Review by tonyaf - The Haunting of William Thorn

tonyaf 's review for:

The Haunting of William Thorn by Ben Alderson

4.0

dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-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

The Haunting of William Thorn is a split-timeline gothic horror about the occupants of Hanbury Manor. Our main timeline is set in the present and follows William Thorn as he moves into Hanbury. He inherited the manor after the death of his long-term partner, and he's eager to get out of the city and start his life over. He soon meets Edward, who introduces himself as the landscaper for the manor's sprawling grounds.

The secondary timeline is set in 1939. Much of this storyline is told through the journal entries of Robert Thomas, who was deeply in love with a young man named Teddy. Robert and Teddy's story is ultimately tragic, but these chapters are so beautiful. Robert is such a sweet young man trapped in an era where it was a danger to be himself. His journal entries are so tender, and seep with the naive innocence and hope of first love. We know how his story ends from the Prologue, and that adds a layer of heartbreak over the entire story. These chapters, and Robert and Teddy's story, were my favorite parts of the book.

The horror elements are exactly what I want from a ghost story, with an eerie gothic atmosphere and some seriously creepy scenes. This is being pitched as similar to The Haunting of Hill House, and I think Mike Flanagan's television adaptation is a very accurate comparison.

I've read a couple of books by Ben Alderson, and this is, hands down, my favorite book of his. It isn't perfect; there are some parts, especially in the modern-day chapters, that get repetitive and are over-explained. William is also frustratingly slow at picking up on clues at times. Still, the good far outweighs the bad, and the last few chapters, in particular, are excellent.

I recommend The Haunting of William Thorn most to queer romance and gothic horror fans, but please be sure to read the content warnings; this deals with subjects that could be very upsetting for some people!

This book is dark, scary, achingly romantic, surprising, and gut-wrenching. I especially loved the historical timeline with Robert and Teddy, but the present-day timeline has an intriguing mystery and some great horror scenes. Both timelines have some big, emotional moments, so be sure to have tissues nearby when you read this.

Content Warnings