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The Unusual Possession of Alastair Stubb
The turn of the last century and Theodore Stubb's manor house resides in the quirky village of Muchmarsh. A renowned entomologist, he is often within the attic adding another exotic specimen to his extensive collection of insects. But Theodore is also a master hypnotist, holding the household in thrall to his every whim. Theodore's daughter-in-law Eleanor - returned from the sanatorium two months before - is a haunted figure, believing that her stillborn child Alastair lives and hides in the shadows. Then she falls pregnant again, but this time by the hypnotic coercion and wicked ravishment of Theodore. A dreadful act begets terrible secrets, and thirteen years later the boy Alastair Stubb begins to lose his identity - it is not long before mystery, intrigue and murder follow gleefully in his wake. The Unusual Possession of Alastair Stubb is a gothic terror of the highest order, delivering a dream-like and hallucinatory reading experience that promises to reveal secrets both disturbing and astonishing. Do you dare meet the Stubbs?
- GenresHorrorSupernatural
320 pages, Paperback
First published September 21, 2015
7 people are currently reading
819 people want to read
About the author
David J Griffin
6 books74 followersDavid J. Griffin is a writer and graphic designer who lives with his wife Susan in Gravesend, Kent, UK.
His first novel, The Unusual Possession of Alastair Stubb (gothic/paranormal), was published in 2015 followed by the literary/psychological novel Infinite Rooms in 2016. His third book is a magical realism/paranormal novella with short stories called Two Dogs At The One Dog Inn And Other Stories (2017).
A science fiction time travel adventure called Abbie and the Portal was published in 2018, followed by Turquoise Traveller, a strange urban fantasy involving dreams in reality.
David's latest novel, When The Lover Lies (a psychological mystery), is currently represented by Exprimez Literary Agency. He is busy writing his seventh book, a psychological thriller.
David has stories published in at least eight anthologies/magazines, including The HG Wells Short Story competition 2012 anthology, Born of the Island and Other Stories anthology, Beyond Words magazine, Secret Attic anthology, The Reach magazine, and Stories for Homes book 2, amongst others.
His first novel, The Unusual Possession of Alastair Stubb (gothic/paranormal), was published in 2015 followed by the literary/psychological novel Infinite Rooms in 2016. His third book is a magical realism/paranormal novella with short stories called Two Dogs At The One Dog Inn And Other Stories (2017).
A science fiction time travel adventure called Abbie and the Portal was published in 2018, followed by Turquoise Traveller, a strange urban fantasy involving dreams in reality.
David's latest novel, When The Lover Lies (a psychological mystery), is currently represented by Exprimez Literary Agency. He is busy writing his seventh book, a psychological thriller.
David has stories published in at least eight anthologies/magazines, including The HG Wells Short Story competition 2012 anthology, Born of the Island and Other Stories anthology, Beyond Words magazine, Secret Attic anthology, The Reach magazine, and Stories for Homes book 2, amongst others.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews
July 23, 2017
"The Unusual Possession of Alastair Stubb" written by the author of "Two Dogs at the One Dog Inn" is a very unusual read indeed, quirky, bizarre but also intriguing, entertaining and quite addictive!
This gothic tale set in the fictional village of Muchmarsh is so descriptively told, with some wonderfully unique characters all with such imaginative names e.g. Dr Snippet, Mr Nuckle, Colonel Midwitty, Mrs Musty and so on. This intriguing story is quite reminiscent of the works of Charles Dickens and could easily be compared with the classics of that time. I love this time period and feel very comfortable reading books set in this era. I believe the author has done a great job in creating the right atmosphere and authentic dialogue befitting the time.
Admittedly this book may not be to everyone's taste but if you enjoy quirky tales of secrets, murder, mystery and intrigue set in a gothic time period then it's definitely a one for you. Such a refreshing change to the many run of the mill mystery books.
I personally preferred the first half of the book but the second half set thirteen years later focuses on the 'possession' of Alastair and it's here that this rich story fully comes together.
All in all it's a fun read, at times creepy and surreal but highly enjoyable and I would happily recommend this book and the author David John Griffin.
On an extra note the book also has a fabulous design, I spent a long time studying the interesting gloss printed insects on the front cover - it really created the perfect ambience for the story.
An excellent 4 stars!
This gothic tale set in the fictional village of Muchmarsh is so descriptively told, with some wonderfully unique characters all with such imaginative names e.g. Dr Snippet, Mr Nuckle, Colonel Midwitty, Mrs Musty and so on. This intriguing story is quite reminiscent of the works of Charles Dickens and could easily be compared with the classics of that time. I love this time period and feel very comfortable reading books set in this era. I believe the author has done a great job in creating the right atmosphere and authentic dialogue befitting the time.
Admittedly this book may not be to everyone's taste but if you enjoy quirky tales of secrets, murder, mystery and intrigue set in a gothic time period then it's definitely a one for you. Such a refreshing change to the many run of the mill mystery books.
I personally preferred the first half of the book but the second half set thirteen years later focuses on the 'possession' of Alastair and it's here that this rich story fully comes together.
All in all it's a fun read, at times creepy and surreal but highly enjoyable and I would happily recommend this book and the author David John Griffin.
On an extra note the book also has a fabulous design, I spent a long time studying the interesting gloss printed insects on the front cover - it really created the perfect ambience for the story.
An excellent 4 stars!
January 10, 2018
This is one weird book!
My thoughts are all scrambled, so I'll try and go slowly.
The book centers the Stubb family with its' many dark secrets. Throughout the book we meet Theodore, William (his son), Eleanor (William's wife) and Alastair (Eleanor's son). The book consists of two time frames, the second half taking place after thirteen years after the first one.
In the first half of the book we are introduced to Eleanor, as she is about to leave The Grinding Sanatorium for the Delusional. She had been institutionalized after the loss of her child, Alastair, as she kept believing him to be alive and demanding for him. At some point, in her madness, Eleanor understands that if she want's to be set free, she has to feign saneness.
'I admit, no longer will I be known as The Queen nor talk with insects. The magnificent castle has vanished, along with my numerous servants,' Eleanor had said. This has been a turning point, a change in her fortunes. By simply telling untruths, as she considered them to be, their interrogations lessened.
Eleanor was excited at the prospect of going home with her husband William; convinced she would find, at last, her dear son Alastair.
Finally at home, Theodore (a renowned entomologist and a master hypnotist) set his attention, studying her form as intently as if she were one of his insects - his dark eyes made darker as his pupils dilated. So, this horrible, horrible man hypnotized and took advantage of his daughter-in-law. And his reaction to his son's reprimands was merely: 'You take life too seriously'. William also blamed his wife for what had happened (it's always the victim's fault, right? >.<).
Eleanor gets pregnant (of course!). So she and William decide that the best course of action would be to kill Theodore. If Stubb was honest with himself, he knew his own disturbed mind needed purging, Eleanor had to be avenged, and told the answer to their problems - his father must die.
As such, on one faithful night, after a grandiose party, Theodore , Eleanor gives birth to a boy, and then disappears.
And this is halfway through the book. We move thirteen years later and get acquainted to Alastair, Eleanor and Theodore's son, raised by an alcoholic William. He is a troubled young man, friendless and desperate to know about his mother.
I will let you discover the second half of the book as I want to avoid spoilers.
What I will say is that Alastair's possession is gradual and remarkably described. The action builds up slowly and steadily, culminating in a mixture of darkness, horror and weirdness.
I find it difficult to rate The Unusual Possession of Alastair Stubb. The prose is beautiful. The descriptions of the village of Muchmarsh are evocative and atmospheric. What unsettles me is the creepiness and the malevolence of pretty much every character in the book.
All in all, I wanted a dark horror story with mental cases and that is precisely what I've got. Do I recommend this book? Definitely. It's something that stands out in its' genre.
*I thank David John Griffin, Urbane Publications, and Netgalley for this copy in exchange for an honest review.
My thoughts are all scrambled, so I'll try and go slowly.
The book centers the Stubb family with its' many dark secrets. Throughout the book we meet Theodore, William (his son), Eleanor (William's wife) and Alastair (Eleanor's son). The book consists of two time frames, the second half taking place after thirteen years after the first one.
In the first half of the book we are introduced to Eleanor, as she is about to leave The Grinding Sanatorium for the Delusional. She had been institutionalized after the loss of her child, Alastair, as she kept believing him to be alive and demanding for him. At some point, in her madness, Eleanor understands that if she want's to be set free, she has to feign saneness.
'I admit, no longer will I be known as The Queen nor talk with insects. The magnificent castle has vanished, along with my numerous servants,' Eleanor had said. This has been a turning point, a change in her fortunes. By simply telling untruths, as she considered them to be, their interrogations lessened.
Eleanor was excited at the prospect of going home with her husband William; convinced she would find, at last, her dear son Alastair.
Finally at home, Theodore (a renowned entomologist and a master hypnotist) set his attention, studying her form as intently as if she were one of his insects - his dark eyes made darker as his pupils dilated. So, this horrible, horrible man hypnotized and took advantage of his daughter-in-law. And his reaction to his son's reprimands was merely: 'You take life too seriously'. William also blamed his wife for what had happened (it's always the victim's fault, right? >.<).
Eleanor gets pregnant (of course!). So she and William decide that the best course of action would be to kill Theodore. If Stubb was honest with himself, he knew his own disturbed mind needed purging, Eleanor had to be avenged, and told the answer to their problems - his father must die.
As such, on one faithful night, after a grandiose party, Theodore , Eleanor gives birth to a boy, and then disappears.
And this is halfway through the book. We move thirteen years later and get acquainted to Alastair, Eleanor and Theodore's son, raised by an alcoholic William. He is a troubled young man, friendless and desperate to know about his mother.
I will let you discover the second half of the book as I want to avoid spoilers.
What I will say is that Alastair's possession is gradual and remarkably described. The action builds up slowly and steadily, culminating in a mixture of darkness, horror and weirdness.
I find it difficult to rate The Unusual Possession of Alastair Stubb. The prose is beautiful. The descriptions of the village of Muchmarsh are evocative and atmospheric. What unsettles me is the creepiness and the malevolence of pretty much every character in the book.
All in all, I wanted a dark horror story with mental cases and that is precisely what I've got. Do I recommend this book? Definitely. It's something that stands out in its' genre.
*I thank David John Griffin, Urbane Publications, and Netgalley for this copy in exchange for an honest review.
July 24, 2017
The premise of this book sounded so promising: Theodore Stubbs, an entomologist who is also a master hypnotist who is lusting after his daughter-in-law who has just returned from a sanatorium where she spends two months after losing her son.
I just couldn't get into the story. I found no flow in the writing and it was a constant struggle for me to focus on the story. The idea of the book was so interesting and I love the cover. But I just couldn't find myself enjoying the story. I spent most of the time reading fighting to stay focused on the story, but the dialog and the descriptions just didn't appeal to me. It got a little better when the story moved 13 years forward in time. But, I felt that towards the end the book slipped back to being uninteresting for me.
It was just not for me. Apparently, I'm part of the minority that just didn't like the book. But if you like a quirky story is this perhaps something for you. I probably just wasn't the right reader for this kind of book.
I want to thank the publisher for providing me with a free copy for an honest review.
I just couldn't get into the story. I found no flow in the writing and it was a constant struggle for me to focus on the story. The idea of the book was so interesting and I love the cover. But I just couldn't find myself enjoying the story. I spent most of the time reading fighting to stay focused on the story, but the dialog and the descriptions just didn't appeal to me. It got a little better when the story moved 13 years forward in time. But, I felt that towards the end the book slipped back to being uninteresting for me.
It was just not for me. Apparently, I'm part of the minority that just didn't like the book. But if you like a quirky story is this perhaps something for you. I probably just wasn't the right reader for this kind of book.
I want to thank the publisher for providing me with a free copy for an honest review.
January 12, 2016
The Unusual Possession Of Alastair Stubb is an enjoyable gothic horror centred around the slightly scary Stubb's family. The author creates a wonderfully dark haunting atmosphere for this book which stays throughout. The story is set at the turn of the last century and the writing, names and descriptions solidly place it there. There's plenty of weirdness about the book, so if you like something a little different then this could be a read for you.
The book is in two parts and in the first part we meet Eleanor being released from the The Grinding Sanatorium for the Delusional. She has been mentally unstable after the death of her stillborn son Alastair and is now back in the care of her husband William Stubb. They live in his father Theodore’s manor house in the village of Muchmarsh. Old Theodore is a conniving and lecherous once being an actor and experienced in the art of hypnosis. Everything about the manor is unnerving from the family to the house-staff, the house itself and the chapel through the garden.
Things in the manor soon become chaotic as Theodore turns his advances to his daughter-in-law Eleanor. He hypnotises, assaults her and leaves her pregnant without her memory of the events. When William finds what his father has done he and Eleanor plan a terrible revenge. What occurs after leaves them all, especially the fragile Eleanor, in a frightful state.
The second part of the book begins thirteen years later and centres on Alastair Stubb, who is Eleanor’s son from her rape by Theodore. The boy and William Stubb live together and when Alastair starts asking where his mother is, it’s the beginning of his unravelling. He begins to lose control as he gradually becomes possessed by the spirit of Theodore, talking and acting unlike himself. The finale of the book tumbles into madness becoming a thrilling and frightening horror show. Dark and at times shocking the book contains some lovely writing and has a great gothic feel to it. I can recommend this to you and it’s well worth a read if unusual is what you require. (NetGalley ARC Received)
The book is in two parts and in the first part we meet Eleanor being released from the The Grinding Sanatorium for the Delusional. She has been mentally unstable after the death of her stillborn son Alastair and is now back in the care of her husband William Stubb. They live in his father Theodore’s manor house in the village of Muchmarsh. Old Theodore is a conniving and lecherous once being an actor and experienced in the art of hypnosis. Everything about the manor is unnerving from the family to the house-staff, the house itself and the chapel through the garden.
Things in the manor soon become chaotic as Theodore turns his advances to his daughter-in-law Eleanor. He hypnotises, assaults her and leaves her pregnant without her memory of the events. When William finds what his father has done he and Eleanor plan a terrible revenge. What occurs after leaves them all, especially the fragile Eleanor, in a frightful state.
The second part of the book begins thirteen years later and centres on Alastair Stubb, who is Eleanor’s son from her rape by Theodore. The boy and William Stubb live together and when Alastair starts asking where his mother is, it’s the beginning of his unravelling. He begins to lose control as he gradually becomes possessed by the spirit of Theodore, talking and acting unlike himself. The finale of the book tumbles into madness becoming a thrilling and frightening horror show. Dark and at times shocking the book contains some lovely writing and has a great gothic feel to it. I can recommend this to you and it’s well worth a read if unusual is what you require. (NetGalley ARC Received)
March 17, 2016
This was an entirely odd read, but not unpleasantly so. I took awhile to get into it and even after the story gripped me, I couldn't tell if I was hugely engaged or just coasting along to find out what would happen next. Either way, the desire to continue reading is always a positive thing, but the oddity here is whether I was doing it because I wanted things to become less weird and coalesce into a coherent story or because I was trying to figure out if they could become less weird and coalesce into a story – if you get my drift. Which I am sure you do not and that is probably reflecting then adequately the ambiguity this story left me with.
The novel revels in its Gothic-ness and that is great. Citing David Reviews:
100% Gothic madness and awesomeness for sure, but I have to say that I found the division between parts disconcerting and abrupt. More skillfully done and this could have been a stellar novel, but as is it is more so-so. But mad props for the Dickensian naming conventions and sheer Gothic abandon. If you are looking to revel in some old school Gothic horror from a modern writer (and where else are you going to find this?) then this is the book for you. Otherwise it is an average read.
Thanks much to NetGalley, Urbane Publishing, and David John Griffin for a review copy.
You can also read this review at: Read or Die.
The novel revels in its Gothic-ness and that is great. Citing David Reviews:
The book is in two parts and in the first part we meet Eleanor being released from the The Grinding Sanatorium for the Delusional. She has been mentally unstable after the death of her stillborn son Alastair and is now back in the care of her husband William Stubb. They live in his father Theodore’s manor house in the village of Muchmarsh. Old Theodore is a conniving and lecherous once being an actor and experienced in the art of hypnosis. Everything about the manor is unnerving from the family to the house-staff, the house itself and the chapel through the garden.
Things in the manor soon become chaotic as Theodore turns his advances to his daughter-in-law Eleanor. He hypnotizes, assaults her and leaves her pregnant without her memory of the events. When William finds what his father has done he and Eleanor plan a terrible revenge. What occurs after leaves them all, especially the fragile Eleanor, in a frightful state.
The second part of the book begins thirteen years later and centers on Alastair Stubb, who is Eleanor’s son from her rape by Theodore. The boy and William Stubb live together and when Alastair starts asking where his mother is, it’s the beginning of his unraveling. He begins to lose control as he gradually becomes possessed by the spirit of Theodore, talking and acting unlike himself. The finale of the book tumbles into madness becoming a thrilling and frightening horror show.
100% Gothic madness and awesomeness for sure, but I have to say that I found the division between parts disconcerting and abrupt. More skillfully done and this could have been a stellar novel, but as is it is more so-so. But mad props for the Dickensian naming conventions and sheer Gothic abandon. If you are looking to revel in some old school Gothic horror from a modern writer (and where else are you going to find this?) then this is the book for you. Otherwise it is an average read.
Thanks much to NetGalley, Urbane Publishing, and David John Griffin for a review copy.
You can also read this review at: Read or Die.
October 17, 2015
I received a copy of this book from the publishers Urbane Publications - thankyou!
Here's a few of the words I noted down while i was reading this tale - weird, wonderful, mad, dark, twisted, farce, drama, fantasy, disturbing, crazy, hypnotic, scary, insane, atmospheric, murderous, creepy, captivating..... pretty much sums it up!!
Very difficult to summarise but the main theme of the book is focussed on the Stubbs family, in all its' craziness!! We first meet Eleanor Stubb in a sanatorium where she is finally being released after a years stay for thinking she is a Queen. She still thinks this but has learnt to lie to gain her freedom. Her husband, William then moves them into the Manor House with his father, Theodore who is an intriguing character! He is a hypnotist but doesn't use his gift in a good way! Florence, the poor house-maid is one of his 'victims' but has no knowledge of what has been happening to her.
The story then unfolds with the dynamics of the family changing as William really detests his father for his actions and that leads to murderous plots and twisted developments that keeps the reader wondering just what will happen next.
The plot then forwards 13 years with the son, Alastair, living with his drunk father William, but has no knowledge of the previous family drama or who his mother is, but he soon learns of things which don't play well with his fragile mind and the fact that he may not be entirely in full charge of his own mind to begin with!!
The story is set in the village of MuchMarsh with beautifully descriptive and vivid scenes in each location
An extremely enjoyable, but mad read with a wonderful gothic feel so would highly recommend if you're looking for a book that gives you something a little different from the norm!
Here's a few of the words I noted down while i was reading this tale - weird, wonderful, mad, dark, twisted, farce, drama, fantasy, disturbing, crazy, hypnotic, scary, insane, atmospheric, murderous, creepy, captivating..... pretty much sums it up!!
Very difficult to summarise but the main theme of the book is focussed on the Stubbs family, in all its' craziness!! We first meet Eleanor Stubb in a sanatorium where she is finally being released after a years stay for thinking she is a Queen. She still thinks this but has learnt to lie to gain her freedom. Her husband, William then moves them into the Manor House with his father, Theodore who is an intriguing character! He is a hypnotist but doesn't use his gift in a good way! Florence, the poor house-maid is one of his 'victims' but has no knowledge of what has been happening to her.
The story then unfolds with the dynamics of the family changing as William really detests his father for his actions and that leads to murderous plots and twisted developments that keeps the reader wondering just what will happen next.
The plot then forwards 13 years with the son, Alastair, living with his drunk father William, but has no knowledge of the previous family drama or who his mother is, but he soon learns of things which don't play well with his fragile mind and the fact that he may not be entirely in full charge of his own mind to begin with!!
The story is set in the village of MuchMarsh with beautifully descriptive and vivid scenes in each location
An extremely enjoyable, but mad read with a wonderful gothic feel so would highly recommend if you're looking for a book that gives you something a little different from the norm!
February 6, 2016
Read all my reviews on http://urlphantomhive.booklikes.com
The cover is so beautiful and the premise sounded really good (a creepy father-in-law with powers of hypnosis, a dreadful secret and a mysterious boy). I started reading and then the negative reviews started to flow in.
I try not to get influenced by reviews while I'm reading a book, but since I was having trouble to stay focussed on the book, I was glad to read I was not the only one. I felt there was a lot of potential to really make this a creepy read, or at least one with more of a mystery to it. Now, it bottled down to one of clumsiest murder attempts ever, together with -surprise, surprise- revenge.
About halfway the novel, there is a 12 year jump in time, and we meet young Alastair. At first it looked like it was getting better at this point, like maybe this was the real beginning of the story, but there is a lot that remains unexplained, or is not explained enough. In the end, I just couldn't connect with any of the characters, who acted stiff throughout the whole story, and I felt a lot of potential for the story was lost somewhere. I didn't like it, it certainly wasn't for me, and I wouldn't recommend it.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
The cover is so beautiful and the premise sounded really good (a creepy father-in-law with powers of hypnosis, a dreadful secret and a mysterious boy). I started reading and then the negative reviews started to flow in.
I try not to get influenced by reviews while I'm reading a book, but since I was having trouble to stay focussed on the book, I was glad to read I was not the only one. I felt there was a lot of potential to really make this a creepy read, or at least one with more of a mystery to it. Now, it bottled down to one of clumsiest murder attempts ever, together with -surprise, surprise- revenge.
About halfway the novel, there is a 12 year jump in time, and we meet young Alastair. At first it looked like it was getting better at this point, like maybe this was the real beginning of the story, but there is a lot that remains unexplained, or is not explained enough. In the end, I just couldn't connect with any of the characters, who acted stiff throughout the whole story, and I felt a lot of potential for the story was lost somewhere. I didn't like it, it certainly wasn't for me, and I wouldn't recommend it.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
September 25, 2015
The Unusual Possession of Alastair Stubb, by David John Griffin, is a surreal mix of love, madness and gothic horror. On finishing I set it down and wondered at what I had just read. The book has been recommended for fans of Mervyn Peake, an author I am unfamiliar with. I was put in mind of how Dickens may write with a dose of the psychedelic.
The story revolves around the Stubb family who live in Muchmarsh village near the towns of Grinding and Smudge. The patriarch, a widower named Theodore, is a former actor who possesses the power to hypnotise. He uses this skill for his own cruel amusement, and to have his wicked way with attractive young women. Theodore lives in a run down manor house, served by a motley crew of staff who each have an important role to play in the unfolding drama.
The book opens with Theodore’s son, William, a recently unemployed coffin maker, collecting his wife from The Grinding Sanatorium for the Delusional. She has spent the past twelve months here, recovering from the death of her baby son, Alastair. Eleanor is beautiful and mentally deranged. She considers herself a queen and others to be mere vapour shadows. She communes telepathically with insects who will alert her to the return of her baby. She believes Alastair is being kept safe in the darkness. In order to escape the sanatorium she tells the vapour shadows whatever they wish to hear and thus seems cured.
William and Eleanor move into the manor house with Theodore. Eleanor spends her days in an abandoned church, bringing Theodore unusual insects which she finds there. Collecting insects has been his life’s work. William hates his father’s collection, believing that Theodore has paid more attention to it than to him.
The first half of the story introduces us to the cast of characters and plays out to a climactic night: a birth, a fire, a death, a disappearance. There is blackmail, coercion and the Stubb family must leave their home. There is drama aplenty but the more perplexing aspects are subdued.
The second half of the book is set thirteen years later. Alastair is living in the village with his father, an unhappy drunk who tries to keep the family secrets from his son. Alastair longs for a mother’s love. He helps out his neighbours, doing jobs to earn a few pennies, but lacks friends.
When the teenage boy starts to act strangely there are those who are not surprised,
“Alastair has lost his brains, though what with his mum round the twist, it must run in the family.”
What they do not realise is that his actions are beyond the boy’s control, and that he is to be the conduit for a series of dreadful acts of revenge.
Alongside the Dickens like names, the over the top personalities, and the supernatural elements of the second half of the book; is a writing style which paints pictures in the mind. The plot is intriguing, the telling evocative, the imagery stunning.
“A pious hush still pervaded the countryside. Alastair felt that somehow it would have been wrong to make any sound; for worry perhaps of a disturbance to the praying bushes that huddled together along the verge. The moisture and frost had rendered them flexible and drooping and they hung their heads in worship.”
Each setting is depicted to make the ordinary appear dark: the sleepy village with its shadows and flawed characters, dirt pervading, secrets oozing; the run down manor house with its creaking staircases, creeping shadows, dust and insects; the abandoned canal with its black glass surface, all around rotting and disintegrating.
The denouement in the catacombs pulled together many of the plot threads although much was left open for interpretation. The red balloon floats by, the insects remain.
This is a book full of curiosities, written with artistry and imagination. I am still not sure how I should define such a creation, but am glad to have read it and would recommend.
My copy of this book was provided gratis by the publisher, Urbane Publications.
The story revolves around the Stubb family who live in Muchmarsh village near the towns of Grinding and Smudge. The patriarch, a widower named Theodore, is a former actor who possesses the power to hypnotise. He uses this skill for his own cruel amusement, and to have his wicked way with attractive young women. Theodore lives in a run down manor house, served by a motley crew of staff who each have an important role to play in the unfolding drama.
The book opens with Theodore’s son, William, a recently unemployed coffin maker, collecting his wife from The Grinding Sanatorium for the Delusional. She has spent the past twelve months here, recovering from the death of her baby son, Alastair. Eleanor is beautiful and mentally deranged. She considers herself a queen and others to be mere vapour shadows. She communes telepathically with insects who will alert her to the return of her baby. She believes Alastair is being kept safe in the darkness. In order to escape the sanatorium she tells the vapour shadows whatever they wish to hear and thus seems cured.
William and Eleanor move into the manor house with Theodore. Eleanor spends her days in an abandoned church, bringing Theodore unusual insects which she finds there. Collecting insects has been his life’s work. William hates his father’s collection, believing that Theodore has paid more attention to it than to him.
The first half of the story introduces us to the cast of characters and plays out to a climactic night: a birth, a fire, a death, a disappearance. There is blackmail, coercion and the Stubb family must leave their home. There is drama aplenty but the more perplexing aspects are subdued.
The second half of the book is set thirteen years later. Alastair is living in the village with his father, an unhappy drunk who tries to keep the family secrets from his son. Alastair longs for a mother’s love. He helps out his neighbours, doing jobs to earn a few pennies, but lacks friends.
When the teenage boy starts to act strangely there are those who are not surprised,
“Alastair has lost his brains, though what with his mum round the twist, it must run in the family.”
What they do not realise is that his actions are beyond the boy’s control, and that he is to be the conduit for a series of dreadful acts of revenge.
Alongside the Dickens like names, the over the top personalities, and the supernatural elements of the second half of the book; is a writing style which paints pictures in the mind. The plot is intriguing, the telling evocative, the imagery stunning.
“A pious hush still pervaded the countryside. Alastair felt that somehow it would have been wrong to make any sound; for worry perhaps of a disturbance to the praying bushes that huddled together along the verge. The moisture and frost had rendered them flexible and drooping and they hung their heads in worship.”
Each setting is depicted to make the ordinary appear dark: the sleepy village with its shadows and flawed characters, dirt pervading, secrets oozing; the run down manor house with its creaking staircases, creeping shadows, dust and insects; the abandoned canal with its black glass surface, all around rotting and disintegrating.
The denouement in the catacombs pulled together many of the plot threads although much was left open for interpretation. The red balloon floats by, the insects remain.
This is a book full of curiosities, written with artistry and imagination. I am still not sure how I should define such a creation, but am glad to have read it and would recommend.
My copy of this book was provided gratis by the publisher, Urbane Publications.
January 15, 2016
‘The Unusual Possession of Alastair Stubb’ is a surreal, gothic tale of revenge. The first half centres on the disagreeable character of Theodore Stubb and his son and daughter-in-law, William and Eleanor Stubb. It then jumps thirteen years forward to Alastair’s (Eleanor’s son) story for the second half. However, the father, Theodore, and his hobbies and obsessions dominate the pages from start to finish.
It contains all of the motifs of a good gothic yarn: madness, fires, decay and hallucinations. And it’s populated with an array of support characters that wouldn’t sound out of place in a Dickensian landscape. It is beautifully written; Griffin has captured the feel of a novel set in the 19th century, but keeps the narrative moving at a decent pace to satisfy a modern reader.
It is dark and uncomfortable and fascinating. And it has a strangely hypnotic effect. Recommended.
It contains all of the motifs of a good gothic yarn: madness, fires, decay and hallucinations. And it’s populated with an array of support characters that wouldn’t sound out of place in a Dickensian landscape. It is beautifully written; Griffin has captured the feel of a novel set in the 19th century, but keeps the narrative moving at a decent pace to satisfy a modern reader.
It is dark and uncomfortable and fascinating. And it has a strangely hypnotic effect. Recommended.
April 19, 2016
I received this book from Goodreads Giveaways. (it was a lovely surprise)
This book is oddly delightful. Contemporary gothic fiction is not usually my time; in fact, I rarely pick up a gothic book, and when I do, it is usually of the classic genre. But The Unusual Possession of Alastair Stubb is quite endearing and Griffin manages to captivate his readers in the slightest of moments. I think the most gripping parts were towards the end, when Alistair is overcome by the spirit of Theodore and descends into spiraling madness. Somewhere, you recognize a certain despair within the characters of Alistair and Eleanor and I think this is what personally drew me in and allowed for me to go through this book as quickly as I did.
This book is oddly delightful. Contemporary gothic fiction is not usually my time; in fact, I rarely pick up a gothic book, and when I do, it is usually of the classic genre. But The Unusual Possession of Alastair Stubb is quite endearing and Griffin manages to captivate his readers in the slightest of moments. I think the most gripping parts were towards the end, when Alistair is overcome by the spirit of Theodore and descends into spiraling madness. Somewhere, you recognize a certain despair within the characters of Alistair and Eleanor and I think this is what personally drew me in and allowed for me to go through this book as quickly as I did.
November 22, 2015
The Unusual Possession of Alastair Stubb is a dark and atmospheric novel of two halves unlike anything I've ever read before.
We first meet the Stubbs as William is going to The Grinding Sanatorium for the Delusional to collect his wife Eleanor, who has spent the last twelve months there recovering from the death of her beloved son Alastair. Eleanor is delusional and believes herself to be a queen who communicates with insects who will inform her when her baby son returns to the land of the living. Having recently lost his job as a coffin maker William decides they should move in with his widowed father, Theodore, who is an avid collector of insects as well as being a hypnotist who takes great delight in throwing parties so that he can take advantage of women with the aid of his trusty pocket watch.
William's relationship with his father is a strained one, partly due to the fact that he has always felt overlooked because of his father's fascination with his insects. So when he finds out that Theodore has another interest which involves his wife and his dependable pocket watch, plans are soon being hatched which culminate on one fateful evening which ends with the Stubbs having to leave.
We pick up the second part of the story thirteen years later when Eleanor's second child Alastair is living with his alcoholic father, unaware of the family secrets which have been kept from him. When he starts to show signs of mental instability everyone just assumes that because his mother spent time in an institution madness must be in his genes, but just what is going on in the young boys mind?
I loved the vivid descriptions that turn everyday places and things into something much more dark and sinister. Even the characters themselves are duplicitous.
It's been a long time since I've indulged myself in a gothic novel and after reading this beautiful, descriptive novel, I've got the bug to search out another one.
With kind thanks to Urbane Publishers for the review copy.
We first meet the Stubbs as William is going to The Grinding Sanatorium for the Delusional to collect his wife Eleanor, who has spent the last twelve months there recovering from the death of her beloved son Alastair. Eleanor is delusional and believes herself to be a queen who communicates with insects who will inform her when her baby son returns to the land of the living. Having recently lost his job as a coffin maker William decides they should move in with his widowed father, Theodore, who is an avid collector of insects as well as being a hypnotist who takes great delight in throwing parties so that he can take advantage of women with the aid of his trusty pocket watch.
William's relationship with his father is a strained one, partly due to the fact that he has always felt overlooked because of his father's fascination with his insects. So when he finds out that Theodore has another interest which involves his wife and his dependable pocket watch, plans are soon being hatched which culminate on one fateful evening which ends with the Stubbs having to leave.
We pick up the second part of the story thirteen years later when Eleanor's second child Alastair is living with his alcoholic father, unaware of the family secrets which have been kept from him. When he starts to show signs of mental instability everyone just assumes that because his mother spent time in an institution madness must be in his genes, but just what is going on in the young boys mind?
I loved the vivid descriptions that turn everyday places and things into something much more dark and sinister. Even the characters themselves are duplicitous.
It's been a long time since I've indulged myself in a gothic novel and after reading this beautiful, descriptive novel, I've got the bug to search out another one.
With kind thanks to Urbane Publishers for the review copy.
December 22, 2015
Described as 'gothic terror', however I would describe this more of a surreal gothic tale. This is the story of the Stubb family who live in a world populated with strange yet wonderful characters. We meet Eleanor in an asylum, she's convinced she's the queen and wonders where her son Alastair is. William is Eleanor's husband and son to Theodore, William has some money issues and his father is not sympathetic. William and Eleanor hatch a plan to get their hands on Theodore's money. Fast forward thirty years and we see the consequences of their actions.
This novel is weird, wonderfully weird, filled with characters with names like Mr Nuckle and Reverend Musty and villages with names like Muchmarsh. It's definitely set in England but the time period is hazy, new fangled cars are mentioned so I'm assuming it's Victorian. The tone is bordering on fantastical, it reminds me of dark comedy shows like 'The League of Gentlemen', I imagine a film with sepia tones punched with bright red. OK, I may be getting slightly carried away.
I loved the gothic themes, the huge mansion with strange servants, William falling on hard times which pre-empts his terrible plan and in true gothic tradition nothing goes right. I found the writing well suited to the genre, the descriptions meant I could easily see the scenes and understand the characters. The plot was well thought out with plenty of mystery and cliff hangers to keep me reading more. All in all a very pleasant novel to read.
This novel is weird, wonderfully weird, filled with characters with names like Mr Nuckle and Reverend Musty and villages with names like Muchmarsh. It's definitely set in England but the time period is hazy, new fangled cars are mentioned so I'm assuming it's Victorian. The tone is bordering on fantastical, it reminds me of dark comedy shows like 'The League of Gentlemen', I imagine a film with sepia tones punched with bright red. OK, I may be getting slightly carried away.
I loved the gothic themes, the huge mansion with strange servants, William falling on hard times which pre-empts his terrible plan and in true gothic tradition nothing goes right. I found the writing well suited to the genre, the descriptions meant I could easily see the scenes and understand the characters. The plot was well thought out with plenty of mystery and cliff hangers to keep me reading more. All in all a very pleasant novel to read.
January 9, 2016
**I received this through Netgalley in exchange for an Honest review**
Filled with Suspense and Horror.
The Unusual Possession of Alastair Stubb... I have no Idea how the author came up with the plot but it is definitely a horror. And It will play with your mind.
The suspense kept me reading the book when I wanted to just shut the book and just stop reading it. It was in my opinion a little too stretched. The going round and round trying to find out what the hell was happening was tiring but the need to find out how it ended was more.
And I am glad I stayed and read. The climax was well worth all of it. The Horror factor was more prominent in the climax.
Filled with Suspense and Horror.
The Unusual Possession of Alastair Stubb... I have no Idea how the author came up with the plot but it is definitely a horror. And It will play with your mind.
The suspense kept me reading the book when I wanted to just shut the book and just stop reading it. It was in my opinion a little too stretched. The going round and round trying to find out what the hell was happening was tiring but the need to find out how it ended was more.
And I am glad I stayed and read. The climax was well worth all of it. The Horror factor was more prominent in the climax.
January 27, 2016
I received a coy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Elegantly weird or weirdly elegant, I can't decide exactly how to describe this noir gothic fantasy. Suspenseful and intriguing, you may not like the characters, but they are unforgettable, especially hypnotic Theodore and his daughter in law, fragile Eleanor. Theodore treats his family abominably, but his grand child may be his downfall. Uncomfortable at times, but definitely original.
Elegantly weird or weirdly elegant, I can't decide exactly how to describe this noir gothic fantasy. Suspenseful and intriguing, you may not like the characters, but they are unforgettable, especially hypnotic Theodore and his daughter in law, fragile Eleanor. Theodore treats his family abominably, but his grand child may be his downfall. Uncomfortable at times, but definitely original.
October 29, 2021
Interesting concept, but unfortunately I did not like this book. Review ASAP.
** I received a Review Copy of this book via NetGalley **
(November 2015 Urbane Publications edition)
** I received a Review Copy of this book via NetGalley **
(November 2015 Urbane Publications edition)
April 10, 2017
This review and more can be found on my blog www.rosalynkelly.co.uk/blog
Before I start on the story, I just want to take a moment to appreciate the stunning cover and inside design! The bugs are shiny on the cover and are dotted about inside too. The font looks gothic and adds to the overall feel of the book.
This tale is set in the late 19th century in a fictional, countryside village called Muchmarsh where the inhabitants have quirky, old English-like surnames including Snippet, Battlespoke and Musty, there is a once a year country fair and a village green. There are references that help to anchor the story in the time such as someone using a motor car rather than a horse and carriage as well as one villager having a telephone.
Alastair Stubb doesn’t make his appearance until half way through the book. The first half focuses on the lives of Theodore Stubb, his son William and William’s wife Eleanor. Following the death of her first child, Eleanor is of ‘delicate mind’, believing she is a Queen of insects and bugs and that the child is still alive and trying to return to her but just can’t find the way. The book opens with Eleanor leaving the sanatorium to come home. Whilst she’s been away, William has lost his job and they are forced to move in with the vile entomologist Theodore who has a knack for hypnotising people – mostly women so he can "ravish" them– with a mysterious pocket watch.
Eventually this is what happens to poor Eleanor and she falls pregnant. William wants to take revenge, plotting to murder his horrid father and everything unravels… Skip forward thirteen years and Alastair is living with a drunken William who he thinks is his father, as Eleanor and Theodore disappeared on the night of his birth.
Without giving anything away, Alastair is possessed and the spirit inside him wreaks havoc on the village and those who were involved thirteen years earlier. And the reader finally learns what happened when he was born.
This is a dark tale, but told in a quaint way and so it didn’t frighten me but rather made me feel uncomfortable in places. William is a shambolic character who annoyed me with his inefficiency and bumbling, however I found Eleanor quite sweet despite all her strange mental disturbances. I would’ve liked to have known more about what happened to her on the night of Alastair’s birth and in the thirteen years following. We find out, in a big reveal at the end, but a sentence or two wasn’t quite enough for me.
Also, I got a little confused with the insects as both Eleanor and Theodore had a ‘connection’ to the bugs, I wasn’t sure who was directing them at the end. And was Eleanor obsessed with bugs because of Theodore, or not? This wasn’t quite explained, or if it was then it was too subtle for me!
This is a weird, surreal, twisted book for fans of gothic horror.
Before I start on the story, I just want to take a moment to appreciate the stunning cover and inside design! The bugs are shiny on the cover and are dotted about inside too. The font looks gothic and adds to the overall feel of the book.
This tale is set in the late 19th century in a fictional, countryside village called Muchmarsh where the inhabitants have quirky, old English-like surnames including Snippet, Battlespoke and Musty, there is a once a year country fair and a village green. There are references that help to anchor the story in the time such as someone using a motor car rather than a horse and carriage as well as one villager having a telephone.
Alastair Stubb doesn’t make his appearance until half way through the book. The first half focuses on the lives of Theodore Stubb, his son William and William’s wife Eleanor. Following the death of her first child, Eleanor is of ‘delicate mind’, believing she is a Queen of insects and bugs and that the child is still alive and trying to return to her but just can’t find the way. The book opens with Eleanor leaving the sanatorium to come home. Whilst she’s been away, William has lost his job and they are forced to move in with the vile entomologist Theodore who has a knack for hypnotising people – mostly women so he can "ravish" them– with a mysterious pocket watch.
Eventually this is what happens to poor Eleanor and she falls pregnant. William wants to take revenge, plotting to murder his horrid father and everything unravels… Skip forward thirteen years and Alastair is living with a drunken William who he thinks is his father, as Eleanor and Theodore disappeared on the night of his birth.
Without giving anything away, Alastair is possessed and the spirit inside him wreaks havoc on the village and those who were involved thirteen years earlier. And the reader finally learns what happened when he was born.
This is a dark tale, but told in a quaint way and so it didn’t frighten me but rather made me feel uncomfortable in places. William is a shambolic character who annoyed me with his inefficiency and bumbling, however I found Eleanor quite sweet despite all her strange mental disturbances. I would’ve liked to have known more about what happened to her on the night of Alastair’s birth and in the thirteen years following. We find out, in a big reveal at the end, but a sentence or two wasn’t quite enough for me.
Also, I got a little confused with the insects as both Eleanor and Theodore had a ‘connection’ to the bugs, I wasn’t sure who was directing them at the end. And was Eleanor obsessed with bugs because of Theodore, or not? This wasn’t quite explained, or if it was then it was too subtle for me!
This is a weird, surreal, twisted book for fans of gothic horror.
October 18, 2015
The wondrous prose of ‘The Unusual Possession’ is laced with some exceptionally unhinged moments. This eerie tale dares to venture into the unnerving descent of madness, where eccentricities run feverishly high.
Theodore Stubb of Muchmarsh believes people cannot fail to fall for his hypnotic charms and weaves his wicked way in the world without conscience. Little could anyone know that wielding such power will have consequences beyond their wildest imagination.
Following the tragedy surrounding her first born, Alastair, Theodore’s daughter-in-law has returned from The Grinding Sanatorium for the Delusional. During her illness, after falling on hard times, she and Theodore’s son, William, come to reside in this rather sprawling house. With its shadowy corners, cellar-dwelling-wine-o’clock butler and ample glass cases of invertebrates (their bodies skewered to boards so they can never leave again), the couple try to settle in as best they can.
There’s nothing worse than having to fall back on your father’s goodwill, particularly as it appears that Theodore doesn’t only like to peer at his special collections while he’s rattling around the big house…
With the aid of his enigmatic pocket watch, Theodore succeeds in taking full advantage of these new living arrangements. When his son learns of what occurred he launches a revenge-fuelled campaign of hate and the couple conspire to rid themselves of a monster who humiliates his family and his staff in the most deplorable manner.
Pregnant again, and still unstable, Eleanor is secretly resolute she is The Queen and can communicate with all the creepy-crawlies, so you can gather that things don’t go exactly to plan. Although she’s elated to have been given the gift of another child, the apparitions she witnesses threaten to break her already fragile mind.
At the age of thirteen, Eleanor’s second child begins to develop disturbing habits that mimic the old boar, Theodore. It’s stealthily done until the gap between our world and another is bridged, creating a puppet for a tortured soul to torment those who had the audacity to challenge him.
So there you have it. Here’s a virtual round of applause for the author, who has created an amazingly surreal world where devilry thrives – it’s a hauntingly good read.
(My thanks to Urbane Publications for providing a paperback copy of this book for review purposes.)
Theodore Stubb of Muchmarsh believes people cannot fail to fall for his hypnotic charms and weaves his wicked way in the world without conscience. Little could anyone know that wielding such power will have consequences beyond their wildest imagination.
Following the tragedy surrounding her first born, Alastair, Theodore’s daughter-in-law has returned from The Grinding Sanatorium for the Delusional. During her illness, after falling on hard times, she and Theodore’s son, William, come to reside in this rather sprawling house. With its shadowy corners, cellar-dwelling-wine-o’clock butler and ample glass cases of invertebrates (their bodies skewered to boards so they can never leave again), the couple try to settle in as best they can.
There’s nothing worse than having to fall back on your father’s goodwill, particularly as it appears that Theodore doesn’t only like to peer at his special collections while he’s rattling around the big house…
With the aid of his enigmatic pocket watch, Theodore succeeds in taking full advantage of these new living arrangements. When his son learns of what occurred he launches a revenge-fuelled campaign of hate and the couple conspire to rid themselves of a monster who humiliates his family and his staff in the most deplorable manner.
Pregnant again, and still unstable, Eleanor is secretly resolute she is The Queen and can communicate with all the creepy-crawlies, so you can gather that things don’t go exactly to plan. Although she’s elated to have been given the gift of another child, the apparitions she witnesses threaten to break her already fragile mind.
At the age of thirteen, Eleanor’s second child begins to develop disturbing habits that mimic the old boar, Theodore. It’s stealthily done until the gap between our world and another is bridged, creating a puppet for a tortured soul to torment those who had the audacity to challenge him.
So there you have it. Here’s a virtual round of applause for the author, who has created an amazingly surreal world where devilry thrives – it’s a hauntingly good read.
(My thanks to Urbane Publications for providing a paperback copy of this book for review purposes.)
January 13, 2016
We begin with Eleanor who is mentally infirm and emphatically believes she can, after the loss of her son Alastair, coax him back from death. She has an obsession with invertebrate, calling herself Queen and firmly believing she can communicate with insects. The book begins with Eleanor being released into her husband William's care from The Grinding Sanatorium for the Delusional. They settle in with Theodore, the family's patriarch, who is an attic entomologist and master manipulator. His most treasured valuable is the curious watch he uses for his malicious pleasures and Eleanor's second pregnancy. There is much hatching of schemes, shady characters, and several confusing moments when it almost teeters into the overuse of gothic hysteria. It all ends with a fire and the disappearance of Eleanor after the birth of her child.
Thirteen years pass and we have a young Alastair, named for his deceased brother. His father has long since become an alcoholic, and there is still no mother to be found. But she is around, and there lies the absurdity for me, the part of the novel that makes little sense. This is when the book both frustrates and intrigues me. So much time was devoted to the beginning of the novel when the story lies in the second half. There is a sudden abundance of vague characters whose side plots trail into nothing. I was disappointed in the villager's druding reaction to the only part of the book that had substance: the possession of Alastair. A slow chilling climb into Alastair's haunt was what I was hungry for, a creeping of the odd and gothic eeriness was what this novel was so close to, but missed the mark by the length of a few butterfly's wings.
*Received a copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
Thirteen years pass and we have a young Alastair, named for his deceased brother. His father has long since become an alcoholic, and there is still no mother to be found. But she is around, and there lies the absurdity for me, the part of the novel that makes little sense. This is when the book both frustrates and intrigues me. So much time was devoted to the beginning of the novel when the story lies in the second half. There is a sudden abundance of vague characters whose side plots trail into nothing. I was disappointed in the villager's druding reaction to the only part of the book that had substance: the possession of Alastair. A slow chilling climb into Alastair's haunt was what I was hungry for, a creeping of the odd and gothic eeriness was what this novel was so close to, but missed the mark by the length of a few butterfly's wings.
*Received a copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
March 1, 2016
**I received this through Netgalley in exchange for an Honest review**
I picked this book up on the suggestion of NetGalley and the publisher and I wasn't sure what to expect. The book is broken into two parts, and I'll admit, I enjoyed the second half much more than the first.
While the entire book is written in beautiful imagery and the prose lends itself to the readers imagination beautifully. I had no trouble picturing the characters throughout the entire book, and I really enjoyed how even the secondary characters were completely filled in with no large holes. The use of bugs and insects throughout the book tied both halves together in a most interesting way, and Queenie/Eleanor's character fascinated me.
Theodore's character disgusted me, but I'm pretty sure that was the entire point. The way he manipulated not only his son and daughter-in-law, but also his household staff was like a trainwreck I couldn't look away from.
I will say that my guess is the reason I liked the second half of this book better is that it gave closure of some sort to the actions in the first half. In it's weird "where are they now" way of completing the story, it gave itself to introducing plot twists that I had NOT seem coming.
I definitely liked this book and gave it a solid 3-3.5 rating. While it's not for everyone, I'm glad I stuck it out and would recommend it to anyone looking for an interesting, albeit a little off-beat, mystery and suspense novel. I'll definitely be reading more from the author!
I picked this book up on the suggestion of NetGalley and the publisher and I wasn't sure what to expect. The book is broken into two parts, and I'll admit, I enjoyed the second half much more than the first.
While the entire book is written in beautiful imagery and the prose lends itself to the readers imagination beautifully. I had no trouble picturing the characters throughout the entire book, and I really enjoyed how even the secondary characters were completely filled in with no large holes. The use of bugs and insects throughout the book tied both halves together in a most interesting way, and Queenie/Eleanor's character fascinated me.
Theodore's character disgusted me, but I'm pretty sure that was the entire point. The way he manipulated not only his son and daughter-in-law, but also his household staff was like a trainwreck I couldn't look away from.
I will say that my guess is the reason I liked the second half of this book better is that it gave closure of some sort to the actions in the first half. In it's weird "where are they now" way of completing the story, it gave itself to introducing plot twists that I had NOT seem coming.
I definitely liked this book and gave it a solid 3-3.5 rating. While it's not for everyone, I'm glad I stuck it out and would recommend it to anyone looking for an interesting, albeit a little off-beat, mystery and suspense novel. I'll definitely be reading more from the author!
January 30, 2017
If you have ever entered a room and had the lights suddenly go out on you, then you will know what this book is like. Just when you feel safe, something startling happens that makes that familiar chill run down your spine once more. The thing about this book is--there is no safe place for you to hide. Not even inside your own mind.
This book has a bit of a Lovecraftian feel to it. You never know what is about to go bump in the night or where it might be hiding in wait. Just when you think you have something figured out, one of the characters turns out not to be what you thought they were, and you begin wondering if they are all mad.
This book is full of creepy-crawleys, shadows and unexplained phenomena that might be real, or might be inside the head of the characters, but by the end, it will be inside your head too.
A strange, dark, intellectual read that has a lot to recommend it to those who like things outside the box.
This review is based on a complementary copy from the publisher, provided through Netgalley. All opinions are my own.
This book has a bit of a Lovecraftian feel to it. You never know what is about to go bump in the night or where it might be hiding in wait. Just when you think you have something figured out, one of the characters turns out not to be what you thought they were, and you begin wondering if they are all mad.
This book is full of creepy-crawleys, shadows and unexplained phenomena that might be real, or might be inside the head of the characters, but by the end, it will be inside your head too.
A strange, dark, intellectual read that has a lot to recommend it to those who like things outside the box.
This review is based on a complementary copy from the publisher, provided through Netgalley. All opinions are my own.
November 2, 2024
David John Griffin’s novel, The Unusual Possession of Alastair Stubb, is a curiously constructed tale of revenge. For the first several chapters, I wasn’t sure where the story was going to take me. Characters are introduced rapidly, so rapidly it’s hard to tell who the protagonist is at first. Then the plot picks up its pace. The setting is deeply sinister and there’s more than a hint that something supernatural and dangerous is at work. Even though I’ve finished, I’m still not quite sure what I think of this book...
Read the rest of my review at A Bookish Type. I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.
Read the rest of my review at A Bookish Type. I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.
Want to read
May 1, 2024The Unusual Possession of Alastair Stubbis a gothic terror of the highest order, delivering a dream-like and hallucinatory reading experience that promises to reveal secrets both disturbing and astonishing.
Do you dare meet the Stubbs?A weird and wonderful gothic tale that will enthral any fan of Mervyn Peake and magical realism. The Stubbs will terrify and delight every reader. By turns thrilling, disturbing and seductive.
The Unusual Possession of Alastair Stubb is published by Urbane Publications. Blog reviewers can request review copies from Matthew Smith of Urbane Publications.
Do you dare meet the Stubbs?A weird and wonderful gothic tale that will enthral any fan of Mervyn Peake and magical realism. The Stubbs will terrify and delight every reader. By turns thrilling, disturbing and seductive.
The Unusual Possession of Alastair Stubb is published by Urbane Publications. Blog reviewers can request review copies from Matthew Smith of Urbane Publications.
September 1, 2016
Book Review originally published here: http://www.iheartreading.net/mini-rev...
A gripping gothic horror centered around the Stubb family, who reminded me of the Adams family. The writing is reminiscent of turn-of-the-century writing, and provides an atmospheric, eerie vibe to the book. The story was very intriguing and I loved the weirdness.
A gripping gothic horror centered around the Stubb family, who reminded me of the Adams family. The writing is reminiscent of turn-of-the-century writing, and provides an atmospheric, eerie vibe to the book. The story was very intriguing and I loved the weirdness.
January 14, 2016
I could not get into this book. For me, it just seemed kind of scattered and you're really not sure what's going on. I found it not the least bit creepy or scary, or even foreboding. This one just didn't catch my attention.
November 3, 2017
Suspense at its best! A curious and intriguing story that captures you till the very end.
March 10, 2016
The Unusual Possession of Alastair Stubb is the 2015 release from Urbane Publishing by David John Griffin. Mr. Griffin introduces the reader to the most F’ed-up family in the history of Great Britain, The Stubbs. I mean it, they are even more screwed up than any family I have ever seen or read. Now this is saying something, because I am American so I have dealt with the entire gambit of “Real Housewives,” The “Duggers,” The “Kardashians,” and The Osbournes (who I might add after these former three, seem like one of the nicest down-to-Earth families on reality TV.)
Mental illness doesn’t just run through the Stubbs family, it’s doing sprints and laps. The patriarch of this family is Theodore Stubbs. He is not only an entomologist, but is a successful hypnotist. We the reader know how successful he is when we learn that he has been hypnotizing his house maid and raping her of a regular basis. But of course molesting the domestic staff is only going to keep him entertained just so long. But never fear, his son, William brings his mentally fragile wife Eleanor to Theodore’s house. Eleanor has just been released from a sanatorium, where she has been recuperating from a nervous breakdown after the stillborn death of her child Alastair. The problem is, Eleanor really never recovered from her loss. She still has visions brought to her by insects and believes that Alastair is not dead but is somewhere waiting for her.
Her husband, William is forced to brig Eleanor to his father’s manor, because while his wife was at the sanatorium, he lost his job and their home, and was forced to come back to his father’s home, hat in hand. William is not so much mentally ill as just a weak man, pressed under the thumb of his overbearing father.
The book is broken into two parts. The first is the introduction of the characters and the build-up to Alastair’s conception and birth. The second part is 13 years later and follows Alastair himself.
This novel is unquestionably gothic horror, and that is a category that I in general love. Love is not necessarily how I would describe my feelings of this novel. To me it felt like the author bit off too much in this novel. There were several storylines that just should have been eliminated in this story. It would have been a tighter read with better editing.
The best example of this would have been the storyline of the housekeeper. It was important that she was introduced to the reader in the first part, because she shows the depth of Theodore’s depravity, and his history of using hypnotism as a means to take advantage of the women in his household. I just did not see why she was reintroduced in the second part. Not only that but her daughter was also introduced. Neither character ads a single point to the story and their storyline is dropped mid-story. It made no sense and added nothing.
In my opinion, the first part of the novel was the best, and the author sort of lost focus in the second part. The thing is, it was a well written book. It flows well, and the characters are well developed. I just wanted more focus in the second part of the novel.
I’m giving this book 2 of 5 stars.
Mental illness doesn’t just run through the Stubbs family, it’s doing sprints and laps. The patriarch of this family is Theodore Stubbs. He is not only an entomologist, but is a successful hypnotist. We the reader know how successful he is when we learn that he has been hypnotizing his house maid and raping her of a regular basis. But of course molesting the domestic staff is only going to keep him entertained just so long. But never fear, his son, William brings his mentally fragile wife Eleanor to Theodore’s house. Eleanor has just been released from a sanatorium, where she has been recuperating from a nervous breakdown after the stillborn death of her child Alastair. The problem is, Eleanor really never recovered from her loss. She still has visions brought to her by insects and believes that Alastair is not dead but is somewhere waiting for her.
Her husband, William is forced to brig Eleanor to his father’s manor, because while his wife was at the sanatorium, he lost his job and their home, and was forced to come back to his father’s home, hat in hand. William is not so much mentally ill as just a weak man, pressed under the thumb of his overbearing father.
The book is broken into two parts. The first is the introduction of the characters and the build-up to Alastair’s conception and birth. The second part is 13 years later and follows Alastair himself.
This novel is unquestionably gothic horror, and that is a category that I in general love. Love is not necessarily how I would describe my feelings of this novel. To me it felt like the author bit off too much in this novel. There were several storylines that just should have been eliminated in this story. It would have been a tighter read with better editing.
The best example of this would have been the storyline of the housekeeper. It was important that she was introduced to the reader in the first part, because she shows the depth of Theodore’s depravity, and his history of using hypnotism as a means to take advantage of the women in his household. I just did not see why she was reintroduced in the second part. Not only that but her daughter was also introduced. Neither character ads a single point to the story and their storyline is dropped mid-story. It made no sense and added nothing.
In my opinion, the first part of the novel was the best, and the author sort of lost focus in the second part. The thing is, it was a well written book. It flows well, and the characters are well developed. I just wanted more focus in the second part of the novel.
I’m giving this book 2 of 5 stars.
January 30, 2025
A beautifully described dark, Gothic tale
David's vivid description - the man and wife's goals entwined yet several obstacles could make them stray from their course - the opening certainly leaves you wanting to know more.
His use of names are beautifully descriptive and fitting for the dour yet eccentric characters (Mr. Fishcake, Badger, Nuckle, Pump) as are the place-names: Muchmarsh, Smudge, Grinding, StillStone, Snoringham and Thimriddy Fair. The description of Theodore Stubbs's collection of insects makes you feel as though they are in front of you, so complete is the imagery and this is the same throughout the whole book; it's like a beautiful painting that you can't stop peering at!
Most of the characters are objectionable people and there isn't one redeeming feature among them, so therefore, you don't particularly root for anyone to win their cause, but you sure as hell wonder 'who' will win, as each person is so intricately described.
I'm not going to give any plot spoilers away; this is the second time I've read it now, and I'm not disappointed, in fact, I see so much more. As madness gives way to dark forces and mayhem, all the characters, be it through secrets, delusional thoughts or suspicion all affect one another, leaving one policeman to try and get to the bottom of what had transpired to make a young boy act as he does...and then there's the insects... it's Gothic at its best!
David's vivid description - the man and wife's goals entwined yet several obstacles could make them stray from their course - the opening certainly leaves you wanting to know more.
His use of names are beautifully descriptive and fitting for the dour yet eccentric characters (Mr. Fishcake, Badger, Nuckle, Pump) as are the place-names: Muchmarsh, Smudge, Grinding, StillStone, Snoringham and Thimriddy Fair. The description of Theodore Stubbs's collection of insects makes you feel as though they are in front of you, so complete is the imagery and this is the same throughout the whole book; it's like a beautiful painting that you can't stop peering at!
Most of the characters are objectionable people and there isn't one redeeming feature among them, so therefore, you don't particularly root for anyone to win their cause, but you sure as hell wonder 'who' will win, as each person is so intricately described.
I'm not going to give any plot spoilers away; this is the second time I've read it now, and I'm not disappointed, in fact, I see so much more. As madness gives way to dark forces and mayhem, all the characters, be it through secrets, delusional thoughts or suspicion all affect one another, leaving one policeman to try and get to the bottom of what had transpired to make a young boy act as he does...and then there's the insects... it's Gothic at its best!
March 7, 2017
It's a surprise for a mystery.
The language of the book itself is incredibly saturated in detail and Tim Burton-esque imagery.
Above all, it gives you a sense of vulnerability between the affected characters. It also makes you loathe the capability of man and the emotional weakness in women. The innocence of young are the only means you can truly grip with sentiment for. Characters like Abergail and Alastair makes me desire a sense of rebellion in this estranged control within the majority of adult like authority. There are so many gaps that are featured as obstacles and the struggle of fragility is always suspended over a character like Alastair.
Insects... I don't know whether they're considered negative influences in the characters' lives or whether they are victims themselves of these fragile means. However, Alastair's perspective shines radiance into them no matter how many legs they have.
The language of the book itself is incredibly saturated in detail and Tim Burton-esque imagery.
Above all, it gives you a sense of vulnerability between the affected characters. It also makes you loathe the capability of man and the emotional weakness in women. The innocence of young are the only means you can truly grip with sentiment for. Characters like Abergail and Alastair makes me desire a sense of rebellion in this estranged control within the majority of adult like authority. There are so many gaps that are featured as obstacles and the struggle of fragility is always suspended over a character like Alastair.
Insects... I don't know whether they're considered negative influences in the characters' lives or whether they are victims themselves of these fragile means. However, Alastair's perspective shines radiance into them no matter how many legs they have.
February 2, 2017
This started out strong. Fun, descriptive, and compelling. Part Two was a bit different, and nearing the end, I was looking forward to it. Fantasy, and magical realism isn't my favorite, so that may have colored my opinion. I just think it got carried away.
January 6, 2025
“The Unusual Possession of Alastair Stubb” is a gripping gothic horror novel that melds supernatural possession with psychological terror. Set in Victorian-era Muchmarsh, David Griffin’s entomological tale follows thirteen-year-old Alastair Stubb as he becomes possessed by his grandfather Theodore’s vengeful spirit.
Griffin excels at creating a brooding, Dickensian atmosphere without knocking the reader over the head with details. His descriptions bring alive the village of Muchmarsh – from the abandoned church with its sinister crypts to the manor house’s sinister attic. The writing engages all senses, whether depicting the musty reek of rotting wood or the chitinous horror of supernatural insect swarms that plague the village, which is the mark of a competent writer.
The plot interweaves two timelines masterfully. Thirteen years before the main events, Theodore Stubb faked his death and orchestrated his daughter-in-law Eleanor’s descent into madness, only to meet his own demise in the church crypts. In the present, young Alastair’s gradual possession unfolds through increasingly disturbing incidents as Theodore attempts to use him for revenge.
The elements of psychological horror and loss of control in this book are particularly memorable. Griffin blurs the line between supernatural events and mental illness – Eleanor’s transformation into the deranged “Queenie” mirrors Alastair’s possession, while William’s alcoholic spiral represents another, subtler kind of haunting. The novel explores how trauma and evil pass between generations. Griffin’s use of insects as a recurring motif is both inspired and creepy. The supernatural swarms serve as visible manifestations of corruption, reaching horrifying crescendos during key scenes, such as the novel’s climactic confrontation in the church crypts.
The supporting characters are also vividly drawn, from Florence Dripping and her hidden daughter Abergail to the menacing Brood Stilt and bumbling Constable Flute. The village itself emerges as a character itself at times, its web of relationships and secrets deepening the gothic atmosphere.
An ambitious novel from the start, the Victorian setting feels well-drawn without drowning in period detail. Griffin captures both the rigid social constraints and simmering tensions of the era, using them to heighten the horror. While the middle section’s pacing occasionally slackens, the psychological complexity and foreboding atmosphere maintain tension throughout. The novel rewards attentive reading with subtle hints that gain significance as the full scope of past events comes to light.
“The Unusual Possession of Alastair Stubb” succeeds both as supernatural horror and as an exploration of family trauma, madness, and the weight of history. It’s a distinctive addition to the gothic genre that will satisfy readers who appreciate atmospheric writing, complex characters, and horror that operates on multiple levels.
Griffin excels at creating a brooding, Dickensian atmosphere without knocking the reader over the head with details. His descriptions bring alive the village of Muchmarsh – from the abandoned church with its sinister crypts to the manor house’s sinister attic. The writing engages all senses, whether depicting the musty reek of rotting wood or the chitinous horror of supernatural insect swarms that plague the village, which is the mark of a competent writer.
The plot interweaves two timelines masterfully. Thirteen years before the main events, Theodore Stubb faked his death and orchestrated his daughter-in-law Eleanor’s descent into madness, only to meet his own demise in the church crypts. In the present, young Alastair’s gradual possession unfolds through increasingly disturbing incidents as Theodore attempts to use him for revenge.
The elements of psychological horror and loss of control in this book are particularly memorable. Griffin blurs the line between supernatural events and mental illness – Eleanor’s transformation into the deranged “Queenie” mirrors Alastair’s possession, while William’s alcoholic spiral represents another, subtler kind of haunting. The novel explores how trauma and evil pass between generations. Griffin’s use of insects as a recurring motif is both inspired and creepy. The supernatural swarms serve as visible manifestations of corruption, reaching horrifying crescendos during key scenes, such as the novel’s climactic confrontation in the church crypts.
The supporting characters are also vividly drawn, from Florence Dripping and her hidden daughter Abergail to the menacing Brood Stilt and bumbling Constable Flute. The village itself emerges as a character itself at times, its web of relationships and secrets deepening the gothic atmosphere.
An ambitious novel from the start, the Victorian setting feels well-drawn without drowning in period detail. Griffin captures both the rigid social constraints and simmering tensions of the era, using them to heighten the horror. While the middle section’s pacing occasionally slackens, the psychological complexity and foreboding atmosphere maintain tension throughout. The novel rewards attentive reading with subtle hints that gain significance as the full scope of past events comes to light.
“The Unusual Possession of Alastair Stubb” succeeds both as supernatural horror and as an exploration of family trauma, madness, and the weight of history. It’s a distinctive addition to the gothic genre that will satisfy readers who appreciate atmospheric writing, complex characters, and horror that operates on multiple levels.
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