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hollyn_middle's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
awelsh's review against another edition
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
3.0
I wanted to like this more. Love the premise and the build up but I just needed more background and suspense. Once the girl appears in the pub the story is just over. There’s not enough about her in the earlier parts of the book to speculate on where she came from or who she is so it just didn’t feel all that sinister to me. Three stars for the premise and the overall atmosphere (not dark, really, but I did feel like the folk band era was captured well), but this one fell flat for me.
lexandall's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
mehsi's review against another edition
3.0
What happened that summer so many years ago? What kind of spooky things lurk in this book?
Thanks to .... for recommending this one. I have to say it was a pretty good read, but it wasn’t that scary or haunting or spooky. It was slightly unsettling at times, especially the descriptions of the house (which I would never ever visit, and I would have left way before things got truly out of hand). And yes, there were a few moments that had me scared or creeped out, but I had expected much more. The blurb made it seem like something huge happened, but yeah, I was kind of sad about what actually happened.
The book is told through various POV. Throughout each of them we find out what happened during that summer. The summer that they were recording an album and trying to recover from the death of one of their bandmembers, Arianna. The summer that their lead singer/leader disappeared and was never seen (well….).
Unlike some books with multiple POV I didn’t have any problems discerning between the bandmembers, each of them had their own unique voice, their own story to tell. And I really wanted to get to know all of them. See what kind of personalities they had, what they saw in that summer, how they experienced the band, how that time was for them (as it was a time of sex, drugs, and folk music). Of course, I wasn’t a fan of all of them, but for most they were quite likeable. My favourite would be Nancy or Lesley, followed by Jon and Will.
I quite liked the idea that this book takes place so many years after the event, that they are finally agreeing with telling their story.
I hated how the police, but also the manager, took so long to act. Maybe Julian could have been saved, then again, I think the moment he went to do dark arts, and whatever that girl was, he was screwed. Then again, the question remains, did he mind what happened? And what truly happened to him?
The photographs, well, for once I didn’t mind not seeing them. The descriptions were horrific enough to have my imagination spin a nice image for me in my head. Thank you!
That last chapter, from Jon(no)’s POV gave me some serious goosebumps. That is sure one way to end this book, and it was a perfect way.
All in all, I flew through this book, and I would still recommend it even if it wasn’t as creepy as I had hoped.
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
Thanks to .... for recommending this one. I have to say it was a pretty good read, but it wasn’t that scary or haunting or spooky. It was slightly unsettling at times, especially the descriptions of the house (which I would never ever visit, and I would have left way before things got truly out of hand). And yes, there were a few moments that had me scared or creeped out, but I had expected much more. The blurb made it seem like something huge happened, but yeah, I was kind of sad about what actually happened.
The book is told through various POV. Throughout each of them we find out what happened during that summer. The summer that they were recording an album and trying to recover from the death of one of their bandmembers, Arianna. The summer that their lead singer/leader disappeared and was never seen (well….).
Unlike some books with multiple POV I didn’t have any problems discerning between the bandmembers, each of them had their own unique voice, their own story to tell. And I really wanted to get to know all of them. See what kind of personalities they had, what they saw in that summer, how they experienced the band, how that time was for them (as it was a time of sex, drugs, and folk music). Of course, I wasn’t a fan of all of them, but for most they were quite likeable. My favourite would be Nancy or Lesley, followed by Jon and Will.
I quite liked the idea that this book takes place so many years after the event, that they are finally agreeing with telling their story.
I hated how the police, but also the manager, took so long to act. Maybe Julian could have been saved, then again, I think the moment he went to do dark arts, and whatever that girl was, he was screwed. Then again, the question remains, did he mind what happened? And what truly happened to him?
The photographs, well, for once I didn’t mind not seeing them. The descriptions were horrific enough to have my imagination spin a nice image for me in my head. Thank you!
That last chapter, from Jon(no)’s POV gave me some serious goosebumps. That is sure one way to end this book, and it was a perfect way.
All in all, I flew through this book, and I would still recommend it even if it wasn’t as creepy as I had hoped.
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
helloremi's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
2.25
luminous's review against another edition
3.0
Somewhat entertaining interview-style novella. If you go in expecting a spooky story or any scares, you will be disappointed. I was disappointed. Because it was promoted as horror, when at best it's a mildly haunted house, a piece of folklore that might be real, and one sort of scary ghostly figure in a photograph moment.
Just read/listen for the story of the band. FYI I think the blurb implies there's some mystery about who is telling the truth. I didn't get the sense that anyone was lying and their stories all matched so I don't know what that's about.
Just read/listen for the story of the band. FYI I think the blurb implies there's some mystery about who is telling the truth. I didn't get the sense that anyone was lying and their stories all matched so I don't know what that's about.
honnari_hannya's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars
Overall enjoyed this, though I felt like the lead-up into the actual event and the reveal weren't balanced. There was definitely an eerie atmosphere that permeated the novel, but I wish we got a little more description of Wylding Hall itself. There was a lot about the relationships between the characters, particularly the various jealousies that surrounded Julian, but it didn't go anywhere in particular so I felt like it left me hanging.
Overall enjoyed this, though I felt like the lead-up into the actual event and the reveal weren't balanced. There was definitely an eerie atmosphere that permeated the novel, but I wish we got a little more description of Wylding Hall itself. There was a lot about the relationships between the characters, particularly the various jealousies that surrounded Julian, but it didn't go anywhere in particular so I felt like it left me hanging.
myeonghopabo's review against another edition
3.0
the way i interpreted it, the events of wylding hall seemed to have been incited by some vengeful bird spirit but why with julian? because he called on her? or maybe she wasn't a vengeful spirit at all but instead a protector.
i also got the sense that time and history was warped in the house so i thought that might have played a part? though the story did well in setting up the eerie premise of the house, it didn't give me as much closure or complexity in its closure than i would have liked with my horror books.
i also got the sense that time and history was warped in the house so i thought that might have played a part? though the story did well in setting up the eerie premise of the house, it didn't give me as much closure or complexity in its closure than i would have liked with my horror books.