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shalini_gunnasan's review against another edition
3.0
I have a thing for haunted painting stories, due to my favourite childhood horror writer, M.R. James. The Mezzotint had captured my attention thoroughly. When I read the synopsis for this book, I had hoped for a story in a similar vein.
It didn't disappoint in that the haunted painting has a delicious backstory and nicely plotted inexplicable occurrences. That the painting changes is also a staple of haunted painting stories, and it's fun to see what new changes the characters will come across, and what these changes may mean. However, I didn't feel satisfied in how the painting and the real world collided, and the ending was a bit ridiculous.
Pretty good read though.
It didn't disappoint in that the haunted painting has a delicious backstory and nicely plotted inexplicable occurrences. That the painting changes is also a staple of haunted painting stories, and it's fun to see what new changes the characters will come across, and what these changes may mean. However, I didn't feel satisfied in how the painting and the real world collided, and the ending was a bit ridiculous.
Spoiler
But that's probably because I would have burned the damned thing, and I couldn't empathize with the surviving characters who couldn't do it. I mean, seriously, the thing's evil, KILL IT WITH FIRE already.Pretty good read though.
cheekylaydee's review against another edition
4.0
I liked it, however it was quite predictable, especially if you've read Roald Dahl's "The Witches" as it's reminiscent of one of the stories that the narrator is told by his nan whilst she's telling him about witches. That's what it reminded me of anyway.
mhmissey's review against another edition
5.0
Short and creepy. Great Halloween read, seems timeless and gothic
dainaholder_'s review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
jivvygee's review against another edition
5.0
Second time read for this story. Susan Hill has a great way of creeping me out
pewterwolf's review against another edition
2.0
Review Taken From The Pewter Wolf
By the fire place, Oliver's old Cambridge dom, Theo, tells a tale. A tale about a painting he has hanging on the wall. A painting of a Venetain carnival. But behind the masks within the painting, lies something sinister. Something that will slowly have an effect on Oliver's life, although he is unaware of it. For the painting isn't simply a painting...
This is a very quick read and fills very neatly into the classic ghost story. No blood, guts and gory here. Just a feeling of uneasiness and Susan Hill does this really well. I read this in 3 sittings, two of them at night and at these sittings, I did feel a little spooked by it as it was the sense of foreboding. The reader knows something awful is going to happen but the characters in the book don't.
While this is a quick read and some of you will like this this, I have problems. Two, mainly. The first is the way the story is told. I read it with four voices in my head: Oliver, Theo, the Countess (which comes later in the story) and Oliver's fiancée, Anne. While I know it should be two technically as Oliver is writing the story down, I heard four voices. And I had no idea when one voice stopped and another started. I had to guess every time a chapter started if Theo had taken over or if Oliver was still talking to us. It was very annoying and took me out of the story every now and then.
The second was the ending and the fact it didn't spook me. Maybe it was when I read it - being very tired - but with the first two sittings of read this, I got spooked. But when I read the last bit, I didn't feel spooked. I kinda guessed the ending and it didn't unnerve me. I was kinda "... is that it?"
I can very much see some of you lot reading this and getting creeped out by this. And I will read another Susan Hill ghost story (Dolly looks quite scary!), but it didn't rock my boat like The Woman in Black did.
By the fire place, Oliver's old Cambridge dom, Theo, tells a tale. A tale about a painting he has hanging on the wall. A painting of a Venetain carnival. But behind the masks within the painting, lies something sinister. Something that will slowly have an effect on Oliver's life, although he is unaware of it. For the painting isn't simply a painting...
This is a very quick read and fills very neatly into the classic ghost story. No blood, guts and gory here. Just a feeling of uneasiness and Susan Hill does this really well. I read this in 3 sittings, two of them at night and at these sittings, I did feel a little spooked by it as it was the sense of foreboding. The reader knows something awful is going to happen but the characters in the book don't.
While this is a quick read and some of you will like this this, I have problems. Two, mainly. The first is the way the story is told. I read it with four voices in my head: Oliver, Theo, the Countess (which comes later in the story) and Oliver's fiancée, Anne. While I know it should be two technically as Oliver is writing the story down, I heard four voices. And I had no idea when one voice stopped and another started. I had to guess every time a chapter started if Theo had taken over or if Oliver was still talking to us. It was very annoying and took me out of the story every now and then.
The second was the ending and the fact it didn't spook me. Maybe it was when I read it - being very tired - but with the first two sittings of read this, I got spooked. But when I read the last bit, I didn't feel spooked. I kinda guessed the ending and it didn't unnerve me. I was kinda "... is that it?"
I can very much see some of you lot reading this and getting creeped out by this. And I will read another Susan Hill ghost story (Dolly looks quite scary!), but it didn't rock my boat like The Woman in Black did.
charliieyann's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
I enjoyed this book but it is definitely the weakest Susan Hill book I've read to date. I enjoyed the history of the painting however I wasn't a fan of the way the ending left off.
hoboken's review against another edition
3.0
Lots of fun. Could have been told by a friend of Conan Doyle's while they were all sitting around the Diogenes Club. Ghosts and British academe and Venice--what could be better? Good job with all the voices and periods. And it doesn't take long.
gemmabx's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5