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Frost Hollow Hall
'The gates to Frost Hollow Hall loomed before us. They were great tall things, the ironwork all twisted leaves and queer-looking flowers. And they were very definitely shut.'
Tilly's heart sinks. Will's at the door of their cottage, daring her to come ice-skating up at Frost Hollow Hall. No one goes near the place these days. Rumour has it that the house is haunted . . . Ten years ago the young heir, Kit Barrington, drowned there in the lake. But Tilly never turns down a dare.
Then it goes horribly wrong. The ice breaks, Tilly falls through and almost drowns. At the point of death, a beautiful angel appears in the water and saves her. Kit Barrington's ghost.
Kit needs Tilly to solve the mystery of his death, so that his spirit can rest in peace. In order to discover all she can, Tilly gets work as a maid at Frost Hollow Hall. But the place makes her flesh crawl. It's all about the dead here, she's told, and in the heart of the house she soon discovers all manner of dark secrets . . .
'Frost Hollow Hall' is a thrilling historical fiction debut. Told in Tilly's unique voice, it is a tale of love and loss, and how forgiveness is the key to recovery.
Tilly's heart sinks. Will's at the door of their cottage, daring her to come ice-skating up at Frost Hollow Hall. No one goes near the place these days. Rumour has it that the house is haunted . . . Ten years ago the young heir, Kit Barrington, drowned there in the lake. But Tilly never turns down a dare.
Then it goes horribly wrong. The ice breaks, Tilly falls through and almost drowns. At the point of death, a beautiful angel appears in the water and saves her. Kit Barrington's ghost.
Kit needs Tilly to solve the mystery of his death, so that his spirit can rest in peace. In order to discover all she can, Tilly gets work as a maid at Frost Hollow Hall. But the place makes her flesh crawl. It's all about the dead here, she's told, and in the heart of the house she soon discovers all manner of dark secrets . . .
'Frost Hollow Hall' is a thrilling historical fiction debut. Told in Tilly's unique voice, it is a tale of love and loss, and how forgiveness is the key to recovery.
368 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 2013
51 people are currently reading
2216 people want to read
About the author
Emma Carroll
30 books597 followersAfter years of teaching English to secondary school students, Emma now writes full time. She graduated with distinction from Bath Spa University’s MA in Writing For Young People. In another life Emma wishes she’d written ‘Rebecca’ by Daphne Du Maurier. She lives in the Somerset hills with her husband and three terriers.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 213 reviews
February 26, 2021
3.5 stars
This was a very enjoyable read aloud, for most of the story this was a 4 star read. We enjoyed the characters and the setting, the various mysteries and the ghost story element. I get fed up with books written for children set in the past but having done little research about the period, apart from the odd exclamation of ‘buck up’ several books we have read recently set in another century could have had a contemporary time setting. This one did make an effort to use plenty of vernacular that would have been used at the time. Although at the end I did wonder at certain phrases. There were a few typos, some made whole sentences impossible to decipher.
We enjoyed the the ideas behind this story, the mysterious deaths and coincidences, the ghost story elements were good and creepy, there was plenty to speculate about.
Most of the story felt like a creepy gothic ghost story but the end felt like too many confessions, everyone sorting their problems out and the start of a romance, most of which felt out of place with the time period.
There were many good parts to the book though, we loved the interweaving of stories, the different viewpoints and gradually getting to know the truth behind the mystery.
This was a very enjoyable read aloud, for most of the story this was a 4 star read. We enjoyed the characters and the setting, the various mysteries and the ghost story element. I get fed up with books written for children set in the past but having done little research about the period, apart from the odd exclamation of ‘buck up’ several books we have read recently set in another century could have had a contemporary time setting. This one did make an effort to use plenty of vernacular that would have been used at the time. Although at the end I did wonder at certain phrases. There were a few typos, some made whole sentences impossible to decipher.
We enjoyed the the ideas behind this story, the mysterious deaths and coincidences, the ghost story elements were good and creepy, there was plenty to speculate about.
Most of the story felt like a creepy gothic ghost story but the end felt like too many confessions, everyone sorting their problems out and the start of a romance, most of which felt out of place with the time period.
There were many good parts to the book though, we loved the interweaving of stories, the different viewpoints and gradually getting to know the truth behind the mystery.
September 28, 2013
I don't normally read YA novels, but I couldn't resist the allure of a Victorian ghost story, and Emma Carroll did not let me down.
In this fast moving mystery we follow the feisty, adorable Tilly on her great adventure in Frost Hollow Hall - the house which is haunted by more than one ghost and where many tragic secrets hide.
The story is thrilling and full of excitement with a cast of well drawn characters. But rather than being too mawkish (despite some scenes which are desperately sad, not to mention the spine tingling moments) this is a book about letting go - setting free the living and the dead so that those left behind can carry on, to find their own way and happiness. I enjoyed every page.
In this fast moving mystery we follow the feisty, adorable Tilly on her great adventure in Frost Hollow Hall - the house which is haunted by more than one ghost and where many tragic secrets hide.
The story is thrilling and full of excitement with a cast of well drawn characters. But rather than being too mawkish (despite some scenes which are desperately sad, not to mention the spine tingling moments) this is a book about letting go - setting free the living and the dead so that those left behind can carry on, to find their own way and happiness. I enjoyed every page.
January 11, 2020
charming and enigmatic♥♥
April 11, 2023
If someone had told me that I would read a book that has 'dreaming' chapters interspersed within the main text, I would have said, 'Oh, no, not for me'. But Emma Carroll's book had such an enticing blurb and was set in Victorian times that I decided to give it a go. And I am glad I did for it is a touching portrait of Hollow Hall and its inhabitants with an excellent storyline.
It is told by Matilda (Tilly) Higgins, who, after falling in the forbidden lake at the Hall and being rescued by an angel, or a ghost, or even the watching Will Potter, loses her sister and father as they emigrate to America and then ends up as a maidservant at the Hall.
She finds life rather delicate and she quickly realises that there is an underlying tension, which is exaggerated when she continues to have her dreams of Kit Barrington, who had drowned in the lake 10 years earlier.
Tensions arise between Lady Barrington, Mrs Jessop, the housekeeper, and other members of staff and eventually, after an ill-fated séance, Tilly is dismissed, much to her disappointment for she was determined to unravel the mystery of Hollow Hall.
Fortunately she decides to return clandestinely to the Hall and manages to confront Lady Barrington and to make the picture complete a disarmed Mrs Jessop. Despite their antipathy towards her, she wins them over, makes them see sense and when the problem is solved declines to remain at the Hall as she wants to return home to look after her mother.
She also has an assignment with Will Potter, which she stated was 'better than a dream'. All in all it makes for compulsive reading and is a lovely, heart-rending story.
It is told by Matilda (Tilly) Higgins, who, after falling in the forbidden lake at the Hall and being rescued by an angel, or a ghost, or even the watching Will Potter, loses her sister and father as they emigrate to America and then ends up as a maidservant at the Hall.
She finds life rather delicate and she quickly realises that there is an underlying tension, which is exaggerated when she continues to have her dreams of Kit Barrington, who had drowned in the lake 10 years earlier.
Tensions arise between Lady Barrington, Mrs Jessop, the housekeeper, and other members of staff and eventually, after an ill-fated séance, Tilly is dismissed, much to her disappointment for she was determined to unravel the mystery of Hollow Hall.
Fortunately she decides to return clandestinely to the Hall and manages to confront Lady Barrington and to make the picture complete a disarmed Mrs Jessop. Despite their antipathy towards her, she wins them over, makes them see sense and when the problem is solved declines to remain at the Hall as she wants to return home to look after her mother.
She also has an assignment with Will Potter, which she stated was 'better than a dream'. All in all it makes for compulsive reading and is a lovely, heart-rending story.
December 15, 2020
I wasn’t sure I was going to take to this book, but it utterly charmed me. Aimed at children, this is a delightful ghost story and mystery. If I’d read this book as a child it would have been a 5 star read.
June 10, 2023
Brilliant!!! A charming ghost story, gentle and full of love and intrigue
October 17, 2013
I don’t often read books written for younger readers, but there was something about Frost Hollow Hall: an interesting title, a lovely cover, and the promise of a Victorian ghost story. I had to open its pages, of course I did.
Inside those pages I met a engaging heroine, a feisty and compassionate girl named Tilly. A girl from a working class family who lived in a village close to Frost Hollow Hall. When Will, the butcher’s boy, dared Tilly to go skating on the ice at Frost Hallow Hall she was anxious. The great house had been in mourning ever since the young heir, Kit Barrington, had drowned in its lake some ten years earlier, and there was talk in the village of ghosts and strange goings on. But Tilly wasn’t going to let know that she was worried, and she skated right out to the middle of the lake.
The ice cracked, and Tilly was pulled down into the icy waters. She should have drowned, but she didn’t. Because an angel, the most beautiful, the most magical, thing that Tilly had ever seen, caught her and pushed her up out of the water.
It was such a lovely opening, and I was completely captivated.
Tilly saw the angel again, in her dreams. She realised that there was something he wanted; he wanted her to go to Frost Hollow Hall, and to make the reveal the truth of what had happened there ten years earlier.
There was a vacancy for a parlour maid, at Frost Hollow Hall, and, though Tilly had no experience and didn’t make the best first impression, she got the job. She was in the right place at the right time, and it seemed that the hall had trouble holding on to staff. Because the village gossip was right: there were ghosts, there were strange goings-on.
Tilly’s adventures at Frost Hollow Hall are very cleverly plotted, with plenty of twists and turns, with some wonderfully dramatic moments, and a lovely selection of those familiar elements that you so often find in ghost stories. Meanwhile Tilly’s mother has problems, and of course her daughter wants to support her; and Tilly’s relationship with Will – who delivers meat to the hall – moves along nicely. All of the elements work together very well.
Frost Hollow Hall is more than a ghost story; it’s a story that lives and breathes, and paint wonderful pictures, and it’s a story about love, family, loss, regret, and learning to let go, told beautifully, with both subtlety and charm.
The narrative voice was wonderful, the lovely descriptive prose evoked the time and the place perfectly, and Tilly was so very engaging that I was completely caught up with her, from the first page to the last.
It was only the ending that hit a slightly wrong note; I wasn’t unhappy with the way the story played out, and I appreciated that every detail was attended to. But it felt a little rushed, and some of the emotional shifts happened rather too quickly.
But the book as a whole I loved. It’s a story for children, built on classic lines, and it would sit nicely in a line of books with names that are so familiar; books that continue to be read, and loved, even though their own era is long gone.
Inside those pages I met a engaging heroine, a feisty and compassionate girl named Tilly. A girl from a working class family who lived in a village close to Frost Hollow Hall. When Will, the butcher’s boy, dared Tilly to go skating on the ice at Frost Hallow Hall she was anxious. The great house had been in mourning ever since the young heir, Kit Barrington, had drowned in its lake some ten years earlier, and there was talk in the village of ghosts and strange goings on. But Tilly wasn’t going to let know that she was worried, and she skated right out to the middle of the lake.
The ice cracked, and Tilly was pulled down into the icy waters. She should have drowned, but she didn’t. Because an angel, the most beautiful, the most magical, thing that Tilly had ever seen, caught her and pushed her up out of the water.
It was such a lovely opening, and I was completely captivated.
Tilly saw the angel again, in her dreams. She realised that there was something he wanted; he wanted her to go to Frost Hollow Hall, and to make the reveal the truth of what had happened there ten years earlier.
There was a vacancy for a parlour maid, at Frost Hollow Hall, and, though Tilly had no experience and didn’t make the best first impression, she got the job. She was in the right place at the right time, and it seemed that the hall had trouble holding on to staff. Because the village gossip was right: there were ghosts, there were strange goings-on.
Tilly’s adventures at Frost Hollow Hall are very cleverly plotted, with plenty of twists and turns, with some wonderfully dramatic moments, and a lovely selection of those familiar elements that you so often find in ghost stories. Meanwhile Tilly’s mother has problems, and of course her daughter wants to support her; and Tilly’s relationship with Will – who delivers meat to the hall – moves along nicely. All of the elements work together very well.
Frost Hollow Hall is more than a ghost story; it’s a story that lives and breathes, and paint wonderful pictures, and it’s a story about love, family, loss, regret, and learning to let go, told beautifully, with both subtlety and charm.
The narrative voice was wonderful, the lovely descriptive prose evoked the time and the place perfectly, and Tilly was so very engaging that I was completely caught up with her, from the first page to the last.
It was only the ending that hit a slightly wrong note; I wasn’t unhappy with the way the story played out, and I appreciated that every detail was attended to. But it felt a little rushed, and some of the emotional shifts happened rather too quickly.
But the book as a whole I loved. It’s a story for children, built on classic lines, and it would sit nicely in a line of books with names that are so familiar; books that continue to be read, and loved, even though their own era is long gone.
December 11, 2015
If you only gave me one word to describe Frost Hollow Hall it would be: beautiful. I loved the writing, I want to say it’s picturesque. Emma Carroll debut is one of those books where I feel I’m there instead of reading about it.
I liked Tilly, the story starts because Will dares her to go skating at Frost Hollow Hall. Tilly, unlike the rest of the village girls, goes because she never backs down from a dare and not because she’s ‘silly’ over Will. While Will’s first impression is greatly influenced by Tilly’s mind-set I did actually like him and this only increased as the story continued.
Both of these characters are a big part of why I enjoyed Frost Hollow Hall so much. Great writing will only take you so far (though Emma Carroll provides this in excess, thank you!) what you need to make a book shine is story and characters. And does this book deliver on those? You bet.
I pre-ordered Frost Hollow Hall the day after I finished, that’s how much I liked it.
I liked Tilly, the story starts because Will dares her to go skating at Frost Hollow Hall. Tilly, unlike the rest of the village girls, goes because she never backs down from a dare and not because she’s ‘silly’ over Will. While Will’s first impression is greatly influenced by Tilly’s mind-set I did actually like him and this only increased as the story continued.
Both of these characters are a big part of why I enjoyed Frost Hollow Hall so much. Great writing will only take you so far (though Emma Carroll provides this in excess, thank you!) what you need to make a book shine is story and characters. And does this book deliver on those? You bet.
I pre-ordered Frost Hollow Hall the day after I finished, that’s how much I liked it.
December 5, 2014
Moontrug likes to make a habit of doing the opposite of what most other people are doing: she goes down up escalators, rushes out into thunderstorms and eats pizza with a lot of ketchup. So perhaps it was unsurprising when, on the hottest day of the year so far, she decided to read the most wintry-named book she could find: Frost Hollow Hall by Emma Carroll.
In the middle of a frozen lake, a girl is skating. She’s not supposed to be here. No one is. Not since Kit Barrington drowned at Frost Hollow Hall ten years ago. But the dead don’t scare Tilly Higgins. The ice is thin. It cracks. Suddenly she’s under the water, drowning. Near death, a strange spirit appears to her, a boy so beautiful Tilly is sure he’s an angel. But he’s a ghost. A very troubled ghost. And he desperately needs her help…
So, Moontrug reckons there are four basic things that make a brilliant book:
1. a strong narrative voice
2. an engaging protagonist
3. an original plot
4. a captivating setting
And Emma Carroll managed to nail each one! She even chucked in a gorgeous guy called Will Potter – and he’s as fanciable as Will from Philip Pullman’s Subtle Knife. Well done, Carroll. We like.
The mysterious setting of Frost Hollow Hall lures you in from the start, just as it does Tilly: ‘like I’d been tied with an invisible thread and someone at the Hall was on the other end of it, reeling me in.’ There is something of Conan Doyle’s Baskerville Hall and Joan Aiken’s Willoughby Chase in Carroll’s Frost Hollow Hall. It’s a place beckoning both Tilly and her friend, Will, in – luring them towards secrets and ghosts: ‘It had got colder. By now the sun was low and red in the sky, and the air so still not even the trees stirred. High above my head, rooks circled and cawed to each other. At my back, the copse grew darker.’ But Carroll’s settings aren’t just helpful backdrops – they’re at the forefront of her brilliantly written action scenes: ‘Black, stinking water spewed over the ice. It sucked at my skirts. And it was cold. So cold it knocked the breath clean out of me… Slowly, gently, the lake closed over my head and all went quiet but for the blood pounding in my ears. I went down and down into blackness.’
Tilly is a fantastic heroine, as feisty as Pullman’s Lyra Belacqua and as brave as Borrough’s India Bentley. Will Potter might have dares in store for her but as Tilly says, ‘Now I’ve got a dare for you.’ She’s not afraid to thump Will – and Moontrug loved the way their friendship developed. Tilly might feel all alone at Frost Hollow Hall with its dark secrets and grief-stricken mistress, but in the background there is Will’s loyalty, humour and bravery – and set against Tilly’s impoverished family life and the eerie circumstances she finds herself in, that’s kinda cool. Carroll presents the ghostly aspects of the plot in a subtle yet powerfully frightening way: ‘The whispering started just inches from my ear, a hissing, lisping sound that made my scalp prickle. I shrank back in horror. Tried to pull free. But the grip was fierce. Fingernails bit through the sleeve of my frock.’ The unravelling of the secrets stored at Frost Hollow Hall is brilliantly done and keeps you enthralled page after page after page. Frost Hollow Hall is a fantastic mystery story for 9-12s. This is an author to watch…
In the middle of a frozen lake, a girl is skating. She’s not supposed to be here. No one is. Not since Kit Barrington drowned at Frost Hollow Hall ten years ago. But the dead don’t scare Tilly Higgins. The ice is thin. It cracks. Suddenly she’s under the water, drowning. Near death, a strange spirit appears to her, a boy so beautiful Tilly is sure he’s an angel. But he’s a ghost. A very troubled ghost. And he desperately needs her help…
So, Moontrug reckons there are four basic things that make a brilliant book:
1. a strong narrative voice
2. an engaging protagonist
3. an original plot
4. a captivating setting
And Emma Carroll managed to nail each one! She even chucked in a gorgeous guy called Will Potter – and he’s as fanciable as Will from Philip Pullman’s Subtle Knife. Well done, Carroll. We like.
The mysterious setting of Frost Hollow Hall lures you in from the start, just as it does Tilly: ‘like I’d been tied with an invisible thread and someone at the Hall was on the other end of it, reeling me in.’ There is something of Conan Doyle’s Baskerville Hall and Joan Aiken’s Willoughby Chase in Carroll’s Frost Hollow Hall. It’s a place beckoning both Tilly and her friend, Will, in – luring them towards secrets and ghosts: ‘It had got colder. By now the sun was low and red in the sky, and the air so still not even the trees stirred. High above my head, rooks circled and cawed to each other. At my back, the copse grew darker.’ But Carroll’s settings aren’t just helpful backdrops – they’re at the forefront of her brilliantly written action scenes: ‘Black, stinking water spewed over the ice. It sucked at my skirts. And it was cold. So cold it knocked the breath clean out of me… Slowly, gently, the lake closed over my head and all went quiet but for the blood pounding in my ears. I went down and down into blackness.’
Tilly is a fantastic heroine, as feisty as Pullman’s Lyra Belacqua and as brave as Borrough’s India Bentley. Will Potter might have dares in store for her but as Tilly says, ‘Now I’ve got a dare for you.’ She’s not afraid to thump Will – and Moontrug loved the way their friendship developed. Tilly might feel all alone at Frost Hollow Hall with its dark secrets and grief-stricken mistress, but in the background there is Will’s loyalty, humour and bravery – and set against Tilly’s impoverished family life and the eerie circumstances she finds herself in, that’s kinda cool. Carroll presents the ghostly aspects of the plot in a subtle yet powerfully frightening way: ‘The whispering started just inches from my ear, a hissing, lisping sound that made my scalp prickle. I shrank back in horror. Tried to pull free. But the grip was fierce. Fingernails bit through the sleeve of my frock.’ The unravelling of the secrets stored at Frost Hollow Hall is brilliantly done and keeps you enthralled page after page after page. Frost Hollow Hall is a fantastic mystery story for 9-12s. This is an author to watch…
November 9, 2019
Der Stil hätte noch etwas mehr an die historische Zeit angepasst sein können, dafür war die Atmosphäre und das Setting genau richtig - sehr fesselnde Geschichte mit einem dunklen Geheimnis und spannendem Aufbau!
Geistergeschichten für das Alter haben ihren ganz eigenen Charme finde ich, und da diese Geschichte auch noch im 19. Jahrhundert in England spielt, hat sie mich besonders gereizt.
Tilly ist 12jährige Protagonistin und sie erzählt aus ihrer Sichtweise in der Ich-Perspektive. Die Kapitel sind recht kurz so dass man recht schnell vorwärtskommt. Auch die Sätze sind teilweise recht knapp, was das Tempo zusätzlich antreibt und was ich eigentlich nicht so gerne mag.
Ansonsten ist mir nur negativ aufgefallen, dass der Stil eher der heutigen Zeit entspricht, von der Schreibweise her. Das kann man für das Alter ruhig auch noch deutlicher hervorheben.
Ansonsten war die Darstellung der Verhältnisse damals aber echt gut beschrieben. Tilly selbst wächst in einer Familie auf, die sehr mit der Armut zu kämpfen hat und mit ihren 12 Jahren muss sie genauso zum Einkommen beitragen wie ihre ältere Schwester. Aber sie hat nicht nur mit Geldnot zu kämpfen, auch in der Familie selbst fühlt sie sich nicht wirklich angenommen und trägt eine tiefgreifende Traurigkeit in sich, die sie oft einsam macht.
Dadurch lässt sie sich aber nicht unterkriegen, auch wenn sie mit vielen Enttäuschungen zu kämpfen hat. Sie verliert nicht den Mut und merkt am Ende, dass Träume und Hoffnungen natürlich schöne Ziele sind, man dabei aber nicht das aus den Augen verlieren und wertschätzen sollte, was man hat.
Die Handlung selbst hat mich total gefesselt und ich konnte das Buch wirklich kaum aus der Hand legen. Auch wenn das Tempo an sich eher langsam ist und keine große dramatische Wirkung entfaltet, blieb die Spannung für mich immer bestehen. Durch die ständigen neuen Entwicklungen ist die Neugier immens gewachsen, was es mit dem Tod von Kit Barrington auf sich hat, der vor 10 Jahren im See auf dem Grundstück von Frost Hollow Hall ertrunken ist.
Trotz der teilweise recht tragischen Atmosphäre, in der Trauer, Verlust, Schuld und das Loslassen können eine wichtige Rolle spielen, waren auch schöne und warmherzige Botschaften zu finden. Ob Kinder ab 10 Jahren hier schon Verständnis gerade für die Auflösung aufbringen können kann ich grade nicht so einschätzen, ich würde es deshalb eher erst ab 12 Jahren empfehlen.
Insgesamt fand ich es auf jeden Fall eine sehr gut aufgebaut Geschichte, mit gruseligen Momenten und tragischen Schicksalen, die mich sehr berührt hat.
4.5 Sterne von mir
Weltenwanderer
Geistergeschichten für das Alter haben ihren ganz eigenen Charme finde ich, und da diese Geschichte auch noch im 19. Jahrhundert in England spielt, hat sie mich besonders gereizt.
Tilly ist 12jährige Protagonistin und sie erzählt aus ihrer Sichtweise in der Ich-Perspektive. Die Kapitel sind recht kurz so dass man recht schnell vorwärtskommt. Auch die Sätze sind teilweise recht knapp, was das Tempo zusätzlich antreibt und was ich eigentlich nicht so gerne mag.
Ansonsten ist mir nur negativ aufgefallen, dass der Stil eher der heutigen Zeit entspricht, von der Schreibweise her. Das kann man für das Alter ruhig auch noch deutlicher hervorheben.
Ansonsten war die Darstellung der Verhältnisse damals aber echt gut beschrieben. Tilly selbst wächst in einer Familie auf, die sehr mit der Armut zu kämpfen hat und mit ihren 12 Jahren muss sie genauso zum Einkommen beitragen wie ihre ältere Schwester. Aber sie hat nicht nur mit Geldnot zu kämpfen, auch in der Familie selbst fühlt sie sich nicht wirklich angenommen und trägt eine tiefgreifende Traurigkeit in sich, die sie oft einsam macht.
Dadurch lässt sie sich aber nicht unterkriegen, auch wenn sie mit vielen Enttäuschungen zu kämpfen hat. Sie verliert nicht den Mut und merkt am Ende, dass Träume und Hoffnungen natürlich schöne Ziele sind, man dabei aber nicht das aus den Augen verlieren und wertschätzen sollte, was man hat.
Die Handlung selbst hat mich total gefesselt und ich konnte das Buch wirklich kaum aus der Hand legen. Auch wenn das Tempo an sich eher langsam ist und keine große dramatische Wirkung entfaltet, blieb die Spannung für mich immer bestehen. Durch die ständigen neuen Entwicklungen ist die Neugier immens gewachsen, was es mit dem Tod von Kit Barrington auf sich hat, der vor 10 Jahren im See auf dem Grundstück von Frost Hollow Hall ertrunken ist.
Trotz der teilweise recht tragischen Atmosphäre, in der Trauer, Verlust, Schuld und das Loslassen können eine wichtige Rolle spielen, waren auch schöne und warmherzige Botschaften zu finden. Ob Kinder ab 10 Jahren hier schon Verständnis gerade für die Auflösung aufbringen können kann ich grade nicht so einschätzen, ich würde es deshalb eher erst ab 12 Jahren empfehlen.
Insgesamt fand ich es auf jeden Fall eine sehr gut aufgebaut Geschichte, mit gruseligen Momenten und tragischen Schicksalen, die mich sehr berührt hat.
4.5 Sterne von mir
Weltenwanderer
January 2, 2016
Emma Carroll's debut novel came highly recommended to me by my sister and fellow blogger Chrissi Reads and after reading the beautiful synopsis, I was certain I was going to enjoy it. Well - I did more than that, in fact I LOVED it. Set in the 1800's the author transports us to a world rich in detail, with a protagonist that will instantly win your heart and tells a story that will both chill and excite in equal measure. It begins in a cold February where our heroine Tilly Higgins and her friend Will Potter are on their way to the big house on the estate, Frost Hollow Hall where ten years ago, a horrifying tragedy occurred and led to the heir, a young boy called Kit Barrington, drowning as he fell through the ice while skating there. Now Tilly has been dared by Will to skate on that very same ice and she is not the kind of girl to shy away at a dare, especially from Will who half the girls in the village are in love with.
Then something terrible and wonderful happens. The ice breaks and Tilly soon slips through and it seems certain she too will succumb to its icy depths until a hazy figure appears to her underneath the ice and pushes her back up. This boy also appears to her in her dreams and she understands it to be the spirit of Kit Barrington who seems desperate for her to uncover the secrets behind his death. Compassionate Tilly knows she has to help him and despite the problems in her own family she manages to get a post as a maid at Frost Hollow Hall. With the help of Will, she starts to uncover the mysteries at the big house that Kit appears to be pushing her to reveal. There are certainly odd goings-on afoot, with poltergeist pottery that crashes around by itself, terrified staff, a housekeeper that seems to know a lot more than she is letting on, seances and Lady Barrington herself, wild with grief. Secrets are unearthed that will rock Tilly's world indefinitely and teach her a whole lot about family, friendship, love, absolution, letting go and moving on.
This is such a beautiful book and a superior piece of writing that I will be eternally grateful that I've read it. The characters are all phenomenal and we see the growth of every single one throughout the novel but I had a special soft spot for Tilly, a normal, independent and loving girl that although she has problems of her own delights in being able to help other people. I also enjoyed her relationship with Will and how it developed through the novel and even Will himself becomes a much bigger person than what he first appeared to be directly through his experiences with Tilly. For anyone who is not sure about YA, please don't let the genre put you off - this is a fantastic ghostly story that can be read and enjoyed by a wide variety of ages and, of course, it's a perfect tale for this time of year. Curl up with Frost Hollow Hall, a blanket, a cup of tea (or other tipple!) and be prepared to be transported into a Victorian masterpiece that will grip you until the final page.
For my full review please see my blog at http://www.bibliobeth.com
Then something terrible and wonderful happens. The ice breaks and Tilly soon slips through and it seems certain she too will succumb to its icy depths until a hazy figure appears to her underneath the ice and pushes her back up. This boy also appears to her in her dreams and she understands it to be the spirit of Kit Barrington who seems desperate for her to uncover the secrets behind his death. Compassionate Tilly knows she has to help him and despite the problems in her own family she manages to get a post as a maid at Frost Hollow Hall. With the help of Will, she starts to uncover the mysteries at the big house that Kit appears to be pushing her to reveal. There are certainly odd goings-on afoot, with poltergeist pottery that crashes around by itself, terrified staff, a housekeeper that seems to know a lot more than she is letting on, seances and Lady Barrington herself, wild with grief. Secrets are unearthed that will rock Tilly's world indefinitely and teach her a whole lot about family, friendship, love, absolution, letting go and moving on.
This is such a beautiful book and a superior piece of writing that I will be eternally grateful that I've read it. The characters are all phenomenal and we see the growth of every single one throughout the novel but I had a special soft spot for Tilly, a normal, independent and loving girl that although she has problems of her own delights in being able to help other people. I also enjoyed her relationship with Will and how it developed through the novel and even Will himself becomes a much bigger person than what he first appeared to be directly through his experiences with Tilly. For anyone who is not sure about YA, please don't let the genre put you off - this is a fantastic ghostly story that can be read and enjoyed by a wide variety of ages and, of course, it's a perfect tale for this time of year. Curl up with Frost Hollow Hall, a blanket, a cup of tea (or other tipple!) and be prepared to be transported into a Victorian masterpiece that will grip you until the final page.
For my full review please see my blog at http://www.bibliobeth.com
October 13, 2017
In letzter Zeit lese ich recht wenig Kinder- und Jugendbücher. Doch als ich diesen Titel von Emma Carroll entdeckte, beschloss ich es wieder einmal mit diesem Genre zu versuchen. Ich hatte vor ein paar Jahren ein anderes Buch dieser Autorin gelesen, The Snow Sister, ein wirklich herzerwärmendes Buch. Außerdem ist Nach über Frost Hollow Hall eine viktorianische Geistergeschichte und für diese Art von Büchern hatte ich schon immer eine Schwäche.
Aus der Sicht eines Erwachsenen (und erfahrenen Krimilesers) wirken viele Geschehnisse und Wendungen etwas offensichtlich, für Kinder sind sie aber sehr spannend: Ein großes viktorianisches Herrenhaus mitten im Winter, über das viele Gerüchte kursieren, der unaufgeklärte Tod des einzigen Erben zehn Jahre zuvor, sich merkwürdige verhaltende Bewohner und natürlich die Geister - als das schafft eine sehr gruselige Atmosphäre, die selbst mir teilweise Schauer über den Rücken jagte. Am Schluss löst sich alles sehr schön auf, ich hätte mir nur eine noch etwas verstecktere Lösung gewünscht.
Ich kann das Buch Freunden von viktorianische Schauergeschichten nur wärmstens empfehlen, genauso wie die anderen Bücher von Emma Carroll- ich wünschte, es gäbe mehr Autorinnen wie sie!
(Vielen Dank an Netgalley/den Verlag für die Bereitstellung eines kostenlosen digitalen Leseexemplars!)
Aus der Sicht eines Erwachsenen (und erfahrenen Krimilesers) wirken viele Geschehnisse und Wendungen etwas offensichtlich, für Kinder sind sie aber sehr spannend: Ein großes viktorianisches Herrenhaus mitten im Winter, über das viele Gerüchte kursieren, der unaufgeklärte Tod des einzigen Erben zehn Jahre zuvor, sich merkwürdige verhaltende Bewohner und natürlich die Geister - als das schafft eine sehr gruselige Atmosphäre, die selbst mir teilweise Schauer über den Rücken jagte. Am Schluss löst sich alles sehr schön auf, ich hätte mir nur eine noch etwas verstecktere Lösung gewünscht.
Ich kann das Buch Freunden von viktorianische Schauergeschichten nur wärmstens empfehlen, genauso wie die anderen Bücher von Emma Carroll- ich wünschte, es gäbe mehr Autorinnen wie sie!
(Vielen Dank an Netgalley/den Verlag für die Bereitstellung eines kostenlosen digitalen Leseexemplars!)
January 12, 2022
3.5 stars
Atmospheric middle-grade historical fiction ghost story.
Atmospheric middle-grade historical fiction ghost story.
December 1, 2017
Don't start this one at bedtime unless you're planning to go to bed a few hours early: you won't want to put it down to sleep. On my first reading of the book, it was 3am by the time I finished it and turned out the light!
Several years later I still believe that this book deserves far more attention than it has had to date. I plan to recommend it to my local library for one of their winter-themed displays. It's decidedly not the stereotypical paranormal romance/young adult ghost story and/or fantasy, and I love it for how out of the ordinary it is.
I have the Audible UK version on my phone, too, and I especially enjoy re-reading (or listening to) this book every year, as winter begins to approach. The narrator brings out the character of Tilly beautifully and Tilly, and the atmosphere, are the two most special things about Frost Hollow Hall.
Several years later I still believe that this book deserves far more attention than it has had to date. I plan to recommend it to my local library for one of their winter-themed displays. It's decidedly not the stereotypical paranormal romance/young adult ghost story and/or fantasy, and I love it for how out of the ordinary it is.
I have the Audible UK version on my phone, too, and I especially enjoy re-reading (or listening to) this book every year, as winter begins to approach. The narrator brings out the character of Tilly beautifully and Tilly, and the atmosphere, are the two most special things about Frost Hollow Hall.
July 2, 2019
A beautifully chilling and classic Victorian ghost story. It's creepy, it's imaginative, it has a delightfully determined narrator in Tilly and it's wound through with an utterly believable love story. Thoroughly enjoyable!
November 12, 2018
Emma Carroll’s debut, Frost Hollow Hall, begins in the winter of 1881, in a small village named Frostcombe. The novel was inspired by a ‘winter’s day from Emma’s childhood’, and the vividness of the setting is built up from the very first page.
Frost Hollow Hall begins with an article in the Combe Vale Chronicle dating from February 1871. It describes the way in which Viscount Barrington, the owner of the Frost Hollow Hall estate, loses his only son, Christopher, known throughout as Kit, who ‘died tragically yesterday afternoon whilst skating alone on a frozen lake in the grounds’.
The main thread of the novel begins in the first chapter, when our young narrator, Tilly Higgins, is introduced. Her voice immediately sets out her character: ‘I was proper fed up with waiting. I’d been on look-out now for two whole hours and there was still no sign of Pa’. He is due home from ‘a stint on the railways’, bringing with him much needed money to pay the family’s rent. Tilly makes it clear that they are poor: ‘We didn’t even own enough chairs for us all to sit down at the same time’, and so when her father fails to turn up, she begins to worry.
That same morning, Tilly is dared to go ice skating on the lake at Frost Hollow Hall, a fair walk from her home, by a boy named Will Potter. ‘No one went near Frost Hollow Hall’, she tells us, ‘not since that boy died there in the lake’. Whilst she is on the lake, she heeds no warning from Will to steer clear of the thinner ice, and finds herself underwater: ‘Slowly, gently, the lake closed over my head and all went quiet but for the blood pounding in my ears. I went down and down into blackness’. Whilst she is underwater, she sees ‘the most perfect creature… My very own angel, beautiful and full of light’ moving toward her. She believes that this vision is responsible for saving her life, and quickly attributes the vision to that of Kit.
At the start of the novel, Tilly works as a ‘pupil-helper’ at her local school, ‘cleaning slates and carrying coal and showing the young ones how to read’. As soon as she becomes fascinated with Kit and how he came to drown, however, she takes up a place as a housemaid at Frost Hollow Hall so that she is able to find out more about him. She believes that she can help him, and bravely tries to do so.
Tilly’s narrative voice is childishly amusing at times. She thinks that Will Potter is ‘an irksome wretch’ and ‘a daft lummox’, and she is always ready to offer opinions on everything which she encounters. Carroll has written Frost Hollow Hall wonderfully, and her story is very well imagined. Lots of mysteries are tied in throughout, and there is not a single page which does not vividly capture the imagination. The novel is intriguing and well paced throughout. Carroll has captured the voice of her young narrator, and has made it marvellously consistent. The sense of time and place are well established, as is the Higgins’ family dynamic and the relationships between the characters.
Frost Hollow Hall is really creepy at times, and is sure to chill a child to the bone whilst leaving them longing to know what happens next. It is a novel which I will highly recommend to all.
Frost Hollow Hall begins with an article in the Combe Vale Chronicle dating from February 1871. It describes the way in which Viscount Barrington, the owner of the Frost Hollow Hall estate, loses his only son, Christopher, known throughout as Kit, who ‘died tragically yesterday afternoon whilst skating alone on a frozen lake in the grounds’.
The main thread of the novel begins in the first chapter, when our young narrator, Tilly Higgins, is introduced. Her voice immediately sets out her character: ‘I was proper fed up with waiting. I’d been on look-out now for two whole hours and there was still no sign of Pa’. He is due home from ‘a stint on the railways’, bringing with him much needed money to pay the family’s rent. Tilly makes it clear that they are poor: ‘We didn’t even own enough chairs for us all to sit down at the same time’, and so when her father fails to turn up, she begins to worry.
That same morning, Tilly is dared to go ice skating on the lake at Frost Hollow Hall, a fair walk from her home, by a boy named Will Potter. ‘No one went near Frost Hollow Hall’, she tells us, ‘not since that boy died there in the lake’. Whilst she is on the lake, she heeds no warning from Will to steer clear of the thinner ice, and finds herself underwater: ‘Slowly, gently, the lake closed over my head and all went quiet but for the blood pounding in my ears. I went down and down into blackness’. Whilst she is underwater, she sees ‘the most perfect creature… My very own angel, beautiful and full of light’ moving toward her. She believes that this vision is responsible for saving her life, and quickly attributes the vision to that of Kit.
At the start of the novel, Tilly works as a ‘pupil-helper’ at her local school, ‘cleaning slates and carrying coal and showing the young ones how to read’. As soon as she becomes fascinated with Kit and how he came to drown, however, she takes up a place as a housemaid at Frost Hollow Hall so that she is able to find out more about him. She believes that she can help him, and bravely tries to do so.
Tilly’s narrative voice is childishly amusing at times. She thinks that Will Potter is ‘an irksome wretch’ and ‘a daft lummox’, and she is always ready to offer opinions on everything which she encounters. Carroll has written Frost Hollow Hall wonderfully, and her story is very well imagined. Lots of mysteries are tied in throughout, and there is not a single page which does not vividly capture the imagination. The novel is intriguing and well paced throughout. Carroll has captured the voice of her young narrator, and has made it marvellously consistent. The sense of time and place are well established, as is the Higgins’ family dynamic and the relationships between the characters.
Frost Hollow Hall is really creepy at times, and is sure to chill a child to the bone whilst leaving them longing to know what happens next. It is a novel which I will highly recommend to all.
September 6, 2013
I fell in love with the cover and synopsis of Frost Hollow Hall from the moment I saw it. Mainly because I'm a bit strange and actually looking forward to Winter. There's just something magical and mysterious about Winter and the cover promises these in abundance.
I was not disappointed. Tilly is a great protagonist. She's kind and hopeful despite the rough hand she's been dealt. Poor Tilly is used to being second best; always in the shadow of her sister who constantly sides with her mum leaving Tilly feeling left out and like the black sheep but Tilly doesn't let it get her too down, she's independent and headstrong.
When Will Potter dares her to go ice-skating on the frozen lake in the forbidden grounds of Frost Hollow Hall she goes along. Not because she likes him like all of the other girls in the village but because she craves adventure and excitement in her life. This is when the story comes into its own. Emma Carroll's descriptive prose is perfect in portraying Frost Hollow Hall as an intimidating yet beautiful place, full of mystery and dark secrets.
I was so intrigued by the place, I was instantly hooked and wanted a glimpse inside even more than Tilly.
And then there's Kit Barrington, who appears to Tilly when the inevitable accident happens and she falls through the ice. He's a beautiful ghost and needs her help. I do wish we'd seen more of Kit in the story though as he was the driving force behind everything that happens but we only encounter him properly that one time and in Tilly's dreams. I wanted more - probably because I couldn't help but picture him as a younger version of Kit 'you know nothing Jon Snow' Harington from Game of Thrones...err hot.
Will is pretty cute too and I'm glad this never really turned into a love-triangle. I like how Will started off almost arrogant and annoying but throughout the story we see kindness in his actions and it becomes clear that he really does care for Tilly. I was rooting for him by the end.
Thanks to Tilly's strong characterisation I was invested in all the goings on at Frost Hollow Hall. When Tilly was excited, (despite all of the other maids being terrified) I was excited, when she was scared, I was scared for her...I love stories that are rollercoasters, and this definitely was. The pace only dropped once and I found myself wanting to skip on once Tilly had gotten the job as a maid but hadn't managed to find much out about Kit or the Barringtons but it soon picked up again when the ghostly activity was cranked up a notch.
With creepy rooms, terrified maids, a house-keeper who seems to be hiding something and Lady Barrington mad with mourning, Frost Hollow Hall is a compelling read.
There doesn't seem to be a lot of Children's or YA Historical Fiction out there and this made me wish there was. Carroll's narrative voice and descriptive language set the scene and time excellently and I loved it.
The perfect book to curl up with on a cold, dark night.
I was not disappointed. Tilly is a great protagonist. She's kind and hopeful despite the rough hand she's been dealt. Poor Tilly is used to being second best; always in the shadow of her sister who constantly sides with her mum leaving Tilly feeling left out and like the black sheep but Tilly doesn't let it get her too down, she's independent and headstrong.
When Will Potter dares her to go ice-skating on the frozen lake in the forbidden grounds of Frost Hollow Hall she goes along. Not because she likes him like all of the other girls in the village but because she craves adventure and excitement in her life. This is when the story comes into its own. Emma Carroll's descriptive prose is perfect in portraying Frost Hollow Hall as an intimidating yet beautiful place, full of mystery and dark secrets.
Spread out before us was the thickest, most marvellous frost I'd ever seen. The grass was so pale it might have been snow, the trees all white like bones.
I was so intrigued by the place, I was instantly hooked and wanted a glimpse inside even more than Tilly.
And then there's Kit Barrington, who appears to Tilly when the inevitable accident happens and she falls through the ice. He's a beautiful ghost and needs her help. I do wish we'd seen more of Kit in the story though as he was the driving force behind everything that happens but we only encounter him properly that one time and in Tilly's dreams. I wanted more - probably because I couldn't help but picture him as a younger version of Kit 'you know nothing Jon Snow' Harington from Game of Thrones...err hot.
Will is pretty cute too and I'm glad this never really turned into a love-triangle. I like how Will started off almost arrogant and annoying but throughout the story we see kindness in his actions and it becomes clear that he really does care for Tilly. I was rooting for him by the end.
Thanks to Tilly's strong characterisation I was invested in all the goings on at Frost Hollow Hall. When Tilly was excited, (despite all of the other maids being terrified) I was excited, when she was scared, I was scared for her...I love stories that are rollercoasters, and this definitely was. The pace only dropped once and I found myself wanting to skip on once Tilly had gotten the job as a maid but hadn't managed to find much out about Kit or the Barringtons but it soon picked up again when the ghostly activity was cranked up a notch.
With creepy rooms, terrified maids, a house-keeper who seems to be hiding something and Lady Barrington mad with mourning, Frost Hollow Hall is a compelling read.
There doesn't seem to be a lot of Children's or YA Historical Fiction out there and this made me wish there was. Carroll's narrative voice and descriptive language set the scene and time excellently and I loved it.
The perfect book to curl up with on a cold, dark night.
July 24, 2020
I literally just finished this. Wow! This is my 1st Emma Carroll book, & I loved it!! Such a perfect ghost mystery! Plus, historical fiction too! 😍😍 I loved the way they talked-lol this might seem simple, but it’s important to me. I could hear them in my head, & it sounded just like I imagine it would have been like back then, listening to people talk. Which I love. This definitely had all the creepy/spooky vibes, & I was all in! Tilly was such an amazing character to read from. She was so strong, & so brave. She wanted to have a purpose, & someone who believed in & counted on her. She feels she has that in the story, & she does everything in her power to try & come through for them-no matter what. I loved that. The whole back story that led up to the current story I also loved. It all intertwined so beautifully! I loved all of the plot twists! So good! I had no idea how this was going to end, & was surprised when we got answers-love when that happens. It all wrapped up amazing too! Ughhh so good! This would be a great book to read on a cold wintery night, or a cold spooky night lol it’s good anytime though. I loved it on these hot summer days! A lot of books can’t or don’t do spooky & beautiful together-but that’s what this was:a beautiful spooky story. With such vivid characters-all of them. Ghosts aren’t always scary...sometimes they need a friend too, maybe even a living one.😊 highly recommend!!
Synopsis: 'The gates to Frost Hollow Hall loomed before us. They were great tall things, the ironwork all twisted leaves and queer-looking flowers. And they were very definitely shut.' Tilly's heart sinks. Will's at the door of their cottage, daring her to come ice-skating up at Frost Hollow Hall. No one goes near the place these days. Rumour has it that the house is haunted . . . Ten years ago the young heir, Kit Barrington, drowned there in the lake. But Tilly never turns down a dare.
Then it goes horribly wrong. The ice breaks, Tilly falls through and almost drowns. At the point of death, a beautiful angel appears in the water and saves her. Kit Barrington's ghost.
Kit needs Tilly to solve the mystery of his death, so that his spirit can rest in peace. In order to discover all she can, Tilly gets work as a maid at Frost Hollow Hall. But the place makes her flesh crawl. It's all about the dead here, she's told, and in the heart of the house she soon discovers all manner of dark secrets . . .
Synopsis: 'The gates to Frost Hollow Hall loomed before us. They were great tall things, the ironwork all twisted leaves and queer-looking flowers. And they were very definitely shut.' Tilly's heart sinks. Will's at the door of their cottage, daring her to come ice-skating up at Frost Hollow Hall. No one goes near the place these days. Rumour has it that the house is haunted . . . Ten years ago the young heir, Kit Barrington, drowned there in the lake. But Tilly never turns down a dare.
Then it goes horribly wrong. The ice breaks, Tilly falls through and almost drowns. At the point of death, a beautiful angel appears in the water and saves her. Kit Barrington's ghost.
Kit needs Tilly to solve the mystery of his death, so that his spirit can rest in peace. In order to discover all she can, Tilly gets work as a maid at Frost Hollow Hall. But the place makes her flesh crawl. It's all about the dead here, she's told, and in the heart of the house she soon discovers all manner of dark secrets . . .
October 10, 2013
Originally published on www.serendipityreviews.co.uk
It’s so lovely to read a book that can transport you back to childhood. Frost Hollow Hall is one of those book as it reminded me of the books that kept me company as a child, such as Tom’s Midnight Garden and The Children of Green Knowe. It has a real classic feel to it, that you don’t often find in children’s books these days.
Tilly Higgins is a really headstrong girl who stands up for herself and doesn’t let anyone walk over her. After nearly drowning in the frozen lake of Frost Hollow Hall she discovers that she has made a connection with the ghost of Kit Barrington and she must help him to put things right. The connection between them is an interesting plot point within the story.
I loved the inclusion of séances which were all the rage during that time period. The author highlights how many people desperately believed in these while others were more sceptical.
Under the main plot, there is a romantic subplot weaving through the story as Will shows his true feelings for Tilly. I found that rather sweet, as Will had a bit of a reputation with the girls.
The chapters are interspersed with shorter snippets of Tilly’s dreams where you see her in contact with Kit, which gives you a clearer picture of why he is communicating with her.
You can’t review this book without mentioning the gorgeous cover, which has a real Christmas feel to it.
A beautiful debut, that touches on the classics of childhoods gone by.
It’s so lovely to read a book that can transport you back to childhood. Frost Hollow Hall is one of those book as it reminded me of the books that kept me company as a child, such as Tom’s Midnight Garden and The Children of Green Knowe. It has a real classic feel to it, that you don’t often find in children’s books these days.
Tilly Higgins is a really headstrong girl who stands up for herself and doesn’t let anyone walk over her. After nearly drowning in the frozen lake of Frost Hollow Hall she discovers that she has made a connection with the ghost of Kit Barrington and she must help him to put things right. The connection between them is an interesting plot point within the story.
I loved the inclusion of séances which were all the rage during that time period. The author highlights how many people desperately believed in these while others were more sceptical.
Under the main plot, there is a romantic subplot weaving through the story as Will shows his true feelings for Tilly. I found that rather sweet, as Will had a bit of a reputation with the girls.
The chapters are interspersed with shorter snippets of Tilly’s dreams where you see her in contact with Kit, which gives you a clearer picture of why he is communicating with her.
You can’t review this book without mentioning the gorgeous cover, which has a real Christmas feel to it.
A beautiful debut, that touches on the classics of childhoods gone by.
June 3, 2021
Really enjoyed this one! Some cozy vibes, a bit of spookiness, and a really engaging plot. I also really liked the direction the book went with Tilly's family relationships, and I appreciated some of the historical elements: this is definitely a very approachable historical fiction (not in a bad way!), but I liked some of the details, like the ones that gave the reader a more specific idea of what working as a servant in a big house might have been like.
There were a couple of little things that bugged me, like Tilly taking SO LONG to warm up to Will (not that she has to like him right off, but we were given no real reasons for her dislike?? even her petty ones - which we all have - didn't ring true) and also SO LONG to realize some things, although the book moved quickly enough that it wasn't a big deal.
Honestly my only significant complaint is that I had mixed feelings about the ending. I think the forgiveness and closure happened way too quickly and simply, and that there maybe should have been some more accountability?
I did, however, love the last scene or so.
I'm happy I've read more Emma Carroll and I'm excited to pick up more of her work!
CW: Grief, loss of child, emotional neglect
There were a couple of little things that bugged me, like Tilly taking SO LONG to warm up to Will (not that she has to like him right off, but we were given no real reasons for her dislike?? even her petty ones - which we all have - didn't ring true) and also SO LONG to realize some things, although the book moved quickly enough that it wasn't a big deal.
Honestly my only significant complaint is that I had mixed feelings about the ending. I think the forgiveness and closure happened way too quickly and simply, and that there maybe should have been some more accountability?
I did, however, love the last scene or so.
I'm happy I've read more Emma Carroll and I'm excited to pick up more of her work!
CW: Grief, loss of child, emotional neglect
September 16, 2015
I hired this from the library with all intentions of reading it rather quickly, only to forget about it until it was practically overdue. True, I could renew it, but I'm away next week and I have a rule about taking library books out of the house; you never know what might happen! SO I read this in a single sitting while waiting for some tradesmen to finish installing the new aircon.
It was a delightfully dark tale, a true ghost mystery and one plucky girl determined to solve it. I really liked Tilly and her determination. She doesn't shirk when hard work comes her way, and her eventual 'happy ending' was very satisfying for me. I had some suspicions about where the plot was heading early on, but they never materialized. It might have been interesting if my theory had proved true, but as it was the story was delightful enough anyway.
Don't let the YA title scare you, this book is an enjoyable read for any age. Five stars.
It was a delightfully dark tale, a true ghost mystery and one plucky girl determined to solve it. I really liked Tilly and her determination. She doesn't shirk when hard work comes her way, and her eventual 'happy ending' was very satisfying for me. I had some suspicions about where the plot was heading early on, but they never materialized. It might have been interesting if my theory had proved true, but as it was the story was delightful enough anyway.
Don't let the YA title scare you, this book is an enjoyable read for any age. Five stars.
June 10, 2015
Beautiful, just beautiful (yes it bears saying twice)
Emma Carroll's voice flows elegantly through this ghostly period tale of Tilly and her discovery of haunting secrets at Frost Hollow Hall.
Elegantly descriptive with a chilling theme, this is one for a cosy night if you like a tale with a hint of darkness.
Emma Carroll's voice flows elegantly through this ghostly period tale of Tilly and her discovery of haunting secrets at Frost Hollow Hall.
Elegantly descriptive with a chilling theme, this is one for a cosy night if you like a tale with a hint of darkness.
March 4, 2023
3.5 stars
Tilly's life takes an unexpected turn after she nearly drowned which results in her taking a job as a housemaid at Frost Hollow Hall, a home with a tragic past, and uncovers its secrets. This story touches topics such as loss, grief, growing up, and acceptance to name a few.
Fast paced story telling, predictable plot, and basic characters. Overall enjoyable.
Tilly's life takes an unexpected turn after she nearly drowned which results in her taking a job as a housemaid at Frost Hollow Hall, a home with a tragic past, and uncovers its secrets. This story touches topics such as loss, grief, growing up, and acceptance to name a few.
Fast paced story telling, predictable plot, and basic characters. Overall enjoyable.
November 20, 2020
So errie, I was pleasantly surprised.
July 2, 2021
I loved this book, it was atmospheric and at times was quite creepy. This was my first toe dip into Middle-grade books and it certainly won’t be my last. In fact I have just ordered more of Emma Carroll’s books.
I knew this book would be an easier read due to it being aimed at children but what I didn’t expect was how it was full of emotion and the characters complex feelings…… and yes, why shouldn’t children read this! It’s what they know in real life!
Tilly the main protagonists was fantastic and you can’t help but love her. Thoroughly enjoyed it.
Why didn’t they have books like this when I was that age?
I knew this book would be an easier read due to it being aimed at children but what I didn’t expect was how it was full of emotion and the characters complex feelings…… and yes, why shouldn’t children read this! It’s what they know in real life!
Tilly the main protagonists was fantastic and you can’t help but love her. Thoroughly enjoyed it.
Why didn’t they have books like this when I was that age?
March 5, 2019
“Maybe Kit was Ada’s special angel.”
This book is one of my favourites now.
It is so well written that it will keep you reading until you realise that you are already on the last chapter.
At the beginning you have this ghostly and spirit vibe and then towards the end you could it was like Romeo and Juliet, both lovers dying because of stupid decisions that their parents made.
My favourite Character is Tilly, she is such a strong character because even though she has loads of problems at home she wants and does everything she can to find out more about Kit, in order to help him be at peace.
I think this is one of the books that everyone should read once in their lives.
This book is one of my favourites now.
It is so well written that it will keep you reading until you realise that you are already on the last chapter.
At the beginning you have this ghostly and spirit vibe and then towards the end you could it was like Romeo and Juliet, both lovers dying because of stupid decisions that their parents made.
My favourite Character is Tilly, she is such a strong character because even though she has loads of problems at home she wants and does everything she can to find out more about Kit, in order to help him be at peace.
I think this is one of the books that everyone should read once in their lives.
December 31, 2020
4.5 stars ⭐️
I forgot how quick this is but also how intriguing this is and how gothic and atmospheric. This is definitely underrated and so is the author, highly check her out.
I forgot how quick this is but also how intriguing this is and how gothic and atmospheric. This is definitely underrated and so is the author, highly check her out.
August 19, 2017
A Victorian ghost story whose title 'Frost Hollow Hall' immediately grabbed my attention. Tilly comes from a working class family whose father 'pa' has disappeared and mother 'ma' takes in mending- the rent is always overdue and they have little food. Tilly takes part in a 'dare' from friend Will and ends up nearly drowning in Frost Hollow Hall lake while ice skating. She is saved by a 'beautiful angel'. She discovers he is Kit Barrington who was the heir to Frost Hollow Hall who drowned in the lake. She sees him in her dreams and realises he needs her to release him from the lake. It captivated me throughout. Listened on Audible and had to buy the book to read. Beautifully written and well researched for the time period. Would make a brilliant Christmas film.
November 11, 2021
It’s a thrilling book that has a nice message.
December 29, 2024
This was such a wonderful children's book... touching, heartfelt, beautifully told. I can't wait to buy Emma Carroll's books for my own children, one day.
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