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badseedgirl's review
3.0
This book was actually better than the first book in this series, [b:Maplecroft|20821288|Maplecroft (The Borden Dispatches, #1)|Cherie Priest|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1394209050s/20821288.jpg|40167149]. It is set 30 years after the events of Maplecroft. All the questions left hanging in the first book were not answered in this second one. But that really did not matter in the end. This was a good stand alone story and touched many of my old stomping grounds. I grew up less than 45 minute from Lilydale, NY which is still a spiritualist community going strong. I currently live about 2 hours North of Birmingham AL, the location of this second book. The last 100 pages of this book are the best part of this book and I see the potential for a spin-off series, which I would not be opposed to.
all in all I'll give this book a weak 3 stars.
all in all I'll give this book a weak 3 stars.
sandygx260's review
3.0
This book has two strong characters in the form of Lizzie Borden and Simon Wolf. Unfortunately far less interesting characters suck up too much of the word count.
I feel the same as I did about Maplecroft—this is an amazing idea backed by strong writing. I just wish the weaker characters had less "read" time, especially since one of them is more of a main character. Here the concept of the characters "writing" journal entries didn't work for me.
The final sentence did bring tears to my eyes.
I feel the same as I did about Maplecroft—this is an amazing idea backed by strong writing. I just wish the weaker characters had less "read" time, especially since one of them is more of a main character. Here the concept of the characters "writing" journal entries didn't work for me.
The final sentence did bring tears to my eyes.
meganh123's review
dark
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
dreamsngr's review
3.0
Well written and a solid book, but the first one ran better for me. This one had more of the cultists and less of the impending doom from the sea. I really liked the oddball room under the police station where things mysteriously surfaced or disappeared. Also a fan of seeing detective Wolf more. Likely I didn't finish this because of where I'm at mentally rather than the book not being worth it. I'd suggest it to Lovecraft fans.
cheesygiraffe's review against another edition
3.0
Most of this is simply made up but some of it is based on fact. The dates were altered to fit the timeline of the book. The True Americans and the KKK are some nasty, scary people.
http://www.bhamwiki.com/w/True_Americans
http://www.bhamwiki.com/w/True_Americans
_b_a_l_'s review
4.0
These books just so perfectly capture the tone and texture of both the period and the mythos.
And her prose is beautiful:
"And if this astonishing entity can be called Our Father, we are all a terrible accident of stardust and electricity, and there is no meaning for any of us."
And her prose is beautiful:
"And if this astonishing entity can be called Our Father, we are all a terrible accident of stardust and electricity, and there is no meaning for any of us."
morganski's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Loved the otherworldly aspects in this one. You get more of an insights to other threats and universes. In comparison to the first book, it tackles much more into political/religious history in addition to the Cthulhu lense. The moving back and forth into different perspectives was sometimes more difficult in the middle of the book as characters were often together to begin with.
ambernh1984's review
2.0
It took me forever to read. It was too slow of a slow burn and felt like nothing really happened for a long time. I struggled!
jscarpa14's review against another edition
4.0
I'm actually glad that I chose to continue on with this series despite the fact that I wasn't really sure what to think of the first book. This book was so much better than it's predecessor that I'm downright sad to see this series end.
Like it's predecessor the book is told via journal entries and letter from a multitude of characters. It's set thirty years after the first book and Lizbeth is alone now with the Doctor and Emma having passed on and still no idea on what really became of Nance after she jumped into the sea. When Simon Wolfe, is called to a case in Alabama to help avenge the death of an old friend, it's hard not to see the parallels between Birmingham's mysterious spree of axe murders and the case where he met Lizzie Borden all those years past. When a portrait of Nance is drawn by one of the surviving attack victims he sees it as a sign that he needs to contact Lizbeth Borden. Lizbeth joins him in Birmingham and the two form a wonderful friendship while working to discover what's really going on at the mysterious church at Chapelwood and what its connection is to the many deaths in the city.
Lizbeth and Simon were the only characters I really liked from the first book and I was delighted to see them not only return but to start getting to know each other. I was actually hoping as the story progressed that I might get the chance to read many books of these two together. The dynamic between Lizbeth and Simon was wonderful and I'm highly disappointed that I won't get my wish. While many new characters were introduced in this book, my favorite was Ruth, a young girl who can contact the dead. The majority of the story was actually told between these three characters' points of view, though numerous other characters did get their opportunity to narrate, but getting so much of these three voices really made the story for me. Additionally, the narrative is much less gapped and overlapping than the first book. It flows so much better and makes the story much easier to follow. Yes the book still ends with questions much like the first book, but it also offered a lot more answers.
Like it's predecessor the book still offers views into characters who are descending or have descended into madness. What makes this book better than the first is that while you do get those interesting glimpse, more of the narrative is shared by those still sane and is therefore easier to follow. Another thing that resonated with me in this novel is the parallels between the politics of Birmingham in the 1920s and of our entire country today. The story features political parties/groups/candidates basing their entire platform on hate and exclusion. It features a corrupt judicial system where people get away with committing crimes while the witnesses trying to see justice done are treated like criminals. There's a big sense of pro-exclusion and anti immigration. There are elections and trials being bought and paid for by groups out for their own greedy interests and so many things that are happening now that also happened in the plot of this novel. The sense of defeat against a corrupt government that seems to get worse by the day really resonated with me. That alone probably would have kept me reading.
Overall Chapelwood offers and interesting and page turning plot and compelling characters who will stay in your mind long after the pages have been closed. While it's not exactly what I'd call an HEA there is a decent resolution offered, though I do hope to see a spinoff series at some point in the future because I think this world has so much more to offer. I would without a doubt recommend this book to those that enjoy I'd guess you'd call it historical urban fantasy. No idea what genre to call it. It's unique, interesting and hard to put down.
Like it's predecessor the book is told via journal entries and letter from a multitude of characters. It's set thirty years after the first book and Lizbeth is alone now with the Doctor and Emma having passed on and still no idea on what really became of Nance after she jumped into the sea. When Simon Wolfe, is called to a case in Alabama to help avenge the death of an old friend, it's hard not to see the parallels between Birmingham's mysterious spree of axe murders and the case where he met Lizzie Borden all those years past. When a portrait of Nance is drawn by one of the surviving attack victims he sees it as a sign that he needs to contact Lizbeth Borden. Lizbeth joins him in Birmingham and the two form a wonderful friendship while working to discover what's really going on at the mysterious church at Chapelwood and what its connection is to the many deaths in the city.
Lizbeth and Simon were the only characters I really liked from the first book and I was delighted to see them not only return but to start getting to know each other. I was actually hoping as the story progressed that I might get the chance to read many books of these two together. The dynamic between Lizbeth and Simon was wonderful and I'm highly disappointed that I won't get my wish. While many new characters were introduced in this book, my favorite was Ruth, a young girl who can contact the dead. The majority of the story was actually told between these three characters' points of view, though numerous other characters did get their opportunity to narrate, but getting so much of these three voices really made the story for me. Additionally, the narrative is much less gapped and overlapping than the first book. It flows so much better and makes the story much easier to follow. Yes the book still ends with questions much like the first book, but it also offered a lot more answers.
Like it's predecessor the book still offers views into characters who are descending or have descended into madness. What makes this book better than the first is that while you do get those interesting glimpse, more of the narrative is shared by those still sane and is therefore easier to follow. Another thing that resonated with me in this novel is the parallels between the politics of Birmingham in the 1920s and of our entire country today. The story features political parties/groups/candidates basing their entire platform on hate and exclusion. It features a corrupt judicial system where people get away with committing crimes while the witnesses trying to see justice done are treated like criminals. There's a big sense of pro-exclusion and anti immigration. There are elections and trials being bought and paid for by groups out for their own greedy interests and so many things that are happening now that also happened in the plot of this novel. The sense of defeat against a corrupt government that seems to get worse by the day really resonated with me. That alone probably would have kept me reading.
Overall Chapelwood offers and interesting and page turning plot and compelling characters who will stay in your mind long after the pages have been closed. While it's not exactly what I'd call an HEA there is a decent resolution offered, though I do hope to see a spinoff series at some point in the future because I think this world has so much more to offer. I would without a doubt recommend this book to those that enjoy I'd guess you'd call it historical urban fantasy. No idea what genre to call it. It's unique, interesting and hard to put down.