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mxsallybend's review
4.0
When it comes to horror, sometimes the best scares are those just hinted at, kept off the page, or left open to explanation. It's that sense of doubt, that inability to trust our senses, that makes the reader so perfectly uncomfortable. It's a large part of why Gothic horror endures, and why the haunted house tale remains a classic.
The Devil's Serenade by Catherine Cavendish is a brilliant example of the genre, and even if it does show a bit more than we might expect in the end, the entire story is built up to justify it. This is a haunted house tale as full of memories and regrets as it is demons and spirits. More importantly, it's a story where the house itself is part of the story.
On the surface, Hargest House seems like your typical Gothic haunted house. It's large, looming, dark, and cold throughout. There is a definite sense of age, as evidenced by its lack of heating, its scarcity of illumination, and its dusty antique furniture. The attic is full of those ghosts and memories, striking Maddie with a fear she can't explain, but it's the cellar where Cavendish puts her mark on things most strongly. Down there are tree roots that seem a part of the house's foundation, with no tree close enough to justify their intrusion, and . . . well, let's just say their frequent comparison to tentacles is an apt one.
As for Maddie, she's an interesting twist on the Gothic heroine. Neither an innocent young damsel nor a crooked old maid, she's a strong, confident middle-aged divorcee looking to reclaim a life on her own terms. As surprised as she is to have inherited her aunt's estate, there are fond memories attached to it that make for a welcome return. There's also a gap in her memory, however, coinciding with the last summer she stayed there as a child. As each lost memory is triggered by something sinister inside the house, we begin to get a fuller picture of what happened then, and what is happening now.
Like the best haunted house stories, The Devil's Serenade is something to be experienced for yourself. I could go on and on about the characters, the setting, and the plot, but they're only part of the story. It's the narrative itself . . . the air of mystery . . . the slowly building tension . . . and the overall atmosphere that make it so effective. There are subtle twists aplenty as well, with Cavendish playing on our assumptions. Much to her credit, while I had figured out some of what was going on, there were still some genuine surprises in the climax.
Originally reviewed at Beauty in Ruins
The Devil's Serenade by Catherine Cavendish is a brilliant example of the genre, and even if it does show a bit more than we might expect in the end, the entire story is built up to justify it. This is a haunted house tale as full of memories and regrets as it is demons and spirits. More importantly, it's a story where the house itself is part of the story.
On the surface, Hargest House seems like your typical Gothic haunted house. It's large, looming, dark, and cold throughout. There is a definite sense of age, as evidenced by its lack of heating, its scarcity of illumination, and its dusty antique furniture. The attic is full of those ghosts and memories, striking Maddie with a fear she can't explain, but it's the cellar where Cavendish puts her mark on things most strongly. Down there are tree roots that seem a part of the house's foundation, with no tree close enough to justify their intrusion, and . . . well, let's just say their frequent comparison to tentacles is an apt one.
As for Maddie, she's an interesting twist on the Gothic heroine. Neither an innocent young damsel nor a crooked old maid, she's a strong, confident middle-aged divorcee looking to reclaim a life on her own terms. As surprised as she is to have inherited her aunt's estate, there are fond memories attached to it that make for a welcome return. There's also a gap in her memory, however, coinciding with the last summer she stayed there as a child. As each lost memory is triggered by something sinister inside the house, we begin to get a fuller picture of what happened then, and what is happening now.
Like the best haunted house stories, The Devil's Serenade is something to be experienced for yourself. I could go on and on about the characters, the setting, and the plot, but they're only part of the story. It's the narrative itself . . . the air of mystery . . . the slowly building tension . . . and the overall atmosphere that make it so effective. There are subtle twists aplenty as well, with Cavendish playing on our assumptions. Much to her credit, while I had figured out some of what was going on, there were still some genuine surprises in the climax.
Originally reviewed at Beauty in Ruins
Disclaimer: I received a complimentary ARC of this title from the publisher in exchange for review consideration. This does not in any way affect the honesty or sincerity of my review.
dankeohane's review
4.0
An excellent, back-to-the-basics haunted old house story - a Gothic horror which doesn’t get too mired in on itself. The Devil’s Serenade builds a sense of dread, with genuine scares, right up to the climax.
wellwortharead's review
4.0
As a young lonely child Maddie looked forward to her time spent at Aunt Charlotte's house. Maddie is an only child but her imagination creates the siblings she wishes she had. She is often scolded for talking to herself, but at Aunt Maddie's house she is free to chatter away to her imaginary brother and sisters while her parents are off on Safari. Now that Maddie is a grown woman and has inherited her Aunt's house she struggles to remember what happened the summer she turned 16 and why she never visited Charlotte again. Strange things are seen and heard in the house and rumors abound concerning Aunt Charlotte and the previous owner. Maddie begins to wonder if she is losing her mind or if something more sinister is at work. I would rate it 4 out of 5 spooky stars.
I received an advance copy for review
I received an advance copy for review
sarah984's review
2.0
I was really liking this book at the start, some of the scares (particularly involving the basement) were great and felt original. However once the book passed about the 70% mark and things started being revealed, everything just got too unbelievable and weird to me. Like, in a horror story I can definitely believe a magical tree integrating into the basement, but you expect me to believe that a long lost relative that a character was told she'd never see again lived to middle age in the /same small town/ and no one knew? Too weird. (It also all sort of got really sexual and unfortunate, which I guess is a gothic thing?)
stellar_raven's review
3.0
Overall an enjoyable read. Nicely creepy, if not outright scary.
Recently divorced Maddie moves into the very gothic looking home she inherited from her late Aunt. Maddie used to spend summers there as a child, up until something happened on her sixteenth birthday. Something she cannot remember. Once she gets there strange things begin to happen. Is she going crazy? Do neighbor Shona and handyman Charlie have anything to do with the bizarre happenings at her house?
Before I go any further, I have to say that I appreciate the fact that the main character was a woman in her late 40's/early 50's, and not a dewy eyed innocent very young woman. It was a nice change of pace.
I like the premise of the story, but felt it suffered some by being too short. The kindle edition I read says it's 208 pages long. I felt the book needed more time to build its world and develop its characters. I think that I would have felt more horror while reading the book had I had more time to connect to these characters. It also took awhile to really get into the history of the house, and by the time it did, the book was nearly over, and the conclusion seemed to happen in a hurry.
That being said, I did enjoy the book enough to want to try out other offerings by this author.
Recently divorced Maddie moves into the very gothic looking home she inherited from her late Aunt. Maddie used to spend summers there as a child, up until something happened on her sixteenth birthday. Something she cannot remember. Once she gets there strange things begin to happen. Is she going crazy? Do neighbor Shona and handyman Charlie have anything to do with the bizarre happenings at her house?
Before I go any further, I have to say that I appreciate the fact that the main character was a woman in her late 40's/early 50's, and not a dewy eyed innocent very young woman. It was a nice change of pace.
I like the premise of the story, but felt it suffered some by being too short. The kindle edition I read says it's 208 pages long. I felt the book needed more time to build its world and develop its characters. I think that I would have felt more horror while reading the book had I had more time to connect to these characters. It also took awhile to really get into the history of the house, and by the time it did, the book was nearly over, and the conclusion seemed to happen in a hurry.
That being said, I did enjoy the book enough to want to try out other offerings by this author.
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