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3.4 AVERAGE
3.4 AVERAGE
***I purchased a copy of this book at Chapters/Indigo***
Now we're only at the mid-way point through 2015 so it's still a bit early to call "Cauchemar" the absolute best and most stunning novel I read in 2015, but I have every confidence that I will still feel this way in December. That is how blown away I am by this novel and how good it is.
I first heard about this book in a magazine review and I remember being intrigued by the title--as a francophone, French titles tend to perk up my attention. At the very least, I'm going to check out the book and find out more. Then the review mentioned Louisiana. Then it mentioned Southern Gothic. Basically, I kept on finding more and more reasons to make this book a "must read" for myself.
The language is rich, absorbing and savoury. The first chapter alone is luscious, addicting, and utterly unputdownable. This novel is also incredibly creepy and very vividly atmospheric. It definitely has supernatural themes, so horror readers should also read it. The great thing is this novel is not gimmicky and doesn't go for cheap thrills. It's subtle horror, a supernatural Southern Gothic tale. There is mention of the orishas and Elegba which readers will recognize if they're familiar with the religion of Santeria. It's similar to voodoo with some key differences. There are a few mentions of the word 'voodoo' and it is alluded to that Christobelle, one of the main antagonists and the protagonist Hannah's mother, siphons the life force from men for her own gain. It's left deliberately vague what purpose this was for or how the family even gained these powers or why Hannah seems to have it too when it comes to her boyfriend, Callum.
I couldn't put it down. It was gripping all throughout and did not have a single boring passage. The pacing, the suspense, and not having things at a breakneck speed made this book more like a slow burn. It has shades of Anne Rice, but is more flourishing and even richer.
I wasn't so sure about the character of Callum in the beginning but came around to loving him by the end, and even though Hannah wasn't someone I was completely on board with, by the end of the book that changed for me completely. It wasn't clear where things were going to go (which is a good thing), and even though my predictions on how it would all come together at the end came to fruition, that didn't make this novel any less entertaining for me, not to mention the execution of it all was brilliant.
So, I can't say enough good things about "Cauchemar" except that you should buy it, read it and savour it even if you don't usually go for Southern Gothic or supernatural themes in fiction. It's an astounding book.
Now we're only at the mid-way point through 2015 so it's still a bit early to call "Cauchemar" the absolute best and most stunning novel I read in 2015, but I have every confidence that I will still feel this way in December. That is how blown away I am by this novel and how good it is.
I first heard about this book in a magazine review and I remember being intrigued by the title--as a francophone, French titles tend to perk up my attention. At the very least, I'm going to check out the book and find out more. Then the review mentioned Louisiana. Then it mentioned Southern Gothic. Basically, I kept on finding more and more reasons to make this book a "must read" for myself.
The language is rich, absorbing and savoury. The first chapter alone is luscious, addicting, and utterly unputdownable. This novel is also incredibly creepy and very vividly atmospheric. It definitely has supernatural themes, so horror readers should also read it. The great thing is this novel is not gimmicky and doesn't go for cheap thrills. It's subtle horror, a supernatural Southern Gothic tale. There is mention of the orishas and Elegba which readers will recognize if they're familiar with the religion of Santeria. It's similar to voodoo with some key differences. There are a few mentions of the word 'voodoo' and it is alluded to that Christobelle, one of the main antagonists and the protagonist Hannah's mother, siphons the life force from men for her own gain. It's left deliberately vague what purpose this was for or how the family even gained these powers or why Hannah seems to have it too when it comes to her boyfriend, Callum.
I couldn't put it down. It was gripping all throughout and did not have a single boring passage. The pacing, the suspense, and not having things at a breakneck speed made this book more like a slow burn. It has shades of Anne Rice, but is more flourishing and even richer.
I wasn't so sure about the character of Callum in the beginning but came around to loving him by the end, and even though Hannah wasn't someone I was completely on board with, by the end of the book that changed for me completely. It wasn't clear where things were going to go (which is a good thing), and even though my predictions on how it would all come together at the end came to fruition, that didn't make this novel any less entertaining for me, not to mention the execution of it all was brilliant.
So, I can't say enough good things about "Cauchemar" except that you should buy it, read it and savour it even if you don't usually go for Southern Gothic or supernatural themes in fiction. It's an astounding book.