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jaeravenclaw 's review for:
The Wise Friend
by Ramsey Campbell
A warm thank you to Netgalley, Ramsey Campbell and Flame Tree Press for the chance to read this book in exchange for a honest review.
As a horror fan, I will admit that this was a bit of a struggle for me. Campbell sincerely has a lovely way of using description to have the reader feel and breathe a scene, but there were times in my opinion when his wordsmith skills dragged down the story and speed of the plot. This isn't an in-your-face splatter or ghost story, no possessed house guests here. Campbell writes a different kind of quiet occult horror. I genuinely loved the story and the many facets, of a creative aunt and her legacy, a father and son summer bonding, a slight coming-of-age in finding new young love (or so I thought), but there were times when I felt as though I was reading a very roundabout way to get to the heart of the matter. While tagging along with Patrick, his son Roy and his new "friend" Bella on a dark journey to find out the truth behind the death of Patrick's aunt Thelma, I feel as though some things were missed, There were some voids of the story that were not filled completely for me as I have questions about Thelma, her lover Abel and Bella, however, I don't feel that it kept me from completing this book. I t took me some time,granted, but yes I finished. The positives and my own curiosity continued to bring me back to The Wise Friend and its cast of characters. I mean, who doesn't love a main character whose job is focused on literature?
That said, I do look forward to my next Campbell read.
As a horror fan, I will admit that this was a bit of a struggle for me. Campbell sincerely has a lovely way of using description to have the reader feel and breathe a scene, but there were times in my opinion when his wordsmith skills dragged down the story and speed of the plot. This isn't an in-your-face splatter or ghost story, no possessed house guests here. Campbell writes a different kind of quiet occult horror. I genuinely loved the story and the many facets, of a creative aunt and her legacy, a father and son summer bonding, a slight coming-of-age in finding new young love (or so I thought), but there were times when I felt as though I was reading a very roundabout way to get to the heart of the matter. While tagging along with Patrick, his son Roy and his new "friend" Bella on a dark journey to find out the truth behind the death of Patrick's aunt Thelma, I feel as though some things were missed, There were some voids of the story that were not filled completely for me as I have questions about Thelma, her lover Abel and Bella, however, I don't feel that it kept me from completing this book. I t took me some time,granted, but yes I finished. The positives and my own curiosity continued to bring me back to The Wise Friend and its cast of characters. I mean, who doesn't love a main character whose job is focused on literature?
That said, I do look forward to my next Campbell read.