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The Pale Ones
Pulped fiction just got a whole lot scarier…
Few books ever become loved. Most linger on undead, their sallow pages labyrinths of old, brittle stories and screeds of forgotten knowledge. And other things besides...
Paper-pale forms that rustle softly through their leaves. Ink-dark shapes swarming in shadow beneath faded type. And an invitation...
Harris delights in collecting the unloved. He wonders if you'd care to to donate. A small something for the odd, pale children no-one has seen. An old book, perchance? Neat is sweet; battered is better.
Broken spine or torn binding, stained or scarred—ugly doesn't matter. Not a jot. And if you’ve left a little of yourself between the pages—a receipt or ticket, a mislaid letter, a scrawled note or number—that’s just perfect. He might call on you again.
Hangover Square meets Naked Lunch through the lens of a classic M.R. James ghost story. To hell and back again (and again) via Whitby, Scarborough and the Yorkshire Moors. Enjoy your Mobius-trip.
Few books ever become loved. Most linger on undead, their sallow pages labyrinths of old, brittle stories and screeds of forgotten knowledge. And other things besides...
Paper-pale forms that rustle softly through their leaves. Ink-dark shapes swarming in shadow beneath faded type. And an invitation...
Harris delights in collecting the unloved. He wonders if you'd care to to donate. A small something for the odd, pale children no-one has seen. An old book, perchance? Neat is sweet; battered is better.
Broken spine or torn binding, stained or scarred—ugly doesn't matter. Not a jot. And if you’ve left a little of yourself between the pages—a receipt or ticket, a mislaid letter, a scrawled note or number—that’s just perfect. He might call on you again.
Hangover Square meets Naked Lunch through the lens of a classic M.R. James ghost story. To hell and back again (and again) via Whitby, Scarborough and the Yorkshire Moors. Enjoy your Mobius-trip.
98 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 17, 2018
About the author
Bartholomew Bennett
1 book11 followersBartholomew Richard Emenike Bennett was born in Leicester, the middle son of an American father and English mother. He has studied and worked in the US and New Zealand at various jobs: primarily software developer, but also tutor, nanny, data-entry clerk and call-centre rep, project manager and J-Badger (ask your dad), painter and decorator, and (very slightly) handy-man. Before that, and some now unimaginable time ago, he graduated with a First Class Honours degree in Literature from the University of East Anglia. He has also been known to dabble in online bookselling.
He loves the Goodreads site, and is especially grateful to the Never-Ending Book Quiz for introducing him to The Queen's Gambit by Walter Tevis.
The Pale Ones is his first published work, although he has been writing fiction continuously, long-form and short, since 2002. Currently he is at work on a novel about three children who experience a long, wintry December filled with gifts. Of the unusual variety. And trials. Of the trying variety.
Currently he lives in southeast London, with his wife and two young children. He is a longstanding member of Leather Lane Writers Group, and since childhood, a dedicated reader of all manner of books, but especially tales of the “horror”. And in fact, some of the paper-packed rooms that feature in The Pale Ones bear a remarkable resemblance to locales in his own abode…
He loves the Goodreads site, and is especially grateful to the Never-Ending Book Quiz for introducing him to The Queen's Gambit by Walter Tevis.
The Pale Ones is his first published work, although he has been writing fiction continuously, long-form and short, since 2002. Currently he is at work on a novel about three children who experience a long, wintry December filled with gifts. Of the unusual variety. And trials. Of the trying variety.
Currently he lives in southeast London, with his wife and two young children. He is a longstanding member of Leather Lane Writers Group, and since childhood, a dedicated reader of all manner of books, but especially tales of the “horror”. And in fact, some of the paper-packed rooms that feature in The Pale Ones bear a remarkable resemblance to locales in his own abode…
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
July 22, 2022
With some creepy pieces I liked were this book was going, but the storyline was a bit confusing. I often felt lost and not really sure what the book was actually about. The narrator was fantastic, and he kept me going till the end. I hoped that the creepiness would pull me in, but I think this book was just not for me.
Thank you Netgalley and Saga Egmont Audio for this ARC.
Thank you Netgalley and Saga Egmont Audio for this ARC.
September 17, 2024
There are two kinds of
props for this trick...
THE PALE ONES
by Bartholomew Bennett
No spoilers. 4 stars. Narrator (no name given) is a used bookseller in South London...
He is in a charity boutique looking for rare used books for his shop when he meets a sloven, stinky man called Harris...
Harris is also a bookseller who is looking through the books to sell in his own bookshop...
Narrator dislikes Harris on sight...
He tries to give Harris the slip, but Harris follows Narrator through the store, pestering him...
And finally...
After boasting about the many rare books he has found for his shop, Harris makes Narrator an offer to take him along as Harris makes his stops at his London connections where he always finds rare secondhand books in excellent condition...
The odyssey turns out to be a bust for Narrator...
Harris gets them both drunk along the way, and Narrator begins to believe that Harris is into illegal activities not related to books...
On the last stop...
Harris shows Narrator an arcane pub trick. He tells Narrator that there are two kinds of props for this trick...
One is a trick for concealing the real trick. The other is the trick. Harris calls it close-up conjuring...
I enjoyed the atmosphere of this eerie literary novella. Being one myself, I always enjoy stories about book collectors. My only criticisms were that so many things were not clearly explained. Also, it took a while to settle into the rhythm of the prose; I found it a little confusing at times with many words that needed to be Googled for definition. Overall, it was a good, fast read that I will definitely read again.
props for this trick...
THE PALE ONES
by Bartholomew Bennett
No spoilers. 4 stars. Narrator (no name given) is a used bookseller in South London...
He is in a charity boutique looking for rare used books for his shop when he meets a sloven, stinky man called Harris...
Harris is also a bookseller who is looking through the books to sell in his own bookshop...
Narrator dislikes Harris on sight...
He tries to give Harris the slip, but Harris follows Narrator through the store, pestering him...
And finally...
After boasting about the many rare books he has found for his shop, Harris makes Narrator an offer to take him along as Harris makes his stops at his London connections where he always finds rare secondhand books in excellent condition...
The odyssey turns out to be a bust for Narrator...
Harris gets them both drunk along the way, and Narrator begins to believe that Harris is into illegal activities not related to books...
On the last stop...
Harris shows Narrator an arcane pub trick. He tells Narrator that there are two kinds of props for this trick...
One is a trick for concealing the real trick. The other is the trick. Harris calls it close-up conjuring...
I enjoyed the atmosphere of this eerie literary novella. Being one myself, I always enjoy stories about book collectors. My only criticisms were that so many things were not clearly explained. Also, it took a while to settle into the rhythm of the prose; I found it a little confusing at times with many words that needed to be Googled for definition. Overall, it was a good, fast read that I will definitely read again.
February 15, 2021
I haven’t got a clue how to review this book, I’m not sure I know what I even just read....
Very difficult to summarise, and even more difficult to understand... given that this book has received many rave reviews, I should probably accept that I just didn’t get it.
I hate it when this happens!
Luckily it is a short story and therefore I don’t feel that I wasted too much precious reading time on it, although admittedly I did in fact waste good reading time on it. 😩
Very difficult to summarise, and even more difficult to understand... given that this book has received many rave reviews, I should probably accept that I just didn’t get it.
I hate it when this happens!
Luckily it is a short story and therefore I don’t feel that I wasted too much precious reading time on it, although admittedly I did in fact waste good reading time on it. 😩
October 24, 2018
Bartholomew Bennett's debut novel doesn't read like a debut at all. It's a tightly wound horror novel, but not the kind of horror novel that gets its kicks from shock and gore. Instead, Bennett weaves a psychological horror in which suspense is the main currency.
The suspense of the novel builds slowly until it is overwhelming and the narrative becomes actively (and intentionally) _repulsive_. It is literature of unease. The suspense is signalled in the opening pages by the style of voice. The language is carefully phrased, ornate, sometimes a little opaque. It triggers memories of reading _The Turn of the Screw_ or _Heart of Darkness_. Narratively, nothing needs to happen when the atmosphere carries such suspense and unease on its own.
Put simply, this is a novel of experience. Bennett immerses us in a world of trickery and uncertainty. A world where the boundaries between what is real and what is not, what is true and what is a trick, become blurred. The effect is so strong I found myself looking up from the book and questioning the real world around me. My moments between reading this novel had the quality of a mirage.
This is not to say there is no narrative throughline here. Nor is it to say that the narrative throughline is not interesting. Rather, the meaning of this novel is conveyed on the level of the sentence. Like all good horror, Bennett instills fear in his reader through his control of atmosphere, the immediacy of the world, and character, rather than relying on a twist or exagerrated supernatural events.
This is not a novel of the supernatural. It's a novel of the preternatural. And it is all the more terrifying and believable for it.
The suspense of the novel builds slowly until it is overwhelming and the narrative becomes actively (and intentionally) _repulsive_. It is literature of unease. The suspense is signalled in the opening pages by the style of voice. The language is carefully phrased, ornate, sometimes a little opaque. It triggers memories of reading _The Turn of the Screw_ or _Heart of Darkness_. Narratively, nothing needs to happen when the atmosphere carries such suspense and unease on its own.
Put simply, this is a novel of experience. Bennett immerses us in a world of trickery and uncertainty. A world where the boundaries between what is real and what is not, what is true and what is a trick, become blurred. The effect is so strong I found myself looking up from the book and questioning the real world around me. My moments between reading this novel had the quality of a mirage.
This is not to say there is no narrative throughline here. Nor is it to say that the narrative throughline is not interesting. Rather, the meaning of this novel is conveyed on the level of the sentence. Like all good horror, Bennett instills fear in his reader through his control of atmosphere, the immediacy of the world, and character, rather than relying on a twist or exagerrated supernatural events.
This is not a novel of the supernatural. It's a novel of the preternatural. And it is all the more terrifying and believable for it.
April 20, 2019
If you are looking for a short novel that is compelling and will leave you feeling strangely unsettled, then look no further! It's here! It doesn't scare you though shock and gore, but creeps under your skin and messes with your mind and will leave you a little concerned everytime you may find yourself browsing through the books in a charity shop! If someone points you towards a certain book on the shelves while you're there.... run!!
It's a story of an old bookseller, Harris, seemingly passing on knowledge and tips to the young used book dealer he sees in a charity shop. Harris is a very odd character - he has his mysterious ways and seems to strike up dodgy deals in dodgy places and persuades the young man to travel with him up North to pick up some new stock, and in return he'll get first pick!
It's while they're travelling and stopping off that the madness and descent into darkness begins! It's all written very subtlety in an almost 'blink and you miss it' style, but I loved that you were looking out for clues as to what Harris was really up to, enjoying the weird twists foisted upon you and just had that general sinister feeling throughout of what Harris really was involved in and where it would all lead to!
Such a fascinating, disturbing and quirky little book - it's definitely one to get you out of your comfort zone and gets you to enjoy (if that's the right way to describe a horror story!_ a different kind of storytelling!
My thanks to the author and publisher for the gifted copy in return for a fair and honest review.
It's a story of an old bookseller, Harris, seemingly passing on knowledge and tips to the young used book dealer he sees in a charity shop. Harris is a very odd character - he has his mysterious ways and seems to strike up dodgy deals in dodgy places and persuades the young man to travel with him up North to pick up some new stock, and in return he'll get first pick!
It's while they're travelling and stopping off that the madness and descent into darkness begins! It's all written very subtlety in an almost 'blink and you miss it' style, but I loved that you were looking out for clues as to what Harris was really up to, enjoying the weird twists foisted upon you and just had that general sinister feeling throughout of what Harris really was involved in and where it would all lead to!
Such a fascinating, disturbing and quirky little book - it's definitely one to get you out of your comfort zone and gets you to enjoy (if that's the right way to describe a horror story!_ a different kind of storytelling!
My thanks to the author and publisher for the gifted copy in return for a fair and honest review.
September 18, 2018
A short but highly entertaining weird tale, as a young impecunious used book dealer teams up with the strangely enigmatic and very intimidating Harris, a bookseller like no other. They embark on a terrifying and unsettling journey through a weird world of Northern England to a final and apocalyptic denouement. The disturbing and horrific ending stays in the memory for a long time.
November 24, 2018
How to describe this haunting, striking and idosyncratic story? The plot is difficult to pin down though it has one. A strong one too. Elements of the book, like those of Shirley Jackson’s, make the mundane seem surreal. There are visual moments that remind me of David Cronenberg. At times the style echoes the late nineteenth century horror story. But all of these descriptions do no justice to Bartholomew Bennett ,whose tale is at turns funny, revolting and strangely satisfying. ‘The Pale Ones’, is a cracking read.
October 9, 2018
Bartholomew Bennett makes his horror debut with The Pales Ones, a slow-burn work of literary cosmic horror.
In this first-person account, we are introduced to a used book dealer who makes his way through the day-to-day patrolling the discount racks of charity shops for novels he can resell online. His dealings bring him into the orbit of Harris, another seller with a favor to ask and a spate of secrets to hide...
Bennett gives us hints of horror throughout The Pale Ones, small flashes of insight into that which lies beyond, hidden just out of view and slanted slightly askew from one's direct perspectives. At one point in their collecting of battered, broken spines and battered books, Harris talks briefly of magic and the secrets of illusion and revelation. It's a singular moment upon which The Pale Ones turns, shifting from a tale of shelf hunting into something more ambitious and deeper - if, that is, our narrator can be believed as Bennett begins to introduce some subdued moments of madness and hints of insanity.
You would think that a horror story involving books would be right up my alley, and while I appreciated The Pale Ones it's a bit too slow and uneventful for my tastes. I kept waiting for something big and impactful to occur, but Bennett keeps things decidedly quiet, taking a very soft and understated approach. There are elements within the narrative, though, that point toward twistier, thornier issues, the story wrapping around itself in Möbius strip-like fashion. It's interesting, if not deeply engaging; neat, but lacking any lasting power or splashiness to make it truly memorable.
[Note: I received an advanced readers copy of this title from the publisher, Inkandescent.]
In this first-person account, we are introduced to a used book dealer who makes his way through the day-to-day patrolling the discount racks of charity shops for novels he can resell online. His dealings bring him into the orbit of Harris, another seller with a favor to ask and a spate of secrets to hide...
Bennett gives us hints of horror throughout The Pale Ones, small flashes of insight into that which lies beyond, hidden just out of view and slanted slightly askew from one's direct perspectives. At one point in their collecting of battered, broken spines and battered books, Harris talks briefly of magic and the secrets of illusion and revelation. It's a singular moment upon which The Pale Ones turns, shifting from a tale of shelf hunting into something more ambitious and deeper - if, that is, our narrator can be believed as Bennett begins to introduce some subdued moments of madness and hints of insanity.
You would think that a horror story involving books would be right up my alley, and while I appreciated The Pale Ones it's a bit too slow and uneventful for my tastes. I kept waiting for something big and impactful to occur, but Bennett keeps things decidedly quiet, taking a very soft and understated approach. There are elements within the narrative, though, that point toward twistier, thornier issues, the story wrapping around itself in Möbius strip-like fashion. It's interesting, if not deeply engaging; neat, but lacking any lasting power or splashiness to make it truly memorable.
[Note: I received an advanced readers copy of this title from the publisher, Inkandescent.]
April 1, 2020
All I can say for certain, is that I didn't get it.
And I would doubt there is anything to get, except a lot of people seem to love this, praising the meaning hidden in the details, and the rewards of rereading it with new understanding.
Maybe. But as far as I can tell, nothing comprehensible happened, nothing resembling a story is there, and having read it, I have no new understanding that might help with a reread that I have no desire to embark on. Perhaps it's just not for me.
And I would doubt there is anything to get, except a lot of people seem to love this, praising the meaning hidden in the details, and the rewards of rereading it with new understanding.
Maybe. But as far as I can tell, nothing comprehensible happened, nothing resembling a story is there, and having read it, I have no new understanding that might help with a reread that I have no desire to embark on. Perhaps it's just not for me.
July 14, 2022
Audiobook Review
This was the best sounding but most confusing book I have read in a long time. The narration by Homer was absolutely top notch and I would highly recommend having them in more audiobooks.
Now onto the story...well I cannot say much about it because I understood very little. The atmosphere was top notch and this could have been spun into a Stephen King type horror very easily, but the fact that I listened to this entire book and I have no idea what happened is not good. I am not sure if Harris was/did paranormal things or if the books really were there for these "children", nor do I know if what happened at the end actually happened because it seems that this is an unreliable narrator.
I am also confused about the relationship issues, was he just a drunk who lost his partner and that was it?
But just the fact that the narration was so good makes this a 3 star read.
This was the best sounding but most confusing book I have read in a long time. The narration by Homer was absolutely top notch and I would highly recommend having them in more audiobooks.
Now onto the story...well I cannot say much about it because I understood very little. The atmosphere was top notch and this could have been spun into a Stephen King type horror very easily, but the fact that I listened to this entire book and I have no idea what happened is not good. I am not sure if Harris was/did paranormal things or if the books really were there for these "children", nor do I know if what happened at the end actually happened because it seems that this is an unreliable narrator.
I am also confused about the relationship issues, was he just a drunk who lost his partner and that was it?
But just the fact that the narration was so good makes this a 3 star read.
January 22, 2021
Unsettling in the vein of Arthur Machen, this psychological horror left me feeling greasy and slightly nauseous. Harris is a character who you can smell as well as picture and I found him particularly unedifying. There's no gore or violence, just a creeping sense of unease and when combined with Harris' personal characteristics can leave the reader feeling a bit queasy.
August 2, 2022
This was a very quick read and the narrator was great, however I am unimpressed.
I found this story a bit confusing in that it felt like it was incomplete and would have been better off as a full novel or 2 novellas as to expand this book. The book itself is more thriller than horror, unremarkable, uneventful until around chapter 11. More descriptions of people and how the MC feels than creepy events.
Rating:
2 stars because I like the narrator.
I found this story a bit confusing in that it felt like it was incomplete and would have been better off as a full novel or 2 novellas as to expand this book. The book itself is more thriller than horror, unremarkable, uneventful until around chapter 11. More descriptions of people and how the MC feels than creepy events.
Rating:
2 stars because I like the narrator.
April 25, 2019
I love the smell of books. I will happily spend hours in a book shop just slowly turning the pages and indulging in that glorious scent. The smell of adventure, mystery, love, a story yet to unfold before your very eyes. The older the better. Books mature with age, taking on a personality of their own, picking up trinkets along the way. A coffee ring because a coaster wasn’t available. The remains of a squashed bug smeared on the inside cover. Grains of sand from a holiday long ago crushed between the pages. They all tell their own different story. God I love books!
I can already sense the goosebumps forming from just thinking about The Pale Ones. I couldn’t help but devour it in one entire sitting. It creeped under my skin and refused to budge until the last page. A story so chilling that you will never look at a wasp nest the same again.
Bennett has a natural talent for describing characters. I was captivated by the detail and depth. I fully envisioned Harris standing in front of me in a charity shop rummaging through a forgotten shelf of old books. Bennett wastes no time in introducing the reader to him the moment you start reading. A real character that leaves you baffled, confused but intrigued. An artful skill that few writers accomplish, transporting characters from the page into your lounge, disturbed flecks of dust lingering in the air as your complete works of Dickens is inspected. I applaud you Bennett. A pleasure to read.
“His clothing conjured a distant suggestion of armour or carapace: wool and leather and silk, all top-end, perhaps even hand-tailored, and all lightly soiled. And his smell: a tight, high blend of cold, dead tobacco, mixed with something like turpentine, and old, desiccated sweat.”
I found that the narrative was informative yet deceptive. Bennett teases the reader by slowly revealing just enough information to pull you in deeper to his dark distorted world. It’s the way he does it that makes this story even more addictive to read. It’s subtle and leaves you feeling itchy. You begin to question your sanity, asking yourself did you read that last part right? Bennett masterfully leaves enough room for the readers imagination to fill in any gaps, a magician with words making you wonder how he pulled that white rabbit out from nowhere.
“The interior smelled like it had been deep-fried; the carpeting was equally delicious – a patterning of shit-brown moths crushed onto khaki ground by asymmetric, crisscrossing grids.”
Bennett sets a decent pace for the reader, allowing them to bundle along in the van alongside Harris. And wow…what a journey it is. Your senses are set alight with noises, smells, textures along with meeting a mixture of strange odd characters that speak in riddles. It’s bewitching to read. Bennett entraps the reader with Harris, keeping them in suspense to his ulterior motive. He plays mind games and it’s hypnotising to read. I was biting my lip throughout as the antici…pation kept building and building. The truth of it all is far more horrific than you imagined.
I give The Pale Ones By Bartholomew Bennett a Five out of Five paw rating
A story that will burrow under your skin, I simply could not get enough. I enjoyed every word, sentence, I craved more. This is definitely a book you can read over and over again and discover something different from it each time. I couldn’t help but hop to my nearest charity shop and plundered their selection of books. You just never know what you will find and more disturbingly take home willingly…
Hip hop wiggle wiggle
I can already sense the goosebumps forming from just thinking about The Pale Ones. I couldn’t help but devour it in one entire sitting. It creeped under my skin and refused to budge until the last page. A story so chilling that you will never look at a wasp nest the same again.
Bennett has a natural talent for describing characters. I was captivated by the detail and depth. I fully envisioned Harris standing in front of me in a charity shop rummaging through a forgotten shelf of old books. Bennett wastes no time in introducing the reader to him the moment you start reading. A real character that leaves you baffled, confused but intrigued. An artful skill that few writers accomplish, transporting characters from the page into your lounge, disturbed flecks of dust lingering in the air as your complete works of Dickens is inspected. I applaud you Bennett. A pleasure to read.
“His clothing conjured a distant suggestion of armour or carapace: wool and leather and silk, all top-end, perhaps even hand-tailored, and all lightly soiled. And his smell: a tight, high blend of cold, dead tobacco, mixed with something like turpentine, and old, desiccated sweat.”
I found that the narrative was informative yet deceptive. Bennett teases the reader by slowly revealing just enough information to pull you in deeper to his dark distorted world. It’s the way he does it that makes this story even more addictive to read. It’s subtle and leaves you feeling itchy. You begin to question your sanity, asking yourself did you read that last part right? Bennett masterfully leaves enough room for the readers imagination to fill in any gaps, a magician with words making you wonder how he pulled that white rabbit out from nowhere.
“The interior smelled like it had been deep-fried; the carpeting was equally delicious – a patterning of shit-brown moths crushed onto khaki ground by asymmetric, crisscrossing grids.”
Bennett sets a decent pace for the reader, allowing them to bundle along in the van alongside Harris. And wow…what a journey it is. Your senses are set alight with noises, smells, textures along with meeting a mixture of strange odd characters that speak in riddles. It’s bewitching to read. Bennett entraps the reader with Harris, keeping them in suspense to his ulterior motive. He plays mind games and it’s hypnotising to read. I was biting my lip throughout as the antici…pation kept building and building. The truth of it all is far more horrific than you imagined.
I give The Pale Ones By Bartholomew Bennett a Five out of Five paw rating
A story that will burrow under your skin, I simply could not get enough. I enjoyed every word, sentence, I craved more. This is definitely a book you can read over and over again and discover something different from it each time. I couldn’t help but hop to my nearest charity shop and plundered their selection of books. You just never know what you will find and more disturbingly take home willingly…
Hip hop wiggle wiggle
August 20, 2022
* I received an eARC from Netgalley and SAGA Egmont in exchange for an honest review *
What a confusing story. I began this book twice, because at first I thought I had missed something and that was why I wasn't understanding the story, but the second time around I understood it was just really confusing.
Even though I tried, I couldn't grasp the gist of the story. The Pale Ones is supposed to follow the story of a used books collector with an air of mystery and an unknown past. But all it does is go over rounds of confusing descriptions and almost random scenes.
I'm not sure the author really got the hang of his story or knew how to bring to the page his ideas, that I might add are really compelling. Maybe with a few more edits and working around some central plot more defined this could be a fantastic reading, but sadly it's just not there yet.
What a confusing story. I began this book twice, because at first I thought I had missed something and that was why I wasn't understanding the story, but the second time around I understood it was just really confusing.
Even though I tried, I couldn't grasp the gist of the story. The Pale Ones is supposed to follow the story of a used books collector with an air of mystery and an unknown past. But all it does is go over rounds of confusing descriptions and almost random scenes.
I'm not sure the author really got the hang of his story or knew how to bring to the page his ideas, that I might add are really compelling. Maybe with a few more edits and working around some central plot more defined this could be a fantastic reading, but sadly it's just not there yet.
August 3, 2022
The Pale Ones by Bartholomew Bennett is a puzzler.
It has all the right elements for a really good short story. It has a mood and atmosphere, and Bartholomew Bennett can write a good sentence. Yet this story seemed a little like a semi-string of consciousness exercise. With things happening and scene changes that seemed abrupt. Part of that may be due to the fact it is more a novella than a novel. I got a kindle copy to make sure that I hadn't missed something in the narrated talking book version--
While most of the story was well written and parts of it were creepy I'm not sure I would classify it as a horror story.
The narration by Homer Todiwala was very well done.
Thank you to #NetGalley, and #SagaEgmont for the ALC of #ThePaleOnes.
It has all the right elements for a really good short story. It has a mood and atmosphere, and Bartholomew Bennett can write a good sentence. Yet this story seemed a little like a semi-string of consciousness exercise. With things happening and scene changes that seemed abrupt. Part of that may be due to the fact it is more a novella than a novel. I got a kindle copy to make sure that I hadn't missed something in the narrated talking book version--
While most of the story was well written and parts of it were creepy I'm not sure I would classify it as a horror story.
The narration by Homer Todiwala was very well done.
Thank you to #NetGalley, and #SagaEgmont for the ALC of #ThePaleOnes.
November 4, 2018
A special little weird tale that will produce some lingering horror in book lovers, hoarders, collectives and obsessives.
April 19, 2019
*I received a free ARC of this book with thanks to the author, Inkandescent, and Anne Cater of Random Things Blog Tours. The decision to review and my opinions are my own.*
A horror story about second-hand books… how could I resist? And The Pale Ones is a rare find of a story.
Our main character is a first-person, anonymous narrator; literally an ‘Everyman’. We get the story filtered through his perceptions and biases, and it is clear from the start that he is going to be an unreliable narrator. Indeed, in keeping with the plot and the tone, there is definitely something ‘off’ about our main character. Is everyone he meets really as loathsome as he details? Are these some form of ‘other’ masquerading as humans, or has the narrator’s mental dust jacket slipped somewhat off his cover, leaving his observations tainted by the environment and by careless handlers?
Strangely, despite making a semi-living buying and selling old books, the narrator never seems to love books much for themselves, but instead for their value as collectible or saleable items. We soon learn that they may have very different value to others, but still sadly unrelated to the joy of reading. Apparently it is not just one’s soul that may be nourished by another’s words…
We are offered a few varying possibilities, thrown out as hints and questions: could events be the result of mental instability? The devil? The old gods? An alternate reality? A Matrix-style illusion? There are no answers within these pages.
This is a slow-moving short book, in which nothing much happens. And yet it is the very obfuscation of facts; the use of manipulation, misdirection and suggestion, that crackles the pages with an ominous tension. The more subtly the narrative skews, the more the pressure of impending dread builds in the imagination of the reader, until a simple receipt or bus ticket invokes an unsettling subtext. The fear creeps in the blank spaces between the words.
Fans of a slow and subtle horror – hinted at rather than expounded upon – will enjoy this utterly disturbing psychological mystery. Book lovers may want to tread carefully between these pages.
The truth of the matter was that without Karen there, I had let things slip. Even before I’d started to accumulate books, we’d had barely enough space for our personal things: the shoes piled in corners, the mismatched furniture, the exercise equipment – Swiss ball, yoga mat, mountain bike – that had turned the hall into a slalom course. I had discussed endlessly with Karen the possibility of expanding my stock to levels whereby I might derive from it an income reliable enough to hire a storage lock-up. Really, I could have afforded as much already. But there was still something amateurish, and thus pleasurable, about my enthusiasm for the business; I liked to keep the books close. They kept me safe, insulated the walls. And I never felt as though I had enough.
Given that, it was unsurprising that I should fall for Harris’s offer when it came.
– Bartholomew Bennett, The Pale Ones
Review by Steph Warren of Bookshine and Readbows blog
https://bookshineandreadbows.wordpres...
A horror story about second-hand books… how could I resist? And The Pale Ones is a rare find of a story.
Our main character is a first-person, anonymous narrator; literally an ‘Everyman’. We get the story filtered through his perceptions and biases, and it is clear from the start that he is going to be an unreliable narrator. Indeed, in keeping with the plot and the tone, there is definitely something ‘off’ about our main character. Is everyone he meets really as loathsome as he details? Are these some form of ‘other’ masquerading as humans, or has the narrator’s mental dust jacket slipped somewhat off his cover, leaving his observations tainted by the environment and by careless handlers?
Strangely, despite making a semi-living buying and selling old books, the narrator never seems to love books much for themselves, but instead for their value as collectible or saleable items. We soon learn that they may have very different value to others, but still sadly unrelated to the joy of reading. Apparently it is not just one’s soul that may be nourished by another’s words…
We are offered a few varying possibilities, thrown out as hints and questions: could events be the result of mental instability? The devil? The old gods? An alternate reality? A Matrix-style illusion? There are no answers within these pages.
This is a slow-moving short book, in which nothing much happens. And yet it is the very obfuscation of facts; the use of manipulation, misdirection and suggestion, that crackles the pages with an ominous tension. The more subtly the narrative skews, the more the pressure of impending dread builds in the imagination of the reader, until a simple receipt or bus ticket invokes an unsettling subtext. The fear creeps in the blank spaces between the words.
Fans of a slow and subtle horror – hinted at rather than expounded upon – will enjoy this utterly disturbing psychological mystery. Book lovers may want to tread carefully between these pages.
The truth of the matter was that without Karen there, I had let things slip. Even before I’d started to accumulate books, we’d had barely enough space for our personal things: the shoes piled in corners, the mismatched furniture, the exercise equipment – Swiss ball, yoga mat, mountain bike – that had turned the hall into a slalom course. I had discussed endlessly with Karen the possibility of expanding my stock to levels whereby I might derive from it an income reliable enough to hire a storage lock-up. Really, I could have afforded as much already. But there was still something amateurish, and thus pleasurable, about my enthusiasm for the business; I liked to keep the books close. They kept me safe, insulated the walls. And I never felt as though I had enough.
Given that, it was unsurprising that I should fall for Harris’s offer when it came.
– Bartholomew Bennett, The Pale Ones
Review by Steph Warren of Bookshine and Readbows blog
https://bookshineandreadbows.wordpres...
July 9, 2023
ARC audiobook provided by NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
“The Pale Ones” is a short book, really more of a novella, that follows the narrator, a used bookseller, as he is pulled in by a purported older bookseller, Harris, to embark on a trip north to procure more used books to sell. As their travels proceed from stop to stop, the narrator slowly becomes more and more disconcerted by strange happenings and hints of things lurking just outside of his grasp. Harris appears to transform along the way, becoming more and more unlikeable, fueling the narrator’s anger and unease, as well as giving an extra edge to the mysterious occurrences he encounters. Is there something lurking just out of sight? What exactly is the narrator experiencing? Is Harris who he says he is? How will the trip end? As the novella nears its conclusion, the questions pile up and things just get weirder and weirder. Maybe the real question is: can the reader trust the narrator?
Let me first preface my review by saying I’m a true book nerd, and the description of this novella, a book about books, drew me in. As a result, I was absolutely thrilled to get the chance to read this novella. The description had me hooked, and the author didn’t disappoint in his prose and world-building. The author’s descriptions of the environments the duo travels through are fantastic, as are his descriptions of the characters. This beautiful writing style magnetized me, keeping me engaged through to the very end.
That being said, I thought I would love this book. The fact is: I didn’t. The plot was slow and overall uneventful. The entire plot can be summed up with two questions: (1) are a few strange occurrences indicative of something not natural; or (2) are we dealing with an unreliable narrator? These two questions mixed with the author’s excellent prose could have led to a magnificent horror novella. However, the storyline only gets the reader partway into exploring and answering each of those questions. It is as if the author started down both avenues, but gave up ¼ of the way through. Add a few hundred pages, and you may just get the whole story flushed out. The author seems to attempt to wrap up the novella in a hurry at the end, but it just left me frustrated as it definitely doesn’t end on a high note.
My copy of this novella was an audiobook, so I must comment on the narrator. I do believe he did a good job. He paced the novella as best as he could given the storyline, and the voices he gave to the characters really brought them to life.
Overall, this novella just fell flat for me. It is disjointed and kind of rambling, and the plot is generally lacking. Yes, the atmosphere and prose are beautifully written; however, the storyline is simply inadequate. I’m horribly disappointed as I had such high hopes for this book. I’m honestly baffled by the high reviews some people have given this novella, as it just doesn’t hold up. Unfortunately, I just can’t recommend this novella. The only reason I gave this novella two stars is because the author did paint the atmospheric picture beautifully and had excellent prose, and the narrator did a good job. However, that just doesn’t make this novella worthwhile.
“The Pale Ones” is a short book, really more of a novella, that follows the narrator, a used bookseller, as he is pulled in by a purported older bookseller, Harris, to embark on a trip north to procure more used books to sell. As their travels proceed from stop to stop, the narrator slowly becomes more and more disconcerted by strange happenings and hints of things lurking just outside of his grasp. Harris appears to transform along the way, becoming more and more unlikeable, fueling the narrator’s anger and unease, as well as giving an extra edge to the mysterious occurrences he encounters. Is there something lurking just out of sight? What exactly is the narrator experiencing? Is Harris who he says he is? How will the trip end? As the novella nears its conclusion, the questions pile up and things just get weirder and weirder. Maybe the real question is: can the reader trust the narrator?
Let me first preface my review by saying I’m a true book nerd, and the description of this novella, a book about books, drew me in. As a result, I was absolutely thrilled to get the chance to read this novella. The description had me hooked, and the author didn’t disappoint in his prose and world-building. The author’s descriptions of the environments the duo travels through are fantastic, as are his descriptions of the characters. This beautiful writing style magnetized me, keeping me engaged through to the very end.
That being said, I thought I would love this book. The fact is: I didn’t. The plot was slow and overall uneventful. The entire plot can be summed up with two questions: (1) are a few strange occurrences indicative of something not natural; or (2) are we dealing with an unreliable narrator? These two questions mixed with the author’s excellent prose could have led to a magnificent horror novella. However, the storyline only gets the reader partway into exploring and answering each of those questions. It is as if the author started down both avenues, but gave up ¼ of the way through. Add a few hundred pages, and you may just get the whole story flushed out. The author seems to attempt to wrap up the novella in a hurry at the end, but it just left me frustrated as it definitely doesn’t end on a high note.
My copy of this novella was an audiobook, so I must comment on the narrator. I do believe he did a good job. He paced the novella as best as he could given the storyline, and the voices he gave to the characters really brought them to life.
Overall, this novella just fell flat for me. It is disjointed and kind of rambling, and the plot is generally lacking. Yes, the atmosphere and prose are beautifully written; however, the storyline is simply inadequate. I’m horribly disappointed as I had such high hopes for this book. I’m honestly baffled by the high reviews some people have given this novella, as it just doesn’t hold up. Unfortunately, I just can’t recommend this novella. The only reason I gave this novella two stars is because the author did paint the atmospheric picture beautifully and had excellent prose, and the narrator did a good job. However, that just doesn’t make this novella worthwhile.
March 24, 2019
Time Taken to Read - 1 day
Pages - 128
Publisher - Inkandescent
Source - Review Copy
Blurb from Goodreads
Pulped fiction just got a whole lot scarier…
Few books ever become loved. Most linger on undead, their sallow pages labyrinths of old, brittle stories and screeds of forgotten knowledge. And other things besides...
Paper-pale forms that rustle softly through their leaves. Ink-dark shapes swarming in shadow beneath faded type. And an invitation...
Harris delights in collecting the unloved. He wonders if you'd care to to donate. A small something for the odd, pale children no-one has seen. An old book, perchance? Neat is sweet; battered is better.
Broken spine or torn binding, stained or scarred - ugly doesn't matter. Not a jot. And if you’ve left a little of yourself between the pages – a receipt or ticket, a mislaid letter, a scrawled note or number — that’s just perfect. He might call on you again.
Hangover Square meets Naked Lunch through the lens of a classic M. R. James ghost story. To hell and back again (and again) via Whitby, Scarborough and the Yorkshire Moors. Enjoy your Mobius-trip.
My Review
Told in first person narration the book dealer obtains and sells second hand books always looking for an overlooked special edition. It brings him into the path of Harris another collector of books, a dealer who isn't exactly what he seems. The narrator is taken on one of the weirdest and challenging journey's with Harris, along with the reader, not knowing what is coming and often not knowing what is happening.
This is by far one of the most unique/different books I have read, I felt like I was on a bit of a trip not knowing what was happening and having to re read what I had read. There are subtle hints, subtext that if you aren't paying attention you may well miss. Craftily written this debut has an unnerving feel pretty much from the beginning, something is afoot, danger is looming you (and the narrator) just aren't sure what or where it is coming from.
The writing style itself is also something I haven't came across before and I have read thousands of books. Instead of speech quotation the author has gone for Em dash (longer version of a dash) at the start of any speaking character, only at the start with a full stop really the only thing at the end of the sentence. That took me a wee bit to get used to but it made sure I paid attention to the words I was taking in, a smart trick.
There is uncertainty in almost every conversation with Harris and I had so many ideas about his motivations, his actions and what was happening in a scene only to re read it and change my mind to something else. I think this would make for a great reading group choice because there are so many potential conclusions to their interactions, the character(s), the actions I think you could debate almost ever scene. Creepiness seeps through every other sentence, pushing the reader and book seller to a shocking finale, 3/5 for me this time. It will be interesting to see what Bennett creates next, I will be watching!
Pages - 128
Publisher - Inkandescent
Source - Review Copy
Blurb from Goodreads
Pulped fiction just got a whole lot scarier…
Few books ever become loved. Most linger on undead, their sallow pages labyrinths of old, brittle stories and screeds of forgotten knowledge. And other things besides...
Paper-pale forms that rustle softly through their leaves. Ink-dark shapes swarming in shadow beneath faded type. And an invitation...
Harris delights in collecting the unloved. He wonders if you'd care to to donate. A small something for the odd, pale children no-one has seen. An old book, perchance? Neat is sweet; battered is better.
Broken spine or torn binding, stained or scarred - ugly doesn't matter. Not a jot. And if you’ve left a little of yourself between the pages – a receipt or ticket, a mislaid letter, a scrawled note or number — that’s just perfect. He might call on you again.
Hangover Square meets Naked Lunch through the lens of a classic M. R. James ghost story. To hell and back again (and again) via Whitby, Scarborough and the Yorkshire Moors. Enjoy your Mobius-trip.
My Review
Told in first person narration the book dealer obtains and sells second hand books always looking for an overlooked special edition. It brings him into the path of Harris another collector of books, a dealer who isn't exactly what he seems. The narrator is taken on one of the weirdest and challenging journey's with Harris, along with the reader, not knowing what is coming and often not knowing what is happening.
This is by far one of the most unique/different books I have read, I felt like I was on a bit of a trip not knowing what was happening and having to re read what I had read. There are subtle hints, subtext that if you aren't paying attention you may well miss. Craftily written this debut has an unnerving feel pretty much from the beginning, something is afoot, danger is looming you (and the narrator) just aren't sure what or where it is coming from.
The writing style itself is also something I haven't came across before and I have read thousands of books. Instead of speech quotation the author has gone for Em dash (longer version of a dash) at the start of any speaking character, only at the start with a full stop really the only thing at the end of the sentence. That took me a wee bit to get used to but it made sure I paid attention to the words I was taking in, a smart trick.
There is uncertainty in almost every conversation with Harris and I had so many ideas about his motivations, his actions and what was happening in a scene only to re read it and change my mind to something else. I think this would make for a great reading group choice because there are so many potential conclusions to their interactions, the character(s), the actions I think you could debate almost ever scene. Creepiness seeps through every other sentence, pushing the reader and book seller to a shocking finale, 3/5 for me this time. It will be interesting to see what Bennett creates next, I will be watching!
February 4, 2023
Aggressive paranoic confuses eBaying used books with a Guy Richie gangster movie. Also there is maybe something supernatural going on, but god only knows what.
A truly creepy view through the paranoid gaze of a narrator who can only see threats and conspiracies even while browsing the used book shelves at Oxfam. He lives off buying books cheaply from charity shops to sell for substantially more on the internet but invests this with all the secrecy and aggression of someone working for the Sicilian mafia, convinced that the little old ladies are trying to coerce him somehow. Then he meets another man, Harris, in the same trade, is unaccountably convinced this Harris has some secret knowledge and accepts his offer of a trip around provincial charity shops, scheming to steal his contacts and presumed arcane business secrets.
So we have exchanges like this
followed by paragraphs of paranoid ramblings about what that possibly could have meant.
Every mundane conversation Harris or the narrator has with barmaid, B & B owner, receptionist is raked over for signs of conspiracy, every interaction at the bar is read as threatening physical violence that never actually happens, even an offer of peppermint tea is seen as a potential poisoning attempt. Although as far as I can tell the only actual horror comes from the actions of the narrator.
This is all obscured by some faff about humanoid wasp casings, scrap paper and ephemera, green shapes the narrator sees out of the corner of his eye and other disconnected hints that never add up to anything. I’m have a suspicion that the author actually was trying to hint at a supernatural plot line but edited out too much to make sense of it, or perhaps the narrator was supposed to be seriously mentally ill. Either way it’s frustrating.
A truly creepy view through the paranoid gaze of a narrator who can only see threats and conspiracies even while browsing the used book shelves at Oxfam. He lives off buying books cheaply from charity shops to sell for substantially more on the internet but invests this with all the secrecy and aggression of someone working for the Sicilian mafia, convinced that the little old ladies are trying to coerce him somehow. Then he meets another man, Harris, in the same trade, is unaccountably convinced this Harris has some secret knowledge and accepts his offer of a trip around provincial charity shops, scheming to steal his contacts and presumed arcane business secrets.
So we have exchanges like this
The question, met with a frigid silence, felt about as welcome as sand in a prophylactic. Even so, I persisted: — That last place, say? How did you meet the manager – Martha, wasn’t it? — How did I meet her? His face was stony. — By walking in the fucking door.
followed by paragraphs of paranoid ramblings about what that possibly could have meant.
Every mundane conversation Harris or the narrator has with barmaid, B & B owner, receptionist is raked over for signs of conspiracy, every interaction at the bar is read as threatening physical violence that never actually happens, even an offer of peppermint tea is seen as a potential poisoning attempt. Although as far as I can tell the only actual horror comes from the actions of the narrator.
This is all obscured by some faff about humanoid wasp casings, scrap paper and ephemera, green shapes the narrator sees out of the corner of his eye and other disconnected hints that never add up to anything. I’m have a suspicion that the author actually was trying to hint at a supernatural plot line but edited out too much to make sense of it, or perhaps the narrator was supposed to be seriously mentally ill. Either way it’s frustrating.
March 18, 2019
Pulped fiction just got a whole lot scarier…
Well isn’t The Pale Ones a little slice of twisted, disturbing, strange goings on! It reminded me in some ways of the brilliant TV series Inside No. 9 where something quite normal, a trip to collect books, would descend into some kind of nightmarish opposite. I could totally see Steve Pemberton as Harris. Yuck, he makes my skin crawl. Harris, not Pemberton.
Of all the things to choose as a subject for your horror setting, Bennett chose books! What is the man trying to do to me? I have hundreds of them, don’t make them scary! Other than Stephen King, I’m kind of green to the horror genre. This slim volume isn’t a shock and gore kind of novel, its psychological. Is it madness? Imagination? Or – even worse – real?
The Pale Ones really is one of those books that you need to talk to someone about. What did you make of that? What did that bit mean? Was that his imagination? You get the picture. There were hints of insanity, hints of surreal. yet it was all very understated in its approach, demanding your attention and your thoughts.
I wasn’t scared, but it did create a sense of unease and, at times, revulsion. I think it would make a wonderful short film (sorry to bang on about the TV this is a book review after all but for me it was really visual). If you’re looking for something a bit different to your norm, if you’re looking to dip your toes into the horror genre try The Pale Ones. It’s short, it’s very un-sweet and it’s different to anything I’ve read this year, even last year.
Well isn’t The Pale Ones a little slice of twisted, disturbing, strange goings on! It reminded me in some ways of the brilliant TV series Inside No. 9 where something quite normal, a trip to collect books, would descend into some kind of nightmarish opposite. I could totally see Steve Pemberton as Harris. Yuck, he makes my skin crawl. Harris, not Pemberton.
Of all the things to choose as a subject for your horror setting, Bennett chose books! What is the man trying to do to me? I have hundreds of them, don’t make them scary! Other than Stephen King, I’m kind of green to the horror genre. This slim volume isn’t a shock and gore kind of novel, its psychological. Is it madness? Imagination? Or – even worse – real?
The Pale Ones really is one of those books that you need to talk to someone about. What did you make of that? What did that bit mean? Was that his imagination? You get the picture. There were hints of insanity, hints of surreal. yet it was all very understated in its approach, demanding your attention and your thoughts.
I wasn’t scared, but it did create a sense of unease and, at times, revulsion. I think it would make a wonderful short film (sorry to bang on about the TV this is a book review after all but for me it was really visual). If you’re looking for something a bit different to your norm, if you’re looking to dip your toes into the horror genre try The Pale Ones. It’s short, it’s very un-sweet and it’s different to anything I’ve read this year, even last year.
August 22, 2022
‘Pulp fiction just got a whole lot scarier...’
My thanks to Saga Egmont Audio for a review copy via NetGalley of the unabridged audiobook edition of ‘The Pale One’s’ by Bartholomew Bennett. It is narrated by Homer Todiwala.
This is a strange little novella, more weird, surrealist fiction than horror; the kind that subtly disturbs rather than presents lashings of gore or jump scares.
The protagonist is a used bookseller who regularly visits charity shops seeking books that he might turn a good profit on. In one he meets Harris, a decidedly odd fellow. Harris is described as “a greasy little smoke-like presence, a figure more dark wool overcoat than actual person, riffling through one of the boxes of sheet music in a brisk, cursory fashion suggestive of scant interest in the contents.”
He finds himself coerced into joining Harris on his quest to collect his ‘pale children’, the unloved, battered books and those things left behind by readers between the pages. It gets progressively stranger.
With respect to the audiobook, Homer Todiwala, was brilliant. He is an experienced narrator, who has worked across various genres, including narrating a number of Salman Rushdie’s titles. His narration drew me into the story, experiencing its weirdness alongside him.
Overall, a strange, dreamlike novella. While I am not certain that I understood it, I found Bartholomew Bennett’s writing haunting and lyrical.
My thanks to Saga Egmont Audio for a review copy via NetGalley of the unabridged audiobook edition of ‘The Pale One’s’ by Bartholomew Bennett. It is narrated by Homer Todiwala.
This is a strange little novella, more weird, surrealist fiction than horror; the kind that subtly disturbs rather than presents lashings of gore or jump scares.
The protagonist is a used bookseller who regularly visits charity shops seeking books that he might turn a good profit on. In one he meets Harris, a decidedly odd fellow. Harris is described as “a greasy little smoke-like presence, a figure more dark wool overcoat than actual person, riffling through one of the boxes of sheet music in a brisk, cursory fashion suggestive of scant interest in the contents.”
He finds himself coerced into joining Harris on his quest to collect his ‘pale children’, the unloved, battered books and those things left behind by readers between the pages. It gets progressively stranger.
With respect to the audiobook, Homer Todiwala, was brilliant. He is an experienced narrator, who has worked across various genres, including narrating a number of Salman Rushdie’s titles. His narration drew me into the story, experiencing its weirdness alongside him.
Overall, a strange, dreamlike novella. While I am not certain that I understood it, I found Bartholomew Bennett’s writing haunting and lyrical.
August 16, 2022
An exciting psychological horror/ thriller audiobook, surreal and sinister with a sense of foreboding. If you have ever listened to The Magnus Archives, it really gives me those sort of vibes - weird and creepy.
It is certainly hard to follow in places, I feel like it could have had some of the ideas strung together a little more for the ease of the reader, and some more dramatic events near the end rather than leaving most of it to the imagination. That being said I would still certainly read more like this.
I thought the narrator was excellent, really bringing this short story to life. As with very few narrators, I would go out of my way to find books read by them.
It is certainly hard to follow in places, I feel like it could have had some of the ideas strung together a little more for the ease of the reader, and some more dramatic events near the end rather than leaving most of it to the imagination. That being said I would still certainly read more like this.
I thought the narrator was excellent, really bringing this short story to life. As with very few narrators, I would go out of my way to find books read by them.
September 26, 2022
An exciting psychological horror/ thriller audiobook, surreal and sinister with a sense of foreboding. If you have ever listened to The Magnus Archives, it really gives me those sort of vibes - weird and creepy.
It is certainly hard to follow in places, I feel like it could have had some of the ideas strung together a little more for the ease of the reader, and some more dramatic events near the end rather than leaving most of it to the imagination. That being said I would still certainly read more like this.
I thought the narrator was excellent, really bringing this short story to life. As with very few narrators, I would go out of my way to find books read by them.
It is certainly hard to follow in places, I feel like it could have had some of the ideas strung together a little more for the ease of the reader, and some more dramatic events near the end rather than leaving most of it to the imagination. That being said I would still certainly read more like this.
I thought the narrator was excellent, really bringing this short story to life. As with very few narrators, I would go out of my way to find books read by them.
October 18, 2021
Started reading this, was quite enjoying it, but then I left off halfway through and when I eventually returned to it, the story had been replaced by a complete load of cobblers that made no sense to me. Get the feeling you're supposed to twig what's actually going on from all the cryptic asides and abrupt twists in narrative, but I'd - literally - lost the plot by that point. Something about wasps and paper dolls and satanic bargains, yeah? Whatever. I should go back and reread it to see if I can make any better sense of it. I'm not gonna though.
August 17, 2022
Thank you to the author, publisher, narrator and Net Galley for providing a free e-audio version of this title in exchange for my review.
Unfortunately, I didn't enjoy this book. It is very short, however it drags along. I had no idea what was happening, why it was important, or how this was a horror novella. So, before rating, I went back and re-listened to it, all in one sitting, thinking it would happen. But no, I'm still not sure what I listened to.
2 stars for 'did not like it'
Unfortunately, I didn't enjoy this book. It is very short, however it drags along. I had no idea what was happening, why it was important, or how this was a horror novella. So, before rating, I went back and re-listened to it, all in one sitting, thinking it would happen. But no, I'm still not sure what I listened to.
2 stars for 'did not like it'
July 30, 2022
Thank you to the publishers, author and NetGalley for the free copy of this audio book.
This was a quick read, with a great narrator. I did feel a bit lost throughout, and it felt a little slow at the beginning then rushed at the end. The feeling of dread that builds was spot on though, and kept me reading.
This was a quick read, with a great narrator. I did feel a bit lost throughout, and it felt a little slow at the beginning then rushed at the end. The feeling of dread that builds was spot on though, and kept me reading.
September 10, 2023
Bennett's writing is strong, readable, and literary, despite the refusal to use speech marks. The story is clear and atmospheric, introducing the supernatural gradually and uncomfortably, as well as the possibility of an unreliable narrator, aspects which, together with the amorphous ending, render the entire thing far too vague and ultimately underwhelming.
March 2, 2024
Unfortunately this one didn't work for me. I found the plot a bit incoherent and muddled and the writing style was too purple for my tastes. I did think the character of Harris was unsettling, which was good, but overall, I just thought it wasn't a great read.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.
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