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A review by mh_books
The Uninvited by Dorothy Macardle
4.0
A classic haunted house story.
Written in the late 30's early 40's this novel is about an Anglo Irish brother and sister "the Fitzgerald's" who move to a rural house situated on a cliff edge in Devonshire. They can barely afford it but still, it is the house of their dreams until of course, they discover it is haunted. As in most of these tales, the couple and their friends must solve the mystery of who and why is haunting their house in order to eliminate the ghosts. Not to do so would mean giving up their beloved home.
This is more literary than narrative-based fiction and is a slow burner very reminiscent of some of the Victorian ghost tales I have read, Charlotte Riddell comes to mind. There are themes here on the true importance of Motherhood and the danger of considering all Mothers to be saints. There is a wonderful character portrayal in the personage of their Irish housekeeper Lizzie. I also enjoyed MacArdle's discussions on playwriting and the 1930's literary scene (she was herself at this time chiefly a playwright). I chuckled at the very Enid Blyton like descriptions of the food they were eating - I could have murdered that cheese omelet :)
The essential mystery of the reason for the haunting is easily solved but the ending still does not disappoint.
I have just finished watching the 1944 movie that was made based on the book and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys the book.
Written in the late 30's early 40's this novel is about an Anglo Irish brother and sister "the Fitzgerald's" who move to a rural house situated on a cliff edge in Devonshire. They can barely afford it but still, it is the house of their dreams until of course, they discover it is haunted. As in most of these tales, the couple and their friends must solve the mystery of who and why is haunting their house in order to eliminate the ghosts. Not to do so would mean giving up their beloved home.
This is more literary than narrative-based fiction and is a slow burner very reminiscent of some of the Victorian ghost tales I have read, Charlotte Riddell comes to mind. There are themes here on the true importance of Motherhood and the danger of considering all Mothers to be saints. There is a wonderful character portrayal in the personage of their Irish housekeeper Lizzie. I also enjoyed MacArdle's discussions on playwriting and the 1930's literary scene (she was herself at this time chiefly a playwright). I chuckled at the very Enid Blyton like descriptions of the food they were eating - I could have murdered that cheese omelet :)
The essential mystery of the reason for the haunting is easily solved but the ending still does not disappoint.
I have just finished watching the 1944 movie that was made based on the book and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys the book.