Along with this major love fest comes a love of movies and books associated with Halloween. Which is why when I passed by This House is Haunted featured on the Spooky Table at my local library I couldn't resist. And even though it wasn't a 5-star book for me, it was still an enjoyable read, especially when read at night with a glass of wine and the curtains thrown open to a full moon.
For those of you not familiar with author John Boyne, he's the author of The Boy in the Striped Pajamas. Beautiful but heart-wrenching novel about concentration camps in World War II.
Synopsis
Boyne takes this novel back over 70 years from World War II to the year 1867. The book opens up with spinster school teacher blaming Charles Dickens for the loss of her beloved father, the last member of her family. Her father's sudden death leaves her alone in London. That, along with the loss of her house and the realization that her only tie to the city is her work with her school, prompts her to make a change.
Enter a mysterious ad in the paper for a governess. Eliza answers the ad and is offered the position almost immediately. Her train ride proves uneventful, but as soon as she arrives in Norfolk she becomes the target of a chilling and unnatural force. This is followed by the revelation that aside from her two young charges and two other servants she is the sole occupant of rambling Gaudlin Hall. Her absent employer continues to stay away, leaving Eliza to question not only the tragedy that left Isabelle and Eustace without parents, but her sanity as accidents continue to happen that threaten her health and eventually her life.
As the accidents grow even more violent and past events come to light, Eliza becomes trapped in a supernatural fight between good and evil. She can't leave the children behind to the madness plaguing the house. But it won't be long before the demons of Gaudlin Hall finish her off, once and for all.
What I Liked
Style
Boyne's writing style is enjoyable. The details he included gave me pictures of the setting, from the small but cozy home Eliza shared with her father to the slowly decaying yet still regal Gaudlin Hall. Boyne also didn't just rely on sight to tell his story. Authors who incorporate the other senses automatically get props.
Creepy Kiddos
Isabelle was an unexpected and welcome change to the traditional spooky housekeeper, butler, gardener, etc. (although there were several creepy She came across as a little serial killer in the making. And yet Boyne managed to make her a sympathetic character, too, as the story progressed.
Wednesday Addams would do this character justice
Eustace, on the other hand, wrapped his way around my heart as we got deeper into the story.
Plot
I enjoyed the story. This was my first Gothic ghost book ever, so I liked the change of pace compared to the historical/cozy mysteries and Regency romance I normally read. The end was a little anti-climatic, but the build-up to the story and the suspense with the absence of adults in the house was done well.
What I Didn't Like
Boyne Isn't a Woman...
I love when writers tackle characters outside their own experiences. When done well (i.e. To Kill a Mockingbird) you've got the makings of a classic, or at the very least a book you can't put down.
Unfortunately, there were multiple scenes where I felt like Boyne just didn't have a clue how women are. Eliza's obsession with men looking at her, checking her out, responding to flirtations, etc., came across as cliche and at times frustrating.
Don't get me wrong, women notice. We fantasize. We worry about our appearance. We want love, romance, adventure, etc.
BUT...
It just got to be over-the-top and distracting from the story.
Eliza
I didn't get to know Eliza that well. I admired her tenacity in pursuing the mystery and her dedication to staying with the kids, but I didn't get to know much about her aside from her missing her father, thinking she's plain and secretly wanting a romance.
If It Were a Movie...
Kate Maberly
Kate Maberly, who I know best from The Secret Garden (1993, best version ever), could do Eliza justice and bring some depth to the character. I wouldn't describe Kate as "plain," but her turn as Mary in The Secret Garden shows her ability to fade into the background as well as wow with subtle character development.
Final Tally
I'd give this book 3 stars. Recommended for Gothic, ghost and Halloween fans. Not one I'd pay full-price for again, but still a decent read.
