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Darkmere
A castle. A curse. A dangerous summer. Leo has invited Kate and a few friends to spend the summer at his inheritance, Darkmere Castle: as wild and remote as it is beautiful. Kate thinks it will be the perfect place for her and Leo to get together - but instead, she's drawn into the dark story of a young nineteenth-century bride who haunts the tunnels and towers of the house. And whose curse now hangs over them all.
Paperback
First published August 6, 2015
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About the author
Helen Maslin
1 book25 followersHelen lives in Cheltenham with her husband and two sons.
Darkmere Summer is her first novel.
She has unnaturally red hair and thick spectacles.
She is generally described as 'arty'...and to be honest - sometimes as 'completely unreasonable'.
She writes because she wants to be Neil Gaiman. Or Sally Gardner. Or maybe Laini Taylor. Or E Lockhart would be good too!
Helen likes coffee and cake, Roy Lichtenstein's art and Peter Lorre's voice...
Darkmere Summer is her first novel.
She has unnaturally red hair and thick spectacles.
She is generally described as 'arty'...and to be honest - sometimes as 'completely unreasonable'.
She writes because she wants to be Neil Gaiman. Or Sally Gardner. Or maybe Laini Taylor. Or E Lockhart would be good too!
Helen likes coffee and cake, Roy Lichtenstein's art and Peter Lorre's voice...
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April 24, 2019
5 Words: Romance, history, partying, summer, horror.
I think I am currently suffering my worst book hangover this year.
This book is all kinds of amazing and exactly what UKYA should be. It really was quite exceptional.
When I first saw Darkmere and read the blurb, I wasn't too fussed. But hey, it's UKYA and it was buy one get one half price at Waterstones and I already had another book in my hand... So I bought it (turns out I got it on release day) and it sat on my shelf at my OH's place. Luckily for Darkmere, I'm only allowed one shelf for my books at Ben's ("You have a kindle! Why do you need real books?") and I'd ran out of paperbacks for bathtime. So I picked it up.
And I really struggled to put it down.
Darkmere is simply breath-taking.
It's a dark and brooding and atmospheric book that comes to life before you. You switch between times and slowly, very slowly, the story is revealed and the tension and apprehension grows. At one point I had to put the book down and pull myself together because I was shaking. SHAKING. I was so involved in the story.
And then there's the characters.
Honestly? I didn't even like Kate that much at the beginning, although she did grow on me. I really hated Leo, right from the off. And I was even a little bit glad that he got his comeuppance, even if it was so harsh. It was Elinor who I wanted to read about the most. That poor, poor girl.
I absolutely loved the dual narrative and how there were these creepy similarities despite the time differences.
I think I am currently suffering my worst book hangover this year.
This book is all kinds of amazing and exactly what UKYA should be. It really was quite exceptional.
When I first saw Darkmere and read the blurb, I wasn't too fussed. But hey, it's UKYA and it was buy one get one half price at Waterstones and I already had another book in my hand... So I bought it (turns out I got it on release day) and it sat on my shelf at my OH's place. Luckily for Darkmere, I'm only allowed one shelf for my books at Ben's ("You have a kindle! Why do you need real books?") and I'd ran out of paperbacks for bathtime. So I picked it up.
And I really struggled to put it down.
Darkmere is simply breath-taking.
It's a dark and brooding and atmospheric book that comes to life before you. You switch between times and slowly, very slowly, the story is revealed and the tension and apprehension grows. At one point I had to put the book down and pull myself together because I was shaking. SHAKING. I was so involved in the story.
And then there's the characters.
Honestly? I didn't even like Kate that much at the beginning, although she did grow on me. I really hated Leo, right from the off. And I was even a little bit glad that he got his comeuppance, even if it was so harsh. It was Elinor who I wanted to read about the most. That poor, poor girl.
I absolutely loved the dual narrative and how there were these creepy similarities despite the time differences.
June 22, 2017
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Darkmere was the YA Book Club pick of the month for May. Having been overall disappointed with a few books that have been selected to read for the club so far this year, I wanted Darkmere to provide a story that not only left an impact, it would leave me wanting more. And that is exactly what Darkmere did. This YA story set over a summer holidays in a haunted castle provided a string of emotions as well as historical aspects which I loved. The story does alternate between the present day and 1800s between Elinor who marries and moves into the castle and for the present day Kate who is glad to escape from her Mom for a while. The good thing was the text font for both perspectives was different so I didn't feel confused with which perspective was introduced.
What I loved:
- The ghosts, I love ghost stories.
- The setting of the castle both in the 1800s and present day.
- The historical aspect/perspective from 1800s.
What I wasn't keen on:
- The characters do drink/smoke quite a bit so if you are a younger reader, just to warn you. The characters ages are roughly 17/18/19 years old (modern day perspective).
- The ending was quite open. There were some questions I still had about certain characters that weren't answered.
- Elinor's sister Anna (one of the characters from the 1800s) turned quite nasty halfway through the novel which I didn't expect.
Would I recommend it?: Yes.
Would I read more books by this author?: Yes.
I received a free copy of the book to borrow in exchange for a honest review.
Twitter: Twitter.com/MarriedToBooks3
Instagram/Bookstagram: Instagram.com/alicetiedthebookishknot
Subscribe to my blog: www.marriedtobooksreviewsandblog.word...
Darkmere was the YA Book Club pick of the month for May. Having been overall disappointed with a few books that have been selected to read for the club so far this year, I wanted Darkmere to provide a story that not only left an impact, it would leave me wanting more. And that is exactly what Darkmere did. This YA story set over a summer holidays in a haunted castle provided a string of emotions as well as historical aspects which I loved. The story does alternate between the present day and 1800s between Elinor who marries and moves into the castle and for the present day Kate who is glad to escape from her Mom for a while. The good thing was the text font for both perspectives was different so I didn't feel confused with which perspective was introduced.
What I loved:
- The ghosts, I love ghost stories.
- The setting of the castle both in the 1800s and present day.
- The historical aspect/perspective from 1800s.
What I wasn't keen on:
- The characters do drink/smoke quite a bit so if you are a younger reader, just to warn you. The characters ages are roughly 17/18/19 years old (modern day perspective).
- The ending was quite open. There were some questions I still had about certain characters that weren't answered.
- Elinor's sister Anna (one of the characters from the 1800s) turned quite nasty halfway through the novel which I didn't expect.
Would I recommend it?: Yes.
Would I read more books by this author?: Yes.
I received a free copy of the book to borrow in exchange for a honest review.
December 31, 2015
I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher. This in no way impacted on my view.
This book was just wow! I don't think there's any other way to describe it. After seeing it being hyped up all over twitter, by reviewers whose judgement I trust, I just had to request it. Thank you so much, again, Chicken House books, for allowing me the opportunity to read it!
Darkmere is a dual PoV book, covering both the modern day and 1825 The two protagonists, Kate and Elinor, both had extremely distinctive voices, and there wasn't one I preferred over the other: I just loved them both. Kate’s modern voice had all the signs of an English teenager, whereas Elinor really reminded me of a sort of Jane Austen-esque protagonist – think Elizabeth Bennet or Fanny Price. The two voices share the connections of Darkmere, a castle on the coast, and of the St Cloud family.
First, to turn to Kate. She’s a 17 year old scholarship student who is invited to a friend’s recently inherited castle for the summer. Though she had had feelings for this friend, Leo, whilst at Darkmere, he turned dark, and she soon realised that he’d only invited her to make Jackson jealous. From the very beginning, I had disliked Leo, and always thought there was something brewing beneath the surface. I much preferred Jackson, though he was gloomy at first, and even tweeted about how much I needed him and Kate to kiss. Kate, though scared for the most part – of the curse, and of Leo’s behaviour – really stood her own throughout the entire book, and I was really proud of her for that. Having a difficult home situation, she was already a strong person, but I felt as if she became stronger through the events of Darkmere.
Elinor, on the other hand, was everything a lady of the nineteenth century should be, and, at the same time, wasn’t. Unlike her sister, Anna, she wasn’t a stunning beauty, but still attractive enough to warrant some suitors. After a disastrous accident, leaving her sister disfigured, Elinor found herself engaged, and later married, to Mr St. Cloud, whose first name we never discover. Through her marriage, she becomes the mistress of Darkmere castle, and should be having the perfect life, of wealth and opulence. However, this is not the case. Her husband, St Cloud, is a vicious, vile man, who is operating an illegal smuggling cells, and the servants think of her like an idiot, and don’t respect her. She soon becomes a shell of her former self, and wishes more than anything to not be in the situation she is in. it’s only when her former best friend, Nick, comes one year for Christmas, that she begins to be more like herself, but by now it’s too late, and actions lead to dire consequences for all involved.
Though Elinor’s chapters were fewer than Kate’s, I was desperate for them as much as I was to hear about the modern events. Having the split in time periods, we were able to become much more anxious for all of the events, and were not disappointed. Each chapter was as exciting as the last, and even with a raging headache, I was unable to put down the book except when I finally got too tired. At first, there didn’t seem to be much correlation between what was happening in 2015 and in 1825-7, but as more and more details came to head, overlaps became noticeable. These were mainly to do with the ‘supernatural’ entities present in 2015 Darkmere. The ghosts we saw, and what was found in the castle and the village, all directly related to the people from Elinor’s time. However, this was done in a way that you didn’t know what was about to happen until it did, particularly with the female ghost – I’d only guessed her true identity just seconds before she announced herself. Right up until the final page, there were twists and turns that left me on the edge of my seat, and the ending completely threw me.
The romance wasn’t a super big part of the book, but was still utterly enjoyable. Like I said, I never liked Leo, and was glad that his true personality was discovered – obviously the St Cloud personality was inherited. Every moment between Kate and Jackson was lovely, and I’m glad with how the book ended, in relation to them two. For Elinor’s time, the romance was basically non-existent. Her husband was wholly awful, and the little smidge of a romance was so small, that I was left wishing for more. But I knew this had to be the case. Even from the start of the book, we knew that Elinor had a dreadful married life, and nothing good came from her marriage. She had to suffer through her chapters, because her character ultimately suffered in the history of the book.
All in all, this was a wonderful thriller-y, historical/modern UKYA book, and a fantastic debut! Both characters were lovable in their own way, and I am so glad with how distinctive they were; you could never confuse one for the other. This book is definitely one I can’t recommend enough, and I look forward to reading more from the author in the future.
This book was just wow! I don't think there's any other way to describe it. After seeing it being hyped up all over twitter, by reviewers whose judgement I trust, I just had to request it. Thank you so much, again, Chicken House books, for allowing me the opportunity to read it!
Darkmere is a dual PoV book, covering both the modern day and 1825 The two protagonists, Kate and Elinor, both had extremely distinctive voices, and there wasn't one I preferred over the other: I just loved them both. Kate’s modern voice had all the signs of an English teenager, whereas Elinor really reminded me of a sort of Jane Austen-esque protagonist – think Elizabeth Bennet or Fanny Price. The two voices share the connections of Darkmere, a castle on the coast, and of the St Cloud family.
First, to turn to Kate. She’s a 17 year old scholarship student who is invited to a friend’s recently inherited castle for the summer. Though she had had feelings for this friend, Leo, whilst at Darkmere, he turned dark, and she soon realised that he’d only invited her to make Jackson jealous. From the very beginning, I had disliked Leo, and always thought there was something brewing beneath the surface. I much preferred Jackson, though he was gloomy at first, and even tweeted about how much I needed him and Kate to kiss. Kate, though scared for the most part – of the curse, and of Leo’s behaviour – really stood her own throughout the entire book, and I was really proud of her for that. Having a difficult home situation, she was already a strong person, but I felt as if she became stronger through the events of Darkmere.
Elinor, on the other hand, was everything a lady of the nineteenth century should be, and, at the same time, wasn’t. Unlike her sister, Anna, she wasn’t a stunning beauty, but still attractive enough to warrant some suitors. After a disastrous accident, leaving her sister disfigured, Elinor found herself engaged, and later married, to Mr St. Cloud, whose first name we never discover. Through her marriage, she becomes the mistress of Darkmere castle, and should be having the perfect life, of wealth and opulence. However, this is not the case. Her husband, St Cloud, is a vicious, vile man, who is operating an illegal smuggling cells, and the servants think of her like an idiot, and don’t respect her. She soon becomes a shell of her former self, and wishes more than anything to not be in the situation she is in. it’s only when her former best friend, Nick, comes one year for Christmas, that she begins to be more like herself, but by now it’s too late, and actions lead to dire consequences for all involved.
Though Elinor’s chapters were fewer than Kate’s, I was desperate for them as much as I was to hear about the modern events. Having the split in time periods, we were able to become much more anxious for all of the events, and were not disappointed. Each chapter was as exciting as the last, and even with a raging headache, I was unable to put down the book except when I finally got too tired. At first, there didn’t seem to be much correlation between what was happening in 2015 and in 1825-7, but as more and more details came to head, overlaps became noticeable. These were mainly to do with the ‘supernatural’ entities present in 2015 Darkmere. The ghosts we saw, and what was found in the castle and the village, all directly related to the people from Elinor’s time. However, this was done in a way that you didn’t know what was about to happen until it did, particularly with the female ghost – I’d only guessed her true identity just seconds before she announced herself. Right up until the final page, there were twists and turns that left me on the edge of my seat, and the ending completely threw me.
The romance wasn’t a super big part of the book, but was still utterly enjoyable. Like I said, I never liked Leo, and was glad that his true personality was discovered – obviously the St Cloud personality was inherited. Every moment between Kate and Jackson was lovely, and I’m glad with how the book ended, in relation to them two. For Elinor’s time, the romance was basically non-existent. Her husband was wholly awful, and the little smidge of a romance was so small, that I was left wishing for more. But I knew this had to be the case. Even from the start of the book, we knew that Elinor had a dreadful married life, and nothing good came from her marriage. She had to suffer through her chapters, because her character ultimately suffered in the history of the book.
All in all, this was a wonderful thriller-y, historical/modern UKYA book, and a fantastic debut! Both characters were lovable in their own way, and I am so glad with how distinctive they were; you could never confuse one for the other. This book is definitely one I can’t recommend enough, and I look forward to reading more from the author in the future.
October 13, 2016
This was such a great read and a lot creepier than I had expected, (although I'm not 100% whether that was because I read this whole book in the dark, on my own at 3am...) It had such a fantastic gothic feel to it, even during the chapters it was set in the present! I found it really interesting to read from the 1800's and how women were treated and what was expected from them e.g. in marriage. I also loved when the parallels between the two POV's, past and present, became apparent! I wasn't the biggest fan of the ending but the eeriness this book made me feel helped make up for that! This was a fun, gothic read, with a classic ghost feel to it. It was full of suspense, mystery and was a very enjoyable read!
December 11, 2018
Portada y sinopsis me hacían pensar en una historia juvenil boba y llena de clichés, incluso los primeros capítulos parecían confirmar esa teoría y de repente, ¡¡¡BAM!!! la autora empieza a mezclar dos historias y demuestra que no es ninguna escritorucha frívola y comercial.
Algunas situaciones fueron forzadas y por eso van menos estrellas, pero estamos ante un caso único en su especie: es un libro 100% original. Sí, acabo de decir que una novela paranormal juvenil es 100% original (no bastante, no mayormente. Del todo). ¿Cómo les quedó el ojo?
Algunas situaciones fueron forzadas y por eso van menos estrellas, pero estamos ante un caso único en su especie: es un libro 100% original. Sí, acabo de decir que una novela paranormal juvenil es 100% original (no bastante, no mayormente. Del todo). ¿Cómo les quedó el ojo?
January 17, 2016
This review was originally posted on www.talesofyesterday.co.uk
I have been looking forward to this book for a very very VERY long time!
Since blogging I have met some wonderful lovely genuine people. One of those people is the lovely Helen Maslin author of this wonderful book! After bonding over twitter and meeting up in real life I can honestly say that I feel honoured and very proud to know Helen and her family and have her in both my life and my families life. I think Helen will agree that we became instant friends and I feel like I have known Helen all my life! I even get away with calling her a cheeky nickname
I have been looking forward to this book for a very very VERY long time!
Since blogging I have met some wonderful lovely genuine people. One of those people is the lovely Helen Maslin author of this wonderful book! After bonding over twitter and meeting up in real life I can honestly say that I feel honoured and very proud to know Helen and her family and have her in both my life and my families life. I think Helen will agree that we became instant friends and I feel like I have known Helen all my life! I even get away with calling her a cheeky nickname
March 25, 2015
I worked hard on this so I really hope you like it x
August 8, 2016
5 Words: This book is absolutely amazing.
It's been a year since I first read it, and I've been itching to pick this book up again. It was my absolute favourite book last year. So I finally put every other book aside and read it again and OH MY GOD it was even better than I remembered.
So this is just going to be me gushing about this book. And throwing it at everyone in sight because everyone has to read it. EVERYONE.
And in the spirit of PUSHING THE BOOK ON EVERYONE EVER, there is a giveaway on my blog.
It's been a year since I first read it, and I've been itching to pick this book up again. It was my absolute favourite book last year. So I finally put every other book aside and read it again and OH MY GOD it was even better than I remembered.
So this is just going to be me gushing about this book. And throwing it at everyone in sight because everyone has to read it. EVERYONE.
And in the spirit of PUSHING THE BOOK ON EVERYONE EVER, there is a giveaway on my blog.
February 21, 2017
3.5 stars.
This book is told in two alternating perspectives:
1. Kate, 21st century girl. Massive crush on the most popular boy in school, Leo. (Yes, Kate and Leo. Oh dear.) Leo invites her and a handful of others away for the summer holidays to the castle/historic home he just inherited. At first it's all drinking and shenanigans. Then weird shit starts happening and Leo starts acting........strangely.
2. Elinor, 19th century girl. Plain younger sister of renowned beauty who has to step into her sister's shoes unexpectedly. Married off to the dude who built the castle/historic home that Leo inherits. A dude who turns out to be seriously shady.
On the whole, I found Elinor's perspective far more interesting and compelling. Kate's story took...a while to get going, and then took a turn for the instalove, and then the ending was OMG SO MUCH MELODRAMA. Elinor's was more consistent and had a more satisfying ending for me.
Trigger warning for miscarriage/stillbirth, mentions of suicide.
This book is told in two alternating perspectives:
1. Kate, 21st century girl. Massive crush on the most popular boy in school, Leo. (Yes, Kate and Leo. Oh dear.) Leo invites her and a handful of others away for the summer holidays to the castle/historic home he just inherited. At first it's all drinking and shenanigans. Then weird shit starts happening and Leo starts acting........strangely.
2. Elinor, 19th century girl. Plain younger sister of renowned beauty who has to step into her sister's shoes unexpectedly. Married off to the dude who built the castle/historic home that Leo inherits. A dude who turns out to be seriously shady.
On the whole, I found Elinor's perspective far more interesting and compelling. Kate's story took...a while to get going, and then took a turn for the instalove, and then the ending was OMG SO MUCH MELODRAMA. Elinor's was more consistent and had a more satisfying ending for me.
Trigger warning for miscarriage/stillbirth, mentions of suicide.
May 23, 2016
Meine Meinung:
Ich habe mich unfassbar auf dieses Buch gefreut. Ich habe es in den Neuerscheinungen entdeckt und es hat mich sofort angesprochen.
Zum einen gefällt mir das Cover wirklich gut. Die Farben passen wirklich toll zusammen und insgesamt wirkt es besonders. Zum anderen hat mich aber auch der Klappentext unheimlich neugierig gemacht, sodass ich mich total auf das Buch gefreut habe.
Das Buch wird aus zwei Sichten geschrieben. Einmal aus der Sicht von Kate und einmal aus der Sicht von Elinor.
Elinor lebt im Jahr 1825 und man erfährt stückweise mehr von mir. Sie hat es alles andere als einfach und das wird auch nicht unbedingt besser, als sie nach Darkmere kommt. Kate lebt in der Gegenwart und ist verliebt in Leo. Als sie eingeladen wird nach Darkmere mit zugekommen, willigt sie ein und dann beginnt ihre Geschichte so richtig.
Ich mochte die Passagen von Elinor viel lieber, als die von Kate. Das lag zum einen daran, dass ich Elinor als Person lieber mochte und ich ihre Geschichte spannender fand. Hier konnte ich mich mehr in die Geschichte fallen lassen und mitfiebern.
Die Passagen von Kate fand ich stellenweise super nervig, was aber nicht an Kate lag, sondern an Kates Freunden, denn die hatten nur saufen und kiffen im Sinn. Mich stört so etwas in Büchern total, vor allem wenn die Charaktere nur wenig andere Themen haben.
Das Buch brauchte ziemlich lange bis es so richtig in Fahrt gekommen ist. Ich hatte erwartet, dass es ein richtiger Pagetuner ist, leider war dies nicht der Fall. Erst zum Ende wurde es richtig spannend und etwas gruselig.
Der Schreibstil der Autorin hat mir ganz gut gefallen. Wenn nicht so einige Begriffe häufig gefallen wären, sogar noch besser. Ich hatte das Gefühl, dass die Autorin so jugendlich wie möglich rüber kommen wollte.
Fazit:
Meine Meinung zu "Darkmere Summer" ist sehr zwiegespalten. Auf der ein Seite hat es mich gut unterhalten und hatte, vor allem zum Ende eine gute Portion Spannung und Grusel. Allerdings haben mich die Charaktere stellenweise ziemlich genervt. Daher bekommt es von mir 3 Sterne.
Ich habe mich unfassbar auf dieses Buch gefreut. Ich habe es in den Neuerscheinungen entdeckt und es hat mich sofort angesprochen.
Zum einen gefällt mir das Cover wirklich gut. Die Farben passen wirklich toll zusammen und insgesamt wirkt es besonders. Zum anderen hat mich aber auch der Klappentext unheimlich neugierig gemacht, sodass ich mich total auf das Buch gefreut habe.
Das Buch wird aus zwei Sichten geschrieben. Einmal aus der Sicht von Kate und einmal aus der Sicht von Elinor.
Elinor lebt im Jahr 1825 und man erfährt stückweise mehr von mir. Sie hat es alles andere als einfach und das wird auch nicht unbedingt besser, als sie nach Darkmere kommt. Kate lebt in der Gegenwart und ist verliebt in Leo. Als sie eingeladen wird nach Darkmere mit zugekommen, willigt sie ein und dann beginnt ihre Geschichte so richtig.
Ich mochte die Passagen von Elinor viel lieber, als die von Kate. Das lag zum einen daran, dass ich Elinor als Person lieber mochte und ich ihre Geschichte spannender fand. Hier konnte ich mich mehr in die Geschichte fallen lassen und mitfiebern.
Die Passagen von Kate fand ich stellenweise super nervig, was aber nicht an Kate lag, sondern an Kates Freunden, denn die hatten nur saufen und kiffen im Sinn. Mich stört so etwas in Büchern total, vor allem wenn die Charaktere nur wenig andere Themen haben.
Das Buch brauchte ziemlich lange bis es so richtig in Fahrt gekommen ist. Ich hatte erwartet, dass es ein richtiger Pagetuner ist, leider war dies nicht der Fall. Erst zum Ende wurde es richtig spannend und etwas gruselig.
Der Schreibstil der Autorin hat mir ganz gut gefallen. Wenn nicht so einige Begriffe häufig gefallen wären, sogar noch besser. Ich hatte das Gefühl, dass die Autorin so jugendlich wie möglich rüber kommen wollte.
Fazit:
Meine Meinung zu "Darkmere Summer" ist sehr zwiegespalten. Auf der ein Seite hat es mich gut unterhalten und hatte, vor allem zum Ende eine gute Portion Spannung und Grusel. Allerdings haben mich die Charaktere stellenweise ziemlich genervt. Daher bekommt es von mir 3 Sterne.
July 5, 2015
Oh my god. What an ending! My heart is still racing. What a spectacular book with incredible writing and characters! I WANT MORE.
Full review to come!
Full review to come!
October 9, 2015
After inheriting Darkmere, a gothic castle with a legacy of killing off its male heirs, Leo Erskine invites a group of school "friends" to join him for a summer of revelry. Alcohol, drugs, dangerous dares: these are Leo's stock-in-trade. He is the coolest person because he always cares the least. Despite being emotionally callous to a psychopathic degree, he is one of those arch-manipulators who knows how to probe every weak spot. Rich, physically attractive, imposing and very devil-may-care, Leo personifies the dangerous and mysterious bad boy that so often appeals to girls . . . at least until they get badly burnt. Leo is like the mad master of ceremonies at this creepy house party.
Despite its very contemporary beginning, the author does a fine job of adding tried-and-true gothic elements straight from the Du Maurier tradition: the beautiful home gone to ruin, the dangerous sea, a generational curse, creepy retainers and an innocent, mousy young bride frightened of her powerful, remote husband. The modern update, though, is mixing up these elements with a dual POV. There is a contemporary story narrated by Kate, an insecure "new girl" in a group of privileged private school friends; and then there is a historical storyline narrated by Elinor, a young bride trapped in Darkmere. As in Du Maurier's classic Rebecca, the reader becomes aligned with a narrator who is young, insecure and deeply paranoid. Her unstable state of mind, and inability to trust anyone, is infectious: part of the story's ability to destabilize (in other words, frighten) the reader comes from (1) not knowing what's true, and (2) the constant sense that something bad is going to happen. Of course, most horror stories -- this one included -- have a steady drip of bad, scary things unfolding, but the really important thing it to maintain the lurking sense that the REALLY bad thing is just around the corner.
I don't often use the term "antagonist" when reviewing YA, but the character of Leo Erskine is in opposition to all the other characters -- but particularly his foil, Kate. The sea plays an important role in this book, and Leo is definitely a dark undertow. His looks and character are a nearly perfect parallel to those of his ancestor St Cloud -- described as "irreverent, arrogant and strong-willed" by his wife Elinor. St Cloud is up to all sorts of 19th century mischief: smuggling and other sorts of skulduggery. After her initial fascination with St Cloud, Elinor comes to loathe him. One of the neat tricks of the narrative is that Leo seems equally reprehensible, but Kate (and the reader) can't quite decide if he is a villain or not. Initially, Leo charms Kate, but she eventually realises that he is just playing her. Is it the house, the dark legacy of his ancestry, or just Leo himself who keeps making bad things happen?
A gothic ghost story isn't the easiest material to handle, but I did think this contemporary spin on a "haunted house" tale had some properly frightening moments. I wasn't sucked into it emotionally or intellectually, but it did maintain enough tension to make me want to read on. Sometimes a plot-driven story has its own pleasures.
Despite its very contemporary beginning, the author does a fine job of adding tried-and-true gothic elements straight from the Du Maurier tradition: the beautiful home gone to ruin, the dangerous sea, a generational curse, creepy retainers and an innocent, mousy young bride frightened of her powerful, remote husband. The modern update, though, is mixing up these elements with a dual POV. There is a contemporary story narrated by Kate, an insecure "new girl" in a group of privileged private school friends; and then there is a historical storyline narrated by Elinor, a young bride trapped in Darkmere. As in Du Maurier's classic Rebecca, the reader becomes aligned with a narrator who is young, insecure and deeply paranoid. Her unstable state of mind, and inability to trust anyone, is infectious: part of the story's ability to destabilize (in other words, frighten) the reader comes from (1) not knowing what's true, and (2) the constant sense that something bad is going to happen. Of course, most horror stories -- this one included -- have a steady drip of bad, scary things unfolding, but the really important thing it to maintain the lurking sense that the REALLY bad thing is just around the corner.
I don't often use the term "antagonist" when reviewing YA, but the character of Leo Erskine is in opposition to all the other characters -- but particularly his foil, Kate. The sea plays an important role in this book, and Leo is definitely a dark undertow. His looks and character are a nearly perfect parallel to those of his ancestor St Cloud -- described as "irreverent, arrogant and strong-willed" by his wife Elinor. St Cloud is up to all sorts of 19th century mischief: smuggling and other sorts of skulduggery. After her initial fascination with St Cloud, Elinor comes to loathe him. One of the neat tricks of the narrative is that Leo seems equally reprehensible, but Kate (and the reader) can't quite decide if he is a villain or not. Initially, Leo charms Kate, but she eventually realises that he is just playing her. Is it the house, the dark legacy of his ancestry, or just Leo himself who keeps making bad things happen?
A gothic ghost story isn't the easiest material to handle, but I did think this contemporary spin on a "haunted house" tale had some properly frightening moments. I wasn't sucked into it emotionally or intellectually, but it did maintain enough tension to make me want to read on. Sometimes a plot-driven story has its own pleasures.
August 24, 2015
I’m loving the horror trend in UKYA at the moment and Darkmere was a summer release that I couldn’t wait to get my hand on! That cover and tagline was enough to sell me on it and Darkmere delivered that blend of summer contemporary and gothic horror story that I wanted from it.
The book is told in alternate chapters set in both the past and the present. It follows Kate in the modern day and Elinor in 1825 as they both come to spend time at Darkmere castle. Kate is spending her summer there with her crush Leo and his friends and Elinor becomes lady of the castle after marrying Darkmere’s master Mr St Cloud.
The girls’ stories are eerily similar and as you get to know Leo and his ancestor St Cloud you hope that Kate’s story isn’t destined to follow in the same footsteps as poor Elinor. Despite our two characters destiny’s being scarily intertwined the voices were very distinct and so it never got confusing to read.
I think that my favourite thing about this book was exploring Darkmere castle itself. At the start of the story Darkmere seems like an idyllic place to spend the summer with its private beach and remote location but you gradually learn that it’s not a place you’d want to stay in by yourself after dark! Darkmere castle felt very much like a character in its own right and like Kate I loved exploring the secrets and mysteries it held within its walls.
Darkmere is the perfect blend of gritty summer contemporary and intriguing historical ghost story and is perfect for fans of C.J. Skuse and James Dawson. I’d recommend this to anyone looking for a different kind of holiday read – just don’t read it near water!
The book is told in alternate chapters set in both the past and the present. It follows Kate in the modern day and Elinor in 1825 as they both come to spend time at Darkmere castle. Kate is spending her summer there with her crush Leo and his friends and Elinor becomes lady of the castle after marrying Darkmere’s master Mr St Cloud.
The girls’ stories are eerily similar and as you get to know Leo and his ancestor St Cloud you hope that Kate’s story isn’t destined to follow in the same footsteps as poor Elinor. Despite our two characters destiny’s being scarily intertwined the voices were very distinct and so it never got confusing to read.
I think that my favourite thing about this book was exploring Darkmere castle itself. At the start of the story Darkmere seems like an idyllic place to spend the summer with its private beach and remote location but you gradually learn that it’s not a place you’d want to stay in by yourself after dark! Darkmere castle felt very much like a character in its own right and like Kate I loved exploring the secrets and mysteries it held within its walls.
Darkmere is the perfect blend of gritty summer contemporary and intriguing historical ghost story and is perfect for fans of C.J. Skuse and James Dawson. I’d recommend this to anyone looking for a different kind of holiday read – just don’t read it near water!
Read
July 18, 2016Leo inherits a remote castle and invites Kate and friends to join him there for the summer. With music, bonfires, and a private beach, it seems like the perfect getaway for the gang. But as Kate and the others explore the old haunted castle, they begin to uncover its dark secrets—a suicide, a curse, and a string of deaths and disappearances. The castle suddenly seems like a sinister place and their deadly destination may include a few uninvited guests . . .
The way this is written is so clever, told in switching POV between Kate (present day) and Elinor (1800s). The castle’s past is really intriguing and Elinor’s chapters feed information about it into Kate’s. Instead of being simply shown, readers are handed the pieces of the puzzle and pointed in the right direction. This gives a real sense of involvement in both sides of the story as things slowly start to reveal themselves in each time period, and we discover how certain events influence each other.
The atmosphere of the castle could change so suddenly depending on the mood of Kate’s group. Then we’d go back to Elinor’s time (which I completely adored) and everything would shift again, creating more layers to the castle and its past, with its creaking doors, hidden bookshelves, tricks and levers, and underground tunnels. It’s a wondrous building with so much history, such a huge story to tell following generations of occupants, that it almost felt as if it was alive with all it held, all it’d witnessed, and all it’d taken.
An expertly crafted story with a breath-taking conclusion – genius!
The way this is written is so clever, told in switching POV between Kate (present day) and Elinor (1800s). The castle’s past is really intriguing and Elinor’s chapters feed information about it into Kate’s. Instead of being simply shown, readers are handed the pieces of the puzzle and pointed in the right direction. This gives a real sense of involvement in both sides of the story as things slowly start to reveal themselves in each time period, and we discover how certain events influence each other.
The atmosphere of the castle could change so suddenly depending on the mood of Kate’s group. Then we’d go back to Elinor’s time (which I completely adored) and everything would shift again, creating more layers to the castle and its past, with its creaking doors, hidden bookshelves, tricks and levers, and underground tunnels. It’s a wondrous building with so much history, such a huge story to tell following generations of occupants, that it almost felt as if it was alive with all it held, all it’d witnessed, and all it’d taken.
An expertly crafted story with a breath-taking conclusion – genius!
October 12, 2015
It has been 3 whole days since I turned the last page on “Darkmere” and I have not been able to pick up another book since then. I thought I had hit a reading slump, but that’s not it at all. My mind is simply still in Darkmere roaming the rooms and corridors of this castle.
The dark tale starts two centuries ago and is told through the voice of Elinor, the younger of two sisters. Elinor is taken by a great sadness as she feels she is living the life of another.
In the present time, Kate also feels at odds with her own life, she is however on her way to Darkmere for the summer, invited to stay with friends by the owner of the estate Leo. Who knows, things might just look up!!!
Except that… Darkmere is cursed…
This piece, is full of contrasts, and this is maybe what I enjoyed the most about this novel.
From having a glance at life 200 years ago and seeing how life has changed today to looking at Elinor’s and Kate’s circumstances. Where Elinor is trying to break out of her prison there is the danger that Darkmere engulfs Kate and her friends in its walls.
Talking about walls, Darkmere was apparently a picture of opulence when it was first built, but its halls are now rather bare. Only the threat of the impending curse its claim remains.
Although difficult, and if I had to choose I would definitely vote in Elinor as my favourite character. Her fate remains unclear to the end, but I like to think that after all she went through she eventually finds happiness.
I also really enjoyed the use of the English language in this novel. Whilst remaining true to both story lines the author created an authentic feel with her writing of each time period. Although there are two stories with very distinct voices, both entwine making a seamless read.
I imagine that, by the end of this read, you’ll be feeling just like me with some unanswered questions. However the beauty of this novel is that the reader gets to decide what the answers are, in a way, creating his/her own story.
The dark tale starts two centuries ago and is told through the voice of Elinor, the younger of two sisters. Elinor is taken by a great sadness as she feels she is living the life of another.
In the present time, Kate also feels at odds with her own life, she is however on her way to Darkmere for the summer, invited to stay with friends by the owner of the estate Leo. Who knows, things might just look up!!!
Except that… Darkmere is cursed…
This piece, is full of contrasts, and this is maybe what I enjoyed the most about this novel.
From having a glance at life 200 years ago and seeing how life has changed today to looking at Elinor’s and Kate’s circumstances. Where Elinor is trying to break out of her prison there is the danger that Darkmere engulfs Kate and her friends in its walls.
Talking about walls, Darkmere was apparently a picture of opulence when it was first built, but its halls are now rather bare. Only the threat of the impending curse its claim remains.
Although difficult, and if I had to choose I would definitely vote in Elinor as my favourite character. Her fate remains unclear to the end, but I like to think that after all she went through she eventually finds happiness.
I also really enjoyed the use of the English language in this novel. Whilst remaining true to both story lines the author created an authentic feel with her writing of each time period. Although there are two stories with very distinct voices, both entwine making a seamless read.
I imagine that, by the end of this read, you’ll be feeling just like me with some unanswered questions. However the beauty of this novel is that the reader gets to decide what the answers are, in a way, creating his/her own story.
April 8, 2017
I heard about Darkmere a while back and was looking forward to getting my hands on a copy for a while. It turns out it was a mixed bad for me and here's why.
Starting with the positive. I really enjoyed the historical parts of the novel. The story of Elinor really got to me. The sheer injustice of the existence she is forced to live because she is a girl and because her family want her to marry well made me angry. I really felt for her with every page and was fascinated by the world she lived in.
However I did not gel at all with the modern parts of the novel.I really didn't like Kate as a character. I didn't like the constant references to the characters being stoned. Don't get me wrong I know that happens but I thought the portrayal was blinkered because I don't think most kids smoke weed as heavily as that on a frequent basis. Call me naive if you will.
I am looking forward to what the author writes next.
Starting with the positive. I really enjoyed the historical parts of the novel. The story of Elinor really got to me. The sheer injustice of the existence she is forced to live because she is a girl and because her family want her to marry well made me angry. I really felt for her with every page and was fascinated by the world she lived in.
However I did not gel at all with the modern parts of the novel.I really didn't like Kate as a character. I didn't like the constant references to the characters being stoned. Don't get me wrong I know that happens but I thought the portrayal was blinkered because I don't think most kids smoke weed as heavily as that on a frequent basis. Call me naive if you will.
I am looking forward to what the author writes next.
December 7, 2015
Sadly, the book could not convince me. Anyone who read original Gothic novels before could foresee the story. But worse, the main characters were not very likeable nor did they evolve throughout the book. Their relationships towards each other were also very curious and some twists and turns were just thrown on the reader without proper introducton or through logical developement.
December 27, 2015
Review to come..... But can safely say I LOVED this book!
June 30, 2017
This was the book of the month we had to read for my book club and if it hadn't been for that, I don't think I would've picked this book up (I thought it was a horse book, don't ask me why but I just somehow had it stuck in my head that it was a book about horses hence I avoided it, don't even ask me how I reached that conclusion) and that saddens me. I don't generally review books that I haven't been sent to review but I haven't really seen this book around the blogosphere and it NEEDS more publicity because it's freaking fantastic. Like, I totally fell in love with it and I couldn't get it out of my head and EVERYONE JUST NEEDS TO READ IT ALREADY. *heavy breathing*
Okay, to sum it up nicely: this book was epic. It was compelling, it was dark, tragic and utterly addictive. It ensnared me from the first page and didn't relinquish control for a second. I'm so happy that I picked up this book as it was exactly the kind of story I never knew I needed. The premise of this book is utterly incredible and the way it was delivered was done excellently. There have been so many times where I've read a book with a fantastic premise but the writing/characters don't do it justice – THANK GOODNESS THIS DIDN'T HAPPEN IN DARKMERE. The plot was delicious, with suspense and subtle events that contributed enormously to creating the dark, brooding atmosphere that engulfed the castle. Some characters were wonderful, other characters were detestable - which magnified the chilling, haunting mood of Darkmere - the writing was beautiful, the transition between the two time periods (the 19th and 21st century) was done seamlessly and often left me in a state of extreme suspense and anxiety for the characters I had grown to love. And the atmosphere - my goodness, the atmosphere. I was constantly on the edge of my seat as the author included small, subtle hints that something deeply dark and terribly tragic was stirring within the castle walls and within the hearts of those – present and past – who occupied the castle. It was this persistent tension and darkness seeping into the story that had me devouring the pages rapidly and IT WAS PRETTY MUCH PERFECT, REALLY.
So Darkmere is about ghosts, terrible secrets, the past and the present, it's about romance, love, hate, despair and regret, it's about hazy summer days that thrum with dangerous energy – all this set against the backdrop of a beautiful, ruined castle on the edge of a cliff top that drops into the crashing sea down below. It's about Kate, a girl from a poor background who worked hard enough to earn a scholarship to an incredible (and expensive) school. It's about her finally feeling like she belongs and isn't a total misfit when the most popular, most charming boy at her school, Leo St Cloud, invites her to spend the summer at the supposedly cursed castle he just inherited, along with his friends Jackson, Beano, Hat-Man Dan and Lucie. She agrees. She expects a summer filled with partying and drinking, lazy summer days – and she gets that. And more. Deadly dares, malice, horror and centuries' old curses plague that group as soon as the sun sinks beneath the sea. Alternating between Kate's point of view and Elinor, the doomed wife of the formidable St Cloud, the tragic tale of how the curse came to be, unfolds in devastating and gripping manner that had me filled with apprehension, intrigue and terror. HAVE I PERSUADED YOU? PLEASE TELL ME I HAVE. BECAUSE YOU NEED TO READ IT.
One thing I loved about this novel was how the author included several different genres and linked them together seamlessly. I've read books in the past that have several genres happening but it just feels like an uncoordinated jumble of misfit puzzle pieces BUT NOT IN DARKMERE. It's a contemporary, historical fiction, horror, romance and paranormal young adult novel and all these combine together most admirably to form a gorgeously chilling book. There were scenes that felt as if I was reading a summery contemporary filled with fun and romance and then the next scene there was a flashback to the nineteenth century that was filled with balls, suitors, carriages, and servants, fast forward it's the 21st century again, in the castle, at night and there are paranormal/horror aspects beginning to emerge and it all just fits together so perfectly. I don't know how the author did it but can she teach me her ways? Please?
Another thing I can't applaud the author enough for is how brilliantly she executes dual perspectives. Darkmere is voiced by 21st century Kate, as well as Elinor, the wife of St Cloud who lived in the 19th century. I haven't read many books with dual perspectives but when I have, the voices of the characters generally sound extremely similar or one character is just so dull compared to the other. In Darkmere, I was gripped by both girls' accounts of their time spent at Darkmere. Both were enthralling and both had me feeling varying emotions from revulsion and shock to terror and excitement. The author also used this to her advantage in the most cruel manner: she would end the one POV on a complete cliffhanger and I'd be shaking in shock because I NEED TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS NEXT and then by the time I've finished the other POV (which had also ended on a cliffhanger) I ALSO NEED TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS NOW and wow, it was an excellent way to write the book as it made it all the more captivating. I was even more invested and I was just on the edge of my seat throughout the entire book. IT'S WONDERFUL.
For me, the characters are one of the most important aspects of the story. You can have a book that is severely lacking in plot but if it has incredible characters, I will most likely love it. Now, this is the one thing I didn't LOVE about the book and the reason I deducted half a cupcake: the characters. Even though I liked them, I didn't like the things they did. Anyone who knows me is aware that I don't drink and I'm really against drugs. The modern day characters drank a lot and got stoned a lot and I really struggled with that aspect of the story. I understand that most teenagers experiment with substances at some point in their life but that kind of thing has never appealed to me and if it features quite heavily in a book, it can decrease my overall enjoyment of the novel. I just thought it was stupid and irresponsible of them and I wanted to shake some sense into them BUT ASIDE FROM THAT, I loved everything else! I liked Kate, she wasn't scare to challenge Leo, she worked extremely hard to get her scholarship and she never pretended to be something she wasn't, which I admired. I didn't like Jackson at first but my love for him increased quite rapidly throughout the novel – he's a good guy and I really liked his caring nature that sharply contrasted next to the selfish, ruthless characteristics of Leo. UGH, LEO. He made me so mad throughout this book and there was this constant darkness reverberating off of him that hinted at the darkness he'd bring and boy, did he bring it. As much as I disliked him, he certainly added marvellously to the dark, gothic atmosphere that the book held. I didn't harbour any particularly strong feelings towards Beano, Lucie and Hat-Man Dan but as the story progressed but as the effects of Darkmere began to take its toll on them, I did find myself feeling increasingly worried about them as I did care for them, just not as much as I'd hoped to.
That aside, I absolutely LOVED Elinor's extracts and I utterly adored her character. Her story was so heartbreaking and her voice just shone through the pages and I developed a strong connection with her. I absolutely loved Elinor. She was quiet yet incredibly fun, she didn't care much for marriage and reaching the high rungs of society, she cared for her best friend Nick and her books. I felt deep remorse and sadness for her situation and it was agonising seeing the change in her – and her sister, Anna – throughout the course of the novel. Only by seeing Darkmere through her eyes could I fully understand the despicable nature that had occupied Darkmere's walls. Her story utterly broke me and I wish there was a whole book about Elinor (and Nick WHO I LOVE SO FREAKING MUCH) because I loved reading about them so very much! The characters really brought so much to the story and the way the two centuries' stories were strung together made the novel so engrossing, so fast-paced, so uniquely wonderful as the story of Darkmere's disturbing history fell into place.
The last two things I want to mention are the romance and the plot. The romance in this book is definitely not the central focus in Darkmere which many people will appreciate, but there is some and it made me feel a plethora of emotions. Some romance is heartbreaking, some not-so-heartbreaking. There is one almost-romance that made me want to throw the book against the wall and sob because of how devastatingly tragic it was and there is another romance that is in the beginning stages and it's filled with love, understanding and a sense of belonging that had my heart chanting “ship ship ship”. The mixture of a sweet romance and a heartbreaking one were also combined flawlessly to leave the reader with a sense of hope despite being faced with despair. All the dark parts were balanced with light parts in Darkmere and I thought the two contrasts were paired together seamlessly, flawlessly.
The plot is absolutely incredible. There were twists and turns and subtle paranormal occurrences that set my heart on edge. There were cliffhangers and the book was heady with the scent of suspense. It was fast-paced and the switching between viewpoints made the book even more intriguing. I wasn't bored for a single second, I was constantly on the edge of my seat and I was just so completely immersed in Darkmere's turbulent, tragic history and in Kate and Elinor's struggles with the castle and the St Clouds. If you need a book to fall completely into, this is it.
Darkmere was captivating and enthralling. It was horrifying and mesmerising. The voices of a nineteenth century girl and a twenty-first century girl intertwined to bring to life the dark history that played out on Darkmere's grounds. The atmosphere of the book is chillingly dark yet simultaneously maintains the feel of a light summery contemporary. This book is composed of several different genres and the result is breathtakingly stunning! I felt terrified, haunted and thoroughly intrigued whilst reading this uniquely divine novel. I wasn't expecting to love this book as much as I did but I fell absolutely in love with – with the voice of young Elinor, the bloodied history surrounding Darkmere, the tense suspense between the group of 21st century friends and the undercurrent of horror that encompasses this novel. Darkmere will transport you to the crumbling turrets of a haunted castle perched on a cliff above a grey churning sea. You will fall absolutely in love with this book.
Okay, to sum it up nicely: this book was epic. It was compelling, it was dark, tragic and utterly addictive. It ensnared me from the first page and didn't relinquish control for a second. I'm so happy that I picked up this book as it was exactly the kind of story I never knew I needed. The premise of this book is utterly incredible and the way it was delivered was done excellently. There have been so many times where I've read a book with a fantastic premise but the writing/characters don't do it justice – THANK GOODNESS THIS DIDN'T HAPPEN IN DARKMERE. The plot was delicious, with suspense and subtle events that contributed enormously to creating the dark, brooding atmosphere that engulfed the castle. Some characters were wonderful, other characters were detestable - which magnified the chilling, haunting mood of Darkmere - the writing was beautiful, the transition between the two time periods (the 19th and 21st century) was done seamlessly and often left me in a state of extreme suspense and anxiety for the characters I had grown to love. And the atmosphere - my goodness, the atmosphere. I was constantly on the edge of my seat as the author included small, subtle hints that something deeply dark and terribly tragic was stirring within the castle walls and within the hearts of those – present and past – who occupied the castle. It was this persistent tension and darkness seeping into the story that had me devouring the pages rapidly and IT WAS PRETTY MUCH PERFECT, REALLY.
So Darkmere is about ghosts, terrible secrets, the past and the present, it's about romance, love, hate, despair and regret, it's about hazy summer days that thrum with dangerous energy – all this set against the backdrop of a beautiful, ruined castle on the edge of a cliff top that drops into the crashing sea down below. It's about Kate, a girl from a poor background who worked hard enough to earn a scholarship to an incredible (and expensive) school. It's about her finally feeling like she belongs and isn't a total misfit when the most popular, most charming boy at her school, Leo St Cloud, invites her to spend the summer at the supposedly cursed castle he just inherited, along with his friends Jackson, Beano, Hat-Man Dan and Lucie. She agrees. She expects a summer filled with partying and drinking, lazy summer days – and she gets that. And more. Deadly dares, malice, horror and centuries' old curses plague that group as soon as the sun sinks beneath the sea. Alternating between Kate's point of view and Elinor, the doomed wife of the formidable St Cloud, the tragic tale of how the curse came to be, unfolds in devastating and gripping manner that had me filled with apprehension, intrigue and terror. HAVE I PERSUADED YOU? PLEASE TELL ME I HAVE. BECAUSE YOU NEED TO READ IT.
One thing I loved about this novel was how the author included several different genres and linked them together seamlessly. I've read books in the past that have several genres happening but it just feels like an uncoordinated jumble of misfit puzzle pieces BUT NOT IN DARKMERE. It's a contemporary, historical fiction, horror, romance and paranormal young adult novel and all these combine together most admirably to form a gorgeously chilling book. There were scenes that felt as if I was reading a summery contemporary filled with fun and romance and then the next scene there was a flashback to the nineteenth century that was filled with balls, suitors, carriages, and servants, fast forward it's the 21st century again, in the castle, at night and there are paranormal/horror aspects beginning to emerge and it all just fits together so perfectly. I don't know how the author did it but can she teach me her ways? Please?
Another thing I can't applaud the author enough for is how brilliantly she executes dual perspectives. Darkmere is voiced by 21st century Kate, as well as Elinor, the wife of St Cloud who lived in the 19th century. I haven't read many books with dual perspectives but when I have, the voices of the characters generally sound extremely similar or one character is just so dull compared to the other. In Darkmere, I was gripped by both girls' accounts of their time spent at Darkmere. Both were enthralling and both had me feeling varying emotions from revulsion and shock to terror and excitement. The author also used this to her advantage in the most cruel manner: she would end the one POV on a complete cliffhanger and I'd be shaking in shock because I NEED TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS NEXT and then by the time I've finished the other POV (which had also ended on a cliffhanger) I ALSO NEED TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS NOW and wow, it was an excellent way to write the book as it made it all the more captivating. I was even more invested and I was just on the edge of my seat throughout the entire book. IT'S WONDERFUL.
For me, the characters are one of the most important aspects of the story. You can have a book that is severely lacking in plot but if it has incredible characters, I will most likely love it. Now, this is the one thing I didn't LOVE about the book and the reason I deducted half a cupcake: the characters. Even though I liked them, I didn't like the things they did. Anyone who knows me is aware that I don't drink and I'm really against drugs. The modern day characters drank a lot and got stoned a lot and I really struggled with that aspect of the story. I understand that most teenagers experiment with substances at some point in their life but that kind of thing has never appealed to me and if it features quite heavily in a book, it can decrease my overall enjoyment of the novel. I just thought it was stupid and irresponsible of them and I wanted to shake some sense into them BUT ASIDE FROM THAT, I loved everything else! I liked Kate, she wasn't scare to challenge Leo, she worked extremely hard to get her scholarship and she never pretended to be something she wasn't, which I admired. I didn't like Jackson at first but my love for him increased quite rapidly throughout the novel – he's a good guy and I really liked his caring nature that sharply contrasted next to the selfish, ruthless characteristics of Leo. UGH, LEO. He made me so mad throughout this book and there was this constant darkness reverberating off of him that hinted at the darkness he'd bring and boy, did he bring it. As much as I disliked him, he certainly added marvellously to the dark, gothic atmosphere that the book held. I didn't harbour any particularly strong feelings towards Beano, Lucie and Hat-Man Dan but as the story progressed but as the effects of Darkmere began to take its toll on them, I did find myself feeling increasingly worried about them as I did care for them, just not as much as I'd hoped to.
That aside, I absolutely LOVED Elinor's extracts and I utterly adored her character. Her story was so heartbreaking and her voice just shone through the pages and I developed a strong connection with her. I absolutely loved Elinor. She was quiet yet incredibly fun, she didn't care much for marriage and reaching the high rungs of society, she cared for her best friend Nick and her books. I felt deep remorse and sadness for her situation and it was agonising seeing the change in her – and her sister, Anna – throughout the course of the novel. Only by seeing Darkmere through her eyes could I fully understand the despicable nature that had occupied Darkmere's walls. Her story utterly broke me and I wish there was a whole book about Elinor (and Nick WHO I LOVE SO FREAKING MUCH) because I loved reading about them so very much! The characters really brought so much to the story and the way the two centuries' stories were strung together made the novel so engrossing, so fast-paced, so uniquely wonderful as the story of Darkmere's disturbing history fell into place.
The last two things I want to mention are the romance and the plot. The romance in this book is definitely not the central focus in Darkmere which many people will appreciate, but there is some and it made me feel a plethora of emotions. Some romance is heartbreaking, some not-so-heartbreaking. There is one almost-romance that made me want to throw the book against the wall and sob because of how devastatingly tragic it was and there is another romance that is in the beginning stages and it's filled with love, understanding and a sense of belonging that had my heart chanting “ship ship ship”. The mixture of a sweet romance and a heartbreaking one were also combined flawlessly to leave the reader with a sense of hope despite being faced with despair. All the dark parts were balanced with light parts in Darkmere and I thought the two contrasts were paired together seamlessly, flawlessly.
The plot is absolutely incredible. There were twists and turns and subtle paranormal occurrences that set my heart on edge. There were cliffhangers and the book was heady with the scent of suspense. It was fast-paced and the switching between viewpoints made the book even more intriguing. I wasn't bored for a single second, I was constantly on the edge of my seat and I was just so completely immersed in Darkmere's turbulent, tragic history and in Kate and Elinor's struggles with the castle and the St Clouds. If you need a book to fall completely into, this is it.
Darkmere was captivating and enthralling. It was horrifying and mesmerising. The voices of a nineteenth century girl and a twenty-first century girl intertwined to bring to life the dark history that played out on Darkmere's grounds. The atmosphere of the book is chillingly dark yet simultaneously maintains the feel of a light summery contemporary. This book is composed of several different genres and the result is breathtakingly stunning! I felt terrified, haunted and thoroughly intrigued whilst reading this uniquely divine novel. I wasn't expecting to love this book as much as I did but I fell absolutely in love with – with the voice of young Elinor, the bloodied history surrounding Darkmere, the tense suspense between the group of 21st century friends and the undercurrent of horror that encompasses this novel. Darkmere will transport you to the crumbling turrets of a haunted castle perched on a cliff above a grey churning sea. You will fall absolutely in love with this book.
June 28, 2016
Ich muss gestehen, dass ich für dieses Buch zwei Anläufe gebraucht habe. Beim ersten Anlesen bin ich gar nicht in die Handlung reingekommen und die Atmosphäre, die die Jugendlichen in dem einsamen Schloss erwartet, kam gar nicht bei mir an.
Zum Glück habe ich es noch einmal damit versucht, denn jetzt habe ich mich sehr gut auf die Stimmung einlassen können.
Zu Beginn wirkt alles noch sehr ausgelassen. Leo ist ein begehrter Typ auf der Schule, offenbar auch steinreich und er erbt auch noch ein einsames Schloss irgendwo am Meer. Er lädt einige Freunde ein, den Sommer mit ihm zusammen in dem Schloss zu verbringen - weitab von Erwachsenen, Vorschriften und Regeln und auch Kate ist mit von der Partie, die Neue an der Schule.
Erzählt wird aus ihrer Perspektive und schnell ist klar, dass sie sich in Leo verguckt hat. Nur zu gerne flieht sie vor ihrer chaotischen Mutter und hofft auf die schönsten Ferien ihres Lebens.
Außer Leo und Kate sind noch Beano dabei, Jackson und das Pärchen Hat-man Dan und Lucie. Ein bunt zusammen gewürfelter Haufen, die aber anfangs noch alle ihren Spaß haben. Das Haus entpuppt sich als riesiger Partytempel und gefeiert wird jede Nacht mit Bier und Joints, bis allmählich die Stimmung umzuschlagen scheint. Nicht nur Streitereien zwischen den Freunden trüben die Feierlaune: auf dem Schloss soll ein Fluch liegen, der die Nachkommen der St. Clouds immer wieder einholt - mit tödlichen Folgen.
Gleichzeitig gibt es noch einen zweiten Erzählstrang aus der Sicht von Elinor aus dem Jahr 1825. Das junge Mädchen steht seit jeher im Schatten ihrer hübschen, älteren Schwester Anne, doch ein grausamer Zufall bringt sie an die Seite des heiratswilligen St Cloud - einen jungen Exzentriker, der das Schloss Darkmere bauen ließ. An seiner Seite zieht sie in den abgelegenen Landsitz an der Küste und erlebt eine harte und einsame Zeit.
Helen Maslin beschreibt die Erlebnisse beider Mädchen aus der Ich-Perspektive. Der Schreibstil ist jeweils an die Zeit angepasst, aber einfach und flüssig zu lesen. Im ersten Drittel plätschert die Handlung noch etwas vor sich hin, weshalb ich beim ersten Lesen auch nicht so recht wusste, was ich damit anfangen soll. Kates Verhalten kam mir dabei teilweise sehr naiv vor und Elinors Part hat mich nicht so überzeugen können. Aber dann nimmt die Geschichte an Fahrt auf und es wird interessant. Gerade die Ereignisse aus der Vergangenheit haben mich mitgerissen und der Wechsel zwischen Elinors und Kates Episoden haben die Spannung vorangetrieben. Leider hat mir der Grusel komplett gefehlt, denn ich hatte mir schon etwas Gänsehautfeeling gewünscht.
Insgesamt war es aber ein gelungener Mix aus einer leichten Schauergeschichte, etwas Liebe und einer bewegenden Erinnerung aus der Vergangenheit, die mich am Ende doch überzeugen konnte.
Fazit: gute 3.5 Sterne
Eine Gruppe Jugendlicher, die in einem abgelegenen Schloss den Fluch aus der Vergangenheit zu spüren bekommt und eine Erinnerung aus dem Jahr 1825, die nach und nach enthüllt, welche Grausamkeit sich hinter diesen Mauern abgespielt hat. Anfangs noch nicht so überzeugend entfaltet die Handlung aber eine interessante und spannende Entwicklung.
© Aleshanee
Alle Rezensionen findet ihr auf meinem Blog: Weltenwanderer
Zum Glück habe ich es noch einmal damit versucht, denn jetzt habe ich mich sehr gut auf die Stimmung einlassen können.
Zu Beginn wirkt alles noch sehr ausgelassen. Leo ist ein begehrter Typ auf der Schule, offenbar auch steinreich und er erbt auch noch ein einsames Schloss irgendwo am Meer. Er lädt einige Freunde ein, den Sommer mit ihm zusammen in dem Schloss zu verbringen - weitab von Erwachsenen, Vorschriften und Regeln und auch Kate ist mit von der Partie, die Neue an der Schule.
Erzählt wird aus ihrer Perspektive und schnell ist klar, dass sie sich in Leo verguckt hat. Nur zu gerne flieht sie vor ihrer chaotischen Mutter und hofft auf die schönsten Ferien ihres Lebens.
Außer Leo und Kate sind noch Beano dabei, Jackson und das Pärchen Hat-man Dan und Lucie. Ein bunt zusammen gewürfelter Haufen, die aber anfangs noch alle ihren Spaß haben. Das Haus entpuppt sich als riesiger Partytempel und gefeiert wird jede Nacht mit Bier und Joints, bis allmählich die Stimmung umzuschlagen scheint. Nicht nur Streitereien zwischen den Freunden trüben die Feierlaune: auf dem Schloss soll ein Fluch liegen, der die Nachkommen der St. Clouds immer wieder einholt - mit tödlichen Folgen.
Gleichzeitig gibt es noch einen zweiten Erzählstrang aus der Sicht von Elinor aus dem Jahr 1825. Das junge Mädchen steht seit jeher im Schatten ihrer hübschen, älteren Schwester Anne, doch ein grausamer Zufall bringt sie an die Seite des heiratswilligen St Cloud - einen jungen Exzentriker, der das Schloss Darkmere bauen ließ. An seiner Seite zieht sie in den abgelegenen Landsitz an der Küste und erlebt eine harte und einsame Zeit.
Helen Maslin beschreibt die Erlebnisse beider Mädchen aus der Ich-Perspektive. Der Schreibstil ist jeweils an die Zeit angepasst, aber einfach und flüssig zu lesen. Im ersten Drittel plätschert die Handlung noch etwas vor sich hin, weshalb ich beim ersten Lesen auch nicht so recht wusste, was ich damit anfangen soll. Kates Verhalten kam mir dabei teilweise sehr naiv vor und Elinors Part hat mich nicht so überzeugen können. Aber dann nimmt die Geschichte an Fahrt auf und es wird interessant. Gerade die Ereignisse aus der Vergangenheit haben mich mitgerissen und der Wechsel zwischen Elinors und Kates Episoden haben die Spannung vorangetrieben. Leider hat mir der Grusel komplett gefehlt, denn ich hatte mir schon etwas Gänsehautfeeling gewünscht.
Insgesamt war es aber ein gelungener Mix aus einer leichten Schauergeschichte, etwas Liebe und einer bewegenden Erinnerung aus der Vergangenheit, die mich am Ende doch überzeugen konnte.
Fazit: gute 3.5 Sterne
Eine Gruppe Jugendlicher, die in einem abgelegenen Schloss den Fluch aus der Vergangenheit zu spüren bekommt und eine Erinnerung aus dem Jahr 1825, die nach und nach enthüllt, welche Grausamkeit sich hinter diesen Mauern abgespielt hat. Anfangs noch nicht so überzeugend entfaltet die Handlung aber eine interessante und spannende Entwicklung.
© Aleshanee
Alle Rezensionen findet ihr auf meinem Blog: Weltenwanderer
September 16, 2015
Loved this! Really captivating and emotional.
I absolutely loved Darkmere by Helen Maslin! I'd followed the author on Twitter for quite some time and because she's lovely I was, at first, a little bit nervous to start this book for that reason. There was no need to worry as I absolutely loved it. I thought Darkmere was really pacey and addictive as well as being quite emotional.
Darkmere tells the story of two girls separated in time by hundreds of years. The first, Kate, in the modern day has been invited to spend the summer at a remote castle alongside the beach. Good-looking, popular Leo has invited Kate and some other friends to stay in this castle he has just inherited. Kate fancies Leo so says yes, despite the differences in their wealth and social standing. Darkmere isn't at all what she imagined it would be and soon she finds herself interested in the local legends of the castle and of the ghost who is said to haunt it. This is where Elinor comes in who tells us her story in the 1800s and how her own social standing and romantic prospects are called into question and how she eventually ends up at Darkmere.
I really loved both Kate and Elinor's perspectives in telling the story. I was hugely invested in both of these main characters and I found myself pulled easily into their stories and was rooting for them throughout, even when it became more obvious that Elinor's story becomes more tragic. What I loved about both of these story lines was that they are both hugely interesting and as the end of their chapters loomed little tidbits of exciting things were mentioned that left me hugely intrigued by what would happen next. There is quite a bit of surprise and twists to the story that kept me entertained and hooked.
Another favourite aspect to the story is the setting on the English coast line and discovering Darkmere's history with smuggling and how that aspect of the story unfolds as a bit of a surprise. I lapped every detail of this part of the story and now having finished the story I'm quite excited to learn more! Elements of historical fiction don't always grab at me the way the historical bits of Darkmere did, so I was quite surprised by this.
The romance elements to both of these stories ends up being a little bit dark and in a way, doomed and I loved that type of love story. Leo definitely isn't all that he seems, however I still found myself being slightly won over by him anyway. There was something appealing about him anyway. And also the other characters who come along on this summer get away. It's always nice to see that first impressions aren't always the best at showing a person's true character!
I absolutely loved Darkmere and I highly recommend it! Dark, addictive, romantic and very fast-paced. This is definitely a book to look out for.
I absolutely loved Darkmere by Helen Maslin! I'd followed the author on Twitter for quite some time and because she's lovely I was, at first, a little bit nervous to start this book for that reason. There was no need to worry as I absolutely loved it. I thought Darkmere was really pacey and addictive as well as being quite emotional.
Darkmere tells the story of two girls separated in time by hundreds of years. The first, Kate, in the modern day has been invited to spend the summer at a remote castle alongside the beach. Good-looking, popular Leo has invited Kate and some other friends to stay in this castle he has just inherited. Kate fancies Leo so says yes, despite the differences in their wealth and social standing. Darkmere isn't at all what she imagined it would be and soon she finds herself interested in the local legends of the castle and of the ghost who is said to haunt it. This is where Elinor comes in who tells us her story in the 1800s and how her own social standing and romantic prospects are called into question and how she eventually ends up at Darkmere.
I really loved both Kate and Elinor's perspectives in telling the story. I was hugely invested in both of these main characters and I found myself pulled easily into their stories and was rooting for them throughout, even when it became more obvious that Elinor's story becomes more tragic. What I loved about both of these story lines was that they are both hugely interesting and as the end of their chapters loomed little tidbits of exciting things were mentioned that left me hugely intrigued by what would happen next. There is quite a bit of surprise and twists to the story that kept me entertained and hooked.
Another favourite aspect to the story is the setting on the English coast line and discovering Darkmere's history with smuggling and how that aspect of the story unfolds as a bit of a surprise. I lapped every detail of this part of the story and now having finished the story I'm quite excited to learn more! Elements of historical fiction don't always grab at me the way the historical bits of Darkmere did, so I was quite surprised by this.
The romance elements to both of these stories ends up being a little bit dark and in a way, doomed and I loved that type of love story. Leo definitely isn't all that he seems, however I still found myself being slightly won over by him anyway. There was something appealing about him anyway. And also the other characters who come along on this summer get away. It's always nice to see that first impressions aren't always the best at showing a person's true character!
I absolutely loved Darkmere and I highly recommend it! Dark, addictive, romantic and very fast-paced. This is definitely a book to look out for.
May 18, 2016
3,5 Sterne
Klappentext
Der Plan war: Sommer, Sonne – und Leo. Schließlich hat Kate seine Einladung auf das alte Schloss nur angenommen, damit sie Zeit mit ihm verbringen kann. Doch seit sie und Leos Freunde in Darkmere sind, ist die Stimmung seltsam. Trotz der idyllischen Umgebung kommen die dunkelsten Seiten in ihnen zum Vorschein. Ist das Schloss wirklich verflucht? Kate fängt an zu recherchieren und stößt dabei auf das Tagebuch von Elinor. Ein Mädchen, das 1825 voller Hoffnung nach Darkmere kam. Und dort die Hölle auf Erden erlebte
Die Autorin
Helen Maslin lebt mit ihrem Mann und ihren beiden Söhnen in Cheltenham. Sie hat Englisch, Geschichte und Kunstgeschichte studiert – was auch immer noch ihre größten Interessen sind. An der Grundschule ihrer Kinder leitet sie einen Kunstklub. Das macht zwar Spaß, ist aber immer sehr chaotisch. Am liebsten mag Helen knallbunt gefärbte Haare, Peter Lorres Stimme, den Duft eines neuen Buches, Roy Lichtensteins Kunst, Nettigkeit und Kuchen.
Meine Meinung
Story
Kate macht sich mit ein paar Schulfreunden auf in die Ferien. Sie will die Ferien genießen und hofft das zwischen ihr und Leo was läuft. Der Ort ihrer gemeinsamen Ferien ist ein altes Anwesen, welches Leo gerade geerbt hat. Ein kleines schlossähnliches Haus, abseits gelegen, mit eigenem Strand, aber mit einer geheimnisvollen Vergangenheit. Sehr schnell entdeckt Kate, dass an diesem Ort vor langer Zeit etwas Schreckliches passiert ist. Und Kate ist entschlossen dem Geheimnis auf die Spur zu kommen.
Schreibstil
Das Buch ist einfach, verständlich geschrieben. Im Wechsel mit der heutigen Geschichte um Kate, reist der Leser in die Vergangenheit und erfährt was sich eins in dem Haus zugetragen hat.
Charaktere
Helen Maslin versteht es gut ihren Protagonisten leben einzuhauchen und sie dadurch echt wirken zu lassen.
Mein Fazit
Ein altes Haus, ein altes Geheimnis, und ein Protagonist der dieses lüften will. Die Geschichte ist nicht unbedingt neu, denn auch Helen Maslin bedient sich althergebrachtem. Das Buch ist deshalb aber nicht schlecht. Dem Leser bietet das Buch eine einfache, aber dennoch spannende Geschichte. Ideal als einfache Urlaubs Lektüre.
Ich vergebe hier 3,5 von 5 Leseratten und eine eingeschränkte Leseempfehlung für Leser, die gerne mal was jugendlich leichtes, aber dennoch spannendes mögen.
Klappentext
Der Plan war: Sommer, Sonne – und Leo. Schließlich hat Kate seine Einladung auf das alte Schloss nur angenommen, damit sie Zeit mit ihm verbringen kann. Doch seit sie und Leos Freunde in Darkmere sind, ist die Stimmung seltsam. Trotz der idyllischen Umgebung kommen die dunkelsten Seiten in ihnen zum Vorschein. Ist das Schloss wirklich verflucht? Kate fängt an zu recherchieren und stößt dabei auf das Tagebuch von Elinor. Ein Mädchen, das 1825 voller Hoffnung nach Darkmere kam. Und dort die Hölle auf Erden erlebte
Die Autorin
Helen Maslin lebt mit ihrem Mann und ihren beiden Söhnen in Cheltenham. Sie hat Englisch, Geschichte und Kunstgeschichte studiert – was auch immer noch ihre größten Interessen sind. An der Grundschule ihrer Kinder leitet sie einen Kunstklub. Das macht zwar Spaß, ist aber immer sehr chaotisch. Am liebsten mag Helen knallbunt gefärbte Haare, Peter Lorres Stimme, den Duft eines neuen Buches, Roy Lichtensteins Kunst, Nettigkeit und Kuchen.
Meine Meinung
Story
Kate macht sich mit ein paar Schulfreunden auf in die Ferien. Sie will die Ferien genießen und hofft das zwischen ihr und Leo was läuft. Der Ort ihrer gemeinsamen Ferien ist ein altes Anwesen, welches Leo gerade geerbt hat. Ein kleines schlossähnliches Haus, abseits gelegen, mit eigenem Strand, aber mit einer geheimnisvollen Vergangenheit. Sehr schnell entdeckt Kate, dass an diesem Ort vor langer Zeit etwas Schreckliches passiert ist. Und Kate ist entschlossen dem Geheimnis auf die Spur zu kommen.
Schreibstil
Das Buch ist einfach, verständlich geschrieben. Im Wechsel mit der heutigen Geschichte um Kate, reist der Leser in die Vergangenheit und erfährt was sich eins in dem Haus zugetragen hat.
Charaktere
Helen Maslin versteht es gut ihren Protagonisten leben einzuhauchen und sie dadurch echt wirken zu lassen.
Mein Fazit
Ein altes Haus, ein altes Geheimnis, und ein Protagonist der dieses lüften will. Die Geschichte ist nicht unbedingt neu, denn auch Helen Maslin bedient sich althergebrachtem. Das Buch ist deshalb aber nicht schlecht. Dem Leser bietet das Buch eine einfache, aber dennoch spannende Geschichte. Ideal als einfache Urlaubs Lektüre.
Ich vergebe hier 3,5 von 5 Leseratten und eine eingeschränkte Leseempfehlung für Leser, die gerne mal was jugendlich leichtes, aber dennoch spannendes mögen.
August 7, 2015
I’ve been aware of the upcoming YA gothic thriller Darkmere for some time, but it wasn’t until last week that I read a review and looked properly at the synopsis. Immediately, I knew I needed to read this book! Darkmere promised all the things I love most: creepy castles, romance, ghosts, and curses. I felt as though Helen Maslin had snooped around in my brain and written a book just for me. So I was more than happy to be sent a review copy (thank you, Chicken House!).
The novel follows two narrators — Doc Marten-wearing Kate in the present day, and down-to-earth debutante Elinor in 1825. The story opens with Kate as she joins school friends for a summer at potential-boyfriend Leo’s inherited castle, Darkmere. Before the teens even arrive at the castle, however, they learn that it’s been abandoned for decades, and is supposedly both haunted and cursed.
Darkmere turns out to be as spooky as its reputation, but Kate also has very human problems to deal with. The creepy thriller atmosphere combined with thorny romance/friendship issues put me in mind of James Dawson’s writing — which is a very good thing!
In the 1825 narrative, we follow young Elinor as she sets out to London with her sister. Elinor is innocent and sweet, but we know that somehow life is going to take her to Darkmere Castle, where only bad things can happen. I thought Elinor’s narrative was especially well written, with lots of nods to classic gothic romance.
Without spoiling what happens, the mysteries build until the two narratives come together satisfyingly. This is such a well written book. The only thing I would have liked is a little more closure to one of the plot threads, but it’s a minor point.
If you like contemporary thrillers or ghost stories, then you have to check out Darkmere. Can’t wait to see what Helen Maslin writes next!
The novel follows two narrators — Doc Marten-wearing Kate in the present day, and down-to-earth debutante Elinor in 1825. The story opens with Kate as she joins school friends for a summer at potential-boyfriend Leo’s inherited castle, Darkmere. Before the teens even arrive at the castle, however, they learn that it’s been abandoned for decades, and is supposedly both haunted and cursed.
Darkmere turns out to be as spooky as its reputation, but Kate also has very human problems to deal with. The creepy thriller atmosphere combined with thorny romance/friendship issues put me in mind of James Dawson’s writing — which is a very good thing!
In the 1825 narrative, we follow young Elinor as she sets out to London with her sister. Elinor is innocent and sweet, but we know that somehow life is going to take her to Darkmere Castle, where only bad things can happen. I thought Elinor’s narrative was especially well written, with lots of nods to classic gothic romance.
Without spoiling what happens, the mysteries build until the two narratives come together satisfyingly. This is such a well written book. The only thing I would have liked is a little more closure to one of the plot threads, but it’s a minor point.
If you like contemporary thrillers or ghost stories, then you have to check out Darkmere. Can’t wait to see what Helen Maslin writes next!
September 26, 2016
(first of all - thanks, Cora, for sending me the book! I thoroughly enjoyed it.)
This is a YA contemporary novel and the writing style pretty much reflects that. There are two storylines with two main voices in this book: one of them comes from a character from the present day and the other one is from the 19th century. In spite of the time difference, the language both characters used was somewhat similar, which I thought sounded a bit inaccurate.
I don't usually read YA, but this book caught my attention because it's very different from all the other YA books I've read, in a good way. It is very engaging, both storylines are very entertaining. The two time periods influence each other and blend well together forming a single interesting novel. The tension keeps growing throughout the book; the atmosphere is frightening and makes for a great thriller.
However, most of the characters were kind of pointless and not memorable at all. I'm sure that a month after reading this book, I won't even remember who Beano (for instance) was. I also didn't like how the teenagers were so stereotypical - getting drunk, smoking weed. I was expecting some more originality.
Judging by the book's description, I was expecting this to be a ghost story, but I'm glad that wasn't really the case. Most of the odd events eventually had a reasonable explanation, but a shadow of a doubt did persist, making the mystery surrounding the Darkmere castle all the more enjoyable.
This book seems to be a mix of genres, which makes it all the more unique. There were even a few humorous paragraphs, which at some point made me laugh out loud. There is absolutely no way anyone would get bored reading this novel.
Overall, I think H. Maslin did a great job writing this book. I think it stands out among the other YA books out there.
This is a YA contemporary novel and the writing style pretty much reflects that. There are two storylines with two main voices in this book: one of them comes from a character from the present day and the other one is from the 19th century. In spite of the time difference, the language both characters used was somewhat similar, which I thought sounded a bit inaccurate.
I don't usually read YA, but this book caught my attention because it's very different from all the other YA books I've read, in a good way. It is very engaging, both storylines are very entertaining. The two time periods influence each other and blend well together forming a single interesting novel. The tension keeps growing throughout the book; the atmosphere is frightening and makes for a great thriller.
However, most of the characters were kind of pointless and not memorable at all. I'm sure that a month after reading this book, I won't even remember who Beano (for instance) was. I also didn't like how the teenagers were so stereotypical - getting drunk, smoking weed. I was expecting some more originality.
Judging by the book's description, I was expecting this to be a ghost story, but I'm glad that wasn't really the case. Most of the odd events eventually had a reasonable explanation, but a shadow of a doubt did persist, making the mystery surrounding the Darkmere castle all the more enjoyable.
This book seems to be a mix of genres, which makes it all the more unique. There were even a few humorous paragraphs, which at some point made me laugh out loud. There is absolutely no way anyone would get bored reading this novel.
Overall, I think H. Maslin did a great job writing this book. I think it stands out among the other YA books out there.
June 13, 2016
Ein seltsames Buch...
"Darkmere Summer" ist eine Mischung aus Fantasy, Thriller, History, Mystery und Jugendbuch. Mir haben die Wechsel zwischen Vergangenheit und Gegenwart sehr gefallen.
Die Protagonisten waren mir irgendwie durchweg unympathisch, aber irgendwie war das so passend zu der Geschichte. Lässt sich schwer beschreiben. Die einzigen Sympathieträger waren Kate und Elinor, aus deren Sichtweisen die Geschichte auch erzählt wird.
Manchmal ist das Buch ein wenig sprunghaft und oberflächlich, aber ich wurde sehr gut unterhalten und das erwarte ich letztendlich von einem Buch auch.
"Darkmere Summer" ist eine Mischung aus Fantasy, Thriller, History, Mystery und Jugendbuch. Mir haben die Wechsel zwischen Vergangenheit und Gegenwart sehr gefallen.
Die Protagonisten waren mir irgendwie durchweg unympathisch, aber irgendwie war das so passend zu der Geschichte. Lässt sich schwer beschreiben. Die einzigen Sympathieträger waren Kate und Elinor, aus deren Sichtweisen die Geschichte auch erzählt wird.
Manchmal ist das Buch ein wenig sprunghaft und oberflächlich, aber ich wurde sehr gut unterhalten und das erwarte ich letztendlich von einem Buch auch.
August 20, 2015
What a fantastic book! Characters you can sympathise with: some you love, others not so much. Beautifully creepy without being morbid. More like this please!
July 29, 2018
Erster Eindruck zum Buch:
Das Cover ist geheimnisvoll, man erkennt vieles nur sehr vage, allein das Mädchen und die Mauern erkennt man genau. Die Ranken und die Schrift schimmern matt. Es fängt leicht und langsam an, sodass man nicht mitten ins Geschehen geworfen wird.
Protagonisten:
Kate will auf der einen Seite dazugehören, aber auf der anderen will sie sich nicht anpassen. Für mich war das eine interessante Mischung zu Beginn. Sie versteckt sich hinter der Art wie sie sich kleidet und scheint eine sehr unsichere Person zu sein.
Leo ist mir ein Rätsel, seine Art war nicht so mein Geschmack. Für mich war er zu aufmerksamkeitsheischend, was auf Dauer echt anstrengend wirkt.
Elinor ist niemand der leicht auffällt, stets darum bemüht die große Liebe zu finden und sich nicht vorschnell anzupassen. Sie ist ihrer Zeit angemessen sehr schüchtern, kann aber auch den Wildfang heraushängen lassen.
Meine Meinung:
Gegenwart und Vergangenheit fließen zu einer Geschichte zusammen. Man möchte zwar wissen wie es endet, aber den Drang es so schnell wie möglich herauszufinden hatte ich nicht. Ich habe es mir einfach interessanter vorgestellt. Ob meine Erwartungen zu hoch waren kann ich im Nachhinein nicht sagen, denn ich dachte mich erwartet eine Geschichte voller Geheimnisse, das ich mich so täuschen würde, hätte ich nicht gedacht. Die Schauplätze waren toll und gut beschrieben, aber das wars auch schon, der Rest war nur noch okay und nett.
Das Cover ist geheimnisvoll, man erkennt vieles nur sehr vage, allein das Mädchen und die Mauern erkennt man genau. Die Ranken und die Schrift schimmern matt. Es fängt leicht und langsam an, sodass man nicht mitten ins Geschehen geworfen wird.
Protagonisten:
Kate will auf der einen Seite dazugehören, aber auf der anderen will sie sich nicht anpassen. Für mich war das eine interessante Mischung zu Beginn. Sie versteckt sich hinter der Art wie sie sich kleidet und scheint eine sehr unsichere Person zu sein.
Leo ist mir ein Rätsel, seine Art war nicht so mein Geschmack. Für mich war er zu aufmerksamkeitsheischend, was auf Dauer echt anstrengend wirkt.
Elinor ist niemand der leicht auffällt, stets darum bemüht die große Liebe zu finden und sich nicht vorschnell anzupassen. Sie ist ihrer Zeit angemessen sehr schüchtern, kann aber auch den Wildfang heraushängen lassen.
Meine Meinung:
Gegenwart und Vergangenheit fließen zu einer Geschichte zusammen. Man möchte zwar wissen wie es endet, aber den Drang es so schnell wie möglich herauszufinden hatte ich nicht. Ich habe es mir einfach interessanter vorgestellt. Ob meine Erwartungen zu hoch waren kann ich im Nachhinein nicht sagen, denn ich dachte mich erwartet eine Geschichte voller Geheimnisse, das ich mich so täuschen würde, hätte ich nicht gedacht. Die Schauplätze waren toll und gut beschrieben, aber das wars auch schon, der Rest war nur noch okay und nett.
June 15, 2019
I wasn't sure what to expect of this book and I can't decide if I'm pleased or disappointed. Both, I guess.
In some ways, I wanted more from this. More mystery, more shocking reveals - and more answers. But equally I found myself pleasantly surprised.
We have a joint POV, one from nowadays with the new heir to Darkmere, and one back in the 1800s with the original mistress of the castle. I didn't expect to love the past POV as much as I did, but I really found myself enjoying it and I would have probably rated a whole book just on Elinor at least a 4.
What annoyed me with the present POV was the attempt a horror, which I didn't get and the lack of answers about the paranormal element in this book. Personally, this didn't feel paranormal. It felt like a spooky story where the characters were scared and easy to get muddled, but then I think the author did intend there to be real paranormal elements and the fact they were subtle enough to be seen as the character's fear or coincidences... I don't know.
Overall, it was good and I enjoyed reading it, I just personally would have liked it more mysterious and darker.
In some ways, I wanted more from this. More mystery, more shocking reveals - and more answers. But equally I found myself pleasantly surprised.
We have a joint POV, one from nowadays with the new heir to Darkmere, and one back in the 1800s with the original mistress of the castle. I didn't expect to love the past POV as much as I did, but I really found myself enjoying it and I would have probably rated a whole book just on Elinor at least a 4.
What annoyed me with the present POV was the attempt a horror, which I didn't get and the lack of answers about the paranormal element in this book. Personally, this didn't feel paranormal. It felt like a spooky story where the characters were scared and easy to get muddled, but then I think the author did intend there to be real paranormal elements and the fact they were subtle enough to be seen as the character's fear or coincidences... I don't know.
Overall, it was good and I enjoyed reading it, I just personally would have liked it more mysterious and darker.
April 16, 2017
A surprisingly creepy read.
Kate has always had a fascination with rich boy, Leo Erskine. When he invites her to his castle for the summer she is thrilled. Only things don't go quite as she imagined.
Once the group arrive at this remote spot we start to alternate stories. Alongside our present, we learn about Elinor who was married into the St Cloud family. Told as alternating stories we slowly learn the truth about the castle, what it was used for and Leo's ancestors.
Confidently told. Atmospheric, and just enough supernatural to create an authentic Gothic feel.
Kate has always had a fascination with rich boy, Leo Erskine. When he invites her to his castle for the summer she is thrilled. Only things don't go quite as she imagined.
Once the group arrive at this remote spot we start to alternate stories. Alongside our present, we learn about Elinor who was married into the St Cloud family. Told as alternating stories we slowly learn the truth about the castle, what it was used for and Leo's ancestors.
Confidently told. Atmospheric, and just enough supernatural to create an authentic Gothic feel.
November 5, 2023
Je suis tombée sur ce livre dans une braderie et je m’attendais à trop rien à part passer un moment sympa en lisant une histoire de fantôme.
Hé bien finalement j’ai passé un très bon moment, j’ai adoré les deux points de vue et j’ai trouvé ça très bien écrit.
Très bien ! 😁
Hé bien finalement j’ai passé un très bon moment, j’ai adoré les deux points de vue et j’ai trouvé ça très bien écrit.
Très bien ! 😁
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