This is how creepy gothic suspense is done! A spooky 4/5 stars.
Thank you to Bloomsbury Publishing and NetGalley for providing me with an e-copy of this book.
The blurb:
Inspired by the work of Shirley Jackson and Susan Hill and set in a crumbling country mansion, The Silent Companions is an unsettling gothic ghost story to send a shiver down the spine…
Newly married, newly widowed Elsie is sent to see out her pregnancy at her late husband’s crumbling country estate, The Bridge.
With her new servants resentful and the local villagers actively hostile, Elsie only has her husband’s awkward cousin for company. Or so she thinks. But inside her new home lies a locked room, and beyond that door lies a two-hundred-year-old diary and a deeply unsettling painted wooden figure – a Silent Companion – that bears a striking resemblance to Elsie herself…
My take:
A warning: if you’re of a nervous disposition, I wouldn’t advise reading this alone at night or you’ll be jumping at shadows! I admit I’m a scaredy-cat, but The Silent Companions is just the right amount of creepy/suspenseful without being downright terrifying. A good approximation for anyone who wants to know if they’ll be frightened witless would be to say it’s about as scary as an episode of Dr Who featuring the Weeping Angels. In fact, that’s a pretty good indicator of what you’re in for with this book.
I was most impressed with the house in which the majority of the plot is set which, as anyone who likes their gothic literature will know, is one of the most important elements to get right in this sort of story. The Bridge is a proper crumbling pile with its own personality and has a character as crucial to the development of the drama as any of the humans involved. Every creaking board, dark corner and foggy pathway adds to the pervasive atmosphere of dread creeping throughout the narrative.
The three-part time structure of the story is handled well, with the various time jumps often coming just in time to provide welcome relief from some of the more tense passages in the main, Victorian part of the narrative.
None of the characters are particularly “likeable”, but that really doesn’t matter. As with most gothic tales you have to care just enough to want to know what happens next, but not be too upset if no-one gets a happily ever after.
Overall: a proper gothic chiller. Perfect for anyone looking for (mild) Halloween scares!
Claire Huston / Art and Soul
Love the book cover. Not sure about reading it, I still remember that Dr Who episode.
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The cover is lovely and brilliantly in keeping with the story too.
The Weeping Angels episodes made me jump out of my skin a few times, but didn’t give me nightmares or look over my shoulder. That’s about my limit for scares!! 🙂
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Sounds great for an October read and I have it! Love your review!
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Thank you!
It’s definitely a good spooky one for the winter nights setting in 🙂 You want to be in a nice, warm, light place when reading it!
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I’m reading with a group….so should be fun!
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Ooh this sounds perfect for me. I love a creepy story. I was unfortunately knocked back by NetGalley so I may have to buy it.
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Everyone is better coping with creepy than me! 🙂 It’s definitely worth seeking out at the library or buying a copy if you enjoy chills. The build-up is quite slow, but that’s so it can scare the heck out of you in the final act!!
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I love Shirley Jackson and from the book blurb it definitely has that feel, the hostile neighbours especially remind me of her writing. I could use a spooky read! Thanks for the rec! 🙂
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I hope you enjoy it! I’ve only seen one negative review and they said it was “cliche” – but I think they’re mistaking using all the gothic literature tropes for cliche!
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hehe if weeping angels are the measure for how scary this is, then I reckon I’d be terrified. But I still want to read it cos it sounds like it’s done so well! Great review!
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Mum bought me the book for Christmas cannot wait to start reading it. Tomorrow.
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