Tag: review

• Book Review: “Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea” by April G. Tucholke

  Posted at 7:57 pm by Laura, on August 24, 2013

  Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea by April G. Tucholke 

  Published: August 2013
  Publisher: Dial
  Genre: gothic, horror, paranormal, young adult
  ISBN: 9780803738898
  Goodreads: 3.89
  Rating: ★★★★

  Nothing much exciting rolls through Violet White’s sleepy, seaside town…until River West comes along. River rents the guesthouse behind Violet’s crumbling estate, and as eerie, grim things start to happen, Violet begins to wonder about the boy living in her backyard. Is River just a crooked-smiling liar with pretty eyes and a mysterious past? Or could he be something more? Violet’s grandmother always warned her about the Devil, but she never said he could be a dark-haired boy who takes naps in the sun, who likes coffee, who kisses you in a cemetery…who makes you want to kiss back. Violet’s already so knee-deep in love, she can’t see straight. And that’s just how River likes it.

  Violet and her twin brother Luke are practically orphans, their artists parents gone on a long European artistic holiday for over a year. In order to pay for their crumbling seaside manor, Violet puts up a notice for a renter in their guesthouse. Within hours, River West blows in, with his vintage car and linen slacks and devil-may-care smile. Violet is drawn to him without understanding why, and knows that every word out of his mouth is a lie. As children become bewitched, a man commits suicide, and news of nearby towns going insane, Violet begins to connect the events to River, and is determined to stop it.

  The publisher’s summary is a lie. In a good way. Do not be misled into thinking Violet will be another dim-witted “heroine” who can’t help but fall in love with the bad guy. No, Violet is not in love. She never is in love. Her every action with and towards River is for a reason, and that reason is not blinding love. River and Violet are like Heathcliff and Cathy, only not as animalistic and passionate. Imagine if Heathcliff had a supernatural power that controlled Cathy’s emotions. River is Heathcliff in every possible way a character is a Byronic hero. Violet is Cathy, born of wealth but with a free spirit and an unexpected tendency to transgress social boundaries. Unlike Heathcliff and Cathy’s passionate love (and equal hate) for one another, River and Violet step around each other, one heavily drawn to the other while the other is filled with loathing.

  The connections between River’s family history, Violet’s family history, and other family histories in the town of Echo are a bit reminiscent of Great Gatsby and Wuthering Heights blended together, as well. There’s the wealth and parties and sex and drinking and drugs of the roaring ’20s, mixed with familial commingling, forbidden love, and supernatural fears of the devil and hell and sin. An absolutely fascinating blend.

  What’s so great about this book is that River isn’t exactly a bad guy or a good guy. His character is a very complex one. Tucholke urges the reader to face the complexities of humanity. River has power, and it’s not always used for good intentions or ill, selfless or selfishly. He’s an addict, through and through, and his words and his actions make it difficult for Violet, and the reader, to trust him. I love that.

  Posted in books, Reviews 2013 | 2 Comments | Tagged book review, books, genre: gothic, genre: horror, genre: paranormal, genre: young adult, goodreads, review

• Book Review: “Raven’s Gate” by Anthony Horowitz

  Posted at 1:18 pm by Laura, on August 19, 2013

  Raven’s Gate by Anthony Horowitz 

  Publisher: Scholastic
  Published: October 2006
  Genre: young adult, gothic, horror, sci fi
  ISBN: 9780439680097
  Goodreads: 3.91
  Rating: ★★

  Raven’s Gate was closed long ago by five children. On the coming Roodmas black magic festival, blood sacrifice can re-open the portal. Professor Dravid sees power in orphan Matt, 14. But all who help the lad die. His new guardian Mrs Deverill, with the Yorkshire village of Little Malling, are powering up the abandoned local nuclear plant for the evil Old Ones to return.

  Fourteen-year-old orphan Matt is accused of a crime he did not commit and is sentenced to a year’s time within the government’s LEAF project — Liberty and Education Achieved through Fostering. When Mrs. Deverill brings him to Hive Hill in Yorkshire’s Little Malling, Matt instantly realizes something is not quite right. The villagers are mad. All the roads lead back to the same intersection. And a strange abandoned nuclear power plant is lighting up at night. Matt risks his life to find the answers to all of his questions, included the most avoided of all: what is Raven’s Gate?

  Horowitz has made a name for himself in young adult fantasy and horror. He has everything a great writer should have: good plots, engaging characters, steady pacing, and enough mystery to keep the reader going. Unfortunately, this book was not for me and I found it lacking. It simply did not hold my interest.

  I will note though that there are plenty of chapters here that lived out my worst nightmares. There’s a whole section dedicated to Matt riding a bicycle in the middle of the night to escape Hive Hall. He comes to an intersection of five roads, and with each path he takes, he ends up back where he started. It was a never-ending nightmare, moving quickly and yet going nowhere, never escaping. The horror elements of this novel were spot on, and the science fiction aspects between nuclear energy and black magic could be very intriguing for those with that particular taste.

  Posted in books, Reviews 2013 | 0 Comments | Tagged book review, books, genre: horror, genre: sci-fi, genre: young adult, goodreads, review

• Book Review: “The Beautiful and the Cursed” by Page Morgan

  Posted at 7:44 pm by Laura, on August 17, 2013

  The Beautiful and the Cursed by Page Morgan 

  Publisher: Delacorte Press
  Published: May 2013
  Genre: young adult, gothic, paranormal
  ISBN: 9780385743112
  Goodreads: 3.93
  Rating: ★★★★★

  After a bizarre accident, Ingrid Waverly is forced to leave London with her mother and younger sister, Gabby, trading a world full of fancy dresses and society events for the unfamiliar city of Paris.

  In Paris there are no grand balls or glittering parties, and, disturbingly, the house Ingrid’s twin brother, Grayson, found for them isn’t a house at all. It’s an abandoned abbey, its roof lined with stone gargoyles that could almost be mistaken for living, breathing creatures.

  And Grayson has gone missing.

  No one seems to know of his whereabouts but Luc, a devastatingly handsome servant at their new home.

  Ingrid is sure her twin isn’t dead—she can feel it deep in her soul—but she knows he’s in grave danger. It will be up to her and Gabby to navigate the twisted path to Grayson, a path that will lead Ingrid on a discovery of dark secrets and otherworldly truths. And she’ll learn that once they are uncovered, they can never again be buried.

  Lady Ingrid and Lady Gabriella Waverly travel to Paris with their mother to help her set up an art gallery in an old, abandoned abbey they now have to call home. Upon their arrival, they are disturbed to find Ingrid’s twin brother, Grayson, missing. The staff seem unconcerned, but Ingrid and Gabby are determined to find him. Luc, a servant on edge the second he lays eyes on Ingrid, is the only one who hints of knowing Grayson’s whereabouts. As Ingrid and Gabby explore Paris and forge friendships with an American shopkeeper and rough Scotsman, they begin to discover a world of angels, demons, and gargoyles, and the foreboding connection between the fantastic and the recently murdered girls in Paris.

  An incredibly original idea and brilliant début. This book felt like Hunchback of Notre Dame meets Beauty and the Beast meets The Mortal Instruments meets Paradise Lost meets anything Wilkie Collins could write if he’d thought of writing fantasy. The whole concept of gargoyles being the protectors of humans on earth to do angels’ bidding is remarkable — and yet, so obvious. Of course gargoyles are humans’ protectors: they can be seen adorning every ancient holy building in Europe. They adorn the structures to keep evil out, to keep the demons away. And that is the premise of this novel. Brilliant.

  I especially liked that each chapter peeked into individual characters’ minds while other characters were out experiencing something else. There’s a scene where Gabby is out in Paris alone and a turn of events happens for her; meanwhile, Ingrid is discovering the truth from Luc; meanwhile, Grayson is somewhere dark and in pain. Occasionally scenes will overlap and the reader experiences it through a different character’s perspective, which is very exciting. That being said, I’m thrilled this was written in the third person subjective. A writer could have easily made the point of view in first person, but having the third person subjective allows the reader to not only feel what the character feels (like in first person) but also see all the vivid descriptions that no first person narrative would naturally describe. Each character had a specific tone and voice to their sections as well.

  On that note, I loved the complexity of each character. Gabby, though a bit snobbish and self-centered in the beginning, grew to be a fighter and determined to prove herself. She’d always felt overshadowed by her twin siblings and their deep connection to one another. The opportunities the events in this novel give her allow her to become who she’s always wanted to be: strong and independent. She’s very feisty, too , and I loved her interactions with Nolan, the Scot. Luc is a deeply troubled character, with such conflicting and opposing feelings, a brilliant epitome of an anti-hero. He’s corrupt yet moral, disturbed yet honorable. I felt the most for Ingrid, her private and patient ways, her loyalty and determination, and above all her deeply wounded heart. Her heartbreak is not melodramatic, like many young adult novels accidentally portray.

  This is a must-read.

  Posted in books, Reviews 2013 | 0 Comments | Tagged book review, books, genre: gothic, genre: paranormal, genre: young adult, goodreads, review

• Book Review: “This Dark Endeavor” by Kenneth Oppel

  Posted at 3:08 pm by Laura, on August 9, 2013

  This Dark Endeavor by Kenneth Oppel 

  Publisher: Simon & Schuster
  Published: May 2012
  Genre: young adult, gothic, fantasy, sci-fi
  ISBN: 9781442403161
  Goodreads: 3.89
  Rating: ★★

  In this prequel to Mary Shelley’s gothic classic, Frankenstein, 16-year-old Victor Frankenstein begins a dark journey that will change his life forever. Victor’s twin, Konrad, has fallen ill, and no doctor is able to cure him. Unwilling to give up on his brother, Victor enlists his beautiful cousin Elizabeth and best friend Henry on a treacherous search for the ingredients to create the forbidden Elixir of Life. Impossible odds, dangerous alchemy and a bitter love triangle threaten their quest at every turn.

  Victor knows he must not fail. But his success depends on how far he is willing to push the boundaries of nature, science, and love—and how much he is willing to sacrifice.

  Victor’s twin Konrad, “the better” of the two, suddenly falls ill and no cure is available. Fearing for his brother’s life and determined to prove himself, Victor turns to the alchemy books he discovers in the Dark Library. With the help of his cousin Elizabeth and dear friend Henry, they concoct a potion said to restore life. But as the quest for the Elixir of Life proves more and more dangerous, Victor begins to discover a side of himself much darker than he ever thought possible, as nature, science, religion, and love pull his motivations apart.

  I’m astonished, somewhat proud, and slightly embarrassed to say I’ve gone through my entire academic career not having reading Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. I’m not sure how it happened, and I’m surprised it was never assigned in my undergraduate Victorian lit and Gothic lit courses. It turned into a game, seeing how long I could go in my academic career — potentially my life — without reading this classic, just out of pure sport. That’s not to say I have no idea what happens in Frankenstein. I can easily give a full synopsis of the book and characters and big impact moments and themes, and that’s simply because I listened to conversations. I’ve never seen a TV show on it, I’ve never seen the movies, I haven’t even seen the play. But with this thesis, I must end this game and read the book.

  That being said, my enjoyment for Oppel’s prequel to Frankenstein might have been diminished simply because I have not read the classic first. I spotted all of the historical references to the birth of the story (Wollstonekraft Alley is based on Mary’s mother’s maiden name, Wollstonecraft; Polidori was named after the physician friend of Shelley and Byron’s who wrote Vampyre the same night Mary Shelley wrote Frankenstein), all the references back to Frankenstein (from my meager listening skills), and it’s easy to see the madness begin in Victor Frankenstein. Armed with all of this information, though, I still did not fully appreciate it.

  The plot was good, the characters well-rounded, the action and suspense well-placed and paced. However, I believe all of the inner turmoil, the progression from mere brotherly competition to mad jealousy, could have done better in an adult fiction novel, or a much larger YA novel. This is book one of a series, but I still believe Oppel could have fleshed out more of Victor. He’s such a Byronic hero — I understand his selfishness and his inner conflict, he’s easy to love and easy to hate — but it was all too rushed and sudden. He needs to develop slowly, otherwise the sudden switch in personality can be jarring for the reader and almost cheesy.

  Posted in books, Reviews 2013 | 4 Comments | Tagged book review, books, genre: fantasy, genre: gothic, genre: sci-fi, genre: young adult, goodreads, review

• Book Review: “The Book of Blood and Shadow” by Robin Wasserman

  Posted at 10:01 am by Laura, on August 2, 2013

  The Book of Blood and Shadow by Robin Wasserman 

  Publisher: Ember
  Published: paperback July 2013
  Genre: young adult, thriller, gothic
  ISBN: 9780375872778
  Goodreads: 3.61
  Rating: ★★★★

  One night is all it takes to change Nora Kane’s life forever. Her best friend is dead; her boyfriend has vanished. And the trail of blood leads straight back to her: The person who might be responsible. The person who might be next.

  Desperate to save the people she loves and determined to find justice for the ones she’s lost, Nora unearths a dark web of secret societies and shadowy conspirators, all driven by a mad desire to possess something that might not even exist. Something to which Nora herself might hold the key. It turns out her night of blood is just one piece in a puzzle that spans continents and centuries—and solving it may be the only way she can save her own life.

  On the night Nora’s boyfriend disappears, her best friend is murdered, and his girlfriend is sent to an institution, she realizes the Latin translations of letters and manuscripts they worked on was not their crazy professor’s idea of torture but his truly sane quest to attempt to uncover an ancient, world-changing secret. Nora takes it upon herself to flee to Prague to exact revenge, but soon discovers she is key to centuries-old secrets, lies, and conspiracies.

  Deeply intelligent and immensely witty, Nora is quite the protagonist to follow and a pleasure to read. Already a wounded character from the start — dead older brother, workaholic mother, and recluse father — she shares the slow-building and enriching friendship she forges with Chris, Adriane, and Max. They work together to translate Latin manuscripts their strange, presumably insane, professor claims will change the world, and constantly reminds them that someone is watching their progress. None of them believe it till the night all four are ripped apart.

  Having been to Prague, I loved the descriptions of Old Town, and the wild history the city endured for centuries. The quest spent there was full of surprises, and it was difficult to know who to trust in this thriller. With two secret societies warring one another over an ancient machine that could potentially speak to God, Nora is dragged into making the discovery and destroying it. I had to remind myself there are no good guys in this story. One society aims to create the machine to speak to God, to know there is a Creator and we can communicate with Him; the other society aims to destroy the machine, to prove that God’s existence is in faith in Him, not in proof. In this sense, the book is quite realistic: there is no way to tell who is good and who is bad, and the decisions to be made have dire consequences either way.

  Wasserman’s writing style is artistic, with long descriptive sentences that have the potential to become run-ons till she loops it back to the subject. In these descriptions, we learn Nora’s thoughts and feelings, what she sees and hears, what brings back memories and what can link us to a clue into the future. While overabundant, and some sections unnecessary, it was easy to get pulled into the descriptions and the vast historical references, and fall into the story, making this book incredibly difficult to put down.

  Posted in books, Reviews 2013 | 3 Comments | Tagged book review, books, genre: gothic, genre: history, genre: thriller, genre: young adult, goodreads, review

• Book Review: “The Dead of Winter” by Chris Priestly

  Posted at 8:50 am by Laura, on July 27, 2013

  The Dead of Winter by Chris Priestly 

  Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Children’s
  Published: January 2012
  Genre: young adult, gothic, horror
  ISBN: 9781599907451
  Goodreads: 3.58
  Rating: ★★★

  After Michael’s parents die, he is invited to stay with his guardian in a desolate country house. He begins to suspect something is not quite right on the day he arrives when he spots a mysterious woman out in the frozen mists. But little can prepare him for the solitude of the house itself.

  On the day of his mother’s funeral, Michael’s family lawyer offers him a new life to live under the guardianship of the man his father defended in the war. Sir Stephen is a wealthy man and eager to take in Michael as a ward, and Michael, with nothing to his name, cannot refuse. But the journey to Hawton Mere proves to only be a precursor for what’s to come at the manor. He spots a woman in the mist, terrified, wet, and screaming — but no one else can see her. As he steps foot in the manor, stranger things begin to take hold, and each night is filled with chilling haunts.

  The elder Michael recalls his visit to Hawton Mere and the strange Christmas he spent there. This epistolary beginning and ending to the book was reminiscent of Susan Hill’s Woman in Black — the reader knows no matter what the narrator encounters the narrator will live, but will clearly be haunted by it. Although not as spooky as the previous ghost stories I’ve read, I can easily see why the older Michael would still be disturbed. The creepy, massive house; the mad and deeply disturbed guardian; strange noises, creaking floors, and turning knobs; and the dripping woman from the mist looming around the moat.

  The language recalls the Victorian writing style easily, and I was left quite impressed. It’s difficult to emulate that language without it sounding forced or cheesy. Priestly also threw in some classic gothic elements, like the woman in all white, a nightgown, wild among the marshes, the setting as the marshes, childhood traumas, burning manors, and everyone somehow connected to one another. Overall, it was a good, quick read.

  Posted in books, Reviews 2013 | 0 Comments | Tagged book review, books, genre: gothic, genre: horror, genre: young adult, goodreads, review

• Book Review: “Ashes on the Waves” by Mary Lindsey

  Posted at 10:17 pm by Laura, on July 21, 2013

  Ashes on the Waves by Mary Lindsey 

  Publisher: Philomel/Penguin
  Published: June 2013
  Genre: young adult, gothic, paranormal
  ISBN: 9780399159398
  Goodreads: 4.15
  Rating: ★★★ 1/2

  Liam MacGregor is cursed. Haunted by the wails of fantastical Bean Sidhes and labeled a demon by the villagers of Dòchas, Liam has accepted that things will never get better for him—until a wealthy heiress named Annabel Leighton arrives on the island and Liam’s fate is changed forever.

  With Anna, Liam finally finds the happiness he has always been denied; but, the violent, mythical Otherworlders, who inhabit the island and the sea around it, have other plans. They make a wager on the couple’s love, testing its strength through a series of cruel obstacles. But the tragedies draw Liam and Anna even closer. Frustrated, the creatures put the couple through one last trial—and this time it’s not only their love that’s in danger of being destroyed.

  When Liam and Anna meet on an island far off the coast of Maine with deep Irish roots, the world as they know it ends. He is completely engrossed with her. She is deeply enchanted by him. Everyone else, from banshees to Selkies to villagers, has a different plan in mind for these two. Trial after trial is thrown upon them, and their love for one another is tested to the limit. Based on Poe’s chilling, haunting poem, “Annabel Lee,” one may know the ending — but the journey is a deeply heart-wrenching tale.

  Celtic folklore mixed with my favorite Poe poem is bound to be a recipe for greatness. Lindsey’s knowledge of Irish fairies — true fairies, not the pixie Tinkerbells of Disney — truly helped to flesh out this haunting tale. Liam is such a tragic character, so full of love and hope and determination to live despite the horrible way the villagers treat him. Anna is a unique character, one with a face for the dramatic press and tabloids, and a heart with deep dreams, aspirations, and compassion. They are meant to be, and it’s easy to fall in love with their love.

  The setting was absolutely remarkable, but I wish it didn’t have to be an American coast. Why was it necessary to have the island close to Maine? Why have all these deep Celtic roots on a fictionalized American island? It would make far more sense for the island to be closer to the homeland. There are plenty of ways for Anna’s character to be famous — she can fly to the island from Dublin, Edinburgh, London. Not that the island’s location is central to the story, but that bit did ruffle my feathers.

  Liam’s mind is like reading a very lyrical poem. I was completely mesmerized.

  Posted in books, Reviews 2013 | 1 Comment | Tagged book review, books, genre: gothic, genre: paranormal, genre: young adult, goodreads, review

• Book Review: “Raven Flight” by Juliet Marillier

  Posted at 9:03 pm by Laura, on July 16, 2013

  Raven Flight by Juliet Marillier 

  Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
  Publishing Date: July 2013
  Genre: young adult, fantasy
  ISBN: 9780375869556
  Goodreads: 4.08
  Rating: ★★★★

  Neryn has finally found the rebel group at Shadowfell, and now her task is to seek out the elusive Guardians, vital to her training as a Caller. These four powerful beings have been increasingly at odds with human kind, and Neryn must prove her worth to them. She desperately needs their help to use her gift without compromising herself or the cause of overthrowing the evil King Keldec.

  Neryn must journey with the tough and steadfast Tali, who looks on Neryn’s love for the double agent Flint as a needless vulnerability. And perhaps it is. What Flint learns from the king will change the battlefield entirely-but in whose favor, no one knows.

  Neryn, after an exhausting and enlightening journey to Shadowfell with Flint, has finally found a place to call home with fellow rebels in King Keldec’s Alban kingdom. It is there she begins her training as a Caller, a person with the ability to call upon all fairy-like creatures called the Good Folk, to save Alban from destructive rule and bring it back to it’s traditional, safe ways. But she must meet with the four Guardians before she can help her rebel cause in this war, and she must travel in secret from King Keldec. With Flint as his most trusted confidante, how will the cause stay alive? And how will Flint manage to continue his double-agent life?

  Once again, Marillier brings to life Anglo-Saxon Celtic folklore in a very Tolkien-esque world. I was absolutely enchanted and could not put the book down. Neryn, albeit small in stature and physically weak, has such a powerful mind and fantastic connection with humans and Good Folk alike that I cannot help but admire her strength, confidence, and will. She’s incredibly intelligent and determined. Her love for Flint is not the primary focus at all in this trilogy, which is such a relief. It makes every moment they have together all the more sweet, and her goal in this trilogy all the more powerful.

  I find Neryn’s tasks quite relaxing to read. It’s a lot of visualization, mental imagery to control the physical world, traditional rituals and respect to the old ways. In a way, Neryn’s tasks are meditative, reflective, and every sacrifice made by the Good Folk is done willingly in her honor. She’s such a peaceful character, such a pleasure to read.

  There is a chapter in the book regarding a summer festival, several days of games and tournaments featuring men of strength. It’s very medieval, reminds me of Renaissance fairs, and truly shows how remarkable Marillier can be when she incorporates her academic knowledge with this fictional lore. I appreciated the descriptions, no matter how enthralling or brutal. It brought past and present Alban culture to life.

  I cannot wait for the next installment!

  Read my review of the first book, Shadowfell. 

  Posted in books, Reviews 2013 | 0 Comments | Tagged book review, books, genre: fantasy, genre: young adult, goodreads, review

• Book Review: “Broken Harbor” by Tana French

  Posted at 11:56 am by Laura, on July 12, 2013

  Broken Harbor by Tana French 

  Publisher: Penguin
  Published: April 2013
  Genre: fiction, mystery
  ISBN: 9780143123309
  Goodreads: 3.93
  Rating: ★★★

  Mick “Scorcher” Kennedy always brings in the killer. Always. That’s why he’s landed this high-profile triple homicide. At first, he thinks it’s going to be simple, but the murder scene holds terrifying memories for Scorcher. Memories of something that happened there back when he was a boy.

  Mick Kennedy always solves his cases and solves them efficiently. When O’Kelly gives him a case to work on with rookie partner Richie, Mick races to work. But this triple homicide of a family out in Brianstown, the old Broken Harbor, brings back memories of his own childhood vacations — one in particular he believes mangled his youngest sister’s sanity.

  This is the fourth in Tana French’s Dublin Murder Squad series. Kennedy appeared in the last, Faithful Place, following the trend of featuring the previous book’s side character as the new protagonist. Also typical of French’s style is the psychological twist within each case. Rather than spanning several weeks or months, this book spans less than a week, and it is packed full of clues, twists, and wild circumstances.

  I loved the dynamics of Kennedy’s partnership with rookie Richie. He teaches, he scolds, he praises. He does not belittle Richie like the rest of the department, but instead wants him to learn from his mistakes and observe others in action.

  The insanity bits begin to take hold when Kennedy’s sister Dina enters the scene. Her dialogue is fantastic — run-on sentences, incomplete phrases, scattered breaths and punctuation, ideas not quite stringing together. That sort of dialogue continues into Patrick’s character, and later Jenny’s, as you begin to see their worlds crumble around them. This is such an effective way of recognizing the deteriorating mind without it being the mind of the protagonist.

  What prevented me from giving this four or five stars is due to the length. There were many passages I felt were unnecessary — whole chapters, even. As much as I enjoyed Dina’s character, I think we could have done without this side story. There was something about it that felt unresolved, or that if it was going to be explored at all then it should be done in depth rather than in the back of the mind or whenever it was convenient.

  Posted in books, Reviews 2013 | 3 Comments | Tagged book review, books, genre: adult fiction, genre: fiction, genre: mystery, goodreads, review

• Book Review: “The Poisoned House” by Michael Ford

  Posted at 6:04 pm by Laura, on July 11, 2013

  The Poisoned House by Michael Ford 

  Publisher: Albert Whitman & Company
  Published: September 2012
  Genre: young adult, gothic, mystery, history
  ISBN: 9780807565902
  Goodreads: 3.59
  Rating: ★★★★

  Life can be cruel for a servant girl in 1850s London. Fifteen-year-old Abi is a scullery maid in Greave Hall, an elegant but troubled household. The widowed master of the house is slowly slipping into madness, and the tyrannical housekeeper, Mrs. Cotton, punishes Abi without mercy. But there’s something else going on in Greave Hall, too. An otherworldly presence is making itself known, and a deadly secret will reveal itself–a secret that will shatter everything Abi knows.

  Abigail Tamper would love nothing more than to escape Greave Hall, a place that has only brought grief since her mother’s death. But Mrs. Cotton, the wicked housekeeper, has other plans for the scullery maid. When the master’s son returns from war, mysterious things begin to happen to and around Abi, circumstances that cannot be explained without a person accusing her of madness.

  This is a quietly brilliant ghost story. Everything about it mimicked the work of Wilkie Collins: subtle gothic tones, household disturbances, tyrannical person of some power over the protagonist, and massive family secrets that only the protagonist can discover and reveal. The atmosphere was chilling and the situations dramatic. I loved the moments the ghost would make its presence known. I really enjoyed the superstition that came into play as well.

  Ford’s ghost story was a nice change from the fantastical ghost stories of disturbed spirits out to harm living people. There’s a line between frightening someone into realizing/recognizing a secret that needs to be put to rest, and chasing after someone for the pure enjoyment of watching them flee in fear.

  Posted in books, Reviews 2013 | 0 Comments | Tagged book review, books, genre: gothic, genre: history, genre: mystery, genre: young adult, goodreads, review

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• Hello, I’m Laura!

  I'm a bookish bookworm and book hoarder. By day I'm a literary agent, and by night I'm forever rearranging my bookshelves. I could talk your ear off about Gothic literature, and in my past life people thought I'd become a professional musician. I have a fluffy black cat named Rossetti, I love to travel, tea is my drink of choice, British TV is the best, and I'm always down for chips-and-queso nights. Welcome to Scribbles & Wanderlust! Grab your favorite hot beverage and let's chat books!

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