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This House Is Haunted
1867. Eliza Caine arrives in Norfolk to take up her position as governess at Gaudlin Hall on a dark and chilling night. As she makes her way across the station platform, a pair of invisible hands push her from behind into the path of an approaching train. She is only saved by the vigilance of a passing doctor.
When she finally arrives, shaken, at the hall she is greeted by the two children in her care, Isabella and Eustace. There are no parents, no adults at all, and no one to represent her mysterious employer. The children offer no explanation. Later that night in her room, a second terrifying experience further reinforces the sense that something is very wrong.
From the moment she rises the following morning, her every step seems dogged by a malign presence which lives within Gaudlin’s walls. Eliza realises that if she and the children are to survive its violent attentions, she must first uncover the hall’s long-buried secrets and confront the demons of its past…
When she finally arrives, shaken, at the hall she is greeted by the two children in her care, Isabella and Eustace. There are no parents, no adults at all, and no one to represent her mysterious employer. The children offer no explanation. Later that night in her room, a second terrifying experience further reinforces the sense that something is very wrong.
From the moment she rises the following morning, her every step seems dogged by a malign presence which lives within Gaudlin’s walls. Eliza realises that if she and the children are to survive its violent attentions, she must first uncover the hall’s long-buried secrets and confront the demons of its past…
304 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2013
481 people are currently reading
18.5k people want to read
About the author
John Boyne
77 books13.8k followersI was born in Dublin, Ireland, and studied English Literature at Trinity College, Dublin, and Creative Writing at the University of East Anglia, Norwich. In 2015, I was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Letters by UEA.
I’ve published 14 novels for adults, 6 novels for younger readers, and a short story collection. The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas was a New York Times no.1 Bestseller and was adapted for a feature film, a play, a ballet and an opera, selling around 11 million copies worldwide.
Among my most popular books are The Heart’s Invisible Furies, A Ladder to the Sky and My Brother’s Name is Jessica.
I’m also a regular book reviewer for The Irish Times.
In 2012, I was awarded the Hennessy Literary ‘Hall of Fame’ Award for my body of work. I’ve also won 4 Irish Book Awards, and many international literary awards, including the Que Leer Award for Novel of the Year in Spain and the Gustav Heinemann Peace Prize in Germany. In 2015, I was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Letters from the University of East Anglia.
My novels are published in 58 languages.
My 14th adult novel, ALL THE BROKEN PLACES, a sequel and companion novel to THE BOY IN THE STRIPED PYJAMAS, will be published in the UK on September 15th 2022, in the US and Canada on November 29th, and in many foreign language editions in late 2022 and 2023.
I’ve published 14 novels for adults, 6 novels for younger readers, and a short story collection. The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas was a New York Times no.1 Bestseller and was adapted for a feature film, a play, a ballet and an opera, selling around 11 million copies worldwide.
Among my most popular books are The Heart’s Invisible Furies, A Ladder to the Sky and My Brother’s Name is Jessica.
I’m also a regular book reviewer for The Irish Times.
In 2012, I was awarded the Hennessy Literary ‘Hall of Fame’ Award for my body of work. I’ve also won 4 Irish Book Awards, and many international literary awards, including the Que Leer Award for Novel of the Year in Spain and the Gustav Heinemann Peace Prize in Germany. In 2015, I was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Letters from the University of East Anglia.
My novels are published in 58 languages.
My 14th adult novel, ALL THE BROKEN PLACES, a sequel and companion novel to THE BOY IN THE STRIPED PYJAMAS, will be published in the UK on September 15th 2022, in the US and Canada on November 29th, and in many foreign language editions in late 2022 and 2023.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,268 reviews
February 25, 2017
What do you get if you mix Rebecca and The Turn of the Screw with a dash of Jane Eyre and a pinch of Dickens? The answer is This House is Haunted, a gloriously gothic confection revolving around - you'll never guess - a haunted house. This actually IS a haunted house too, not some metaphorical type of haunting, although there's also an element of humour to the proceedings, which serves to set this story apart from the many historical ghost stories it could be compared to.
In 1867, a young woman, Eliza Caine, is bereft after the death of her beloved father. With no other family, no friends to turn to and (she believes) no prospects of marriage, Eliza replies to an advertisement for a governess position at Gaudlin Hall, a grand country pile in Norfolk. When she arrives there, it quickly becomes apparent that something is very wrong: the locals are hostile, the children she's in charge of are left to fend for themselves, and nobody will tell her where their parents are. Worse still, a series of inexplicable incidents force her to the conclusion that there is a malevolent spirit present in the house. Unwilling to abandon the children, Eliza sets out to get to the bottom of the mystery and fear surrounding Gaudlin Hall, but to do so she must put her life at risk.
The book both pokes fun at and pays homage to the classics it references - I particularly liked the secrecy surrounding the Westerley family and how the village conspires to cover up the truth. At times the behaviour of the characters - Eliza's naivety in the face of extremely obvious indications that something supernatural is going on; the way everyone changes the subject whenever the topic of the children's parents comes up; Alfred Raisin's dismissal of the previous governesses' concerns, despite the fact that almost all of them ended up dead! - verges on parody, but not in a bad way. (I know this is a completely inappropriate comparison, but the village in this book reminded me a lot of the comedy film Hot Fuzz, a spoof of cop movies, which I watched recently. Sounds odd but there's the same sense that the story is joyfully sending up all the clichés habitually present in its source material in a very affectionate way.) Similarly, Eliza's character is both genuinely admirable (she constantly rails against the way women are sidelined by society) and parodic (her romantic daydreams about every attractive man she meets). It's obvious that the author's tongue was lodged firmly in his cheek when writing this book, and that sense of humour makes it all the more enjoyable to read.
The light touch to the narrative means that the predictable twists and silly bits - inevitable components of a ghost story - work well: if you know you're reading something that's not entirely serious, you're not likely to worry about how much you need to suspend your disbelief. At the same time, Eliza is likeable and believable enough that you do truly care what happens to her: the book is engaging, sometimes extremely creepy, and definitely has more substance to it than a mere pastiche. Speaking as a big fan of ghost stories, I really enjoyed This House is Haunted and if you share my passion for this type of book, you need to get it on your to-read list.
In 1867, a young woman, Eliza Caine, is bereft after the death of her beloved father. With no other family, no friends to turn to and (she believes) no prospects of marriage, Eliza replies to an advertisement for a governess position at Gaudlin Hall, a grand country pile in Norfolk. When she arrives there, it quickly becomes apparent that something is very wrong: the locals are hostile, the children she's in charge of are left to fend for themselves, and nobody will tell her where their parents are. Worse still, a series of inexplicable incidents force her to the conclusion that there is a malevolent spirit present in the house. Unwilling to abandon the children, Eliza sets out to get to the bottom of the mystery and fear surrounding Gaudlin Hall, but to do so she must put her life at risk.
The book both pokes fun at and pays homage to the classics it references - I particularly liked the secrecy surrounding the Westerley family and how the village conspires to cover up the truth. At times the behaviour of the characters - Eliza's naivety in the face of extremely obvious indications that something supernatural is going on; the way everyone changes the subject whenever the topic of the children's parents comes up; Alfred Raisin's dismissal of the previous governesses' concerns, despite the fact that almost all of them ended up dead! - verges on parody, but not in a bad way. (I know this is a completely inappropriate comparison, but the village in this book reminded me a lot of the comedy film Hot Fuzz, a spoof of cop movies, which I watched recently. Sounds odd but there's the same sense that the story is joyfully sending up all the clichés habitually present in its source material in a very affectionate way.) Similarly, Eliza's character is both genuinely admirable (she constantly rails against the way women are sidelined by society) and parodic (her romantic daydreams about every attractive man she meets). It's obvious that the author's tongue was lodged firmly in his cheek when writing this book, and that sense of humour makes it all the more enjoyable to read.
The light touch to the narrative means that the predictable twists and silly bits - inevitable components of a ghost story - work well: if you know you're reading something that's not entirely serious, you're not likely to worry about how much you need to suspend your disbelief. At the same time, Eliza is likeable and believable enough that you do truly care what happens to her: the book is engaging, sometimes extremely creepy, and definitely has more substance to it than a mere pastiche. Speaking as a big fan of ghost stories, I really enjoyed This House is Haunted and if you share my passion for this type of book, you need to get it on your to-read list.
October 12, 2017
There is something about fall and winter that puts me in the mood to read spooky books- I soooooooooo love cuddling up with a good ghost....story.
1867 London:
After the loss of her father- 21-year-old, plain Jane Eliza Caine- accepts the position of governess at Gaudlin Hall, in Norfolk.
...but no one is there to greet her upon her arrival- which seems rather strange to Eliza. The next morning her creepy little wards- the Westerly children- Isabella-12 and Eustace-8, are present and accounted for...but still no adults to be found anywhere- and and this goes on for days and days.
Where are the children's parents??...and why will no one tell her what is going on?
Confused young heroine.
Eerie old mansion.
Lots-o-foggy nights.
Sinister staff.
Creepy children.
Angry ghost.
...all the boxes are ticked- to make THIS HOUSE IS HAUNTED an enjoyable tale, for ghost lovin' readers, in the coming cold weather months.
1867 London:
After the loss of her father- 21-year-old, plain Jane Eliza Caine- accepts the position of governess at Gaudlin Hall, in Norfolk.
...but no one is there to greet her upon her arrival- which seems rather strange to Eliza. The next morning her creepy little wards- the Westerly children- Isabella-12 and Eustace-8, are present and accounted for...but still no adults to be found anywhere- and and this goes on for days and days.
Where are the children's parents??...and why will no one tell her what is going on?
Confused young heroine.
Eerie old mansion.
Lots-o-foggy nights.
Sinister staff.
Creepy children.
Angry ghost.
...all the boxes are ticked- to make THIS HOUSE IS HAUNTED an enjoyable tale, for ghost lovin' readers, in the coming cold weather months.
October 2, 2018
this book is available for spooky month!
pssst - spoiler alert - THIS HOUSE IS HAUNTED!!
i made the mistake of reading blair's review of this before trying to write my own. one, it is much better than anything i could attempt and two, she saw something in this book that i did not and it has kind of clouded my impressions and judgments of the book and made me think that maybe i missed the point.
here is a link to hers so you can read how it should be done:
http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
until i read hers, to my mind this was a perfectly serviceable gothic horror novel. the plot is the same as about 900 other books in this vein - a plain girl who is alone in the world takes a position as a governess in an unfamiliar place and finds herself in a big crumbling house full of secrets in a town full of people who seem quite inclined to gossip, just not with her. they stare at her with expressions both pitying and frightened, and always seem to be on the verge of revealing the truuuuth. the children she is meant to be watching (although she seems to leave them alone in the house quite a lot while she goes off on her attempts at fact-finding missions and such) are well-behaved but unusual with their knowing smirks and haunted eyes. naturally, the children's parents are not present, for reasons no one seems willing to divulge. and what happened to the five previous governesses within the year before she arrived is just as mysterious. she begins to experience strange circumstances in the house which frequently imperil her and begins to think, you got it, "this house is haunted!". this is gothic lit 101.
i thought it was very typical and traditional, reminiscent of and referential to both jane eyre and turn of the screw. the characters trot out all the expected behaviors you find in the gothic novel genre: in-the-know characters who cut off their sentences right before they reveal too much, as though alarmed to find themselves speaking at all and the governess whose response to this is "well, guess i just won't ask any more questions right now, lalala!"
all the props of the classic gothic are also lined up for inspection: secrets in the attic, multiple mysterious deaths, a cranky caretaker, ominous and escalating accidents which befall characters, secret passageways, dropped teacups, figures seen in windows who vanish without a trace, paling as a response to upsetting turns of conversation, spooky old-beyond their years children spouting ominous proclamations, and big closing sequences.
the outcome's pretty predictable but the book is well-written enough to still be enjoyable even without the suspense you would likely feel if you had never read one of these before. i myself have read far too many to be surprised, but i thought it was a fine light entertainment.
but now - NOW - blair is making me rethink everything. she read this as a tongue-in-cheek treatment of the very conventions i am calling textbook and perfunctory. i think that is a very interesting reading of this book, and it really gives me pause, and her review makes me appreciate the book more. if that's what he was doing, though, it wasn't obvious enough.you really gotta call attention to it to make that joke work. because if that was indeed his intention, then blair's the only one who got it. after reading her review, i decided to see if i was stupid, or if blair was a genius, and none of the other reviews i found, professional or regular-reader, interpreted this as a humorous send-up to the genre.
BUT IT IS SO MUCH BETTER WHEN YOU READ IT THAT WAY!!
because i did notice the comical number of times she called herself plain and and the light fantasies she entertained about the menfolk she encountered, but i wrote that off as a side effect of having been fairly sheltered and without prospects.
and i thought this was actually inconsistent with the way her character handled herself in the other, spookier situations. someone with that much of a romantic turn of mind seems unlikely to be so unimaginative when confronted with the spooky goings-on in the house, and so slow to put things together, so willing to shrug it off and continue as though nothing is amiss. which is, in itself, another convention of the genre. but as a humorous jab-at-genre, it works. and there are other situations miss blair pointed out where this reading holds up and makes the book more original and worthy. i kind of wish i had read this with blair's eyes.
so, again - blair is a genius and knows how to read books so they are way better than when i read them my ownself.
humbled, bowing...
come to my blog!
pssst - spoiler alert - THIS HOUSE IS HAUNTED!!
i made the mistake of reading blair's review of this before trying to write my own. one, it is much better than anything i could attempt and two, she saw something in this book that i did not and it has kind of clouded my impressions and judgments of the book and made me think that maybe i missed the point.
here is a link to hers so you can read how it should be done:
http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
until i read hers, to my mind this was a perfectly serviceable gothic horror novel. the plot is the same as about 900 other books in this vein - a plain girl who is alone in the world takes a position as a governess in an unfamiliar place and finds herself in a big crumbling house full of secrets in a town full of people who seem quite inclined to gossip, just not with her. they stare at her with expressions both pitying and frightened, and always seem to be on the verge of revealing the truuuuth. the children she is meant to be watching (although she seems to leave them alone in the house quite a lot while she goes off on her attempts at fact-finding missions and such) are well-behaved but unusual with their knowing smirks and haunted eyes. naturally, the children's parents are not present, for reasons no one seems willing to divulge. and what happened to the five previous governesses within the year before she arrived is just as mysterious. she begins to experience strange circumstances in the house which frequently imperil her and begins to think, you got it, "this house is haunted!". this is gothic lit 101.
i thought it was very typical and traditional, reminiscent of and referential to both jane eyre and turn of the screw. the characters trot out all the expected behaviors you find in the gothic novel genre: in-the-know characters who cut off their sentences right before they reveal too much, as though alarmed to find themselves speaking at all and the governess whose response to this is "well, guess i just won't ask any more questions right now, lalala!"
all the props of the classic gothic are also lined up for inspection: secrets in the attic, multiple mysterious deaths, a cranky caretaker, ominous and escalating accidents which befall characters, secret passageways, dropped teacups, figures seen in windows who vanish without a trace, paling as a response to upsetting turns of conversation, spooky old-beyond their years children spouting ominous proclamations, and big closing sequences.
the outcome's pretty predictable but the book is well-written enough to still be enjoyable even without the suspense you would likely feel if you had never read one of these before. i myself have read far too many to be surprised, but i thought it was a fine light entertainment.
but now - NOW - blair is making me rethink everything. she read this as a tongue-in-cheek treatment of the very conventions i am calling textbook and perfunctory. i think that is a very interesting reading of this book, and it really gives me pause, and her review makes me appreciate the book more. if that's what he was doing, though, it wasn't obvious enough.you really gotta call attention to it to make that joke work. because if that was indeed his intention, then blair's the only one who got it. after reading her review, i decided to see if i was stupid, or if blair was a genius, and none of the other reviews i found, professional or regular-reader, interpreted this as a humorous send-up to the genre.
BUT IT IS SO MUCH BETTER WHEN YOU READ IT THAT WAY!!
because i did notice the comical number of times she called herself plain and and the light fantasies she entertained about the menfolk she encountered, but i wrote that off as a side effect of having been fairly sheltered and without prospects.
and i thought this was actually inconsistent with the way her character handled herself in the other, spookier situations. someone with that much of a romantic turn of mind seems unlikely to be so unimaginative when confronted with the spooky goings-on in the house, and so slow to put things together, so willing to shrug it off and continue as though nothing is amiss. which is, in itself, another convention of the genre. but as a humorous jab-at-genre, it works. and there are other situations miss blair pointed out where this reading holds up and makes the book more original and worthy. i kind of wish i had read this with blair's eyes.
so, again - blair is a genius and knows how to read books so they are way better than when i read them my ownself.
humbled, bowing...
come to my blog!
December 7, 2018
My first book by John Boyne, one of the most treasured authors on Goodreads, This House is Haunted did not disappoint. A Victorian era ghost story, this novel tells the oft told tale of a governess who because of the death of her only living relative, her beloved father, must go out into the world and seek her living. Unlike the heroines of most of these stories though, Eliza Caine had a loving home and is a skilled teacher before she begins her adventure. She is tenacious, smart and loyal to her young charges and is not going to let them be harmed by a malign presence if she had anything to say about it. I like how she stands up to conventional tropes of religion and a woman's place and seeks answers for the supernatural happenings she and the children are subjected to.
October 17, 2015
"What if a soul departs this life but is neither in heaven nor hell? What if they remain?"
This was a fantastic, old-fashioned ghost story - it was just the ticket for a mid-October read to get me in the spirit of Halloween! John Boyne effectively created a very eerie, atmospheric setting for this book which takes place in England during the year 1867. The prose is quite tantalizing and drew me right into the story. I actually pictured each scene as if it were occurring in front of me on the big screen - in fact, this would make a great movie adaptation which I would not hesitate to see.
The story begins with Eliza and her father attending a ghost story reading by the renowned Charles Dickens himself. Eliza is immediately enveloped by a feeling of unease and foreboding. This will in turn set the tone for the rest of the novel and will affect Eliza's thoughts and understanding of subsequent events. "I began to fear that I might not sleep that night, so certain was I that I was surrounded by the spirits of those who had left their corporeal form behind but had not yet been admitted through the gates of heaven and so were left to trawl through the world, crying aloud, desperate to be heard, causing disarray and torment wherever they went..."
When Eliza finds herself alone in the world at the age of twenty-one, she accepts the very mysterious position of governess at Gaudlin Hall. Here she becomes responsible for a pair of very peculiar children - Eustace, to whom Eliza becomes fondly attached, despite his uncanny exchanges with unknown entities, and Isabella, whose sudden appearances and bizarre utterances and behavior made my skin crawl! Mystifying comments by the children, evasive conversations with the townspeople and the knowledge that she is the sixth governess to be hired over the past year, all lead Eliza to realize that she has entered into a very puzzling situation indeed! But, even more daunting is the malicious presence that begins to threaten Eliza's ability to fulfill her obligation as governess and in fact, torments her very life.
Plenty of suspense and a gothic feel, rather than pure horror, unfold as Eliza learns the history of Gaudlin Hall and its inhabitants. Refusing to leave the children to an unknown fate, the very resourceful Eliza must devise a plan to effect their release from this menacing spirit. What happens next? Does Eliza succeed? You will just have to get this book and find out! Recommended to all fans of classic and creepy ghost stories rather than grisly horror novels.
This was a fantastic, old-fashioned ghost story - it was just the ticket for a mid-October read to get me in the spirit of Halloween! John Boyne effectively created a very eerie, atmospheric setting for this book which takes place in England during the year 1867. The prose is quite tantalizing and drew me right into the story. I actually pictured each scene as if it were occurring in front of me on the big screen - in fact, this would make a great movie adaptation which I would not hesitate to see.
The story begins with Eliza and her father attending a ghost story reading by the renowned Charles Dickens himself. Eliza is immediately enveloped by a feeling of unease and foreboding. This will in turn set the tone for the rest of the novel and will affect Eliza's thoughts and understanding of subsequent events. "I began to fear that I might not sleep that night, so certain was I that I was surrounded by the spirits of those who had left their corporeal form behind but had not yet been admitted through the gates of heaven and so were left to trawl through the world, crying aloud, desperate to be heard, causing disarray and torment wherever they went..."
When Eliza finds herself alone in the world at the age of twenty-one, she accepts the very mysterious position of governess at Gaudlin Hall. Here she becomes responsible for a pair of very peculiar children - Eustace, to whom Eliza becomes fondly attached, despite his uncanny exchanges with unknown entities, and Isabella, whose sudden appearances and bizarre utterances and behavior made my skin crawl! Mystifying comments by the children, evasive conversations with the townspeople and the knowledge that she is the sixth governess to be hired over the past year, all lead Eliza to realize that she has entered into a very puzzling situation indeed! But, even more daunting is the malicious presence that begins to threaten Eliza's ability to fulfill her obligation as governess and in fact, torments her very life.
Plenty of suspense and a gothic feel, rather than pure horror, unfold as Eliza learns the history of Gaudlin Hall and its inhabitants. Refusing to leave the children to an unknown fate, the very resourceful Eliza must devise a plan to effect their release from this menacing spirit. What happens next? Does Eliza succeed? You will just have to get this book and find out! Recommended to all fans of classic and creepy ghost stories rather than grisly horror novels.
October 28, 2019
In my opinion John Boyne is one of Ireland's most versertile writters. I am rarly dispappointed when I pick up this author's novels and
This House Is Haunted
was a haunting and very satisfying read.
What makes a good Ghost stroy? For me it has to be set in Victorian times, with an isolated country manor and unexplainable happenings and you have my interest.
This house is haunted is set in Norfolk in a country house called Gaudin Hall. Eliza Canine arrives to take up her position as Governess. As she makes her way across the station platform, a pair of invisible hands push her into the path of an approaching train. She is only saved by vigilance of a passing doctor.......... and so the stroy begins.
I have had this book on my bookshelf for some time and was given a gentle push to read it after reading a review written by goodreads friend. I am so glad I read this novel as it was just a really good back to basics old fashioned Ghost Stroy. I dont read horror but love a good Ghost stroy every now and then and Boyne has created a beautiful athmospheric and unsettling novel that really entertained and chilled me at the same time.
What makes a good Ghost stroy? For me it has to be set in Victorian times, with an isolated country manor and unexplainable happenings and you have my interest.
This house is haunted is set in Norfolk in a country house called Gaudin Hall. Eliza Canine arrives to take up her position as Governess. As she makes her way across the station platform, a pair of invisible hands push her into the path of an approaching train. She is only saved by vigilance of a passing doctor.......... and so the stroy begins.
I have had this book on my bookshelf for some time and was given a gentle push to read it after reading a review written by goodreads friend. I am so glad I read this novel as it was just a really good back to basics old fashioned Ghost Stroy. I dont read horror but love a good Ghost stroy every now and then and Boyne has created a beautiful athmospheric and unsettling novel that really entertained and chilled me at the same time.
November 13, 2019
Eliza Caine is terribly disappointed when Charles Dickens announces to the gathered crowd that he is going to read them a ghost story. It is 1867, and Charles Dickens is giving a reading in a speaker’s hall at Knightsbridge. Not fond of ghost stories, Eliza spends a restless night dreaming of graveyards populated by spirits and ghosts. Given the name of this novel, a portent perhaps?
Upon waking she finds her father in a terrible fever. He had been gravely ill before last night, in which they had to walk in the rain to get to Knightsbridge. Eliza runs for the doctor but unfortunately her father passes away leaving her an orphan at 21.
After her father has passed Eliza, who is a school teacher finds herself slowly sinking into a state of melancholy and stagnation that she fears could turn into full on depression. So she decides to answer an advertisement in the paper for the position of a governess at Gaudlin Hall, taking care of two recently orphaned children, a brother and sister, in the county of Norfolk. She had only been outside of London once before, and although the advertisement is a little vague, she feels it may be just the thing she needs at this point in her life.
When she finds out that the house that her and her father have been living in does not belong to her, and that she must continue to pay the rent, that she cannot afford, than the decision to apply for the governess position at Gaudlin Hall becomes a necessity rather than an option.
She sends a letter of application and her qualifications to Gaudlin Hall and is more than surprised when a couple of days later she receives a letter informing her that she has the job. An interview is not needed. Perhaps warning bells should have begun to chime at this point.
On the trip to Gaudlin Hall in an open carriage even the weather seems malignant as the rains starts a slow but steadily building assault on Eliza and the driver.
When Eliza asks the driver about Mr Bennet, the man who posted the advertisement and replied to her application, he claims to have never heard of the man. Eliza’s sense of unease increases with the rain.
She finds out that Mr Bennet is indeed Miss Bennet the former governess, and she seems to have left in quite a rush. The alarm bells are chiming now.
Upon arriving at the country house, Eliza experiences real fear and must suppress the urge to ask the driver to turn around and take her straight back to the station.
Strange things start to happen immediately. Eliza finds that she cannot open the door to the carriage and could almost swear it was is if somebody was holding the handle on the other side, barring her exit. Eventually the cantankerous old driver opens the door for her with no problems at all.
From the point where Eliza enters the Hall an eerie feeling pervades the narrative. It is always there never far from Eliza. There is no subtlety with this ghost story there is a ghostly presence haunting Gaudlin Hall, and it is obvious that it intends Eliza harm.
Eliza find out just how much danger she is in when she discovers that three previous governesses have met with ghastly terrible accidents. One, unlucky, two, macabre coincidence, but three! Will Eliza be able to find out what is going on before she meets the same fate as the other governesses?
This novel has all the trademarks of a great Victorian age ghost story. The large almost empty mansion, the protagonist alone in her plight. The two young orphans who must be protected. The villagers who turn away and refuse to talk to Eliza when they find out she is the new governess. Oh yes, it’s all here.
There is nothing new to this ghost story, but Boyne does not try to add any new elements, he just writes it for what it is, a good old fashioned Victorian ghost story, with the added benefit of Boyne’s superlative writing. 4 Stars!
Upon waking she finds her father in a terrible fever. He had been gravely ill before last night, in which they had to walk in the rain to get to Knightsbridge. Eliza runs for the doctor but unfortunately her father passes away leaving her an orphan at 21.
After her father has passed Eliza, who is a school teacher finds herself slowly sinking into a state of melancholy and stagnation that she fears could turn into full on depression. So she decides to answer an advertisement in the paper for the position of a governess at Gaudlin Hall, taking care of two recently orphaned children, a brother and sister, in the county of Norfolk. She had only been outside of London once before, and although the advertisement is a little vague, she feels it may be just the thing she needs at this point in her life.
When she finds out that the house that her and her father have been living in does not belong to her, and that she must continue to pay the rent, that she cannot afford, than the decision to apply for the governess position at Gaudlin Hall becomes a necessity rather than an option.
She sends a letter of application and her qualifications to Gaudlin Hall and is more than surprised when a couple of days later she receives a letter informing her that she has the job. An interview is not needed. Perhaps warning bells should have begun to chime at this point.
On the trip to Gaudlin Hall in an open carriage even the weather seems malignant as the rains starts a slow but steadily building assault on Eliza and the driver.
When Eliza asks the driver about Mr Bennet, the man who posted the advertisement and replied to her application, he claims to have never heard of the man. Eliza’s sense of unease increases with the rain.
She finds out that Mr Bennet is indeed Miss Bennet the former governess, and she seems to have left in quite a rush. The alarm bells are chiming now.
Upon arriving at the country house, Eliza experiences real fear and must suppress the urge to ask the driver to turn around and take her straight back to the station.
Strange things start to happen immediately. Eliza finds that she cannot open the door to the carriage and could almost swear it was is if somebody was holding the handle on the other side, barring her exit. Eventually the cantankerous old driver opens the door for her with no problems at all.
From the point where Eliza enters the Hall an eerie feeling pervades the narrative. It is always there never far from Eliza. There is no subtlety with this ghost story there is a ghostly presence haunting Gaudlin Hall, and it is obvious that it intends Eliza harm.
Eliza find out just how much danger she is in when she discovers that three previous governesses have met with ghastly terrible accidents. One, unlucky, two, macabre coincidence, but three! Will Eliza be able to find out what is going on before she meets the same fate as the other governesses?
This novel has all the trademarks of a great Victorian age ghost story. The large almost empty mansion, the protagonist alone in her plight. The two young orphans who must be protected. The villagers who turn away and refuse to talk to Eliza when they find out she is the new governess. Oh yes, it’s all here.
There is nothing new to this ghost story, but Boyne does not try to add any new elements, he just writes it for what it is, a good old fashioned Victorian ghost story, with the added benefit of Boyne’s superlative writing. 4 Stars!
November 7, 2017
“I blame Charles Dickens for the death of my father”
So begins John Boyne's gothic tale of a young woman, Eliza Crane, suddenly alone in mid 1800s London. Orphaned at twenty-one, and forced to leave home, she answers a rather cryptic advertisement for a governess position in a mansion, Gaudlin Hall, in Norfolk.
A brooding house, a series of mishaps, unanswered queries and the non-appearance of the parents make for a puzzling arrival for Eliza, not to mention the two sweet but precocious children she is to educate. This is always the good start to a gothic tale, in my opinion; i.e. gothic as opposed to horror. “A good gothic tale combines the uncanny and a pleasing sort of terror; melodrama and parody are other long-standing features of Gothic literature” (paraphrased from Goodreads).
Could there be a malevolent presence that inhabits the house along with Eliza and the children, Isabella and Eustace; something that seems want to be rid of Eliza? She’s stunned to discover that another someone is also living at the mansion, a person about whom she has heard little. Eliza is, likewise, horrified when she finally hears the fate of the five governesses who have preceded her. The story gets deliciously creepy when she resolves to leave for London and take the children with her.
John Boyne appears to be able to turn his hand to writing about pretty much any subject in quite a few genres. His excellence in storytelling and great literature is evident in This House is Haunted. A satisfying gothic tale filled with uncanny moments, dark mansions and mounting drama. 4★
So begins John Boyne's gothic tale of a young woman, Eliza Crane, suddenly alone in mid 1800s London. Orphaned at twenty-one, and forced to leave home, she answers a rather cryptic advertisement for a governess position in a mansion, Gaudlin Hall, in Norfolk.
A brooding house, a series of mishaps, unanswered queries and the non-appearance of the parents make for a puzzling arrival for Eliza, not to mention the two sweet but precocious children she is to educate. This is always the good start to a gothic tale, in my opinion; i.e. gothic as opposed to horror. “A good gothic tale combines the uncanny and a pleasing sort of terror; melodrama and parody are other long-standing features of Gothic literature” (paraphrased from Goodreads).
Could there be a malevolent presence that inhabits the house along with Eliza and the children, Isabella and Eustace; something that seems want to be rid of Eliza? She’s stunned to discover that another someone is also living at the mansion, a person about whom she has heard little. Eliza is, likewise, horrified when she finally hears the fate of the five governesses who have preceded her. The story gets deliciously creepy when she resolves to leave for London and take the children with her.
John Boyne appears to be able to turn his hand to writing about pretty much any subject in quite a few genres. His excellence in storytelling and great literature is evident in This House is Haunted. A satisfying gothic tale filled with uncanny moments, dark mansions and mounting drama. 4★
April 5, 2019
**No update required on 2nd reading - 5+stars - just a fab ghost story with a brilliant protagonist**
Original review:-
This is what I would call a good old traditional ghost story;
Large austere house - check
Tragic circumstances - check
Moody weather - check
Frightening children - check
Mystery surrounding what the hell is happening here - check
And it is brilliantly done!
I absolutely LOVE the main character Eliza Caine who has a good amount of wit about her and doesn't do 'damsel in distress'. She is the best thing about the book - a woman beyond her years in wisdom and for the time period in which the book is set. She is a fighter and a survivor - I just love her.
The story itself is simple but gripping. I love the grumpy characters Heckling and Mrs Livermore - they are so funny and offer some light relief from the threat of the situation Eliza has found herself in.
If you like a traditional read that is fairly modest and not very scary but totally awesome within those parameters then you will love this one!
Original review:-
This is what I would call a good old traditional ghost story;
Large austere house - check
Tragic circumstances - check
Moody weather - check
Frightening children - check
Mystery surrounding what the hell is happening here - check
And it is brilliantly done!
I absolutely LOVE the main character Eliza Caine who has a good amount of wit about her and doesn't do 'damsel in distress'. She is the best thing about the book - a woman beyond her years in wisdom and for the time period in which the book is set. She is a fighter and a survivor - I just love her.
The story itself is simple but gripping. I love the grumpy characters Heckling and Mrs Livermore - they are so funny and offer some light relief from the threat of the situation Eliza has found herself in.
If you like a traditional read that is fairly modest and not very scary but totally awesome within those parameters then you will love this one!
December 14, 2020
This House is Haunted, by John Boyne, is a good old-fashioned gothic ghost story, with feminist elements scattered throughout. We are introduced to Eliza Caine, a young woman brought up by her widowed father. By her own account she is plain (“…it is true I had never been attractive…”) and perhaps destined to become a spinster, at the ripe old age of 21. When her father dies, she is jolted into reality, learning that the house she grew up in was leased and the rent was in arrears. The landlord informed her to pay up or move out and Eliza, who hitherto enjoyed a quiet, modest, comfortable and trouble-free life, discovered that she would have to learn to support herself.
She had a teaching job that did not pay much. Believing that she would not be able to pay for lodging and support herself for long with the very small amount of money her father was able to settle on her upon his death, Eliza saw an advertisement for the position of governess at a manor house in the country, to begin immediately. Eliza was surprised that no references were required, and she did not bother to do any checking on her own before accepting the position, so the reader is not nearly as surprised as she is to find that nothing was as she expected. Upon arriving at her destination, Eliza is greeted by two children, Isabella and Eustace. No parents are in the picture, nor are there any servants. Also, it turns out that she is about the sixth governess in the past year! Hmmmmm!
There is a hint of Jane Eyre in the air (sorry about that), but that quickly dissipates. There are definitely one or two ghosts in residence at any given time – one of whom is particularly malevolent and dangerous. Eliza finds that she has a few accidents where she is inexplicably pushed or injured – and to make matters worse, it transpires that of her five predecessors, one was murdered, three died under mysterious circumstances, and the one before Eliza managed to get away, just barely, by virtue of the misleading advertisement she placed that enticed Eliza to replace her.
So, we have Eliza in a typical gothic, governess ghost story. What was different about this story is that the weak pathetic heroine turns out to have a strict moral compass and strong backbone which drive the story. During her relentless pursuit of the truth behind what is going on at the manor, she is savvy enough to repel the advances of the very married Estate solicitor (attracted though she may be), quite blasphemous in her attack upon the town vicar, and (very politely) doesn’t put up with any chauvinistic crap thrown her way by man or woman (which is how this character won me over).
For those of you who are tired of reading, stop here….four stars.
For those of you interested in a sample of Eliza’s sharp mind (tongue), dry wit, and social commentary mixed equally with humor and pathos, see the following reminiscence of a pupil and her family (often still ringing true today):
…Clara had the sort of brain that could organize and rationalize without difficulty and, as young as she was, I rather thought that she might in time follow me into the pedagogical profession. I even spoke to Mrs. Farnsworth about her on several occasions, and she suggested that with her mathematical skills Clara might someday have a future as a secretary for a bank manager. I recall the incident specifically because I made a remark, intended as a joke, that perhaps she could even be the bank manager one day, whereupon Mrs. Farnsworth removed her glasses and looked at me aghast and accused me of being a revolutionary, a charge I denied.
‘You’re not a modern are you Eliza?’ she asked, standing to her full height and looking down at me, filling me with as much trepidation as she had when I was a small girl and she my teacher. ‘I won't stand for moderns at Saint Elizabeth's. And neither will the board of governors.’
‘No, of course not,’ I replied blushing furiously. ‘I was being facetious that's all.’
‘Hmm,’ she said unsatisfied’. ‘I hope so, Clara Sharpe the manager of the bank! The very idea!’
And yet although I did not consider myself to be a modern at all, I found her level of offense to be in itself offensive. Why should a girl not strive for higher things, after all? Why should we all not?
…I thought of Clara now because she ended up in a rather distressed condition. Her father was a drunkard while her mother did all she could to keep the family home together despite the pittance her husband brought in for the upkeep of his wife and daughter. What little money the man earned was more likely to be spent on porter than on food or clothing, and there was more than one morning when Clara arrived in the classroom her face bruised, and I longed to live in a decent civilized society where I might make inquiries about who had done the bruising and why. Not that I had any doubts as to the answer to that question. On such days I dreaded to imagine what Clara's mother looked like, for I suspected her father of mistreating his wife just as badly as he did his daughter. I considered going to the police but of course they would have laughed at me and said that what an Englishman did in the privacy of his own home was his own business.
But the man must have gone too far one night and attacked Mrs. Sharpe when her ire was drawn, for she took a roasting pot from the oven, turned on her heel and hit him so sharply across the head with it that he fell to the ground, dead. The poor woman. a victim of unanswered violence for so long, was immediately arrested - for naturally, an assault upon her husband was a crime, whereas an assault upon a wife fell into the realm of marital privilege. Unlike Santina Westerley, however, who was clearly an unbalanced creature, Mrs. Sharpe was not sentenced to death. The judge, a modern sort - Mrs Farnsworth would not have approved of him, believed that she deserved some leniency and commuted her sentence to life imprisonment without any possibility of parole, a sentence which in the same position, I would have liked infinitely less than a week of nervous anticipation, a few seconds of extraordinary pain, and an eternity of peace ever after, the reward offered by the rope. Clara, having no other family to take her in ended up in the workhouse…
She had a teaching job that did not pay much. Believing that she would not be able to pay for lodging and support herself for long with the very small amount of money her father was able to settle on her upon his death, Eliza saw an advertisement for the position of governess at a manor house in the country, to begin immediately. Eliza was surprised that no references were required, and she did not bother to do any checking on her own before accepting the position, so the reader is not nearly as surprised as she is to find that nothing was as she expected. Upon arriving at her destination, Eliza is greeted by two children, Isabella and Eustace. No parents are in the picture, nor are there any servants. Also, it turns out that she is about the sixth governess in the past year! Hmmmmm!
There is a hint of Jane Eyre in the air (sorry about that), but that quickly dissipates. There are definitely one or two ghosts in residence at any given time – one of whom is particularly malevolent and dangerous. Eliza finds that she has a few accidents where she is inexplicably pushed or injured – and to make matters worse, it transpires that of her five predecessors, one was murdered, three died under mysterious circumstances, and the one before Eliza managed to get away, just barely, by virtue of the misleading advertisement she placed that enticed Eliza to replace her.
So, we have Eliza in a typical gothic, governess ghost story. What was different about this story is that the weak pathetic heroine turns out to have a strict moral compass and strong backbone which drive the story. During her relentless pursuit of the truth behind what is going on at the manor, she is savvy enough to repel the advances of the very married Estate solicitor (attracted though she may be), quite blasphemous in her attack upon the town vicar, and (very politely) doesn’t put up with any chauvinistic crap thrown her way by man or woman (which is how this character won me over).
For those of you who are tired of reading, stop here….four stars.
For those of you interested in a sample of Eliza’s sharp mind (tongue), dry wit, and social commentary mixed equally with humor and pathos, see the following reminiscence of a pupil and her family (often still ringing true today):
…Clara had the sort of brain that could organize and rationalize without difficulty and, as young as she was, I rather thought that she might in time follow me into the pedagogical profession. I even spoke to Mrs. Farnsworth about her on several occasions, and she suggested that with her mathematical skills Clara might someday have a future as a secretary for a bank manager. I recall the incident specifically because I made a remark, intended as a joke, that perhaps she could even be the bank manager one day, whereupon Mrs. Farnsworth removed her glasses and looked at me aghast and accused me of being a revolutionary, a charge I denied.
‘You’re not a modern are you Eliza?’ she asked, standing to her full height and looking down at me, filling me with as much trepidation as she had when I was a small girl and she my teacher. ‘I won't stand for moderns at Saint Elizabeth's. And neither will the board of governors.’
‘No, of course not,’ I replied blushing furiously. ‘I was being facetious that's all.’
‘Hmm,’ she said unsatisfied’. ‘I hope so, Clara Sharpe the manager of the bank! The very idea!’
And yet although I did not consider myself to be a modern at all, I found her level of offense to be in itself offensive. Why should a girl not strive for higher things, after all? Why should we all not?
…I thought of Clara now because she ended up in a rather distressed condition. Her father was a drunkard while her mother did all she could to keep the family home together despite the pittance her husband brought in for the upkeep of his wife and daughter. What little money the man earned was more likely to be spent on porter than on food or clothing, and there was more than one morning when Clara arrived in the classroom her face bruised, and I longed to live in a decent civilized society where I might make inquiries about who had done the bruising and why. Not that I had any doubts as to the answer to that question. On such days I dreaded to imagine what Clara's mother looked like, for I suspected her father of mistreating his wife just as badly as he did his daughter. I considered going to the police but of course they would have laughed at me and said that what an Englishman did in the privacy of his own home was his own business.
But the man must have gone too far one night and attacked Mrs. Sharpe when her ire was drawn, for she took a roasting pot from the oven, turned on her heel and hit him so sharply across the head with it that he fell to the ground, dead. The poor woman. a victim of unanswered violence for so long, was immediately arrested - for naturally, an assault upon her husband was a crime, whereas an assault upon a wife fell into the realm of marital privilege. Unlike Santina Westerley, however, who was clearly an unbalanced creature, Mrs. Sharpe was not sentenced to death. The judge, a modern sort - Mrs Farnsworth would not have approved of him, believed that she deserved some leniency and commuted her sentence to life imprisonment without any possibility of parole, a sentence which in the same position, I would have liked infinitely less than a week of nervous anticipation, a few seconds of extraordinary pain, and an eternity of peace ever after, the reward offered by the rope. Clara, having no other family to take her in ended up in the workhouse…
August 9, 2016
Really, NPR ... one of the best books of 2013? Ugh!
This House is Haunted is absolutely, positively, irrefutably NOT one of the best books of 2013, and the fact that it made NPR's list disappoints me.
Attempting to write in Dickensian prose, John Boyne has indeed penned a ghost story, only it isn't an especially good one.
First and foremost, the main character Eliza Caine, a twenty-one-year old teacher who applies for a position as governess following the loss of her father (and sole family) only to find herself in a strangely precarious situation once in her new job, is one dimensional as well as completely unbelievable and unlikable. And it's not just the main character that is flat and lacks substance. There was not one well-constructed character in the entire book.
Add to that a rather weak, predictable, and anticlimatic story, and what do you have? A minimally engaging mystery that never quite lives up to its potential.
It wasn't horrible, but fell far short of my expectations.
Not sure I would recommend this book, but, who knows, you might like it.
If you're looking for a good ghost story, Shirley Jackson's The Haunting of Hill House, though older, is far superior in tone, writing, character development, plot, and ghostliness.
Would I ever read another book by this author? Maybe, if I came across it at a yard sale, or it was given to me. The premise of this book was intriguing and the characters had potential; unfortunately, the execution was significantly lacking. I'm also not sure Boyne nailed the "Dickensian" prose thing, either, and I think that was part of the problem. I didn't feel like I was reading Dickens. The language simply felt unnecessarily clunky and indulgent.
This House is Haunted is absolutely, positively, irrefutably NOT one of the best books of 2013, and the fact that it made NPR's list disappoints me.
Attempting to write in Dickensian prose, John Boyne has indeed penned a ghost story, only it isn't an especially good one.
First and foremost, the main character Eliza Caine, a twenty-one-year old teacher who applies for a position as governess following the loss of her father (and sole family) only to find herself in a strangely precarious situation once in her new job, is one dimensional as well as completely unbelievable and unlikable. And it's not just the main character that is flat and lacks substance. There was not one well-constructed character in the entire book.
Add to that a rather weak, predictable, and anticlimatic story, and what do you have? A minimally engaging mystery that never quite lives up to its potential.
It wasn't horrible, but fell far short of my expectations.
Not sure I would recommend this book, but, who knows, you might like it.
If you're looking for a good ghost story, Shirley Jackson's The Haunting of Hill House, though older, is far superior in tone, writing, character development, plot, and ghostliness.
Would I ever read another book by this author? Maybe, if I came across it at a yard sale, or it was given to me. The premise of this book was intriguing and the characters had potential; unfortunately, the execution was significantly lacking. I'm also not sure Boyne nailed the "Dickensian" prose thing, either, and I think that was part of the problem. I didn't feel like I was reading Dickens. The language simply felt unnecessarily clunky and indulgent.
September 4, 2015
This was a haunted house story so Dickensian in style, Dickens himself is a catalyst within. I listened to the audio version, narrated by Alison Larkin.
I enjoyed this story of Eliza Caine attempting to fulfill her position as governess to two children, in a house almost falling down due to disrepair. How she got there and her attempt to keep the children safe I will leave for you to discover.
I liked the style of the storytelling and I enjoyed the character of Eliza, though at times she seemed too wily and too naive-both at once. Where the story lost me was at the very end, which is usually where these types of books fall apart, in my opinion. In this case I didn't mind it because I enjoyed the journey towards the end so much.
The narrator, Alison Larkin, is new to me, but I loved her performance! She brought the characters alive and I will actively seek out more of her audio narrations in the future.
Overall, this was a decent haunted house story and I recommend it to fans of such.
I enjoyed this story of Eliza Caine attempting to fulfill her position as governess to two children, in a house almost falling down due to disrepair. How she got there and her attempt to keep the children safe I will leave for you to discover.
I liked the style of the storytelling and I enjoyed the character of Eliza, though at times she seemed too wily and too naive-both at once. Where the story lost me was at the very end, which is usually where these types of books fall apart, in my opinion. In this case I didn't mind it because I enjoyed the journey towards the end so much.
The narrator, Alison Larkin, is new to me, but I loved her performance! She brought the characters alive and I will actively seek out more of her audio narrations in the future.
Overall, this was a decent haunted house story and I recommend it to fans of such.
August 1, 2021
Absolutely spectacular book! It felt inspired somewhat by The Turn of the Screw. I loved unraveling the mystery with Eliza up until the hair-raising ending. Best “scary” book I’ve read in quite awhile!
November 10, 2021
"Throwing myself from the bed, I pulled the curtains across and ripped the bedspread away but there was nothing there. I stood, my heart pounding. I had not imagined it. Two hands had gripped my ankles and pulled me. I could still feel them. I stared in disbelief, but before I could gather my thoughts the door flew open and a sharp light filled the corridor, a white, ghost-like figure standing before me.” (PG. 63)
This was a marvelously spooky read. Perfect for under the covers and looking behind you or hearing a noise somewhere in the house or seeing that shadow move.... Creepy.
If this novel had a baby it would be a cross between Rebecca (Daphne du Maurier) and La Llorana, the Mexican folklore, we were threatened with if we were bad in Mexican culture. (Google her!)
I feel like if I talk about the novel I will give too much away or botch it but I highly recommend it. This is also my first John Boyne (I read 'The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas' but I don't remember it bc it was so long ago and it was a YA). This will not be my last Boyne. He doesn't mince words and the story moves along nicely. I had someone to root for and many I found suspicious and a few I didn't like. He knows the formula! It will stay with me for a long time.
This was a marvelously spooky read. Perfect for under the covers and looking behind you or hearing a noise somewhere in the house or seeing that shadow move.... Creepy.
If this novel had a baby it would be a cross between Rebecca (Daphne du Maurier) and La Llorana, the Mexican folklore, we were threatened with if we were bad in Mexican culture. (Google her!)
I feel like if I talk about the novel I will give too much away or botch it but I highly recommend it. This is also my first John Boyne (I read 'The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas' but I don't remember it bc it was so long ago and it was a YA). This will not be my last Boyne. He doesn't mince words and the story moves along nicely. I had someone to root for and many I found suspicious and a few I didn't like. He knows the formula! It will stay with me for a long time.
March 24, 2016
A quick glance at my GoodReads will confirm that I don't often give poor reviews. But this book deserves one. Despite this, I implore you to read it, for it is a book so bad it has to be read to be believed. From the beginning, with it's picture-perfect ghostly atmosphere, this book is more pomp than plot, and entirely fur coat and no knickers. Eliza Caine is painted as the ugly girl with the big heart. Or at least she was supposed to be. Her entire character falls as flat as John Boyne's attempt at horror. The scenes of terror and fear are so predictable and formulaic that it's hard to imagine adults anywhere could be taking it seriously. Aspects of the plot lead to nothing, even the ones with genuine potential, and by the time it ends, you have no sympathy for the heroine, as her two dimensional personality becomes a real bore. Boyne forgets "writing 101" in this book. "Show don't say". Boyne makes the crucial mistake of assuming his readers are children or stupid, and explains his characters every move and motive.
He also chooses to reference Dickens a lot, which is unfortunate, as it draws me to the perfect conclusion to this review. Dickens once said a good novelist will "make em laugh, make em cry, make em wait". I laughed at this premise, I cried that it was written, and I could not wait for the end.
He also chooses to reference Dickens a lot, which is unfortunate, as it draws me to the perfect conclusion to this review. Dickens once said a good novelist will "make em laugh, make em cry, make em wait". I laughed at this premise, I cried that it was written, and I could not wait for the end.
August 20, 2014
Ok, I'm happy....finally a good old-fashioned nineteenth century ghost story!
How would you like to attend a book reading by DICKENS himself telling a spooky tale? That is how this novel begins, and continues along in an unsettling manner for the new governess of Gaudlin Hall. For Eliza Caine, the secrets of the past are slowly uncovered, but "the presence" in the old house reveals itself from day one and becomes increasingly violent as the story evolves.
Not super scary, but still creepy good with a great ending!
December 4, 2018
El autor me gusta y que ahora entrara en el terror me hizo leerlo a toda velocidad.
La historia es la misma de muchas otras, pero si ya has leído a John sabes lo que puede lograr y eso es lo que podemos ver en este libro.
A pesar de que es muy simple en su estructura logra trasmitir la ansiedad y una que otra respiración entrecortada, porque la facilidad de transmitir emociones es algo que este señor hace a la perfección.
El aura es oscura y asfixiante, te sentirás observado por este ente que habita en la que casa y podrás sentir como el aire se vuelve más denso conforme te acercas a desentrañar su origen.
La historia es la misma de muchas otras, pero si ya has leído a John sabes lo que puede lograr y eso es lo que podemos ver en este libro.
A pesar de que es muy simple en su estructura logra trasmitir la ansiedad y una que otra respiración entrecortada, porque la facilidad de transmitir emociones es algo que este señor hace a la perfección.
El aura es oscura y asfixiante, te sentirás observado por este ente que habita en la que casa y podrás sentir como el aire se vuelve más denso conforme te acercas a desentrañar su origen.
October 14, 2013
Although a haunted house with a governess and two young children is nothing new, this is a wonderful read for October. The atmosphere is just scary enough, the back story all the authors own with a few unique touches. A very young governess named Eliza Caine who is just wonderful. Two children, a girl and boy, though it was the young boy that I loved. A big old house with many secrets within and without and of course a mystery to solve. Who is haunting this house and why? The pace is quick and the journey to discover what is going on is deliciously creepy. The end surprising, but then again, maybe not. Well worth a read if you like spooky stories.
February 13, 2019
A 19th century gothic, ghostly Dickensonian read.
The cover of the book I got from the library was quite sinister looking so that lured me in.
Eliza Caine is our main character. She is a very young, innocent teacher at an all girls school. Her mother and her sister passed on early in her life; Eliza has no friends, no relatives other than her dearest Father. It is when her Father passes and her grief is consuming, she sees an advertisement for a governess for two children. Deciding to make a fresh start, she inquires further, is offered the position, which she accepts, and tenders her resignation at the neighborhood school.
She arrives at Gaudlin Hall and the mysteries begin at the station and the ride to the estate. It continues when the door is opened only by her two charges, Isabella, 12 years old and Eustace, 8 years old. Isabella has a strange way about her and her speaking mannerisms. She certainly looks after her brother, Eustace. Eustace is my favorite and Eliza and him bond closer than her and Isabelle. You can tell that prior circumstances have brought these two children to look out after each other.
There is some dark history behind the house and events and people of the past. You’ve got your dark, dank mansion that is undergoing some decay. There is a cook (or what?) who is only seen in early mornings and disappears as quickly, but that’s another part of the story. There is a rogue, rude transport/handyman that lives in a back cottage by himself; he is questionable in nature, as is his horse and dog.
There are no other adults on the premises, and Eliza can’t fathom how these 2 young children are left alone to fend for themselves. Well, they’re not - they’ve had governesses, six in a year; five that are dead and one that ran the hell away from Gaudlin Hall as fast as she could.
Who to go to for information? The townspeople don’t actually say much but the avoidance behavior and looks Eliza gets are enough to know that something strange is up. Mr. Raisin, the appointed executor of the estate has answers, but is slow to reveal them to Eliza for fear she too, will leave. The church priest too, has probably said way too much.
Eliza came into this job as an innocent young lady, grieving over the death of her beloved Father. She does not sit back and let this odd new governess experience consume her; she pokes and prods and becomes insistent on getting the story of Gaudlin Hall, it’s inhabitants and it’s former life. Ah, be careful there Eliza, you might not like what you find out, and you also might not be able to overcome what has been thriving here.
There are some paranormal experiences which are to be expected in a ghostly tale like this. There’s a sense throughout the book that her Fathers’ loving spirit is there, looking after Eliza, as he promised. A bit unsettling as we reach the end, but it’s a satisfactory ending to the story.
An average/good read; 3 ghostly stars. This is my second John Boyne read.
The cover of the book I got from the library was quite sinister looking so that lured me in.
Eliza Caine is our main character. She is a very young, innocent teacher at an all girls school. Her mother and her sister passed on early in her life; Eliza has no friends, no relatives other than her dearest Father. It is when her Father passes and her grief is consuming, she sees an advertisement for a governess for two children. Deciding to make a fresh start, she inquires further, is offered the position, which she accepts, and tenders her resignation at the neighborhood school.
She arrives at Gaudlin Hall and the mysteries begin at the station and the ride to the estate. It continues when the door is opened only by her two charges, Isabella, 12 years old and Eustace, 8 years old. Isabella has a strange way about her and her speaking mannerisms. She certainly looks after her brother, Eustace. Eustace is my favorite and Eliza and him bond closer than her and Isabelle. You can tell that prior circumstances have brought these two children to look out after each other.
There is some dark history behind the house and events and people of the past. You’ve got your dark, dank mansion that is undergoing some decay. There is a cook (or what?) who is only seen in early mornings and disappears as quickly, but that’s another part of the story. There is a rogue, rude transport/handyman that lives in a back cottage by himself; he is questionable in nature, as is his horse and dog.
There are no other adults on the premises, and Eliza can’t fathom how these 2 young children are left alone to fend for themselves. Well, they’re not - they’ve had governesses, six in a year; five that are dead and one that ran the hell away from Gaudlin Hall as fast as she could.
Who to go to for information? The townspeople don’t actually say much but the avoidance behavior and looks Eliza gets are enough to know that something strange is up. Mr. Raisin, the appointed executor of the estate has answers, but is slow to reveal them to Eliza for fear she too, will leave. The church priest too, has probably said way too much.
Eliza came into this job as an innocent young lady, grieving over the death of her beloved Father. She does not sit back and let this odd new governess experience consume her; she pokes and prods and becomes insistent on getting the story of Gaudlin Hall, it’s inhabitants and it’s former life. Ah, be careful there Eliza, you might not like what you find out, and you also might not be able to overcome what has been thriving here.
There are some paranormal experiences which are to be expected in a ghostly tale like this. There’s a sense throughout the book that her Fathers’ loving spirit is there, looking after Eliza, as he promised. A bit unsettling as we reach the end, but it’s a satisfactory ending to the story.
An average/good read; 3 ghostly stars. This is my second John Boyne read.
November 7, 2017
4.5 stars. I thoroughly enjoyed this ghost story. It was exactly what I was looking for: atmospheric, British, well-written, and as believable as books of this genre can be. It wasn't too predictable and there was even a bit of a "gotcha" ending. It loses half a star because the writing wasn't as stellar as I think books with a five star rating should be, and it was a bit predictable in places. But overall, it gave me what I was expecting, which is what it's all about, for me. I enjoyed it, and I'd read this author again.
October 21, 2013
I had been looking forward to reading this book, as I love a good ghost story, particularly those by M.R. James. I’d read a favourable short review and the cover looked intriguing.
What a disappointment. The story is sadly lacking in originality, with Charlotte Bronte, Arthur Conan Doyle and Henry James all showing through its flimsy surface. It starts promisingly but then lapses into gothic cliché, with the heroine being offered a post as a governess at creepy Gaudlin Hall in the wilds of the countryside, where a patient is being held secretly in the attic. Now, where have we read this before? The children are very reminiscent of The Turn of the Screw, and the cause of the (not very frightening) ghostly phenomena is easy to guess. The author adds the topical issue of child sexual abuse to the mixture, but its effect on a crucial character I found very unconvincing.
What bothered me even more were all the anachronisms in the language, which ruined any illusion that the story was taking place in the 1860s. When asked how they are, people reply: “Fine”. The children address the protagonist as “Eliza Caine” rather than Miss Caine. Women call each other by their first names when they are mere acquaintances. Eliza says that she has “a job” rather than a place or a situation. Everyone uses the locution “I don’t have” (I am old enough to remember when this crept into UK parlance, but I’m not that old). People even say: “Hopefully”!
If one is going to write a pastiche, it is surely important to get the details right. I see that John Boyne’s novels have been published in more than forty-five languages. Had he been a struggling indie writer, I should have refrained from writing a review.
What a disappointment. The story is sadly lacking in originality, with Charlotte Bronte, Arthur Conan Doyle and Henry James all showing through its flimsy surface. It starts promisingly but then lapses into gothic cliché, with the heroine being offered a post as a governess at creepy Gaudlin Hall in the wilds of the countryside, where a patient is being held secretly in the attic. Now, where have we read this before? The children are very reminiscent of The Turn of the Screw, and the cause of the (not very frightening) ghostly phenomena is easy to guess. The author adds the topical issue of child sexual abuse to the mixture, but its effect on a crucial character I found very unconvincing.
What bothered me even more were all the anachronisms in the language, which ruined any illusion that the story was taking place in the 1860s. When asked how they are, people reply: “Fine”. The children address the protagonist as “Eliza Caine” rather than Miss Caine. Women call each other by their first names when they are mere acquaintances. Eliza says that she has “a job” rather than a place or a situation. Everyone uses the locution “I don’t have” (I am old enough to remember when this crept into UK parlance, but I’m not that old). People even say: “Hopefully”!
If one is going to write a pastiche, it is surely important to get the details right. I see that John Boyne’s novels have been published in more than forty-five languages. Had he been a struggling indie writer, I should have refrained from writing a review.
October 25, 2022
1867
Eliza Caine has accepted a job as a governess at Gaudlin Hall in Norfolk. Once she gets off the train, she feels a pair of hands pushing her in the path of an approaching train. Luckily, she is saved and makes it to the home and is greeted by the two children, Isabella, and Eustace., she is going to be looking after. There are no parents, and no one else to offer any explanations. This was troubling to me, but Eliza is not to be deterred but later that night has another scary experience in her room.
The next morning, still no parents but what there is a sense that something isn't right. Plus, there is the nagging feeling that there is a presence in the home. Again, Eliza will not be deterred. She is going to get to the bottom of things.
This was a gripping, Gothic tale. I enjoyed how Eliza was strong and did not give up as other nannies/governesses have done before her. She is courageous and determined. As she learns more the history of Gaudlin Hall, things become more suspenseful and tense.
The book began with Eliza and her father attending a ghost story reading by Charles Dickens. This set the stage for Eliza to one day be in a house with a ghost/haunted house. While this book will not keep you up at night or elevate your heart rate, it will fit delight in the Gothic and creepy feel of the book. Plus, that ending!
**This was a buddy read with Brenda-Traveling Sisters Book reviews. Please check out her review as well.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com
Eliza Caine has accepted a job as a governess at Gaudlin Hall in Norfolk. Once she gets off the train, she feels a pair of hands pushing her in the path of an approaching train. Luckily, she is saved and makes it to the home and is greeted by the two children, Isabella, and Eustace., she is going to be looking after. There are no parents, and no one else to offer any explanations. This was troubling to me, but Eliza is not to be deterred but later that night has another scary experience in her room.
The next morning, still no parents but what there is a sense that something isn't right. Plus, there is the nagging feeling that there is a presence in the home. Again, Eliza will not be deterred. She is going to get to the bottom of things.
This was a gripping, Gothic tale. I enjoyed how Eliza was strong and did not give up as other nannies/governesses have done before her. She is courageous and determined. As she learns more the history of Gaudlin Hall, things become more suspenseful and tense.
The book began with Eliza and her father attending a ghost story reading by Charles Dickens. This set the stage for Eliza to one day be in a house with a ghost/haunted house. While this book will not keep you up at night or elevate your heart rate, it will fit delight in the Gothic and creepy feel of the book. Plus, that ending!
**This was a buddy read with Brenda-Traveling Sisters Book reviews. Please check out her review as well.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com
October 9, 2018
Londres, 1867
Charles Dickens fue el culpable de la muerte de mi padre.
Estos días, en los que no buscaba otra cosa que algo con lo que pasar el rato cuando no podía dormir... qué mejor que una historia de fantasmas.
Eliza Caine tiene 21 años, es maestra y no muy agraciada, por lo que ella misma supone que probablemente nunca se casará. Huérfana de madre desde niña, su padre fallece y ella, sin familiares ni amigos, decide dar un giro radical a su vida en la capital y contesta a una oferta de empleo como institutriz en el condado de Norfolk. Cuando llega a Gaudlin Hall, nada es lo que había esperado, por supuesto.
No falta aquí ni uno solo de los elementos típicos y tópicos en toda novela de este estilo, que son casi versiones de Otra vuelta de tuerca, con algunas escenas bastante conseguidas: niños siniestros, mansión decadente y embrujada, secretos familiares, algún que otro cementerio, niebla espesa, criados inquietantes...
Lo esperado. Pero me ha sorprendido y gustado su tono paródico sin llegar a serlo por completo, tanto en la descripción de los “sucesos” como en la protagonista-narradora y su inocencia exagerada (—Bueno, pues adelante —me dijo—, escúpalo de una vez. La miré sin saber qué quería decir. ¿Le habría echado veneno al té?) o su actitud hacia los hombres.
En definitiva, una novela agradable, entretenida y divertida. Que no es poco.
Charles Dickens fue el culpable de la muerte de mi padre.
Estos días, en los que no buscaba otra cosa que algo con lo que pasar el rato cuando no podía dormir... qué mejor que una historia de fantasmas.
Eliza Caine tiene 21 años, es maestra y no muy agraciada, por lo que ella misma supone que probablemente nunca se casará. Huérfana de madre desde niña, su padre fallece y ella, sin familiares ni amigos, decide dar un giro radical a su vida en la capital y contesta a una oferta de empleo como institutriz en el condado de Norfolk. Cuando llega a Gaudlin Hall, nada es lo que había esperado, por supuesto.
No falta aquí ni uno solo de los elementos típicos y tópicos en toda novela de este estilo, que son casi versiones de Otra vuelta de tuerca, con algunas escenas bastante conseguidas: niños siniestros, mansión decadente y embrujada, secretos familiares, algún que otro cementerio, niebla espesa, criados inquietantes...
Lo esperado. Pero me ha sorprendido y gustado su tono paródico sin llegar a serlo por completo, tanto en la descripción de los “sucesos” como en la protagonista-narradora y su inocencia exagerada (—Bueno, pues adelante —me dijo—, escúpalo de una vez. La miré sin saber qué quería decir. ¿Le habría echado veneno al té?) o su actitud hacia los hombres.
En definitiva, una novela agradable, entretenida y divertida. Que no es poco.
April 30, 2021
This was an unexpected treat for me. I love John Boyne novels but not really a great fan of horror stories so was wary of reading this one. I really enjoyed this from start to finish, loved the story telling and totally absorbed in it. Very interesting mix of characters and so well told.
Set in 1867, the story follows the life of Eliza Caine, a teacher who is grieving the death of her father. With a need to start a new life she decides to leave her job as a teacher to become the governess of Gaudlin Hall in Norfolk. To Eliza’s amazement the advert for the position was placed by the previous governess and when she arrives at Gaudlin Hall she is met by two children rather than the parents. With no parents in sight Eliza is shown around by the two strange children twelve year old Isabella and eight year old Eustace. Investigations by Eliza uncover that she is the sixth governess in the last twelve months although the locals are very reluctant to talk about the goings on at the hall. After a lot of prying Eliza discovers that the children’s mother Santina beat both her husband and the first governess, Miss Tomlin leaving her husband brutally injured and bed ridden. The children’s father remains at the hall and is only cared for by the nurse. Santina was executed for the murder but her spirit still haunts the hall and there are more than a few very strange happenings.
This is a gripping horror story that was a real change for me but I loved every minute of it.
Set in 1867, the story follows the life of Eliza Caine, a teacher who is grieving the death of her father. With a need to start a new life she decides to leave her job as a teacher to become the governess of Gaudlin Hall in Norfolk. To Eliza’s amazement the advert for the position was placed by the previous governess and when she arrives at Gaudlin Hall she is met by two children rather than the parents. With no parents in sight Eliza is shown around by the two strange children twelve year old Isabella and eight year old Eustace. Investigations by Eliza uncover that she is the sixth governess in the last twelve months although the locals are very reluctant to talk about the goings on at the hall. After a lot of prying Eliza discovers that the children’s mother Santina beat both her husband and the first governess, Miss Tomlin leaving her husband brutally injured and bed ridden. The children’s father remains at the hall and is only cared for by the nurse. Santina was executed for the murder but her spirit still haunts the hall and there are more than a few very strange happenings.
This is a gripping horror story that was a real change for me but I loved every minute of it.
November 28, 2015
3 stars for this pleasant but not particularly scary tale of Eliza Kane who takes up her position as governess at Gaudlin Hall following the death of her father.
After surviving a near death experience at the train station, and having been saved by the local Doctor, Eliza finds the children alone - no parents, no servants, no governess, and the children will not explain.
Eliza soon learns that she is the fifth governess in six months, all but one of them having met an untimely end. And as attempts on her life continue, Eliza battles to uncover the secrets of Gaudlin Hall.
This book is certainly worth reading, it is interesting, well written, but as I said not particularly chilling, which is what I expected from it.
There was also one inconsistency in it at the end that weighed upon me. . If it had not been for this, I probably would have rated it 3 1/2 stars.
After surviving a near death experience at the train station, and having been saved by the local Doctor, Eliza finds the children alone - no parents, no servants, no governess, and the children will not explain.
Eliza soon learns that she is the fifth governess in six months, all but one of them having met an untimely end. And as attempts on her life continue, Eliza battles to uncover the secrets of Gaudlin Hall.
This book is certainly worth reading, it is interesting, well written, but as I said not particularly chilling, which is what I expected from it.
There was also one inconsistency in it at the end that weighed upon me. . If it had not been for this, I probably would have rated it 3 1/2 stars.
October 25, 2015
John Boyne’s novel, This House is Haunted is an eerie tale set in London. The story takes place in the mid 1800’s and centers around Gaudlin Hall.
Our main character, Eliza Caine, has recently lost her father and takes a position as the governess for the Westerly children. From the moment Eliza arrives at the train station things start to happen that make her question her hasty decision to take on this new job.
When Eliza mentions in passing that she will be taking up residence as the new governess at Gaudlin Hall she can't help but notice the shudder that passes through her audience.
Is that terror in their eyes?
Or is it sadness?
When she arrives at the estate she is surprised to find the two children, Isabella and Eusatace, are the only ones there to greet her. But surely there is someone who is watching over the children.
The governess she is meant to replace?
The Father?
The Mother?
Isabella is quick to reassure Eliza that they are fine and that there was nothing funny going on here. But Eliza isn't so easily reassured. The children’s behavior and the lack of other adults in the home make reassurance impossible.
But one morning Eliza sees someone fleeing the house. Just a flutter of a coat and a few strands of hair that blow in the wind.
Who is this woman? Why is she leaving? Why will no one come to Gaudlin Hall? Why will no one answer her questions? Why do they cringe when she states where she resides?
What secrets do these walls hold?
But more importantly, who is Isabella whispering to when she is by herself?
A super creepy book that should be read in October, but that I read in July with my favorite group of girls.
June 3, 2016
Well that one ticked every single box.
Spooky, historical fiction. Simple story line, none of this to-ing and fro-ing that can sometimes get a bit tedious. Ghosts, eerie children, old mansion and posh talk of the era, how fabulous ;-)
Spooky, historical fiction. Simple story line, none of this to-ing and fro-ing that can sometimes get a bit tedious. Ghosts, eerie children, old mansion and posh talk of the era, how fabulous ;-)
June 20, 2017
A nice ghost story
This is a nice old fashioned ghost story. We don't get many like this anymore. Good story, well written and likable characters.
This is a nice old fashioned ghost story. We don't get many like this anymore. Good story, well written and likable characters.
April 25, 2018
This House is Haunted is essentially a love letter to Victorian and Gothic literature - it's like if you put The Turn of the Screw, Jane Eyre, and the complete works of Charles Dickens into a blender, with an occasionally tongue in cheek contemporary spin. It's also a reminder of why John Boyne is one of my favorite authors; there's such a compulsively readable quality to his prose, where it's witty and compelling and tense all at once.
I feel like a very common pitfall of the ghost story horror genre is phenomenal buildup to a sort of anticlimactic conclusion, and I'm sorry to say that this isn't really an exception. This is filled to the brim with delightful ghost story tropes that fans of this genre will adore (a spooky Gothic mansion, creepy children, a standoffish caretaker, a harrowing family history), and I loved the experience of reading this novel, but as we got closer to the end, I became more confident that I was going to be disappointed, and sure enough, the climactic scene and denouement left me pretty cold. There's also an entire element of the resolution that didn't totally work for me (the presence and identity of the second spirit I thought took away a lot of the tension).
But, all that said, I'd be lying if I said I didn't enjoy this book. I loved the way Boyne played into certain familiar tropes while subverting others. I loved our heroine Eliza, who's both vulnerable and strong-willed. And, to give credit where it's due, creating a compelling ghost story as a contemporary author is hard. How on earth do you write a conclusion that's fresh, devoid of cliches, and appropriately scary for your modern reader? I still haven't found a ghost story that totally works for me in this regard, so I'll have to keep looking. But for its wonderful buildup, vivid characters, and clever prose, I'm rounding up my 3.5 stars.
I feel like a very common pitfall of the ghost story horror genre is phenomenal buildup to a sort of anticlimactic conclusion, and I'm sorry to say that this isn't really an exception. This is filled to the brim with delightful ghost story tropes that fans of this genre will adore (a spooky Gothic mansion, creepy children, a standoffish caretaker, a harrowing family history), and I loved the experience of reading this novel, but as we got closer to the end, I became more confident that I was going to be disappointed, and sure enough, the climactic scene and denouement left me pretty cold. There's also an entire element of the resolution that didn't totally work for me (the presence and identity of the second spirit I thought took away a lot of the tension).
But, all that said, I'd be lying if I said I didn't enjoy this book. I loved the way Boyne played into certain familiar tropes while subverting others. I loved our heroine Eliza, who's both vulnerable and strong-willed. And, to give credit where it's due, creating a compelling ghost story as a contemporary author is hard. How on earth do you write a conclusion that's fresh, devoid of cliches, and appropriately scary for your modern reader? I still haven't found a ghost story that totally works for me in this regard, so I'll have to keep looking. But for its wonderful buildup, vivid characters, and clever prose, I'm rounding up my 3.5 stars.
September 27, 2013
This house is clearly haunted. So why stay there in this haunted, decaying, country estate? For the sake of a good story, that’s why. 21 year-old Eliza Caine is left parentless, optionless, and eventually homeless when coming across an ad in the newspaper for employment as a governess. Her grief for losing her father, of which she blames on Charles Dickens, motivates her to leave work as a school teacher in hopes of finding a new beginning in Norfolk. She just didn’t anticipate her new beginning could potentially be her ending.
John Boyne is a favorite of mine after reading only one novel, The Absolutist. When I was given notice that I was approved for This House is Haunted via Netgalley, I could not have been more excited. A favorite author of mine writing, in one of my favorite genres, what could possibly go wrong?
Boyne brings to life the world that was London 1867 with this atmospheric, gothic tale of a woman who crosses paths with a ghost I wouldn’t want to be alone in a back alley with. Eliza, being educated, is able to paint a vivid picture in this narrative. There’s enough foreshadowing to draw readers into the mystery that is the Westerley estate. But there’s also enough information given to our heroine to suggest she’s as insane as the ghost for sticking around.
Although Eliza makes some questionable decisions, John Boyne fleshes her out completely. She is definitely the most developed, well rounded character in This House is Haunted. Because she can’t know everything about all the people she comes in contact with, they are a little thin but still handled well enough that they are memorable. The children in her care Isabella and Eustace could have been developed a lot more, but I attribute their lack of depth to add to the mysterious tone in this novel.
Although there is no doubt that Boyne is an accomplished writer, being a lover of all things thrills and chills, I noticed that he did fall into a few b-horror movie traps. I won’t list them all. They’ll scream from the pages at you like the woman who dies first in every horror movie. I couldn’t for the life of me understand why Eliza stayed. Even in the end… maybe I’m a wuss, but no! I’m not staying anywhere I’m not wanted. There didn’t seem to be enough of a bond, so why go through all the scrapes, bruises, hunting, running, and near-death encounters? Oh yes! I answered already. For the sake of a good story that is.
This House is Haunted doesn’t add anything new to the genre that is gothic, historical fiction, but is definitely worth the read. John Boyne is definitely a favorite and this exploration of unbreakable bonds should be on anyone’s to-read list. The word flow and pacing will keep readers reading from page one to the end in one sitting.
John Boyne is a favorite of mine after reading only one novel, The Absolutist. When I was given notice that I was approved for This House is Haunted via Netgalley, I could not have been more excited. A favorite author of mine writing, in one of my favorite genres, what could possibly go wrong?
Boyne brings to life the world that was London 1867 with this atmospheric, gothic tale of a woman who crosses paths with a ghost I wouldn’t want to be alone in a back alley with. Eliza, being educated, is able to paint a vivid picture in this narrative. There’s enough foreshadowing to draw readers into the mystery that is the Westerley estate. But there’s also enough information given to our heroine to suggest she’s as insane as the ghost for sticking around.
Although Eliza makes some questionable decisions, John Boyne fleshes her out completely. She is definitely the most developed, well rounded character in This House is Haunted. Because she can’t know everything about all the people she comes in contact with, they are a little thin but still handled well enough that they are memorable. The children in her care Isabella and Eustace could have been developed a lot more, but I attribute their lack of depth to add to the mysterious tone in this novel.
Although there is no doubt that Boyne is an accomplished writer, being a lover of all things thrills and chills, I noticed that he did fall into a few b-horror movie traps. I won’t list them all. They’ll scream from the pages at you like the woman who dies first in every horror movie. I couldn’t for the life of me understand why Eliza stayed. Even in the end… maybe I’m a wuss, but no! I’m not staying anywhere I’m not wanted. There didn’t seem to be enough of a bond, so why go through all the scrapes, bruises, hunting, running, and near-death encounters? Oh yes! I answered already. For the sake of a good story that is.
This House is Haunted doesn’t add anything new to the genre that is gothic, historical fiction, but is definitely worth the read. John Boyne is definitely a favorite and this exploration of unbreakable bonds should be on anyone’s to-read list. The word flow and pacing will keep readers reading from page one to the end in one sitting.
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