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A review by burghbooksandbrews
Looking Glass Sound by Catriona Ward
5.0
This book had such a vibe, and I loved it. This psychological horror left me confused at times but wanting to continue the story and figure out what was going on. This book involves stories within stories and other unique plot devices, and I am just once again in awe of what a queen Catriona Ward is.
This book follows multiple parts of the same characters’ lives and the childhood trauma that affected all of them and left them grappling with anxiety and depression for the rest of their lives. The first part of the book is a relatively straightforward story of three friends and the summers they spend together on the Maine coast (talk about the perfect gothic setting). If you are a fan of coming of age stories, you will love this section. Lots of mystery and adventure occur, and this becomes the impetus for the rest of the story. This had some Stephen King vibes, particularly with the Maine setting.
After this first main section, the story becomes more about dealing with trauma and is a little confusing in some parts and requires the reader to really be tuned in and ready to grapple with which stories and characters we can believe. I came to love this section of the book the more I read it because I couldn’t believe what Ward was able to pull off here. The way she demonstrates the struggles each character went through to survive their past was truly something.
The latter section of this novel is also about writing and who a story truly belongs to. Is it okay for an author to use another person’s life story in a fictionalized sense, and does it then become the author’s story? I think this is a really interesting conundrum and obviously one that Ward is very interested in as well. This is a book that if you are willing to put the time and focus into, it will pay off exponentially.
This book follows multiple parts of the same characters’ lives and the childhood trauma that affected all of them and left them grappling with anxiety and depression for the rest of their lives. The first part of the book is a relatively straightforward story of three friends and the summers they spend together on the Maine coast (talk about the perfect gothic setting). If you are a fan of coming of age stories, you will love this section. Lots of mystery and adventure occur, and this becomes the impetus for the rest of the story. This had some Stephen King vibes, particularly with the Maine setting.
After this first main section, the story becomes more about dealing with trauma and is a little confusing in some parts and requires the reader to really be tuned in and ready to grapple with which stories and characters we can believe. I came to love this section of the book the more I read it because I couldn’t believe what Ward was able to pull off here. The way she demonstrates the struggles each character went through to survive their past was truly something.
The latter section of this novel is also about writing and who a story truly belongs to. Is it okay for an author to use another person’s life story in a fictionalized sense, and does it then become the author’s story? I think this is a really interesting conundrum and obviously one that Ward is very interested in as well. This is a book that if you are willing to put the time and focus into, it will pay off exponentially.