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The Ghoul
The Ghoul, a gothic horror story set at the end of the nineteenth century, tells the story of the arrival of a young, inexperienced priest into a parish in the notorious slum El Raval in Barcelona’s Old Town. Idealistic but kind, he tackles his newly-appointed undertaking with vigour. However, a spate of mysterious disappearances in the neighbourhood, most of which are of young impoverished children, becomes the catalyst for him spiralling into a state of anguish. When he accepts help from someone close to him he unwittingly discovers an underworld inhabited by practitioners of powerful black magic, murderers and necromancy.
Kindle Edition
First published May 3, 2013
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
June 5, 2022
Very atmospheric and other worldly, it inhabited the gothic world very well with language and description. Enjoyed it and would recommend.
May 27, 2021
"The Ghoul" is sure to be a classic piece of Gothic literature.
Echoing the descriptive narrative flair of Charles Dickens, the author of "The Ghoul" takes the reader into the seedy districts of El Ravel, where crime, cruelty and devilish characters await you.
From the onset, I thought the highly descriptive narrative was very Charles Dickens like, as if the readers were walking down the cobbled streets and seeing the city from the eye's of various characters. The main character in this Gothic novel is a humble priest, Marçal, a kindly man that feels that it is his purpose in life to serve God and to bring relief to those that are suffering. Still a novice, he accepts a new position in the bustling city, El Ravel, in Barcelona. Immediately he is taking back by the need of the city; the high crime rate, poverty and overall suffering of the people of his parish. As he becomes familiar with his role as the new priest of El Ravel, he takes it upon himself to explore the dregs of society, and becomes acquainted with the city's prostitutes, criminals, and beggars lining up along the dirty streets. Marçal is determined to be an ever shining light in the midst of a great darkness. The people in the city begin to think favourably of him, and he is slowly succeeding in bringing people back into the church, but little does he know the dark forces surrounding him, anxious to bring him to his doom.
I thought the author's writing style closely echoed Wilkie Collins and Charles Dickens. If you are a fan of Collin's "The Moonstone" or "The Woman in White," it is likely that you will love Connelly's work. There were also instances in the end, when I thought of Mary Shelley's "Frankenstein," which brought a certain level of paranormal and horror elements into the mix. "The Monk" by Matthew Lewis also came across my mind more than once, probably because Connely's "Marçal" so closely resembled the fallen character of Lewis' "Ambrisio." Indeed, they were both self-righteous man that were unknowingly lured by unknown forces, all contrived by the Devil. I believe if you are a lover of classic Gothic literature, or a spooky tale that will leave you turning the page well into the night, then "The Ghoul" is the book for you.
The only fault I found was the beginning, because it felt quite sluggish and I was impatient for the plot to really begin. Half-way through the novel things began to pick up, and the reader was able to witness all manners of events quickly unfolding for the main characters. I also developed a feeling of empathy for Marçal, which is attributed to the marvellous writing skills of Connely. In the end, this young priest was too good for such a seedy, sordid place. There are instances in life, or even in this world, where light can sometimes be blotted out by supreme darkness. There are sad instances where evil does win, and we are helpless to watch "the fall" as it were, or at least in this case, the unexpected fate of Marçal. I believe this quote in the novel epitomizes the failings of this Godly devout priest:
"I see that you have a good heart and your intentions are noble but to be perfectly frank, your wide-eyed optimism and naïve attitude to rescuing our godforsaken little precinct are at best, misguided and misplaced."
If you are a lover of nineteenth century literature, or possess a penchant for horror and the grotesque then this is the book for you. Drama, suspense, and mystery are all the words I would use to describe the novel. I eagerly await for Connelly's next book, and hope that he will one day publish "The Ghoul" in a physical format so that I can add to my book shelf.
Echoing the descriptive narrative flair of Charles Dickens, the author of "The Ghoul" takes the reader into the seedy districts of El Ravel, where crime, cruelty and devilish characters await you.
From the onset, I thought the highly descriptive narrative was very Charles Dickens like, as if the readers were walking down the cobbled streets and seeing the city from the eye's of various characters. The main character in this Gothic novel is a humble priest, Marçal, a kindly man that feels that it is his purpose in life to serve God and to bring relief to those that are suffering. Still a novice, he accepts a new position in the bustling city, El Ravel, in Barcelona. Immediately he is taking back by the need of the city; the high crime rate, poverty and overall suffering of the people of his parish. As he becomes familiar with his role as the new priest of El Ravel, he takes it upon himself to explore the dregs of society, and becomes acquainted with the city's prostitutes, criminals, and beggars lining up along the dirty streets. Marçal is determined to be an ever shining light in the midst of a great darkness. The people in the city begin to think favourably of him, and he is slowly succeeding in bringing people back into the church, but little does he know the dark forces surrounding him, anxious to bring him to his doom.
I thought the author's writing style closely echoed Wilkie Collins and Charles Dickens. If you are a fan of Collin's "The Moonstone" or "The Woman in White," it is likely that you will love Connelly's work. There were also instances in the end, when I thought of Mary Shelley's "Frankenstein," which brought a certain level of paranormal and horror elements into the mix. "The Monk" by Matthew Lewis also came across my mind more than once, probably because Connely's "Marçal" so closely resembled the fallen character of Lewis' "Ambrisio." Indeed, they were both self-righteous man that were unknowingly lured by unknown forces, all contrived by the Devil. I believe if you are a lover of classic Gothic literature, or a spooky tale that will leave you turning the page well into the night, then "The Ghoul" is the book for you.
The only fault I found was the beginning, because it felt quite sluggish and I was impatient for the plot to really begin. Half-way through the novel things began to pick up, and the reader was able to witness all manners of events quickly unfolding for the main characters. I also developed a feeling of empathy for Marçal, which is attributed to the marvellous writing skills of Connely. In the end, this young priest was too good for such a seedy, sordid place. There are instances in life, or even in this world, where light can sometimes be blotted out by supreme darkness. There are sad instances where evil does win, and we are helpless to watch "the fall" as it were, or at least in this case, the unexpected fate of Marçal. I believe this quote in the novel epitomizes the failings of this Godly devout priest:
"I see that you have a good heart and your intentions are noble but to be perfectly frank, your wide-eyed optimism and naïve attitude to rescuing our godforsaken little precinct are at best, misguided and misplaced."
If you are a lover of nineteenth century literature, or possess a penchant for horror and the grotesque then this is the book for you. Drama, suspense, and mystery are all the words I would use to describe the novel. I eagerly await for Connelly's next book, and hope that he will one day publish "The Ghoul" in a physical format so that I can add to my book shelf.
October 17, 2021
If I had to choose one word to summarise this book, it would probably be 'eh.'
It's nota bad read. I didn't struggle or hate-read it. At times the writing feels very classical, reminiscent of Lewis's The Monk or some of Anne Rice's work. But at others it trips right over the line into pretention. The plot is really nothing special, and the characters were cardboard cut outs from various Gothic tropes (though I missed the blonde heroine in a nightdress. All Gothic fiction is the poorer without a blonde heroine.)
I don't know that I would ever recommend this book to anyone, but if you happen to be a real fan of classic horror, then you could do much worse than whiling away an afternoon with this.
It's nota bad read. I didn't struggle or hate-read it. At times the writing feels very classical, reminiscent of Lewis's The Monk or some of Anne Rice's work. But at others it trips right over the line into pretention. The plot is really nothing special, and the characters were cardboard cut outs from various Gothic tropes (though I missed the blonde heroine in a nightdress. All Gothic fiction is the poorer without a blonde heroine.)
I don't know that I would ever recommend this book to anyone, but if you happen to be a real fan of classic horror, then you could do much worse than whiling away an afternoon with this.
May 28, 2021
Gothic horror is not my usual genre. I’ve read neither Stoker’s Dracula nor Shelley’s Frankenstein. But I am a huge fan of Poe and read that I shared that liking with the author of The Ghoul. Set in very late nineteenth century in Barcelona, the time period and setting appealed to me instantly as favorites and Connelly infuses actual people and places from the past into the story. The main character is a young priest sent to serve his first parish located in the most undesirable part of the city. The character is so real, so believable that the reader instantly likes and trusts him — feelings we naturally hope to have for those who minister to others. Many of the characters are equally well-developed, some for their goodness, others not for good at all. The plot moves quickly, filled with danger, real or imagined and culminating in a surprising and otherworldly ending. The Ghoul included some very life-like characters and their situations that remind us of the hardness and meanness of life for the poor, the ill and less fortunate. The author’s ability to evoke empathy, sadness and honest social commentary reminds the reader of Dickens, the master of such fiction.
February 21, 2021
Self-published drivel
December 31, 2016
Ghoulishly good
This is a fast paced Gothic horror, different from alot of horrors I have previously read. It is about one man and the trials he faces, it made me want to keep reading to find out what happens next to him. Very good ending.
This is a fast paced Gothic horror, different from alot of horrors I have previously read. It is about one man and the trials he faces, it made me want to keep reading to find out what happens next to him. Very good ending.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews