This is a story of ghosts and romance but it exceeds any horror or paranormal storyline because of its beautiful prose and the supernaturalism.
Freddie is introspective and endearing. His relationship with Fabrissa becomes unforgettable as they discover each other. They are in the French Pyrenees in 1928 (World War I). There are hidden caves that reflect the hidden secrets in the story and within the characters. That kind of symbolism and theme are always intriguing for me.
Kate Mosse is skilled in her evocative prose. Ex: "He walked like a man recently returned to the world. Every step was careful and deliberate. Every step to be relished . . . For every step was a little too careful, too deliberate, as if he were unwilling to take even the ground beneath his feet entirely for granted."
That image, that feeling, was profound for me. Even though it is a ghostly story, it does not read as scary; it has a strong cerebral element that drew me into the mystery. It is a little melancholy but still tightly knitted into a supernatural adventure.
Totally captivating and probably Mosse's best novel. If you've not read her at all, start with The Winter Ghosts.
From the New York Times bestselling author of Sepulchre and Labyrinth-a compelling story of love, ghosts and remembrance.
World War I robbed England and France of an entire generation of friends, lovers and futures. In Freddie Watson's case, the battlefields took his beloved brother and, at times, his peace of mind. In the winter of 1928, still seeking some kind of resolution, Freddie is travelling through the beautiful but forbidding French Pyrenees. During a snowstorm, his car spins off the mountain road. Freezing and dazed, he stumbles through the woods, emerging in a tiny village, where he finds an inn…
The writing by Paula Brackston is A+. Morgana, the main character emerges fully drawn; I felt like I knew her immediately.
This is a woman who doesn't speak! The author writes clear and vivid descriptions—so visual that it puts me deeply into the scenes, and that keeps my attention strong.
Morgana has a kind of wild nature in the Welsh countryside, making her mysterious that is contrasted by her silence. Her marriage to Cai becomes a tumble of love, anxiety, and fear, which adds a haunting tension.
I especially found Morgana’s witch-walking to be amazing, and I was cheering for her all the way through the dark forces prevailing. Here is a tale of old witchcraft, good vs. evil, with strong literary values. As a reader, I was transported into this bewitching world. Great storytelling.
New York Times bestselling author Paula Brackston transports readers to the windswept mountains of Wales in The Winter Witch, an enthralling tale of love and magic.
In her small early nineteenth century Welsh town, there is no one quite like Morgana. She is small and quick and pretty enough to attract a suitor, but there are things that set her apart from other girls. Though her mind is sharp she has not spoken since she was a young girl. Her silence is a mystery, as well as her magic—the household objects that seem to move at her command, the bad…
This is an anthology of short stories by a variety of talented and seasoned authors, literary horror, but in the subgenre of 'body horror.' I am not one to read body horror, or any extreme horror, because it's just too visceral for me, and I have to close the book. However, Joyce Carol Oates as editor, and with one of her stories in the anthology, is a stunning writer and probably has the most profound appreciation for all ranges of horror writing.
So, I trusted Oates' taste here; I'm glad I did. No matter how gruesome a piece of horror writing is, if done respectfully and intelligently, it will stand on its own merit (a reading experience I am still learning).
The stories here are elegant, intelligent as they are graceful, although some stories did make me cringe. And a shudder or two, but I'm overly sensitive. “Muzzle” is a thrill for lycanthropy fans. You'll find author Margaret Atwood here and her story will strike quite weird but mesmerizing. Readers who know author Elizabeth Hand will find her “The Seventh Bride" haunting if not sinister. Oates' "Chair of Tranquillity" is a "Wow" experience—an abhorrent look at 19th-century medical treatment of ‘female hysteria.’ I had no idea such brutal practices existed. Knowing Oates as the esteemed author she is, I could be sure her research is accurate.
I challenge any woman not to be affected by "Chair of Tranquility." Every man alive should read it.
Joyce Carol Oates assembles an outstanding cast of authors―including Margaret Atwood, Tananarive Due, and Megan Abbott―to explore, subvert, and reinvent one of the most vital subgenres of horror
"In this haunting new collection, edited by Oates, fifteen women writers explore the manifold horrors of living (and dying) in a patriarchal society . . . this collection may initially appeal to readers eager for tales filled with vampires and werewolves, influences from beyond the grave, and gore, guts, and ooze. They will not be disappointed. However, the stories not only bleed across the categorical boundaries they have been assigned, but also…
Draakensky Windmill Estate throbs with mystery and magick. A murder. A sorcerer. A dark spirit. When Charlotte Knight, a sketch artist, arrives at Draakensky, she becomes ensnared in a supernatural web of powers. A ghost haunts her with whispers and appearances. Jaa Morland, spinster of Draakensky, is a sorcerer skilled in wind magick and unnervingly eccentric. When Charlotte meets Marc Sexton of Bedford, she discovers he has secret magickal powers that may be linked to wolf magick.
These magickal realms and ghostly hauntings on Draakensky propel Charlotte to confront her greatest fears and the persistent apparition stalking her. This is a Gothic romance, quietly horrific, full of atmospheric prose that spins a suspenseful adventure from murder to mystery to magick.
