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Such Pretty Things
A terrifying story of ghosts and grief, perfect for fans of Shirley Jackon's The Haunting of Hill House and Henry James's The Turn of the Screw, in award-winning author Lisa Heathfield's first adult novel.
Clara and her younger brother Stephen are taken by their father to stay with their aunt and uncle in a remote house in the hills as their mother recovers from an accident. At first, they see it as a summer to explore. There's the train set in the basement, the walled garden with its secret graves and beyond it all the silent loch, steady and waiting.
Auntie has wanted them for so long—real children with hair to brush and arms to slip into the clothes made just for them. All those hours washing, polishing, preparing beds and pickling fruit and now Clara and Stephen are here, like a miracle, on her doorstep.
But the reality of two children—their noise, their mess, their casual cruelties–begins to overwhelm Auntie. The children begin to uncover things Auntie had thought left buried, and Clara can feel her brother slipping away from her. This hastily created new family finds itself falling apart, with terrifying consequences for them all.
Such Pretty Things is a deeply chilling and haunting story about the slow shattering nature of grief, displacement, jealousy and an overwhelming desire to love and be loved.
Clara and her younger brother Stephen are taken by their father to stay with their aunt and uncle in a remote house in the hills as their mother recovers from an accident. At first, they see it as a summer to explore. There's the train set in the basement, the walled garden with its secret graves and beyond it all the silent loch, steady and waiting.
Auntie has wanted them for so long—real children with hair to brush and arms to slip into the clothes made just for them. All those hours washing, polishing, preparing beds and pickling fruit and now Clara and Stephen are here, like a miracle, on her doorstep.
But the reality of two children—their noise, their mess, their casual cruelties–begins to overwhelm Auntie. The children begin to uncover things Auntie had thought left buried, and Clara can feel her brother slipping away from her. This hastily created new family finds itself falling apart, with terrifying consequences for them all.
Such Pretty Things is a deeply chilling and haunting story about the slow shattering nature of grief, displacement, jealousy and an overwhelming desire to love and be loved.
304 pages, Paperback
First published April 13, 2021
9 people are currently reading
931 people want to read
About the author
Lisa Heathfield
8 books269 followersBefore becoming a mum to her three sons, Lisa Heathfield was a secondary school English teacher and loved inspiring teenagers to read.
Award-winning author Lisa Heathfield launched her career with SEED in 2015. Published by Egmont it is a stunning YA debut about a life in cult. PAPER BUTTERFLIES is her beautiful and heart-breaking second novel. FLIGHT OF A STARLING is another heart-breaking read with an important message.
Lisa lives in Brighton with her family.
Award-winning author Lisa Heathfield launched her career with SEED in 2015. Published by Egmont it is a stunning YA debut about a life in cult. PAPER BUTTERFLIES is her beautiful and heart-breaking second novel. FLIGHT OF A STARLING is another heart-breaking read with an important message.
Lisa lives in Brighton with her family.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 82 reviews
April 10, 2021
Lisa Heathfield is an author I have previously read from and adored. Her previous publications resided in the YA contemporary genre, which isn't my usual go to and yet I was completely engaged with her emotional creations. This is, I believe, the author's first foray into both the horror genre and the sphere of adult writing. I found it a brilliantly complex and inventive novel and was pleased to find the same emotional intensity present here, as well.
Part of this emotion was brought to the reader through the storyline but mostly it was evoked through Heathfield's writing. Her characters, including how they moved and what they felt, were authentically summoned for the reader through turns of phrase and descriptions that really brought this book to life. For example, when describing fear, Heathfield depicts her characters as so:
"Clara tastes the strength of her heartbeat pressing into her throat, her tongue. Stephen is circle-eyed in the gloom."
My only desire for this novel is for the plot to have continued to mirror the early gloomy atmosphere. I found it a sinister read throughout but wanted more tension present in the scenes, to keep me reading at the edge of my seat. I wanted more shifting shadows, more bumps in the night, and more half-glimpsed at movements. Basically, I longed for the usual horrifying spectacles to occur, alongside the more nuanced psychological ones happening concurrently. The novel also seemed to end a little abruptly for me and I wanted a further exploration for the calamitous events, in the concluding quarter.
Despite this, I still enjoyed myself in this clever, little novel and still find this an author one I long to return to, whenever she has anything new to offer her eager readers.
I recieved a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, Lisa Heathfield, and the publisher, Titan Books, for this opportunity.
Part of this emotion was brought to the reader through the storyline but mostly it was evoked through Heathfield's writing. Her characters, including how they moved and what they felt, were authentically summoned for the reader through turns of phrase and descriptions that really brought this book to life. For example, when describing fear, Heathfield depicts her characters as so:
"Clara tastes the strength of her heartbeat pressing into her throat, her tongue. Stephen is circle-eyed in the gloom."
My only desire for this novel is for the plot to have continued to mirror the early gloomy atmosphere. I found it a sinister read throughout but wanted more tension present in the scenes, to keep me reading at the edge of my seat. I wanted more shifting shadows, more bumps in the night, and more half-glimpsed at movements. Basically, I longed for the usual horrifying spectacles to occur, alongside the more nuanced psychological ones happening concurrently. The novel also seemed to end a little abruptly for me and I wanted a further exploration for the calamitous events, in the concluding quarter.
Despite this, I still enjoyed myself in this clever, little novel and still find this an author one I long to return to, whenever she has anything new to offer her eager readers.
I recieved a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, Lisa Heathfield, and the publisher, Titan Books, for this opportunity.
March 30, 2021
Such Pretty Things is a thriller of human drama with a weird tie-in horror elements that unfortunately fit awkwardly as they are only introduced into this mess without ever bearing fruit.
I really do like the premise of the book. The description provided by the publisher is of an enticing human drama.
Unfortunately, the author fails to build upon it. The beginning is so slow it continues up to about 60% into the book. None of the characters are relatable, not in their grief, nor sadness, loneliness, etc. They all act weirdly to the point of conversations making little to no sense, and the overall thought process of the main character Clara, whose point of view presents most of the book, read like a chat bot - tends to forget how she felt three sentences ago while still following the "same" train of thought and jumps into extraordinarily weird conclusions.
Then we get some kinda supernatural things thrown in, but not really, but kinda yes. It's infuriating, as the book swerves between "is it ghosts", "is it mental health", as it tries to prove both before it drives itself into a wall.
And then comes the conclusion, of one chapter which goes through more twists and turns than the whole book, running into the same issues all over again. And then we get the most confusing and overall bad ending of bad books I've had the stomach to finish, which sounded like the last 50 or so (given the length of ~179) pages were lost and rewritten into 5-10. There's no reward at the end, there's not one thing uncovered in the end, all the "mysteries" stay a mystery and it feels like the author has no idea what happened in her own story.
Don't get me wrong - a vague ending can be so good, if done well - for example, I wouldn't say any of Murakami's fiction books ever end with anything but vagueness, but the style is different and they are at least though provoking.
Overall, I would just not recommend this book at all. I really think the author should try again and actually work trough the story - the concept is so promising it's sad to see it wasted.
*Thanks to NetGalley and Titan Books for providing me with an ARC of this title in exchange for an honest review.*
I really do like the premise of the book. The description provided by the publisher is of an enticing human drama.
Unfortunately, the author fails to build upon it. The beginning is so slow it continues up to about 60% into the book. None of the characters are relatable, not in their grief, nor sadness, loneliness, etc. They all act weirdly to the point of conversations making little to no sense, and the overall thought process of the main character Clara, whose point of view presents most of the book, read like a chat bot - tends to forget how she felt three sentences ago while still following the "same" train of thought and jumps into extraordinarily weird conclusions.
Then we get some kinda supernatural things thrown in, but not really, but kinda yes. It's infuriating, as the book swerves between "is it ghosts", "is it mental health", as it tries to prove both before it drives itself into a wall.
And then comes the conclusion, of one chapter which goes through more twists and turns than the whole book, running into the same issues all over again. And then we get the most confusing and overall bad ending of bad books I've had the stomach to finish, which sounded like the last 50 or so (given the length of ~179) pages were lost and rewritten into 5-10. There's no reward at the end, there's not one thing uncovered in the end, all the "mysteries" stay a mystery and it feels like the author has no idea what happened in her own story.
Don't get me wrong - a vague ending can be so good, if done well - for example, I wouldn't say any of Murakami's fiction books ever end with anything but vagueness, but the style is different and they are at least though provoking.
Overall, I would just not recommend this book at all. I really think the author should try again and actually work trough the story - the concept is so promising it's sad to see it wasted.
*Thanks to NetGalley and Titan Books for providing me with an ARC of this title in exchange for an honest review.*
July 21, 2021
Beautifully written, slow - yes, deeply unsettling. The ending will stay with me for some time.
April 13, 2021
3 of 5 stars
https://lynns-books.com/2021/04/13/su...
My Five Word TL:DR Review : Dark Depiction of Overwhelming Grief
Such Pretty Things is a slowly unfolding horror story that speaks more of dealing with grief and the dark thoughts that haunt a person after suffering loss than the actual physical manifestation of ghosts. As the story begins, two children, Clara and Stephen, are being taken to their aunt and uncle’s house to be cared for. Their mother has suffered a terrible accident and their father is unable to cope with work and all the other responsibilities and so has asked the family to step in for a short while.
The children are dropped off and, after their father almost breaks his neck rushing to get out of the place, the strangeness of the situation really starts to set in. The children have never met their aunt and uncle before. They live in a large remote house, the family home in fact, kept in absolutely pristine condition by their aunt who seems a little obsessive about rules and cleanliness. The two share a bedroom that has been set up like something from a fairytale with ribbons on the curtains and freshly sewn clothes hanging in the wardrobes. It’s a little too perfect and the children are unsure how to behave. Their aunt has many rules and although they don’t meet their uncle it’s clear that he is unhappy with the arrangement and his disapproval seems to hang over them all causing a feeling of dread.
Slowly but surely things begin to unravel. Their aunt may long to hear the patter of tiny feet but her daydreams bear little resemblance to the reality of actual looking after children. Particularly two children who are themselves coming to terms with the fact their mother may not survive. The two misbehave, they break things and cause a mess, they don’t eat properly, their manners leave something to be desired and they can be unintentionally cruel. The strain between the three is quite intense in the first few chapters. The children frequently sneak out, unsupervised, to explore the grounds and their aunt’s dwindling grip on control is stretched to breaking point. Then things begin to shift. Clara is a teenager and openly rebels against her aunt, refusing to wear plaits in her hair and pretty dresses with frills, as the two embark on a strange contest of wills Stephen’s loyalty begins to shift towards his aunt. He’s much younger than Clara and wants to feel the familiar embrace of adult care. His gradual shift only adds to the tension, Clara is jealous of his affection and their aunt feels empowered by the turn of events, inflicting more punishments on Clara until eventually the two siblings are split up on an almost continuous basis.
There really is a lot to like about this book. The writing and descriptions are fantastic. Heathfield’s ability to create a densely oppressive atmosphere and ever growing sense of dread is simply superb. I thought all the characters came across well and the setting with the large house and gardens really played into the sense of isolation lending credibility to the way of life depicted.
However, in spite of their being so much to love here, the large house and estate with plenty of secrets waiting to be discovered, the superb atmosphere that is almost suffocatingly tense and the clear unravelling of the aunt’s mental stability I found myself not as enamoured with the latter half of the book as the first and I’d love to pin down why that is.
I think in a nutshell there’s a slight over ambition taking place here or perhaps a cluttering of too many ideas. The start is just brilliant. It’s really well set up. You can feel the aunt slowly becoming more and more unstable and there are also a few indicators here and there about one of the children (though I won’t point out which one). But then, I felt like the plot became too convoluted. One of the aspects I’d already guessed at but for the final few chapters it felt like there was a bombardment of ideas taking place and, although I was still absolutely gripped, some of the reveals felt unnecessary, like the set up and the mental health issues that were clearly escalating out of control, were enough by themselves. I have to confess, although I didn’t particularly like the ending, I think it veered into too much horror for my liking, I admit that I couldn’t drag my eyes away. It was perfectly horrible.
I certainly didn’t dislike Such Pretty Things but I think it reminded me less of Shirley Jackson’s Haunting of Hill House and more of Neil Gaiman’s Coraline. The aunt undoubtedly put me in mind of ‘the other mother’ and gave off a sinister vibe, at first sugar coated with perfection but slowly revealing a dreadful instability that pushed her to dark extremes. I certainly wouldn’t discourage others from reading this, it’s very easy to read and I will undoubtedly look out for more work by this author. I think it was maybe a little too much ‘horror’ for me and I didn’t love all the eventual reveals but that could very easily be an ‘it’s me not you’ type of occurence.
I received a copy through Netgalley, courtesy of the publisher, for which my thanks. The above is my own opinion.
https://lynns-books.com/2021/04/13/su...
My Five Word TL:DR Review : Dark Depiction of Overwhelming Grief
Such Pretty Things is a slowly unfolding horror story that speaks more of dealing with grief and the dark thoughts that haunt a person after suffering loss than the actual physical manifestation of ghosts. As the story begins, two children, Clara and Stephen, are being taken to their aunt and uncle’s house to be cared for. Their mother has suffered a terrible accident and their father is unable to cope with work and all the other responsibilities and so has asked the family to step in for a short while.
The children are dropped off and, after their father almost breaks his neck rushing to get out of the place, the strangeness of the situation really starts to set in. The children have never met their aunt and uncle before. They live in a large remote house, the family home in fact, kept in absolutely pristine condition by their aunt who seems a little obsessive about rules and cleanliness. The two share a bedroom that has been set up like something from a fairytale with ribbons on the curtains and freshly sewn clothes hanging in the wardrobes. It’s a little too perfect and the children are unsure how to behave. Their aunt has many rules and although they don’t meet their uncle it’s clear that he is unhappy with the arrangement and his disapproval seems to hang over them all causing a feeling of dread.
Slowly but surely things begin to unravel. Their aunt may long to hear the patter of tiny feet but her daydreams bear little resemblance to the reality of actual looking after children. Particularly two children who are themselves coming to terms with the fact their mother may not survive. The two misbehave, they break things and cause a mess, they don’t eat properly, their manners leave something to be desired and they can be unintentionally cruel. The strain between the three is quite intense in the first few chapters. The children frequently sneak out, unsupervised, to explore the grounds and their aunt’s dwindling grip on control is stretched to breaking point. Then things begin to shift. Clara is a teenager and openly rebels against her aunt, refusing to wear plaits in her hair and pretty dresses with frills, as the two embark on a strange contest of wills Stephen’s loyalty begins to shift towards his aunt. He’s much younger than Clara and wants to feel the familiar embrace of adult care. His gradual shift only adds to the tension, Clara is jealous of his affection and their aunt feels empowered by the turn of events, inflicting more punishments on Clara until eventually the two siblings are split up on an almost continuous basis.
There really is a lot to like about this book. The writing and descriptions are fantastic. Heathfield’s ability to create a densely oppressive atmosphere and ever growing sense of dread is simply superb. I thought all the characters came across well and the setting with the large house and gardens really played into the sense of isolation lending credibility to the way of life depicted.
However, in spite of their being so much to love here, the large house and estate with plenty of secrets waiting to be discovered, the superb atmosphere that is almost suffocatingly tense and the clear unravelling of the aunt’s mental stability I found myself not as enamoured with the latter half of the book as the first and I’d love to pin down why that is.
I think in a nutshell there’s a slight over ambition taking place here or perhaps a cluttering of too many ideas. The start is just brilliant. It’s really well set up. You can feel the aunt slowly becoming more and more unstable and there are also a few indicators here and there about one of the children (though I won’t point out which one). But then, I felt like the plot became too convoluted. One of the aspects I’d already guessed at but for the final few chapters it felt like there was a bombardment of ideas taking place and, although I was still absolutely gripped, some of the reveals felt unnecessary, like the set up and the mental health issues that were clearly escalating out of control, were enough by themselves. I have to confess, although I didn’t particularly like the ending, I think it veered into too much horror for my liking, I admit that I couldn’t drag my eyes away. It was perfectly horrible.
I certainly didn’t dislike Such Pretty Things but I think it reminded me less of Shirley Jackson’s Haunting of Hill House and more of Neil Gaiman’s Coraline. The aunt undoubtedly put me in mind of ‘the other mother’ and gave off a sinister vibe, at first sugar coated with perfection but slowly revealing a dreadful instability that pushed her to dark extremes. I certainly wouldn’t discourage others from reading this, it’s very easy to read and I will undoubtedly look out for more work by this author. I think it was maybe a little too much ‘horror’ for me and I didn’t love all the eventual reveals but that could very easily be an ‘it’s me not you’ type of occurence.
I received a copy through Netgalley, courtesy of the publisher, for which my thanks. The above is my own opinion.
May 28, 2025
3.75 rounded up to 4.
I had such great hopes for this book. The writing is sublime and it ticks a lot of my boxes dealing with grief, displacement and jealousy, all set in a remote house near a Scottish loch where two children find themselves after their mother is hospitalised. The atmosphere is on point throughout but about three quarters through the plot wanders a little and although I'm a fan of ambiguous endings this one left too many questions unanswered for me.
I had such great hopes for this book. The writing is sublime and it ticks a lot of my boxes dealing with grief, displacement and jealousy, all set in a remote house near a Scottish loch where two children find themselves after their mother is hospitalised. The atmosphere is on point throughout but about three quarters through the plot wanders a little and although I'm a fan of ambiguous endings this one left too many questions unanswered for me.
May 13, 2021
3.75/4🌟 (I can't make up my mind 😬)
Dark tense, claustrophobic....and delicious. Quite a slow burn but the last 50 pages make up for that. A quiet but affecting psychological horror whose ending lingers.
Dark tense, claustrophobic....and delicious. Quite a slow burn but the last 50 pages make up for that. A quiet but affecting psychological horror whose ending lingers.
Read
August 3, 2023I received an ARC of this book thanks to NetGalley and publisher Titan Books in exchange for an honest review.
This book is intense. Think Flowers in the Attic but with considerably more bite.
Such Pretty Things is the tale of Clara and Stephen, two children who get sent to live with their mysterious aunt after a horrifying incident has left their mother in a coma. With no children of her own, their aunt is overly invested in caring for the pair of them. Unfortunately she does not know how to cope when they don't fit into her ideal, and the children have a knack of being unknowingly cruel to her in return.
The atmosphere of this book was fantastic. This is the kind of horror rooted firmly in real life, in the awful ways relationships can crumble and obsessive thoughts can lead to tragedy. Very early in the book, you learn as a reader that the aunt has had several miscarriages hence her strong desire to bond with the children. The children however do not know this and the resulting social mishaps are full of tension and a building sense of doom. Additionally, Stephen and Clara's bond as siblings is put under increasing strain as they grow apart in their views of their aunt and their new situation. Almost all of the horror of this book comes from the familial relationships, and it is executed excellently.
Overall, if you enjoy horror built from human nature and a creeping sense of uncertain dread, this is the book for you. It is a deliciously slow burn and yet good enough that I read it almost entirely one sitting. I loved every minute of it
Overall Rating: 4/5 stars
This book is intense. Think Flowers in the Attic but with considerably more bite.
Such Pretty Things is the tale of Clara and Stephen, two children who get sent to live with their mysterious aunt after a horrifying incident has left their mother in a coma. With no children of her own, their aunt is overly invested in caring for the pair of them. Unfortunately she does not know how to cope when they don't fit into her ideal, and the children have a knack of being unknowingly cruel to her in return.
The atmosphere of this book was fantastic. This is the kind of horror rooted firmly in real life, in the awful ways relationships can crumble and obsessive thoughts can lead to tragedy. Very early in the book, you learn as a reader that the aunt has had several miscarriages hence her strong desire to bond with the children. The children however do not know this and the resulting social mishaps are full of tension and a building sense of doom. Additionally, Stephen and Clara's bond as siblings is put under increasing strain as they grow apart in their views of their aunt and their new situation. Almost all of the horror of this book comes from the familial relationships, and it is executed excellently.
Overall, if you enjoy horror built from human nature and a creeping sense of uncertain dread, this is the book for you. It is a deliciously slow burn and yet good enough that I read it almost entirely one sitting. I loved every minute of it
Overall Rating: 4/5 stars
January 25, 2022
3.5 stars. Tbh I’m still trying to decide whether I actually understand everything that happened in this one- there’s one scene in particular that doesn’t really mesh with the ending, but maybe I’m misreading something.
The atmosphere is spot on though, and the creepy intensity is really well done.
I would probably recommend this one to someone who enjoys psychological thrillers and is looking to dip their toes into the horror genre.
I would also look into trigger warnings if you require them too.
The atmosphere is spot on though, and the creepy intensity is really well done.
I would probably recommend this one to someone who enjoys psychological thrillers and is looking to dip their toes into the horror genre.
I would also look into trigger warnings if you require them too.
May 2, 2021
3.5 stars. Such Pretty Things is a dark, devastating horror with such lovely writing that I’m almost tempted to overlook its flaws. The gloomy house is the perfect setting for this story. There’s a looming sense of dread in the air and the tension is palpable. Why is there a graveyard in the garden? What are the creepy dolls in the house? Where is their uncle? Clara’s protectiveness towards Stephen clashes with Auntie’s desire for them to follow her rules. I loved the siblings’ relationship and I just wanted them to be okay!
This isn’t an easy book to read as it deals with child abuse and traumatic losses. It’s an exploration of how grief manifests and a study of a woman’s descend into madness. Unfortunately, the plot unravels towards the end where the line between what’s real and what’s supernatural becomes blurry. The odd things we’ve seen are not explained. I don’t mind vague endings but after the characters have gone through so much, I wish there’s a sense of closure. Don’t read this if you’re in a sad mood!
CW: child abuse, animal deaths, miscarriages
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for a review copy.
book blog | twitter | instagram
This isn’t an easy book to read as it deals with child abuse and traumatic losses. It’s an exploration of how grief manifests and a study of a woman’s descend into madness. Unfortunately, the plot unravels towards the end where the line between what’s real and what’s supernatural becomes blurry. The odd things we’ve seen are not explained. I don’t mind vague endings but after the characters have gone through so much, I wish there’s a sense of closure. Don’t read this if you’re in a sad mood!
CW: child abuse, animal deaths, miscarriages
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for a review copy.
book blog | twitter | instagram
April 3, 2021
After an accident involving their mother, Cara and her brother Stephen are sent to live with their aunt and uncle. They’ve never met, and yet are thrust into the bosom of their mother’s childhood home. Things are different, and though each looks forward to the experience it soon becomes clear that things will not go as either side hoped.
A rather languid start sets up the oppressive atmosphere in the new home. Cara and Stephen are expected to follow their aunt’s rules. Though she desperately wants them, nothing prepares her for the reality of children. The noise, the capriciousness and the conflict from someone trying to assert their own will on a situation. They never meet their uncle, but his presence is felt through the rules enforced.
Cara fights their new reality. She becomes increasingly upset. Stephen, desperate for a mother’s love, is more willing to adapt his behaviour.
As the children adjust to their new home we are given details that indicate that their aunt is struggling with her mental health after suffering miscarriages/deaths of her five pregnancies.
After what seems like a long time, we start to see things unravel in spectacular fashion. Genuinely creepy at this point, and it would have been great to have seen this element introduced earlier/perhaps offering a little more background to their lives. By the time we’re privy to what’s happening, it’s too late to do anything other than look on in horror and wonder how such a thing could happen without anyone being alerted to the oddness of the situation.
Thanks to NetGalley for granting me access to this prior to publication.
A rather languid start sets up the oppressive atmosphere in the new home. Cara and Stephen are expected to follow their aunt’s rules. Though she desperately wants them, nothing prepares her for the reality of children. The noise, the capriciousness and the conflict from someone trying to assert their own will on a situation. They never meet their uncle, but his presence is felt through the rules enforced.
Cara fights their new reality. She becomes increasingly upset. Stephen, desperate for a mother’s love, is more willing to adapt his behaviour.
As the children adjust to their new home we are given details that indicate that their aunt is struggling with her mental health after suffering miscarriages/deaths of her five pregnancies.
After what seems like a long time, we start to see things unravel in spectacular fashion. Genuinely creepy at this point, and it would have been great to have seen this element introduced earlier/perhaps offering a little more background to their lives. By the time we’re privy to what’s happening, it’s too late to do anything other than look on in horror and wonder how such a thing could happen without anyone being alerted to the oddness of the situation.
Thanks to NetGalley for granting me access to this prior to publication.
October 27, 2021
Woah - what a wicked story...
The best parts of the story are, that you know the demise of certain people - but it is up to you to "just know", since nobody tells you what exactly happened to those people...BUT YOU KNOW ANYWAYS !!!
This was a very super-creepy story...
So there's a brother and sister that almost lost their mom in a fire...and currently mom is in the hospital, sounding like she's in a coma.
So dad takes the kids to their auntie and uncle in the country, which are living in the house the kids' mom grew up in...
Looks like, there are some family secrets...and while the uncle supposedly does not want to see his niece and nephew, auntie is taking care of them.
Auntie has her own cross to bare and it looks like, she was never able to have (living/surviving) children - instead has a mini graveyard on site, where all her babies seem to be.
Auntie wants to make her sister's kids her own, it seems...
But there's a lot more to this...
Weird dolls, sewn (by auntie) clothes for the new children, food that's a little yucky and fatty at times...fish eyes in the stew...
Just weird things happening - not so much ghostly, but more psychologically - or should I say Psychotically ?
One thing's for sure:
This story has a 100% creepy guarantee and from that factor alone, it was enjoyable - in a sickening way, or course !
Pick yourself up a copy:
I would like to know, what you think !
No - honestly:
If you read this book, please leave me a comment, because this book is most definitely something to talk about...
The best parts of the story are, that you know the demise of certain people - but it is up to you to "just know", since nobody tells you what exactly happened to those people...BUT YOU KNOW ANYWAYS !!!
This was a very super-creepy story...
So there's a brother and sister that almost lost their mom in a fire...and currently mom is in the hospital, sounding like she's in a coma.
So dad takes the kids to their auntie and uncle in the country, which are living in the house the kids' mom grew up in...
Looks like, there are some family secrets...and while the uncle supposedly does not want to see his niece and nephew, auntie is taking care of them.
Auntie has her own cross to bare and it looks like, she was never able to have (living/surviving) children - instead has a mini graveyard on site, where all her babies seem to be.
Auntie wants to make her sister's kids her own, it seems...
But there's a lot more to this...
Weird dolls, sewn (by auntie) clothes for the new children, food that's a little yucky and fatty at times...fish eyes in the stew...
Just weird things happening - not so much ghostly, but more psychologically - or should I say Psychotically ?
One thing's for sure:
This story has a 100% creepy guarantee and from that factor alone, it was enjoyable - in a sickening way, or course !
Pick yourself up a copy:
I would like to know, what you think !
No - honestly:
If you read this book, please leave me a comment, because this book is most definitely something to talk about...
October 31, 2023
Such Pretty Things is a creepy book. It opens with an unsettling atmosphere that it manages to sustain throughout the majority of the novel. There tends to always be a feeling of unease, a sense that something terrible is about to happen. The power struggle between the Auntie and Clara over the affections the latter's younger brother, Stephen, leads to an interesting power dynamic as the teenager fights for authority and the elder struggles for the control of every detail.
The language for the most part is strong and vivid though a few clumsy metaphors and description occasionally break immersion. The book also struggles a fair amount with pacing with a similar structure in events repeating itself throughout each chapter. It's a slow atmospheric burn for most of the novel and then as soon as you hit a certain page number things take an unelegant twist towards an idea that has only belriefly been touched on once previously. It feels a little out of the blue considering up to that point the novels almost monocular focus on other themes and, if I'm being honest, feels a little unnecessary.
Such Pretty Things is a quick atmospheric read that immerses the reader in a bleak house in the middle of the Scottish wilderness. The author masters the tone and feel of a gothic novel and, whilst not perfect, creates a suitably chilling story to read as the long winter nights draw in.
The language for the most part is strong and vivid though a few clumsy metaphors and description occasionally break immersion. The book also struggles a fair amount with pacing with a similar structure in events repeating itself throughout each chapter. It's a slow atmospheric burn for most of the novel and then as soon as you hit a certain page number things take an unelegant twist towards an idea that has only belriefly been touched on once previously. It feels a little out of the blue considering up to that point the novels almost monocular focus on other themes and, if I'm being honest, feels a little unnecessary.
Such Pretty Things is a quick atmospheric read that immerses the reader in a bleak house in the middle of the Scottish wilderness. The author masters the tone and feel of a gothic novel and, whilst not perfect, creates a suitably chilling story to read as the long winter nights draw in.
October 10, 2022
I picked this book up based on the cover and the blurb. Normally I’d side eye someone for admitting that but this time it worked out.
I liked the set up and how as a reader you felt like you were stepping back in time.
I struggled to like any of the characters throughout though… the children were both immature but oddly astute for their age but entirely troublesome. This meant I couldn’t really root for them but Auntie is quite one note too that she is not exactly the character you want to succeed.
I enjoyed the ‘is it supernatural or is it mental health’ aspects but feel they were merely touched upon rather than being a strong focus. There’s a lot of good ideas throughout that didn’t quite live up to their premise.
I enjoyed the book overall.
3/5.
I liked the set up and how as a reader you felt like you were stepping back in time.
I struggled to like any of the characters throughout though… the children were both immature but oddly astute for their age but entirely troublesome. This meant I couldn’t really root for them but Auntie is quite one note too that she is not exactly the character you want to succeed.
I enjoyed the ‘is it supernatural or is it mental health’ aspects but feel they were merely touched upon rather than being a strong focus. There’s a lot of good ideas throughout that didn’t quite live up to their premise.
I enjoyed the book overall.
3/5.
April 27, 2021
Gothic houses, weird relatives and general spookiness usually works well for me but this tale ran out of speed too quickly and doesn’t really work as a novel for me
Full review - https://www.runalongtheshelves.net/bl...
Full review - https://www.runalongtheshelves.net/bl...
February 21, 2025
Read this in one sitting, very good. But I need some questions answered!
October 26, 2025
I got whiplash at the end of the book....wtf
April 10, 2023
It was a slow build but a good gothic horror. Wasn't expecting the twist on the final page either
May 18, 2021
As soon as I saw this cover I knew I had to read this book! Creepy dolls, a creepy Gothic house? Yes please! Did the content live up to the expectations the cover had created? Well, uhm, sort of?
Fourteen-year-old Clara and her little brother Stephen are going to live with their Auntie and Uncle for a little while, as their mum is in hospital, and will remain there for the foreseeable future, and their dad can’t cope on his own. Auntie is thrilled at their arrival, but the kids, especially Clara, less so. The house is huge, it smells funny, there are weird dolls and a somewhat lifelike boy made out of leather, and their uncle is nowhere to be seen, although his presence is palpable.
Such Pretty Things kicks off with a deliciously Gothic vibe and I felt myself drawn in. The writing is vivid and allowed me to picture the dark house perfectly, its smell, Auntie’s fragile balance, overeager and easily disappointed and just a tad off. Such Pretty Things is very atmospheric, but the atmosphere is a bit weird, a bit off, and really rather unsettling. It’s very hard to explain but it really did a number on me and my mood, I actually felt a bit off and quite unsettled myself. In that way, reading Such Pretty Things was quite an experience.
The story is bloody hard to define, and honestly? It’s a bit weird. But it did work for me. I was settling in for a horror story, I did not expect a drama. I expected ghosts, and, come to think of it, I think that’s what I got, just not in the way I thought they would present themselves. Vague, huh? All I can say is that this is not your average horror story, for me it read more like drama with hints of domestic thriller laced with horror.
If you’re in the market for in-your-face horror, gory or explicit or five ghosts or monsters a minute jumping up at you from the shadows, I’d advise you to look elsewhere cos you sure won’t find that here. However, if creepy houses, unsettling atmospheres and aunts that might be a little mad are your bag, this is the one for you. If you go in with that mindset, open-minded and open-hearted, Such Pretty Things may very well crawl under your skin, like it did mine, and be very, very tough to get rid of. Recommended, if you dare.
Such Pretty Things is out now in digital formats, audio and paperback.
Huge thanks to Titan Books and NetGalley for the eARC. All opinions are still my own.
Fourteen-year-old Clara and her little brother Stephen are going to live with their Auntie and Uncle for a little while, as their mum is in hospital, and will remain there for the foreseeable future, and their dad can’t cope on his own. Auntie is thrilled at their arrival, but the kids, especially Clara, less so. The house is huge, it smells funny, there are weird dolls and a somewhat lifelike boy made out of leather, and their uncle is nowhere to be seen, although his presence is palpable.
Such Pretty Things kicks off with a deliciously Gothic vibe and I felt myself drawn in. The writing is vivid and allowed me to picture the dark house perfectly, its smell, Auntie’s fragile balance, overeager and easily disappointed and just a tad off. Such Pretty Things is very atmospheric, but the atmosphere is a bit weird, a bit off, and really rather unsettling. It’s very hard to explain but it really did a number on me and my mood, I actually felt a bit off and quite unsettled myself. In that way, reading Such Pretty Things was quite an experience.
The story is bloody hard to define, and honestly? It’s a bit weird. But it did work for me. I was settling in for a horror story, I did not expect a drama. I expected ghosts, and, come to think of it, I think that’s what I got, just not in the way I thought they would present themselves. Vague, huh? All I can say is that this is not your average horror story, for me it read more like drama with hints of domestic thriller laced with horror.
If you’re in the market for in-your-face horror, gory or explicit or five ghosts or monsters a minute jumping up at you from the shadows, I’d advise you to look elsewhere cos you sure won’t find that here. However, if creepy houses, unsettling atmospheres and aunts that might be a little mad are your bag, this is the one for you. If you go in with that mindset, open-minded and open-hearted, Such Pretty Things may very well crawl under your skin, like it did mine, and be very, very tough to get rid of. Recommended, if you dare.
Such Pretty Things is out now in digital formats, audio and paperback.
Huge thanks to Titan Books and NetGalley for the eARC. All opinions are still my own.
January 5, 2023
Great premise and the author really managed to create an eerie and stifling atmosphere. The plot however fell a bit flat - it took a while for things to really get going and the behaviour / thought process of the characters was a bit too out there most of the time even taking into account the implied mental health challenges.
December 16, 2021
Clara and Stephen are sent by their father to spend some time with their aunt and uncle after their mother ends up in the hospital because of a fire. Auntie never had children, despite wanting them so badly for so long and she’s thrilled to have the chance of looking after her niece and nephew, but soon finds herself struggling with their disobedience, their mess, their will to be free to roam, explore and just be children. With the passing of days, things start to unravel, while Clara watches her brother change and Auntie’s past wounds start to bleed again.
I feel this book would have worked better as a short story. For three quarters of the novel, nothing much seems to happen: the same situations present themselves over and over again, sometimes in the same words. This helps to create a suffocating and uncomfortable environment and, being this book all about atmosphere and the build up to the finale, I understood this choice, but it simply didn’t work for me and I think it could have been achieved all the same in less words. In the last quarter of the book a lot happens and the pace changes completely, creating an imbalance in the narrative that shocks the reader. Despite all this, I still enjoyed the story: Lisa Heathfield rarely disappoints me, I read all her YA novels and I always appreciate that she brings to the table topics and issues that I rarely find in other books. In Such Pretty Things, her first adult novel, she delivers a haunting story of grief that will stick with you even after the last page.
I feel this book would have worked better as a short story. For three quarters of the novel, nothing much seems to happen: the same situations present themselves over and over again, sometimes in the same words. This helps to create a suffocating and uncomfortable environment and, being this book all about atmosphere and the build up to the finale, I understood this choice, but it simply didn’t work for me and I think it could have been achieved all the same in less words. In the last quarter of the book a lot happens and the pace changes completely, creating an imbalance in the narrative that shocks the reader. Despite all this, I still enjoyed the story: Lisa Heathfield rarely disappoints me, I read all her YA novels and I always appreciate that she brings to the table topics and issues that I rarely find in other books. In Such Pretty Things, her first adult novel, she delivers a haunting story of grief that will stick with you even after the last page.
August 29, 2021
An established YA author heads into decidedly darker territory with her adult debut
Your opinion on Lisa Heathfield’s adult debut Such Pretty Things may well depend upon your expectations when starting the book. It features some elements of a traditional horror novel, but there are no ghosts except within the imaginations of the characters, so the comparisons in the blurbs to the classics The Haunting of Hill House and Turn of the Screw are slightly over-egged. Other more realistic contemporary comparisons might be CJ Tudor’s The Chalk Man or Alex North’s The Whisper Man which dance around ambiguity in a similar fashion to this. Even though it does have elements of the Gothic, Such Pretty Things is more of a powerful and complex character study of grief, loss and isolation. But if you are after a good scare look elsewhere, however, this remains a thoughtful and convincing read, which is a promising adult debut.
Heathfield has previously authored four YA novels, so it is no surprise that the main character in Such Pretty Things is a fourteen-year-old girl. Clara has been sent, along with her younger brother Stephen, to live with an aunt and her husband whom they have never met, residing in an isolated part of Scotland. There has been a tragedy in the family, with her mother seriously injured and in hospital, their struggling father has sent them to live (temporarily) with their aunt, dropping them off in the novel’s opening sequence. One of the most successful aspects of the story is the level of personal grief which bubbles below the surface, Clara, who has to mother her eight-year-old brother whilst trying to be grown-up herself, has nobody to lean on herself or talk to, except her strange aunt.
Such Pretty Things was supposed to be set in Scotland, but apart from the use of the word ‘loch’ there was nothing to distinguish it from anywhere else in the UK and not enough was made of the remote setting. Children are known for exploring, but apart from one occasion when they visit a nearby loch, they barely make it beyond the expansive garden. By way of comparison, Francine Toon’s Pine (2020) was an excellent example of a recent supernatural novel which made 110% of its rugged Scottish location, an aspect this story lacked. The early stages helped build atmosphere as the children explored the interiors of the musty house, in the opening sections there were clever references to the many little dolls, which seemed to change locations, but if you are expecting something of the ilk of Adam Nevill’s House of Small Shadows (2013) you are going to be disappointed. The early promise of a supernatural tale or ghost story quickly petered out and this might disappoint some readers, but fans of the psychological have much to look forward to.
Smaller parts of the story jump to ‘Aunty’, which are italicised, although it was interesting to have this other perspective, it also provided obvious spoilers for what lay ahead. The reader knows from the outset there is something odd about the aunt and all these sections do is blatantly spell it out for the reader, whilst Clara struggles to cope. This might work in a YA novel, which the author specialises it, but for an adult reader this was telegraphed. Connected to this, the aunt makes it clear early in proceedings what ‘Uncle’ Warren does not want them in the house and although he is rarely sighted, it put the kids on edge. This aspect of the story was also very obvious, but the italicised Aunty sequences made it even more easy to figure out much earlier than the author probably intended.
The core of the novel and one of the stronger aspects of Such Pretty Things was the dynamics between the three key characters and how they evolve dramatically as things move on. Right from the off it’s clear the Aunt is an odd fish, maybe too obviously so, but it was interesting seeing the power shift via a few key, but very subtle, scenes. When a novel, such as this, has so few characters the interactions need to be spot on and it was reminiscent of Susan Hill’s I’m the King of the Castle which also played out entirely in a remote house with only two principal characters. At times Clara and Stephen deliberately antagonise their aunt by rejecting her food and instantly pick up on her agitation and on other occasions Clara feels that Stephen shows too much affection for the aunt and feels jealousy which changes the dynamics of the three-way relationship. This begins to boil deliciously as the aunt gives the children old-fashioned home-made clothes which Stephen accepts without question, but Clara rejects, leading to more friction which quickly escalates.
Even though Clara was an interesting main character there were times when she was both unlikable and annoying. The story was set in the 1950s, when food was in short supply, so I was surprised to see children continually stick their noses up at big meals and be such fussy eaters. Also, they made mistake after mistake, such as stupidly walking through the vegetable patch and other stuff which came across as either obnoxious or ungrateful, so there was little in the way of surprise when the aunt got spiky.
Such Pretty Things is a slow burner and although it lacked chills was a solid read about the trials of children, abandoned by their family, trying to negotiate the complexities of a very damaged adult world. This was a very melancholic reading experience and although there was a certain ambiguity to some of the story, my interpretation of the ending was rather shocking. The number of authors who can convincingly write both YA and adult fiction are few and far between and although Heathfield has previously written very dark fiction which tackles both cults and dystopias, she has not written a YA horror novel and continues this trend with this adult debut, a tasty dark thriller, with a topping of horror.
Your opinion on Lisa Heathfield’s adult debut Such Pretty Things may well depend upon your expectations when starting the book. It features some elements of a traditional horror novel, but there are no ghosts except within the imaginations of the characters, so the comparisons in the blurbs to the classics The Haunting of Hill House and Turn of the Screw are slightly over-egged. Other more realistic contemporary comparisons might be CJ Tudor’s The Chalk Man or Alex North’s The Whisper Man which dance around ambiguity in a similar fashion to this. Even though it does have elements of the Gothic, Such Pretty Things is more of a powerful and complex character study of grief, loss and isolation. But if you are after a good scare look elsewhere, however, this remains a thoughtful and convincing read, which is a promising adult debut.
Heathfield has previously authored four YA novels, so it is no surprise that the main character in Such Pretty Things is a fourteen-year-old girl. Clara has been sent, along with her younger brother Stephen, to live with an aunt and her husband whom they have never met, residing in an isolated part of Scotland. There has been a tragedy in the family, with her mother seriously injured and in hospital, their struggling father has sent them to live (temporarily) with their aunt, dropping them off in the novel’s opening sequence. One of the most successful aspects of the story is the level of personal grief which bubbles below the surface, Clara, who has to mother her eight-year-old brother whilst trying to be grown-up herself, has nobody to lean on herself or talk to, except her strange aunt.
Such Pretty Things was supposed to be set in Scotland, but apart from the use of the word ‘loch’ there was nothing to distinguish it from anywhere else in the UK and not enough was made of the remote setting. Children are known for exploring, but apart from one occasion when they visit a nearby loch, they barely make it beyond the expansive garden. By way of comparison, Francine Toon’s Pine (2020) was an excellent example of a recent supernatural novel which made 110% of its rugged Scottish location, an aspect this story lacked. The early stages helped build atmosphere as the children explored the interiors of the musty house, in the opening sections there were clever references to the many little dolls, which seemed to change locations, but if you are expecting something of the ilk of Adam Nevill’s House of Small Shadows (2013) you are going to be disappointed. The early promise of a supernatural tale or ghost story quickly petered out and this might disappoint some readers, but fans of the psychological have much to look forward to.
Smaller parts of the story jump to ‘Aunty’, which are italicised, although it was interesting to have this other perspective, it also provided obvious spoilers for what lay ahead. The reader knows from the outset there is something odd about the aunt and all these sections do is blatantly spell it out for the reader, whilst Clara struggles to cope. This might work in a YA novel, which the author specialises it, but for an adult reader this was telegraphed. Connected to this, the aunt makes it clear early in proceedings what ‘Uncle’ Warren does not want them in the house and although he is rarely sighted, it put the kids on edge. This aspect of the story was also very obvious, but the italicised Aunty sequences made it even more easy to figure out much earlier than the author probably intended.
The core of the novel and one of the stronger aspects of Such Pretty Things was the dynamics between the three key characters and how they evolve dramatically as things move on. Right from the off it’s clear the Aunt is an odd fish, maybe too obviously so, but it was interesting seeing the power shift via a few key, but very subtle, scenes. When a novel, such as this, has so few characters the interactions need to be spot on and it was reminiscent of Susan Hill’s I’m the King of the Castle which also played out entirely in a remote house with only two principal characters. At times Clara and Stephen deliberately antagonise their aunt by rejecting her food and instantly pick up on her agitation and on other occasions Clara feels that Stephen shows too much affection for the aunt and feels jealousy which changes the dynamics of the three-way relationship. This begins to boil deliciously as the aunt gives the children old-fashioned home-made clothes which Stephen accepts without question, but Clara rejects, leading to more friction which quickly escalates.
Even though Clara was an interesting main character there were times when she was both unlikable and annoying. The story was set in the 1950s, when food was in short supply, so I was surprised to see children continually stick their noses up at big meals and be such fussy eaters. Also, they made mistake after mistake, such as stupidly walking through the vegetable patch and other stuff which came across as either obnoxious or ungrateful, so there was little in the way of surprise when the aunt got spiky.
Such Pretty Things is a slow burner and although it lacked chills was a solid read about the trials of children, abandoned by their family, trying to negotiate the complexities of a very damaged adult world. This was a very melancholic reading experience and although there was a certain ambiguity to some of the story, my interpretation of the ending was rather shocking. The number of authors who can convincingly write both YA and adult fiction are few and far between and although Heathfield has previously written very dark fiction which tackles both cults and dystopias, she has not written a YA horror novel and continues this trend with this adult debut, a tasty dark thriller, with a topping of horror.
May 13, 2021
Just finished this book and I loved it. I must admit I am a fan of Lisa Heathfield’s books. They are always beautifully written and tackle painful and deeply emotional issues with great sensitivity. So I was excited to read her first adult book. This is a brilliantly creepy story with a suffocating sense of building horror. The characters are strange and unnerving and the tension grows as the relationships unravel. Creepy at its best. I couldn’t put it down.
March 17, 2024
This was a quick and interesting read with a creepy atmosphere and an ending 50 pages that packs a punch. I don't think that the narrative did anything particularly groundbreaking but I enjoyed my time with it and would check out the author in future.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.
January 6, 2022
I am not sure if it went in subliminally, and then I forgot that I had made such a link, but 'Turn Of The Screw', with 2 vulnerable children at risk , and haunted , was where my mind went to when I picked up my gifted copy of 'Such Pretty Things'. So it was a bit of a shock reading the link in the Goodreads synopsis of this book, where Shirley Jackson and James' masterpiece are referenced. Also, we have been watching all the sublime 'Ghost Stories at the Beeb' on the iPlayer, where many of James' stories are given adaptations that leave you looking deeper into the shadows as you climb up to bed, and the wind whistling around the house seems almost sinister...
The gothic sensibilities of this novel are accelerated by the lack of a precise time frame, giving the impression that it could happen any where, and at any time frame. Stephen and Carla (Is there a Dr Who reference there, or has my super nerdy brain joined the names where they are just siblings?) are deposited at theur Auntie's house , in the middle of nowhere. Unable to take care of their mother who is hospitalised after a fire , as well as work and raise the children, the only family available to take them are Auntie, and her husband, Uncle Warren.
Auntie is known as that, 'Auntie', and despite being the children's mother's sister, she seems entirely unknown and alien to them. Aside from having never met her before, she brings to the fore all their feelings about their missing mother, as she is very very different.
Her internal monologue is written in italics, seperating what she thinks from what Carla and Stephen think. Her lack of a name, simply 'Auntie', creates an amorphous persona without an identity, she is a token female, a motherless woman whose entire energies are poured in her home. The floor which she polished until her knees are bruised to the bone. The clothes that she makes, by hand for the children take on a sinister significance, it reminded me of tiny, handmade stitches on doll's clothes which I use to sew at night and leave, as surprise presents for my daughters on their toys. It felt, however, sinister here, she was doing her best to make them feel wanted, but her need to almost strip them of any vestige of their mother's love, and trying to prove herself worthy to supplant her sister, this seemed intensely creepy. And it almost felt, especially in the way in which Clara describes the type of clothes Auntie makes, the scratchiness of the fabric and unusual shaping-suits, 3-piece suits for a small boy?-like she was sewing them into a shroud, sewing them into her life and cutting them out of their previous life.
With no frame of reference, no time span for staying with Auntie, her strange meals and off mutterings could be at first written off as trying too hard to make the children feel welcome. But as the pages fly by, it becomes increasingly sinister as, in the great traditions of folk lore and myths, Carla has to stand up for herself and Stephen in the face of a woman, who has never had children, is awkward around them, and contradicts the wide ranging space which any child would like to play in, by wanting them to stay inside the suffocating air of her too-large house.
It should be a dream for them , time and space to heal, and yet, the amount of room they have to run around in feels almost claustrophobic. They are trying to be good, and polite children and yet, there is something not quite right here.
Will they ever leave?
Will they uncover who, or what is buried in those 5 graves, hidden in the walled garden, at the back of the property?
Will Carla be able to pull back her younger brother and stand up for them both, as Steven's attempts to fit in and not hurt his aunt's feelings turn into him being subsumed by her need to 'mother' them both?
There are dark and sinister secrets lurking in this odd house, there is a history behind the dolls, 3 of them, which sit n the upstairs window ledge, looking out at the world. 'Such Pretty Things', murmurs Auntie. And you cannot help but feel there is a creepy reason for them being where they are.
Is there?
Do they represent Auntie, her sister, and ....who else?
Are they her lost children?
Will she succeed in taking ownership of Clara and Stephen?
Pick up this deeply unnerving novel and find out for yourself...
The gothic sensibilities of this novel are accelerated by the lack of a precise time frame, giving the impression that it could happen any where, and at any time frame. Stephen and Carla (Is there a Dr Who reference there, or has my super nerdy brain joined the names where they are just siblings?) are deposited at theur Auntie's house , in the middle of nowhere. Unable to take care of their mother who is hospitalised after a fire , as well as work and raise the children, the only family available to take them are Auntie, and her husband, Uncle Warren.
Auntie is known as that, 'Auntie', and despite being the children's mother's sister, she seems entirely unknown and alien to them. Aside from having never met her before, she brings to the fore all their feelings about their missing mother, as she is very very different.
Her internal monologue is written in italics, seperating what she thinks from what Carla and Stephen think. Her lack of a name, simply 'Auntie', creates an amorphous persona without an identity, she is a token female, a motherless woman whose entire energies are poured in her home. The floor which she polished until her knees are bruised to the bone. The clothes that she makes, by hand for the children take on a sinister significance, it reminded me of tiny, handmade stitches on doll's clothes which I use to sew at night and leave, as surprise presents for my daughters on their toys. It felt, however, sinister here, she was doing her best to make them feel wanted, but her need to almost strip them of any vestige of their mother's love, and trying to prove herself worthy to supplant her sister, this seemed intensely creepy. And it almost felt, especially in the way in which Clara describes the type of clothes Auntie makes, the scratchiness of the fabric and unusual shaping-suits, 3-piece suits for a small boy?-like she was sewing them into a shroud, sewing them into her life and cutting them out of their previous life.
With no frame of reference, no time span for staying with Auntie, her strange meals and off mutterings could be at first written off as trying too hard to make the children feel welcome. But as the pages fly by, it becomes increasingly sinister as, in the great traditions of folk lore and myths, Carla has to stand up for herself and Stephen in the face of a woman, who has never had children, is awkward around them, and contradicts the wide ranging space which any child would like to play in, by wanting them to stay inside the suffocating air of her too-large house.
It should be a dream for them , time and space to heal, and yet, the amount of room they have to run around in feels almost claustrophobic. They are trying to be good, and polite children and yet, there is something not quite right here.
Will they ever leave?
Will they uncover who, or what is buried in those 5 graves, hidden in the walled garden, at the back of the property?
Will Carla be able to pull back her younger brother and stand up for them both, as Steven's attempts to fit in and not hurt his aunt's feelings turn into him being subsumed by her need to 'mother' them both?
There are dark and sinister secrets lurking in this odd house, there is a history behind the dolls, 3 of them, which sit n the upstairs window ledge, looking out at the world. 'Such Pretty Things', murmurs Auntie. And you cannot help but feel there is a creepy reason for them being where they are.
Is there?
Do they represent Auntie, her sister, and ....who else?
Are they her lost children?
Will she succeed in taking ownership of Clara and Stephen?
Pick up this deeply unnerving novel and find out for yourself...
January 15, 2022
I am not sure if it went in subliminally, and then I forgot that I had made such a link, but ‘Turn Of The Screw’, with 2 vulnerable children at risk , and haunted , was where my mind went to when I picked up my gifted copy of ‘Such Pretty Things’. So it was a bit of a shock reading the link in the Goodreads synopsis of this book, where Shirley Jackson and James’ masterpiece are referenced. Also, we have been watching all the sublime ‘Ghost Stories at the Beeb’ on the iPlayer, where many of James’ stories are given adaptations that leave you looking deeper into the shadows as you climb up to bed, and the wind whistling around the house seems almost sinister…
The gothic sensibilities of this novel are accelerated by the lack of a precise time frame, giving the impression that it could happen any where, and at any time frame. Stephen and Carla (Is there a Dr Who reference there, or has my super nerdy brain joined the names where they are just siblings?) are deposited at theur Auntie’s house , in the middle of nowhere. Unable to take care of their mother who is hospitalised after a fire , as well as work and raise the children, the only family available to take them are Auntie, and her husband, Uncle Warren.
Auntie is known as that, ‘Auntie’, and despite being the children’s mother’s sister, she seems entirely unknown and alien to them. Aside from having never met her before, she brings to the fore all their feelings about their missing mother, as she is very very different.
Her internal monologue is written in italics, seperating what she thinks from what Carla and Stephen think. Her lack of a name, simply ‘Auntie’, creates an amorphous persona without an identity, she is a token female, a motherless woman whose entire energies are poured in her home. The floor which she polished until her knees are bruised to the bone. The clothes that she makes, by hand for the children take on a sinister significance, it reminded me of tiny, handmade stitches on doll’s clothes which I use to sew at night and leave, as surprise presents for my daughters on their toys. It felt, however, sinister here, she was doing her best to make them feel wanted, but her need to almost strip them of any vestige of their mother’s love, and trying to prove herself worthy to supplant her sister, this seemed intensely creepy. And it almost felt, especially in the way in which Clara describes the type of clothes Auntie makes, the scratchiness of the fabric and unusual shaping-suits, 3-piece suits for a small boy?-like she was sewing them into a shroud, sewing them into her life and cutting them out of their previous life.
With no frame of reference, no time span for staying with Auntie, her strange meals and off mutterings could be at first written off as trying too hard to make the children feel welcome. But as the pages fly by, it becomes increasingly sinister as, in the great traditions of folk lore and myths, Carla has to stand up for herself and Stephen in the face of a woman, who has never had children, is awkward around them, and contradicts the wide ranging space which any child would like to play in, by wanting them to stay inside the suffocating air of her too-large house.
It should be a dream for them , time and space to heal, and yet, the amount of room they have to run around in feels almost claustrophobic. They are trying to be good, and polite children and yet, there is something not quite right here.
Will they ever leave?
Will they uncover who, or what is buried in those 5 graves, hidden in the walled garden, at the back of the property?
Will Carla be able to pull back her younger brother and stand up for them both, as Steven’s attempts to fit in and not hurt his aunt’s feelings turn into him being subsumed by her need to ‘mother’ them both?
There are dark and sinister secrets lurking in this odd house, there is a history behind the dolls, 3 of them, which sit n the upstairs window ledge, looking out at the world. ‘Such Pretty Things’, murmurs Auntie. And you cannot help but feel there is a creepy reason for them being where they are.
Is there?
Do they represent Auntie, her sister, and ….who else?
Are they her lost children?
Will she succeed in taking ownership of Clara and Stephen?
Pick up this deeply unnerving novel and find out for yourself…
The gothic sensibilities of this novel are accelerated by the lack of a precise time frame, giving the impression that it could happen any where, and at any time frame. Stephen and Carla (Is there a Dr Who reference there, or has my super nerdy brain joined the names where they are just siblings?) are deposited at theur Auntie’s house , in the middle of nowhere. Unable to take care of their mother who is hospitalised after a fire , as well as work and raise the children, the only family available to take them are Auntie, and her husband, Uncle Warren.
Auntie is known as that, ‘Auntie’, and despite being the children’s mother’s sister, she seems entirely unknown and alien to them. Aside from having never met her before, she brings to the fore all their feelings about their missing mother, as she is very very different.
Her internal monologue is written in italics, seperating what she thinks from what Carla and Stephen think. Her lack of a name, simply ‘Auntie’, creates an amorphous persona without an identity, she is a token female, a motherless woman whose entire energies are poured in her home. The floor which she polished until her knees are bruised to the bone. The clothes that she makes, by hand for the children take on a sinister significance, it reminded me of tiny, handmade stitches on doll’s clothes which I use to sew at night and leave, as surprise presents for my daughters on their toys. It felt, however, sinister here, she was doing her best to make them feel wanted, but her need to almost strip them of any vestige of their mother’s love, and trying to prove herself worthy to supplant her sister, this seemed intensely creepy. And it almost felt, especially in the way in which Clara describes the type of clothes Auntie makes, the scratchiness of the fabric and unusual shaping-suits, 3-piece suits for a small boy?-like she was sewing them into a shroud, sewing them into her life and cutting them out of their previous life.
With no frame of reference, no time span for staying with Auntie, her strange meals and off mutterings could be at first written off as trying too hard to make the children feel welcome. But as the pages fly by, it becomes increasingly sinister as, in the great traditions of folk lore and myths, Carla has to stand up for herself and Stephen in the face of a woman, who has never had children, is awkward around them, and contradicts the wide ranging space which any child would like to play in, by wanting them to stay inside the suffocating air of her too-large house.
It should be a dream for them , time and space to heal, and yet, the amount of room they have to run around in feels almost claustrophobic. They are trying to be good, and polite children and yet, there is something not quite right here.
Will they ever leave?
Will they uncover who, or what is buried in those 5 graves, hidden in the walled garden, at the back of the property?
Will Carla be able to pull back her younger brother and stand up for them both, as Steven’s attempts to fit in and not hurt his aunt’s feelings turn into him being subsumed by her need to ‘mother’ them both?
There are dark and sinister secrets lurking in this odd house, there is a history behind the dolls, 3 of them, which sit n the upstairs window ledge, looking out at the world. ‘Such Pretty Things’, murmurs Auntie. And you cannot help but feel there is a creepy reason for them being where they are.
Is there?
Do they represent Auntie, her sister, and ….who else?
Are they her lost children?
Will she succeed in taking ownership of Clara and Stephen?
Pick up this deeply unnerving novel and find out for yourself…
April 16, 2021
Such Pretty Things tells the story of two siblings, Clara and Stephen, who are taken to stay in a remote house with their aunt and uncle after their mother becomes hospitalised. Unable to juggle the responsibilities of a sick wife, work, and two children, their father decides that it's best for the two children to spend a few weeks in the country, even though they've never met their mothers sister before.
Straight away there's a sense that there's something wrong in the house as soon as they get there, though this seems to be down to the fact that their aunt is a woman that whilst clearly very loving is very much set in her ways, and doesn't know how to interact with children. And this becomes the primary focus of the book, Clara and Stephen butting heads with their aunt repeatedly.
The blurb for the book book describes it as a story about ghosts, and whilst I don't want to spoil too much about the book I have to tell people that it's not; or at least not in the way that I was expecting. I was waiting for things to start going bump in the night, for strange presences to make themselves known, and otherworldly visions to appear. The book has none of these, and there's never really any involvement with the supernatural in this book at all. Instead, the ghosts of the blurb are definitely referring to the ghosts of the aunt's past, and how her own experiences are haunting her.
The book isn't dealing with spirits or spectres, but is instead a character study about a lonely and troubled woman and the madness that lies within her, caused by years of grief and loss. I would say that the book shows her descent into madness, but looking back at everything it's quite clear that the aunt was never fully sane, and the small 'eccentricities' from the first time we meet her were hinting at bigger things to come.
The horror of Such Pretty Things comes from people, it's horror that takes a look at the evil that people are capable of, even when they think that they're acting in a place of love. The book has some heavy themes of abuse and childhood trauma, and readers who have lived through an abusive childhood may find some of the events of the book upsetting; especially as the aunt unravels more and more over the course of events.
There are things that happen in Such Pretty Things that really put me on edge, and I found myself worried about the children more than once; and I kept urging Clara to try and do something, anything, to get out of the place. I wanted her to strike out, to physically fight back because I just somehow knew that things would get worse for them the longer they went on. I got really invested in these characters, and desperately wanted them to okay by the end.
I've not read any of Lisa Heathfield's other books before, but I'm aware that she normally writes in the Young Adult field, and that Such Pretty Things is her first foray into adult literature, and horror. For a first time writing in this field it's an impressively subtle horror. It's a book that doesn't rely on scares or the spooky to get under your skin, but instead relies on complex human characters to drive the horror.
Such Pretty Things is a book that creeped me out a lot, one that made me uncomfortable in a lot of ways, and that kept me on the edge of my seat. A very subtle and complex horror story.
Straight away there's a sense that there's something wrong in the house as soon as they get there, though this seems to be down to the fact that their aunt is a woman that whilst clearly very loving is very much set in her ways, and doesn't know how to interact with children. And this becomes the primary focus of the book, Clara and Stephen butting heads with their aunt repeatedly.
The blurb for the book book describes it as a story about ghosts, and whilst I don't want to spoil too much about the book I have to tell people that it's not; or at least not in the way that I was expecting. I was waiting for things to start going bump in the night, for strange presences to make themselves known, and otherworldly visions to appear. The book has none of these, and there's never really any involvement with the supernatural in this book at all. Instead, the ghosts of the blurb are definitely referring to the ghosts of the aunt's past, and how her own experiences are haunting her.
The book isn't dealing with spirits or spectres, but is instead a character study about a lonely and troubled woman and the madness that lies within her, caused by years of grief and loss. I would say that the book shows her descent into madness, but looking back at everything it's quite clear that the aunt was never fully sane, and the small 'eccentricities' from the first time we meet her were hinting at bigger things to come.
The horror of Such Pretty Things comes from people, it's horror that takes a look at the evil that people are capable of, even when they think that they're acting in a place of love. The book has some heavy themes of abuse and childhood trauma, and readers who have lived through an abusive childhood may find some of the events of the book upsetting; especially as the aunt unravels more and more over the course of events.
There are things that happen in Such Pretty Things that really put me on edge, and I found myself worried about the children more than once; and I kept urging Clara to try and do something, anything, to get out of the place. I wanted her to strike out, to physically fight back because I just somehow knew that things would get worse for them the longer they went on. I got really invested in these characters, and desperately wanted them to okay by the end.
I've not read any of Lisa Heathfield's other books before, but I'm aware that she normally writes in the Young Adult field, and that Such Pretty Things is her first foray into adult literature, and horror. For a first time writing in this field it's an impressively subtle horror. It's a book that doesn't rely on scares or the spooky to get under your skin, but instead relies on complex human characters to drive the horror.
Such Pretty Things is a book that creeped me out a lot, one that made me uncomfortable in a lot of ways, and that kept me on the edge of my seat. A very subtle and complex horror story.
August 15, 2021
I received this book from Titan Books and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I have given Such Pretty Things by Lisa Heathfield two out of five stars ⭐️⭐️
I have to admit, I’m still quite confused and lost after reading this book. I thought, although there was a slow start to the beginning-middle of this book, I still had an understanding of what was happening however, as soon as I read the last page my mind was even more cloudy.
Unfortunately this book was too vague for my liking, and amongst other things that didn’t sit well with me, I felt as though Stephen was written as an older character from his speech than he actually was. Sometimes I thought he sounded older than his older sister, Clara. Although I didn’t connect well with the characters we meet in this book, I did like parts of Clara and Stephen’s sibling relationship when their childish humour shone through.
It felt as though this book had been half-written, with lots of room for improvement and for the loose ends to be tied up. On the other hand, I liked the atmospheric writing and intriguing start to the book as it felt like the scene was being set in a creepy manner and we were going to be heading down a horror, thrilling story, however that soon changed and that thought faded off into the distance.
I wouldn’t necessarily recommend this book based on the fact that I’ve come away confused without knowing the actual plot and what happened, however that is entirely up to you to decide whether you’d like to read it or not.
I have to admit, I’m still quite confused and lost after reading this book. I thought, although there was a slow start to the beginning-middle of this book, I still had an understanding of what was happening however, as soon as I read the last page my mind was even more cloudy.
Unfortunately this book was too vague for my liking, and amongst other things that didn’t sit well with me, I felt as though Stephen was written as an older character from his speech than he actually was. Sometimes I thought he sounded older than his older sister, Clara. Although I didn’t connect well with the characters we meet in this book, I did like parts of Clara and Stephen’s sibling relationship when their childish humour shone through.
It felt as though this book had been half-written, with lots of room for improvement and for the loose ends to be tied up. On the other hand, I liked the atmospheric writing and intriguing start to the book as it felt like the scene was being set in a creepy manner and we were going to be heading down a horror, thrilling story, however that soon changed and that thought faded off into the distance.
I wouldn’t necessarily recommend this book based on the fact that I’ve come away confused without knowing the actual plot and what happened, however that is entirely up to you to decide whether you’d like to read it or not.
October 22, 2022
I’m so disappointed actually. That was a whole load of nothing. Endless pages of Clara being locked in her room and just the day being wasted away… page after page.
No surprise Stephan attempted to kill their mum he is a psychotic 8 year old.
Also the ending is so poorly written or maybe I’m just stupid but is ‘uncle warren’ even real?? Like ‘her husbands low voice speaks from her mouth’ did she make up a husband bc if so who the fuck helped the kids out of the loch!?
Another question: Who tf is the kid with leather skin and stitches like is that a dead child of hers? Bc it was described several times that it was apparently babies or sumn in all those graves. I DONT KNOW I DO NOT KNKW WHAT WAS GOING ON IN THIS BOOK AT ALL.
And also where is the dad in all of this?? He drops these kids off and u expect me to believe he just doesn’t ring or visit. He’s barely even brought up at all unless Clara was having a tantrum. Like when his glasses are on the floor and then like near the end his car is in the garage… I’m thinking maybe the aunt killed him. HOW? Please what is going on… and the fucking cave is that uncle warrens IS HE EVEN REAL? I can’t deal what a disappointment for a whole £9 I spent on this book.
I have so many more unanswered questions like why was the aunt drugging them to sleep? Maybe just because she’s a fucking crazy bitch but I just can’t deal. I got a psychosis reading this…
No surprise Stephan attempted to kill their mum he is a psychotic 8 year old.
Also the ending is so poorly written or maybe I’m just stupid but is ‘uncle warren’ even real?? Like ‘her husbands low voice speaks from her mouth’ did she make up a husband bc if so who the fuck helped the kids out of the loch!?
Another question: Who tf is the kid with leather skin and stitches like is that a dead child of hers? Bc it was described several times that it was apparently babies or sumn in all those graves. I DONT KNOW I DO NOT KNKW WHAT WAS GOING ON IN THIS BOOK AT ALL.
And also where is the dad in all of this?? He drops these kids off and u expect me to believe he just doesn’t ring or visit. He’s barely even brought up at all unless Clara was having a tantrum. Like when his glasses are on the floor and then like near the end his car is in the garage… I’m thinking maybe the aunt killed him. HOW? Please what is going on… and the fucking cave is that uncle warrens IS HE EVEN REAL? I can’t deal what a disappointment for a whole £9 I spent on this book.
I have so many more unanswered questions like why was the aunt drugging them to sleep? Maybe just because she’s a fucking crazy bitch but I just can’t deal. I got a psychosis reading this…
April 6, 2021
Loved this novel with its Gothic vibe, claustrophobic boundaries (Auntie's large house and gardens) and two engaging protagonists - the two children, one a young teen, Clara, and her younger brother, Stevie. After a horrific family tragedy they are packed off to stay with their unknown and unfamiliar Auntie. It's set in 1950's England - so no TV, no internet, no smartphones - children had to entertain themselves and play outside or with proper toys. or read or draw. This makes the children's isolation more powerful and scary. It's a novel with a tiny cast of characters, which works well, and is told from Clara's immature but heart-rending point of view as she struggles to deal with her mum's accident, her father's departure, Auntie's growing strangeness and controlling nature, their uncle's absence, and all the time she is trying to protect her little brother -but increasingly you start to wonder, perhaps it is kind, determined and loyal Clara who needs protecting - from forces inside and outside the house? The story raises questions such as how can you love too much? How much grief can eat away at a person, what is family (birth or adoption), can you make someone love you? and do you put yourself first or save your sibling?
In the face of madness there are no easy answers and the ending is so painful I nearly cried.
In the face of madness there are no easy answers and the ending is so painful I nearly cried.
February 13, 2022
Enjoyment (stars): 4
Total rating (stars): 4.5
Clara and Stephen's mother suffers a horrific accident. As she recovers, their father decides taking care of them is too much work and basically ships them to their aunt and uncle's house in - you know it - an isolated house in the middle of nowhere.
Coming from a place of grief, Auntie struggles to navigate the elation of finally having children she can care for and the pain that comes when reality doesn't quite match her idealized expectations.
This novel very much had Shirley Jackson's vibes in the sense that it is a slow, claustrophobically hopeless, heavy on the sense of foreboding, intense, yet poetically sad. The characters were the best part of this book, and single-handly made the atmosphere. I didn't like a single one of them, and yet I cared for their outcome.
Heathfield's prose is magnetic and engaging, but its gloominess definitely affected me. I needed to take this book in small doses, as it affected my fragile mental state. I received it as a very thoughtful gift and adored it.
I will seek more books from her - when my mental health improves.
Total rating (stars): 4.5
Clara and Stephen's mother suffers a horrific accident. As she recovers, their father decides taking care of them is too much work and basically ships them to their aunt and uncle's house in - you know it - an isolated house in the middle of nowhere.
Coming from a place of grief, Auntie struggles to navigate the elation of finally having children she can care for and the pain that comes when reality doesn't quite match her idealized expectations.
This novel very much had Shirley Jackson's vibes in the sense that it is a slow, claustrophobically hopeless, heavy on the sense of foreboding, intense, yet poetically sad. The characters were the best part of this book, and single-handly made the atmosphere. I didn't like a single one of them, and yet I cared for their outcome.
Heathfield's prose is magnetic and engaging, but its gloominess definitely affected me. I needed to take this book in small doses, as it affected my fragile mental state. I received it as a very thoughtful gift and adored it.
I will seek more books from her - when my mental health improves.
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