A rather odd, deeply atmospheric novel of a South Pacific island (now Vanuatu) and the experiences of an american missionary and his Venezuelan wife. A rather odd, deeply atmospheric novel of a South Pacific island (now Vanuatu) and the experiences of an american missionary and his Venezuelan wife. No holds barred as to the misery and discomfort of life in the rainy season especially for people who have no idea how to function in this climate and terrain, plus the awfulness of socialising with the few other expats, and the profoundly warped combination of local beliefs and imported Christianity leading to a nightmarish stew.
It is distinctly low on plot, which started to get a bit frustrating and the subplot about Vietnamese workers didn't really feel tied in, but the stifling atmosphere, squelchy setting, choking feelings and rising Gothic tension are all very well conveyed, and for the most part carry the book along. ...more
Litfic with a Gothic house built by an Indian in South Africa, on a dual time scheme, where a lonely girl discovers secrets of the past. Indian/South Litfic with a Gothic house built by an Indian in South Africa, on a dual time scheme, where a lonely girl discovers secrets of the past. Indian/South African Gothic sounded irresistible and I am a sucker for djinn.
Regrettably, it's hard to see why there is a djinn in this, it's weirdly irrelevant to the plot or even themes. TBH the interspersed timelines don't really disguise that this is two separate stories: one a highly compelling 1930s family Gothic melodrama which I thoroughly enjoyed, the other a sequence of events depicting the people now living in the house, of which I just couldn't see the point--none of them were terribly interesting, none of their stories had much resolution. The 1930s story is terrific, and I wished it had been the full novel. ...more
A hugely involving take on Frankenstein, in which Mary (descendant of Victor) and her husband attempt to recreate the famous experiment, only they're A hugely involving take on Frankenstein, in which Mary (descendant of Victor) and her husband attempt to recreate the famous experiment, only they're palaeontologists, so this time they're trying to make a pleiosaur. Frankenstein meets Jurassic Park. Amazing. (It's not really that, I'm just astonished the publishers didn't slap on that tagline.)
Really, it's very much about: being a woman scientist in the Victorian period, being a woman scientist at all, being a woman, with the expectations of motherhood and wifeness, being pleasant, always pleasant, smoothing over situations, self effacement, never having anger or pride. And very much about the endless capacity of men to be a massive selfish disappointment and then be completely baffled when called out for what they did. Mary is a ferociously angry, bitter woman choking on the injustice of it all, and this makes for a pretty emotional, cathartic read. With hand-stitched dinosaur. Plus the author tackles endemic racism inclusing 'scientific' racism, chronic pain, and child loss, and there's a low-key sapphic romance starting, so there is a lot going on here.
I enjoyed it very much. The writing is great and has a strong period feel, Mary is a fascinating character, making no effort to be 'likeable', and Henry depressingly plausible in that he's not even a villain, just a typical selfish man. It starts a little bit slowly, with a lot of childhood, in the way of Victorian novels, but stick with it: it's a really entertaining tale. ...more
A big old sapphic Gothic novel with isolated house from which women run in dresses, weird English family, servant with hook for hand, bloodstains, ghoA big old sapphic Gothic novel with isolated house from which women run in dresses, weird English family, servant with hook for hand, bloodstains, ghosts, Uncle Tom Cobleigh and all. It's good fun. I found Kit rather lachrymose and ineffectual for a lot of the book (and the premise of 'I have no idea why the woman I love is being cold and unfriendly to me! In other news, I just married her brother' is perhaps taking naivety a little too far). But she picks up nicely towards the end, and Alexandra is a chilly, guilt-ridden delight throughout.
The premise is bonkers, but it's a Gothic novel so it would be very disappointing if it was sensible. The world needs more bonkers sapphic Gothic novels. Could have used an edit for consistency issues, but held my attention very happily. ...more
Gothic novel aiming at an MR James vibe. Great set up: MC is art valuer, goes to spooky isolated house, discovers all the art is of horrific medieval Gothic novel aiming at an MR James vibe. Great set up: MC is art valuer, goes to spooky isolated house, discovers all the art is of horrific medieval torture and also there's a scary butler, brooding master of the house, and mysterious woman in the library. Weirdness ensues.
Sadly it doesn't really live up to itself. Partly this is because the MC is far too passive. He doesn't confront the strange footsteps, he takes forever to ask questions, he stays static. I know the Gothic is very much about being trapped in a house, and the dream/halluciantion/shifting reality feelings he has are well done. But nevertheless, we needed forward motion, and every time it looks like he's going to discover something or do something, or even *have the entire plot explained to him* he pulls back and does nothing.
(view spoiler)[In particular, the point where he and Victor have sex. This looked like the book was about to accelerate into *something*--a love/sex triangle with Amy, a redemptive or destructive relationship with Victor, blackmail, pages of kinky sex, MC being lured into being part of Victor's dark deeds, literally anything would have done me as long as it was something. Instead...he feels a bit embarrassed and doesn't do it again. There are no consequences. Wtf. There aren't even any real consequences to him killing two people, which really gets handwaved in the plot. (hide spoiler)]
This is, in fairness, the effect the book is going for with the overall story, where the house is in a weird timeless place, but for me, tbh, it ended up feeling like a lot of pages of something being about to happen and then not.
Basically if you're going for MR James style terrifying allusiveness you need to be really good at it, otherwise it's just 'not explaining'. I would have been totally on for delving into the dark horrific experiments or evil sex games or any of the things this promised but didn't really deliver. Maybe I'm just melodramatic.
Moreover, and this is entirely on the publisher not the author, but the blurb compares it to The Haunting of Hill House, a book so purely terrifying that, having read it in my flat on my own, I literally had to go and stay the night with my mum, at the age of 25. Senator, you're no Haunting of Hill House. ...more
I'm not a huge Lorac fan but this one was highly entertaining. A very weird family seething with mutual hate, set in a crumbling manor house, with a rI'm not a huge Lorac fan but this one was highly entertaining. A very weird family seething with mutual hate, set in a crumbling manor house, with a ridiculously over-complicated murder. This is what I go to golden age pulp for. ...more
Unusual and intriguing American Gothic about a middle-of-nowhere US town that has something badly weird about it. The central character Sadie is terriUnusual and intriguing American Gothic about a middle-of-nowhere US town that has something badly weird about it. The central character Sadie is terrific (don't be put off by what seems rather inconsistent characterisation at first, okay) and the premise is fantastic, littered with good ideas lightly worn. Highly glommable, scary, and ultimately hopeful. ...more
Impressively bleak and doomy historical novel based around the Italian medieval internecine wars. Everyone is terrible except some people are even worImpressively bleak and doomy historical novel based around the Italian medieval internecine wars. Everyone is terrible except some people are even worse, which I am grasping is very much par for this author's course. Apparently she wrote this at 16. Props....more
Horror stories from Marjorie Bowen, written in the 20s and 30s though many with historical settings. These are mostly ghost type stories but the actuaHorror stories from Marjorie Bowen, written in the 20s and 30s though many with historical settings. These are mostly ghost type stories but the actual horror here is domestic abuse: the stories are all but one a procession of murdered, raped, abused, exploited women, over and over, usually as background for the story of a man's haunting or a man's narrative. Ooof, basically....more
Intensely queer novella from the perspective of the captain of the Demeter, the ship that brings Dracula to England. Obviously the voyage goes poorly.Intensely queer novella from the perspective of the captain of the Demeter, the ship that brings Dracula to England. Obviously the voyage goes poorly.
It's thrumming with hunger and desire, and the captain's fear of his own desire and recognition that it would be seen as monstrous. And, indeed, his acknowledgement that he's not the monster here (Dracula is almost irrelevant given the shitty human nature on display) and his courage in taking on the increasingly terrifying situation. Beautifully translated, haunting stuff....more
Tremendous first half with the sinister Carcosa tales, and the "King in Yellow", a bestseller that drives everyone who reads it mad. Cracking stuff.
STremendous first half with the sinister Carcosa tales, and the "King in Yellow", a bestseller that drives everyone who reads it mad. Cracking stuff.
Second half is a skippable series of stories of very dull "we want to be decadent Europeans but we're actually irredeemable puritans at heart who are terrified of women having sex" American art students in fin de siecle Paris. ...more
Orientalist tripe. Read it for my English degree, forgot everything about it in self defence, reread in the light of a bio of Beckford which was horriOrientalist tripe. Read it for my English degree, forgot everything about it in self defence, reread in the light of a bio of Beckford which was horrifying (the racism, the creepy paedo vibes, the evil female character closely based on his cousin's wife who acted as a go between when he was seducing a child). No plot as such, just a lot of wallowing in highly ineffectual wickedness. All Gothic trappings without decent foundations, much like Fonthill Abbey, snerk....more
Collection of stories based round Frankenstein (the book itself not just the popular concept). Anthologies on the same theme can get dull very fast (sCollection of stories based round Frankenstein (the book itself not just the popular concept). Anthologies on the same theme can get dull very fast (see every collection of riffs on Sherlock Holmes ever); this avoids that by having the stories set in different time periods, in chronological order, and loosely linked to be in the same world (or at least the first two clearly are and there's hints in the last two; I wasn't sure what the third was doing in the book at all). I'd have liked that more developed because it was clever.
As ever with anthos, a mixed bag: the first two stories are excellent and the fifth thoroughly creepy....more
Just didn't click with me which is unexpected because I love this author's writing and Gods of Jade and Shadow was one of my standout reads of last yeJust didn't click with me which is unexpected because I love this author's writing and Gods of Jade and Shadow was one of my standout reads of last year. IDK, possibly just not in the right mood. The heroine felt rather stuck and passive--neither doing anything in the house, nor getting the hell out of Dodge to summon help--which may well have been the point because it is a given of the Gothic that heroines get trapped like flies in amber, but it just wasn't working for me as a reader in current circs. Hey ho, will try again another day. ...more
Absolutely stunning. A ghost story, meditation on inspiration, and slide back and forth through the US's bitter history.
The salt-marsh town of ShimmeAbsolutely stunning. A ghost story, meditation on inspiration, and slide back and forth through the US's bitter history.
The salt-marsh town of Shimmer is haunted by a spirit born out of slavery that demands worship through art and consumes her worshippers. This is not easily summarisable, because the entire point is the tapestry the author builds up, with queer and Black and female voices needing to be heard in a culture that isn't comfortable with colour and stifles life. Just read it, basically.
Really, really good, beautifully written, magical, inspiring and haunting. I love this....more
British folk / psychological horror, somewhere between The Wasp Factory and The Wicker Man. It's set in the 1976 heatwave, and both the stifling heat British folk / psychological horror, somewhere between The Wasp Factory and The Wicker Man. It's set in the 1976 heatwave, and both the stifling heat and the sense of impending threat roll off the page. Beautifully written, properly horrible, a completely compelling read. It doesn't unfold exactly as you expect, and leaves a few loose ends--something of a shame in a shortish and otherwise tight book--but it is definitely a deeply satisfying read in a very nasty way. I was quite unnerved.
A highly enjoyable Victorian-sensation style romance. There's a Beauty and the Beast set-up--heroine fleeing terrible persecution meets ill-mannered sA highly enjoyable Victorian-sensation style romance. There's a Beauty and the Beast set-up--heroine fleeing terrible persecution meets ill-mannered scarred master of remote half-ruined house. However, Justin is about as cinnamon roll as beasts get, and is basically lovely to Helena from the start, albeit struggling with his own feelings of guilt and shame because of his background and past.
It's slightly odd because this is actually a very low-conflict book, both internal (the relationship is utterly sweet and angst-free except for an 'I'm not worthy' moment on the hero's part) and external. There are all the trappings of Victorian Gothic (Beast hero, threat of confinement in a lunatic asylum, storms, lurking villains) but the threat ends up pretty low. That's not a complaint--I really needed a low-angst romance and I enjoyed every minute of this warm, charming book. I just wasn't expecting that from the Gothic plot and trappings. Maybe sweet Gothic is a new genre, in which case sign me the hell up. Can't wait for #2. ...more
A slice of modern American Gothic, Lovecraft style. Spookily 50s-perfect small town, things from Outside, tentacles, things mortal eyes were not meantA slice of modern American Gothic, Lovecraft style. Spookily 50s-perfect small town, things from Outside, tentacles, things mortal eyes were not meant to see nor mortal minds get themselves round, the lot. It's very well written (except, shame about the present tense narrative which i couldn't see was necessary *is old*) and a huge amount of horrific fun with a terrific Mexican-American heroine kicking arse. I had a vague feeling that the last third was operating on a wing and a prayer with the author rather finding out where the book was going as he went along, but it didn't lose my interest at any point. And of course it entirely confirms my opinions on perfect Southern US small towns. ...more
Eh. Collections of shorts and a novella about the sicko Calipash family, sort of comedy Lovecraft in tone. The first stories are enjoyably weird and wEh. Collections of shorts and a novella about the sicko Calipash family, sort of comedy Lovecraft in tone. The first stories are enjoyably weird and warped, but the novella's balance between nasty and entertaining tipped too far the nasty way for my current reading pleasure. ...more
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