We start off with a first line very reminiscent of the first like of du Maurier's Rebecca:
Last November I had a nightmare. It was 1924 and
We start off with a first line very reminiscent of the first like of du Maurier's Rebecca:
Last November I had a nightmare. It was 1924 and I was at Riverton again.
There are major Titanic (the film) vibes, because our main character (Grace) starts her story as an elderly woman, having lived the entire span of the 20th century. She spent her teens and young adulthood working as a maid for the wealthy family that lived at Riverton Manor.
In 1999, a film is being made about the suicide of a young poet that took place at the manor in 1924. The reader begins to realize that Grace, the only living person who had been present, is hesitant to tell the story not just due to the tragic memories recalls, but due to secrets--of others, and maybe some of hers as well.
There was a well-worn pecking order downstairs at Riverton, refined and ingrained by centuries of service. I may have been the lowest housemaid, subject to regular dressing-downs, worthy of only the lesser duties, but Katie, as scullery maid, was beneath contempt.
Grace, an only child, quickly comes to look forward to the visits of the Hartford siblings (David, Hannah, and Emmeline), whose father grew up at Riverton. Grace starts to develop a mild camaraderie with Hannah, though due to her position, Grace rarely says more than "Yes, Ma'am."
The first World War soon changes everything at Riverton.
The century is young and so am I.
Over the course of the book, we see Hannah and Emmeline transform into young women. Grace's own life is almost in the background of her own story, but I think it's the one I found most interesting. For example, she struggles to balance between duty and loyalty to the family she works for and the milestones of her own life.
In real life turning points are sneaky. They pass by unlabeled and unheeded. Opportunities are missed, catastrophes unwittingly celebrated.
Morton gives us multiple possible turning points to tragedy to mull over in hindsight, some of which came earlier than we might have imagined, or converged in unexpected ways.
The present time is used to foreshadow and hint and later events. This was vaguely annoying at one point when it's revealed fairly early on how and when certain characters would die much later in the book. It felt like a spoiler from within the book itself, and I'm still trying to understand what this technique might have accomplished and if it was for better or for worse.
I am aware, vaguely, as we enter the dark leafy tunnel of the driveway, that it’s the last time I will take this particular journey, but I don’t look back.
The House at Riverton is a fairly solid book overall, but I felt there were either some odd choices, or else the author wasn't able to weave a few story threads in. For example, Grace learns something very personal, but it never comes to a head, and she doesn't even reflect on it. I heard of this author due to some of her later books that are more popular, so I'm curious to see how they compare....more
I was the kind of child who’d always looked for fairies dancing on the grass. I wanted to believe in witches, wizards, ogres, giants, and ench
I was the kind of child who’d always looked for fairies dancing on the grass. I wanted to believe in witches, wizards, ogres, giants, and enchanted spells. I didn’t want all of the magic taken out of the world by scientific explanation. I didn’t know at that time that I had come to live in what was virtually a strong and dark castle, ruled over by a witch and an ogre.
A lot of people who read this when they were young seem desperate to make sure they're seen pronouncing it trash. And to be fair, maybe the rest of the series is, and it sure looks like all the works written by the author's ghost writer are.
But dare I say that I thought this was pretty good? If not from a technical perspective, then at least for the originality of the plot and the exploration of one of the darkest types of villain. It's also not smut; there is no smut in this book.
I probably wouldn't have read it any time soon, but my boyfriend randomly started watching the 80s film; he had never heard of it, and I knew its theme and had been content to leave it to the likes of my mom and other Gen-Xers. I only rarely stop to watch something my boyfriend is watching, but this grabbed me. So, I came into the book knowing what happens (a flagrant breaking of one of my few personal laws).
Secrets? And he said I was given to exaggerations! What was the matter with him? Didn’t he know that we were the secrets?
The four Dollanger kids are grieving the unexpected death of their father while their mother tries to figure out how to survive. Living with their extremely wealthy maternal grandparents seems to make the most sense...but their mother tells them they have to hide in the attic so their grandfather doesn't find out about them--just for a day or two until she can get back on his good side.
Had we suffered? Had we only missed her? Who was she, anyway? Idiot thoughts while I stared at her and listened to how difficult four hidden children made the lives of others.
While I liked this overall, I think a couple of things will stand out to most readers.
The dialogue, especially from the two teens, reads as stilted. It would be interesting to see if this carries over to all of Andrews' work, or if it was only done in this novel to represent the 50s as well as the perfection of these doll-like children. Almost everyone speaks the same way ("Really, Cathy...") until suddenly near the end a servant speaks in a brogue.
Some aspects of the plot are also unbelievable. For example, what kind of teenage boy would put up with all of this? Who would get up before dawn every day to prepare meals for people they hate, and somehow do that in secret?
But none of these complaints overshadow this modern gothic fairy tale. Because a fairy tale, of all things, isn't at its best when too literally overanalyzed with plot holes and reality.
As for the rest of the series, I'm more interested in the prequel about the grandma than the sequels that follow these kids. ...more
I liked this a lot more than Heart-Shaped Box (Joe Hill's first book) since it didn't have any 80-year-old Billy Bobs dating 20 year olds. (Well, I liked this a lot more than Heart-Shaped Box (Joe Hill's first book) since it didn't have any 80-year-old Billy Bobs dating 20 year olds. (Well, he actually does get a small reference in this book since apparently Joe is loosely connecting his novels like his father does, but it was only an small easter egg).
“Poor woman. We pray together most every day. Usually for you to die.”
So, Ig Perrish wakes up after a massive, sacrilege bender to find that he has started growing horns. What's even more bullshit is that he seems to have turned into the actual devil or something, because his presence is bringing out the worst in everyone who sees him. And they all hate him because they think he killed his longtime girlfriend, whom he'd been dating since puberty.
He was really only ever at ease when he was with Vera, his grandmother, who lived with them. He wasn’t sure she even remembered that once he had been arrested for a sex murder.
.
Tired of being called and thought of as a sex murderer all the time, Ig decides to use his newfound powers to find the real murderer. It's basically The Crow.
There are so many layered meanings with the devil analogies and the horns (Ig's father and brother are trumpet players, while Ig got a different type of horn). Not to mention cherry bombs and girls who are "cherry." I'm still not sure I entirely understand what the book was trying to say with all of it; I probably just don't know enough Bible facts like Ig does. But I think this line from Ig's barely readable fever dream "sermon" may be the key:
The devil knows that only those with the courage to risk their soul for love are entitled to have a soul, even if God does not.
.
I have the horror tag on this, but I don't think it actually is a horror novel. It's more horror adjacent, but it does include a compelling villain.
A note on the audiobook read by Fred Berman: The way this man says the word "girls" is so punchable (no offense). His Ig voice can be irritating because of that, but to counter that, I really liked the voice he used for another important male character. He changed the whole rhythm and intonation of his speech instead of just doing some weird accent or tone change.
A note on the film: This was a truly butchered film adaptation. The only good thing is Daniel Radcliffe. They completely ruined the villain, which is the most important thing to get right if you're going to have a villain at all. It was completely miscast to the most milquetoast person I can imagine. I don't know what they were thinking....more
Through the Woods is a graphic short story collection. After finishing, I have similar feelings as I get from Junji Ito's collections. And for me, CarThrough the Woods is a graphic short story collection. After finishing, I have similar feelings as I get from Junji Ito's collections. And for me, Carroll's artwork, which is beautiful, stylish, and dark, is more to my personal tastes.
Carroll's stories are all set in vague historical settings, and she used at least two distinct styles: a muted one that brought up feelings of the Brontë sisters and Wuthering Heights and another that used black contrasted with primary colors.
As attractive as the art is, however, the stories themselves won't hold the same power over my memory. There are only about 4-5 stories, and the entire book takes less than an hour to read, but I already found myself struggling to remember the plots by the time I had finished reading. Contrary to the fairytale classics the title might evoke, these stories are original from what I recall (except for one that is reminiscent of Bluebeard).
My best conclusion is that this is something meant to be read multiple times, the way I read that story about the girl who wore the green ribbon around her neck repeatedly as a kid. I'll have to come back sometime and see if it won't make a deeper impression. ...more
I previously read this but didn't review it. This time, I only listened to the audiobook, mainly for my boyfriend's benefit, as background noise whileI previously read this but didn't review it. This time, I only listened to the audiobook, mainly for my boyfriend's benefit, as background noise while I was working. The audiobook itself was months ago, but I wanted to at least write something.
This classic horror novel that's more than a horror novel is still one of the best. Two-bit writers everywhere are still ripping off this title. Shirley Jackson always knew how to make things feel just slightly off to maximum creepy or eerie effect. Whether writing horror or some awkward suburban scenario, it's always evident how smart and insightful she was....more
I don't think this book needed to exist. The first was better until it suddenly turned into a fantasy novel. And the romantic interest from the first I don't think this book needed to exist. The first was better until it suddenly turned into a fantasy novel. And the romantic interest from the first had become completely (as opposed to just mostly) grotesque to me in this book. Ew. I mean, probably it's because I'm like twice his age though.
I was also not a fan of the author changing the death year of a historical figure to fit the story. The antagonist and other major aspects weren't all that well developed.
I liked some of the characterizations of the secret society members, but they weren't given much attention, either. And while I felt the author made the historical setting come to life (and I've listened to a good amount of her non-fiction Noble Blood podcast), the knowledge that basic facts/dates were being changed to suit the relatively poor story made it feel less authentic....more
This was recommended to me, and I listen to the author's Noble Blood podcast sometimes. Despite some of the YA romance silliness (which to be fair wasThis was recommended to me, and I listen to the author's Noble Blood podcast sometimes. Despite some of the YA romance silliness (which to be fair wasn't a huge focus of the book), I enjoyed it until the genre change at the end. And while it's true that the cliffhanger from that ending had me immediately checking out the sequel from my library's ebook collection, I also know it wasn't quite fair.
It's one of those books where you see you're 98% through and can only think "oh shit" because you know it can't be wrapped up appropriately. So the entire ending was rushed--if you can call that an ending. It's mostly been shuffled off in a roundabout way to the end of the sequel.
But still. I have a soft spot for Scotland and another one for history. It follows Hazel, a wealthy teenager of the minor nobility. Unlike most girls, Hazel is obsessed with becoming a doctor (this was before women doctors--sorry, reading The Princess Bride now, and I had to). At the same time, Edinburgh has gone crazy with the need for bodies for medical study, so "resurrection men" (those who stole fresh bodies out of their graves), became a thing. Barred from traditional education, Hazel has to do it the dirty way....more
I love the combo of historical fiction and ghosts/horror, so Susan Hill is a natural choice. After reading her better-known The Woman in Black a couplI love the combo of historical fiction and ghosts/horror, so Susan Hill is a natural choice. After reading her better-known The Woman in Black a couple of Halloweens or Christmas Eves ago, I decided to try The Mist in the Mirror this year. For the record, this is better suited as a Christmas Eve ghost story, as had been the tradition in Victorian England.
It follows an English man who was orphaned and raised in Africa and Asia. He became fascinated with the travel writing of one Conrad Vayne and repeated all of his adventures. Upon reaching middle age and having no one, he returns to England with plans to settle down and grow roots. Yet something in England seems to remember him more than he remembers it.
“Leave be, Mr. James Monmouth. That is my advice to you. Leave be.”
I was interested throughout but didn't care for the dénouement. It's rushed, with a single short paragraph throwing all kinds of nonsense out. It took me to a point where I could no longer suspend my disbelief, and it brought more questions than answers in a bad way. Then, as now, all I can think is, "There are property laws." The book is better if you pretend that paragraph isn't there--better to leave some things a mystery than to get half-assed answers.
As in Hill's other novels I've read, the ghost story is framed within a mini-story in which a lesser character reads a written account of a true ghost story. This seems to be an imitation of the framing used in Henry James's The Turn of the Screw and likely other ghost stories of the period. I've seen some reviews that call this framing unnecessary, but I appreciate how it lets us see a "future" view of the main character from an objective outsider's perspective....more
I'm just writing something fast before I jump into the third volume. Overall, the second volume didn't feel as strong as the first. By that I mean thaI'm just writing something fast before I jump into the third volume. Overall, the second volume didn't feel as strong as the first. By that I mean that what was there was good, but it seems like little happened compared to the first arc, like groundwork was being set. Although that's not entirely true, it's just that this one seemed to have a bit less of the kids in it....more
In this first volume, I feel like we only dip our toes in the story. Something happened with a trucker that I'm like whyyyy about, but nevertheless I In this first volume, I feel like we only dip our toes in the story. Something happened with a trucker that I'm like whyyyy about, but nevertheless I eagerly placed holds on the next two volumes before I was halfway through this.
The story seems to center around 3 siblings. They remind me a bit of the Baudelaire orphans, especially in their introduction. After a tragic incident, they go to live with an uncle in the old family mansion....more
I kept pushing this library hold back. I mean, what else can we do with a haunted house story? Are there still new ways to creep us out with this? SagI kept pushing this library hold back. I mean, what else can we do with a haunted house story? Are there still new ways to creep us out with this? Sager's version has enough gimmicks and ideas to keep it interesting.
Twenty-five years ago, my family lived in a house named Baneberry Hall, situated just outside the village of Bartleby, Vermont. We moved in on June 26. We fled in the dead of night on July 15. Twenty days.
The main point of interest of this book is that it follows dual timelines that echo and foretell one another. We start with the present timeline. When her father dies, Maggie inherits the house her family fled when she was a child. According to her father's book, which made them infamous, ghosts with a murder curse pushed them out.
Maggie never believed in any of that. Conveniently a house flipper, she decides to flip the house while trying to solve the mystery of what really happened there on the side.
“Are you sure it’s not really an attempt to change your experience there? Flip the house, flip your past.”
The other timeline consists of the chapters of her fathers books, which are interspersed throughout the present-day narrative. That means this book is sort of two books, which is kind of fun. But the problem for Maggie is that her time at the house is looking a lot more like what her father wrote about than she'd expected...
"Tragic things. Indigo Garson and the Carver family, yes. But other things, too. And all those things, well, they . . . linger.” The word sent a chill down my back. Probably because of the way Hibbs said it—slowly, drawing out the word like it was a rubber band about to snap.
There was some haunting activity that I really liked. For example, something that comes up early is an old armoire in Maggie's childhood room. Childhood Maggie complains that people come out of that armoire, which creates an eerie reverse-Narnia effect. There is also harassment through the soundtrack of The Sound of Music. "You are sixteen going on seventeen..."
Unfortunately, I feel the book was brought down by its ending. Sager started to do something interesting but then ruined it with too many twists that just got dumber with each iteration. ...more
My expectations were probably too much after I heard about M. R. James, an archaeologically inclined medievalist scholar who wrote ghost stories. UltiMy expectations were probably too much after I heard about M. R. James, an archaeologically inclined medievalist scholar who wrote ghost stories. Ultimately, there were some stories I liked and others that I found mostly boring or not scary.
"But if monsieur is amateur des vieux livres, I have at home something that might interest him. It is not a hundred yards."
At once all Dennistoun's cherished dreams of finding priceless manuscripts in untrodden corners of France flashed up, to die down again the next moment. It was probably a stupid missal of Plantin's printing, about 1580. Where was the likelihood that a place so near Toulouse would not have been ransacked long ago by collectors?
These stories live in the realm of creepy books, creepy churches, creepy whistles, and creepy academic old men. It includes what is probably one of the first "room 13" stories. The stories I didn't like as much tended to be vaguer, since I think a back story is what makes a ghost creepy; if all I know is they laugh in another room, then I don't really care.
as it is, the name may be anything from Guestingley to Langley, and there are many more names ending like this than I thought; and this rotten book has no index of terminations.'
One story I really liked was "Mezzotint." I think it just hit the right notes of my own experience with historical research. Like camaraderie in the mutual need of gazetteers that include an index of terminations. But I feel this story is one of those that give the most historical explanation of itself, which is what I wanted from this writer.
"The Ash-Tree" is another highlight and tells of a multi-generational haunting of an old manor house that began in the witch-hunt-crazed 17th century....more