What do you think?
The Haunting of Alaizabel Cray
Thaniel, just seventeen, is a wych-hunter. Together, he and Cathaline--his friend and mentor--track down the fearful creatures that lurk in the Old Quarter of London. It is on one of these hunts that he first encounters Alaizabel Cray. Alaizabel is half-crazed, lovely, and possessed.Whatever dreadful entity has entered her soul has turned her into a strange and unearthly magnet--attracting evil and drawing horrors from every dark corner. Cathaline and Thaniel must discover its cause--and defend humanity at all costs.
338 pages, Paperback
First published June 15, 2001
About the author
Chris Wooding
82 books2,236 followersChris Wooding grew up in a small town in Leicestershire, where not much of anything happened. So he started to write novels. He was sixteen when he completed his first. He had an agent by eighteen. By nineteen he had signed his first book deal. When he left university he began to write full-time, and he has been doing it professionally all his adult life.
Now thirty-nine, Chris has written over twenty books, which have been translated into twenty languages, won various awards and been published around the world. He writes for film and television, and has several projects in development.
Chris has travelled extensively round the world, having backpacked all over Europe and North America, Scandinavia, South East Asia, Japan and South Africa. He also lived in Madrid for a time. When he wasn’t travelling on his own, he spent his twenties touring with bands and seeing the UK and Europe from the back of a van.
He also learned not so long ago that his family tree can be traced back to John Milton, author of Paradise Lost, which has no bearing on him whatsoever but it’s kind of interesting anyway.
Chris lives in London.
Now thirty-nine, Chris has written over twenty books, which have been translated into twenty languages, won various awards and been published around the world. He writes for film and television, and has several projects in development.
Chris has travelled extensively round the world, having backpacked all over Europe and North America, Scandinavia, South East Asia, Japan and South Africa. He also lived in Madrid for a time. When he wasn’t travelling on his own, he spent his twenties touring with bands and seeing the UK and Europe from the back of a van.
He also learned not so long ago that his family tree can be traced back to John Milton, author of Paradise Lost, which has no bearing on him whatsoever but it’s kind of interesting anyway.
Chris lives in London.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 366 reviews
September 25, 2024
„Обсебването на Елейзабел Крей“ е много силно и мрачно фентъзи с хорър елементи! Историята притежава напрегнато действие и пленителна стиймпънк атмосфера. В зловещ алтернативен вариант на Лондон често се случват мистични събития, както и все по-страховити престъпления. Елейзабел е вълнуваща и загадъчна главна героиня, която оцелява след обсебване, а впоследствие е въвлечена в още кошмарни премеждия...
„— Това е предвестник на злото — поясни момчето-дявол Джак със своя груб и дрезгав глас. — Знаците са недвусмислени. Наближава бедствие. Мракът тропа на вратите ни.“
„— Няма значение откъде са се появили — каза Таниел. — Най-важното е да открием начин как да се отървем от тях.
— Аз пък мисля, че това е важно — възпротиви се Елейзабел. — Трябва да познаваш природата на противника си, ако искаш да го победиш.“
„Крот откриваше особена ирония във факта, че най-нискостоящите хора в Лондон бяха по-обвързани с това, което обещаваха, а стойността на честността намаляваше пропорционално на издигането нагоре по обществената стълба.“
„Всеки път си мислеше, че това бе просто трик на съзнанието или на зрението ѝ, но не беше така. Просто рисуваше във въздуха с огромна лекота — сякаш ѝ бе по-лесно да го начертае правилно, отколкото да сбърка. Спомняше си го, но това бе отвъд спомена.“
„— Това е предвестник на злото — поясни момчето-дявол Джак със своя груб и дрезгав глас. — Знаците са недвусмислени. Наближава бедствие. Мракът тропа на вратите ни.“
„— Няма значение откъде са се появили — каза Таниел. — Най-важното е да открием начин как да се отървем от тях.
— Аз пък мисля, че това е важно — възпротиви се Елейзабел. — Трябва да познаваш природата на противника си, ако искаш да го победиш.“
„Крот откриваше особена ирония във факта, че най-нискостоящите хора в Лондон бяха по-обвързани с това, което обещаваха, а стойността на честността намаляваше пропорционално на издигането нагоре по обществената стълба.“
„Всеки път си мислеше, че това бе просто трик на съзнанието или на зрението ѝ, но не беше така. Просто рисуваше във въздуха с огромна лекота — сякаш ѝ бе по-лесно да го начертае правилно, отколкото да сбърка. Спомняше си го, но това бе отвъд спомена.“
September 24, 2026
“Do you not feel the city’s death throes? We are on the brink of an unhallowed age. The aged spirit inside you is the key, Alaizabel Cray. She will bring about the darkness.”
Much better than I expected from a young-adult horror novel. This is indeed the Chris Wooding who for me is as good as Jim Butcher or Robert McCammon in the genre and deserves better recognition. I already read his high-fantasy epic The Weavers of Saramyr, and his pirate steampunk adventures of the crew of the Ketty Jay in Retribution Falls, both adult oriented, but I feel he is not short-changing his younger audience: fast-paced, well plotted with interesting characters and plenty of action, this standalone mashup of Dickensian slums, steampunk alternate history, Cthulhu mythos, necromancy and Jack the Ripper murders is a great Halloween treat I made to myself.
So, what’s the story, morning glory?
The city of London is destroyed by the Germans with giant airships that indiscriminately drop bombs all over the place. In this version of reality, the event is known as the Vernichtung instead of the Blitz. The fires and the destruction unleashed upon the city a plague of supernatural monsters called the wych-kin, feral wolves, rats and other predators of a more human disposition.
The government abandons the poor quarters south of the river, concentrating its efforts in salvaging the more affluent parts on the north side, with mixed success. People are still living in the Old Quarter, as the Southside is now known.
That was the domain of the mad and the crooked and the things best left unthought of. The good people of the capital knew better than to remain there after the sun had dipped beneath the skyline; not if they valued their necks, anyway.
Seventeen years old Thaniel Fox is one of the few who dares to walk these streets after dark, hunting for the wych-kin sometimes alone, sometimes in the company of the slightly older Cathaline Bennet, his mentor and partner after the death of his father, who was the most famous wych-hunter in London.
The plot is kickstarted when Thaniel finds in an abandoned mansion a young girl suffering from malnutrition and memory loss. Soon enough it is revealed that this Alaizabel Cray is possessed by the spirit of an ancient, malevolent dead witch, who is trying to take over the girl’s mind.
Meanwhile, north of the river, prostitutes are murdered by an elusive monster known as Stitch-face. The police are starting to suspect a much larger conspiracy, when the new wave of slashings appear to be less random than initially believed and are plotted on a map of the city as an ancient esoteric symbol.
Thaniel, Cathaline and Alaizabel Cray start their own investigations, which point towards a secret cabal of the most powerful and rich people in London, known as the Fraternity. They go for help to the slum lords who control the beggars from the rundown underground warren known as the Crooked Lanes (somewhere north towards Camden)
The city of London has a secret heart. It is a clotted thing of crumbling stone and dripping gutters, and it appears on no map or guide. Through its diseased alleys the vermin run, knowing that in this one place they are no better or worse than the people they live alongside
—«»—«»—«»—
Instead of more plot reveals, let’s see what I liked about the novel:
- the world-building is consistent and it feels original, despite borrowing a lot of material from previous works, including some from Alan Moore and his excellent graphic novel From Hell
- the atmosphere and the language : they may be tinged purple, but they do the job very well without slowing down the action
It reared over the surrounding buildings like a claw, a vast Gothic monolith, a cathedral of spite that loomed jagged and malicious and evil. Towers and spires scratched the belly of the sky, leering gargoyles swarming over its surface, frozen in stone.
- the romance part is very well handled, age appropriate and delicately sketched
- spectacular finale, despite the use of the dreaded evil overlord exposition trope when he has the heroes at his mercy in his lair
- stand-alone story, no need to wait for sequels
- some humor, but not too much because this is a dark, apocalyptic adventure; some pathos and heroic sacrifices, but the plot demands them
- an interesting social commentary that I will get into more detail in the next section of my review
—«»—«»—«»—
Tallowcats, Cradlejacks, ju-jus, angel-stones, stormwardens, will-o’-the-wisps, dust witches, a million of them and more.
Where do they come from? What do they want? [...]
The world’s best scholars of wychcraft couldn’t explain how it had happened. Why was it that they only appeared in the biggest cities? Were they being spread like a virus, or appearing spontaneously? Nobody could say.
For a book published in 2004, the political, economic and social implications are uncomfortably pertinent to later crises in the real world. The Fraternity of industry, banking and political leaders plotting to take over the world in search of ultimate power sound a lot as our self-appointed bro-masters of the electronic age. But there is a subtler argument at work here, offered by Cathaline and the slum lords, about the war between the age of myth and the age of science, mirrored in a battle between a benevolent Supreme Being and the Ultimate Devil. The religious angle was a bit icky for my taste and the reason I have reserved a star from the rating.
Sometimes she hated the city. The factories spewing filth, the endless new inventions, the strict manners, the criminals ... this was the face of the Age of Reason, the new world of science. Muck and soot and horrible, horrible greed. Murder and spite and hatred.
Science has removed the need to believe in anything, because we can explain it all. What’s left? Who is there to take away our guilt and pain and anguish? Who can we blame but ourselves?
The last question is a good stopping point for me: the book is not the mindless slash-fest I was expecting from the first chapters and is indeed challenging us about what we consider entertainment.
But it does with style and with spectacular graphic fireworks.
I hope the movie treatment allegedly prepared by the author will receive the green light.
Much better than I expected from a young-adult horror novel. This is indeed the Chris Wooding who for me is as good as Jim Butcher or Robert McCammon in the genre and deserves better recognition. I already read his high-fantasy epic The Weavers of Saramyr, and his pirate steampunk adventures of the crew of the Ketty Jay in Retribution Falls, both adult oriented, but I feel he is not short-changing his younger audience: fast-paced, well plotted with interesting characters and plenty of action, this standalone mashup of Dickensian slums, steampunk alternate history, Cthulhu mythos, necromancy and Jack the Ripper murders is a great Halloween treat I made to myself.
So, what’s the story, morning glory?
The city of London is destroyed by the Germans with giant airships that indiscriminately drop bombs all over the place. In this version of reality, the event is known as the Vernichtung instead of the Blitz. The fires and the destruction unleashed upon the city a plague of supernatural monsters called the wych-kin, feral wolves, rats and other predators of a more human disposition.
The government abandons the poor quarters south of the river, concentrating its efforts in salvaging the more affluent parts on the north side, with mixed success. People are still living in the Old Quarter, as the Southside is now known.
That was the domain of the mad and the crooked and the things best left unthought of. The good people of the capital knew better than to remain there after the sun had dipped beneath the skyline; not if they valued their necks, anyway.
Seventeen years old Thaniel Fox is one of the few who dares to walk these streets after dark, hunting for the wych-kin sometimes alone, sometimes in the company of the slightly older Cathaline Bennet, his mentor and partner after the death of his father, who was the most famous wych-hunter in London.
The plot is kickstarted when Thaniel finds in an abandoned mansion a young girl suffering from malnutrition and memory loss. Soon enough it is revealed that this Alaizabel Cray is possessed by the spirit of an ancient, malevolent dead witch, who is trying to take over the girl’s mind.
Meanwhile, north of the river, prostitutes are murdered by an elusive monster known as Stitch-face. The police are starting to suspect a much larger conspiracy, when the new wave of slashings appear to be less random than initially believed and are plotted on a map of the city as an ancient esoteric symbol.
Thaniel, Cathaline and Alaizabel Cray start their own investigations, which point towards a secret cabal of the most powerful and rich people in London, known as the Fraternity. They go for help to the slum lords who control the beggars from the rundown underground warren known as the Crooked Lanes (somewhere north towards Camden)
The city of London has a secret heart. It is a clotted thing of crumbling stone and dripping gutters, and it appears on no map or guide. Through its diseased alleys the vermin run, knowing that in this one place they are no better or worse than the people they live alongside
—«»—«»—«»—
Instead of more plot reveals, let’s see what I liked about the novel:
- the world-building is consistent and it feels original, despite borrowing a lot of material from previous works, including some from Alan Moore and his excellent graphic novel From Hell
- the atmosphere and the language : they may be tinged purple, but they do the job very well without slowing down the action
It reared over the surrounding buildings like a claw, a vast Gothic monolith, a cathedral of spite that loomed jagged and malicious and evil. Towers and spires scratched the belly of the sky, leering gargoyles swarming over its surface, frozen in stone.
- the romance part is very well handled, age appropriate and delicately sketched
- spectacular finale, despite the use of the dreaded evil overlord exposition trope when he has the heroes at his mercy in his lair
- stand-alone story, no need to wait for sequels
- some humor, but not too much because this is a dark, apocalyptic adventure; some pathos and heroic sacrifices, but the plot demands them
- an interesting social commentary that I will get into more detail in the next section of my review
—«»—«»—«»—
Tallowcats, Cradlejacks, ju-jus, angel-stones, stormwardens, will-o’-the-wisps, dust witches, a million of them and more.
Where do they come from? What do they want? [...]
The world’s best scholars of wychcraft couldn’t explain how it had happened. Why was it that they only appeared in the biggest cities? Were they being spread like a virus, or appearing spontaneously? Nobody could say.
For a book published in 2004, the political, economic and social implications are uncomfortably pertinent to later crises in the real world. The Fraternity of industry, banking and political leaders plotting to take over the world in search of ultimate power sound a lot as our self-appointed bro-masters of the electronic age. But there is a subtler argument at work here, offered by Cathaline and the slum lords, about the war between the age of myth and the age of science, mirrored in a battle between a benevolent Supreme Being and the Ultimate Devil. The religious angle was a bit icky for my taste and the reason I have reserved a star from the rating.
Sometimes she hated the city. The factories spewing filth, the endless new inventions, the strict manners, the criminals ... this was the face of the Age of Reason, the new world of science. Muck and soot and horrible, horrible greed. Murder and spite and hatred.
Science has removed the need to believe in anything, because we can explain it all. What’s left? Who is there to take away our guilt and pain and anguish? Who can we blame but ourselves?
The last question is a good stopping point for me: the book is not the mindless slash-fest I was expecting from the first chapters and is indeed challenging us about what we consider entertainment.
But it does with style and with spectacular graphic fireworks.
I hope the movie treatment allegedly prepared by the author will receive the green light.
August 12, 2015
Such a wonderful book
August 12, 2014
I remember this was the first book I bought from a Scholastic book fair and I loved it. Didn't realize at the time that this was my introduction to Lovecraft (as there's obvious inspiration drawn from Lovecraftian lore here).
Re-read this as an adult and (though I might be biased) this still holds up. There's a few questionable things in terms of the romanceAlaizabel barely interacts with Cathaline! Only Thaniel and they fall for each other in, what, 24-48 hours?. But the story and the action are still pretty good.
Stitch-face is one of my favorite characters here, because of course the serial killer just has to have better morals here than some people in high society.
Re-read this as an adult and (though I might be biased) this still holds up. There's a few questionable things in terms of the romance
Stitch-face is one of my favorite characters here, because of course the serial killer just has to have better morals here than some people in high society.
April 12, 2017
I couldn't connect with the story...Maybe I'll read it again in the future and find it better....
April 14, 2010
I was browsing the YA section of my local library and I stumbled across this book. Or maybe I should say that it called out to me. The blurry cathedral on the cover just promised to be dark and mysterious. I'm a sucker for dark, broody, creepy, gothic (etc) type stories, and this delivered just that.
I haven't read anything by Chris Wooding before, in fact, I'd never even heard of him until I picked up this book. As soon as I'm done writing this review, I'm going to be adding his other books to my TBR. I only hope that they live up to the expectations I have from this book.
The story takes place in an alternate version of Victorian London, a bleak and foreboding place where night is treacherous and unpredictable, wych-kin roam and wreak havoc and serial killers pick their victims off with shocking ease.
We first meet Thaniel Fox, son of England's most reknown wych-hunter, on the hunt for a Cradle-Jack which has been plucking babies from their cribs for a tasty little midnight snack. Thaniel is independent, courageous, smart, resourceful and compassionate - all the things that an English gentleman should be. Add to that that he is simply bad-ass, and you have the making of one sexy hero. His fight with Curien Blake was... well, it was exciting to read. I'll just put it that way. There's just something about a man with a big knife that knows how to use it that gets my blood flowing. :)
Anyway, so we meet Thaniel, and soon meet with a mysterious girl that is in obvious need of help. He brings her back to the house that he shares with Cathaline Bennett, another wych-hunter and Thaniel's tutor, if you will. The three of them discover that there is an ancient wych possessing Alaizabel, and embark on a journey to find out why, and how to get the wych out of her. From there, everything starts to go downhill, and the shocks just keep coming.
I loved all of the characters in the story. They all felt real, and acted according to how real people would act. The romance bits between Thaniel and Alaizabel were a little rushed, but I can overlook that when I consider that he saved her and therefore felt responsible for her, and she was saved and was grateful. Both of those things can easily run a bit deeper, especially among teens who have both been alone for a large amount of their lives. To suddenly meet someone that plays such a role in your life, I would imagine that's a kind of big change.
I also really loved the London that Wooding created here, complete with it's own Jack the Ripper-esque killer, Stitch-face. It was dark and creepy and definitely not the place one would want to take a casual midnight stroll. I loved all of the little mini-stories that he incorporated into the bigger London-story. It gave me an idea not only of what the city as a whole was facing, but who the people facing it actually were, and what kind of people a city this dark and menacing breeds. It's unforgiving, and that's represented in the characters depicted. I thought that it was a nice touch to add those little personalizations, even if they were only a page or two long.
Wooding's imagination is awesome when it comes to the creatures that he brings to life here. I've read a goodish amount of horror in my life, but there were things in this book that gave me goosebumps, and that's not an exaggeration. The thing on the ceiling of Alaizabel's bedroom is seared into my memory as if I saw it myself, which is pretty commendable, as it was only very roughly described. I think that's a testament to a good author, to be able to subtly show us each what we fear without describing it into the light of perfect knowledge. Once we know what the heck we're dealing with, it's not nearly as scary as when we have no idea what's chasing us.
I also loved the blending of mechanical inventions and superstition here. Airships on one hand, and cultish Rites and ceremonies and charms on the other. Wooding perfectly brought these two very disparate things together in this book, and made it believable and plausible. I really loved it, and look forward to more from him. :)
I haven't read anything by Chris Wooding before, in fact, I'd never even heard of him until I picked up this book. As soon as I'm done writing this review, I'm going to be adding his other books to my TBR. I only hope that they live up to the expectations I have from this book.
The story takes place in an alternate version of Victorian London, a bleak and foreboding place where night is treacherous and unpredictable, wych-kin roam and wreak havoc and serial killers pick their victims off with shocking ease.
We first meet Thaniel Fox, son of England's most reknown wych-hunter, on the hunt for a Cradle-Jack which has been plucking babies from their cribs for a tasty little midnight snack. Thaniel is independent, courageous, smart, resourceful and compassionate - all the things that an English gentleman should be. Add to that that he is simply bad-ass, and you have the making of one sexy hero. His fight with Curien Blake was... well, it was exciting to read. I'll just put it that way. There's just something about a man with a big knife that knows how to use it that gets my blood flowing. :)
Anyway, so we meet Thaniel, and soon meet with a mysterious girl that is in obvious need of help. He brings her back to the house that he shares with Cathaline Bennett, another wych-hunter and Thaniel's tutor, if you will. The three of them discover that there is an ancient wych possessing Alaizabel, and embark on a journey to find out why, and how to get the wych out of her. From there, everything starts to go downhill, and the shocks just keep coming.
I loved all of the characters in the story. They all felt real, and acted according to how real people would act. The romance bits between Thaniel and Alaizabel were a little rushed, but I can overlook that when I consider that he saved her and therefore felt responsible for her, and she was saved and was grateful. Both of those things can easily run a bit deeper, especially among teens who have both been alone for a large amount of their lives. To suddenly meet someone that plays such a role in your life, I would imagine that's a kind of big change.
I also really loved the London that Wooding created here, complete with it's own Jack the Ripper-esque killer, Stitch-face. It was dark and creepy and definitely not the place one would want to take a casual midnight stroll. I loved all of the little mini-stories that he incorporated into the bigger London-story. It gave me an idea not only of what the city as a whole was facing, but who the people facing it actually were, and what kind of people a city this dark and menacing breeds. It's unforgiving, and that's represented in the characters depicted. I thought that it was a nice touch to add those little personalizations, even if they were only a page or two long.
Wooding's imagination is awesome when it comes to the creatures that he brings to life here. I've read a goodish amount of horror in my life, but there were things in this book that gave me goosebumps, and that's not an exaggeration. The thing on the ceiling of Alaizabel's bedroom is seared into my memory as if I saw it myself, which is pretty commendable, as it was only very roughly described. I think that's a testament to a good author, to be able to subtly show us each what we fear without describing it into the light of perfect knowledge. Once we know what the heck we're dealing with, it's not nearly as scary as when we have no idea what's chasing us.
I also loved the blending of mechanical inventions and superstition here. Airships on one hand, and cultish Rites and ceremonies and charms on the other. Wooding perfectly brought these two very disparate things together in this book, and made it believable and plausible. I really loved it, and look forward to more from him. :)
January 27, 2012
15 Jan '12
If you liked the Bartimaeus Trilogy, or if you thought The Mortal Instruments was good - or, in my case, had good ideas but failed to deliver, then go give The Haunting of Alaizabel Cray a try.
People! People, people, people!
I am so distressed that not enough people are reading Chris Wooding! I really, really am.
Or. I guess, maybe this genre isn't as popular?
I remember the days The Amulet of Samarkand by Jonathan Stroud came out. I read it and loved it. I loved the humour, I loved the genre, I loved the plot -- the everything; and I thought it got better and better as the series progressed.
I also remember bugging ALL my readaholic friends to go out and read it, but maybe two, three of them actually did .
A couple years later, Twilight came out. I tried to read it and I couldn't get past the first chapter. So I chucked it away, and guess what. ALL. MY. FRIENDS. kept talking about the book and urged me to read it. Even my non readaholic buddies.
So, you know, maybe I'm just not in with the "cool crowd" when it comes to book genres. So feel free to ignore me, y'all ...... but let me tell you what you'll be missing out on if you brush this book aside without sparing it so much as a glance.
Like every other book I've read so far by Chris Wooding, the world-building is fantastic . The Haunting took me right to the heart of Old London, reeking of an ambience you might find in a Tim Burton film.
If the mixture of supernatural, alternate-reality, mystery, and horror isn't enough to make it variative enough, The Haunting also contains a hint of steampunk. I am, however, rather apprehensive of actually listing this book as "steampunk", as the elements thereof are really very minimal it might not even be there. There are airships. And that is basically it.
So should you decide to read this book, I suggest you not to expect what you would find in traditional steampunk adventure novels, lest ye be disappointed.
If you're a fan of Victorian horror then this is the book for you. Just in case the title itself doesn't give it away, The Haunting of Alaizabel Cray is, first and foremost, a horror story. Set in an alternate Victorian England, the narrative sets a mood to satisfy anyone looking to be immersed in a Gothic London.
It's been 20 or so years since London was infested with wych-kin. Thaniel, following in the legacy left by his father, is at seventeen perhaps the best wych-hunter around. It is upon one of his stints when he finds the mysterious Alaizabel Cray.
She doesn't know where she is, how she got there, or where she came from. All Thaniel can tell is that she attracts the wych-kin like a beacon, and he's making it his business to know why.
Thaniel helps Alaizabel rediscover her past along with his mentor, Cathaline. Along the way, deeper, more sinister secrets are uncovered, and they discover it is up to them to prevent a greater calamity from covering London and the rest of the world.
I think characterization was one of the weaker points of the book. The cast we meet along the way are ...... diverse, to say the least. Although our protagonists are likeable and competent, unfortunately for me they weren't as deep as I would have liked them to be.
Thaniel felt too cold and distant, whereas I never got the feel of Alaizabel's character at all.
Or perhaps that was simply the way they were supposed to come across?
The relationship between characters never detracted from the overall plot; however I could have done without the budding romance. Although it was never -- not in the slightest -- made into a major point of the novel, the romance between Alaizabel and Thaniel did not seem convincing to me. Perhaps because I never fully connected with the characters themselves to begin with.
And finally, the ending.
This, I felt, could be a real hit-and-miss for some people. On one hand, the conclusion provided an explanation of sorts; it wrapped things up and yet leaves us with a perfect balance between answers and mysteries left for our imagination.
On the other, the answers may seem to be a little too forced; a little too philosophical where it might have been better to leave it open-ended.
However, none of these things took away my enjoyment of the novel. It is a great horror read; a great supernatural mystery with characters that don't make me want to throttle them in their sleep. The pacing was perfect -- plenty of action scenes to even out all the detective work, and unlike most books I've read, the characters did not take forever to figure things out, resulting in us coming to our own conclusions at the same time they do, and leaving the story free to progress in a timely manner.
10 Jan '12
AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH I finally have this! I finally have this! I finally have this!!!!
You don't understand. I've been wanting to read this since FOREVER
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Still shrieking, she saw the thing lurking in the shadows of the corner of the room, visible only in the murk of sleep-fogged eyes. Naked, twisted, an old, old crone with her long straggly hair cloaking her bent body, she crouched on all fours with hooves for feet and a long tail twitching behind her.
If you liked the Bartimaeus Trilogy, or if you thought The Mortal Instruments was good - or, in my case, had good ideas but failed to deliver, then go give The Haunting of Alaizabel Cray a try.
People! People, people, people!
I am so distressed that not enough people are reading Chris Wooding! I really, really am.
Or. I guess, maybe this genre isn't as popular?
I remember the days The Amulet of Samarkand by Jonathan Stroud came out. I read it and loved it. I loved the humour, I loved the genre, I loved the plot -- the everything; and I thought it got better and better as the series progressed.
I also remember bugging ALL my readaholic friends to go out and read it, but maybe two, three of them actually did .
A couple years later, Twilight came out. I tried to read it and I couldn't get past the first chapter. So I chucked it away, and guess what. ALL. MY. FRIENDS. kept talking about the book and urged me to read it. Even my non readaholic buddies.
So, you know, maybe I'm just not in with the "cool crowd" when it comes to book genres. So feel free to ignore me, y'all ...... but let me tell you what you'll be missing out on if you brush this book aside without sparing it so much as a glance.
Like every other book I've read so far by Chris Wooding, the world-building is fantastic . The Haunting took me right to the heart of Old London, reeking of an ambience you might find in a Tim Burton film.
If the mixture of supernatural, alternate-reality, mystery, and horror isn't enough to make it variative enough, The Haunting also contains a hint of steampunk. I am, however, rather apprehensive of actually listing this book as "steampunk", as the elements thereof are really very minimal it might not even be there. There are airships. And that is basically it.
So should you decide to read this book, I suggest you not to expect what you would find in traditional steampunk adventure novels, lest ye be disappointed.
If you're a fan of Victorian horror then this is the book for you. Just in case the title itself doesn't give it away, The Haunting of Alaizabel Cray is, first and foremost, a horror story. Set in an alternate Victorian England, the narrative sets a mood to satisfy anyone looking to be immersed in a Gothic London.
It's been 20 or so years since London was infested with wych-kin. Thaniel, following in the legacy left by his father, is at seventeen perhaps the best wych-hunter around. It is upon one of his stints when he finds the mysterious Alaizabel Cray.
She doesn't know where she is, how she got there, or where she came from. All Thaniel can tell is that she attracts the wych-kin like a beacon, and he's making it his business to know why.
Thaniel helps Alaizabel rediscover her past along with his mentor, Cathaline. Along the way, deeper, more sinister secrets are uncovered, and they discover it is up to them to prevent a greater calamity from covering London and the rest of the world.
I think characterization was one of the weaker points of the book. The cast we meet along the way are ...... diverse, to say the least. Although our protagonists are likeable and competent, unfortunately for me they weren't as deep as I would have liked them to be.
Thaniel felt too cold and distant, whereas I never got the feel of Alaizabel's character at all.
Or perhaps that was simply the way they were supposed to come across?
The relationship between characters never detracted from the overall plot; however I could have done without the budding romance. Although it was never -- not in the slightest -- made into a major point of the novel, the romance between Alaizabel and Thaniel did not seem convincing to me. Perhaps because I never fully connected with the characters themselves to begin with.
And finally, the ending.
This, I felt, could be a real hit-and-miss for some people. On one hand, the conclusion provided an explanation of sorts; it wrapped things up and yet leaves us with a perfect balance between answers and mysteries left for our imagination.
On the other, the answers may seem to be a little too forced; a little too philosophical where it might have been better to leave it open-ended.
However, none of these things took away my enjoyment of the novel. It is a great horror read; a great supernatural mystery with characters that don't make me want to throttle them in their sleep. The pacing was perfect -- plenty of action scenes to even out all the detective work, and unlike most books I've read, the characters did not take forever to figure things out, resulting in us coming to our own conclusions at the same time they do, and leaving the story free to progress in a timely manner.
10 Jan '12
AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH I finally have this! I finally have this! I finally have this!!!!
You don't understand. I've been wanting to read this since FOREVER
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August 25, 2007
This one's a keeper. Some books just hit you in the first few pages, and you know deep in your gut that you've stumbled on a true find. Wooding has crafted a gritty, atmospheric fantasy set in the Old Quarter of London. Thaniel is a wych-hunter; he hunts Cradlejacks, monsters who steal babies. He protects Alaizabel who is mysteriously possessed and a magnet for evil creatures. The tools of a wych-hunters trade are well-detailed, and it's a pleasure to read such a well-thought out form of magic. Although it is marketed to the young adult audience, fans of Patricia McKillip and Philip Pullman will be riveted. This is a brilliant creation filled with magic, monsters, and madness.
July 3, 2024
Нелоша идея с не чак толкова добра реализация (3,5/5). Подозирам, че и леко куцият роден превод вероятно влоши крайните ми впечатления. Но-о, така или иначе, обяснението за появата на „вештиците“ („wyches“ в оригинала и, апропо, тук добра работа на преводача) въобще не ми се стори убедително. За сметка на това намигането към божествения пантеон на Лъвкрафт и образът на серийния убиец Кърпеното лице доволно ме израдваха. А на почитателите на тийн фентъзи с хорър елементи бих препоръчал серията „Локуд и Сие“ – много, много по-качествена, поне за мен, трактовка на сюжета с връхлетяната от страховити свръхестествени създания Англия.
February 18, 2013
4 Stars
The Haunting of Alaizabel Cray by Chris Wooding is a fun, fast, and action packed gothic horror novel that is done up in a steampunk like London. Wooding has created a cast of likable characters and put them in a really cool urban fantasy setting. Thaniel, our main protagonist is a young man that is a Wych-Hunter by trade. He is the son of England’s most renowned Wych-hunter, and has had to try and live up to his father’s legacy. This novel centers on a mass murder named Stitch Face, a legendary cult that is attempting to resurrect it’s dead god, and a mysterious young lady that is possessed by an old dead wytch named Thatch.
Wooding is a gifted writer and I have been a fan of his for quite some time. His style adds to the awesome Gothic setting in this book:
“Thaniel was stricken with horror. Alaizabel looked old. No, no, that was not right. Her skin was as smooth as ever, her features as small and childish, her hands pale and slender, but it was the manner of her body that had changed. She hunched forward towards the fire like a bent-backed crone. Her head protruded, tortoise-like, from her shoulders, bobbing on the end of a stiff neck. Her face seemed to have sagged, her features pulled downward in a severe expression, and her hands were bunched into arthritic claws. She was wearing only the soft purple nightgown that Thaniel had provided for her.”
This novel unfolds quickly and there are plenty of bumps and booms to keep you at the edge of your seat…
“…Still shrieking, she saw the thing lurking in the shadows of the corner of the room, visible only in the murk of sleep-fogged eyes. Naked, twisted, an old, old crone with her long straggly hair cloaking her bent body, she crouched on all fours with hooves for feet and a long tail twitching behind her. Claris’s heart had always been weak; it stopped altogether at the sight of the Night Mare taking her husband, and she sighed and lay back in her bed as if returning to slumber. She did not see her husband continue his smooth rise to the ceiling, dreaming of flying, until he was swallowed by the shadows up there. She was spared the slow, steady droplets of blood that began to spatter the beds,drip, drip, drip, painting the white sheets in shocked flowers of red.”
I really had fun reading this book and highly recommend it!!!
The Haunting of Alaizabel Cray by Chris Wooding is a fun, fast, and action packed gothic horror novel that is done up in a steampunk like London. Wooding has created a cast of likable characters and put them in a really cool urban fantasy setting. Thaniel, our main protagonist is a young man that is a Wych-Hunter by trade. He is the son of England’s most renowned Wych-hunter, and has had to try and live up to his father’s legacy. This novel centers on a mass murder named Stitch Face, a legendary cult that is attempting to resurrect it’s dead god, and a mysterious young lady that is possessed by an old dead wytch named Thatch.
Wooding is a gifted writer and I have been a fan of his for quite some time. His style adds to the awesome Gothic setting in this book:
“Thaniel was stricken with horror. Alaizabel looked old. No, no, that was not right. Her skin was as smooth as ever, her features as small and childish, her hands pale and slender, but it was the manner of her body that had changed. She hunched forward towards the fire like a bent-backed crone. Her head protruded, tortoise-like, from her shoulders, bobbing on the end of a stiff neck. Her face seemed to have sagged, her features pulled downward in a severe expression, and her hands were bunched into arthritic claws. She was wearing only the soft purple nightgown that Thaniel had provided for her.”
This novel unfolds quickly and there are plenty of bumps and booms to keep you at the edge of your seat…
“…Still shrieking, she saw the thing lurking in the shadows of the corner of the room, visible only in the murk of sleep-fogged eyes. Naked, twisted, an old, old crone with her long straggly hair cloaking her bent body, she crouched on all fours with hooves for feet and a long tail twitching behind her. Claris’s heart had always been weak; it stopped altogether at the sight of the Night Mare taking her husband, and she sighed and lay back in her bed as if returning to slumber. She did not see her husband continue his smooth rise to the ceiling, dreaming of flying, until he was swallowed by the shadows up there. She was spared the slow, steady droplets of blood that began to spatter the beds,drip, drip, drip, painting the white sheets in shocked flowers of red.”
I really had fun reading this book and highly recommend it!!!
October 18, 2007
Another unexpected wonder by Chris Wooding. In an alternative Victorian London, young Thaniel Fox hunts wych-kin, the spooky beings who haunt the Old Quarter. While hunting, he encounters the beautiful Alaizabel Cray, who is possessed by a spirit that makes her an attraction to all sorts of wych-kin horrors. In solving Alaizabel's mystery, Thaniel and his mentor Cathaline become discover a secret society that is threatening not only London, but humanity itself. This atmospheric tale is perfect for Halloween, not gory but decidedly creepy. London's fog-enshrined streets always make a perfect setting for tales of horror, and the creatures which haunt them are evocatively named (Cradlejacks, Stitch Face, and the Hallow Ghoul) and wondrously well described: "A dark scrawny shape, a flash of insane amber eyes and short, needle-point teeth. . ." If you liked the subtle creepiness of Neil Gaiman's Coraline, and are looking for a new spin on the Gothic novel, give this one a try!
December 3, 2009
I enjoyed this book, it was Young Adult in tone but not pandering. I just read two books of very similar tone to this, and I liked both of them. This one has a very Gothic, Faerie Tale bent to it. Definitely felt Young Adult, like Graceling, but I was engrossed and kept with the characters.
Interesting environment and world (which I was interested in learning more about, sometimes it felt a bit thinly drawn, but the author succeeded in giving me the total creeps a few times with his monsters, so bravo to that). The characters were quite interesting, albeit some were familiar from this genre (but like I said, I've read several very similar to this book lately).
Another review mentioned similarities to Coraline, and I would agree. Definitely felt "Gaiman-ish".
I would definitely be interested in other books by this author, especially ones more adult oriented.
Interesting environment and world (which I was interested in learning more about, sometimes it felt a bit thinly drawn, but the author succeeded in giving me the total creeps a few times with his monsters, so bravo to that). The characters were quite interesting, albeit some were familiar from this genre (but like I said, I've read several very similar to this book lately).
Another review mentioned similarities to Coraline, and I would agree. Definitely felt "Gaiman-ish".
I would definitely be interested in other books by this author, especially ones more adult oriented.
September 3, 2022
mialam dosc duze oczekiwania co do tej ksiazki i chociaz naprawde byla calkiem dobra, trochę się zawiodlam. uwielbiam to, jak zostal opisany klimat londynu. alaizabel miała na początku potencjal na bycie cudownie wykreowana postacia, nie wiem dlaczego autor tak ją zniszczył, robiąc z niej tylko fanke thaniela. ogolnie caly ten watek jest beznadziejny i przewidywalny. sama fabula jest ciekawa, lubie postac detektywa i wszystkie opisy zabojstw zszytej twarzy
3,5⭐
3,5⭐
August 3, 2011
So I'm actually not going to rate this book until I've finished my review. I've had a lot of mixed feelings about this one. Normally I would just decide whether a book is good or not, but for some reason I just couldn't decide this time around. I felt maybe reviewing it would finally bring me to a conclusion. The problem might have been that I actually found the main characters bland. Whilst the ones that stood out were the bad creepy ones, and you know when your preferring the bad guys over the heroes that something is very wrong.
Stitch - Face and Jack stood out to me. Their creepiness more like made them stand out. Was it because the other characters were so plain in contrast? It's not one of those that after a few pages you give up on, and trust me I've been doing that a lot lately. Actually far from it, I finished it within the day, so its not that it was boring although it wasn't exciting or anything. It was good enough to keep me reading, this is why I'm confused. I really haven't been in this situation before. I'm normally very final about my overall opinion.
The Wych kin were an interesting concept, and something that's kept very much in the dark and mysterious until the very end of the book. The outcome, was I felt also very interesting. The plus point I would have to say would be the ending. I thought it was very cool and left a lot of room for a sequel. Maybe I'm just not getting it, but within characters like Stitch - Face and Jack who normally I would never like or want to relate to, this time I found myself actually having some sort of understanding towards, so if anything this book does leave you a bit more open minded.
My problem with Alaizabel was that she seemed pointless. Her whole character seemed pointless, and Thaniel seemed to have no personality at all. If at least one of them stood out then I might have been a bit more forgiving, but for me the main characters making an Impact is essential because for me they make the story. However the story does have its fair share of action and bad ass points not to mention it was a pretty fast read!
I'll leave it at that, and let you guys decide for yourself. A fellow blogger and mate adored it and it was under her suggestion I decided to read it. *cough KAY! :D* I don't regret reading it. I just felt maybe a little let down, but I wouldn't say don't pick it up because others have actually enjoyed this book a lot more than I have, so give it a go, and get back to me =)
Stitch - Face and Jack stood out to me. Their creepiness more like made them stand out. Was it because the other characters were so plain in contrast? It's not one of those that after a few pages you give up on, and trust me I've been doing that a lot lately. Actually far from it, I finished it within the day, so its not that it was boring although it wasn't exciting or anything. It was good enough to keep me reading, this is why I'm confused. I really haven't been in this situation before. I'm normally very final about my overall opinion.
The Wych kin were an interesting concept, and something that's kept very much in the dark and mysterious until the very end of the book. The outcome, was I felt also very interesting. The plus point I would have to say would be the ending. I thought it was very cool and left a lot of room for a sequel. Maybe I'm just not getting it, but within characters like Stitch - Face and Jack who normally I would never like or want to relate to, this time I found myself actually having some sort of understanding towards, so if anything this book does leave you a bit more open minded.
My problem with Alaizabel was that she seemed pointless. Her whole character seemed pointless, and Thaniel seemed to have no personality at all. If at least one of them stood out then I might have been a bit more forgiving, but for me the main characters making an Impact is essential because for me they make the story. However the story does have its fair share of action and bad ass points not to mention it was a pretty fast read!
I'll leave it at that, and let you guys decide for yourself. A fellow blogger and mate adored it and it was under her suggestion I decided to read it. *cough KAY! :D* I don't regret reading it. I just felt maybe a little let down, but I wouldn't say don't pick it up because others have actually enjoyed this book a lot more than I have, so give it a go, and get back to me =)
November 11, 2020
3 stars.
From the back cover:
Among the dark streets of London dwells unimaginable horror...
It happened after the Vernichtung - the war left the city damaged, bruised, battered, its people shattered and battle-scarred, and open to a terrifying retribution...
Foul things lurk within the labyrinth of the Old Quarter, and those who venture out at night are easy prey. Prey for the wolves and murderers that stalk the crooked streets, and for creatures far more deadly - the wych-kin.
But evil disguised is deadliest of all. And behind the facade of wealth and charity that surrounds the uppermost level of society lies a terrifying pact with the wych-kin that threatens humankind's very existence.
At its heart is the beautiful, vulnerable, enigmatic Alaizabel Cray - key to the ultimate evil.
This book is a YA steampunk/early 20th century and magic novel set in an alternative London. Our MC is actually Thaniel Fox, 17 year old wych-hunter. When out hunting one night he saves Alaizabel Cray and takes her back to the house he shares with his friend and mentor, Cathaline, a fellow wych-hunter, and they both get drawn into a mystery.
This was an enjoyable read. As a former Londoner, I liked the alternative city, the steampunk and the magic. I liked the wych-kin, some of which had a strong flavour of the creatures from old fairy tales - the sort that were told to frighten children, rather than entertain them. I also enjoyed Stitch-face, the Jack the Ripper of this alternative London. And I appreciated the lack of romance and angst that seems par for the course in a lot of YA.
On the debit side, the characters were a little bland (and the title character, Alazabel Cray was borderline useless, which always irritates me), and the plot was somewhat predictable, but I put both these things down to it being a YA novel. If you have a fondness for steampunk and magic and don't mind the slight tameness of a YA novel or have children that like them, then give it a go.
From the back cover:
Among the dark streets of London dwells unimaginable horror...
It happened after the Vernichtung - the war left the city damaged, bruised, battered, its people shattered and battle-scarred, and open to a terrifying retribution...
Foul things lurk within the labyrinth of the Old Quarter, and those who venture out at night are easy prey. Prey for the wolves and murderers that stalk the crooked streets, and for creatures far more deadly - the wych-kin.
But evil disguised is deadliest of all. And behind the facade of wealth and charity that surrounds the uppermost level of society lies a terrifying pact with the wych-kin that threatens humankind's very existence.
At its heart is the beautiful, vulnerable, enigmatic Alaizabel Cray - key to the ultimate evil.
This book is a YA steampunk/early 20th century and magic novel set in an alternative London. Our MC is actually Thaniel Fox, 17 year old wych-hunter. When out hunting one night he saves Alaizabel Cray and takes her back to the house he shares with his friend and mentor, Cathaline, a fellow wych-hunter, and they both get drawn into a mystery.
This was an enjoyable read. As a former Londoner, I liked the alternative city, the steampunk and the magic. I liked the wych-kin, some of which had a strong flavour of the creatures from old fairy tales - the sort that were told to frighten children, rather than entertain them. I also enjoyed Stitch-face, the Jack the Ripper of this alternative London. And I appreciated the lack of romance and angst that seems par for the course in a lot of YA.
On the debit side, the characters were a little bland (and the title character, Alazabel Cray was borderline useless, which always irritates me), and the plot was somewhat predictable, but I put both these things down to it being a YA novel. If you have a fondness for steampunk and magic and don't mind the slight tameness of a YA novel or have children that like them, then give it a go.
March 25, 2018
В останню неділю березня підтягувала хвости зимового читання. По-перше, то був графічний роман про Крайню Північ і Крайній Південь. По-друге, оце от. Похмура межа осені і зими у Лондоні, соціальне дно та його аборигени, мисливці на нечисть, злі чаклуни, маніяк-вбивця та його косплеєри і атмосфера лафкрафтіанського жаху для молодшого (підліткового тобто) покоління. As is - небезпека суне з моря, пробудження давніх богів та дуже своєрідна стилістика. Причому штиль такий, що вже незрозуміло, плакати чи сміятися.
/Відкашлялася і прочитала фірмовим голосом брата, що він використовує, граючи у "Знак древніх"/:
"После полудня, пожалуй, одни только закоренелые скептики, нипочем не желавшие поверить в осуществимость невероятного, не чувствовали изнуряющей тяжести, тревоги и беспокойства, которые исподволь и незаметно, словно дым, затуманили души остальных. Безошибочный инстинкт подсказал большинству лондонцев, что вокруг происходит нечто неестественное и необъяснимое. У многих от этих смутных предчувствий мороз пробегал по коже и руки начинали непроизвольно дрожать. Женщины украдкой поверяли друг другу свои тревоги и опасения. Мужчины молчали.
На улицах было так темно, что уже в четыре пополудни пришлось зажечь газовые фонари. Их зловещее мерцание отражалось в реках, в которые превратились улицы. Часов около шести горожане стали замечать, что небо над южным берегом Темзы зарделось багрянцем, но разглядеть что-либо в такой дали было невозможно из-за ливня.
К восьми вечера дождь поредел и вскоре совсем прекратился, тогда же лондонцы наконец осознали, что их смутные страхи и дурные предчувствия вовсе не лишены основания, а, напротив, обернулись реальностью".
/Зітхнула і змахнула сльозу/.
А ще тут перше кохання, мартісьюшний головний герой та damsel in distress, якій доводиться брати порятунок у власні руки. А! І ще дирижаблі, як це я забула про дирижаблі! Усе таке густе і бадьоре, що за метушнею губиться сенс. Ну але читати ненудно.
/Відкашлялася і прочитала фірмовим голосом брата, що він використовує, граючи у "Знак древніх"/:
"После полудня, пожалуй, одни только закоренелые скептики, нипочем не желавшие поверить в осуществимость невероятного, не чувствовали изнуряющей тяжести, тревоги и беспокойства, которые исподволь и незаметно, словно дым, затуманили души остальных. Безошибочный инстинкт подсказал большинству лондонцев, что вокруг происходит нечто неестественное и необъяснимое. У многих от этих смутных предчувствий мороз пробегал по коже и руки начинали непроизвольно дрожать. Женщины украдкой поверяли друг другу свои тревоги и опасения. Мужчины молчали.
На улицах было так темно, что уже в четыре пополудни пришлось зажечь газовые фонари. Их зловещее мерцание отражалось в реках, в которые превратились улицы. Часов около шести горожане стали замечать, что небо над южным берегом Темзы зарделось багрянцем, но разглядеть что-либо в такой дали было невозможно из-за ливня.
К восьми вечера дождь поредел и вскоре совсем прекратился, тогда же лондонцы наконец осознали, что их смутные страхи и дурные предчувствия вовсе не лишены основания, а, напротив, обернулись реальностью".
/Зітхнула і змахнула сльозу/.
А ще тут перше кохання, мартісьюшний головний герой та damsel in distress, якій доводиться брати порятунок у власні руки. А! І ще дирижаблі, як це я забула про дирижаблі! Усе таке густе і бадьоре, що за метушнею губиться сенс. Ну але читати ненудно.
August 19, 2024
Dostala jsem chuť na Lovecrafta tak jsem sáhla po tomto a přijde mi že spisovatel se vlastně hodně inspiroval! Ty děsuplné armagedonní výjevy na konci knihy byly doslova jak vystřižené z nějaké jeho povídky. Ale přidaná hodnota - narozdíl od L.všecko vysvětleno. Za mě hodně dobrá kniha, možná mě mrzí že jsem to nečetla před šesti lety ale i tak jsem si to užila. Některé věci ke konci mi přišly trošku prekombinovane ale MUSÍM OCENIT mini příběhy lidí. Miluju když v knize nahlídneš v jednom odstavci do života random postavy (která třeba i zemře hehe) a tady je to dost dobře udělané. Jo a odkaz na nějaké 'Něco ' nad námi ve světě plném nestvůr? Bomba.
,,Jsme vedeni rukama většíma,než si dokážeme představit."
PS jsem divná že mi je docela sympatická postava Stehouna? (To jak zabil všechny ty ženy nebylo pěkné ale nějak si nemůžu pomoct)
,,Jsme vedeni rukama většíma,než si dokážeme představit."
PS jsem divná že mi je docela sympatická postava Stehouna? (To jak zabil všechny ty ženy nebylo pěkné ale nějak si nemůžu pomoct)
October 11, 2017
So I first read this book in Middle School, a few years after it came out. I adored it and read it half a dozen times. I tried to get my family to read it. I tried to get my friends to read it. Those who did read it didn't hate it but didn't seem to understand my deep love for the book.
I last read this book probably around my freshmen year of high school. I went through something of a dry spell of reading, only reading the occasional book. When I started reading avidly again, my tastes had shifted drastically.
I was all about the paranormal type urban fantasy in middle school. Vampires, werewolves, witches, all that good stuff. I'm fairly neutral on this genre as an adult, so I virtually forgot about this book. Until one day, rather recently, I saw the author had written a new book and decided to read this old favorite of mine again.
To be honest, it's not as good as I remember it being, but it still has some very strong points. The main one being, the world it's written is really cool. It's written in a London in an alternate universe with what I would gauge as being roughly late nineteenth/early twentieth century technology. Revolvers, zeppelins, carriages, no mention of automatic rifles.
This London is plagued by nightmare like beings referred to as wych-kin. A host of monsters, some familiar, some unique. One that actually frightened me multiple times as a kid was a monster that only killed you after you looked over your shoulder three times at the noise it made behind you. That one haunted my late night walks around the neighborhood.
The characters are okay, a bit bland but not bad. The plot moves fast and is about as good as I expect from YA. It's one of those YA books that makes you wonder if it really should be considered YA(Blood dripping from ceilings, torture references and so on). That may have contributed to my loving it as a preteen, because I felt like I was getting away with something.
It's definitely not one of my favorite books, but it is worth a read. My review is probably partially nostalgia driven, but I can't really help that.
I last read this book probably around my freshmen year of high school. I went through something of a dry spell of reading, only reading the occasional book. When I started reading avidly again, my tastes had shifted drastically.
I was all about the paranormal type urban fantasy in middle school. Vampires, werewolves, witches, all that good stuff. I'm fairly neutral on this genre as an adult, so I virtually forgot about this book. Until one day, rather recently, I saw the author had written a new book and decided to read this old favorite of mine again.
To be honest, it's not as good as I remember it being, but it still has some very strong points. The main one being, the world it's written is really cool. It's written in a London in an alternate universe with what I would gauge as being roughly late nineteenth/early twentieth century technology. Revolvers, zeppelins, carriages, no mention of automatic rifles.
This London is plagued by nightmare like beings referred to as wych-kin. A host of monsters, some familiar, some unique. One that actually frightened me multiple times as a kid was a monster that only killed you after you looked over your shoulder three times at the noise it made behind you. That one haunted my late night walks around the neighborhood.
The characters are okay, a bit bland but not bad. The plot moves fast and is about as good as I expect from YA. It's one of those YA books that makes you wonder if it really should be considered YA(Blood dripping from ceilings, torture references and so on). That may have contributed to my loving it as a preteen, because I felt like I was getting away with something.
It's definitely not one of my favorite books, but it is worth a read. My review is probably partially nostalgia driven, but I can't really help that.
April 3, 2011
It's kind of strange that I would end up reading this book right after I finished playing Dishonored. Like Alaizabel Cray, Dishonored is set in a vaguely steampunky/Victorianish city, infested with hungry rats and being devastated by a mysterious plague. I couldn't help but picture parts of the Wooding's Old Quarter as looking like the Flooded District of Dishonored. But if the developers of Dishonored took any inspiration from this book, that's where it ended. In Dishonored, magic is very thin on the ground. But here, magic is everywhere. And it's wild, dangerous, and mysterious.
It's a fantastic setting, and it's the main strength of the book. And Wooding can certainly set a scene. I don't think his characters are quite as compelling to read, not overall. Luckily, lead characters Thaniel (the wych-hunter) and Alaizabel (who is indeed quite haunted) are the best of the lot. And at least the characters tend to feel like real people, who have real reactions, even if they are shallowly defined.
Wooding's prose can be heavy at times. But he keeps himself admirably in check here, providing vivid and often creepy descriptions, without going overboard with purple prose and a plethora of adjectives. I do like that there's a lot left unanswered at the end of the book. Wooding could easily write another in the same setting. But it doesn't feel unfinished or rushed, which is good.
This is the second book that I've read by Wooding. The first, Storm Thief, was just barely shy of the mark, in many ways. Alaizabel Cray is a marked improvement, in all departments.
It's a fantastic setting, and it's the main strength of the book. And Wooding can certainly set a scene. I don't think his characters are quite as compelling to read, not overall. Luckily, lead characters Thaniel (the wych-hunter) and Alaizabel (who is indeed quite haunted) are the best of the lot. And at least the characters tend to feel like real people, who have real reactions, even if they are shallowly defined.
Wooding's prose can be heavy at times. But he keeps himself admirably in check here, providing vivid and often creepy descriptions, without going overboard with purple prose and a plethora of adjectives. I do like that there's a lot left unanswered at the end of the book. Wooding could easily write another in the same setting. But it doesn't feel unfinished or rushed, which is good.
This is the second book that I've read by Wooding. The first, Storm Thief, was just barely shy of the mark, in many ways. Alaizabel Cray is a marked improvement, in all departments.
October 3, 2018
Не бях чела нищо от Крис Удинг до сега, всъщност дори не бях чувала за него, а аз обикновено обичам да се преструвам, че съм чувала за всичко. Но ще ви кажа едно- Крис Удинг е направил това, което Касандра Клеър се опита да направи с "Реликвите на смъртните" и не ѝ се получи особено добре. Историята се случва в една алтернативна версия на викториански Лондон, мрачно и мистично място, където нощта е коварна и непредсказуема, с атмосфера, която може да откриете във филмите на Тим Бъртън. Въображението на Удинг е страхотно, когато става въпрос за създанията, които вкарва там и има нещо много готик и хорър в света, който създава. И ако смесицата от алтернативен реалност, мистерия и ужас не са ви достатъчни, "Обсебването на Елейзабел Крей" съдържа и стиймпънк намек. Не бих причислила тази книга изцяло в стиймпънка, тъй като тези елементи са наистина минимални, но все пак има механични изобретения, а заедно с тях има и тайни култове, заговори, убийства и чудовища- създания на мрака, които идват от кошмарите на хората, пропълзявайки в нощта. Мъглата се промъква по уличките, газовите лампи предоставят смътна светлина на хората, които бързат да избегнат опасността в тъмнината, а тайнствени прокрадващи се стъпки следват непредпазливите. Главните герои Таниел и Елейзабел ще трябва да се изправят пред опасния мрак, чудовищата, серийния убиец, наречен Кърпеното лице, и в крайна сметка нещо много по-ужасяващо, ако искат да спасят живота си, Лондон и целия свят. Много приятна книга, препоръчвам.
Целият текст: в моят блог
Целият текст: в моят блог
August 1, 2011
I'm maybe a bit below four stars on this one, but I'll round up because my teen book group really seemed to like it, and teen appeal counts for something with YA lit.
In general, this book held my interest well. It was pretty original, and the writing is decent. Toward the end, though, it seemed to get a bit heavy handed with the philosophical aspects of the story. I like the idea that the witch-kin (ghoulish beings of all sorts) come from the dark part of human minds, but to say that they come *because* science has taken away all that humanity once believed in seems a bit preachy to me. Or maybe just a bit too simplistic when the idea is crammed into the second to last chapter of the book. It's an idea that would have been better explored in depth than just stated.
Which brings me to another thing that I didn't love about the book. It seems often to tell rather than show. I hate, hate, hate when a book (or an author) does that. A good example of this is the romance that eventually (and predictably) develops between Alaizabel and Thaniel. The reader doesn't so much see it happening, but is told that it is. That makes for pretty weak romance as compared to many other YA books out there.
Bottom line: a good recommendation for teens who like darker stories that aren't too scary and have a neat, happy ending, but not as much meat as there could be.
In general, this book held my interest well. It was pretty original, and the writing is decent. Toward the end, though, it seemed to get a bit heavy handed with the philosophical aspects of the story. I like the idea that the witch-kin (ghoulish beings of all sorts) come from the dark part of human minds, but to say that they come *because* science has taken away all that humanity once believed in seems a bit preachy to me. Or maybe just a bit too simplistic when the idea is crammed into the second to last chapter of the book. It's an idea that would have been better explored in depth than just stated.
Which brings me to another thing that I didn't love about the book. It seems often to tell rather than show. I hate, hate, hate when a book (or an author) does that. A good example of this is the romance that eventually (and predictably) develops between Alaizabel and Thaniel. The reader doesn't so much see it happening, but is told that it is. That makes for pretty weak romance as compared to many other YA books out there.
Bottom line: a good recommendation for teens who like darker stories that aren't too scary and have a neat, happy ending, but not as much meat as there could be.
December 28, 2009
I found this book on a steampunk list, but don't be fooled. It's not steampunk; in fact, it's more Lovecraftian horror, by which I mean lots of creepy creatures and not much soul.
Basically, that's the problem with this book. The characters are fairly one-dimensional and you never get close enough to them to really invest in their story. The description and detail in the book is great, but when more time goes into describing the wych-kin than the characters reaction to them, you're in trouble.
For me, I never got invested in the characters enough to really care whether they saved the day, and I pretty much skimmed through the last seventy-five pages. Wooding also commits one of my biggest sins: random characters who exist long enough to do something vital for the plot, then vanish, never to be seen or heard of again. That's a plot failing for me right there.
This seemed like a good read in the beginning, but it turned out to be a very pretty facade with nothing behind it.
Basically, that's the problem with this book. The characters are fairly one-dimensional and you never get close enough to them to really invest in their story. The description and detail in the book is great, but when more time goes into describing the wych-kin than the characters reaction to them, you're in trouble.
For me, I never got invested in the characters enough to really care whether they saved the day, and I pretty much skimmed through the last seventy-five pages. Wooding also commits one of my biggest sins: random characters who exist long enough to do something vital for the plot, then vanish, never to be seen or heard of again. That's a plot failing for me right there.
This seemed like a good read in the beginning, but it turned out to be a very pretty facade with nothing behind it.
April 7, 2024
Приятно фентъзи с хорър и антиутопични елементи. Имаше известна предвидимост в сюжета, въпреки интересните хрумки, но цялостно си заслужава прочита - приятен стил, динамично действие, амалгама от "вештици", "крейдълджакове", "дрогове", един жесток сериен убиец и тайно общество, наречено Братството, което се опитва да призове същество подобно на Ктхулу.
November 1, 2018
2.5 stars. It was not bad, in fact it is a decent, middle-grade horror. If only it has better characters and dialogue to complete the fascinating and meticulous world building, this could be a four-star book.
December 11, 2016
UKUPNA OCENA (overall rating) - 7/10
Radnja (story) - 7/10
Likovi (characters) - 7/10
Pripovedanje (writing style) - 7/10
Okruženje (setting) - 8/10
Radnja (story) - 7/10
Likovi (characters) - 7/10
Pripovedanje (writing style) - 7/10
Okruženje (setting) - 8/10
November 26, 2018
I love Chris Wooding's imagination. In this tale of an alternate London he has created an eerie and mesmerising place full of strange and terrible creatures known as the wych-kin. They come in all shapes and sizes each one more horrifying than the next.
The story focuses on Thaniel Fox who despite his young age is a Wych hunter of some skill. In the course of a hunt,he stumbles across Alaizabel Cray who he tries to help. She has no memory of what has happened to her and so they must investigate.
They and their friends Cathaline Bennet,a fearless Wych Hunter in her own right and Detective Carver will uncover a terrifying conspiracy that threatens the entire world.
I loved this book from start to finish. The characters were engaging, the setting was atmospheric and the story was engrossing.
A fantastic read.
The story focuses on Thaniel Fox who despite his young age is a Wych hunter of some skill. In the course of a hunt,he stumbles across Alaizabel Cray who he tries to help. She has no memory of what has happened to her and so they must investigate.
They and their friends Cathaline Bennet,a fearless Wych Hunter in her own right and Detective Carver will uncover a terrifying conspiracy that threatens the entire world.
I loved this book from start to finish. The characters were engaging, the setting was atmospheric and the story was engrossing.
A fantastic read.
July 18, 2023
O livro foi bue demorado, parece que a ação nunca mais chega. Mas quando acontece is actually interesting. Mas fogo longas descrições de cenas que não interessa muito (estão bem descritas tho, ele escreve mucho bien. Alguns podem achar interessante, mas eu n sou pessoa de descrições ^^
Até à pág 100 ainda não tinha acontecido quase nada. Podia começar a ler o livro a partir dessa página e "não perdia nada"
Also cada vez que mudava de capitulo ficava mais perdida que sei lá o quê. Nao tem contexto nenhum. Mas se calhar sou so eu 😭
AH e os diálogos por amor de Deus. N sei se é porque foi traduzido para português mas são tão cringes e falsos.. 😭
Fiquei contente com as últimas 150 páginas. FINALMENTE HAVIA AÇÃO! Gostei muito. Se o livro fosse todo assim dava mais estrelinhas :)
Portanto esta última parte merecia 4 estrelinhas e a 1a metade 3 média dá 3.5 estrelas
Overall é um bom livro! Causa suspense e intriga :)
Até à pág 100 ainda não tinha acontecido quase nada. Podia começar a ler o livro a partir dessa página e "não perdia nada"
Also cada vez que mudava de capitulo ficava mais perdida que sei lá o quê. Nao tem contexto nenhum. Mas se calhar sou so eu 😭
AH e os diálogos por amor de Deus. N sei se é porque foi traduzido para português mas são tão cringes e falsos.. 😭
Fiquei contente com as últimas 150 páginas. FINALMENTE HAVIA AÇÃO! Gostei muito. Se o livro fosse todo assim dava mais estrelinhas :)
Portanto esta última parte merecia 4 estrelinhas e a 1a metade 3 média dá 3.5 estrelas
Overall é um bom livro! Causa suspense e intriga :)
November 8, 2025
4.5 🌟
I really enjoyed this. For a book that’s a little less than 300pgs., this packed in a lot. For that reason, I think the characters were not quite as dimensional & fleshed out as I wanted. Thaniel, Alaizabel, & Catherina were likable main characters but just not as solid as they could’ve been if this was series.
With that being said, I think this author had a really firm grasp on the setting & lore. The descriptions were really immersive but not in a way that slows the story. I’m almost a little sad this is want a series because I think there could be a lot of wytch-in lore to delver further into.
Overall: a really solid paranormal story that I could I see myself re-reading. My overall thought is- this could make a really good tv series too, sorta has got some Witcher vibes.
I really enjoyed this. For a book that’s a little less than 300pgs., this packed in a lot. For that reason, I think the characters were not quite as dimensional & fleshed out as I wanted. Thaniel, Alaizabel, & Catherina were likable main characters but just not as solid as they could’ve been if this was series.
With that being said, I think this author had a really firm grasp on the setting & lore. The descriptions were really immersive but not in a way that slows the story. I’m almost a little sad this is want a series because I think there could be a lot of wytch-in lore to delver further into.
Overall: a really solid paranormal story that I could I see myself re-reading. My overall thought is- this could make a really good tv series too, sorta has got some Witcher vibes.
July 18, 2019
This was just what I needed right now. A great eerie read with London as a character! I see that some of the reviews feel a bit grumpy about the philosophical side that really comes through at the end of the novel. That was really what brought it home to me and moved it from three to four stars. Not only a great story but something that made me think.
Two quotes that I loved:
"Man has taken on God's role...When there's no more belief, the wych-kin come."
"We are guided by hands vaster than any of us can see."
Two quotes that I loved:
"Man has taken on God's role...When there's no more belief, the wych-kin come."
"We are guided by hands vaster than any of us can see."
Displaying 1 - 30 of 366 reviews