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Reviews
At Chrighton Abbey and Other Horror Stories by Mary Elizabeth Braddon, John Gregory Betancourt
kelamity_reads's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
3.0
On reading this a second time, I found myself viewing the characters in a different light, especially Julia.
On my first reading, I found her to be haughty and stuck up, but on reading the story again, I realise she is, in fact, an honest introvert, not willing to pretend to be more than she is comfortable being.
This is a subtle ghost story with a slow pace and a sharp undercurrent of wit.
On my first reading, I found her to be haughty and stuck up, but on reading the story again, I realise she is, in fact, an honest introvert, not willing to pretend to be more than she is comfortable being.
This is a subtle ghost story with a slow pace and a sharp undercurrent of wit.
charemr's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
melissafirman's review against another edition
2.0
This is a very short collection of stories ("At Chrighton Abbey"; "The Cold Embrace"; "The Shadow in the Corner"; "Good Lady Ducayne"; and "Eveline's Visitant"), all of which were okay. Somewhat unremarkable. They're definitely not horror in terms of blood and gore -- more gothic, really -- and even the suspenseful parts were rather tame and predictable. I'm not especially well-versed in Victorian literature, so that may be typical. You've got your ghosts and old houses, rich women, quack doctors, and young depressed girls who aren't believed (the latter of which kind of pissed me off, but those were the times, I suppose).
I did enjoy that at least one of the stories took place around this time of year (autumn, early November-ish). Of these five, my favorite is the title story, "At Chrighton Abbey." It's set during Christmas, so if you're looking for a "scary ghost story and tales of the glories of Christmases long, long ago," this fits the bill.
This collection is touted as an "appetizer" for those new to Mary Elizabeth Braddon's work but unfortunately, it doesn't whet my appetite for reading more. I read this for Victober 2022 ("read a Victorian short story" was one of the prompts), Popsugar ("a book set in Victorian times"), and the Classics Club.
Trigger warnings: several stories involve suicide and one story includes anti-Semitic statements.
I did enjoy that at least one of the stories took place around this time of year (autumn, early November-ish). Of these five, my favorite is the title story, "At Chrighton Abbey." It's set during Christmas, so if you're looking for a "scary ghost story and tales of the glories of Christmases long, long ago," this fits the bill.
This collection is touted as an "appetizer" for those new to Mary Elizabeth Braddon's work but unfortunately, it doesn't whet my appetite for reading more. I read this for Victober 2022 ("read a Victorian short story" was one of the prompts), Popsugar ("a book set in Victorian times"), and the Classics Club.
Trigger warnings: several stories involve suicide and one story includes anti-Semitic statements.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicide
Minor: Antisemitism
nellym27's review against another edition
4.0
It’s so hard to review a short story collection as my feelings always differs so strongly from one story to the next.
(All my individual story reviews were made as I was reading and are in my activity log*.) At first, I felt quite underwhelmed and disappointed by this short story collection - one I was very excited by as I love Braddon and didn’t know she had any stories in print that I hadn’t read. However, having finished on a story I loved, I’m giving it a generous 4 stars (it really deserves a 3.5.)
My favourite stories were Good Lady Duncayne* and The Shadow in the Corner (both 4/4.5 stars), both of which used poor female protagonists as a way to make comment on the way that these kind of characters were dismissed and taken advantage of in Victorian society whilst also creating growing unease from the very start of the stories. Perhaps what makes these two stories so successful is that the characters are so hopeful and vulnerable, making the reader warm to them. The evil in both stories seems absolute, and science plays a large role in both. Though, luckily one is much happier than the other.
Evelines visitant -3.5 stars
At Crighton Abbey - 3 stars
A Cold Embrace - 3 stars
Overall, Braddon is just a great writer and if you like her other stuff you’ll like this.
(*It turns out my review for Good Lady Duncayne wasn’t saved in my activity log so I’m pasting it here) Good Lady Duncayne: I really enjoyed this. There was a growing sense of dread from the beginning of the story and a clever twist in the vampire myth.
Again, I thought Braddon used the protagonist of a young, poor woman as a way to talk about how much they could be taken advantage of in Victorian society.
Plus, a happy ending! Just as one seemed impossible, we got romance and her not dying!
(All my individual story reviews were made as I was reading and are in my activity log*.) At first, I felt quite underwhelmed and disappointed by this short story collection - one I was very excited by as I love Braddon and didn’t know she had any stories in print that I hadn’t read. However, having finished on a story I loved, I’m giving it a generous 4 stars (it really deserves a 3.5.)
My favourite stories were Good Lady Duncayne* and The Shadow in the Corner (both 4/4.5 stars), both of which used poor female protagonists as a way to make comment on the way that these kind of characters were dismissed and taken advantage of in Victorian society whilst also creating growing unease from the very start of the stories. Perhaps what makes these two stories so successful is that the characters are so hopeful and vulnerable, making the reader warm to them. The evil in both stories seems absolute, and science plays a large role in both. Though, luckily one is much happier than the other.
Evelines visitant -3.5 stars
At Crighton Abbey - 3 stars
A Cold Embrace - 3 stars
Overall, Braddon is just a great writer and if you like her other stuff you’ll like this.
(*It turns out my review for Good Lady Duncayne wasn’t saved in my activity log so I’m pasting it here) Good Lady Duncayne: I really enjoyed this. There was a growing sense of dread from the beginning of the story and a clever twist in the vampire myth.
Again, I thought Braddon used the protagonist of a young, poor woman as a way to talk about how much they could be taken advantage of in Victorian society.
aliciamae's review
4.0
Had almost a realistic feel to it, as the supernatural element is not the main focus of the story, but points to the tragedy. Although there is an excellent sense of unease that pervades the latter part of the story. Very well written.
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