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irish_bookfairy's review against another edition
5.0
This story is told throughout two different timelines, 90 years apart. In 1903 the location of the story is the All Hallows asylum in Dartmoor, where we follow nurse Emma Everdeen. In 1993 the asylum has been converted by an all-boys boarding school where we follow Lewis Tyler who's been sent there by his father and stepmother.
When a young child and her mother arrive at All Hallows, nurse Everdeen takes the young girl Harriet under her wings until her mother recovers. They reside in a locked room in the attic in order to keep Harriet save from the unfortunate souls currently being held in the asylum. As time goes by, Emma gets more and more attached to the little girl and grows more suspicious of Harriet's mother.
Meanwhile in '93 starts to handle life in boarding school and becomes interested in the school's history. Stumbling upon harrowing events happening there, he becomes more involved in the building's history than he ever thought possible.
The book is very well written, short chapters so you float from one timeline to the next without losing track of past events. The gothic setting with sinister vibes makes for an exciting read and by the time you reach the end you simply cannot put the book down.
Loved every minute of it!
When a young child and her mother arrive at All Hallows, nurse Everdeen takes the young girl Harriet under her wings until her mother recovers. They reside in a locked room in the attic in order to keep Harriet save from the unfortunate souls currently being held in the asylum. As time goes by, Emma gets more and more attached to the little girl and grows more suspicious of Harriet's mother.
Meanwhile in '93 starts to handle life in boarding school and becomes interested in the school's history. Stumbling upon harrowing events happening there, he becomes more involved in the building's history than he ever thought possible.
The book is very well written, short chapters so you float from one timeline to the next without losing track of past events. The gothic setting with sinister vibes makes for an exciting read and by the time you reach the end you simply cannot put the book down.
Loved every minute of it!
littlehat's review
dark
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Wow. I picked this book at random and I'm so glad I did. It gave me goosebumps, it kept me enthralled and it made me cry.
There's so much depth and intrigue to this story that I really don't want to say anything other than read it if you haven't already.
It's thrilling in so many unexpected ways.
There's so much depth and intrigue to this story that I really don't want to say anything other than read it if you haven't already.
It's thrilling in so many unexpected ways.
miniwitch's review
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
diadiscovers's review
4.0
A great mystery/horror. The characters are great, the pacing was perfect, kept me guessing till the reveal. Towards the end after the climax, it did get a little long for me. But otherwise, greatly enjoyed this.
creaseinthespinebooks's review against another edition
4.0
Right from the very first page, the atmosphere is very firmly created. It's creepy, it’s eerie, it’s suspenseful, and it’s addictive. The story took its time to develop, but it developed in such a way that I couldn’t put this book down.
This is my very first book by this author, and I assure you, it won’t be the last!
This is my very first book by this author, and I assure you, it won’t be the last!
paulataua's review against another edition
3.0
Found drifting in a damaged boat in 1903, a mother and child are taken to All Hallows asylum on the moors. There is a mystery of who they are and where they have come from. Some ninety years later, All Hallows is now a boarding school, and the young pupil, Lewis Tyler, seems to be experiencing some links with the past. An interesting enough story that alternates between both timelines. I found the 1903 story engaging in both content and style. The 1993 part, however, was irritating. I couldn’t quite believe in the boy as a character, and the change to a first person account seemed clunky at times. The ending is a little unusual (in a good way), but I had lost all faith by then. It has lots of five star reviews so must be a fair read for paranormal junkies, but just not for me.
spicysteph's review against another edition
2.0
Not sure how this ended on my TBR... but I was excited as this book was categorized by horror and didn't live up. Sure, some supernatural elements but not what I expected. It was a good story, I didn't HATE it but not for me.
sylvschreib's review
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
sscovino's review against another edition
3.0
Not the spooky book that I had anticipated. The very short chapters with alternating time lines was annoying. The alternating time lines was fine but why not advance the story more with longer chapters? This made it too choppy. The end of the book was so/so and rushed imo.
shirin_mandi's review against another edition
5.0
"if you love someone, they never really leave you.
Nothing that existed could ever be gone. She must be somewhere and I thought that if I looked hard enough, I would find her…"
I was reading this book with two other books and this was supposed to finish after others. I was supposed to reading it a little before sleep or on the subway. But not only did I finish it first also I found myself listening to it stared on my laptop but wouldn't do my work! I know I know this isn't related to the book so get to the story.
An aged nurse, Emma in the asylum, All Hallow in 1903, and a man, Lewis in 2020 who remembered when he was young in a boarding school, same old asylum in 1993.
"It was because of Isak and me, and everything that happened in those last months of 1993 when I was thirteen and Isak was fourteen and we shared the same bedroom at All Hallows. The time that began at the very point when my whole world had fallen apart."
This was a historical fiction story about two friends who are curious about the history of All Hallow but, this is not all, a mysterious child, skull, bones, ghost, murder, place for torture, and a nurse who was buried on the wrong side of the graveyard.
This was a heartbreaking and suspenseful story. I enjoyed the relationship between mother and son and two friends. The characters are touchable and pleasant. I loved it.
"Pain can be alleviated. Human beings are an optimistic bunch, but it’s disingenuous to think there will always be a happy ending."
Many thanks to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for giving me a chance to read The Room in the Attic by Louise Douglas, I have given my honest review.
Nothing that existed could ever be gone. She must be somewhere and I thought that if I looked hard enough, I would find her…"
I was reading this book with two other books and this was supposed to finish after others. I was supposed to reading it a little before sleep or on the subway. But not only did I finish it first also I found myself listening to it stared on my laptop but wouldn't do my work! I know I know this isn't related to the book so get to the story.
An aged nurse, Emma in the asylum, All Hallow in 1903, and a man, Lewis in 2020 who remembered when he was young in a boarding school, same old asylum in 1993.
"It was because of Isak and me, and everything that happened in those last months of 1993 when I was thirteen and Isak was fourteen and we shared the same bedroom at All Hallows. The time that began at the very point when my whole world had fallen apart."
This was a historical fiction story about two friends who are curious about the history of All Hallow but, this is not all, a mysterious child, skull, bones, ghost, murder, place for torture, and a nurse who was buried on the wrong side of the graveyard.
This was a heartbreaking and suspenseful story. I enjoyed the relationship between mother and son and two friends. The characters are touchable and pleasant. I loved it.
"Pain can be alleviated. Human beings are an optimistic bunch, but it’s disingenuous to think there will always be a happy ending."
Many thanks to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for giving me a chance to read The Room in the Attic by Louise Douglas, I have given my honest review.