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The Cottingley Cuckoo
Captivated by books and stories, Rose dreams of a life away from the confines of the Sunnyside Care Home she works in, until elderly resident Charlotte Favell offers an unexpected glimpse of enchantment. She keeps an aged stack of letters about the Cottingley Fairies, the photographs made famous by Arthur Conan Doyle, but later dismissed as a hoax. The letters insist there is proof that the fairies existed. Rose is eager to learn more, but Charlotte allows her to read only a piece at a time, drawing Rose into her web.
As the letters’ content grows more menacing, Rose discovers she is unexpectedly pregnant, and feels another door to the future has slammed. Her obsession with what really happened in Cottingley all those years ago spirals; as inexplicable events begin to occur inside her home, she begins to entertain dark thoughts about her baby and its origins.
As the letters’ content grows more menacing, Rose discovers she is unexpectedly pregnant, and feels another door to the future has slammed. Her obsession with what really happened in Cottingley all those years ago spirals; as inexplicable events begin to occur inside her home, she begins to entertain dark thoughts about her baby and its origins.
368 pages, Paperback
Published April 14, 2021
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 73 reviews
May 3, 2021
Books and stories have always been escapism and a chance to live a different life for Rose who works at the Sunnyside Care Home, but this soon changes when she finds herself looking after the much-maligned Charlotte Favell, a standoffish woman who seems to have scared everyone else away and when she offers Rose the chance to escape into letters about the seemingly impossible, Rose soon wishes she had never picked up that first letter...
The Cottingley Fairies, the photographs that were made famous all those years ago by Arthur Conan Doyle which were soon later debunked as nothing more than trickery, are mentioned in the letters that Charlotte demands Rose read to her but are these letters completely false or could they shed some light on what could be lurking in the shadows at Sunnyside when it becomes apparent that Charlotte may be connected to these fairies...
The darkness starts to slowly leak out of the letters and into Rose’s life as she cannot escape the twisted magic of the fairies and their corrupt world: from Charlotte knowing what lies in her future, to the house being a complete mess for no reason, and then when Rose starts to obsess over something mentioned in one of the letters she may end up losing more than just her mind all while Charlotte sits back and watches her slowly lose her grasp on reality.
Dark, gothic and with a sense of dread dripping from each page, this story about fairies will leave you wishing that they surely are not real....
The Cottingley Fairies, the photographs that were made famous all those years ago by Arthur Conan Doyle which were soon later debunked as nothing more than trickery, are mentioned in the letters that Charlotte demands Rose read to her but are these letters completely false or could they shed some light on what could be lurking in the shadows at Sunnyside when it becomes apparent that Charlotte may be connected to these fairies...
The darkness starts to slowly leak out of the letters and into Rose’s life as she cannot escape the twisted magic of the fairies and their corrupt world: from Charlotte knowing what lies in her future, to the house being a complete mess for no reason, and then when Rose starts to obsess over something mentioned in one of the letters she may end up losing more than just her mind all while Charlotte sits back and watches her slowly lose her grasp on reality.
Dark, gothic and with a sense of dread dripping from each page, this story about fairies will leave you wishing that they surely are not real....
April 13, 2021
Thank you to Titan Books for kindly sending me a copy of The Cottingley Cuckoo in exchange for an honest review.
Published: 14th April 2021
Rose dreams of a life away from the boring one she's currently living. Stuck in a small town and a small terraced house with her boyfriend who couldn't want anything more, not to mention her job in the Sunnyside Care Home, all Rose wants is to see the world and do something with her life.
So when resident Charlotte Favell offers her the chance to escape her boring existence in the form of letters about the Cottingley Fairies, the photographs made famous by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's involvement, Rose finds herself being dragged down a dark path. As the letters become more and more menacing Rose discovers she is pregnant and her plans for the future disappear with this new commitment to her current life. But as weird goings on begin, her mind becomes muddled between her life today and the lives described in the letters and she begins to harbour dark thoughts about her baby.
I was really interested to read this one, I remember living the film Fairytale a True Story as a child and take an interest in the Cottingley fairy story. Seeing this was a dark take on it I was intrigued. The story is interesting and the idea has a lot of merit but I feel that the characters just never came off the page for me and the ambiguous ending was something of a disappointment.
Published: 14th April 2021
Rose dreams of a life away from the boring one she's currently living. Stuck in a small town and a small terraced house with her boyfriend who couldn't want anything more, not to mention her job in the Sunnyside Care Home, all Rose wants is to see the world and do something with her life.
So when resident Charlotte Favell offers her the chance to escape her boring existence in the form of letters about the Cottingley Fairies, the photographs made famous by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's involvement, Rose finds herself being dragged down a dark path. As the letters become more and more menacing Rose discovers she is pregnant and her plans for the future disappear with this new commitment to her current life. But as weird goings on begin, her mind becomes muddled between her life today and the lives described in the letters and she begins to harbour dark thoughts about her baby.
I was really interested to read this one, I remember living the film Fairytale a True Story as a child and take an interest in the Cottingley fairy story. Seeing this was a dark take on it I was intrigued. The story is interesting and the idea has a lot of merit but I feel that the characters just never came off the page for me and the ambiguous ending was something of a disappointment.
dnf
March 25, 2021DNF at 30%
I gave this book a solid shot, but it's definitely a 'it's not you, it's me' situation. I think this book will be perfect for another reader!
I really struggled to connect with the narrator -- she's such a wet blanket and I desperately wanted her to grow a spine. There was no tension in the book whatsoever, which was such a shame because there was so much potential for an excellent, creepy read.
The mystery of the proof of fairies was interesting, but not quite enough to keep me interested in reading further.
I gave this book a solid shot, but it's definitely a 'it's not you, it's me' situation. I think this book will be perfect for another reader!
I really struggled to connect with the narrator -- she's such a wet blanket and I desperately wanted her to grow a spine. There was no tension in the book whatsoever, which was such a shame because there was so much potential for an excellent, creepy read.
The mystery of the proof of fairies was interesting, but not quite enough to keep me interested in reading further.
April 16, 2021
The Cottingley Cuckoo is a chilling mix of fantasy, mystery and light horror. It’s a mesmerising and beautifully written tale and although dark and sinister it’s compelling and a real page turner. There’s a constant uneasy and unsettling atmosphere throughout and a creeping dread of what might come, it’s quite bone-chilling at times and gives you goose bumps reading it.
Charlotte is a resident in the care home where Rose works and the story mainly centres around Charlottes’s unusual interest in Rose and their ensuing almost antagonistic relationship. Charlotte shows Rose a series of old letters believed to be linked to the infamous Cottingley fairies hoax. As a result of reading these letters Rose is completely drawn in and becomes obsessed with the letters to the point where she begins to fantasise and imagine all sorts of things. The story took time to build up which wasn’t a bad thing as it created suspense and tension. I loved the way the present day story brilliantly weaves together with the old Cottingley story. The author also very cleverly combines two narratives, Rose’s in the present and Lawrence Fenton’s by way of letters from the past.
The characters are all really well portrayed and have depth and authenticity. Charlotte is not a nice character, she’s menacing and malevolent with a sharp and nasty tongue, and it is obvious from the onset she is shaping and coercing Rose. Rose’s character is a bit mixed up, there is a sense she is on the verge of a breakdown. On the other hand I liked Rose’s boyfriend, Paul, I’m not sure if we are supposed to but I liked his calmness and the way he nurtured and took care of Alexander even when everything was going horribly wrong.
The ending was a little bit of an anticlimax and left me feeling slightly unsettled. I had expected more drama and less ambiguity, some aspects of the story remain unresolved leaving the reader to ponder and draw their own conclusion as to the outcome. However, this is a powerful and engrossing read and I haven’t read anything quite like it before. It’s an unusual and clever book which you will particularly enjoy if you love stories which are part reality and part fantasy with a chilling atmosphere.
Thank you so much to the publisher for gifting me a copy of this book to review.
Charlotte is a resident in the care home where Rose works and the story mainly centres around Charlottes’s unusual interest in Rose and their ensuing almost antagonistic relationship. Charlotte shows Rose a series of old letters believed to be linked to the infamous Cottingley fairies hoax. As a result of reading these letters Rose is completely drawn in and becomes obsessed with the letters to the point where she begins to fantasise and imagine all sorts of things. The story took time to build up which wasn’t a bad thing as it created suspense and tension. I loved the way the present day story brilliantly weaves together with the old Cottingley story. The author also very cleverly combines two narratives, Rose’s in the present and Lawrence Fenton’s by way of letters from the past.
The characters are all really well portrayed and have depth and authenticity. Charlotte is not a nice character, she’s menacing and malevolent with a sharp and nasty tongue, and it is obvious from the onset she is shaping and coercing Rose. Rose’s character is a bit mixed up, there is a sense she is on the verge of a breakdown. On the other hand I liked Rose’s boyfriend, Paul, I’m not sure if we are supposed to but I liked his calmness and the way he nurtured and took care of Alexander even when everything was going horribly wrong.
The ending was a little bit of an anticlimax and left me feeling slightly unsettled. I had expected more drama and less ambiguity, some aspects of the story remain unresolved leaving the reader to ponder and draw their own conclusion as to the outcome. However, this is a powerful and engrossing read and I haven’t read anything quite like it before. It’s an unusual and clever book which you will particularly enjoy if you love stories which are part reality and part fantasy with a chilling atmosphere.
Thank you so much to the publisher for gifting me a copy of this book to review.
September 22, 2021
The Cottingley Fairies are said to appear in a series of photographs taken in the early 1900s. Strongly believed to be a work of fiction, these photographs captured the attention of the public for years to come. However you may feel on the topic, the story contained within these pages will have you hoping that fairies don't really exist.
Told across two timelines, one in the 1920s and one in the modern day, this story is a mix of magical realism, fantasy and psychological horror. Both narratives blend themselves together to become one singular tale of obsession and cruelty.
As this troubling tale unfurls, there's a creeping sense of dread, one that never quite vanishes, not even as the story reaches its end. It's left purposefully vague, as if Rose's story is far from over...
Told across two timelines, one in the 1920s and one in the modern day, this story is a mix of magical realism, fantasy and psychological horror. Both narratives blend themselves together to become one singular tale of obsession and cruelty.
As this troubling tale unfurls, there's a creeping sense of dread, one that never quite vanishes, not even as the story reaches its end. It's left purposefully vague, as if Rose's story is far from over...
August 20, 2021
I'm really torn on how to rate this one. I LOVED Part I. It was magical and atmospheric and a little creepy. Rose is working at an old folk's home and meets one of the more difficult residents, Charlotte. Charlotte allows Rose to read a letter from her past to Arthur Conan Doyle about the discovery of fairies. Rose becomes more and more intrigued that fairies might very real and that their mischief might be impacting her life. The fear grows with each letter and each unusual happening in her own life. Part II turned from magical fantasy into a bit more of psychological horror. It was a bit too slow moving and not enough happened to really keep my interest at that point. I don't say this often but I would have preferred that this were a novella of just Part I, I would have given that 5 stars, the whole thing is somewhere in the 3-ish range.
August 23, 2021
This book was a wolf in sheep’s clothing, for sure.
I felt uneasy and unsettled once it broke stride - it’s a sort of horror which was completely unexpected.
The main character is losing her grip on reality, or has post-natal depression, or has been gaslit and catfished by a vindictive old woman, or has genuinely been caught up in the mean and cruel plots of fairies. Either way, her partner is a lazy, selfish ne’er do well and she has no bond with her baby.
And there you have it. I have no idea what happened. Well written, pretty awful characters and an absolutely wretched plot. 2.5 stars, really, but I marked up for the quality of the Fenton letters.
I felt uneasy and unsettled once it broke stride - it’s a sort of horror which was completely unexpected.
The main character is losing her grip on reality, or has post-natal depression, or has been gaslit and catfished by a vindictive old woman, or has genuinely been caught up in the mean and cruel plots of fairies. Either way, her partner is a lazy, selfish ne’er do well and she has no bond with her baby.
And there you have it. I have no idea what happened. Well written, pretty awful characters and an absolutely wretched plot. 2.5 stars, really, but I marked up for the quality of the Fenton letters.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 9, 2022
2.5 stars
This is a book which conjures countless questions but ultimately provides precious few answers. With the aid of a haunting vibe and an extremely unreliable narrator, it uses an intelligent concept inspired by bizarre historical facts to produce a story full to the brim with atmosphere and intrigue, yet succeeds only in rendering you in a state of confusion.
Written in dual narratives both present and past, it explores and makes reference to the remarkable story of the Cottingley fairies in the early twentieth century, where even Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was taken in by fanciful photographs taken by two children. It is a difficult one to categorise as it has a Gothic feel while being set in the present day, but arguably fits most aptly into the horror genre.
Rose has recently started a job at a care home called Sunnyside, and one of its elderly residents is the mysterious and ethereal Charlotte Favell, who appears to have all kinds of otherworldly powers. She seems able to read Rose's mind and randomly materialise out of nowhere, also moving with the apparent grace of someone much younger, as though she is ageless.
Mrs Favell asks Rose to read her a series of lengthy letters that she keeps in her room. They date from the early 1920s and are written by a Lawrence Fenton, who claims to have encountered fairies in the woods near his home along with his relatives Charlotte and Harriet. The fairies are said to have inflicted a series of awful misfortunes upon the family, and he becomes increasingly desperate for answers.
Soon obsessed by the contents of the letters, Rose becomes convinced that the Charlotte in the letters is Mrs Favell, despite the fact they were written a century ago. Much to her shock, Rose then learns that she is pregnant and as her encounters with Mrs Favell become more menacing and surreal, she begins to fear that her baby could turn out to be a changeling.
The most interesting thing about the plot is discovering the extent and validity of Mrs Favell's supposed powers and the question of whether she is a supernatural being. It is all quite difficult to follow at times as things are implied rather than clearly stated, and this lack of clarity about what was actually happening made it a frustrating read, if undeniably thought-provoking.
Another key factor is the connection between the letters and the present day storyline, as events in both gradually start to mirror each other and a twist about halfway brings it into even sharper focus. The curious behaviour of Mrs Favell and Rose's increasing paranoia are used by the author to tease all kinds of speculative theories, but the ending is somewhat anti-climactic.
The majority of the book is told by Rose in the first person, and her point of view is rather dark as she floats between one destructive emotional state to the next. It is hard to take a lot of what she says at face value, mainly because she is not sure if she believes those things herself. She comes across occasionally as cold and impulsive, which makes her tricky to connect with, but the way she is written does contribute to the unsettling atmosphere.
Other than that, we have Mr Fenton's letters, which are actually more like essays. These are really impressively written, full of an imagination and detail that brings to life the terror of the incidents he claims to have witnessed. You get to know Fenton well and he seems a very likeable person who eventually falls into desperation, so it was unfortunate - not to mention strange - that the letters d0 not have much of a role in how the story is resolved.
Mrs Favell is an eerie presence and every word she utters is either cryptic or profoundly sinister. It is easy to see why Rose becomes so afraid of her, especially after falling pregnant. Then again, some of things we learn about Mrs Favell towards the end do not make a great deal of sense, with a few of them taking place almost at random or feeling out of keeping the rest of the story.
Of the other characters, Rose also has an unconventional dynamic with her partner Paul. They seem to merely coexist and Paul's reaction to some outright unfathomable events was not what you might expect, which may be partly down to Rose's confused thoughts but still felt odd. Meanwhile, Teresa only appears in one scene but is still very significant to the plot.
The first thing to note about the writing style is that it is incredibly eloquent and at times poetic, while it always has that atmosphere akin to descending mist, shrouding us with thoughts of what is really happening and what is not. However, this is also a double-edged sword, as there are several passages which are hard to truly understand and you may need to read multiple times in order to have an idea of what it means.
What really lets the book down is its almost total ambiguity. It is fine in most cases for an ending to leave some matters unresolved, but the fact that we get barely any answers here whatsoever is just taking it a bit too far. The number of questions that arose just continued to grow as the story progressed, and it became clear that there was little prospect of being any the wiser by the time you reach the last page.
Overall, what is a very good concept totally delivers on evocativeness and atmosphere, but in terms of executing a cohesive story it does leave something to be desired. The plot goes in some strange directions and it is hard to really get a proper grip on things despite all the intrigue, while far too much is not clearly explained. Lots of ideas and promise, just does not come together in the end.
This is a book which conjures countless questions but ultimately provides precious few answers. With the aid of a haunting vibe and an extremely unreliable narrator, it uses an intelligent concept inspired by bizarre historical facts to produce a story full to the brim with atmosphere and intrigue, yet succeeds only in rendering you in a state of confusion.
Written in dual narratives both present and past, it explores and makes reference to the remarkable story of the Cottingley fairies in the early twentieth century, where even Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was taken in by fanciful photographs taken by two children. It is a difficult one to categorise as it has a Gothic feel while being set in the present day, but arguably fits most aptly into the horror genre.
Rose has recently started a job at a care home called Sunnyside, and one of its elderly residents is the mysterious and ethereal Charlotte Favell, who appears to have all kinds of otherworldly powers. She seems able to read Rose's mind and randomly materialise out of nowhere, also moving with the apparent grace of someone much younger, as though she is ageless.
Mrs Favell asks Rose to read her a series of lengthy letters that she keeps in her room. They date from the early 1920s and are written by a Lawrence Fenton, who claims to have encountered fairies in the woods near his home along with his relatives Charlotte and Harriet. The fairies are said to have inflicted a series of awful misfortunes upon the family, and he becomes increasingly desperate for answers.
Soon obsessed by the contents of the letters, Rose becomes convinced that the Charlotte in the letters is Mrs Favell, despite the fact they were written a century ago. Much to her shock, Rose then learns that she is pregnant and as her encounters with Mrs Favell become more menacing and surreal, she begins to fear that her baby could turn out to be a changeling.
The most interesting thing about the plot is discovering the extent and validity of Mrs Favell's supposed powers and the question of whether she is a supernatural being. It is all quite difficult to follow at times as things are implied rather than clearly stated, and this lack of clarity about what was actually happening made it a frustrating read, if undeniably thought-provoking.
Another key factor is the connection between the letters and the present day storyline, as events in both gradually start to mirror each other and a twist about halfway brings it into even sharper focus. The curious behaviour of Mrs Favell and Rose's increasing paranoia are used by the author to tease all kinds of speculative theories, but the ending is somewhat anti-climactic.
The majority of the book is told by Rose in the first person, and her point of view is rather dark as she floats between one destructive emotional state to the next. It is hard to take a lot of what she says at face value, mainly because she is not sure if she believes those things herself. She comes across occasionally as cold and impulsive, which makes her tricky to connect with, but the way she is written does contribute to the unsettling atmosphere.
Other than that, we have Mr Fenton's letters, which are actually more like essays. These are really impressively written, full of an imagination and detail that brings to life the terror of the incidents he claims to have witnessed. You get to know Fenton well and he seems a very likeable person who eventually falls into desperation, so it was unfortunate - not to mention strange - that the letters d0 not have much of a role in how the story is resolved.
Mrs Favell is an eerie presence and every word she utters is either cryptic or profoundly sinister. It is easy to see why Rose becomes so afraid of her, especially after falling pregnant. Then again, some of things we learn about Mrs Favell towards the end do not make a great deal of sense, with a few of them taking place almost at random or feeling out of keeping the rest of the story.
Of the other characters, Rose also has an unconventional dynamic with her partner Paul. They seem to merely coexist and Paul's reaction to some outright unfathomable events was not what you might expect, which may be partly down to Rose's confused thoughts but still felt odd. Meanwhile, Teresa only appears in one scene but is still very significant to the plot.
The first thing to note about the writing style is that it is incredibly eloquent and at times poetic, while it always has that atmosphere akin to descending mist, shrouding us with thoughts of what is really happening and what is not. However, this is also a double-edged sword, as there are several passages which are hard to truly understand and you may need to read multiple times in order to have an idea of what it means.
What really lets the book down is its almost total ambiguity. It is fine in most cases for an ending to leave some matters unresolved, but the fact that we get barely any answers here whatsoever is just taking it a bit too far. The number of questions that arose just continued to grow as the story progressed, and it became clear that there was little prospect of being any the wiser by the time you reach the last page.
Overall, what is a very good concept totally delivers on evocativeness and atmosphere, but in terms of executing a cohesive story it does leave something to be desired. The plot goes in some strange directions and it is hard to really get a proper grip on things despite all the intrigue, while far too much is not clearly explained. Lots of ideas and promise, just does not come together in the end.
June 11, 2023
Rating: 5/5 ⭐️
Synopsis: Rose's ordinary world is about to be shattered when she crosses paths with Charlotte Favell, a mysterious resident at the care home where Rose works. Charlotte's enigmatic presence pushes others away, but Rose finds herself drawn to the fragments of a fantastical story that Charlotte feeds her like sweet honey. As Rose's hunger for the full story intensifies, she unwittingly plunges into a whirlpool of addiction and desire, risking the safety of those she holds dear.
This story felt very refreshing and unique to me. The writing is stunning and full of beautiful descriptions. At the same time, it allows the reader to feel the uneasiness and confusion of Rose. It is definitely a slow burn, but that also makes the story very impactful. Part horror/mystery – Part fairy tale, this book combines ancient myths about fairies and modern problems like fear of motherhood, feeling like not being heard by a partner and so much more.
This book feels like a sophisticated sweet red wine that needs to be enjoyed slowly and needs time to breathe.
Disclaimer: This book won't deliver all the answers to you, and that's exactly what this story needs. However, if you are a person that wants everything to be revealed – this book might not be for you.
Synopsis: Rose's ordinary world is about to be shattered when she crosses paths with Charlotte Favell, a mysterious resident at the care home where Rose works. Charlotte's enigmatic presence pushes others away, but Rose finds herself drawn to the fragments of a fantastical story that Charlotte feeds her like sweet honey. As Rose's hunger for the full story intensifies, she unwittingly plunges into a whirlpool of addiction and desire, risking the safety of those she holds dear.
This story felt very refreshing and unique to me. The writing is stunning and full of beautiful descriptions. At the same time, it allows the reader to feel the uneasiness and confusion of Rose. It is definitely a slow burn, but that also makes the story very impactful. Part horror/mystery – Part fairy tale, this book combines ancient myths about fairies and modern problems like fear of motherhood, feeling like not being heard by a partner and so much more.
This book feels like a sophisticated sweet red wine that needs to be enjoyed slowly and needs time to breathe.
Disclaimer: This book won't deliver all the answers to you, and that's exactly what this story needs. However, if you are a person that wants everything to be revealed – this book might not be for you.
November 12, 2023
More of a 3.5 rating (I wish good-reads would allow half stars!)
Rose works in a care home, has dreams of an exciting live and feels like she doesn’t quite fit in. She meets a resident Mrs Flavell who draws her in with letters which speak of fairies and a whimsical world which immediately intrigues Rose and draws her in. However everything is not what it seems.
So the plot for this novel was a good concept, however there was something about the execution of it which didn’t really draw me in. I never really clicked with Rose as a character and I found the letter elements of the story too long, meandering with detail which wasn’t really relevant to the plot.
Enjoyable to read but ultimately not memorable.
Rose works in a care home, has dreams of an exciting live and feels like she doesn’t quite fit in. She meets a resident Mrs Flavell who draws her in with letters which speak of fairies and a whimsical world which immediately intrigues Rose and draws her in. However everything is not what it seems.
So the plot for this novel was a good concept, however there was something about the execution of it which didn’t really draw me in. I never really clicked with Rose as a character and I found the letter elements of the story too long, meandering with detail which wasn’t really relevant to the plot.
Enjoyable to read but ultimately not memorable.
May 18, 2021
3.25🌟
I really enjoyed parts of this book and loved the seething sense of menace but it was just a bit too ambiguous at times and a rather slow burn to boot.
I really enjoyed parts of this book and loved the seething sense of menace but it was just a bit too ambiguous at times and a rather slow burn to boot.
October 18, 2024
Deeply unlikeable better than thou fmc
Read
March 31, 2021
Viist the locations in the novel
1920: Arthur Conan Doyle hears about two girls who claim to have photographed fairies....
April 3, 2021
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
In all honestly several days after finishing this book I'm still not entirely sure how I feel about it. It was a pretty speedy read for me, and I read it in only a couple of sittings, but I couldn't help but feel slightly disappointed by the ending. I thought we were leading up to a big reveal of some sorts, but I actually just felt like I was left with a lot of questions and a somewhat disappointing finale.
The book almost entirely centres around the relationship between Charlotte and Rose. Charlotte being a resident at the care home that Rose works for. Rose is often described as a believer, but it's never quite explained as to why this is. Although it sets the story up for you to never know what is real and what is not. Rose allows everyone to walk all over her, and most infuriatingly she lets her boyfriend walk all over her the most. He's unemployed with no prospects while she works to keep their rent paid, and when he does attempt to get a job it's quickly made clear that he hates it and promptly leaves it. He's a pretty awful character and I spent most of the book hoping Rose would
come to her senses and leave him. Charlotte is a fairly inexplicable character, seemingly fine and with all her facilities she doesn't quite fit in the care home, she's generally mean to everyone there and seems to know a lot more than she should.
The interjection of the letters is somewhat of a highlight, and definitely what kept me reading. They're old letters from around the time of the Cottingley Fairy photos, and details an older man and his family as they find and detail their encounters with fairies. They're a great way of imparting fairy knowledge on the reader without them being patronised. The story from the letters would probably make for a great book in itself, as it's got a lot of intrigue and I still want to know exactly what was going on.
The end feels like its barrelling towards a spectacular finale. And yet somehow it suddenly just lost whatever magic I was feeling and provides no answers as to what was going on in the rest of the book. What was real, what was not, why certain things happen. I wasn't a fan of ambiguity and I have to say that sadly the ending was far too weak for me.
This is worth picking up if you're interested in the Cottingley Fairies.
In all honestly several days after finishing this book I'm still not entirely sure how I feel about it. It was a pretty speedy read for me, and I read it in only a couple of sittings, but I couldn't help but feel slightly disappointed by the ending. I thought we were leading up to a big reveal of some sorts, but I actually just felt like I was left with a lot of questions and a somewhat disappointing finale.
The book almost entirely centres around the relationship between Charlotte and Rose. Charlotte being a resident at the care home that Rose works for. Rose is often described as a believer, but it's never quite explained as to why this is. Although it sets the story up for you to never know what is real and what is not. Rose allows everyone to walk all over her, and most infuriatingly she lets her boyfriend walk all over her the most. He's unemployed with no prospects while she works to keep their rent paid, and when he does attempt to get a job it's quickly made clear that he hates it and promptly leaves it. He's a pretty awful character and I spent most of the book hoping Rose would
come to her senses and leave him. Charlotte is a fairly inexplicable character, seemingly fine and with all her facilities she doesn't quite fit in the care home, she's generally mean to everyone there and seems to know a lot more than she should.
The interjection of the letters is somewhat of a highlight, and definitely what kept me reading. They're old letters from around the time of the Cottingley Fairy photos, and details an older man and his family as they find and detail their encounters with fairies. They're a great way of imparting fairy knowledge on the reader without them being patronised. The story from the letters would probably make for a great book in itself, as it's got a lot of intrigue and I still want to know exactly what was going on.
The end feels like its barrelling towards a spectacular finale. And yet somehow it suddenly just lost whatever magic I was feeling and provides no answers as to what was going on in the rest of the book. What was real, what was not, why certain things happen. I wasn't a fan of ambiguity and I have to say that sadly the ending was far too weak for me.
This is worth picking up if you're interested in the Cottingley Fairies.
April 11, 2021
The Cottingley Cuckoo has an overwhelming sense of menace throughout, and the ending left me feeling there was a dark undercurrent to events that should not be overlooked. Unfortunately, it took such a long time to get to a point where things began to click that I feel its impact was unfairly lessened.
Our main character, Rose, finds herself working in a care home. We get the impression she is a somewhat reluctant participant in her life in this little village with her partner. The first part of the book sets up the character of Rose and introduces us to Charlotte Fenton, an elderly resident in Sunnyside care home that Rose is asked to work with.
Little details suggest Mrs Fenton is not our stereotypical old lady. She is acerbic and unsettles Rose, though we don’t work out why initially. As part of her job, Rose is asked to read to Mrs Fenton. Piece by piece Rose is given letters to read that focus on a long-ago story of faeries, people being duped, uncertainty over events that have taken place and horrific events that are alluded to.
When Rose learns she is pregnant she is faced with the presence of Mrs Fenton’s daughter, Harriet. Something shifts at this point in the story and Rose becomes embroiled in the events alluded to in the letters. I found it hard to determine whether I was reading a fantasy story about fairies or a more contemporary exploration of post-natal depression. Both elements are given time and yet the ending left so many questions unanswered that I found it ultimately frustrating.
I’m grateful to NetGalley for giving me access to this prior to publication.
Our main character, Rose, finds herself working in a care home. We get the impression she is a somewhat reluctant participant in her life in this little village with her partner. The first part of the book sets up the character of Rose and introduces us to Charlotte Fenton, an elderly resident in Sunnyside care home that Rose is asked to work with.
Little details suggest Mrs Fenton is not our stereotypical old lady. She is acerbic and unsettles Rose, though we don’t work out why initially. As part of her job, Rose is asked to read to Mrs Fenton. Piece by piece Rose is given letters to read that focus on a long-ago story of faeries, people being duped, uncertainty over events that have taken place and horrific events that are alluded to.
When Rose learns she is pregnant she is faced with the presence of Mrs Fenton’s daughter, Harriet. Something shifts at this point in the story and Rose becomes embroiled in the events alluded to in the letters. I found it hard to determine whether I was reading a fantasy story about fairies or a more contemporary exploration of post-natal depression. Both elements are given time and yet the ending left so many questions unanswered that I found it ultimately frustrating.
I’m grateful to NetGalley for giving me access to this prior to publication.
June 2, 2021
Endless build-up, very little reward!
Also, I may have missed something, but the heroine seems very clueless; either that or living in a different time--why hasn't she gone back to university? Why is she seeing such a divide between herself and the other care home staff--just because she has a semester or two of uni doesn't set her that much apart! And all her mother's books all over the stairs--put them in a box under the sofa, for goodness' sake rather than give them all away...I just found all her choices dubious and unrealistic.
Although mobile phones and laptops figure in the book, it's as though she's living in the fifties!
Also, I may have missed something, but the heroine seems very clueless; either that or living in a different time--why hasn't she gone back to university? Why is she seeing such a divide between herself and the other care home staff--just because she has a semester or two of uni doesn't set her that much apart! And all her mother's books all over the stairs--put them in a box under the sofa, for goodness' sake rather than give them all away...I just found all her choices dubious and unrealistic.
Although mobile phones and laptops figure in the book, it's as though she's living in the fifties!
June 5, 2021
This had a lot of promise but an incredibly disappointing "ending". Possibly the most frustrating one I have ever encountered in a book and that's saying quite something. I had to check if the last chapter had somehow got deleted from my Kobo but apparently not. If I had known it would "end" like that I would never have started reading it. Not recommended; unless you're a fan of reading unfinished manuscripts ......
April 14, 2021
I'm grateful to Titan for an advance e-copy of The Cottingley Cuckoo via NetGalley to consider for review.
'I want to see my mum, just once, for a little while, I want to tell her that this can't be me; I'm not ready'
I've previously loved Elwood's horror novels, written as Alison Littlewood, and was intrigued to see this one, which moves onto slightly different ground
Rose is a young woman who has dropped out of university, at first to care for her dying mother but then to make a home with Paul (who her mother disapproved of). Now, although she seems to have dropped any idea of resuming her degree and has instead found work at the Sunnyside Care Home she still dreams of "getting out", living perhaps in 'a house in a forest, a turret reaching up amid the branches, a circular room lined with shelves where I'll keep my mother's books'. That's what Paul says he loves about her - that she "believes". But Rose is becoming increasingly obsessed with, her belief engaged by, one of her clients - the intimidating Mrs Favell, a woman who seems almost like a tourist at Sunnyside - and with the story, told in a batch of letters, which Favell lets her read.
That story takes us back to the 1920s, and to the nearby town of Cottingley where a couple of young girls (Frances Griffiths and Elsie Wright) claimed to have photographed fairies - claims, and photographs, which were taken seriously in an age before Photoshop, including by the great Sir Arthur Conan Doyle himself, a noted Spritualist and believer in the supernatural. Mrs Favell's letters (how did she get them?) tell of another family in Cottingley, the Fentons, one subject to a bizarre chain of misfortunes and inexplicable events, in which Lawrence Fenton tries without success to interest Sir Arthur.
Gradually, Rose begins to suspect Charlotte Favell of being the Charlotte of the letters, impossible as it seems. And as Rose discovers herself unexpectedly pregnant, apparently cementing her future with Paul, she begins to see her life through the lens of the letters which Favell teasingly doles out, one at a time. Rose comes to believe that she is living through similar, fairy-haunted episodes to those described one hundred years before.
I have to say, I found this book just incredibly good, so powerful and so true. Elwood has captured, in the same story, two apparently very different narratives, deriving from very different times and manners. Rose is a wonderful, though sad, depiction of a young woman who just seems to have got lost. She's hardly over the grief of her mother's death - not over it, in fact - when Paul moves in on her. (I don't think we're meant to dislike Paul, really, but I found it hard to not regard him as a real snare for Rose.) Then Rose has the misfortune to cross paths with Mrs Favell, a clever, mysterious woman who certainly has secrets and perhaps, answers. There is, at the very least, a powerful sense of enchantment, perhaps a kind of Mesmerism, between the two.
And then - pregnancy, birth, the extreme stress of learning to live with a young child.
O Rose.
I so felt for Rose, struggling to come to terms with all this, with the doubts about everything - herself, her child. Newborns are hard work. So much about Rose, to me, seemed to be flashing warnings that she needed help, and it's here that Elwood really gets going, producing a glorious, emotionally rending and deeply ambiguous story that leaves you not knowing if Rose's suspicions about her son Alexander - she fears he is a changeling - are symptoms of her mental state, or insights generated by it, or perhaps both.
All the themes that follow - life and death, the strange existence of a being that owes its whole basis to your care and nourishment, the grief of a mother whose daughter has gone from her and a daughter whose mother is dead - wrap around this. Rose's pregnancy is the time she needs, wants her mother most. The descriptions of scans, of the birth and its aftermath so cleverly and affectingly combine a matter-of -act, objective depiction of what happened with the gulf of unsatisfied feelings that lies beneath ('I realise they're waiting for me to do it - to be a mother')
You can read the story as one of obsession and delusion, or as one of violation and cruelty. It's full of opposites clinging to one another: the perception, hanging over from the Victorians, of fairies as dainty little beings of beauty and light, contrasting with folkloric amoral, cruel creatures. The desire to possess what one loves, distorting and eventually maiming or killing it. And much more. The narrative becomes tricksy, Rose perhaps a not completely reliable narrator, not even to herself - does she really not know what become of the fairytale books from among her mother's collection? ('Did they vanish into the air? ... Was the memory even true...?') Later Rose will have more serious doubts as gaps open up in her reality, prompting her to recall those whose brief stays in Fairyland lasted years in our time.
This book is... oh, it's so sad, so human. Rose and Paul are, in a real sense, talking past one another. Of the two, Rose is I think the deeper, the more thoughtful, but she is suffering for it. Perhaps they might have been able to resolve that, but the baby comes along and shifts the dynamic. Rose suspects Paul of having messed with her pills to bring this about, a mystery that's never returned to but a sign either of basic mistrust on her part or of unforgivable duplicity on his - not a firm basis for a relationship either way.
So this book is in a sense an unravelling, a disenchantment, at the same time as it explores all the ways that, and the extent to which, we wish to be enchanted, to believe, or perhaps, to find and possess someone who does themselves believe - with all that harm that will follow from that possession.
It is not a horror story.
It is a horror story.
It's just amazing.
'I want to see my mum, just once, for a little while, I want to tell her that this can't be me; I'm not ready'
I've previously loved Elwood's horror novels, written as Alison Littlewood, and was intrigued to see this one, which moves onto slightly different ground
Rose is a young woman who has dropped out of university, at first to care for her dying mother but then to make a home with Paul (who her mother disapproved of). Now, although she seems to have dropped any idea of resuming her degree and has instead found work at the Sunnyside Care Home she still dreams of "getting out", living perhaps in 'a house in a forest, a turret reaching up amid the branches, a circular room lined with shelves where I'll keep my mother's books'. That's what Paul says he loves about her - that she "believes". But Rose is becoming increasingly obsessed with, her belief engaged by, one of her clients - the intimidating Mrs Favell, a woman who seems almost like a tourist at Sunnyside - and with the story, told in a batch of letters, which Favell lets her read.
That story takes us back to the 1920s, and to the nearby town of Cottingley where a couple of young girls (Frances Griffiths and Elsie Wright) claimed to have photographed fairies - claims, and photographs, which were taken seriously in an age before Photoshop, including by the great Sir Arthur Conan Doyle himself, a noted Spritualist and believer in the supernatural. Mrs Favell's letters (how did she get them?) tell of another family in Cottingley, the Fentons, one subject to a bizarre chain of misfortunes and inexplicable events, in which Lawrence Fenton tries without success to interest Sir Arthur.
Gradually, Rose begins to suspect Charlotte Favell of being the Charlotte of the letters, impossible as it seems. And as Rose discovers herself unexpectedly pregnant, apparently cementing her future with Paul, she begins to see her life through the lens of the letters which Favell teasingly doles out, one at a time. Rose comes to believe that she is living through similar, fairy-haunted episodes to those described one hundred years before.
I have to say, I found this book just incredibly good, so powerful and so true. Elwood has captured, in the same story, two apparently very different narratives, deriving from very different times and manners. Rose is a wonderful, though sad, depiction of a young woman who just seems to have got lost. She's hardly over the grief of her mother's death - not over it, in fact - when Paul moves in on her. (I don't think we're meant to dislike Paul, really, but I found it hard to not regard him as a real snare for Rose.) Then Rose has the misfortune to cross paths with Mrs Favell, a clever, mysterious woman who certainly has secrets and perhaps, answers. There is, at the very least, a powerful sense of enchantment, perhaps a kind of Mesmerism, between the two.
And then - pregnancy, birth, the extreme stress of learning to live with a young child.
O Rose.
I so felt for Rose, struggling to come to terms with all this, with the doubts about everything - herself, her child. Newborns are hard work. So much about Rose, to me, seemed to be flashing warnings that she needed help, and it's here that Elwood really gets going, producing a glorious, emotionally rending and deeply ambiguous story that leaves you not knowing if Rose's suspicions about her son Alexander - she fears he is a changeling - are symptoms of her mental state, or insights generated by it, or perhaps both.
All the themes that follow - life and death, the strange existence of a being that owes its whole basis to your care and nourishment, the grief of a mother whose daughter has gone from her and a daughter whose mother is dead - wrap around this. Rose's pregnancy is the time she needs, wants her mother most. The descriptions of scans, of the birth and its aftermath so cleverly and affectingly combine a matter-of -act, objective depiction of what happened with the gulf of unsatisfied feelings that lies beneath ('I realise they're waiting for me to do it - to be a mother')
You can read the story as one of obsession and delusion, or as one of violation and cruelty. It's full of opposites clinging to one another: the perception, hanging over from the Victorians, of fairies as dainty little beings of beauty and light, contrasting with folkloric amoral, cruel creatures. The desire to possess what one loves, distorting and eventually maiming or killing it. And much more. The narrative becomes tricksy, Rose perhaps a not completely reliable narrator, not even to herself - does she really not know what become of the fairytale books from among her mother's collection? ('Did they vanish into the air? ... Was the memory even true...?') Later Rose will have more serious doubts as gaps open up in her reality, prompting her to recall those whose brief stays in Fairyland lasted years in our time.
This book is... oh, it's so sad, so human. Rose and Paul are, in a real sense, talking past one another. Of the two, Rose is I think the deeper, the more thoughtful, but she is suffering for it. Perhaps they might have been able to resolve that, but the baby comes along and shifts the dynamic. Rose suspects Paul of having messed with her pills to bring this about, a mystery that's never returned to but a sign either of basic mistrust on her part or of unforgivable duplicity on his - not a firm basis for a relationship either way.
So this book is in a sense an unravelling, a disenchantment, at the same time as it explores all the ways that, and the extent to which, we wish to be enchanted, to believe, or perhaps, to find and possess someone who does themselves believe - with all that harm that will follow from that possession.
It is not a horror story.
It is a horror story.
It's just amazing.
April 17, 2021
Firstly, a huge thank you to Titan Books and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
This book was a much darker read than I initially expected and that is just one of the aspects that completely drew me into this book. I was sneaking chapters of it between everyday responsibilities because I was entirely captivated by Rose and the mysterious Mrs. Favell. I really liked Rose and was endeared to her very early on when we see that she has much larger dreams than the life that she is having to live. Whilst she keeps telling herself it’s only temporary you can’t help but wonder if she will have to give these dreams up for other responsibilities. Additionally, the fact that she is new at Sunnyside care home also made her feel relatable. Most people know what it’s like to be new at a job, not quite sure of where you fit and you have yet to get a good read on those around you.
From the moment she starts her new job you’re aware that there’s something different about resident Charlotte Favell. The other staff at Sunnyside all seem to be in on an inside joke around Mrs. Favell, one that Rose isn’t privy to. At first, she appears to be a cold, and bitter old woman, one who seems to take a liking to Rose to the amusement of the other members of staff. I was fascinated by Mrs. Favell and her strange behaviour; how at one point you think you understand her but then something else may call that into question. I loved the way Elwood subtly illustrated how much of an imposing and influential figure she was. How easy it is to be drawn in by Mrs. Favell once she sets her sights on you.
I loved how mysterious this plot was and how it gradually evolved throughout the novel. Although it was a little slow to begin with, as soon as the plot and the history of the characters began to unravel the pace started to quicken, especially in the second part of the novel. What starts as an enchanting and magical read, starts to take a darker turn. I felt it was very reminiscent of original fairytales: how, on the surface, they appear to be a tale of magic but hide something far more unsettling underneath. I enjoyed how the novel would change from Rose’s perspective to the letters from Mr. Fenton to Mr. Gardener regarding his discoveries. I like how it felt that with each one we were getting closer to solving the mystery of what was going on. Additionally, I thought it was very effective to tell the story in this way as it makes it far more understandable why Rose is as taken with the story and with Mrs. Favell as she is. Having the letters tell the story of the past rather than Mrs. Favell gives more of a feeling of truth behind it.
Overall, I loved this novel and the amount of depth it had with both plot and the characters. This story enchants its readers and will have them thinking about the book long after you’ve read the spine-chilling final line.
This book was a much darker read than I initially expected and that is just one of the aspects that completely drew me into this book. I was sneaking chapters of it between everyday responsibilities because I was entirely captivated by Rose and the mysterious Mrs. Favell. I really liked Rose and was endeared to her very early on when we see that she has much larger dreams than the life that she is having to live. Whilst she keeps telling herself it’s only temporary you can’t help but wonder if she will have to give these dreams up for other responsibilities. Additionally, the fact that she is new at Sunnyside care home also made her feel relatable. Most people know what it’s like to be new at a job, not quite sure of where you fit and you have yet to get a good read on those around you.
From the moment she starts her new job you’re aware that there’s something different about resident Charlotte Favell. The other staff at Sunnyside all seem to be in on an inside joke around Mrs. Favell, one that Rose isn’t privy to. At first, she appears to be a cold, and bitter old woman, one who seems to take a liking to Rose to the amusement of the other members of staff. I was fascinated by Mrs. Favell and her strange behaviour; how at one point you think you understand her but then something else may call that into question. I loved the way Elwood subtly illustrated how much of an imposing and influential figure she was. How easy it is to be drawn in by Mrs. Favell once she sets her sights on you.
I loved how mysterious this plot was and how it gradually evolved throughout the novel. Although it was a little slow to begin with, as soon as the plot and the history of the characters began to unravel the pace started to quicken, especially in the second part of the novel. What starts as an enchanting and magical read, starts to take a darker turn. I felt it was very reminiscent of original fairytales: how, on the surface, they appear to be a tale of magic but hide something far more unsettling underneath. I enjoyed how the novel would change from Rose’s perspective to the letters from Mr. Fenton to Mr. Gardener regarding his discoveries. I like how it felt that with each one we were getting closer to solving the mystery of what was going on. Additionally, I thought it was very effective to tell the story in this way as it makes it far more understandable why Rose is as taken with the story and with Mrs. Favell as she is. Having the letters tell the story of the past rather than Mrs. Favell gives more of a feeling of truth behind it.
Overall, I loved this novel and the amount of depth it had with both plot and the characters. This story enchants its readers and will have them thinking about the book long after you’ve read the spine-chilling final line.
May 29, 2021
The Cottingley Cuckoo
Author: A. J Elwood (pseudonym of Alison Littlewood)
Publisher: Titan Books
Page count: 304pp
Release date: 14th April 2021
After a long spell of caring for her now deceased mother, Rose, who lives with a sort of layabout guy - Paul, who takes jobs day to day - gets a new role as a carer at Sunnyside residential home for the elderly.
Of course, she does what many of us have done before; says enough of the right things in an interview to get the job, convincing them that this is what she wants, but all she really wants is escape. Her literature degree was halted halfway through and she longs to return; the books also a link to her Mum.
Loss - of memories and love and family - whilst boyfriend Paul wants 2.4 children - the perfect family.
With sly looks and cruel snorts, Rose is assigned as ‘new girl’ to Mrs Charlotte Favell, who she reads to. Mrs Favell wears a mask of arrogant ice and privilege, scaring half the carers. But for some reason, Mrs Favell lets Rose read to her, and what she discovers amongst the old woman’s books, is a shock.
First, there is the letter. A handwritten note to Arthur Conan Doyle proclaiming to have proof of fairies. In fact, the preserved corpse of one.
Rose is instantly captivated and intrigued, especially as the the daughter in law of the letter writer is also called Charlotte.
Weaving between it fairy tale law and elements of narrative meant to confuse, we’re left at one point wondering if fairies are real and living in care homes! But there’s a lot more going on here; veils of truth, insidious motives and manipulation.
Epistolary on nature - using letters previously published as part of a novella from Newcon Press - the novel flits from past to present with ease and brings with it a sense of discomfort and unease.
Within it too, is an important point about the nature of caring. Rose considers;
“I wonder if there’s anything so awful as someone old and alone being in pain – and I suddenly realise she might die this way, sorrowing over a daughter who never comes...”
No matter how you look at it, no matter how much you love the person who needs you, bring a Carer is very hard work. Rose, as narrator, thinks “We’re supposed to care, having endless wells of kindness, sharing memories and dreams, sharing.”
It feels as though within this novel, published after a year in lockdown, we see and feel an acknowledgement of just how difficult it is to be a key worker.
It’s a sad, yet creepy narrative and the research Elwood has completed is amazing.
There are times when I’m reminded of Du Maurier’s Rebecca and the delightful Mrs Danvers through the character of Charlotte Favell.
A beautifully written and haunting book with a gothic style .
Author: A. J Elwood (pseudonym of Alison Littlewood)
Publisher: Titan Books
Page count: 304pp
Release date: 14th April 2021
After a long spell of caring for her now deceased mother, Rose, who lives with a sort of layabout guy - Paul, who takes jobs day to day - gets a new role as a carer at Sunnyside residential home for the elderly.
Of course, she does what many of us have done before; says enough of the right things in an interview to get the job, convincing them that this is what she wants, but all she really wants is escape. Her literature degree was halted halfway through and she longs to return; the books also a link to her Mum.
Loss - of memories and love and family - whilst boyfriend Paul wants 2.4 children - the perfect family.
With sly looks and cruel snorts, Rose is assigned as ‘new girl’ to Mrs Charlotte Favell, who she reads to. Mrs Favell wears a mask of arrogant ice and privilege, scaring half the carers. But for some reason, Mrs Favell lets Rose read to her, and what she discovers amongst the old woman’s books, is a shock.
First, there is the letter. A handwritten note to Arthur Conan Doyle proclaiming to have proof of fairies. In fact, the preserved corpse of one.
Rose is instantly captivated and intrigued, especially as the the daughter in law of the letter writer is also called Charlotte.
Weaving between it fairy tale law and elements of narrative meant to confuse, we’re left at one point wondering if fairies are real and living in care homes! But there’s a lot more going on here; veils of truth, insidious motives and manipulation.
Epistolary on nature - using letters previously published as part of a novella from Newcon Press - the novel flits from past to present with ease and brings with it a sense of discomfort and unease.
Within it too, is an important point about the nature of caring. Rose considers;
“I wonder if there’s anything so awful as someone old and alone being in pain – and I suddenly realise she might die this way, sorrowing over a daughter who never comes...”
No matter how you look at it, no matter how much you love the person who needs you, bring a Carer is very hard work. Rose, as narrator, thinks “We’re supposed to care, having endless wells of kindness, sharing memories and dreams, sharing.”
It feels as though within this novel, published after a year in lockdown, we see and feel an acknowledgement of just how difficult it is to be a key worker.
It’s a sad, yet creepy narrative and the research Elwood has completed is amazing.
There are times when I’m reminded of Du Maurier’s Rebecca and the delightful Mrs Danvers through the character of Charlotte Favell.
A beautifully written and haunting book with a gothic style .
July 5, 2021
This narrative punishes a young woman because she is not immediately enthusiastic about an unexpected pregnancy. She quickly decides to keep her baby -- although her reasons for this are not explored in depth -- but her brief hesitation and her struggle to bond with her baby are depicted as signs that she is unnatural and "without mercy". The sexism, anti-abortion rhetoric, and lack of nuance, weighed heavily on a narrative that already wasn't working very well. Initially, this was a novella called Cottingley about the Cottingley forgery -- in the 1920s, two young sisters produced faked photos of fairies, which many believed were real -- and has been expanded into a full-length novel. I wanted to read it because I'm always fascinated by stories about fairies as complex or malevolent entities, and I liked the idea of an exploration of the Cottingley forgery.
There could have been real dread in this story. I appreciate that Elwood wanted to create a sense of unease, and evoke fear through suggestions and possibility. However, her writing style is too clunky to pull this off. Elwood never says something once when she can say it three times, and yet the details of the story are surprisingly vague. Rose has left university after one year and is working in a nursing home for the elderly. She complains often about the town where she lives, but we never find out why -- is it run down? Is it a commuter belt? At the nursing home, she meets the mysterious Mrs Favell, who draws her in to stories about historical encounters with fairies. Then Rose becomes pregnant, and starts to think her baby will be a changeling. This is all rich ground for horror, but somehow it never comes off. The pregnancy plotline is deeply troubling, as I have described, and while the chapters feels slow, we never get a real sense of Rose, or her terror, or of the place where she lives or the work she does. The ultimate conclusion seems to be that everything that happens is Rose's fault because she didn't want to be pregnant. A very disappointing book.
There could have been real dread in this story. I appreciate that Elwood wanted to create a sense of unease, and evoke fear through suggestions and possibility. However, her writing style is too clunky to pull this off. Elwood never says something once when she can say it three times, and yet the details of the story are surprisingly vague. Rose has left university after one year and is working in a nursing home for the elderly. She complains often about the town where she lives, but we never find out why -- is it run down? Is it a commuter belt? At the nursing home, she meets the mysterious Mrs Favell, who draws her in to stories about historical encounters with fairies. Then Rose becomes pregnant, and starts to think her baby will be a changeling. This is all rich ground for horror, but somehow it never comes off. The pregnancy plotline is deeply troubling, as I have described, and while the chapters feels slow, we never get a real sense of Rose, or her terror, or of the place where she lives or the work she does. The ultimate conclusion seems to be that everything that happens is Rose's fault because she didn't want to be pregnant. A very disappointing book.
June 7, 2023
"And I realise: this is my happily ever after, the one I had wished for. I am free. I can go anywhere; I can be anyone."
Bacih pogled dole, i shvatih da sam tri dana čitala ovo. Ne zato što je knjiga dugačka, ne zato što je dosadna pa me smaralo da joj se vraćam (ne vraćam se knjigama koje me smaraju), ne čak ni zato što sam imala neka bogznakako važna rl posla.
Trebalo mi je tri dana jer sam pogrešila.
Već sam pominjala da ne volim ovakve teme, jer su za mene knjige eskapizam. Blurb ovoga je obavio dobar posao - ničim mi nije nagovestio o čemu se, zapravo, u knjizi radi. Nisam imala pojma kakvom ću frik šou od postepenog propadanja iz mentalne nestabilnosti u krajnje ludilo, svedočiti.
Neću naročito dužiti: knjiga je izuzetno dobra. Odlično je napisana, odlično drži pažnju, glavni su likovi odlično odrađeni. Mogla bi se uzeti na nekom času kreativnog pisanja ili kako se već vraga te radionice zovu kao primer ljudima kako se piše.
Tema je mučna. Nikada ne bih uzela da čitam ovo da sam imala boljeg razumevanja o čemu se, u stvari, radi.
Ali, to što je tema neprijatna, ne umanjuje vrednost dela. Ne sećam se da sam čula za ovog autora, ali ću svakako pogledati šta je još napisala, i pod svojim imenom kao i pod pseudonimom.
Nadam se samo da nije isključivo opredeljena da piše ovakve stvari, bez obzira koliko dobro to radila. Nadam se da je svoj talenat upotrebila da napiše i nešto od čega mi neće biti fizički zlo. Ponovo.
Očekivano sam prazna i opustošena nakon čitanja ove knjige, i nemam nikakvu volju da se više zadržavam nigde u njenoj blizini. Ne želim misliti o njoj, ne želim se sećati ničega što sam pročitala.
Trenutno se osećam:
"I have my happy ending, but at the wrong time, when I no longer want it. I only want my life."
Too late, Rose. Too late.
March 16, 2021
I am a huge Alison Littlewood fan, (now relaunched here as A J Elwood) and have read all her novels and many of her short stories over the years, so this was a no brainer of an e-arc for me to grab, and so many thanks to net galley and the publishers for it. I even live 5 mins from Cottingley in Bradford, have visited the National Media Museum where the 1917 Cottingley Fairy photos and camera used by the two girls - Elsie and Frances- are stored and I visited the 100 year exhibition (in 2017) in Cottingley Town Hall. This 1917 hoax of the faked fairy photos, which famously and so spectacularly Arthur Conan Doyle endorsed, is the narrative backbone of the novel, which switches between the present day and via a series of letters, dating to the 1920's, takes us back to the Fairy question. The protagonist in the modern day is Rose, a young woman, trapped in a dead-end job in a nursing home where she cares for the difficult and unpleasant old woman, Charlotte Favell. Unfortunately for this reader I did not find myself investing in or caring about either Rose or her nemesis Charlotte, and I did not care for the nursing home backdrop and the details of life there which I found rather dull. Charlotte never lifted off the page for me, and her found her rather unbelievable all round. The letters she drip feeds to Rose (who dreams of a more intellectual life) dodged around the fairy issue using another child and her family, in a way which got a little repetitious. Charlotte may or may not be able to read minds/thoughts- Rose is pregnant, but what is growing inside her?
I found this a slow burn of a read, and to be honest it didn't really come together for me. Also knowing Cottingley and the area, I didn't feel the author nailed the vibe of the place - it remained a storybook backdrop.
Elwood has a gorgeous turn of phrase and there were some sentences I really treasured, which were prose poetry so for that alone you could enjoy the texture of the novel.
I found this a slow burn of a read, and to be honest it didn't really come together for me. Also knowing Cottingley and the area, I didn't feel the author nailed the vibe of the place - it remained a storybook backdrop.
Elwood has a gorgeous turn of phrase and there were some sentences I really treasured, which were prose poetry so for that alone you could enjoy the texture of the novel.
May 5, 2021
The Cottingley Cuckoo is the latest novel from Alison Littlewood, writing here under the pen-name A.J. Elwood, and much like some of her previous works it deals with fairies, and the events that occurred in the village of Cottingley in the early 1900s.
The story takes place in the modern day, where we follow Rose, a young woman who’s just started working at the Sunnyside residential home as a carer. Rose describes herself as a ‘believer’ and through her narration we learn that care work isn’t really a calling for her, and is simply a job to help her on her way to bigger and better things. She’s had to put some of her ambitions on hold due to the loss of her mother, and supporting her unemployed boyfriend as the sole earner, but is determined that Sunnyside is going to be nothing more than a stop along the way for her.
On her first day there she’s sent to attend to Mrs Favell, one of the residents at the home. Unlike the others, Mrs Favell seems incredibly independent; she’s in apparently good health and doesn’t seem to have any mental health issues. She’s definitely out of place. She’s also cold, stern, and incredibly incisive. She very quickly gets under Rose’s skin, especially when she reveals a stack of old letters that seem to hint that the famous fairy hoax might have had some truth to it.
Rose is slowly drip fed the letters by the older woman, who seemingly starts to manipulate Rose. When Rose discovers she’s pregnant her dreams of being able to move on from her work as a carer begin to evaporate before her eyes, especially when her partner is unable to find work. The letters that Rose lets her read begin to convince Rose that there may be more going on that she first suspects, and when strange things start to happen around her baby she comes to believe that not only might the fairy world be real, but that it has her family in its sights.
I had a lot of fun reading The Cottingley Cuckoo, due in large part to how the story was teased out. The two narratives, the one of Rose in the modern day and the letters regarding a fairy encounter in the 1920s, intertwined really well, and the old letters always impact Rose’s story whenever they appear. The content of the letters could have easily been a story themselves, and it’s a narrative that’s at times more intriguing than the rest of the book. This was in part down to Rose.
I liked Rose, she seemed like a nice person, though one who never really felt truly in control. She seems content to go through her life allowing things to happen to her, despite having desires to go on to do other things with her life. She wants to leave care work, but she never makes it clear what she’d prefer to do instead. She doesn’t want to live in her town all her life, yet never really makes a point of where she’d want to be instead. She had vague ambitions, but does nothing to achieve them, and this is made even worse by her seeming willingness to allow others to push her around.
There are times in the book where Rose very much feels like a victim. Her colleagues at work don’t show any interest in her, and some are even hostile towards her. She doesn’t seem to have much say in her home life either, and after her child is born she quickly caves into her partner’s desire for her to go back to work and be the sole wage earner whilst he gets to be a stay at home father, simply because he doesn’t seem to want to try finding work. That in itself isn’t a bad thing, but when she’s coming home from a long day’s work and having to clear up his mess from the day because he hasn’t done anything, or is having the baby left with her because he wants to go to the pub it does become quite irritating. I wanted Rose to stand up for herself, to take charge of her life, but she never seemed to have the self respect to do that.
Mrs Favell proved to be a much more interesting character by far, and there were times during the book that I wanted to spend longer with her, to see how she interacted with people. I wanted to know if she was the way she was with everyone, or if she was making a thing of tormenting this one woman. Unfortunately, you don’t get a lot of answers, but coming to your own conclusions is a big part of the fun of this book.
The Cottingley Cuckoo isn’t perfect, but there are a lot of good things in this book, a lot of mystery and atmosphere, and a lot of possibility. If you’re a fan of fairies and their world it’s definitely a story you should give a try.
The story takes place in the modern day, where we follow Rose, a young woman who’s just started working at the Sunnyside residential home as a carer. Rose describes herself as a ‘believer’ and through her narration we learn that care work isn’t really a calling for her, and is simply a job to help her on her way to bigger and better things. She’s had to put some of her ambitions on hold due to the loss of her mother, and supporting her unemployed boyfriend as the sole earner, but is determined that Sunnyside is going to be nothing more than a stop along the way for her.
On her first day there she’s sent to attend to Mrs Favell, one of the residents at the home. Unlike the others, Mrs Favell seems incredibly independent; she’s in apparently good health and doesn’t seem to have any mental health issues. She’s definitely out of place. She’s also cold, stern, and incredibly incisive. She very quickly gets under Rose’s skin, especially when she reveals a stack of old letters that seem to hint that the famous fairy hoax might have had some truth to it.
Rose is slowly drip fed the letters by the older woman, who seemingly starts to manipulate Rose. When Rose discovers she’s pregnant her dreams of being able to move on from her work as a carer begin to evaporate before her eyes, especially when her partner is unable to find work. The letters that Rose lets her read begin to convince Rose that there may be more going on that she first suspects, and when strange things start to happen around her baby she comes to believe that not only might the fairy world be real, but that it has her family in its sights.
I had a lot of fun reading The Cottingley Cuckoo, due in large part to how the story was teased out. The two narratives, the one of Rose in the modern day and the letters regarding a fairy encounter in the 1920s, intertwined really well, and the old letters always impact Rose’s story whenever they appear. The content of the letters could have easily been a story themselves, and it’s a narrative that’s at times more intriguing than the rest of the book. This was in part down to Rose.
I liked Rose, she seemed like a nice person, though one who never really felt truly in control. She seems content to go through her life allowing things to happen to her, despite having desires to go on to do other things with her life. She wants to leave care work, but she never makes it clear what she’d prefer to do instead. She doesn’t want to live in her town all her life, yet never really makes a point of where she’d want to be instead. She had vague ambitions, but does nothing to achieve them, and this is made even worse by her seeming willingness to allow others to push her around.
There are times in the book where Rose very much feels like a victim. Her colleagues at work don’t show any interest in her, and some are even hostile towards her. She doesn’t seem to have much say in her home life either, and after her child is born she quickly caves into her partner’s desire for her to go back to work and be the sole wage earner whilst he gets to be a stay at home father, simply because he doesn’t seem to want to try finding work. That in itself isn’t a bad thing, but when she’s coming home from a long day’s work and having to clear up his mess from the day because he hasn’t done anything, or is having the baby left with her because he wants to go to the pub it does become quite irritating. I wanted Rose to stand up for herself, to take charge of her life, but she never seemed to have the self respect to do that.
Mrs Favell proved to be a much more interesting character by far, and there were times during the book that I wanted to spend longer with her, to see how she interacted with people. I wanted to know if she was the way she was with everyone, or if she was making a thing of tormenting this one woman. Unfortunately, you don’t get a lot of answers, but coming to your own conclusions is a big part of the fun of this book.
The Cottingley Cuckoo isn’t perfect, but there are a lot of good things in this book, a lot of mystery and atmosphere, and a lot of possibility. If you’re a fan of fairies and their world it’s definitely a story you should give a try.
May 16, 2021
As a person who was captivated by the story of the Cottingley Fairies growing up I was excited to start reading this book and I'm grateful to Titan books for sending me a copy for review, however, this was a book that wasn't a great fit for me.
The book is split into two parts both are interspersed with one sided letters from a Mr Fenton who is corresponding with a representative of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle which are used as background to the main plot and serve to drive the story forward as the tale unfolds. The first part I enjoyed the most, the start of the unsettling ability that Charlotte Favell had to get under Rose's skin, but Rose sadly was a character that I was unable to really warm to. She was deeply unsatisfied with her life and therefore ripe for the twisted fancies of a bitter old woman, I was surprised at how easily she became ensnared but that fed into Rose's desperation to be something more. The story did well at maintaining an air of menace and unease, playing off the plausible fantasy of someone who wants to believe.
However for the second part I just felt mostly confused, the lack of post natal care troubled me and whilst it worked to serve the purpose of the story, as someone who personally suffered from PND I felt that lack of accountability perhaps poorly researched. This sadly distracted me from the story as Rose became more and more frantic and pulled into the story Charlotte Favell had woven, she worked in a place filled with health care professionals who were seemingly oblivious to her erratic behaviour. Thinking about it the second part felt more like one woman's struggle to survive an illness whilst caught in a web of cruelty.
I enjoyed the writing style for the most part, the subtle way the letters show a spiral descent was well played out and it managed a creepy feel throughout, I just struggled to get on board.
The book is split into two parts both are interspersed with one sided letters from a Mr Fenton who is corresponding with a representative of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle which are used as background to the main plot and serve to drive the story forward as the tale unfolds. The first part I enjoyed the most, the start of the unsettling ability that Charlotte Favell had to get under Rose's skin, but Rose sadly was a character that I was unable to really warm to. She was deeply unsatisfied with her life and therefore ripe for the twisted fancies of a bitter old woman, I was surprised at how easily she became ensnared but that fed into Rose's desperation to be something more. The story did well at maintaining an air of menace and unease, playing off the plausible fantasy of someone who wants to believe.
However for the second part I just felt mostly confused, the lack of post natal care troubled me and whilst it worked to serve the purpose of the story, as someone who personally suffered from PND I felt that lack of accountability perhaps poorly researched. This sadly distracted me from the story as Rose became more and more frantic and pulled into the story Charlotte Favell had woven, she worked in a place filled with health care professionals who were seemingly oblivious to her erratic behaviour. Thinking about it the second part felt more like one woman's struggle to survive an illness whilst caught in a web of cruelty.
I enjoyed the writing style for the most part, the subtle way the letters show a spiral descent was well played out and it managed a creepy feel throughout, I just struggled to get on board.
July 10, 2022
Captivated by books and stories, Rose dreams of a life away from the confines of the Sunnyside care home she works in, until elderly resident Charlotte Favell offers an unexpected glimpse of enchantment. She keeps an aged stack of letters about the Cottingley Fairies, the photographs made famous by Arthur Conan Doyle but later dismissed as a hoax. As the letters content grows more menacing, Rose discovers she is unexpectedly pregnant, and feels another door to the future has slammed. Her obsession with what really happened in Cottingley all those years ago spirals; as inexplicable events occur inside her home, she begins to entertain dark thoughts about her baby and its origin...
I have always been fascinated by the story of the Cottingley fairies and was excited to read a book with a slightly different take on the tale. A mix of fantasy, light horror and mystery, the synopsis and brilliant reviews really drew me in, however, I was left feeling slightly disappointed.
Some parts are absolutely brilliant. Dark, disturbing and chilling, these scenes really do create a very uneasy and very unsettling atmosphere, however these scenes were very few and far between. The rest of the story was quite slow, the protagonist exceptionally annoying with a cast of characters who did not jump off the page or resonate with me in any way, shape or form. The storyline itself is original and could have been brilliantly and deliciously dark but I almost felt as if the author was holding back - there was a lot of promise but not much delivery on those promises. The ending? Very ambiguous. I usually have no problem with endings like this but this ending just did not make any sense to me whatsoever and I was left feeling extremely frustrated.
I have given 3 stars because I loved the historical content and I did enjoy some parts but the rest? Just not for me I'm afraid ⭐️⭐️⭐️
I have always been fascinated by the story of the Cottingley fairies and was excited to read a book with a slightly different take on the tale. A mix of fantasy, light horror and mystery, the synopsis and brilliant reviews really drew me in, however, I was left feeling slightly disappointed.
Some parts are absolutely brilliant. Dark, disturbing and chilling, these scenes really do create a very uneasy and very unsettling atmosphere, however these scenes were very few and far between. The rest of the story was quite slow, the protagonist exceptionally annoying with a cast of characters who did not jump off the page or resonate with me in any way, shape or form. The storyline itself is original and could have been brilliantly and deliciously dark but I almost felt as if the author was holding back - there was a lot of promise but not much delivery on those promises. The ending? Very ambiguous. I usually have no problem with endings like this but this ending just did not make any sense to me whatsoever and I was left feeling extremely frustrated.
I have given 3 stars because I loved the historical content and I did enjoy some parts but the rest? Just not for me I'm afraid ⭐️⭐️⭐️
May 21, 2021
Rose works in a care home and dreams of getting away. When one of the residents show her letters by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle about the Cottingley Fairies, she finds herself drawn in by his words. She starts to wonder if the fairies are actually real to the point where they begin to take over her life.
Feeling trapped and alone, she soon starts seeing strange things going on fuelling her belief and starts to doubt everyone and everything around her.
When her baby is born, she was sure that her baby was another and believes the fairies have taken her.
But is she really suffering from Post-Natal depression or had fairies really taken her baby?
The book is largely centred around Arthur Conan Doyle and his letters on the Cottingley Fairies that filter in and out of the story as she gets to read them.
The Cottingley Fairies were actually a series of photos taken by Elsie Wright and Frances Griffiths when they were both at a young age and was living in the area. Sir Authur Conan Doyle actually used them for an article he was writing on fairies a few years later.
It’s a dark and sinister read that gets more menacing as you go along. I was gripped as each page went on and the tension mounted.
‘The Cottingley Cuckoo’ reads like books of old and is so beautifully described. It’s an enchanting and fascinating read with themes of loneliness, post-natal depression and that feeling of being trapped.
Feeling trapped and alone, she soon starts seeing strange things going on fuelling her belief and starts to doubt everyone and everything around her.
When her baby is born, she was sure that her baby was another and believes the fairies have taken her.
But is she really suffering from Post-Natal depression or had fairies really taken her baby?
The book is largely centred around Arthur Conan Doyle and his letters on the Cottingley Fairies that filter in and out of the story as she gets to read them.
The Cottingley Fairies were actually a series of photos taken by Elsie Wright and Frances Griffiths when they were both at a young age and was living in the area. Sir Authur Conan Doyle actually used them for an article he was writing on fairies a few years later.
It’s a dark and sinister read that gets more menacing as you go along. I was gripped as each page went on and the tension mounted.
‘The Cottingley Cuckoo’ reads like books of old and is so beautifully described. It’s an enchanting and fascinating read with themes of loneliness, post-natal depression and that feeling of being trapped.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 30, 2021
Rose works at the Sunnyside Care Home but dreams of a more fulfilled life and Charlotte Favell, an elderly resident, offers an unexpected glimpse of enchantment but her interest - and the letters she shares - soon take a sinister turn.
Another excellent novel from Alison Littlewood (writing here under a pseudonym), this is another foray into the world of darker fairy tales that intrude on reality and works well due to the excellent characterisation. Down-trodden Rose, by her boss, colleagues and partner, desperately wants something better but there’s always a hindrance to this. Losing herself into the dream-like world of the letters Charlotte shares with her - whilst, at the same time, being manipulated and frightened by her - life is further complicated when she discovers she’s pregnant. Full of emotional truth, is Rose suffering from a bad bout of part-partum depression or is there something more to the legend of the Cottingley Fairies (which Littlewood dealt with wonderfully in the novella this is expanded from)? With a strong grasp of location - you can almost smell Sunnyside - and a great sense of ever increasing tension, this is a cracking novel that doesn’t let up until the final page. Very much recommended.
Another excellent novel from Alison Littlewood (writing here under a pseudonym), this is another foray into the world of darker fairy tales that intrude on reality and works well due to the excellent characterisation. Down-trodden Rose, by her boss, colleagues and partner, desperately wants something better but there’s always a hindrance to this. Losing herself into the dream-like world of the letters Charlotte shares with her - whilst, at the same time, being manipulated and frightened by her - life is further complicated when she discovers she’s pregnant. Full of emotional truth, is Rose suffering from a bad bout of part-partum depression or is there something more to the legend of the Cottingley Fairies (which Littlewood dealt with wonderfully in the novella this is expanded from)? With a strong grasp of location - you can almost smell Sunnyside - and a great sense of ever increasing tension, this is a cracking novel that doesn’t let up until the final page. Very much recommended.
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