive with our society today, bringing the reader closer.
Heather arrives in Church Hill believing she’s facing a fresh start, but finds a world marked by secrets and violence. What else interested you in exploring this idea that sometimes the place that seems like a refuge can also be a threat?
What I found most interesting was exploring the myriad possibilities of an environment containing enough secrets to put Heather in danger, connecting deeply with her life as a character.
Gaye is a character driven by a very strong duality: the fear of losing his humanity and the need to access his own inner beast. What was it like to build someone who lives in a state of war with himself?
It’s quite difficult to get used to the ideas of a character like that, but as he took shape for me during the writing process, everything became clearer, and I got to know him well enough to say what he likes or dislikes. It’s a rebirth.
The relationship between hunters and “anomalies” seems to escape the traditional good versus evil dichotomy, entering much grayer areas. Was it precisely your intention to provoke the reader to distrust preconceived notions about who is the monster and who is the victim?
Absolutely. For me, morality is the main focus of the narrative, but with the idea of good and evil in its true nuances. Doing something bad to protect someone you love can be very positive, or very negative. Heather will need to do bad things for good purposes, and then, ultimately, what does she become?
There’s a very strong atmosphere of psychological suspense in the book, especially in this idea of manipulation, convenient versions, and buried truths. What attracts you more: the supernatural horror or the human horror that lies behind it?
Human horror certainly appeals to me, serving as the main basis for the supernatural metaphor present in the narrative. Our world already has enough horrors that serve as a foundation for a story like this.
Church Hill almost functions as a character in the story, its peaceful appearance concealing a silent war. How did you approach constructing this environment to convey so much tension and distrust?
Certainly, the fog and empty streets helped me a lot, and it also transformed Heather’s doubts about the city into those of the reader.
Beyond fantasy and suspense, the book also addresses issues of premature maturity and fragmented family relationships. To what extent was the supernatural used to amplify very human pains and conflicts?
To the point where the characters began to act according to their own desires and motives.
Ultimately, Wild Hunt – Desire seems to question how far someone is willing to go for love, survival, or truth. After reading this story, what reflection do you feel has resonated most strongly with you?
After creating so many characters with their own lives and motivations, I’ve drawn on empathy as a foundation for looking out for others, and how important that is in the world we live in today.
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