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Miramont's Ghost
Miramont Castle, built in 1897 and mysteriously abandoned three years later, is home to many secrets. Only one person knows the truth: Adrienne Beauvier, granddaughter of the Comte de Challembelles and cousin to the man who built the castle.
Clairvoyant from the time she could talk, Adrienne’s visions show her the secrets of those around her. When her visions begin to reveal dark mysteries of her own aristocratic French family, Adrienne is confronted by her formidable Aunt Marie, who is determined to keep the young woman silent at any cost. Marie wrenches Adrienne from her home in France and takes her to America, to Miramont Castle, where she keeps the girl isolated and imprisoned. Surrounded by eerie premonitions, Adrienne is locked in a life-or-death struggle to learn the truth and escape her torment.
Reminiscent of Daphne du Maurier’s Rebecca, this hauntingly atmospheric tale is inspired by historical research into the real-life Miramont Castle in Manitou Springs, Colorado.
Clairvoyant from the time she could talk, Adrienne’s visions show her the secrets of those around her. When her visions begin to reveal dark mysteries of her own aristocratic French family, Adrienne is confronted by her formidable Aunt Marie, who is determined to keep the young woman silent at any cost. Marie wrenches Adrienne from her home in France and takes her to America, to Miramont Castle, where she keeps the girl isolated and imprisoned. Surrounded by eerie premonitions, Adrienne is locked in a life-or-death struggle to learn the truth and escape her torment.
Reminiscent of Daphne du Maurier’s Rebecca, this hauntingly atmospheric tale is inspired by historical research into the real-life Miramont Castle in Manitou Springs, Colorado.
334 pages, Paperback
First published February 1, 2015
2429 people are currently reading
8570 people want to read
About the author
Elizabeth Hall
5 books165 followersElizabeth Hall spent most of her life in the mountains of Colorado. She has worked as a teacher and communications consultant, including hosting, writing, and producing the radio show Heart of the West (KRZA, Alamosa) and producing an oral history compilation for the Great Sand Dunes National Park. She now lives in the Pacific NW.
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March 11, 2016
I chose those book as my Kindle First selection for the month of January. As I'm reading I'll jot down my thoughts so that you'll hopefully have better information as you make your selection.
After 89 pages, I'm keenly intrigued. The book begins in France in the year 1884 when our heroine is a small girl. The book is lush with description without being overly ponderous and the characters are richly and fully depicted. I feel a deep visceral dislike for several of them and a real kinship with others. If you like to be pulled in and have strong feelings about characters in a novel, this is a book for you. The story has a definite arc and I'm intrigued by what's going to happen next. So far then, I love it.
At page 109, we jump forward to our heroine at the age of 16 and things have started to turn rather dark and ominous. The people that I disliked fervently a few pages ago have now turned rather threatening and the dislike is has turned to positive annoyance. No spoilers though, just giving you a sense of the arc here.
Page 178... this is the point at which the reader so thoroughly loathes several characters and so sincerely fears for others that it's almost unbearable. The resemblance to a tangled romance novel continues but with deep undertones of a suspenseful murder mystery. Agh!
Page 210 to page 265... the novel has gone into emotional free-fall and becomes progressively darker. I won't leave any further updates because it would be too hard to not "spoiler" something but suffice to say that even the most evil previous inklings of what is to come next fall short of reality.
In summary, this is a wonderfully rendered bit of historical fiction that really whips up some emotional frenzy in the reader. I sincerely loathe and adore certain characters in this book. They run from downright evil to self-destructively passive and represent an thoroughly reprehensible cross-section of humanity at large. Also, the historical tidbits, while few, are apt and well-researched. This is one of those books that will haunt my memories for months to come. Well done if you like them dark and gasp-worthy. Just do note that this is not a "Ghost" story in the traditional sense of the word.
PS: I hope my review is helpful as you go to choose your own book this month. If not, please let me know what you would like to know and also any feedback on this review format. Thanks!
--
Rob Slaven
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tatteredthread/
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/pdp/profile...
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/RobSlave...
WordPress: https://tthread.wordpress.com/
After 89 pages, I'm keenly intrigued. The book begins in France in the year 1884 when our heroine is a small girl. The book is lush with description without being overly ponderous and the characters are richly and fully depicted. I feel a deep visceral dislike for several of them and a real kinship with others. If you like to be pulled in and have strong feelings about characters in a novel, this is a book for you. The story has a definite arc and I'm intrigued by what's going to happen next. So far then, I love it.
At page 109, we jump forward to our heroine at the age of 16 and things have started to turn rather dark and ominous. The people that I disliked fervently a few pages ago have now turned rather threatening and the dislike is has turned to positive annoyance. No spoilers though, just giving you a sense of the arc here.
Page 178... this is the point at which the reader so thoroughly loathes several characters and so sincerely fears for others that it's almost unbearable. The resemblance to a tangled romance novel continues but with deep undertones of a suspenseful murder mystery. Agh!
Page 210 to page 265... the novel has gone into emotional free-fall and becomes progressively darker. I won't leave any further updates because it would be too hard to not "spoiler" something but suffice to say that even the most evil previous inklings of what is to come next fall short of reality.
In summary, this is a wonderfully rendered bit of historical fiction that really whips up some emotional frenzy in the reader. I sincerely loathe and adore certain characters in this book. They run from downright evil to self-destructively passive and represent an thoroughly reprehensible cross-section of humanity at large. Also, the historical tidbits, while few, are apt and well-researched. This is one of those books that will haunt my memories for months to come. Well done if you like them dark and gasp-worthy. Just do note that this is not a "Ghost" story in the traditional sense of the word.
PS: I hope my review is helpful as you go to choose your own book this month. If not, please let me know what you would like to know and also any feedback on this review format. Thanks!
--
Rob Slaven
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tatteredthread/
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/pdp/profile...
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/RobSlave...
WordPress: https://tthread.wordpress.com/
February 28, 2015
I read this book as part of my 2015 reading challenge- a book published this year (2015)
This was a horrible book. Although the premise was interesting, the plot was terrible. The characters were one dimensional and not remotely likable. I had hoped that the ending would at least moderately redeem things, but that was not the case. I'm sure there will be many excellent books published this year, this book is sadly not one of them.
This was a horrible book. Although the premise was interesting, the plot was terrible. The characters were one dimensional and not remotely likable. I had hoped that the ending would at least moderately redeem things, but that was not the case. I'm sure there will be many excellent books published this year, this book is sadly not one of them.
February 13, 2015
Let me start by saying this has to be the lowest score I have ever given to such a well written book. The author does a fantastic job of putting us into the setting of 19th century France and then America. If it weren't for a couple of issues involving the main character, and then the story as a whole, I would rate this a 4.5 to 5 star effort. The characterization was excellent, even if the main character sometimes frustrated the hell out of me.
The thing is that I realize the author was working within constraints that caused the following two issues, but they remain issues nonetheless.
First of all is the main character herself. That she was talented, pretty, and clairvoyant works. But what starts to grate after a while is her passivity in the face of machinations from a hostile aunt that only gets worse as the book goes on. Yes, I know it was the nineteenth century, but it was at the turn of the twentieth century and at some point even girls back then would show some sign of standing up for themselves, even if it were to ultimately fail. But Adrienne simply suffers without complaint to the point the reader wants to yell at her to grow a freaking spine. Show some gumption. DO SOMETHING!
The other part that left me cold was the conclusion and how that affected the nature of the story in it's totality. Once finished, I found I had just read a book that was pretty much about nothing. And it was only once I started reading the afterward that I realized why that was.
The author had woven this story based on real historical events, and the character of Adrienne was the witness who tied them together. That's all well and good, but it left the reader with a character reduced to witnessing and passively enduring events as opposed to really acting as her own agent in the story. And when the author concludes things so that the book follows the real life events, it leaves the character behind in a way that leaves the reader going "HUH? THAT'S IT?", because in reality the story was never really about her. And since the story was told from this fictional characters point of view with the real characters being antagonists of unknown motives through most of the story, it wasn't really about them either. The reader is just left hanging wondering if what s/he just read really counts as a story in the classic sense.
So I'm left conflicted, faced with a superior piece of writing that left me feeling slightly robbed in the story department.
The thing is that I realize the author was working within constraints that caused the following two issues, but they remain issues nonetheless.
First of all is the main character herself. That she was talented, pretty, and clairvoyant works. But what starts to grate after a while is her passivity in the face of machinations from a hostile aunt that only gets worse as the book goes on. Yes, I know it was the nineteenth century, but it was at the turn of the twentieth century and at some point even girls back then would show some sign of standing up for themselves, even if it were to ultimately fail. But Adrienne simply suffers without complaint to the point the reader wants to yell at her to grow a freaking spine. Show some gumption. DO SOMETHING!
The other part that left me cold was the conclusion and how that affected the nature of the story in it's totality. Once finished, I found I had just read a book that was pretty much about nothing. And it was only once I started reading the afterward that I realized why that was.
The author had woven this story based on real historical events, and the character of Adrienne was the witness who tied them together. That's all well and good, but it left the reader with a character reduced to witnessing and passively enduring events as opposed to really acting as her own agent in the story. And when the author concludes things so that the book follows the real life events, it leaves the character behind in a way that leaves the reader going "HUH? THAT'S IT?", because in reality the story was never really about her. And since the story was told from this fictional characters point of view with the real characters being antagonists of unknown motives through most of the story, it wasn't really about them either. The reader is just left hanging wondering if what s/he just read really counts as a story in the classic sense.
So I'm left conflicted, faced with a superior piece of writing that left me feeling slightly robbed in the story department.
January 4, 2015
If you're looking for a story that will make your heart break for the main character, a story that is sad and has epic levels of misfortune befall a young, innocent girl, then Miramont's Ghost is your book.
I read reviews that said Miramont's Ghost was similar to Rebecca, that it was haunting and dark. Those reviews were true.
This story opens with the youth and optimism of a young, four year old Adrienne who lives in the beautiful French countryside and is spoiled by her Grandfather. We're quickly exposed to Adrienne's 'visions,' which seem innocent enough, and her complex family, which isn't innocent at all.
It's a little hard to believe the Adrienne is as mature as she's described at merely four years old, but the timeline in Miramont's Ghost accelerates fairly quickly and before we know it she's five and a half, then seven, and then 16. Her visions mature as she ages, as does a reader's fear for her future as we follow her journey from precocious, innocent child to weary and guarded young woman.
Narrative switches between Adrienne and her Grandfather in the first portion of the book, but through the middle and end it is almost exclusively told from Adrienne's perspective. Her character is well-developed, and while her mother and Aunt seem a bit one-dimensional, there is no shortage of family drama or tension.
I don't want to give away too much but I will say that there is no happiness in any ending of Miramont's Ghost. Not one person ends up in a good place - and a large part of this is historical fact, which is just sad.
Don't read this is you're looking for something light or feel-good. Miramont's Ghost will linger in a sad, ghostly sort of way.
I read reviews that said Miramont's Ghost was similar to Rebecca, that it was haunting and dark. Those reviews were true.
This story opens with the youth and optimism of a young, four year old Adrienne who lives in the beautiful French countryside and is spoiled by her Grandfather. We're quickly exposed to Adrienne's 'visions,' which seem innocent enough, and her complex family, which isn't innocent at all.
It's a little hard to believe the Adrienne is as mature as she's described at merely four years old, but the timeline in Miramont's Ghost accelerates fairly quickly and before we know it she's five and a half, then seven, and then 16. Her visions mature as she ages, as does a reader's fear for her future as we follow her journey from precocious, innocent child to weary and guarded young woman.
Narrative switches between Adrienne and her Grandfather in the first portion of the book, but through the middle and end it is almost exclusively told from Adrienne's perspective. Her character is well-developed, and while her mother and Aunt seem a bit one-dimensional, there is no shortage of family drama or tension.
I don't want to give away too much but I will say that there is no happiness in any ending of Miramont's Ghost. Not one person ends up in a good place - and a large part of this is historical fact, which is just sad.
Don't read this is you're looking for something light or feel-good. Miramont's Ghost will linger in a sad, ghostly sort of way.
October 13, 2015
I got this book for free from Kindle First, a program which I think is going the way of the Dodo, at least for me. It seems that they're all indy (read: Amazon published, but just not through KDP) and self-published (KDP) books. And free is great, but these books just don't do it for me. Out of the 8 that I've downloaded, this is only the second I've actually gotten around to reading, and I haven't enjoyed either one of them.
This book just drags. It's full of lame, boring, cardboard characters who are maddeningly frustrating in their inaction in every way possible. Let's see, your grand-daughter has visions and tends to blurt them out at inopportune times? Just like her grandmother? Well, do not talk to her and explain that the stories she sees should only be told to certain people, because if you do that, you have no book. Instead, make sure that she keeps doing it, so that she can alienate everyone she knows, and so people will call her a witch and insane and nobody will want to be around her.
Or what about this... your daughter all but tells the world that your husband is living with another family, and that's why he doesn't want you to join him in Paris? Why not get knocked up a couple more times. Because everyone knows that if you can just give him a SON, then he'll stay. The Keep-Him baby only works if it's a boy, in late 19th century logic. Wait, what's that? His other wife already has a boy? Oooooh, conundrum for him! I wonder what he'll do? My guess is fucking nothing because you don't seem to give a shit that he's living a whole other life, and you just keeeeeeeep staying. Why should he change anything at all? But hey, that's only a side story, so it probably has no bearing at all on the main storyline, except to make the woman waspish and annoying to the person she feels is responsible for her misery (her daughter, aka the unwitting messenger) rather than the actual asshole she married.
The ONLY character who actually DOES something is a control-freak bitch of a woman that I couldn't stand reading about. She's a caricature of every bossy, controlling, nasty woman that's ever existed, and a hypocrite to boot.
Considering the fact that nothing at all has happened in 28% of this book, except for nasty people being nasty and a little girl being clairvoyant, I just don't care to continue. It's taken me 3 days to get this far, and I still have 72% to go. No thanks. Life is too short for boring books.
This book just drags. It's full of lame, boring, cardboard characters who are maddeningly frustrating in their inaction in every way possible. Let's see, your grand-daughter has visions and tends to blurt them out at inopportune times? Just like her grandmother? Well, do not talk to her and explain that the stories she sees should only be told to certain people, because if you do that, you have no book. Instead, make sure that she keeps doing it, so that she can alienate everyone she knows, and so people will call her a witch and insane and nobody will want to be around her.
Or what about this... your daughter all but tells the world that your husband is living with another family, and that's why he doesn't want you to join him in Paris? Why not get knocked up a couple more times. Because everyone knows that if you can just give him a SON, then he'll stay. The Keep-Him baby only works if it's a boy, in late 19th century logic. Wait, what's that? His other wife already has a boy? Oooooh, conundrum for him! I wonder what he'll do? My guess is fucking nothing because you don't seem to give a shit that he's living a whole other life, and you just keeeeeeeep staying. Why should he change anything at all? But hey, that's only a side story, so it probably has no bearing at all on the main storyline, except to make the woman waspish and annoying to the person she feels is responsible for her misery (her daughter, aka the unwitting messenger) rather than the actual asshole she married.
The ONLY character who actually DOES something is a control-freak bitch of a woman that I couldn't stand reading about. She's a caricature of every bossy, controlling, nasty woman that's ever existed, and a hypocrite to boot.
Considering the fact that nothing at all has happened in 28% of this book, except for nasty people being nasty and a little girl being clairvoyant, I just don't care to continue. It's taken me 3 days to get this far, and I still have 72% to go. No thanks. Life is too short for boring books.
March 27, 2021
Miramont Castle in Manitou Springs, Colorado is open for tours. It has long been rumored to be inhabited by a ghost. In fact, during its restoration, the preservation consultant mentioned this in his final report. Author Elizabeth Hall extensively researched the history of Miramont Castle and the Catholic priest who lived there. This novel is based on that research.
I could not put this book down - it is riveting! However, it is not for the faint of heart. There are some disturbing parts….. It is a story of clairvoyance, deceit, treachery, and very dark family secrets.
Ms. Hall skillfully and slowly builds the story as each chapter gets darker and more menacing until the final shocking conclusion.
Note: The afterword of this book is especially interesting
I could not put this book down - it is riveting! However, it is not for the faint of heart. There are some disturbing parts….. It is a story of clairvoyance, deceit, treachery, and very dark family secrets.
Ms. Hall skillfully and slowly builds the story as each chapter gets darker and more menacing until the final shocking conclusion.
Note: The afterword of this book is especially interesting
January 3, 2015
Started out well
This author has talent. Sadly by the middle of the book I had lost interest due to the unrelenting gloom. I had to skip to the end. I don't need a happy ending however I could figure out where this was going and could not deal with the pain of getting there. Again the writer has a great talent but could not hold me until the end.
This author has talent. Sadly by the middle of the book I had lost interest due to the unrelenting gloom. I had to skip to the end. I don't need a happy ending however I could figure out where this was going and could not deal with the pain of getting there. Again the writer has a great talent but could not hold me until the end.
January 12, 2015
You will never get the time back you spend reading this disaster of a book.
This book starts out as a quaint story about a likeable young girl's coming of age. After the death of the family's patriarch, however, the story completely derails. By the time I realized how awful this book was, it was too late and I was too invested to give up. I kept thinking there would be some miraculous plot twist to redeem the ridiculous story line. The miracle never came. Instead of substance, the author wove a series of over-the-top tragedies, creating a very superficial tale of drama and scandal. Please, please, do yourself a favor and don't pick this book up.
This book starts out as a quaint story about a likeable young girl's coming of age. After the death of the family's patriarch, however, the story completely derails. By the time I realized how awful this book was, it was too late and I was too invested to give up. I kept thinking there would be some miraculous plot twist to redeem the ridiculous story line. The miracle never came. Instead of substance, the author wove a series of over-the-top tragedies, creating a very superficial tale of drama and scandal. Please, please, do yourself a favor and don't pick this book up.
January 10, 2015
This review can also be read at Witch, Wine & Words
It took far more alcohol than I want to admit to get through that book.
The story had potential, true, but it had potential in the way that Jane Eyre had potential over 150 years ago - except Jane Eyre lived up to it's potential.
Miramont's Ghost, essentially, failed.
Let's start with the most glaring issue. Yeah, it may be a spoiler, but I'd rather "spoil" this than have some unsuspecting reader stumble upon this with no advance warning: the rape. By her cousin. After remembering some kind of pre-molestation behavior from when she was a child.
Fine, I get it. Something had to send her over the edge. Then again, the way she was going, realizing what was being done to her, maybe not. Maybe the rape was as completely, utterly pointless as it seemed. Not even a claim of being historically "accurate" would fly by me right now. The girl's life was completely and utterly dreary. We get it.
No, really, we do. Absolutely HORRIBLE.
There's absolutely nothing noteworthy about this book, aside from some glaringly inaccurate statements about things that make me really question how much the author cared about being "accurate" aside from the "history." Even in the end, all we're treated to is some ridiculously long and pointless diatribe about how she's trapped and the ones who perpetuated her misery are gone and escaped, and, wait, oh my god, a revelation! She can let go! She's free! She's no longer a ghost!
To Summarize
We reach the end, where we receive the aforementioned pointless diatribe to a ridiculously unsatisfying ending. In fact, the whole damn book was one of the least satisfying I'd ever read, and isn't worth the energy to say anything more about it.
It took far more alcohol than I want to admit to get through that book.
The story had potential, true, but it had potential in the way that Jane Eyre had potential over 150 years ago - except Jane Eyre lived up to it's potential.
Miramont's Ghost, essentially, failed.
Let's start with the most glaring issue. Yeah, it may be a spoiler, but I'd rather "spoil" this than have some unsuspecting reader stumble upon this with no advance warning: the rape. By her cousin. After remembering some kind of pre-molestation behavior from when she was a child.
Fine, I get it. Something had to send her over the edge. Then again, the way she was going, realizing what was being done to her, maybe not. Maybe the rape was as completely, utterly pointless as it seemed. Not even a claim of being historically "accurate" would fly by me right now. The girl's life was completely and utterly dreary. We get it.
No, really, we do. Absolutely HORRIBLE.
There's absolutely nothing noteworthy about this book, aside from some glaringly inaccurate statements about things that make me really question how much the author cared about being "accurate" aside from the "history." Even in the end, all we're treated to is some ridiculously long and pointless diatribe about how she's trapped and the ones who perpetuated her misery are gone and escaped, and, wait, oh my god, a revelation! She can let go! She's free! She's no longer a ghost!
To Summarize
We reach the end, where we receive the aforementioned pointless diatribe to a ridiculously unsatisfying ending. In fact, the whole damn book was one of the least satisfying I'd ever read, and isn't worth the energy to say anything more about it.
January 7, 2015
Giving up at 48%. Awful prose (just came across "the trees were thickening, like a woman in the early stages of pregnancy") flat characters and literally NOTHING has happened for the first half of the book. Kindle First you have let me down.
January 31, 2015
First of all, I appreciate that it's difficult to put your work out there for all to see only to have someone like me come along and tear into it but I'm afraid there is very little about this book I liked. In fact in the end I hated it.
I downloaded this as one of my Amazon preview choices for January. It was the comparison to Rebecca that drew me to it. Let me say, that comparison is ridiculous. If you love Rebecca do not read this book. You'll be disappointed.
It just felt like I was being taken through a narrative that wanted to heap more and more misery on an annoyingly passive protagonist. It actually started to feel spiteful. I love stories about morally grey or repulsive people usually but this was just cruel. There were only two characters I felt anything for other than rage and both of them left the main body of the story about half way through!
Finally I think this book has given me post-traumatic stress over the word "like" and similes in general. I am not against similes, they have their place but this author's repetitive insistence on describing something as "like the -" and "like a -" then adding something bizarre or redundant afterwards really started to grate. The worst one was something along the lines of the leaves "thickening like a woman in the early stages of pregnancy" Seriously? I remember being told at school that there was such a thing as being too descriptive. There was another instance of a character feeling comforted by the thought of another character "like a warm woolen shawl" Personally I would've put red pen through that. The "thought of him comforted her" is adequate enough in getting the point across. The author is by no means a terrible writer but I just can't stand the style of prose used in this book.
I downloaded this as one of my Amazon preview choices for January. It was the comparison to Rebecca that drew me to it. Let me say, that comparison is ridiculous. If you love Rebecca do not read this book. You'll be disappointed.
It just felt like I was being taken through a narrative that wanted to heap more and more misery on an annoyingly passive protagonist. It actually started to feel spiteful. I love stories about morally grey or repulsive people usually but this was just cruel. There were only two characters I felt anything for other than rage and both of them left the main body of the story about half way through!
Finally I think this book has given me post-traumatic stress over the word "like" and similes in general. I am not against similes, they have their place but this author's repetitive insistence on describing something as "like the -" and "like a -" then adding something bizarre or redundant afterwards really started to grate. The worst one was something along the lines of the leaves "thickening like a woman in the early stages of pregnancy" Seriously? I remember being told at school that there was such a thing as being too descriptive. There was another instance of a character feeling comforted by the thought of another character "like a warm woolen shawl" Personally I would've put red pen through that. The "thought of him comforted her" is adequate enough in getting the point across. The author is by no means a terrible writer but I just can't stand the style of prose used in this book.
February 2, 2015
I loved this book! It's one of those books that makes you stay up way past your bedtime, simply because you can't bear to put it down. Thoughts of the story creep into your day and you can't wait to get home and pick up your Kindle to find out what happens next.
At turns grim and beautiful, sorrowful and ecstatic, 'Miramont's Ghost' is a page turner that keeps the reader completely enthralled. The ending....WOW. I am seriously debating whether or not to read it all over again, just so I can experience everything now that all the pieces have fallen into place!
Recommend for readers 17+, as it deals with some sensitive issues.
At turns grim and beautiful, sorrowful and ecstatic, 'Miramont's Ghost' is a page turner that keeps the reader completely enthralled. The ending....WOW. I am seriously debating whether or not to read it all over again, just so I can experience everything now that all the pieces have fallen into place!
Recommend for readers 17+, as it deals with some sensitive issues.
January 22, 2015
I was attracted to this book because of its nineteenth-century setting--and because it allegedly is a ghost story. I stuck with the book, even though it got bogged down early on in repeated scenes of "tension," "coldness," and "steely-eyed" stares from the antagonist-aunt. When the protagonist was taken to America, I had hope that the plot would take some shape, and the mystery would deepen, leading to a thrilling denouement.I was sorely disappointed.
In Colorado, the story got even more ridiculous: the characters are living in a 13-room Victorian castle with no servants, except for an imprisoned aristocrat with a feather duster and nuns who deliver meals on wheels. Anyone who watches Masterpiece Theater knows that these Victorian barns are extremely labor-intensive to keep up, requiring a staff of a dozen or more workers. There were other absurdities. For example, the protagonist packs three dresses and all her undergarments into one valise--impossible with 1890's garments--unless the valise is the size of a trunk. And no outsiders seem to suspect anything out of the ordinary is going on inside the castle.
Also, a minor issue: the use of the word "snuck" by the narrator.
The one very believable part of the story is the pedophile priest. And also the Church's coverup of same, aided and abetted by the family doctor.
However, what spurred me to give this book only one star is the ending. I felt betrayed and let down when the story abruptly ended with the protagonist's suicide. The ghost story begins after the fiction, with a relating of contemporary people's paranormal experiences in the real Miramont Castle. Integrate the ghost story into the fiction, or forget about it. For my money, you should either write a novel or write up ghostlore as nonfiction, but don't tack one onto the other.
In Colorado, the story got even more ridiculous: the characters are living in a 13-room Victorian castle with no servants, except for an imprisoned aristocrat with a feather duster and nuns who deliver meals on wheels. Anyone who watches Masterpiece Theater knows that these Victorian barns are extremely labor-intensive to keep up, requiring a staff of a dozen or more workers. There were other absurdities. For example, the protagonist packs three dresses and all her undergarments into one valise--impossible with 1890's garments--unless the valise is the size of a trunk. And no outsiders seem to suspect anything out of the ordinary is going on inside the castle.
Also, a minor issue: the use of the word "snuck" by the narrator.
The one very believable part of the story is the pedophile priest. And also the Church's coverup of same, aided and abetted by the family doctor.
However, what spurred me to give this book only one star is the ending. I felt betrayed and let down when the story abruptly ended with the protagonist's suicide. The ghost story begins after the fiction, with a relating of contemporary people's paranormal experiences in the real Miramont Castle. Integrate the ghost story into the fiction, or forget about it. For my money, you should either write a novel or write up ghostlore as nonfiction, but don't tack one onto the other.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 4, 2015
I honestly don't know what to think.
Rating this was impossible. If I could give two separate ratings, boy would that be easier. First 3/4 of the story a definite five stars, the ending I'd give two. I'll try to explain. The writing is beautiful, very descriptive to the point of feeling whisked away to France in the late 1800's. But after a few chapters things slowly start to get depressing, and then more depressing, then to the point where you want to yell,"Come on! SOMETHING good has to happen!". But nope. Now, I am an avid reader of horror, mystery, apocalyptic, fantasy, etc, so sad endings are actually the norm for me. Quite used to them. But the V.C. Andrews-esque turn at the end of Miramont's Ghost was kinda what was unexpected, or maybe I should say, unwanted. I know a lot of the premise was taken from factual history, it's the fictional parts that could have been given a better spin. I was left feeling empty, and completely without closure for what was otherwise an amazing tale. Now instead of being able to contentedly and satisfyingly fall asleep after a good read, I'll be awake for hours stewing over how almost cheated I feel for staying up WAY past my bedtime for an extremely disappointing ending.
Rating this was impossible. If I could give two separate ratings, boy would that be easier. First 3/4 of the story a definite five stars, the ending I'd give two. I'll try to explain. The writing is beautiful, very descriptive to the point of feeling whisked away to France in the late 1800's. But after a few chapters things slowly start to get depressing, and then more depressing, then to the point where you want to yell,"Come on! SOMETHING good has to happen!". But nope. Now, I am an avid reader of horror, mystery, apocalyptic, fantasy, etc, so sad endings are actually the norm for me. Quite used to them. But the V.C. Andrews-esque turn at the end of Miramont's Ghost was kinda what was unexpected, or maybe I should say, unwanted. I know a lot of the premise was taken from factual history, it's the fictional parts that could have been given a better spin. I was left feeling empty, and completely without closure for what was otherwise an amazing tale. Now instead of being able to contentedly and satisfyingly fall asleep after a good read, I'll be awake for hours stewing over how almost cheated I feel for staying up WAY past my bedtime for an extremely disappointing ending.
January 17, 2015
I originally rated this book 2 stars but after having a nightmare about it last night, I downgraded it to 1 star.
Granted, this was my fault. I should have stopped reading a couple chapters in when the book started hitting a bunch of my triggers. I usually just quit. But, the info blurb made it sound interesting, so I thought it would get better and somehow have a kind of hopeful, if not happy, ending.
Spoiler: it didn't. It only got worse, much worse.
The author isn't a bad writer. I particularly liked the vivid way she described Adrienne's visions, and she certainly made memorable characters. Her lengthy, sometime flowery prose with little action made it easy to skim large chunks waiting for something to happen. Something positive, because surely an author couldn't create characters and then make horrible, awful things happen to each and every one of them, right?
I was so wrong. This story isn't just a tragedy; it was psychologically draining and terrible. There weren't any light or funny moments, although a few brighter spots appeared only to be horribly torn apart. It was just unrelenting and awful to all the characters and everyone around them. It was hopeless beyond belief and grueling to get through.
If I wanted to read something so thoroughly depressing and disheartening with unlikable characters, I would go back to writing my autobiography.
So, if you're feeling too cheerful, happy and good about life, and you want to read something that will bring you back down, make you rage, and give you a lingering feeling of unease and dread, then this is the book for you.
Granted, this was my fault. I should have stopped reading a couple chapters in when the book started hitting a bunch of my triggers. I usually just quit. But, the info blurb made it sound interesting, so I thought it would get better and somehow have a kind of hopeful, if not happy, ending.
Spoiler: it didn't. It only got worse, much worse.
The author isn't a bad writer. I particularly liked the vivid way she described Adrienne's visions, and she certainly made memorable characters. Her lengthy, sometime flowery prose with little action made it easy to skim large chunks waiting for something to happen. Something positive, because surely an author couldn't create characters and then make horrible, awful things happen to each and every one of them, right?
I was so wrong. This story isn't just a tragedy; it was psychologically draining and terrible. There weren't any light or funny moments, although a few brighter spots appeared only to be horribly torn apart. It was just unrelenting and awful to all the characters and everyone around them. It was hopeless beyond belief and grueling to get through.
If I wanted to read something so thoroughly depressing and disheartening with unlikable characters, I would go back to writing my autobiography.
So, if you're feeling too cheerful, happy and good about life, and you want to read something that will bring you back down, make you rage, and give you a lingering feeling of unease and dread, then this is the book for you.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 19, 2015
If you like your ghost stories extremely dark and gloomy, this one is for you.Set first in France circa 1884. A precocious young girl, Adrienne has visions. At the tender age of 5,she gets excited about these stories and shares them,making her an object of curiosity to some and fear to others.
Adrienne obviously does not live in a vacuum. She is a member of a noble family with dark history. Her grandmother died under mysterious circumstances, her Aunt Marie is a recurring terrifying subject in Adrienne's visions.As the child grows, the darkness surrounding her slowly amplifies with only occasional rays of light.
Her exceedingly sad life descends into madness when she is shipped off to America to live with her hated Aunt Marie and her priest son.The beautiful Miramont Castle in Manitou Springs Colorado is the setting for the beginning of Adrienne's timeless ghostly existence.The reader is privy to her being a ghost at the beginning of the story, so this is not a spoiler.
The fictional work is based in truth. Miramont Castle exists and there is a ghost given the name Henrietta who is said to still reside there. The story of course is fiction, but I applaud the interweaving of fiction and truth.The atmosphere is oppressive as a good ghost story should be.
I really liked this book. The reviews have been mixed but I give this one a ghostly thumbs up.
Adrienne obviously does not live in a vacuum. She is a member of a noble family with dark history. Her grandmother died under mysterious circumstances, her Aunt Marie is a recurring terrifying subject in Adrienne's visions.As the child grows, the darkness surrounding her slowly amplifies with only occasional rays of light.
Her exceedingly sad life descends into madness when she is shipped off to America to live with her hated Aunt Marie and her priest son.The beautiful Miramont Castle in Manitou Springs Colorado is the setting for the beginning of Adrienne's timeless ghostly existence.The reader is privy to her being a ghost at the beginning of the story, so this is not a spoiler.
The fictional work is based in truth. Miramont Castle exists and there is a ghost given the name Henrietta who is said to still reside there. The story of course is fiction, but I applaud the interweaving of fiction and truth.The atmosphere is oppressive as a good ghost story should be.
I really liked this book. The reviews have been mixed but I give this one a ghostly thumbs up.
February 1, 2015
Such an interesting premise, ruined by plot holes and awkward plot "twists."
Spoilers ahead....
Can someone please explain to me how dad had another family in Paris, yet was able to take his country family out to the opera in Paris and introduce his wife and children?
Mom predicts her death and it turns out to be a suicide? How about asking for help?
Main character knows aunt has it out for her and is capable of murder, yet goes halfway across the world with her?
How did the main character mail a letter with no postage and no money for postage?
Main character is perfectly cool hanging with molester cousin? I understand that memories can be repressed, but with her 6th sense she never had a bad vibe from him?
One instance of early ejaculation turns someone into a molester? Other reviews of this book said the prostitute "humiliated" him, but I thought she was pretty kind...
As other reviews stated, no one ever found the main character's body? With all the descriptive and flowery language, you couldn't have addressed that? And wouldn't that have been a better reason to end the haunting, rather than she just realized she could "be free?" Seriously?
Overall just not a good book...
Spoilers ahead....
Can someone please explain to me how dad had another family in Paris, yet was able to take his country family out to the opera in Paris and introduce his wife and children?
Mom predicts her death and it turns out to be a suicide? How about asking for help?
Main character knows aunt has it out for her and is capable of murder, yet goes halfway across the world with her?
How did the main character mail a letter with no postage and no money for postage?
Main character is perfectly cool hanging with molester cousin? I understand that memories can be repressed, but with her 6th sense she never had a bad vibe from him?
One instance of early ejaculation turns someone into a molester? Other reviews of this book said the prostitute "humiliated" him, but I thought she was pretty kind...
As other reviews stated, no one ever found the main character's body? With all the descriptive and flowery language, you couldn't have addressed that? And wouldn't that have been a better reason to end the haunting, rather than she just realized she could "be free?" Seriously?
Overall just not a good book...
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 5, 2015
I usually enjoy historical fiction a lot and this book starts off very well. As the book progresses, it slows to a crawl and the plot line is obvious before it should be. The ending is especially disappointing - it changes from historical fiction to total fiction.
April 22, 2015
I received an e-book copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I went into this book blind. I read what it was about, I knew it sounded good, and I was excited to read it. I didn't read any of the reviews, and by the time I picked this up to read it, I had completely forgotten what the book was supposed to be about. I figured, in all honesty, it was going to be about a haunted castle or something, and I was pretty excited.
Well, that isn't what it is about at all. At least not in the beginning.
The story tells about a young girl, Adrienne, who has a very special gift. She can see visions of things that are happening or are going to happen. Since she doesn't understand this ability when she is a little girl, she tends to blurt out everything she sees, much to the dismay of her family and the people who live in the village. The little girl's grandfather explains that she needs to keep these visions to herself, and be careful who she tells, because not everyone is as understanding.
The rest of the book (I hate to give away spoilers, so I'm being careful to explain as well as I can without actually giving things away) tells about Adrienne's life with her family, her Aunt Marie, her potential husband, and her journey to America (did I mention how her family doesn't much care for her visions? Especially her Aunt Marie, who pretty much does some horrible things to Adrienne throughout the whole book, all while trying to protect her family secrets).
The setting in this book is wonderful. the characters practically jump right off the page, and there isn't a dull moment in this book. I truly wondered whether or not this book was going to appeal to me, but it lured me in from the very first page, and I didn't want the book to end. I cried, I laughed, and I felt Adrienne's pain (Elizabeth Hall is such an amazing author; her character development and storytelling is fantastic). As soon as I finished this amazing story, I instantly wanted to start reading it again. This really is one of the best books I have read in a very long time.
I went into this book blind. I read what it was about, I knew it sounded good, and I was excited to read it. I didn't read any of the reviews, and by the time I picked this up to read it, I had completely forgotten what the book was supposed to be about. I figured, in all honesty, it was going to be about a haunted castle or something, and I was pretty excited.
Well, that isn't what it is about at all. At least not in the beginning.
The story tells about a young girl, Adrienne, who has a very special gift. She can see visions of things that are happening or are going to happen. Since she doesn't understand this ability when she is a little girl, she tends to blurt out everything she sees, much to the dismay of her family and the people who live in the village. The little girl's grandfather explains that she needs to keep these visions to herself, and be careful who she tells, because not everyone is as understanding.
The rest of the book (I hate to give away spoilers, so I'm being careful to explain as well as I can without actually giving things away) tells about Adrienne's life with her family, her Aunt Marie, her potential husband, and her journey to America (did I mention how her family doesn't much care for her visions? Especially her Aunt Marie, who pretty much does some horrible things to Adrienne throughout the whole book, all while trying to protect her family secrets).
The setting in this book is wonderful. the characters practically jump right off the page, and there isn't a dull moment in this book. I truly wondered whether or not this book was going to appeal to me, but it lured me in from the very first page, and I didn't want the book to end. I cried, I laughed, and I felt Adrienne's pain (Elizabeth Hall is such an amazing author; her character development and storytelling is fantastic). As soon as I finished this amazing story, I instantly wanted to start reading it again. This really is one of the best books I have read in a very long time.
January 27, 2015
This review contains "SPOILERS" but read it anyway and save yourself some time.
This was a whole lot of nothing much, supposedly based on historical fact. The main character, Adrienne, is clearly a dimwit, as she allows herself to be essentially kidnaped by her evil aunt Marie and carried off to America where she at first is forced to work as a servant and then is apparently left to her own devices until she kills herself. Having grown up knowing that Marie is not a nice person, it is surprising that Adrienne trusts her to take care of her in America. Marie's motives are vague and just stupid; she suspects her son is a pedophile and may have messed Adrienne about many years before, something which Adrienne herself does not even remember until the last third or so of the book! Really?! And yet the alleged pedophile Julien, who only turned to young girls because he was once humiliated by a prostitute (oh please), has no problem raping poor idiotic Adrienne when she must have been at least 18--not exactly a child. I don't understand why Marie viewed Adrienne as such a threat to her son that she had to go to extreme measures to keep her quiet. Sure, Adrienne had "visions" as a child, but no one ever believed her. They all thought she was crazy, so why would anyone credit any accusations she suddenly launched at her cousin? The whole book just didn't make sense to me. I mean, I "got" it, but what was there to "get"? Adrienne was a gutless moron who made no attempt to save herself, just spent a lot of time listlessly staring out of windows and continuing to drink the laudanum-laced tea and wine her aunt gave her even though she knew her aunt was attempting to poison her--with a tablespoon of laudanum a day. Yeah, that'll work. I got this as a Kindle freebie yet I'd still like my money back. The bottle of wine I was forced to consume over the 2 days to took me to slog through this garbage cost about $20. Just sayin'.
January 7, 2015
highly recommended
It's tragic and fascinating. I want to visit the castle in Colorado! I'm sure it's as beautiful as the book describes
It's tragic and fascinating. I want to visit the castle in Colorado! I'm sure it's as beautiful as the book describes
January 8, 2015
UGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
June 19, 2015
2.5 stars...
I really hate giving out 2 stars to books, but sometimes it is, unfortunately, necessary. This book was not what I had hoped it would be. To start off, it's not a really a ghost story. So, if you are looking for that look somewhere else. As far as the main storyline, I think I could've stomached the book and even given it a 3 or 3.5 if not for the unrelenting gloom. Literally, there is nothing but sadness and darkness here. If you like that in a book, then you might really enjoy this one. I do not enjoy books like that unless at some point of it there is a bright spot or it ends on a joyful note. This really had neither. The book isn't all bad though. There were parts that I liked, especially the descriptions of France and America at that time. The characters are pretty one dimensional; all good or all bad. Some of the metaphors were a bit of stretch, too. I just got so depressed while listening to this! Poor, Poor Adrienne. I do understand that you can't rewrite history, but this was a work of fiction so there could've been more happiness here to uplift the tone of the book.
I also feel like with the title, the "ghost" part should've taken more than a page or two. I love ghost stories and had hoped there would be a something really cool here that would make me so excited to go see the real Miramont Castle. Anyway, read with care. It may not be what you think it is.
(on another note, the reader of this book was excellent. She did great accents and voices)
I really hate giving out 2 stars to books, but sometimes it is, unfortunately, necessary. This book was not what I had hoped it would be. To start off, it's not a really a ghost story. So, if you are looking for that look somewhere else. As far as the main storyline, I think I could've stomached the book and even given it a 3 or 3.5 if not for the unrelenting gloom. Literally, there is nothing but sadness and darkness here. If you like that in a book, then you might really enjoy this one. I do not enjoy books like that unless at some point of it there is a bright spot or it ends on a joyful note. This really had neither. The book isn't all bad though. There were parts that I liked, especially the descriptions of France and America at that time. The characters are pretty one dimensional; all good or all bad. Some of the metaphors were a bit of stretch, too. I just got so depressed while listening to this! Poor, Poor Adrienne. I do understand that you can't rewrite history, but this was a work of fiction so there could've been more happiness here to uplift the tone of the book.
I also feel like with the title, the "ghost" part should've taken more than a page or two. I love ghost stories and had hoped there would be a something really cool here that would make me so excited to go see the real Miramont Castle. Anyway, read with care. It may not be what you think it is.
(on another note, the reader of this book was excellent. She did great accents and voices)
April 7, 2017
Mercifully, I chose Miramont's Ghost as one of my "Kindle First" selections, and it was thus free of charge, because this was absolute drivel, and if anything, is a testament to why there is still a need for established publishers to weed out the trash from novels that might ostensibly be good. Granted, there are exceptions (Hugh Howey comes to mind), but Elizabeth Hall is CERTAINLY no Hugh Howey. The characters are utterly bland, one-dimensional, and wholly unlikable, even the protagonist. This hardly qualifies as a "ghost story," as the ghost only makes an ephemeral appearance at the extreme end of the book. The 'clairvoyant' main character's ability isn't worth a damn, and doesn't endear her to the reader at all. There was absolutely nothing redeeming about this book. I can only imagine that the dearth of positive reviews are people shilling for the book. Do yourself a favor and avoid this one like the plague.
January 24, 2015
I really enjoy a dark and gloomy book on occasion.
April 9, 2016
MIRAMONT’S GHOST was creepy! It has all the elements typical of a gothic novel: big house/mansion, isolated heroine who doesn’t “belong” to the house (e.g. servant, governess, etc.), weather used to convey tone, elements of the supernatural, etc. The protagonist, Adrienne, has been clairvoyant since she was born. As she gets older, she becomes more and more isolated as she tries to hide her clairvoyance from everyone to avoid scandal and gossip. She ends up going to America with her Aunt Marie to visit her cousin Julien, a Catholic priest, in Colorado. Sinister things begin to happen and Adrienne finds herself fighting for her life.
The first 50% to 60% of MIRAMONT’S GHOST read just like a Victorian gothic novel. Then there was a change in setting (another big mansion, in Colorado this time instead of France) and all of a sudden the themes got a lot more explicit and disturbing! From that point on, there was no Victorian-style dancing around uncomfortable truths. I found that both surprising and refreshing.
Despite its fantastic creepiness, it was a struggle to finish MIRAMONT’S GHOST. I’m not a fan of gothic novels in general and I was expecting something a bit different after reading the blurb. The pace was exceptionally slow. The events discussed in the blurb don’t occur until at least halfway through the book. There were also a few sub-plots and secondary characters that I wish hadn’t been dropped completely when the setting changed. One such secondary character and sub-plot was Adrienne’s governess, Lucy. There was a huge plot twist involving Lucy and then, BAM: she was gone, hardly even mentioned again. I was really disappointed by that because I think MIRAMONT’S GHOST would have been much better if that had been more fleshed-out.
Overall, I would recommend MIRAMONT’S GHOST to people who read and loved Jane Eyre and/or The Turn of the Screw. Or to people who really love gothic novels. Otherwise, skip it.
The first 50% to 60% of MIRAMONT’S GHOST read just like a Victorian gothic novel. Then there was a change in setting (another big mansion, in Colorado this time instead of France) and all of a sudden the themes got a lot more explicit and disturbing! From that point on, there was no Victorian-style dancing around uncomfortable truths. I found that both surprising and refreshing.
Despite its fantastic creepiness, it was a struggle to finish MIRAMONT’S GHOST. I’m not a fan of gothic novels in general and I was expecting something a bit different after reading the blurb. The pace was exceptionally slow. The events discussed in the blurb don’t occur until at least halfway through the book. There were also a few sub-plots and secondary characters that I wish hadn’t been dropped completely when the setting changed. One such secondary character and sub-plot was Adrienne’s governess, Lucy. There was a huge plot twist involving Lucy and then, BAM: she was gone, hardly even mentioned again. I was really disappointed by that because I think MIRAMONT’S GHOST would have been much better if that had been more fleshed-out.
Overall, I would recommend MIRAMONT’S GHOST to people who read and loved Jane Eyre and/or The Turn of the Screw. Or to people who really love gothic novels. Otherwise, skip it.
March 8, 2015
Very depressing
While I must admit that the author did fine job with the writing craft, I can't give this more than one star. I sat down to read what I thought would be an interesting ghost story, it pained me to read something that recounted one sad incident after another. I liked the main character and so I felt her pain, especially once I realized that nothing was going to get better for her. But I also felt pain for the author when I read the Afterward. I was shocked to learn that part of the story is based on a real place and some historically based truths. It is obvious that the author was meticulous with her research. But I found the historically accurate truths to be even more depressing than the fictional account. It is depressing that she put so much time and effort into something so sad. I have read some true crime thrillers and not been nearly as depressed. I wish I could "unread" this book.
While I must admit that the author did fine job with the writing craft, I can't give this more than one star. I sat down to read what I thought would be an interesting ghost story, it pained me to read something that recounted one sad incident after another. I liked the main character and so I felt her pain, especially once I realized that nothing was going to get better for her. But I also felt pain for the author when I read the Afterward. I was shocked to learn that part of the story is based on a real place and some historically based truths. It is obvious that the author was meticulous with her research. But I found the historically accurate truths to be even more depressing than the fictional account. It is depressing that she put so much time and effort into something so sad. I have read some true crime thrillers and not been nearly as depressed. I wish I could "unread" this book.
January 3, 2015
The premise for this story intrigued me, but it just didn't seem to go anywhere. The pace is slow, painfully so at times. The plot, like the characters, has a tendency to wallow in its own tormented weight.
The characters are all drowning in misery. No one is happy, everyone has major secrets, and they all behave as if their situation is an unalterable life sentence. If you're looking for even the slightest bit of respite from unhappiness, you will not find it within these pages.
The writing itself is fine. Elizabeth Hall is able to pull us into her story and show us her characters' world. I just wish Adrienne had given me a spark of something worth clinging to.
The characters are all drowning in misery. No one is happy, everyone has major secrets, and they all behave as if their situation is an unalterable life sentence. If you're looking for even the slightest bit of respite from unhappiness, you will not find it within these pages.
The writing itself is fine. Elizabeth Hall is able to pull us into her story and show us her characters' world. I just wish Adrienne had given me a spark of something worth clinging to.
March 17, 2018
This was a mixed bag for me. I thought the writing was quite good and the author did a great job of describing late 19th century France. But the story didn't quite work for me and the characters were not fleshed out enough in my opinion. This was one of those books that didn't fully engage me but it wasn't bad enough to put it down. The ending was very unsatisfying for me and if I'd known that's where it was going I probably wouldn't have read it. (Hindsight is 20/20, right?)
January 6, 2015
Never quite got there
Had high hopes and an interesting set up but it fell flat in the middle and end. I was left disappointed.
Had high hopes and an interesting set up but it fell flat in the middle and end. I was left disappointed.
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