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cimorene1558's review against another edition
4.0
A scary book. A lot of Barbara Michaels books are rather creepy but not actually scary, but about ten of them are genuninely frightening at some point, and this is one, IMHO, at least.
turrean's review against another edition
2.0
I remember liking this book when I was much, much younger, and far more earnestly romantic!
Unrelieved by even the faintest glimmer of humor, this was a bit of a slog. Leaden dialogue. Sadly lacking in women characters, too. Besides the beautiful heroine, there's a strange old white witch, and a few walk-ons, like a vapid maid and a "like, fer sure" hippy girl. Also weirdly without setting; so strange, considering how much fun Michaels / Peters has with her novels (set firmly in Maryland! or Egypt!) It's as if some editor told her to remove all references to geography. I wasn't even really sure at first what country it was in! The affectionately drawn portrait of small town inhabitants in [b: Naked Once More|170866|Naked Once More (Jacqueline Kirby, #4)|Elizabeth Peters|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1388532986s/170866.jpg|165019] show what the author would later be capable of. I fled this novel's clutches to one of the author's much better written (and much later) novels.
Unrelieved by even the faintest glimmer of humor, this was a bit of a slog. Leaden dialogue. Sadly lacking in women characters, too. Besides the beautiful heroine, there's a strange old white witch, and a few walk-ons, like a vapid maid and a "like, fer sure" hippy girl. Also weirdly without setting; so strange, considering how much fun Michaels / Peters has with her novels (set firmly in Maryland! or Egypt!) It's as if some editor told her to remove all references to geography. I wasn't even really sure at first what country it was in! The affectionately drawn portrait of small town inhabitants in [b: Naked Once More|170866|Naked Once More (Jacqueline Kirby, #4)|Elizabeth Peters|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1388532986s/170866.jpg|165019] show what the author would later be capable of. I fled this novel's clutches to one of the author's much better written (and much later) novels.
lberestecki's review against another edition
4.0
I greatly prefer the books that this author writes as Elizabeth Peters, but her Barbara Michaels books are quick and entertaining reads. I enjoyed this book a lot for the first half, but the second half of the book was a bit much. The possibility of the supernatural was a bit dramatic in the context of the rest of the story, but I do understand the purpose of it. My biggest issue was that the relationship between the two main characters developed out of nowhere - all of the sudden they just loved each other. Overall, I would recommend this book as a summer read if you are amused by cheesy paranormal thrillers.
sullivc5's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.25
paperbackstash's review against another edition
3.0
My second re-read of Barbara Michaels this year.
It had the potential to rock a lot more than it did - it would have made a brilliant little novella. Instead, the middle sagged and slowed so much it became dull. The beginning was interesting, if not misleading into making the main seem completely unlikeable. The end was great, though, as is Michael's trademark. I do wish a page or two was more fleshed out for finale though. Looks like there are more things in heaven and earth after all...
Characterization isn't much to write home on. Michael is likeable enough, but his cat is the more amusing of the pair. Gordon was charismatic, as he was supposed to be, and perhaps the best written. The 'witch' friend Andrea was more annoying and draining than anything else. Maybe she was supposed to be comical, maybe she was supposed to be intriguing, but that mark was missed by an inch or so.
The lead woman, Linda, is never likeable, even when she shrugs off the bitchy persona. She switches from a weakling I wanted to shake to a woman who is trying too hard to be convincing in her strength. I really thought there'd be more on the servant side, some sort of revealed treachery or something, to explain how horribly she treated the maid. I guess living in that household would make one grouchy.
I wonder, after her salvation, did she miraculously sober up and kick the bottle habit too?
I'd think that would crimp their relationship. Sadly the relationship connection at the end isn't that realistic, anyway.
It's a shame the pacing was so unsteady, as the plot and potential were full-fledged GOTH. Michaels went heavier on that than normal. The end used a creation she rarely did in her other books. She used her usual religious pondering and intellectual hammering at existence of the supernatural.
I can definitely see the trademark Michaels with this one...but almost like another writer was influencing her as well. Good, but certainly not great. She did a lot better with other books.
It had the potential to rock a lot more than it did - it would have made a brilliant little novella. Instead, the middle sagged and slowed so much it became dull. The beginning was interesting, if not misleading into making the main seem completely unlikeable. The end was great, though, as is Michael's trademark. I do wish a page or two was more fleshed out for finale though. Looks like there are more things in heaven and earth after all...
Characterization isn't much to write home on. Michael is likeable enough, but his cat is the more amusing of the pair. Gordon was charismatic, as he was supposed to be, and perhaps the best written. The 'witch' friend Andrea was more annoying and draining than anything else. Maybe she was supposed to be comical, maybe she was supposed to be intriguing, but that mark was missed by an inch or so.
The lead woman, Linda, is never likeable, even when she shrugs off the bitchy persona. She switches from a weakling I wanted to shake to a woman who is trying too hard to be convincing in her strength. I really thought there'd be more on the servant side, some sort of revealed treachery or something, to explain how horribly she treated the maid. I guess living in that household would make one grouchy.
I wonder, after her salvation, did she miraculously sober up and kick the bottle habit too?
I'd think that would crimp their relationship. Sadly the relationship connection at the end isn't that realistic, anyway.
It's a shame the pacing was so unsteady, as the plot and potential were full-fledged GOTH. Michaels went heavier on that than normal. The end used a creation she rarely did in her other books. She used her usual religious pondering and intellectual hammering at existence of the supernatural.
I can definitely see the trademark Michaels with this one...but almost like another writer was influencing her as well. Good, but certainly not great. She did a lot better with other books.
lizzicrystal's review against another edition
5.0
What an excellent book! I don't understand the negative reviews on here; they seem to have read a different book than I did. My attention was caught from the first chapter and I found the story absolutely mesmerizing. This is by far the most interesting, most atmospheric, and the best executed of the Barbara Michaels novels I've read. I'm a gothic romantic snob - most of them are too cliche and the heroines too damsel in distress for me. (And I won't even go into my opinion on the heroes.) But this takes the usual stereotypes and breathes reality and a sense of urgency into them, while ensuring that what you see isn't ever all there is to it.
The narrative switches from the female and male perspective, and every chapter makes us doubt our perception of who is good and who is evil in this story. We label a character as the hero, and then they do something absolutely unexpected that makes us label them the villain; we label them sane, and then crazy - changing perceptions all the time. It creates the best sense of mystery I've come across in years. And that's just the mystery of the characters. The mystery of the plot itself keeps us guessing just as much. Is it a psychological thriller, demonic possession, magic, Satanism, werewolves - or just one crazy girl? We don't know until the very last chapter. The anticipation glued me to the book.
And the leading lady turned the stereotype of weakling gothic romantic heroines on its head. I simultaneously identified strongly with her, felt sorry for her, and feared her; the story makes us guess if she's the damsel in distress or the villainess.
This is the only Barbara Michaels that has given me a wickedly delicious sense of fear and made me afraid of the dark after reading. When I finished the book, I felt like I was coming out of a spell, just as the characters were in the story. Brilliant.
The narrative switches from the female and male perspective, and every chapter makes us doubt our perception of who is good and who is evil in this story. We label a character as the hero, and then they do something absolutely unexpected that makes us label them the villain; we label them sane, and then crazy - changing perceptions all the time. It creates the best sense of mystery I've come across in years. And that's just the mystery of the characters. The mystery of the plot itself keeps us guessing just as much. Is it a psychological thriller, demonic possession, magic, Satanism, werewolves - or just one crazy girl? We don't know until the very last chapter. The anticipation glued me to the book.
And the leading lady turned the stereotype of weakling gothic romantic heroines on its head. I simultaneously identified strongly with her, felt sorry for her, and feared her; the story makes us guess if she's the damsel in distress or the villainess.
This is the only Barbara Michaels that has given me a wickedly delicious sense of fear and made me afraid of the dark after reading. When I finished the book, I felt like I was coming out of a spell, just as the characters were in the story. Brilliant.
kelspe's review against another edition
1.0
This was the first book of Barbara Michaels that I did not care for. It did not flow well and many chapters and character interactions did not make sense to the story. I hope this is just a one off bad one and her other books are as good as the first of hers that I read.
craftmomma55's review
2.0
this just droned on and on and never really got scary. I gave up about 3/4 through it. This is very unusual for me. Usually, if I get through the first 4 chapters, I finish it. But I just could not stay interested in this.
sistermagpie's review
3.0
One of the things that's always fun about Barbara Michaels books is that dated quality they have--earlier ones especially tend to have some discussion about women wearing slacks, for instance, and this one is no question. A writer interviews the would-be subject of his next biography and becomes enthralled by his very very beautiful but troubled young wife. Is she crazy, or is the husband?
It wasn't scary, but it did have a nicely weird ending that was pretty fun. Is the whole thing psychological or is it supernatural? There's times where it seems to tip both ways. I especially liked the evil, doughy secretary who turns out to be an unsavory ex-priest. And the husband's particular brand of evil was pretty gripping, preying on talented, vulnerable people and sucking the talent right out of them.
It wasn't scary, but it did have a nicely weird ending that was pretty fun. Is the whole thing psychological or is it supernatural? There's times where it seems to tip both ways. I especially liked the evil, doughy secretary who turns out to be an unsavory ex-priest. And the husband's particular brand of evil was pretty gripping, preying on talented, vulnerable people and sucking the talent right out of them.
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