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qalminator's review against another edition
4.0
Well-researched ghost yarn set in England during the period of massive bombing from the Germans. It follows some well-worn tropes, but often in surprising ways, and the ending was not at all what I expected. Recommended if you like a good, dark ghost yarn, with a few twists along the way.
Spoiler
And I'm trying to decide if the end result is a good thing or not. Burying the bodies? Okay, good. Contacting families to make deals involving speaking to the dead? Questionable.virgilsinferno's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
sad
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
3.0
cpt_kasalla's review against another edition
2.0
Classic Ghoststory set in the british countryside. Starts off resonably strong but fails to live up to the expectations generated in the first chapter. What bothers me the most is the complete lack of conflict resolution offered. The main character gets confronted with life, loved ones and supernatural beings more than enough, but either refuses to act on it and just walks away and that seems to be perfectly fine, or saved/helped out by someone else. The ending leaves a lot to desire.
mike_brough's review against another edition
3.0
Not Mr Aycliffe's best book. It was diverting enough but never really took off - basically, the individual scenes were interesting but the overall story-arc was crud.
The main character was quite engaging, if a little naive for a sea officer who'd served in the wartime navy, but I enjoyed his company for all that.
There's a shocking sentence towards the end and I'm wondering if that's the true horror of the story - I need to let it marinate for a while.
What didn't work for me, especially on the Kindle, was the diary-within-a-diary format. When we reached the last few pages and rejoined the original narrator, I'd forgotten who he was and what his story was.
This wouldn't put me off Aycliffe's novels but it's not the one I'd point a newcomer to: try Naomi's Room first - but it's all downhill from there :-)
The main character was quite engaging, if a little naive for a sea officer who'd served in the wartime navy, but I enjoyed his company for all that.
There's a shocking sentence towards the end and I'm wondering if that's the true horror of the story - I need to let it marinate for a while.
What didn't work for me, especially on the Kindle, was the diary-within-a-diary format. When we reached the last few pages and rejoined the original narrator, I'd forgotten who he was and what his story was.
This wouldn't put me off Aycliffe's novels but it's not the one I'd point a newcomer to: try Naomi's Room first - but it's all downhill from there :-)
typedtruths's review
dark
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
4.0
macmower's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
joann_l's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
4.0
myiachristine's review against another edition
5.0
Such a good, classic horror novel. Features issues of war, family, love, and the ghosts of our fathers that never truly seem to stay gone.
This book won't knock your socks off or leave you keeping the light on at night, but if you want a solid novel to scratch that itch, this is for you.
This book won't knock your socks off or leave you keeping the light on at night, but if you want a solid novel to scratch that itch, this is for you.