In the year of 1938 on a small island off the coast of Wales resides a young woman of eighteen named Manod,who struggles between her feelings of leaviIn the year of 1938 on a small island off the coast of Wales resides a young woman of eighteen named Manod,who struggles between her feelings of leaving her family and isolated existence on the island to finding a better life for herself and to see what the world is really like and not just from just from things she has read.about the outside world.
Never any excitement on the island until the day a whale washes up on their beach Day in day out many of the islanders visit the whale especially the children who talk to him or play games around it. Soon after more excitement comes about when two fancy people come to the island to study the inhabitants and their way of life. Since all the residents speak mainly Welsh, the couple hires Manod to be an interpreter for them as they visit the people in their homes and work. Manod is attracted to the couple's worldliness and mannerisms as well as they style of dress. Soon Manod is seduced by the couple's glamor and stories of their travels as they encourage her that she is capable of enhancing her own life if she would leave her island. As time goes on Manod begins to see and understand that the couple may have had ulterior motives that could harm the naive, hardworking community in many ways that none of them could have foreseen except for the foreigners who only had their own interests at heart.
This was a lovely although bleak story told through Manod's eyes. Strictly a fishing island, the men and women work from sunrise to sunset from the men out in their fishing boats to the children collecting mollusks and clams while the women clean all the aquatic life to prepare to be sold to the mainland. The author Elizabeth O'Connor does a wonderful job in her atmospheric writing of the sights, sounds, smells and in showing the isolated and droll life that the islanders face and accept every day of their lives. The population decreases every year due to many of the teenagers who leave for the mainland after they graduate school from their small little classroom. I enjoyed the character of Manod very much but I wish she was a little less robotic with her thoughts and actions.
The parts I did not like were the paragraphs were not separated and I would find times and days confusing since some thoughts seemed incomplete and then I would be in a different place or time of day and that was annoying to me since it took away quite a bit of the fluidity of the storytelling which was very interesting and I just felt disconnected at times. I also enjoyed all the characters especially Manod's spitfire of a little sister. A little folklore and superstitions were blended in well and all in all this was a very engaging, dark, gloomy and emotional book that many people will enjoy.
I want to thank the publisher "Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage and Anchor" and Net galley for the opportunity to read this book and any thoughts or opinions expressed are unbiased and mine alone!
I have given a rating of 3 1/2 BLEAK AND MOROSE ...more
Jean happens to be the only midwife in a secluded village somewhere on the coast of nineteenth century Nova ScA Lovely Retelling Of "The Selkie Wife".
Jean happens to be the only midwife in a secluded village somewhere on the coast of nineteenth century Nova Scotia when during a tempest of a storm she hears mournful cries in the night. Barely able to see in the torrential downpour she finds a young woman whom she has never seen before in great distress and about to give birth. Jean helps her into her little house and tries to help her lie down as the woman continues to struggle with fear and pain. Jean suddenly realizes the woman speaks an unusual language that she can't understand but she must quickly prepare both of them for the birth.
The baby is born with a couple of oddities but otherwise a beautiful, healthy boy. Jean finds her neighbor, Tobias searching for his wife, Murin and assures him the baby and his wife are fine but when Tobias approaches Murin, Jean sees fear in her eyes and her body stiffen and uncomfortable when he picks up the newborn. Murin stays with Jean for a week to heal while Jean tries to understand what is wrong in their household since Tobias appears to adore his wife and just wants her home but Murin doesn't want to go back home, yet she has no choice in the matter. Jean tells her she will visit often to check on them. As the days and weeks go by Jean finds that Murin is trapped in her home against her will but she won't or can't tell Jean why but when Tobias forbids Jean to come around anymore she knows she must develop a plan to get Murin and the baby away from Tobias and send her back home to her family on another island. Murin's life will be in jeopardy if Tobias finds out Jean has been sneaking around behind his back visiting Murin and if and when he does discover Murin is planning on leaving him it will drive him into madness. What will happen when Jean finally discovers all the secrets behind Murin's unusual language and the strange tales of her family and how she became Tobias's wife!
This was a wonderful story of friendship, secrets and love and loyalty. I have never tired of hearing about Selkie tales and this was a lovely gem of a book. There were a few other main characters that were very important and helped make the story solid and believable. The novel couldn't have been more atmospheric and touching with the vivid descriptions of the land, community and the hard way of life that people were living during that time yet Jean was such a refreshing light in such a harsh world and her loneliness was evident but she was such a stalwart, young woman and a memorable heroine by the end of the book.
I truly enjoyed this novel and I highly recommend it to any reader looking for a different and satisfying read!
I want to thank the publisher "Random House Publishing - Ballantine" and Netgalley for granting my special book wish and any thoughts or opinions expressed are unbiased and mine alone!
I have given a rating of 4 SENSITIVE AND BELIEVABLE ...more
On a small, Scottish isolated island called Eynhallow resides a small community of only twenty hardworking people (including children) taking place atOn a small, Scottish isolated island called Eynhallow resides a small community of only twenty hardworking people (including children) taking place at the end of the 18th century. Agnes Tulloch is one of those residents who accepts her lot in life and loves her three children more than anything but most of the time she feels cheated with life itself. The wind is brutal day in day out and the storms come out of nowhere leaving their too small cottage which is in ill repair damp, leaky and cold most days and the tedious, hard work is a never ending cycle.
One day a mysterious stranger arrives on the isle and stirs up gossip about why anyone would want to come live on Eynhallow especially in the old vacant cottage rumored to be haunted for many, many years. Superstitions and folklore are abundant during those times so the residents are somewhat fearful as well as curious about why an aristocrat would want to move to their lonely isle. Meanwhile, Mr. Tulloch hires poor Agnes out as a housekeeper and in those days the wives must always abide by their husbands wishes.
The dark, brooding stranger is rude, arrogant and unfriendly as well but he is interesting and accepts Agnes in a way that she has always been denied and they quickly become friendly and enjoy one another's company although Agnes wonders why the man named Victor Frankenstein is so unhappy and why he won't reveal to her the type of work that he performs in the room he keeps locked day and night. Someone has been threatening and harming Victor and he won't tell Agnes who or why this person is after him until the day she comes across this dangerous and terrifying person and is fearful for own her life as well as Victor's and she will then make a decision that will change everything she had ever known or believed for the worse when she suddenly finds herself trapped in a living nightmare that she can never wake up from or find an escape back to her old life.
This was the most amazing, horror book that I will remember for a very long time! The beautiful, atmospheric writing and storytelling were so mesmerizing that I didn't want the story to end. The book begins slow and steady giving lovely and thoughtful detailed descriptions of the island and the colorful lives of the characters. Some may say this was a retelling but I considered this book an original and brilliant piece of work. The last thirty percent of the story had my pulse racing and I was holding my breath but I never expected to feel an ache in my heart by the time I was finished reading. This book was very dark, dismal, raw, unexpected, entertaining and realistically told with it's atmospheric and historical edge that will appeal to almost every single, horror reader.
I must add this was not a long book yet it captured all the substance and quality content of a novel that was three hundred pages or more but without all the silly filler words and phrases that can be so unnecessary and annoying in many books. You won't find any excessive drama although one may wish the story could have lasted longer because Agnes's story will stay with you for a long time as well as some of the other characters. Eerily sinister and the horror will creep up on you slowly and steadily and when it finally hits it may be shock to your psyche as it was to me.
I cannot recommend this book highly enough and wish I could give it more than 5 stars and I am most definitely looking forward to reading more of Tim McGregor's other books since I have been so enchanted by this author's writing! I hope that my hearfelt words will encourage other readers to pick this book up and begin a wondrous and horrific journey to the desolate island of EYNHALLOW which is actually still in existence.
I want to thank the publisher "RDS Publishing" and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this tale of madness and any thoughts or opinions expressed are unbiased and mine alone!
I have given a rating of 5 COMPLETELY CAPTIVATING AND MESMERIZING ...more
The small isolated town called Pleasant Brook lies deep within the Andirondacks and is really too small to be a considered town or even a hamlet and aThe small isolated town called Pleasant Brook lies deep within the Andirondacks and is really too small to be a considered town or even a hamlet and although most people want to leave because of the lack of opportunity, for some reason most people end up returning where their roots are. It is now October and close to Halloween so it is the perfect time for this story to be told.
The sheriff hasn't seen any murders in over ten years so it is the wonderful place to reside for quiet living. The story centers around a wooden mask meant to be in a museum but was intentionally misdirected into the wrong hands that used old spells and rituals to call forth an ancient entity buried within the hideous looking mask. People slowly are reported missing yet others say they have seen some of these people around town but something seems very off about them and they all seem to be wearing the same disgusting mask.
The sheriff runs herself ragged trying to get to the bottom of the stories wondering at first if they were Halloween pranks until finally witnessing a scene so truly bizarre and horrific that she couldn't believe her own eyes yet she was able to save teenager Scott from a fate worse than death and she finally realizes Pleasant Brook is quickly disappearing and the evil pervading her town is not of the human variety. Time is of the essence as the small population continues to dwindle, so will the sheriff figure out how to stop the monsters with their voracious appetites that are roaming and consuming her town or are all the inhabitants doomed forever including the sheriff and how can they be stopped from taking over more towns or even cities?
This was quite the horror story. It was very creepy and disturbing with enormous amounts of violence and gore. The book is brutal with it's descriptions and storytelling so it was written for horror fans only not recommended for anyone who may be sensitive to horror or graphic violence (Not Pretty). I enjoyed the unique plot and the fleshed out characters who I grew attached to while not being able to figure out how the story would eventually unfold. I appreciated that the author supported a non-binary character although calling (her) a they/them/their was very distracting and off-putting for myself since it was confusing at times thinking the book was talking about plural characters instead of one person but I understand what "Kevin Lucia" was trying to accomplish. Be forewarned the ending was so unexpected that it caught me off guard because I felt disappointed for myself since I wanted something different but this finale was perfect for an unexpected horror book ending!
I want to thank the publisher "Crystal Lake Publishing" and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this digital copy and any thoughts or opinions expressed are unbiased and mine alone!
I have given a rating of 3 1/2 HORRIFIC AND DISTURBING ...more
Maggie Mackay is a young woman still in mourning from her mother's passing while trying to get her life togethA Wonderful, Eerie and Entrancing Novel!
Maggie Mackay is a young woman still in mourning from her mother's passing while trying to get her life together again after suffering a trauma so shocking that it has taken her a great while to overcome. Maggie has decided to go back to the extremely, small island village in Scotland where she had visited at five years of age claiming a man unknown to her or her mother had been murdered twenty-five years ago, and the villagers didn't take kindly to that sordid news by outsiders especially a small child along with a television crew bringing questions and shame to the peaceful community.
Maggie just wants to understand what really happened all those years ago and to find out if there really had been a murder or if the man had ever, even existed. Initially, she doesn't reveal her real identity but it does comes out rather quickly and Maggie gets shunned by the majority of the islanders yet isn't prepared to find a possible romance with a farmer who seems very supportive of Maggie although he doesn't have a clue about Maggie's uncomfortable and mysterious past. Maggie only wants to stay a very short time so she can't possibly get involved with someone who lives on the island.
Soon, Maggie begins getting threatening and frightening messages and objects left at her beautiful rental cottage while she knows someone wants to scare her away yet she doesn't know why unless there is so much more to the unknown and unsolved murder than she could never have foreseen and as eerie occurrences continue to frighten her Maggie only gets more resolved to solve the mysteries of her past and of this man she has somehow been connected to all of her life.
This was a beautifully written and haunting story of an unhappy young woman trying to find answers to her past while unwittingly putting her own life in danger. I absolutely loved this book and all the characters within the mysterious and extremely atmospheric Scottish island settings. The exceptional telling of the scenery and the Scot dialect of the island had me mesmerized page after page visualizing the story as if I was watching it play out on film. This was a book that was so unique and also impossible to know how the story would play out. I was entranced because the writing was excellent and breathtaking at times and I was so enmeshed with this novel that I didn't want the story to come down end! Carole Johnstone has another new fan!
I highly recommend this dark mystery with a hint of the paranormal to all readers who enjoy books that are beautifully written!
I want to thank the publisher "Scribner" and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this novel and any thoughts or opinions expressed are unbiased and mine alone!
I have given a rating of 4 1/2 HAUNTING AND RIVETING ...more
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