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Hurricane Wake
Twelve hours in which thirteen people are driven further into the depths of a Jamaican farmhouse, and two white men and one woman are locked deeper in irreconcilable conflict.
233 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1977
15 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
May 30, 2024
Gearing up for a nasty hurricane season, I decided to give this one a try. First published in 1977, The Hurricane Wake takes place in Jamaica some time in the early 70s. Our protagonist, Elizabeth, narrates this while being locked up in the 'tower room' on the old family plantation. Some strange events took place during a hurricane that led her to her current predicament.
Ashe beguiles us with tales of growing up on the plantation to establish the background at the beginning; her relationship with her twin brother Tom, Maurice, a slightly older 'poor white' who worked on the farm, her crazy old aunt, and so forth. The real story takes place with Elizabeth returning to Jamaica after a year in Europe and now 18. Poor Elizabeth, torn between two potential lovers. Maurice states he loves her, and she is in love with her cousin in England. Further, the cousin promises to fly down from Florida where he is visiting to see her. Well, all these love interests must be put aside as there is a major hurricane barreling down on Jamaica!
The story chronicles the events of the hurricane, 10 horrific hours of mayhem. Elizabeth quickly catches on to Tom's hatred of Maurice, who he assumes wants to 'marry up' with Elizabeth. Tom, to put it mildly, comes off as a major asshole. When the storm hits, they pile most of the servants in the 'lower kitchen' and board up the house. Shortly thereafter, a group of a dozen or so locals show up to take refuge as well. This is where things start to get interesting! It seems the head housekeeper at the plantation, their Nan, is also into Obeah, a type of voodoo if you will, and the refuges all know her, and fear her.
It would be unjust to reveal what exactly takes place in the old mansion during the storm, but yeah, some people die (or were they murdered?), some strange 'mystical' events, which in the end get Elizabeth locked up as a madwoman. I really enjoyed the depiction of the hurricane, and yes, I have lived through several. Ashe, for all the gothic vibes and excess melodrama, does a good job ratcheting up the tension. I guess I would label this literary horror. 3.5 stormy stars! Worth a read if you can find it and are into stormy weather.
Ashe beguiles us with tales of growing up on the plantation to establish the background at the beginning; her relationship with her twin brother Tom, Maurice, a slightly older 'poor white' who worked on the farm, her crazy old aunt, and so forth. The real story takes place with Elizabeth returning to Jamaica after a year in Europe and now 18. Poor Elizabeth, torn between two potential lovers. Maurice states he loves her, and she is in love with her cousin in England. Further, the cousin promises to fly down from Florida where he is visiting to see her. Well, all these love interests must be put aside as there is a major hurricane barreling down on Jamaica!
The story chronicles the events of the hurricane, 10 horrific hours of mayhem. Elizabeth quickly catches on to Tom's hatred of Maurice, who he assumes wants to 'marry up' with Elizabeth. Tom, to put it mildly, comes off as a major asshole. When the storm hits, they pile most of the servants in the 'lower kitchen' and board up the house. Shortly thereafter, a group of a dozen or so locals show up to take refuge as well. This is where things start to get interesting! It seems the head housekeeper at the plantation, their Nan, is also into Obeah, a type of voodoo if you will, and the refuges all know her, and fear her.
It would be unjust to reveal what exactly takes place in the old mansion during the storm, but yeah, some people die (or were they murdered?), some strange 'mystical' events, which in the end get Elizabeth locked up as a madwoman. I really enjoyed the depiction of the hurricane, and yes, I have lived through several. Ashe, for all the gothic vibes and excess melodrama, does a good job ratcheting up the tension. I guess I would label this literary horror. 3.5 stormy stars! Worth a read if you can find it and are into stormy weather.
January 30, 2023
This was a pretty slow burn but at times enjoyable. Could have been a little shorter. 3.5 to be fair. Very atmospheric and of into gothic tales with more of a voodoo kinda angle this maybe more suited to you.
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