This House is Haunted
Author:
Genres: Literature & Fiction, Mystery, Thriller & Suspense
Book Type: Paperback
Author:
Genres: Literature & Fiction, Mystery, Thriller & Suspense
Book Type: Paperback
Helpful Score: 2
At the outset, I rather imagined this book would read in a delightful The Ghost and Mrs. Muir sort of way. I was very wrong.
This House Is Haunted is the tale of Eliza Caine, a 21-year-old spinster-to-be living in London in 1867. After the death of her father, Eliza accepts the position as a Governess for two children at Gaudlin Hall in Norfolk. Still grieving and having never before left London, Eliza has no idea what is to await her. However, even in her wildest dreams she could not have guessed the situation she was about to step into.
I loved the inclusion of Charles Dickens into this story and, being quite a Dickensiophile (?), loved how the prose was inspired as such. Much like Eliza, I had not an inkling of an idea of what was awaiting her at Gaudlin Hall, however the puzzle pieces are very large, and once you get the first and second pieces its easy to guess what the picture is going to be at the end.
There a few abrupt transitions that didnt sit with me very well. In at least two different spots a chapter starts out describing something that just happened which wasnt in the text at all. Of course, not every moment of Elizas time needs to be accounted for to enjoy the story, but in both of these occasions the missing tales are rather important and I am left wondering what was behind the choice to leave them out completely.
I am also rather confused as to Isabellas motivations near the end of the book (thats a tip-toe around a spoiler if Ive ever written one), but Boyne did a good job of making her just enough of a throw-away character to not be too worried about her choices, and to be surprised at the end.
I really did enjoy this book and it flew by. A perfect read for a dark and stormy evening.
Trigger Warnings: violence, gore, sexual abuse of children (insinuated), incest (insinuated), mental illness.
This House Is Haunted is the tale of Eliza Caine, a 21-year-old spinster-to-be living in London in 1867. After the death of her father, Eliza accepts the position as a Governess for two children at Gaudlin Hall in Norfolk. Still grieving and having never before left London, Eliza has no idea what is to await her. However, even in her wildest dreams she could not have guessed the situation she was about to step into.
I loved the inclusion of Charles Dickens into this story and, being quite a Dickensiophile (?), loved how the prose was inspired as such. Much like Eliza, I had not an inkling of an idea of what was awaiting her at Gaudlin Hall, however the puzzle pieces are very large, and once you get the first and second pieces its easy to guess what the picture is going to be at the end.
There a few abrupt transitions that didnt sit with me very well. In at least two different spots a chapter starts out describing something that just happened which wasnt in the text at all. Of course, not every moment of Elizas time needs to be accounted for to enjoy the story, but in both of these occasions the missing tales are rather important and I am left wondering what was behind the choice to leave them out completely.
I am also rather confused as to Isabellas motivations near the end of the book (thats a tip-toe around a spoiler if Ive ever written one), but Boyne did a good job of making her just enough of a throw-away character to not be too worried about her choices, and to be surprised at the end.
I really did enjoy this book and it flew by. A perfect read for a dark and stormy evening.
Trigger Warnings: violence, gore, sexual abuse of children (insinuated), incest (insinuated), mental illness.
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