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jgintrovertedreader's review against another edition
4.0
A lot of authors whom I really like consistently list H. P. Lovecraft among their influences. Accordingly, I read a collection of his short stories several years ago and found myself disappointingly underwhelmed. I've never been able to pinpoint why. Short stories written by horror authors will generally scare me infinitely more than their novels. I have enough imagination to take a premise and run with it once the lights are out. I also prefer horror that doesn't spell out too many details. Again, give me just enough to scare myself and I'll be happy to fill in any blanks. H. P. Lovecraft does this. And yet I mostly find his stories overwrought and hysterical for no real reason. Maybe there aren't enough details? Maybe Cthulu and his ilk are beyond my powers of imagination? Or maybe his characters irritate me in the Gothic manner of Victor Frankenstein, who is mostly incapable of anything more than the vapors once he creates his Monster? Whatever it is, I'm most definitely not among Lovecraft's fans.
But this mashup of Lizzie Borden and Lovecraftian horrors absolutely worked for me.
We meet Lizzie and her sister Emma shortly after the notorious murder of their father and stepmother. The women are living in fear of an unnamed horror that is taking over their hometown. They're trying to research it and combat it as best they can but Emma is an invalid and Lizzie is--well, notorious Lizzie Borden. The horrors unfold slowly and the women reluctantly involve more characters in their research as the madness spreads.
The horror elements are clear enough to scare me yet they leave my imagination plenty of room to play. The tension builds and builds to the inevitable stormy conclusion. There's no real resolution because frankly, no one really knows what the hell just happened, but the immediate Problem is wrapped up nicely enough to satisfy most readers while leaving plenty of room for a sequel.
The--epistolary? not exactly the correct word, but close enough--format allows first-person access to many characters' thoughts and motivations, which adds some nice depth to relatively minor yet important characters. At the same time, it takes time away from Lizzie and Emma's development. I wish I had more time in their heads, so I knocked my rating back a star.
This was a perfect read for my annual October spooky-book-fest and I'll be searching out the second book in the Borden Dispatches.
But this mashup of Lizzie Borden and Lovecraftian horrors absolutely worked for me.
We meet Lizzie and her sister Emma shortly after the notorious murder of their father and stepmother. The women are living in fear of an unnamed horror that is taking over their hometown. They're trying to research it and combat it as best they can but Emma is an invalid and Lizzie is--well, notorious Lizzie Borden. The horrors unfold slowly and the women reluctantly involve more characters in their research as the madness spreads.
The horror elements are clear enough to scare me yet they leave my imagination plenty of room to play. The tension builds and builds to the inevitable stormy conclusion. There's no real resolution because frankly, no one really knows what the hell just happened, but the immediate Problem is wrapped up nicely enough to satisfy most readers while leaving plenty of room for a sequel.
The--epistolary? not exactly the correct word, but close enough--format allows first-person access to many characters' thoughts and motivations, which adds some nice depth to relatively minor yet important characters. At the same time, it takes time away from Lizzie and Emma's development. I wish I had more time in their heads, so I knocked my rating back a star.
This was a perfect read for my annual October spooky-book-fest and I'll be searching out the second book in the Borden Dispatches.
rahni_a's review
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
3.0
kimlynn77's review
3.0
Liked it but it wasn't a satisfying read; too many unanswered questions. Perhaps to be answered in further volumes . . .
marvelouspyt's review against another edition
4.0
Title: Maplecroft (The Borden Dispatches, #1)
Author: Cherie Priest
Format: Audiobook
Quick Take: If Lizzie Borden really did kill her father and step-mother in 1892, she must have had a reason. Here, author Cherie Priest imagines why. Weaving together the historic sensational crime (of which Lizzie was acquitted) and H.P. Lovecraft-inspired sea monsters, Priest depicts Lizzie living with and caring for her frail older sister while secretly working in her laboratory, trying to determine what turned the elder Bordens into monsters. Her research brings unexpected and horrific results in this intriguing and creepy novel.
Review: Cherie Priest is one of my favorite authors and I will read and watch anything Lizzie Borden/the Borden Murders so this book was right up my alley. The addition of the supernatural was *chef’s kiss* to me, because I love all things creepy and scary. The only reason why I can’t rate this book a 5 star is because the supernatural turns out to be sea monsters and that, to me, made it not as scary and a little more science fiction-ish.
Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars
Author: Cherie Priest
Format: Audiobook
Quick Take: If Lizzie Borden really did kill her father and step-mother in 1892, she must have had a reason. Here, author Cherie Priest imagines why. Weaving together the historic sensational crime (of which Lizzie was acquitted) and H.P. Lovecraft-inspired sea monsters, Priest depicts Lizzie living with and caring for her frail older sister while secretly working in her laboratory, trying to determine what turned the elder Bordens into monsters. Her research brings unexpected and horrific results in this intriguing and creepy novel.
Review: Cherie Priest is one of my favorite authors and I will read and watch anything Lizzie Borden/the Borden Murders so this book was right up my alley. The addition of the supernatural was *chef’s kiss* to me, because I love all things creepy and scary. The only reason why I can’t rate this book a 5 star is because the supernatural turns out to be sea monsters and that, to me, made it not as scary and a little more science fiction-ish.
Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars
theduchess93's review
5.0
An epistolary novel that tells the story of a gay Lizzie Borden who fights Lovecraftian monsters. So basically, everything I want in a book.
carriethis's review
5.0
Read it in 2 nights! One of the rare cases where I devoured a book written in epistolary style. Awesome dive into Lovecraftian mythos, great female leads, supernatural suspense, geeky science yay!
malreynolds111's review
3.0
interesting premise, but it just seemed to lack something to keep me interested.
johnbreeden's review
3.0
Overall, the premise of this book is great. I know that not having a background in Lovecraftian lore does not help. Still, it was a good read.
My only disappointment in the book is how episodic the various perspectives make the story. It is too easy to put it down and step away. In my case, over a month. Not from dislike of the story or writing, but from the disconnect. I will read the next book, and believe I will enjoy it. I hope that the flow is more torrential.
My only disappointment in the book is how episodic the various perspectives make the story. It is too easy to put it down and step away. In my case, over a month. Not from dislike of the story or writing, but from the disconnect. I will read the next book, and believe I will enjoy it. I hope that the flow is more torrential.
laurenayrey's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
fishgirl182's review
2.0
Lizzie Borden and her sister are living as outcasts in Fall River, Massachusetts after the brutal murders of their father and step-mother. Though Lizzie is the main suspect, she goes free after a lengthy trial. Rumor and suspicion follow her but Lizzie has bigger things to worry about. Namely, a sinister illness that is slowly staking its claim on the inhabitants of Fall River, turning them into hideous creatures intent on spreading their infection and madness.
Like a lot of people, the story of the Borden murders is one that has fascinated me. I jumped at the chance to read this fictionalized version of what happened that grisly night. Unfortunately, while the book created a fantastically creepy and gothic setting, I found that I didn't really connect with any of the characters and subsequently found myself falling out of interest with the book. It's told from several POVs, which might have part of the problem. I didn't feel like I every really got to know Lizzie or her sister. We also never really learn what happened that fateful night of their parents' murders. You get a general idea of what must have happened but not a full account. Since the premise of the book is based on the mystery surrounding these murders, I wish we had gotten more insight into them.
As I said before, the setting is fantastically creepy and I definitely had a sense of dread the entire time I read the book. I found the pacing to be very slow though, another reason why I did not enjoy the book as much as I'd hoped to. The mystery of what Lizzie and her sister are actually fighting was also never fully explained and the ending was not a very satisfactory one. I came away from this book with more questions than answers.
In the end, this book lacked the character development and pacing that I needed to really invest in it. The author does a great job of creating a really dark, Gothic setting but it wasn't enough to make this a compelling read for me. I would definitely read something else by this author, but I won't be continuing with this series.
Like a lot of people, the story of the Borden murders is one that has fascinated me. I jumped at the chance to read this fictionalized version of what happened that grisly night. Unfortunately, while the book created a fantastically creepy and gothic setting, I found that I didn't really connect with any of the characters and subsequently found myself falling out of interest with the book. It's told from several POVs, which might have part of the problem. I didn't feel like I every really got to know Lizzie or her sister. We also never really learn what happened that fateful night of their parents' murders. You get a general idea of what must have happened but not a full account. Since the premise of the book is based on the mystery surrounding these murders, I wish we had gotten more insight into them.
As I said before, the setting is fantastically creepy and I definitely had a sense of dread the entire time I read the book. I found the pacing to be very slow though, another reason why I did not enjoy the book as much as I'd hoped to. The mystery of what Lizzie and her sister are actually fighting was also never fully explained and the ending was not a very satisfactory one. I came away from this book with more questions than answers.
In the end, this book lacked the character development and pacing that I needed to really invest in it. The author does a great job of creating a really dark, Gothic setting but it wasn't enough to make this a compelling read for me. I would definitely read something else by this author, but I won't be continuing with this series.