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Katie
Lorsqu’en 1871, la désargentée et intrépide Philomela Drax reçoit une lettre de son richissime grand-père déclarant qu’il craint pour sa vie à cause d’une famille peu scrupuleuse, les Slape, elle se précipite à la rescousse. Mais le temps presse, car Katie Slape, une jeune femme dotée d’un don de voyance et d’un bon coup de marteau, est sur le point d’arriver à ses fins…
Démarre alors une traque endiablée, des rues poussiéreuses d’un village du New Jersey aux trottoirs étincelants de Saratoga, en passant par les quais de New York, Philo poursuit Katie… à moins que ce ne soit l’inverse ? Car personne n’échappe à Katie la Furie !
Tout à la fois hommage de Michael McDowell aux penny dreadfuls excitants et sans pitié de l’ère victorienne et thriller bourré d’action et de rebondissements, Katie est une jubilatoire danse macabre à travers l’Âge d’or américain.
Démarre alors une traque endiablée, des rues poussiéreuses d’un village du New Jersey aux trottoirs étincelants de Saratoga, en passant par les quais de New York, Philo poursuit Katie… à moins que ce ne soit l’inverse ? Car personne n’échappe à Katie la Furie !
Tout à la fois hommage de Michael McDowell aux penny dreadfuls excitants et sans pitié de l’ère victorienne et thriller bourré d’action et de rebondissements, Katie est une jubilatoire danse macabre à travers l’Âge d’or américain.
460 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 1982
About the author
Michael McDowell
65 books1,651 followersMichael McDowell is a prolific horror writer who has distinguished himself with a varied body of work within the genre. He was born in Enterprise, Alabama, in 1950 and died of AIDS-related illness in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1999.
His first horror novel, The Amulet, relates the tragedies that befall various individuals who come in possession of a supernatural pendant in a small town.
In McDowell's second novel, Cold Moon Over Babylon, a murdered woman's corpse is dispatched into a river, but her spirit roams the land, and in the evening hours it seeks revenge on her killer even as he plots the demise of her surviving relatives.
Don D'Ammassa, writing in the St. James Guide to Horror, Ghost & Gothic Writers, noted that McDowell's ability to maintain a sense of mundane normalcy against supernatural activity provides the novel with "a fine balance between reality and unreality," and he called Cold Moon Over Babylon "one of the best ghost stories ever written at novel length."
A similarly disturbing tension between dull reality and the supernatural is produced in The Elementals, wherein a host of visitors come to stay at a secluded house occupied by embodiments of elemental forces.
McDowell's Katie, meanwhile, concerns a clairvoyant serial killer whose powers of perception enable her to evade her trackers. The attractive but deranged heroine of this novel manages to conduct her murderous activities despite the awareness of her parents, who are content to derive financial gain from their daughter's crimes.
Madness is central to McDowell's Toplin, which details the vile imaginings of a man who suffers from mental illness but nonetheless determines to conduct himself within society. D'Ammassa praised Toplin as "perhaps the best novel ever written from the point of view of a schizophrenic."
Among McDowell's other writings is the six-part serial novel Blackwater, a chronicle of a southern family drawn to the supernatural. In addition, McDowell has also supplied the screenplays for various films, including director Tim Burton's horror comedy Beetlejuice and his animated production The Nightmare Before Christmas.
Stephen King called McDowell one of the "finest writers of paperback originals in America today." Tabitha King was asked to complete McDowell's unfinished novel Candles Burning, which was published in 2006 to good reviews. Concerning his career, McDowell never tried to be something he wasn't. "I am a commercial writer and I'm proud of that", he said in the book Faces of Fear in 1985. "I am writing things to be put in the bookstore next month. I think it is a mistake to try to write for the ages."
His first horror novel, The Amulet, relates the tragedies that befall various individuals who come in possession of a supernatural pendant in a small town.
In McDowell's second novel, Cold Moon Over Babylon, a murdered woman's corpse is dispatched into a river, but her spirit roams the land, and in the evening hours it seeks revenge on her killer even as he plots the demise of her surviving relatives.
Don D'Ammassa, writing in the St. James Guide to Horror, Ghost & Gothic Writers, noted that McDowell's ability to maintain a sense of mundane normalcy against supernatural activity provides the novel with "a fine balance between reality and unreality," and he called Cold Moon Over Babylon "one of the best ghost stories ever written at novel length."
A similarly disturbing tension between dull reality and the supernatural is produced in The Elementals, wherein a host of visitors come to stay at a secluded house occupied by embodiments of elemental forces.
McDowell's Katie, meanwhile, concerns a clairvoyant serial killer whose powers of perception enable her to evade her trackers. The attractive but deranged heroine of this novel manages to conduct her murderous activities despite the awareness of her parents, who are content to derive financial gain from their daughter's crimes.
Madness is central to McDowell's Toplin, which details the vile imaginings of a man who suffers from mental illness but nonetheless determines to conduct himself within society. D'Ammassa praised Toplin as "perhaps the best novel ever written from the point of view of a schizophrenic."
Among McDowell's other writings is the six-part serial novel Blackwater, a chronicle of a southern family drawn to the supernatural. In addition, McDowell has also supplied the screenplays for various films, including director Tim Burton's horror comedy Beetlejuice and his animated production The Nightmare Before Christmas.
Stephen King called McDowell one of the "finest writers of paperback originals in America today." Tabitha King was asked to complete McDowell's unfinished novel Candles Burning, which was published in 2006 to good reviews. Concerning his career, McDowell never tried to be something he wasn't. "I am a commercial writer and I'm proud of that", he said in the book Faces of Fear in 1985. "I am writing things to be put in the bookstore next month. I think it is a mistake to try to write for the ages."
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 314 reviews
March 10, 2015
Are you a horror fan? If so, read this book NOW!!
This tale reminds me of how and why I became a horror fan. I remember picking up horror paperbacks in the late 70s-early 80s and ripping through them at a breakneck pace. I experienced that feeling again this past weekend and I realized how much I missed and loved that experience!
In the very small town of New Egypt, New Jersey lives Philomela Drax with her mother, the local seamstress. They don't have much since Mr. Drax passed on and they certainly do not enjoy status of any kind. Mrs. Drax receives a letter from her estranged, crippled, father begging her or Philo to come to his aid. Apparently, the people that he hired to take care of his farm are now trying to kill him and steal everything that's not nailed down, including the farm itself. Philo, being of the highest character, immediately leaves to see if she can put a stop to these shenanigans. Shortly thereafter, Philo meets the family Slape and this story puts the gas pedal to the floor.
Michael McDowell creates characters that you love or hate with all your might. His observations of human nature are spot on, which only adds to the believability of his stories. His works are almost always unpredictable. Just when you think a story is going one way, he jerks your heartstrings and turns it in a totally different direction.
Mr. McDowell is currently near the top of my favorite authors list and he's been dead for 1.5 decades. I can't help but wonder how many more awesome stories he could have come up with had he lived longer. I can only say that I would have purchased and read every single one of them. As things stand now, his works are very difficult to find. If it weren't for Valancourt Books, I might never have been able to read this horror classic, or The Elementals either, for that matter. I know that they are working hard to bring back even more of his work and I, for one, can't wait to check them out.
My highest recommendation!
*I was provided a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This is it!*
This tale reminds me of how and why I became a horror fan. I remember picking up horror paperbacks in the late 70s-early 80s and ripping through them at a breakneck pace. I experienced that feeling again this past weekend and I realized how much I missed and loved that experience!
In the very small town of New Egypt, New Jersey lives Philomela Drax with her mother, the local seamstress. They don't have much since Mr. Drax passed on and they certainly do not enjoy status of any kind. Mrs. Drax receives a letter from her estranged, crippled, father begging her or Philo to come to his aid. Apparently, the people that he hired to take care of his farm are now trying to kill him and steal everything that's not nailed down, including the farm itself. Philo, being of the highest character, immediately leaves to see if she can put a stop to these shenanigans. Shortly thereafter, Philo meets the family Slape and this story puts the gas pedal to the floor.
Michael McDowell creates characters that you love or hate with all your might. His observations of human nature are spot on, which only adds to the believability of his stories. His works are almost always unpredictable. Just when you think a story is going one way, he jerks your heartstrings and turns it in a totally different direction.
Mr. McDowell is currently near the top of my favorite authors list and he's been dead for 1.5 decades. I can't help but wonder how many more awesome stories he could have come up with had he lived longer. I can only say that I would have purchased and read every single one of them. As things stand now, his works are very difficult to find. If it weren't for Valancourt Books, I might never have been able to read this horror classic, or The Elementals either, for that matter. I know that they are working hard to bring back even more of his work and I, for one, can't wait to check them out.
My highest recommendation!
*I was provided a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This is it!*
September 20, 2024
It's A Thriller...
KATIE
by Michael McDowell
No spoilers. 4 stars. This story takes place in the 1800s. Katie's first appearance is as a young girl torturing and killing a small animal...
Later...
Katie discovers that she has clairvoyant powers, which enable her to successfully rob and then murder her victims...
When Katie's mother is killed by a fire on the stage where she was performing as Mlle. Desire, Katie's babysitter Hannah Jepson (an equally evil woman) marries Katie's father John Slape (also evil in his own right)...
Together, the Slapes form a diabolical family of serial killers who murder not only for money but just for the fun of it...
As the family moves about, killing when the whim or need strikes them, they are also running from the one person that can direct the authorities to them...
Philo Drax has received a letter from her wealthy grandfather asking her to come to him under cover to rescue him from this greedy, bloodthirsty family...
Philo arrives at her grandfather's farm, but it is too late to save him. The Slapes murder her grandfather, an invalid, steal his fortune and lock Philo in a room with his corpse so she will be blamed for his death...
Penniless, Philo must now try to locate the Slape family while evading the authorities...
As Boris Karloff used to say: It's a thriller.
I read this novel many years ago and had forgotten how good it was. This book was truly buried treasure. The prose was a little hard to get into at first, but once you're past the first 10%, the story takes off and is a real page-turner. I easily rate this novel 5 stars.
COLD MOON OVER BABYLON is also a very good book by this author.
Warning to some readers: Animal abuse is part of this story
KATIE
by Michael McDowell
No spoilers. 4 stars. This story takes place in the 1800s. Katie's first appearance is as a young girl torturing and killing a small animal...
Later...
Katie discovers that she has clairvoyant powers, which enable her to successfully rob and then murder her victims...
When Katie's mother is killed by a fire on the stage where she was performing as Mlle. Desire, Katie's babysitter Hannah Jepson (an equally evil woman) marries Katie's father John Slape (also evil in his own right)...
Together, the Slapes form a diabolical family of serial killers who murder not only for money but just for the fun of it...
As the family moves about, killing when the whim or need strikes them, they are also running from the one person that can direct the authorities to them...
Philo Drax has received a letter from her wealthy grandfather asking her to come to him under cover to rescue him from this greedy, bloodthirsty family...
Philo arrives at her grandfather's farm, but it is too late to save him. The Slapes murder her grandfather, an invalid, steal his fortune and lock Philo in a room with his corpse so she will be blamed for his death...
Penniless, Philo must now try to locate the Slape family while evading the authorities...
As Boris Karloff used to say: It's a thriller.
I read this novel many years ago and had forgotten how good it was. This book was truly buried treasure. The prose was a little hard to get into at first, but once you're past the first 10%, the story takes off and is a real page-turner. I easily rate this novel 5 stars.
COLD MOON OVER BABYLON is also a very good book by this author.
Warning to some readers: Animal abuse is part of this story
March 23, 2015
This is the second novel I've read by Michael McDowell, and his writing style and use of language continue to impress me! His characters are so realistically drawn that I felt as if I were reading a piece of history, instead of a fictional novel. McDowell's use of atmosphere perfectly compliments his story, fully gripping the reader in that sense of realism.
Katie Slape and her family are beyond words when it comes to describing their depravity and callous disregard for any living thing. The fact that empathy and conscience are COMPLETELY absent makes them stand out even more so than your typical villain--there isn't anything remotely redeeming to any aspect of their existence.
A more chilling, and simply terrifying group of antagonists I can't even envision!
The character of Philomela Drax, in contrast, possesses all the admirable qualities inherent in a truly decent person. Regrettably, for her, misfortune lingers in her life from the very beginning--increasing significantly when she is destined to come to the notice of the horrific Slape family. From this moment on, every aspect of her life is tainted by the Slape's malicious acts against her family and friends. Philo Drax then makes a decision that will have readers cringing--a vow to hunt down the Slape family and see justice served--no matter what the cost to herself.
And nobody has ever managed to escape Katie's blood-drenched hammer.....
Katie Slape and her family are beyond words when it comes to describing their depravity and callous disregard for any living thing. The fact that empathy and conscience are COMPLETELY absent makes them stand out even more so than your typical villain--there isn't anything remotely redeeming to any aspect of their existence.
A more chilling, and simply terrifying group of antagonists I can't even envision!
The character of Philomela Drax, in contrast, possesses all the admirable qualities inherent in a truly decent person. Regrettably, for her, misfortune lingers in her life from the very beginning--increasing significantly when she is destined to come to the notice of the horrific Slape family. From this moment on, every aspect of her life is tainted by the Slape's malicious acts against her family and friends. Philo Drax then makes a decision that will have readers cringing--a vow to hunt down the Slape family and see justice served--no matter what the cost to herself.
And nobody has ever managed to escape Katie's blood-drenched hammer.....
July 20, 2023
"Katie, a dark-haired beauty some would say, but I think she has the devil in her."
Initial Thoughts
I'm nearing the conclusion of a read through of one of the most underrated horror authors to hit the shelves, Michael McDowell. So far I've seen a steady improvement in quality from his first published novel, The Amulet (1979), up to his epic southern gothic horror The Elementals (1981). So hoping to continue with that upward trajectory, it's with some anticipation that I set my sights on another historical chiller...Katie (1982). A story that sees him revisit the North East corner of the states in the late 1800s which was the setting for his fantastic historical thriller, Gilded Needles.
But before I begin a little about the author who sadly passed away at the age of forty-nine in the year of 1999. He was born on 1st June 1950 in Enterprise, Alabama and went on to study for his PhD in English at Brandeis University. Along with being a talented author he was also an accomplished screenwriter, penning scripts for television series including Tales from the Dark side, Alfred Hitchcock Presents and Tales from the Crypt. That's before he famously went on to produce the screenplay for both Beetlejuice and The Nightmare Before Christmas.
The Story
This one is set in 19th century, post-war America, here we pick up with Philomela Drax (Philo tiger friends), an eighteen year old seamstress' daughter. The pair don't have two coins to rub together and are struggling to afford their rent. They're a very unremarkable family but fate is going to have it's say for both of them before this story is finished.
Staring eviction square in the face, Philo's mother receives a timely letter from her estranged father who disowned her when she married her, now deceased, husband. He's had a change of heart and looking to repair the wounds he inflicted. Did I mention he's also particularly wealthy? Could this be the miracle the pair we're praying for? Best not count your chickens yet Philo.
See, grandfather's request for reconciliation is not entirely benevolent. He is at the behest of the diabolical Slape family and needs Philo's help if he's going to escape. His captors have plans to get their claws on his fortune, and are prepared to kill to get it. But murder is a sport for the Slapes and the young daughter Katie is quite happy to do it free of charge. Particularly if it involves smashing in someone's head with a hammer. Negan Smith has nothing on this girl.
"They're demons!" whispered Philo. "A family of devils out of a smoky he'll come to lay waste to me and mine."
The Writing
I've talked about Michael McDowell's writing at length in my previous reviews. He is very, very, very good at nailing the setting and location. In Gilded Needles he absolutely nailed the dark, dusty streets of New York in the late 1800s and he does exactly the same in Katie with a small New Jersey village. This is an author with a real sense of panache when writing in this particular period and he clearly had a wealth of knowledge in that noggin of his. It works fantastically in bringing his characters to life.
I'd definitely describe this as a horror although it's use is subtle throughout without the need for non-stop violence. But that my friend makes it all the more disturbing. McDowell lulled me into thinking this was going to be a historical drama and then hit me with some well-written, stomach turning scenes that had me wanting to look away but glued to the page.
The opening prologue is typical McDowell and sets the tone with a terrifying scene featuring our girl Katie. Be warned that if you're one of these readers that can't handle any form of animal cruelty then better look the other way. The story doesn't let up from there and there's plenty of twists and turns that kept me guessing and bucket loads of tragedy.
"I've made a vow - and that vow is to see every one of them dead. I'll turn hound, and track 'em to their lairs. I'll see 'em hanged, and that night I'll sleep at the foot of the gallows. Their rotting bodies will smell sweet to me!"
The Characters
The title is slightly misleading as the focus of the narrative is without doubt Philo. She's a likeable protagonist and I definitely felt a lot of sympathy for her as I was left wondering how much misfortune one girl could take. Despite being put through the ringer she never looses her positive outlook or sense of kindness. But despite being capable she is certainly naive and underestimates just how evil Katie and her family are.
And while we're on the subject, the stars of the show are the Slape family. In particular that wonderful daughter. Katie is fantastically written and genuinely scary with her casual approach to violence. What she lacks in intelligence she makes up for in cunning and malice. She's a serial killer with some psychic abilities and an absolute nightmare for our Philo, or anyone else who gets in her way. Every scene she featured in had a level of suspense and tension and I wanted more. Would have been great to get some background to her character and an opportunity to delve into her psyche.
Final Thoughts
So another hit from McDowell and I'm glad I stuck with him after not being too impressed with his first two books (The Amulet and Cold Moon Over Babylon). Overall, Katie was a highly entertaining read although not quite up to the level of Gilded Needles or the exceptional Elementals.
McDowell’s next six novels form his magnum opus, known collectively as the Blackwater series and I can't wait to get started on those. But then that's pretty much all she wrote for his bibliography other than a few other titles wrote under different pen names, which I'm not sure I'll track down. Sad times that McDowell passed away just as he was getting into his stride as an author. Who knows what sort of career he could have had. But either way he's an author that I thoroughly recommend checking out...starting with Katie. She's killer!
Thanks for reading and...cheers!
July 31, 2021
I don’t write reviews.
No, I did not like this. It was too much like Gilded Needles. Honestly that wasn’t to my tastes either. McDowell said he was a commercial writer and it shows. I guess sometimes he just wrote really amazing stories, like Cold Moon Over Babylon, The Elementals, Toplin and to a lesser extent, Blackwater.
The writing itself was fine. The storytelling was very much an expository affair. Many things happened, and the reader is mostly told, not shown. No real depth or interest in the characters. Plus the villains were illiterate and could not maneuver through life nor speak in complete sentences.
This book is dark, but not in a good way. It reminded me over and over how McDowell, in life, was obsessed with death. I don’t find necrophilia to be super healthy. (In this case I mean love of death, not love of screwing death). The violence was sickening and unnecessary, in my opinion. It didn’t add to the story in any way. I don’t enjoy feeding archetypes of evil.
Then there was the ridiculous stuff. A lady with a tiny pet lap dog that turned out to be rabid just because he needed to kill off a character. Or the helpless nature of adult characters in regards to annoying lying family members. Or the way everyone in Philo’s life is slaughtered. Even by chance as in the train wreck, which was amazingly perpetrated by the same evil family??! We get an epilogue where we find out her husband dies almost thirty years before she does. So we can feel nice knowing she gets more suffering after the story ends. Ew.
No, I did not like this. It was too much like Gilded Needles. Honestly that wasn’t to my tastes either. McDowell said he was a commercial writer and it shows. I guess sometimes he just wrote really amazing stories, like Cold Moon Over Babylon, The Elementals, Toplin and to a lesser extent, Blackwater.
The writing itself was fine. The storytelling was very much an expository affair. Many things happened, and the reader is mostly told, not shown. No real depth or interest in the characters. Plus the villains were illiterate and could not maneuver through life nor speak in complete sentences.
This book is dark, but not in a good way. It reminded me over and over how McDowell, in life, was obsessed with death. I don’t find necrophilia to be super healthy. (In this case I mean love of death, not love of screwing death). The violence was sickening and unnecessary, in my opinion. It didn’t add to the story in any way. I don’t enjoy feeding archetypes of evil.
Then there was the ridiculous stuff. A lady with a tiny pet lap dog that turned out to be rabid just because he needed to kill off a character. Or the helpless nature of adult characters in regards to annoying lying family members. Or the way everyone in Philo’s life is slaughtered. Even by chance as in the train wreck, which was amazingly perpetrated by the same evil family??! We get an epilogue where we find out her husband dies almost thirty years before she does. So we can feel nice knowing she gets more suffering after the story ends. Ew.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 7, 2023
Like all of Michael McDowell's books, Katie is a brilliantly written American gothic novel. The atmosphere is intoxicating and characters fully realized. It wasn't my favorite McDowell but still fantastic.
April 5, 2009
Back in the eighties I worked at a used bookstore and saw this book come cross the counter one day. The cover shows a silhouette of a girl holding a bloody hammer. The caption near the image states "Katie never killed with kindness." That was all I needed to buy this book and take it home. It is still in my prized McDowell collection and will never leave. If my house caught fire, it is one of the material possessions I'd weep over losing because it has long been out of print.
This book is eerie and gruesome. It starts off in 1863 and the first page describes how a woman is one-by-one stunting the growth of a litter of poodle pups with cheap gin. She is babysitting 9-year-old Katie, who wants to try. Katie shoves the syringe down the puppy's throat too hard, and it spits up the liquor and blood over Katie's dress. Furious, she brings her fist down into the puppy's stomach which pops, and then throws the thing out the window. And this is just the prologue.
A young woman named Philo gets an urgent letter from her grandfather, who fears for his life from his "caretakers"--the Slapes. The book is a flee-and-chase story involving the Slapes and Philo, who wants justice and the carpetbag full of money they took from her kin. It's a book that explores the greed of one cold-hearted, dysfunctional family.
I can only imagine the great books McDowell would have written if he hadn't died too soon.
This book is eerie and gruesome. It starts off in 1863 and the first page describes how a woman is one-by-one stunting the growth of a litter of poodle pups with cheap gin. She is babysitting 9-year-old Katie, who wants to try. Katie shoves the syringe down the puppy's throat too hard, and it spits up the liquor and blood over Katie's dress. Furious, she brings her fist down into the puppy's stomach which pops, and then throws the thing out the window. And this is just the prologue.
A young woman named Philo gets an urgent letter from her grandfather, who fears for his life from his "caretakers"--the Slapes. The book is a flee-and-chase story involving the Slapes and Philo, who wants justice and the carpetbag full of money they took from her kin. It's a book that explores the greed of one cold-hearted, dysfunctional family.
I can only imagine the great books McDowell would have written if he hadn't died too soon.
September 29, 2021
When Philo Drax goes to care for her aging grandfather, she quickly winds up accused of his murder...
Michael McDowell is one of my favorite horror writers from the last forty-something years. My wife got this for me sometime after our son was born and I managed to find time to read it over the past couple weeks.
Written in a style reminiscent of his work on Blackwater, Katie isn't a horror novel as much as suspense with a heaping helping of tragedy porn. Every time things seem to be going her way, her cousin Katie and her parents, the Slapes, show up like a zit on school picture day. Philo loses what money she has and has relatives and friends murdered every time her paths cross with the Slapes, especially the hammer wielding fortune teller Katie.
The book is written in short chapters with frequent reversals of fortune, making it hard to put down but not without a sense of mounting dread. There were several parts when things were brightening up for Philo that I felt myself bracing for the eventual kick in the balls.
I thought it would be akin to a religious experience when the bad guys met their fates. While not that powerful, it was quite satisfying.
While Katie wasn't my favorite Michael McDowell book, I still enjoyed it quite a bit. Four out of five stars.
Michael McDowell is one of my favorite horror writers from the last forty-something years. My wife got this for me sometime after our son was born and I managed to find time to read it over the past couple weeks.
Written in a style reminiscent of his work on Blackwater, Katie isn't a horror novel as much as suspense with a heaping helping of tragedy porn. Every time things seem to be going her way, her cousin Katie and her parents, the Slapes, show up like a zit on school picture day. Philo loses what money she has and has relatives and friends murdered every time her paths cross with the Slapes, especially the hammer wielding fortune teller Katie.
The book is written in short chapters with frequent reversals of fortune, making it hard to put down but not without a sense of mounting dread. There were several parts when things were brightening up for Philo that I felt myself bracing for the eventual kick in the balls.
I thought it would be akin to a religious experience when the bad guys met their fates. While not that powerful, it was quite satisfying.
While Katie wasn't my favorite Michael McDowell book, I still enjoyed it quite a bit. Four out of five stars.
February 6, 2024
Me he enamorado de Michael McDowell hasta las trancas.
Voy a leérmelo todo.
Voy a leérmelo todo.
October 29, 2024
Cuando en 1871 Philo y su madre Mary (las Drax) reciben una carta del abuelo Parrock, jamás pudieron imaginar lo que sus desdichadas vidas iban a cambiar; hay misivas que uno preferiría no haber recibido nunca.
Éste será el pistoletazo de salida para que las Drax conozcan al mismísimo diablo en persona: KATIE; una jovencita despiadada, que gracias a sus poderes sobrenaturales es capaz de ver tu futuro con solo mirarte, que además tiene una destreza de alto rendimiento con el uso del Martillo 🔨🔨🩸🩸.
¡Ah, se me olvidaba! Un nimio detalle; es una asesina en serie.
“𝓚𝓪𝓽𝓽𝓲𝓮 𝓷𝓾𝓷𝓬𝓪 𝓪𝓼𝓮𝓼𝓲𝓷𝓪 𝓬𝓸𝓷 𝓫𝓸𝓷𝓭𝓪𝓭”
Pero claro en este su periplo particular de muertes atroces, Katie no está sola, no, no, no, le acompañan su madrastra y su padre, ambos dos unas joyas de la corona, de esos que preferirías nunca encontrarte en sus caminos.
Pero retomemos, Philo al recibir la misiva (ésa que te he comentado al principio) corre como alma que lleva al diablo a visitar a su maltrecho abuelo al pueblo de Goshen, donde conocerá a Katie y los Slape. Hay una jugosa herencia por medio, y la codicia por querer lo que no es tuyo lleva a los Slape a cometer un terrorífico acto del que se sienten victoriosos ¿será como ellos creen?
¡Qué de comienzo la persecución! Hay que encontrarles y recuperar lo que a Philo y a su madre les pertenece.
Un viaje por los Estados Unidos 🇺🇸 de finales del siglo XIX, donde conviviremos con la codicia y avaricia humana en la que todo vale para hacerse con el botín: engaños, manipulaciones, extorsiones, asesinatos…A la lucha de clases sociales entre ricos y pobres. Aunque también hay lugar para la amistad y el romance, para la generosidad y el cariño de unos pocos. Sí me gustaría avisaros que hay varias partes en las que hay abuso animal.
Una novela de McDowell que me ha vuelto a encantar de principio a fin, incluso esas partes más folletinescas, ya que ofrecían al lector un descanso ante tanta maldad que se destila en cada una de sus páginas.
Éste será el pistoletazo de salida para que las Drax conozcan al mismísimo diablo en persona: KATIE; una jovencita despiadada, que gracias a sus poderes sobrenaturales es capaz de ver tu futuro con solo mirarte, que además tiene una destreza de alto rendimiento con el uso del Martillo 🔨🔨🩸🩸.
¡Ah, se me olvidaba! Un nimio detalle; es una asesina en serie.
“𝓚𝓪𝓽𝓽𝓲𝓮 𝓷𝓾𝓷𝓬𝓪 𝓪𝓼𝓮𝓼𝓲𝓷𝓪 𝓬𝓸𝓷 𝓫𝓸𝓷𝓭𝓪𝓭”
Pero claro en este su periplo particular de muertes atroces, Katie no está sola, no, no, no, le acompañan su madrastra y su padre, ambos dos unas joyas de la corona, de esos que preferirías nunca encontrarte en sus caminos.
Pero retomemos, Philo al recibir la misiva (ésa que te he comentado al principio) corre como alma que lleva al diablo a visitar a su maltrecho abuelo al pueblo de Goshen, donde conocerá a Katie y los Slape. Hay una jugosa herencia por medio, y la codicia por querer lo que no es tuyo lleva a los Slape a cometer un terrorífico acto del que se sienten victoriosos ¿será como ellos creen?
¡Qué de comienzo la persecución! Hay que encontrarles y recuperar lo que a Philo y a su madre les pertenece.
Un viaje por los Estados Unidos 🇺🇸 de finales del siglo XIX, donde conviviremos con la codicia y avaricia humana en la que todo vale para hacerse con el botín: engaños, manipulaciones, extorsiones, asesinatos…A la lucha de clases sociales entre ricos y pobres. Aunque también hay lugar para la amistad y el romance, para la generosidad y el cariño de unos pocos. Sí me gustaría avisaros que hay varias partes en las que hay abuso animal.
Una novela de McDowell que me ha vuelto a encantar de principio a fin, incluso esas partes más folletinescas, ya que ofrecían al lector un descanso ante tanta maldad que se destila en cada una de sus páginas.
December 25, 2015
Philomela Drax and her mother Mary, live in the small town of New Egypt, New Jersey. Mary is a seamstress and barely makes enough money for them to get by. Mary receives a letter from her father, who she has not see in over 20 years. In his letter, her father begs his daughter to send Philo, out to rescue him from the twisted Slape family. The Slapes are trying to steal his land and his fortune. Philo agrees to help rescue her grandfather from these crazy people. The only way that Philo can enter her grandfather house, is pretending to be a servant for hire. The Slapes are lazy and want Philo to work her fingers to the bone. The Slapes have already had her grandfather sign over part of the farm to them. With each meal that is served to Philo grandfather, he gets weaker by the day. The Slapes have poisoned his food and he dies. Philo is blames for the murder of her grandfather and is a wanted person. Free to do what ever they want, the family set up shop on Christopher Street in New York city.
Katie advertises in their apartment widow, that she is a Psychic. Many wealthy women enter Katie's den of the dammed and are never to be heard from again. This is an intense Psychological thriller, with many twist and turns along the way. It is the type of book that you do not want to put down. McDowell is an excellent writer and a great storyteller. I highly recommend this book!
Katie advertises in their apartment widow, that she is a Psychic. Many wealthy women enter Katie's den of the dammed and are never to be heard from again. This is an intense Psychological thriller, with many twist and turns along the way. It is the type of book that you do not want to put down. McDowell is an excellent writer and a great storyteller. I highly recommend this book!
October 2, 2017
Beautifully written historical horror.
Although there are moments of violence, McDowell has a wonderful way of making the horror subtle and because of that all the more disturbing. This skill has no better showcase than the character from which the title comes. She is vile but goes about her business in an almost unassuming way.
Excellent!
Although there are moments of violence, McDowell has a wonderful way of making the horror subtle and because of that all the more disturbing. This skill has no better showcase than the character from which the title comes. She is vile but goes about her business in an almost unassuming way.
Excellent!
March 21, 2015
Review of Katie by Michael McDowell Katie is the first book I have read by Michael McDowell. A classic horror novel, you won't find any gore-fest or torture porn, but what you will find is a well written and disturbing story. The book starts out with Katie showing signs of both psychic abilities and a propensity towards cruelty from a young age, although we really don't hear anything else about her until she reaches adulthood. Katie is the name of the book, but Philo Drax is the protagonist which the book centers around. Philo, an eighteen year old seamstress' daughter, is poor and generally unremarkable; at least until things start to happen around her that launch her directly and unwittingly into Katie's path.
One day Philo's mother receives a letter from her father, who disowned her 23 years earlier for marrying her now deceased husband. In this letter he requests that Philo come help him escape Katie and her degenerate family who have taken over his farm and his freedom. Although Philo has never met her grandfather, she is only too eager to help. Her motivation is not purely innocent though, as her grandfather is quite wealthy and has promised to provide for her and her mother once he is rescued. Philo, having been impoverished her entire life, dreams of nothing more than rubbing her upcoming wealth in the faces of all who shunned her when she arrives back home. Philo is capable but rather naive and sorely underestimates just how evil Katie and her family are...
My only real complaint about the book is that Katie is more of a background character. I would have loved more of her history and a greater delve into what went on in the mind of this psycho. Overall the story itself was a great and fast read that had enough twists to not be completely predictable and I appreciate that. I look forward to reading more from Michael McDowell.
© 2015 by Andi Rawson of Andreya's Asylum
One day Philo's mother receives a letter from her father, who disowned her 23 years earlier for marrying her now deceased husband. In this letter he requests that Philo come help him escape Katie and her degenerate family who have taken over his farm and his freedom. Although Philo has never met her grandfather, she is only too eager to help. Her motivation is not purely innocent though, as her grandfather is quite wealthy and has promised to provide for her and her mother once he is rescued. Philo, having been impoverished her entire life, dreams of nothing more than rubbing her upcoming wealth in the faces of all who shunned her when she arrives back home. Philo is capable but rather naive and sorely underestimates just how evil Katie and her family are...
My only real complaint about the book is that Katie is more of a background character. I would have loved more of her history and a greater delve into what went on in the mind of this psycho. Overall the story itself was a great and fast read that had enough twists to not be completely predictable and I appreciate that. I look forward to reading more from Michael McDowell.
© 2015 by Andi Rawson of Andreya's Asylum
June 21, 2024
C’était trop bien ! Je suis pas habituée à l’auteur ni à l’époque du XIXe siècle mais c’était super. Je vais essayer de découvrir d’autres romans dans ce genre et de l’auteur aussi (sûrement Blackwater). Je pense faire une chronique parce que c’était chouette quand même
June 10, 2015
I am so glad I learned about this guy through the HA group, he is definitely one of my favorite horror authors.
Great fast paced read, recommended!
Great fast paced read, recommended!
September 28, 2023
So …. Damn …. Good. I need to write a proper review later but holy shit this was the perfect Halloween Horror read 😱!
Michael McDowell was a phenomenal author in this genre!
This one isn’t even ever mentioned in his top three and it may have been my favorite.
🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃
Michael McDowell was a phenomenal author in this genre!
This one isn’t even ever mentioned in his top three and it may have been my favorite.
🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃
December 2, 2024
It would seem that McDowell had so much fun with his initial Penny Dreadful homage ('Gilded Needles', 1980) that he threw himself into this second one post-haste.
The two novels bear no real relation to each other aside from the genre being acknowledged. IIRC, 'GN' stands out more for its atmosphere and its heightened sense of place. In 'Katie', the author appears to have his focus on characters, their relationships with others - and the almost mathematical specifics of the plot.
I actually put off reading 'Katie'. I bought it, had an even closer look at its cover (that cover!!!) - and even though, yes, it's very much in the tradition of penny dreadfuls and a bloody hammer would unsurprisingly figure in the storyline, I do find the cover... off-putting.
But then... the character of Katie is off-putting. She's downright friggin' freaky! And, as a clairvoyant killer, she's certainly unique. If there's a 'bright spot' where that character is concerned, McDowell does practice a certain amount of control and restraint in his use of her. When Katie is allowed to strike, it's sudden and vivid - but she is used sparingly.
Conversely, our heroine - Philomela Drax - may be the most sympathetic character in all of McDowell's work. In a sense, the number of awful things that happens to Philo can cause her to rival Tess of the d'Urbervilles. ~ although, ultimately, Tess will have Philo beat in terms of tragedy. Philo also seems to have both resourcefulness and luck on her side. ~ which helps immensely, since that black cloud hovering over her existence can seem to be not only directly over her but stationary at times.
This is, of course, a novel written in very broad strokes. The nice characters tend to be angelic in their spotlessness, while the bad people go way beyond being simply bad. (I was amused by the fact that one of the three major baddies - a macho but rather stupid guy - has what seems to be a fetishistic attachment to live theater!)
As well... there's a handful of instances in which McDowell seems blatant and self-conscious in his use of 'coincidences'. When those occur, it's quite easy to ignore the overt manipulation. It's as though the author is winking at the reader, as if to say, 'I'm just reminding you this is all make-believe and manufactured. Just take it for the exaggerated melodrama that it is.'
Personally, I did exactly that. To put it simply, I was caught up in the page-turning-ness of it all. I found myself agog at the sheer amount of inventiveness (and cleverness) that McDowell was serving up. ~ in a seemingly effortless manner. This thing moves!
If I'm totally honest... I did notice one particular instance in which McDowell appears to falter ever-so-slightly in a narrative twist; there is one touch in the tale when I did think, 'I don't really buy this - but it seems it has to play out this way.' ... Still, it's a very small point in the scheme of this otherwise-seamless (dare I say, fiendishly satisfying) Gothic.
The two novels bear no real relation to each other aside from the genre being acknowledged. IIRC, 'GN' stands out more for its atmosphere and its heightened sense of place. In 'Katie', the author appears to have his focus on characters, their relationships with others - and the almost mathematical specifics of the plot.
I actually put off reading 'Katie'. I bought it, had an even closer look at its cover (that cover!!!) - and even though, yes, it's very much in the tradition of penny dreadfuls and a bloody hammer would unsurprisingly figure in the storyline, I do find the cover... off-putting.
But then... the character of Katie is off-putting. She's downright friggin' freaky! And, as a clairvoyant killer, she's certainly unique. If there's a 'bright spot' where that character is concerned, McDowell does practice a certain amount of control and restraint in his use of her. When Katie is allowed to strike, it's sudden and vivid - but she is used sparingly.
Conversely, our heroine - Philomela Drax - may be the most sympathetic character in all of McDowell's work. In a sense, the number of awful things that happens to Philo can cause her to rival Tess of the d'Urbervilles. ~ although, ultimately, Tess will have Philo beat in terms of tragedy. Philo also seems to have both resourcefulness and luck on her side. ~ which helps immensely, since that black cloud hovering over her existence can seem to be not only directly over her but stationary at times.
This is, of course, a novel written in very broad strokes. The nice characters tend to be angelic in their spotlessness, while the bad people go way beyond being simply bad. (I was amused by the fact that one of the three major baddies - a macho but rather stupid guy - has what seems to be a fetishistic attachment to live theater!)
As well... there's a handful of instances in which McDowell seems blatant and self-conscious in his use of 'coincidences'. When those occur, it's quite easy to ignore the overt manipulation. It's as though the author is winking at the reader, as if to say, 'I'm just reminding you this is all make-believe and manufactured. Just take it for the exaggerated melodrama that it is.'
Personally, I did exactly that. To put it simply, I was caught up in the page-turning-ness of it all. I found myself agog at the sheer amount of inventiveness (and cleverness) that McDowell was serving up. ~ in a seemingly effortless manner. This thing moves!
If I'm totally honest... I did notice one particular instance in which McDowell appears to falter ever-so-slightly in a narrative twist; there is one touch in the tale when I did think, 'I don't really buy this - but it seems it has to play out this way.' ... Still, it's a very small point in the scheme of this otherwise-seamless (dare I say, fiendishly satisfying) Gothic.
December 3, 2020
This is one of those books where so many bad things happen to the protagonist that it can make you want to throw the book across the room. The only comfort is that the protagonist is so good and the villains are so bad that you know it will be right in the end. Still, it is a while to get there.
This is a throwback and the oversimplicity, I would imagine, is part of the whole package. The gore and murder is bad enough to put it not just in crime but horror, especially since there is a bit of the supernatural in Katie's psychic abilities. This is in the penny dreadful style, though I do wish McDowell had fleshed out his characters just a bit and done more to modernize the style. Philo is just so good that her only characteristic is goodness and it would be nice to see more of a person in her. Likewise the Slapes are so very bad, and Katie worst of all, that they don't ever feel real.
There is lots and lots of violence, and it doesn't go well for more than one dog.
I did the audiobook, I had noted to Valancourt that I love that they put many of these old horror novels on audio but that I get frustrated by their choice of reader. It is always the same kind of reader: male, husky-voiced, always making everything sound dark and dangerous. This doesn't always befit the book (BURNT OFFERINGS, for example, which I read recently would have been better with a woman reading it, in my opinion) and they suggested this as an audiobook with a different kind of reader. They were right, it's quite different, and I mostly found the writer suited the material, I just didn't love her voices, they didn't feel period-appropriate.
I was provided with a complimentary copy of the audiobook.
This is a throwback and the oversimplicity, I would imagine, is part of the whole package. The gore and murder is bad enough to put it not just in crime but horror, especially since there is a bit of the supernatural in Katie's psychic abilities. This is in the penny dreadful style, though I do wish McDowell had fleshed out his characters just a bit and done more to modernize the style. Philo is just so good that her only characteristic is goodness and it would be nice to see more of a person in her. Likewise the Slapes are so very bad, and Katie worst of all, that they don't ever feel real.
There is lots and lots of violence, and it doesn't go well for more than one dog.
I did the audiobook, I had noted to Valancourt that I love that they put many of these old horror novels on audio but that I get frustrated by their choice of reader. It is always the same kind of reader: male, husky-voiced, always making everything sound dark and dangerous. This doesn't always befit the book (BURNT OFFERINGS, for example, which I read recently would have been better with a woman reading it, in my opinion) and they suggested this as an audiobook with a different kind of reader. They were right, it's quite different, and I mostly found the writer suited the material, I just didn't love her voices, they didn't feel period-appropriate.
I was provided with a complimentary copy of the audiobook.
July 3, 2023
I feel like the plot synopsis is a bit misleading, but I enjoyed the story that we got.
I don’t think I’m the biggest fan of McDowell’s pacing or writing at times. However, this was still fun and I enjoyed the little romance in it!
I don’t think I’m the biggest fan of McDowell’s pacing or writing at times. However, this was still fun and I enjoyed the little romance in it!
July 12, 2020
If Charles Dickens had been reincarnated as a Southern gothic horror writer, he would have come back as Michael McDowell. KATIE has many elements that are familiar to the Readers of Dickens: seemingly obscure side characters who return with a purpose, melodramatic twists that are quite unexpected and involving, central characters who are so well-defined that they linger in the memory long after the story is finished, characters who bring us joy with their lives, and retribution both just and terrible to foul folks.
Now, having said that, the violence is graphic. It is not to the point of nausea, yet it is extremely unsettling. McDowell takes his horrific sequences just short of the point when more sensitive Readers would close the book and murmur, “That will be enough of that!”
I am most amazed by the plot construction. Every time the story would head in a direction that I imagined would be of limited interest to me, it immediately changed to an event that engrossed me and aroused my curiosity. There was never a time that I was less than enthusiastic about my next reading session.
KATIE is about a serial killer in a family of rogues in America after the Civil War. Although it takes place in “the North,” there is a strong Southern sensibility running through it. The family’s path of viciousness constantly surprised me. McDowell also invests the title character with a true ability of clairvoyance, almost making her an unstoppable force of Nature.
I had two concerns with the book. There were moments when it seemed too convenient for certain events to occur, especially without witnesses or more severe consequences. (In fairness, the plot moved along so briskly that I barely had time to note these things before I was swept back into the narrative.) Secondly, the ending felt rushed. Oh, it was satisfying, but it resolved very quickly. I was anticipating something “bigger.”
KATIE was not quite up to the level of THE ELEMENTALS. At the same time, it deserves more than four stars. It is exactly what I had hoped most of the horror paperbacks would be when I bought them “off the rack” while in high school ... and then they seldom reached the level of excitement promised on the cover. KATIE delivers.
I will be looking for more of the Michael McDowell horror novels. His talent was extraordinary.
Now, having said that, the violence is graphic. It is not to the point of nausea, yet it is extremely unsettling. McDowell takes his horrific sequences just short of the point when more sensitive Readers would close the book and murmur, “That will be enough of that!”
I am most amazed by the plot construction. Every time the story would head in a direction that I imagined would be of limited interest to me, it immediately changed to an event that engrossed me and aroused my curiosity. There was never a time that I was less than enthusiastic about my next reading session.
KATIE is about a serial killer in a family of rogues in America after the Civil War. Although it takes place in “the North,” there is a strong Southern sensibility running through it. The family’s path of viciousness constantly surprised me. McDowell also invests the title character with a true ability of clairvoyance, almost making her an unstoppable force of Nature.
I had two concerns with the book. There were moments when it seemed too convenient for certain events to occur, especially without witnesses or more severe consequences. (In fairness, the plot moved along so briskly that I barely had time to note these things before I was swept back into the narrative.) Secondly, the ending felt rushed. Oh, it was satisfying, but it resolved very quickly. I was anticipating something “bigger.”
KATIE was not quite up to the level of THE ELEMENTALS. At the same time, it deserves more than four stars. It is exactly what I had hoped most of the horror paperbacks would be when I bought them “off the rack” while in high school ... and then they seldom reached the level of excitement promised on the cover. KATIE delivers.
I will be looking for more of the Michael McDowell horror novels. His talent was extraordinary.
January 7, 2020
My first read of the year is a big winner! But it’s Michael McDowell, so I’m not surprised.
I couldn’t put Katie down. For some reason I always put off reading this one, maybe because when I think of McDowell I associate his stories with contemporary horror, and this is more of a crime/suspense novel set in mid-19th century New York. I thought maybe I wouldn’t like it, but I couldn’t put this joker down! The settings, the characters . . . all so vivid.
Despite this novel not being packed with scares (but there are a few good ones, yes), the construction of the plot reminds me of the best of ‘70s and ‘80s horror, while remaining wholly original. Katie is spring-loaded, created with care and precision—McDowell was truly a master of his craft. All the stars!
Now I must finish the Blackwater series . . .
I couldn’t put Katie down. For some reason I always put off reading this one, maybe because when I think of McDowell I associate his stories with contemporary horror, and this is more of a crime/suspense novel set in mid-19th century New York. I thought maybe I wouldn’t like it, but I couldn’t put this joker down! The settings, the characters . . . all so vivid.
Despite this novel not being packed with scares (but there are a few good ones, yes), the construction of the plot reminds me of the best of ‘70s and ‘80s horror, while remaining wholly original. Katie is spring-loaded, created with care and precision—McDowell was truly a master of his craft. All the stars!
Now I must finish the Blackwater series . . .
December 17, 2015
What was that?!
Great story about disturbing and disturbed girl name Katie (obviously). Daddy and stepmother support her hobby and so it becomes a very disturbing story. Katie seems to never forget Philo and has it always in the back of her mind to destroy her. Philo, who can't escape the psycho family wants revenge for the murder of her grandfather by the hands of Katie and the bunch. Actually, Philo grows mentally strong and not scared to kick ass.
Great story about disturbing and disturbed girl name Katie (obviously). Daddy and stepmother support her hobby and so it becomes a very disturbing story. Katie seems to never forget Philo and has it always in the back of her mind to destroy her. Philo, who can't escape the psycho family wants revenge for the murder of her grandfather by the hands of Katie and the bunch. Actually, Philo grows mentally strong and not scared to kick ass.
June 22, 2024
This is a well written, disturbing horror novel. It begins with us learning that Katie had shown signs of psychic abilities and also leaned heavily towards cruelty from a very young age. Exactly what this cruelty is, is only hinted at, and we don't hear anything else about this until she reaches adulthood.
I didn't get the main character's name since it's Philo, and not Katie. Katie is the name of the book. Philo is the protagonist which the book centers around. She's eighteen-years-old, a seamstress' daughter who are poor and generally unremarkable; at least until things start to happen around her that launch her directly and unwittingly into Katie's path. It was still strange, but I began to be able to understand the title character, "Katie", and Philo's relationship.
Philo's mother gets a letter from her father.... Philo's grandfather. He had disowned her mother 23 years earlier for marrying now deceased man who was Philo's father. In the letter he requests that Philo come help him escape "Katie" and her degenerate family who have taken over his farm. Philo has never met her grandfather; but she is eager to help. Her motivation is not purely innocent though, as her grandfather is quite wealthy and has promised to provide for her and her mother once he is rescued. Philo having been poor her entire life, dreams of nothing more than throwing her promise of upcoming wealth in the faces of everyone that shunned her when she arrives back home.
Philo is rather naive and sorely underestimates just how evil Katie and her family are. My biggest complaint about the story is that "Katie" is more of a background character. We only find sketchy information about this person whose name graces the title of the book. I would have liked more about who in the world she was... more of her history... more about what went on in the mind of this psycho. Overall, the story itself was a fast read that had enough twists to not be completely predictable.
I didn't get the main character's name since it's Philo, and not Katie. Katie is the name of the book. Philo is the protagonist which the book centers around. She's eighteen-years-old, a seamstress' daughter who are poor and generally unremarkable; at least until things start to happen around her that launch her directly and unwittingly into Katie's path. It was still strange, but I began to be able to understand the title character, "Katie", and Philo's relationship.
Philo's mother gets a letter from her father.... Philo's grandfather. He had disowned her mother 23 years earlier for marrying now deceased man who was Philo's father. In the letter he requests that Philo come help him escape "Katie" and her degenerate family who have taken over his farm. Philo has never met her grandfather; but she is eager to help. Her motivation is not purely innocent though, as her grandfather is quite wealthy and has promised to provide for her and her mother once he is rescued. Philo having been poor her entire life, dreams of nothing more than throwing her promise of upcoming wealth in the faces of everyone that shunned her when she arrives back home.
Philo is rather naive and sorely underestimates just how evil Katie and her family are. My biggest complaint about the story is that "Katie" is more of a background character. We only find sketchy information about this person whose name graces the title of the book. I would have liked more about who in the world she was... more of her history... more about what went on in the mind of this psycho. Overall, the story itself was a fast read that had enough twists to not be completely predictable.
May 30, 2024
INCREDIBLE!!!
Something about Michael McDowell writing about 1800s NYC (the gaslight era) that reminds me of Albert Camus's writing in the Plague. It's next level. It's dirty, raw, gritty, yet written so beautifully.
Katie is most similar to Gilded Needles, another book McDowell had written taking place in the same NYC gaslight time-period. It does not include supernatural elements like The Blackwater Series or the Elementals. It's more of a slasher. It's borderline true crime from the 1800s, when people were able to get away with things easier.
The storyline follows interconnected families of poor class, high class and criminals (the lowest of the low, slit your throat for a few dollars-type). The drama, the characters, the murders, the scenes, it's great. I wanted to share a tiny excerpt that doesn't really relate to the story directly and gives no context but to simply show his writing style:
"Even on a train populated by the most prosperous families of NY- perhaps especially on such a train- there would be sharpers and those who prey upon society, the dangerous element who could dress as well as their neighbors but possessed not a penny that had not been taken from someone else's pocket. These men- and these women too- took advantage of the wreck, the darkness and confusion, to steal what they could from the wounded and the dead under pretense of helping them.
Thieves smiled into the faces of those robbed, who, conscious but severely injured, could make neither articulate protest nor give resistence. By the morning, not a single object of value would be found on any of the dead." (p. 244)
Something about Michael McDowell writing about 1800s NYC (the gaslight era) that reminds me of Albert Camus's writing in the Plague. It's next level. It's dirty, raw, gritty, yet written so beautifully.
Katie is most similar to Gilded Needles, another book McDowell had written taking place in the same NYC gaslight time-period. It does not include supernatural elements like The Blackwater Series or the Elementals. It's more of a slasher. It's borderline true crime from the 1800s, when people were able to get away with things easier.
The storyline follows interconnected families of poor class, high class and criminals (the lowest of the low, slit your throat for a few dollars-type). The drama, the characters, the murders, the scenes, it's great. I wanted to share a tiny excerpt that doesn't really relate to the story directly and gives no context but to simply show his writing style:
"Even on a train populated by the most prosperous families of NY- perhaps especially on such a train- there would be sharpers and those who prey upon society, the dangerous element who could dress as well as their neighbors but possessed not a penny that had not been taken from someone else's pocket. These men- and these women too- took advantage of the wreck, the darkness and confusion, to steal what they could from the wounded and the dead under pretense of helping them.
Thieves smiled into the faces of those robbed, who, conscious but severely injured, could make neither articulate protest nor give resistence. By the morning, not a single object of value would be found on any of the dead." (p. 244)
January 12, 2025
Philo Drax vit dans une petite ville des États-Unis avec sa mère qui peine à joindre les deux bouts lorsqu’elle reçoit une lettre d’un grand père qu’elle n’a jamais connu. Celui-ci lui promet une belle somme d’argent si elle vient l’aider à échapper à une famille très dangereuse qui en ont après son argent et le retiennent contre son gré. Mais c’est sans compter sur Katie, la fille du couple de criminels, qui a des dons de voyance en plus d’être une psychopathe finie.
⠀
J’avais pas mal de réserves au début de ma lecture parce que bien que le roman soit très rythmé, fluide et entraînant, je le trouvais un peu « fainéant ». Dans le sens où les personnages sont manichéens et unidimensionnels au possible, et les événements tous plus absurdes les uns que les autres. Sérieusement, quel grand père se sentant menacé de mort va demander à sa petite fille de 17 ans de venir se mettre en danger pour le sauver ? T’es bien gentil papy mais si tu es capable de prendre contact avec ta petite fille, tu peux sûrement prendre contact avec quelqu’un de vraiment qualifié pour t’aider je pense.
⠀
Et pourtant, je me suis laissé prendre au jeu. Comme c’était le cas pour Blackwater, il faut prendre ce roman pour ce que c’est : un page-turner efficace, rythmé et divertissant, rien de plus.
⠀
Ce qui est certain, c’est qu’on peut difficilement s’ennuyer devant cette surenchère de rebondissements. On peut même (souvent) se dire que c’est trop, trop gros, trop facile, mais ça semble tellement assumé par l’auteur qu’il suffit de se laisser porter pour passer un très bon moment.
⠀
Pour les personnes qui seraient inquiètes par rapport à l’aspect horrifique du roman (qui est plutôt ce qui m’avait attiré ici), je pense que ce livre reste assez accessible. Il y a de la violence, il y a deux ou trois trucs un peu dégueus, mais pour moi c’est plutôt une parodie (assumée encore une fois) d’horreur plutôt qu’un roman qui vise à traumatiser et choquer. Après ça reste évidemment mon ressenti et ça dépendra des sensibilités de chacun mais pour ma part, ça m’a plus fait rire qu’autre chose.
⠀
Au final, ça n’a pas forcément été ce que j’imaginais mais j’ai passé un très bon moment, même si on pourrait un peu en douter en lisant mon avis.
⠀
J’avais pas mal de réserves au début de ma lecture parce que bien que le roman soit très rythmé, fluide et entraînant, je le trouvais un peu « fainéant ». Dans le sens où les personnages sont manichéens et unidimensionnels au possible, et les événements tous plus absurdes les uns que les autres. Sérieusement, quel grand père se sentant menacé de mort va demander à sa petite fille de 17 ans de venir se mettre en danger pour le sauver ? T’es bien gentil papy mais si tu es capable de prendre contact avec ta petite fille, tu peux sûrement prendre contact avec quelqu’un de vraiment qualifié pour t’aider je pense.
⠀
Et pourtant, je me suis laissé prendre au jeu. Comme c’était le cas pour Blackwater, il faut prendre ce roman pour ce que c’est : un page-turner efficace, rythmé et divertissant, rien de plus.
⠀
Ce qui est certain, c’est qu’on peut difficilement s’ennuyer devant cette surenchère de rebondissements. On peut même (souvent) se dire que c’est trop, trop gros, trop facile, mais ça semble tellement assumé par l’auteur qu’il suffit de se laisser porter pour passer un très bon moment.
⠀
Pour les personnes qui seraient inquiètes par rapport à l’aspect horrifique du roman (qui est plutôt ce qui m’avait attiré ici), je pense que ce livre reste assez accessible. Il y a de la violence, il y a deux ou trois trucs un peu dégueus, mais pour moi c’est plutôt une parodie (assumée encore une fois) d’horreur plutôt qu’un roman qui vise à traumatiser et choquer. Après ça reste évidemment mon ressenti et ça dépendra des sensibilités de chacun mais pour ma part, ça m’a plus fait rire qu’autre chose.
⠀
Au final, ça n’a pas forcément été ce que j’imaginais mais j’ai passé un très bon moment, même si on pourrait un peu en douter en lisant mon avis.
June 6, 2020
You cannot outrun Katie and her bloody hammer or razor!!
So, whenever I finish a book by the beloved horror author Michael McDowell, i stop and realize that we really lost him way too early to the devastation that was AIDS. He was so gifted and he really knew exactly what he was doing, and no one did it like him. With this 1982 Vintage, and I mean that literally since it takes place in 1873 in New York and New Jersey. 8 year old Katie Slape learned at an early age that she did not care whether people or little animals lived if she thought there was something wrong with them. The prologue to this book starts out very gruesomely and sad with Katie and her care worker stunting and killing little newborn puppies in the side wings of a Vaudeville theater while Katie's mother is performing. That is the start of the novel.....and though it is a semi-slow burn of a book, there is nothing supernatural in this book, just the pure EVIL in the mind of an evil young girl/lady and her murderous family.
Philo Darx (short for Philomela) and her mother Mary live in New Jersey and they receive an emergency and very urgent letter written from Philo's Grandfather who is sick and he is worried that the Slapes are trying to kill him and take all his money, land and belongings. He requests to Mary to send Philo to come and save him and get him out of there before this happens. Well, the only way that it is going to happen is for Philo to go in kind of under cover as a 'Maid for Hire' and that all falls to shit before it succeeds. The book is written in the thoughts and words of these 2 main female characters, Katie the killer along with her family, and Philo the good one going out on a hellbent revenge to expose Katie and her family for the killers they are, does she do it?
Michael McDowell shows us here that you did not need a slaughter of horror to be and make a great horror story, now dont get me wrong 'Katie' does have the blood, whether it is drawn from a hammer to the slamming in the face, or bashing in the brains, a straight razor along the throat, and there is even a body cut in half with the internal organs going everywhere.
Are you ready to run from Katie and her bloody hammer?
Check out my video review of this book here on my YouTube Channel; AreYouIntoHorror here:
https://youtu.be/D6HFkPQTtAg
Thanks so much, Richard in Sacramento.
So, whenever I finish a book by the beloved horror author Michael McDowell, i stop and realize that we really lost him way too early to the devastation that was AIDS. He was so gifted and he really knew exactly what he was doing, and no one did it like him. With this 1982 Vintage, and I mean that literally since it takes place in 1873 in New York and New Jersey. 8 year old Katie Slape learned at an early age that she did not care whether people or little animals lived if she thought there was something wrong with them. The prologue to this book starts out very gruesomely and sad with Katie and her care worker stunting and killing little newborn puppies in the side wings of a Vaudeville theater while Katie's mother is performing. That is the start of the novel.....and though it is a semi-slow burn of a book, there is nothing supernatural in this book, just the pure EVIL in the mind of an evil young girl/lady and her murderous family.
Philo Darx (short for Philomela) and her mother Mary live in New Jersey and they receive an emergency and very urgent letter written from Philo's Grandfather who is sick and he is worried that the Slapes are trying to kill him and take all his money, land and belongings. He requests to Mary to send Philo to come and save him and get him out of there before this happens. Well, the only way that it is going to happen is for Philo to go in kind of under cover as a 'Maid for Hire' and that all falls to shit before it succeeds. The book is written in the thoughts and words of these 2 main female characters, Katie the killer along with her family, and Philo the good one going out on a hellbent revenge to expose Katie and her family for the killers they are, does she do it?
Michael McDowell shows us here that you did not need a slaughter of horror to be and make a great horror story, now dont get me wrong 'Katie' does have the blood, whether it is drawn from a hammer to the slamming in the face, or bashing in the brains, a straight razor along the throat, and there is even a body cut in half with the internal organs going everywhere.
Are you ready to run from Katie and her bloody hammer?
Check out my video review of this book here on my YouTube Channel; AreYouIntoHorror here:
https://youtu.be/D6HFkPQTtAg
Thanks so much, Richard in Sacramento.
July 18, 2015
Reading like a Victorian "sensation novel" (think Wilkie Collins' THE WOMAN IN WHITE, Sheridan Le Fanu's UNCLE SILAS, Mary Elizabeth Braddon's LADY AUDLEY'S SECRET, etc.) updated to incorporate 1980s over-the-top gruesomeness and lots of extremely black humor, KATIE is one of the most fun reads I've had in a long time. Some readers will be understandably turned off by the grue as early as the novel's prologue, but that is probably a good thing--this is a novel that doesn't let up, and squeamish readers would do best to bow out while the going is good. The novel concerns the Slapes, a psychotic family living in various parts of the late 19th-century Northeastern U.S., who will do anything, and I mean ANYTHING, to secure some ready cash, although it's really teenage Katie Slape who does all the work. After murdering New Jersey girl Philo Drax's grandfather in order to steal his fortune (and blame the crime on Philo, briefly attempting to rescue her grandfather by posing as his servant), Katie and family set up shop on Christopher Street, New York, where psychic Katie advertises her services in their apartment window and gleefully takes her hammer to any wealthy socialite Katie senses has more than $100 on her person (because, you know, there are limits). Meanwhile, after Katie also murders Philo's mother, the chase is on as Philo sometimes reluctantly and sometimes accidentally tracks the Slapes across the Northeast. For a writer of paperback original novels in the 1980s who proclaimed he would gladly write a novel about underwater Nazi cheerleaders if his publisher asked him to (they didn't), the late McDowell was a talented writer, with a gift for telling a riveting story and in this case evoking an era with amazing authenticity. Definitely a summer read and recommended only for those with strong stomachs, it's also nearly impossible to put down. Another excellent resurrected lost novel from Valancourt books.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 1, 2020
This is a very entertaining, unique, fast moving, 'rags to riches' type horror story which is set in late 19th century America (1871). In it, it sees our heroine, Philo Drax struggling and battling against the sly and cunning Varley family plus the murderous Katie Slape and her evil step-mother and her wicked father - in fact, the whole strange tale did just have a touch of the Cinderella's about it (including its very own Prince Charming!) . As for a clearer idea of the cold blooded killer that is Katie (book title), then just hold the thought that she has in common with the dark arts of clairvoyance(y) with what Sweeney Todd, of Ye Olde Fleet Street of London, has in common with high class barbering and the sale of succulent meat pies- get the picture? Although a good story, with lots of cruelty, murders, thefts, lies and deceit (described in a tame, not overly extreme fashion) to satisfy the reader, I did find it all a bit too up then down, up then down and so on, and at times I also felt that certain events did feel a bit contrived, coincidental and extremely convenient. Anyway, did they all live 'Happy Ever After"? - well, that would be telling. Overall, a good adult fairy tale type horror story which is certainly well worth a read especially if you fancy trying something a little different and out a bit out of the ordinary. Rating: 3.8 stars (but not quite deserving of rounding to 4 stars).
May 5, 2022
Philomela Drax was born into misfortune. Her mother was a dirt poor seamstress and Philo herself had no money and no prospects. When Philo and her mother Mary connect with Mary's father and learn he has a large fortune he'd like to pass down, things seem to be moving in a positive direction. Until the Slapes. Especially Katie. Katie Slape is evil incarnate, with supernatural prowess to boot. With one touch she can dig into the deepest crevices of minds, pulling out information that is most useful to her. If you have anything over $100 on you--run. Having preyed on Philo's family in order to steal their fortune, Philo is mortified that the Slapes and their devil girl will no doubt have her, too. Low on cash and loved ones, Philo must make her own way in order to recover her family's fortune and ensure that the Slapes are done away with, forever.
UGH. I MF LOVE MICHAEL McDOWELL. When going into Katie I was nervous that the book wouldn't be up to par with McDowell's other books. I fell in love with his novels through Southern Gothic works, and a story set in the Northern part of the US seemed so unlike his signature style. In these, families are tight-knit and bonds are strong, a characteristic forged out of necessity. Traditional family structure is shied away from in Katie but, themes of community and reliance on one another still shone through, for better (Philo, her gal pals, and the Maitlands) or for worse (the hodgepodge family that is the Slapes).
The realistic depictions of human nature exemplified make Katie feel like a period piece of non-fiction. All characters presented throughout Katie are ultra polarizing, which made the read that much more exciting. McDowell created such strong and nuanced characters: you want to befriend Philo while simultaneously doing a jig on Katie Slape's grave. Katie is titled after its antagonist but, the star of this novel is Philomela. Her story line was what tied every character together and her goodness radiated through them all.
Because of how ambiguous McDowell's conclusions can be, I was expecting that here. It wasn't and I loved that he did divulge the specifics of the character's fates because I was heavily invested in their story lines, the closure made it that much more sweet. This book has it all: gore, a killer child, NYC high life, LOVE (was not expecting this aspect but LIVED FOR IT. V MUCH MEANT TO BE), and the best closing sentence as related to the plot. Read it.
UGH. I MF LOVE MICHAEL McDOWELL. When going into Katie I was nervous that the book wouldn't be up to par with McDowell's other books. I fell in love with his novels through Southern Gothic works, and a story set in the Northern part of the US seemed so unlike his signature style. In these, families are tight-knit and bonds are strong, a characteristic forged out of necessity. Traditional family structure is shied away from in Katie but, themes of community and reliance on one another still shone through, for better (Philo, her gal pals, and the Maitlands) or for worse (the hodgepodge family that is the Slapes).
The realistic depictions of human nature exemplified make Katie feel like a period piece of non-fiction. All characters presented throughout Katie are ultra polarizing, which made the read that much more exciting. McDowell created such strong and nuanced characters: you want to befriend Philo while simultaneously doing a jig on Katie Slape's grave. Katie is titled after its antagonist but, the star of this novel is Philomela. Her story line was what tied every character together and her goodness radiated through them all.
Because of how ambiguous McDowell's conclusions can be, I was expecting that here. It wasn't and I loved that he did divulge the specifics of the character's fates because I was heavily invested in their story lines, the closure made it that much more sweet. This book has it all: gore, a killer child, NYC high life, LOVE (was not expecting this aspect but LIVED FOR IT. V MUCH MEANT TO BE), and the best closing sentence as related to the plot. Read it.
May 7, 2024
La magie Michael McDowell ne s’arrêtera donc jamais : encore un coup de ♥️ !
C’est sanglant, dérangeant, palpitant et teeeeellement divertissant !
Une lecture ultra satisfaisante qui se dévore et nous enveloppe dans une bulle hors du monde aussi incandescente que captivante !
C’est sanglant, dérangeant, palpitant et teeeeellement divertissant !
Une lecture ultra satisfaisante qui se dévore et nous enveloppe dans une bulle hors du monde aussi incandescente que captivante !
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