Reviewed by zooloo1983 on
The book starts with two different eras, all taking part in the house, both unsettling and then we fast forward to present day, and the story of Grace and Sam and their blind daughter Cassie and her dog Jet! I loved these three!
I can’t talk too much about the plot, as I went in the dark and you need to as well. But every now and then I had goosebumps, I read this in the daytime but even now I’m going to keep all the lights on! It has definitely unsettled me, I have an overactive imagination as it is! So this book probably didn’t help me too much!
I can honestly say I am a believer, I believe in the spirit world, having a few “incidents” in my life. One being that I “saw” my dad a few days after he died, among other things but I can safely say I’ve never encountered anything dark and terrifying as the spirit in this book. I think I would have the same reactions as Grace! I would be as confident as her daughter Cassie, who has is so confident and takes it in her stride.
My heart went out to Harriet for the 1700’s and Grace in the present day. Both suffering loss, a loss I couldn’t get my head around and trying to find a way to carry on every day. All the while knowing something is not quite right. The idea of the whole village knowing about your new house as well is enough to unsettle anyone! A close-knit village too! Everyone has an opinion and people aren’t always who you think they are, this played heavily throughout the book and shone through at the end. Isn’t this how all good ghost stories start, by local folklore? Is it just a story?
Not going to lie I twigged straight away the twist and what was going on. But that didn’t matter, the scene and atmosphere that has been set by Ms Clarke is something straight out of a ghost story of the greats, Wilkie Collins comes to mind. If it was a film it would be loosely like the Amityville House! Not in terms of the storyline but in terms of creepiness factor! The eerie woods surrounding the house, how literally no bird sings, the odd music on the iPod and the GODDAMN FREAKY ASS MIRROR!!
Mirror always make me nervous, as it states In the book they are a link, a portal to another world, and in the book well Jesus I don’t want to look in them again!
This book is one I will definitely recommend and I know this will be one my mum will love! She is like me we love all things supernatural and ghostly and this is definitely one of those.
I was on the edge of my seat at all times when reading this, and by no means looking anywhere else but the Kindle. I couldn’t risk seeing shadows in my peripheral at all! There was enough suspense throughout the book, as you never quite knew what was going to happen, when or to whom! Aaaaaahh
One last thing… that ending!! Well dang! I had a feeling it was going to go one of two ways, but that ending! I mean, you are still reeling from one thing when Ms Clarke throws yet another curveball, It was perfect! You don’t have time to process anything as it ends and my jaw hit the ground! Again, Wow! It is the sort of thing you could watch on the big screen and end up shouting at everyone and hiding behind a cushion with the lights on!
So I’m now off to cover all mirrors, not look at odd shadows and why oh why do I own a black cat called Jet!!! *gulp
Reading updates
- Started reading
- 28 October, 2018: Finished reading
- 28 October, 2018: Reviewed