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The Wayward Girls
The haunting began quietly. The girls heard it first . . .
THEN
1976. Loo and her sister Bee live in a run-down cottage in the middle of nowhere, with their artistic parents and wild siblings. Their mother, Cathy, had hoped to escape to a simpler life; instead the family find themselves isolated and shunned by their neighbours. At the height of the stifling summer, unexplained noises and occurences in the house begin to disturb the family, until they intrude on every waking moment . . .
NOW
Loo, now Lucy, is called back to her childhood home. A group of strangers are looking to discover the truth about the house and the people who lived there.
But is Lucy ready to confront what really happened all those years ago?
THEN
1976. Loo and her sister Bee live in a run-down cottage in the middle of nowhere, with their artistic parents and wild siblings. Their mother, Cathy, had hoped to escape to a simpler life; instead the family find themselves isolated and shunned by their neighbours. At the height of the stifling summer, unexplained noises and occurences in the house begin to disturb the family, until they intrude on every waking moment . . .
NOW
Loo, now Lucy, is called back to her childhood home. A group of strangers are looking to discover the truth about the house and the people who lived there.
But is Lucy ready to confront what really happened all those years ago?
435 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 2019
50 people are currently reading
1313 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 245 reviews
February 20, 2021
Book Reviewed on www.whisperingstories.com
In 1976 Loo, her sister Bee and their siblings, plus their mum Cathy moved into Iron Sike Farm, as far as Loo knew her father Joe was working away and would join them someday.
Not long after they arrived at the farm strange occurrences began, things moved, voices were heard and the girls received injuries but they didn’t know where from. Sure that their house was haunted they let paranormal investigators investigate the goings-on, Simon, Michael, and Issy were there to talk to the children and observe the farm and to try and catch any paranormal activity on camera.
In the present day, Cathy has dementia and is living in a residential home. She has received a letter from the daughter of one of the investigators who had since died and she wanted to follow up on his investigation at the now derelict farm and wants to talk to Cathy about what went on all those years ago. Nina and her team Hal and Lewis are students. Nina had read her fathers books on the events and wants to find out if the place really was/is haunted.
Lucy (Loo) is called to the residential home after her mum wanders off, she discovers the new investigation at the farm but isn’t happy. She doesn’t want her mum brought into the story again so she agrees to visit the farm with the students and talk to them about what happened in 1976. Is the place haunted and if so by whom?
The Wayward Girls is a mild horror, paranormal book that revolves around an isolated farm. It is told in alternative chapters of Now and Then. The first 3/4 of the book is gripping and I was eager to find out what was happening and who could this possible poltergeist be and what did they want and would the farm still be haunted. The book captivated me and I found myself flying through it not wanting to put it down, I needed answers!
We then move on to the last 1/4 and this is where it felt like things were rushed. I got to the end and then had to re-read sections as all my questions hadn’t been answered, but alas I didn’t find many answers by going back over the chapters. Because it was written in a manner that felt rushed it became a little confusing too, and to be honest I closed the book still unsure if the farm was haunted or not. There was enough evidence produced for and against this idea.
If you are easily scared then this book will give you chills, but my advice is to take it slowly and absorb all the story.
In 1976 Loo, her sister Bee and their siblings, plus their mum Cathy moved into Iron Sike Farm, as far as Loo knew her father Joe was working away and would join them someday.
Not long after they arrived at the farm strange occurrences began, things moved, voices were heard and the girls received injuries but they didn’t know where from. Sure that their house was haunted they let paranormal investigators investigate the goings-on, Simon, Michael, and Issy were there to talk to the children and observe the farm and to try and catch any paranormal activity on camera.
In the present day, Cathy has dementia and is living in a residential home. She has received a letter from the daughter of one of the investigators who had since died and she wanted to follow up on his investigation at the now derelict farm and wants to talk to Cathy about what went on all those years ago. Nina and her team Hal and Lewis are students. Nina had read her fathers books on the events and wants to find out if the place really was/is haunted.
Lucy (Loo) is called to the residential home after her mum wanders off, she discovers the new investigation at the farm but isn’t happy. She doesn’t want her mum brought into the story again so she agrees to visit the farm with the students and talk to them about what happened in 1976. Is the place haunted and if so by whom?
The Wayward Girls is a mild horror, paranormal book that revolves around an isolated farm. It is told in alternative chapters of Now and Then. The first 3/4 of the book is gripping and I was eager to find out what was happening and who could this possible poltergeist be and what did they want and would the farm still be haunted. The book captivated me and I found myself flying through it not wanting to put it down, I needed answers!
We then move on to the last 1/4 and this is where it felt like things were rushed. I got to the end and then had to re-read sections as all my questions hadn’t been answered, but alas I didn’t find many answers by going back over the chapters. Because it was written in a manner that felt rushed it became a little confusing too, and to be honest I closed the book still unsure if the farm was haunted or not. There was enough evidence produced for and against this idea.
If you are easily scared then this book will give you chills, but my advice is to take it slowly and absorb all the story.
May 26, 2021
This was like a ghost story the start was good, had me intrigued but by the last 1/4 of the book there were still so many questions unanswered... blah I am not into ghost stories so for me it just was an okay read. The characters I couldn't connect with which made it a drag of a read.
Due to the unrealistic prose I DNF
Due to the unrealistic prose I DNF
March 14, 2020
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The Wayward Girls by Amanda Mason. (2019).
Then. It's 1976. Loo and her sister Bee live on a run-down farm in the middle of nowhere with their artistic parents and wild siblings. They are isolated and shunned by the small town. At the height of summer, unexplained noises and occurrences in the house begin to disturb the family until they intrude on every waking moment...
Now. Lucy, aka Loo, is called back to the farm as a group of strangers are looking to discover the truth about the house and family. But is Lucy ready to confront what really happened all those years ago?
This is a super creepy book. Don't make my mistake...I stayed up late at night reading it and then I couldn't sleep because I was hearing noises in my house haha. The storyline features dual timelines while alternating between characters and it works perfectly for the plot. I was so immersed in the chilling storyline and I was racing through the pages to discover what's going on. If you are anything like me (I need ALL the questions answered haha), you probably should be aware that you aren't going to get every detail you are hoping for; that didn't lessen my enjoyment at all in this one though. A fascinating spine-tingling narrative that no doubt will get made into a film one day.
I'd happily recommend this paranormal horror story to those who like a little fright in their lives.
*www.facebook.com/onewomansbbr
The Wayward Girls by Amanda Mason. (2019).
Then. It's 1976. Loo and her sister Bee live on a run-down farm in the middle of nowhere with their artistic parents and wild siblings. They are isolated and shunned by the small town. At the height of summer, unexplained noises and occurrences in the house begin to disturb the family until they intrude on every waking moment...
Now. Lucy, aka Loo, is called back to the farm as a group of strangers are looking to discover the truth about the house and family. But is Lucy ready to confront what really happened all those years ago?
This is a super creepy book. Don't make my mistake...I stayed up late at night reading it and then I couldn't sleep because I was hearing noises in my house haha. The storyline features dual timelines while alternating between characters and it works perfectly for the plot. I was so immersed in the chilling storyline and I was racing through the pages to discover what's going on. If you are anything like me (I need ALL the questions answered haha), you probably should be aware that you aren't going to get every detail you are hoping for; that didn't lessen my enjoyment at all in this one though. A fascinating spine-tingling narrative that no doubt will get made into a film one day.
I'd happily recommend this paranormal horror story to those who like a little fright in their lives.
February 19, 2020
I can’t lie.
I struggled with this.
It’s a book I’ve had since last year. I tried reading it then, but I couldn’t connect.
So I put it down intending to pick it up again. I thought it might be my mood or something as in theory this sounds like a book I would love.
Sadly, I put it down and forgot.
Again this year I promised myself I’d read my backlist of books in and out and remembered this one.
Ding dong, I had an idea. I’ll listen to it on audio.
I didn’t like the narrators voice at all. Too grinding for me. So that didn’t work.
I went back to reading it.
So many characters to retain and work out.
Ok I plodded on.
The twist.....was that it?
The writing was ok, but this story just wasn’t a good match for me.
I struggled with this.
It’s a book I’ve had since last year. I tried reading it then, but I couldn’t connect.
So I put it down intending to pick it up again. I thought it might be my mood or something as in theory this sounds like a book I would love.
Sadly, I put it down and forgot.
Again this year I promised myself I’d read my backlist of books in and out and remembered this one.
Ding dong, I had an idea. I’ll listen to it on audio.
I didn’t like the narrators voice at all. Too grinding for me. So that didn’t work.
I went back to reading it.
So many characters to retain and work out.
Ok I plodded on.
The twist.....was that it?
The writing was ok, but this story just wasn’t a good match for me.
March 6, 2019
The creepiest shiver inducing novel I've read in AGES. Also beautifully written with a truly compelling sibling relationship at the heart of it. One to watch later this year a perfect Autumn read. Worked quite well at the moment too, it's dark here now and I'm a little nervous.
Loved it. Full review nearer publication.
Loved it. Full review nearer publication.
October 4, 2019
I'm not sure how I feel about this one, I wanted to be intrigued but instead I found it quite difficult to stay focused. The story, told in two timeliness, is of unsettling supernatural occurances that happen to a family living on a farm during the heatwave of 1976 - are the happenings real, imagined or something else? The book is well written and it's definitely an interesting story but I think, for me it's a case of right book, wrong time.
September 11, 2019
Wow....just wow and wow again. I really really loved this beautifully written,haunting but also quite tragic tale. Once I started reading it,I didn't want to put it down and when I had too because of the inconveniences of every day life, I couldn't get the story out of my head. It was like it was calling me,enticing me back to carry on reading.
1976
Sister's Lucia (Loo) and Bianca (Bee) finds themselves the subjects of a paranormal investigation by Professor Michael Warren and his colleague Simon Leigh after stories appear in the national press reporting instances of possible paranormal activity at the isolated farmhouse that Loo and Bee share with their three brothers, mother Cathy and their father Joe.
NOW
Loo,who is now known as Lucy isn't very impressed when a young woman called Nina Marshall contacts Cathy who is now in a residential home suffering from dementia,enquiring if it would be possible if she could interview Cathy and her children about events that happened at the farm. Nina and her colleagues Lewis and Hal have set themselves up at the farm because Nina is determined to complete the unfinished original investigation.
Cathy wants to know the truth about what happened all those years ago but Lucy and her brother Dan are not interested in digging up the past and would prefer it if everything was left well alone. Things and people were not what they appeared to be,both in the present and the past. Secrets,lies,manipulations and deceptions are revealed culminating in a breath taking conclusion where the past and the present merge together in a shocking confrontation.
The chapters of this totally mesmerising story flip.back and forth between then and now,there is also.some chapters towards the end of the book that are set in both time frames. The chapters are narrated by numerous characters including Loo,Bee,Nina and Michael. The author cleverly manipulates the reader,making you trust the characters one minute and then doubt them the next. I was constantly changing my mind about wether I liked or disliked the main characters as I frantically turned the pages. I definitely didn't like Bee for various reasons nor the judgemental people who lived in the village that was near the farm. I loved the isolated ramshackle farm were the girls lived when they were younger. I also.loved the supernatural elements to this story,some of them were truly intense and spine chilling.
I genuinely cannot believe that this brilliant book is a debut novel,
it's extremely well written,the characters were vivid and realistic. The truth is gradually revealed,the author gradually feeding the reader tantalising clues,keeping you guessing and completely invested in her characters fictional worlds. The best way to truly enjoy this book is to keep a completely open mind,settle back in your comfy chair and enjoy. I would have given this book far more than five stars if I could and I look forward to reading more books by this author in the future. Very very highly recommended.
Many many thanks to Bonnier Books UK, Zaffre Books for a arc of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
1976
Sister's Lucia (Loo) and Bianca (Bee) finds themselves the subjects of a paranormal investigation by Professor Michael Warren and his colleague Simon Leigh after stories appear in the national press reporting instances of possible paranormal activity at the isolated farmhouse that Loo and Bee share with their three brothers, mother Cathy and their father Joe.
NOW
Loo,who is now known as Lucy isn't very impressed when a young woman called Nina Marshall contacts Cathy who is now in a residential home suffering from dementia,enquiring if it would be possible if she could interview Cathy and her children about events that happened at the farm. Nina and her colleagues Lewis and Hal have set themselves up at the farm because Nina is determined to complete the unfinished original investigation.
Cathy wants to know the truth about what happened all those years ago but Lucy and her brother Dan are not interested in digging up the past and would prefer it if everything was left well alone. Things and people were not what they appeared to be,both in the present and the past. Secrets,lies,manipulations and deceptions are revealed culminating in a breath taking conclusion where the past and the present merge together in a shocking confrontation.
The chapters of this totally mesmerising story flip.back and forth between then and now,there is also.some chapters towards the end of the book that are set in both time frames. The chapters are narrated by numerous characters including Loo,Bee,Nina and Michael. The author cleverly manipulates the reader,making you trust the characters one minute and then doubt them the next. I was constantly changing my mind about wether I liked or disliked the main characters as I frantically turned the pages. I definitely didn't like Bee for various reasons nor the judgemental people who lived in the village that was near the farm. I loved the isolated ramshackle farm were the girls lived when they were younger. I also.loved the supernatural elements to this story,some of them were truly intense and spine chilling.
I genuinely cannot believe that this brilliant book is a debut novel,
it's extremely well written,the characters were vivid and realistic. The truth is gradually revealed,the author gradually feeding the reader tantalising clues,keeping you guessing and completely invested in her characters fictional worlds. The best way to truly enjoy this book is to keep a completely open mind,settle back in your comfy chair and enjoy. I would have given this book far more than five stars if I could and I look forward to reading more books by this author in the future. Very very highly recommended.
Many many thanks to Bonnier Books UK, Zaffre Books for a arc of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
August 5, 2020
I really disliked this. I originally had an eARC from Netgalley which I DNF'd at around 50%. When I saw the audiobook on my library app I decided to give it another go... I shouldn't have bothered.
May 5, 2019
There has been a lot of hype built up around this book, so not sure if I set my expectations to high due to this.
The story alternates between then and now. In the past it centres around Lucy (Loo) and her family and a house which has some strange going ons within it. In the past we get to see what life was like when Lucy and her family live there with people interested in whether the house is really haunted or not.
Present day we see Lucy, torn between work and checking on her mother who is in a care home. She obviously wants to forget about the past but yet again there are people who want to solve this particular mystery once and for all.
There are quite a few characters to keep track of which threw me a bit and took me a while longer to get used to. Whilst there is a build up of suspense, for me when the revelations come, it just fell flat. Whether it's because I read so many psychological thrillers and I was expecting some shocking twist or not, I'm not sure, so could be my own fault that I didn't enjoy this one as much as I had hoped to.
At times it feels a bit like a ghost story and think at times I was expecting it to turn into something like The Poltergeist. It is an intriguing and in parts chilling read. It will keep you guessing as to what secrets are kept hidden in the house. A solid read but didn't meet my expectations. Probably more down to me than the author's writing.
My thanks to NetGalley and Bonnier Zaffre for an advanced readers copy of this book. All opinions are my own and not biased in anyway.
The story alternates between then and now. In the past it centres around Lucy (Loo) and her family and a house which has some strange going ons within it. In the past we get to see what life was like when Lucy and her family live there with people interested in whether the house is really haunted or not.
Present day we see Lucy, torn between work and checking on her mother who is in a care home. She obviously wants to forget about the past but yet again there are people who want to solve this particular mystery once and for all.
There are quite a few characters to keep track of which threw me a bit and took me a while longer to get used to. Whilst there is a build up of suspense, for me when the revelations come, it just fell flat. Whether it's because I read so many psychological thrillers and I was expecting some shocking twist or not, I'm not sure, so could be my own fault that I didn't enjoy this one as much as I had hoped to.
At times it feels a bit like a ghost story and think at times I was expecting it to turn into something like The Poltergeist. It is an intriguing and in parts chilling read. It will keep you guessing as to what secrets are kept hidden in the house. A solid read but didn't meet my expectations. Probably more down to me than the author's writing.
My thanks to NetGalley and Bonnier Zaffre for an advanced readers copy of this book. All opinions are my own and not biased in anyway.
August 25, 2019
I had the opportunity to read a sample of this novel a few months ago which was so uncanny it left me salivating to read the full story. The story of The Wayward Girls is quite atmospheric but ghostly stories are not really my go-to genre so to sell that to me is always a bit of a challenge. Even though I knew I’d be sceptic, I still wanted to read the story though. I think I did have some moments throughout my reading that even I was having second thoughts. I tried to look at it from every (rational) angle but I couldn’t explain the knocking in the house, let alone the the marbles falling out of thin air or any of the other things going on.
Those moments of tension and chills came and went though and I couldn’t stay into that feeling long enough, so the story lost its momentum of chills for me from time to time and as I read more from the past and present paranormal researchers it became more of a mystery for me. I guess the rational side of me made me approach it more this way.
I didn’t really mind this, I do love a good mystery, but it fell a bit in the middle that way. I also for the longest time didn’t really have a clue where this story was heading and I was really wondering about that while I was reading. Yes there’s things happening, but what then? Why is there a poltergeist (just to give it a name) in the house, what does it want? Nobody seems to be very busy trying to find some answers to these questions, or to figure out how to get rid of it, if it’s real. Finally, I will be in the minority here probably as well but in the end I wasn’t as scared as I was probably supposed to be. Mind you, if you do believe in the supernatural, I’m sure you’ll experience this novel on a whole different level.
Those moments of tension and chills came and went though and I couldn’t stay into that feeling long enough, so the story lost its momentum of chills for me from time to time and as I read more from the past and present paranormal researchers it became more of a mystery for me. I guess the rational side of me made me approach it more this way.
I didn’t really mind this, I do love a good mystery, but it fell a bit in the middle that way. I also for the longest time didn’t really have a clue where this story was heading and I was really wondering about that while I was reading. Yes there’s things happening, but what then? Why is there a poltergeist (just to give it a name) in the house, what does it want? Nobody seems to be very busy trying to find some answers to these questions, or to figure out how to get rid of it, if it’s real. Finally, I will be in the minority here probably as well but in the end I wasn’t as scared as I was probably supposed to be. Mind you, if you do believe in the supernatural, I’m sure you’ll experience this novel on a whole different level.
September 17, 2019
3.5*
Told in a dual timeline with the chapter headings ‘Then’ and ‘Now’, the story revolves round a remote, ramshackle farmhouse. In the present a small research team of three are hoping to discover what caused the strange happenings at Iron Sike Farm several decades ago when Cathy Corvino and her five children lived there. Using a book written at the time by her late father as a reference, one member of the team has emailed Cathy, wanting her to join them and recount her recollections of the time she lived at the farm. Cathy is in the early stages of dementia, living in a residential home, and her daughter Lucy (formerly Loo) doesn’t want her mother troubled. She agrees, against her better judgement, to help the team instead.
When Cathy and her husband Joe moved into Iron Sike Farm all those years ago it was to lead a healthier and simpler life, but it proved much more difficult than they’d imagined. Joe, feeling overwhelmed, quickly made his painting an excuse to be away from the farmhouse, so everything fell to Cathy and the tension soon mounted. All the paranormal activity seemed to centre around Loo and her elder sister, Bee. They were the main focus of the investigation, the other three children were in evidence but not a great part of the story.
The chapters are from several different—past and present—perspectives, sometimes confusing and proving a little difficult to keep track of all the characters. It becomes obvious a tragedy had occurred but is only revealed as Lucy confronts the past. As children, Lucy and Bee felt isolated. They were homeschooled so didn’t meet any other children. Boredom, frustration and mischief was magnified to a degree that it’s unclear what is actually happening at the farm, who or what was causing poltergeist activity. The arrival of the paranormal investigators gave the girls something to focus on but also caused friction between them.
The middle of the book had too much exposition for me and could have been shorter and tighter, keeping up the momentum. The story wasn’t particularly scary, more mysterious, and creepy in parts, raising questions that I wanted addressed.
The beginning and ending thirds of the story are good, atmospheric, with tense moments and secrets, and also the unsettling relationship between Loo and Bee, who was the dominant personality, at the heart. The family dynamics are well observed and the past and present threads merge smoothly.
I chose to read and review The Wayward Girls based on an advance reader copy via NetGalley
Told in a dual timeline with the chapter headings ‘Then’ and ‘Now’, the story revolves round a remote, ramshackle farmhouse. In the present a small research team of three are hoping to discover what caused the strange happenings at Iron Sike Farm several decades ago when Cathy Corvino and her five children lived there. Using a book written at the time by her late father as a reference, one member of the team has emailed Cathy, wanting her to join them and recount her recollections of the time she lived at the farm. Cathy is in the early stages of dementia, living in a residential home, and her daughter Lucy (formerly Loo) doesn’t want her mother troubled. She agrees, against her better judgement, to help the team instead.
When Cathy and her husband Joe moved into Iron Sike Farm all those years ago it was to lead a healthier and simpler life, but it proved much more difficult than they’d imagined. Joe, feeling overwhelmed, quickly made his painting an excuse to be away from the farmhouse, so everything fell to Cathy and the tension soon mounted. All the paranormal activity seemed to centre around Loo and her elder sister, Bee. They were the main focus of the investigation, the other three children were in evidence but not a great part of the story.
The chapters are from several different—past and present—perspectives, sometimes confusing and proving a little difficult to keep track of all the characters. It becomes obvious a tragedy had occurred but is only revealed as Lucy confronts the past. As children, Lucy and Bee felt isolated. They were homeschooled so didn’t meet any other children. Boredom, frustration and mischief was magnified to a degree that it’s unclear what is actually happening at the farm, who or what was causing poltergeist activity. The arrival of the paranormal investigators gave the girls something to focus on but also caused friction between them.
The middle of the book had too much exposition for me and could have been shorter and tighter, keeping up the momentum. The story wasn’t particularly scary, more mysterious, and creepy in parts, raising questions that I wanted addressed.
The beginning and ending thirds of the story are good, atmospheric, with tense moments and secrets, and also the unsettling relationship between Loo and Bee, who was the dominant personality, at the heart. The family dynamics are well observed and the past and present threads merge smoothly.
I chose to read and review The Wayward Girls based on an advance reader copy via NetGalley
February 20, 2023
A long time ago (many moons) in the 1970s, I saw a news report on the Enfield haunting, I think it was on a programme called Nationwide which was the 70s version of The One Show (and infinitely better). It absolutely scared the bejesus out of me and gave me nightmares, so much so my mum confiscated my Usborne Book of Ghosts and my Encyclopaedia of Unexplained Mysteries because she thought they were the reason, nothing to do at all with the medication I was taking at the time which was later withdrawn due it's hallucinogenic effects on children under 12 years old.
The above was the first thing I thought of when I started reading this book and when I reach the authors notes at the end, there it is, mentioned briefly and clearly an influence on this novel story
Can't really say anything else without giving the plot away but If you like supernatural mysteries then this is for you. It reminded me, in style, of Neil Spring's Ghost Hunters or The Watchers. Excellent first novel by the author.
The above was the first thing I thought of when I started reading this book and when I reach the authors notes at the end, there it is, mentioned briefly and clearly an influence on this novel story
Can't really say anything else without giving the plot away but If you like supernatural mysteries then this is for you. It reminded me, in style, of Neil Spring's Ghost Hunters or The Watchers. Excellent first novel by the author.
March 19, 2020
This debut novel starts very atmospheric ally, building up a really weird atmosphere in a rural Yorkshire farmhouse where an outsider 'hippy' family appear to be held hostage by the ghost of a very peculiar young woman. The story unfolds back in the 1980s and in the present day, as a team of enthusiastic young psychic investigators explore what happened to the two young Corvino girls, Bee and Loo, who were at the centre of the original investigation into the haunting.
Around the midpoint the novel becomes increasingly muddled and a little repetitive, making the inevitable denouement seem all the more underwhelming. Real shame, as the tensions within the first half, particularly around the spectre of child abuse and the sullen hostility of the local community, are very involving.
Around the midpoint the novel becomes increasingly muddled and a little repetitive, making the inevitable denouement seem all the more underwhelming. Real shame, as the tensions within the first half, particularly around the spectre of child abuse and the sullen hostility of the local community, are very involving.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 3, 2019
Definitely riveting in a creepy paranormal style.
Something slightly different and I thoroughly enjoyed 80% of the plot, characters and setting. Written in a ‘then’ and ‘now’ style, the movement between time periods is generally smooth and easy to follow. Characters - great sibling relationships and well-developed. Setting - an eerie, isolated farm with poltergeist type activities that are being revisited from 1976.
So why the four-stars? It’s an excellent read until the ending, which just sort of happens. I still feel some aspects of the mystery could’ve developed further & provided great closure.
Something slightly different and I thoroughly enjoyed 80% of the plot, characters and setting. Written in a ‘then’ and ‘now’ style, the movement between time periods is generally smooth and easy to follow. Characters - great sibling relationships and well-developed. Setting - an eerie, isolated farm with poltergeist type activities that are being revisited from 1976.
So why the four-stars? It’s an excellent read until the ending, which just sort of happens. I still feel some aspects of the mystery could’ve developed further & provided great closure.
September 6, 2019
I thoroughly enjoyed this tale! It reminded me of Poltergeist a little, which can only be a good thing. It's genuinely frightening at times and with some excellent characters, both in the sections set during the hot summer of 1976 and in the present day. Review to follow shortly on For Winter Nights.
September 5, 2019
Oh boy, this is some scary read, strange, unsettling and totally gripping. You know when something happens and you look away but you have to keep just having another quick look well this book is like that. There were times that I had to stop reading, it wasn’t what was happening that was getting to me, it was the thought of where it could all go if I carried on. Just brilliant writing!
The story is set on two timelines. One when Loo was a child back in 1976 and the other in present day. Both revolve around the farm, come cottage, where she and her siblings grew up. The family was a little hippyish, homeschooled by their mother Cathy and left to run pretty wild on the whole. The children felt isolated with only each other and were looked down on with the people that lived around them. Cathy seemed to have her head in the clouds, while their dad worked away from home more and more.
When things begin to go bump in the night it soon sparks the attention of a group of paranormal investigators and a young woman who works for the newspaper but needs a good story to move up to reporter.
The storylines alternate between now and then as in present-day a new paranormal team and the daughter of one of the original investigators want to return to the cottage for answers to what happened back in 1976 taking Loo with them to walk through events.
As the story unfolds from the past in becomes deeper and darker whilst in present-day this tightly knotted story begins to be teased free. I really enjoyed this book, love books that make me feel that bit on edge and this book did just that.
I wish to thank NetGalley and the publisher for an e-copy of this book which I have reviewed honestly.
The story is set on two timelines. One when Loo was a child back in 1976 and the other in present day. Both revolve around the farm, come cottage, where she and her siblings grew up. The family was a little hippyish, homeschooled by their mother Cathy and left to run pretty wild on the whole. The children felt isolated with only each other and were looked down on with the people that lived around them. Cathy seemed to have her head in the clouds, while their dad worked away from home more and more.
When things begin to go bump in the night it soon sparks the attention of a group of paranormal investigators and a young woman who works for the newspaper but needs a good story to move up to reporter.
The storylines alternate between now and then as in present-day a new paranormal team and the daughter of one of the original investigators want to return to the cottage for answers to what happened back in 1976 taking Loo with them to walk through events.
As the story unfolds from the past in becomes deeper and darker whilst in present-day this tightly knotted story begins to be teased free. I really enjoyed this book, love books that make me feel that bit on edge and this book did just that.
I wish to thank NetGalley and the publisher for an e-copy of this book which I have reviewed honestly.
September 13, 2019
In Amanda Mason's first novel The Wayward Girls, it's the 1970s and two adolescent girls, Bee and Loo, are living in isolated farmhouse with their bohemian mother Cathy and siblings, Dan, Florian and Anto. While their father Joe, an artist, is away working in Scotland the girls start to hear strange knocking sounds in their shared bedroom ... and then other things start to happen. Marbles are hurled through the air by an invisible force, and furniture moves on its own. Desperate for help, the family become involved with a local photographer and a team of paranormal investigators who make it their mission to find out who, or what, is haunting Iron Syke Farm - and why it seems to manifest so strongly around the girls.
In the present day, Loo is now Lucy and Cathy is in a care home, mostly lucid but in the early stages of dementia. When Cathy has an accident while wandering outside, convinced she has seen the ghostly figure of a young girl in the grounds, Lucy discovers that a group of students want to investigate Iron Syke farm all over again. What might they find there - and what might they awaken?
The 1970s sections of the book form a gripping ghost story in their own right, with strong echoes of the Enfield Poltergeist case, but are also a vivid portrait of two adolescent sisters isolated by their geographical location and their parents' attempt to educate them at home. Their environment is one in which boredom, puberty and sibling rivalry are allowed to intensify and fester - the relationship between the sisters, and their interest in the attentions of the paranormal investigators, is sometimes as heavy with threat as the behaviour of the entity haunting their home.
By contrast, the present day sections have a calmer and more measured feel - less intense, certainly, but no less eerie as Lucy is reluctantly forced to revisit the farm and relive the events that happened there. There's certainly something haunting her, but how much of Lucy's unease is driven by supernatural occurrences at the farm, and how much stems from the guilt, loss and trauma of her past? And what will happen when the past and the present collide?
The Wayward Girls is a novel that repeatedly unseats the reader just as we think we're comfortable in the saddle. It's a chilling read, but it's also a perceptive portrait of a family falling apart and it's a measure of Amanda Mason's skill that, even when the characters' actions seemed cruel, unwise or shocking, I could fully understand and sympathise with their motives - there no heroes or villains in this book, only flawed, confused and sometimes damaged human beings whose behaviour never fails to convince.
The Wayward Girls is an accomplished debut that straddles the boundaries of ghost story, psychological thriller and coming-of-age drama - I look forward to reading more from the same author.
In the present day, Loo is now Lucy and Cathy is in a care home, mostly lucid but in the early stages of dementia. When Cathy has an accident while wandering outside, convinced she has seen the ghostly figure of a young girl in the grounds, Lucy discovers that a group of students want to investigate Iron Syke farm all over again. What might they find there - and what might they awaken?
The 1970s sections of the book form a gripping ghost story in their own right, with strong echoes of the Enfield Poltergeist case, but are also a vivid portrait of two adolescent sisters isolated by their geographical location and their parents' attempt to educate them at home. Their environment is one in which boredom, puberty and sibling rivalry are allowed to intensify and fester - the relationship between the sisters, and their interest in the attentions of the paranormal investigators, is sometimes as heavy with threat as the behaviour of the entity haunting their home.
By contrast, the present day sections have a calmer and more measured feel - less intense, certainly, but no less eerie as Lucy is reluctantly forced to revisit the farm and relive the events that happened there. There's certainly something haunting her, but how much of Lucy's unease is driven by supernatural occurrences at the farm, and how much stems from the guilt, loss and trauma of her past? And what will happen when the past and the present collide?
The Wayward Girls is a novel that repeatedly unseats the reader just as we think we're comfortable in the saddle. It's a chilling read, but it's also a perceptive portrait of a family falling apart and it's a measure of Amanda Mason's skill that, even when the characters' actions seemed cruel, unwise or shocking, I could fully understand and sympathise with their motives - there no heroes or villains in this book, only flawed, confused and sometimes damaged human beings whose behaviour never fails to convince.
The Wayward Girls is an accomplished debut that straddles the boundaries of ghost story, psychological thriller and coming-of-age drama - I look forward to reading more from the same author.
January 13, 2020
I first heard about this book on Instagram and the hype around was it all good, so when Jonathan Ball sent me a copy I was quite excited to read it.
The story follows two timelines, "Then" and "Now", about a haunting at Iron Sike Farm, the home of Lucia (Loo) and Bianca (Bee) and their family.
"Then" is centered on the heatwave of 1976 where strange and unexplained happenings occur; these unsettling phenomena seem centered around the two girls, which causes the family a lot of trauma.
"Now" focuses on the present-day and focuses on the people who want to reopen the initial investigation, and drag the family back through all of those unpleasant memories, because there was no conclusive evidence to either prove or deny the phenomena.
Are these "supernatural occurrences" real, imagined or something else entirely...?
Amanda Mason is another new author for me and her writing style is easy to read. The characters, especially Loo, show some good growth and the author managed to keep the characters' personalities intact in the two various timelines.
I don't know if Iron Sike Farm is a real place or not, but the world Mason created is interposed on our own; the farm being isolated and remote adds to the creepiness factor because one would expect it to be creepy, right?
This is only the second "haunting" type novel that I've read and both of them have been really slow - things only start picking up after the second half of the book and then the ending seems really rushed...
I'm still not sure what exactly happened, which is a little confusing, to say the least.
The story follows two timelines, "Then" and "Now", about a haunting at Iron Sike Farm, the home of Lucia (Loo) and Bianca (Bee) and their family.
"Then" is centered on the heatwave of 1976 where strange and unexplained happenings occur; these unsettling phenomena seem centered around the two girls, which causes the family a lot of trauma.
"Now" focuses on the present-day and focuses on the people who want to reopen the initial investigation, and drag the family back through all of those unpleasant memories, because there was no conclusive evidence to either prove or deny the phenomena.
Are these "supernatural occurrences" real, imagined or something else entirely...?
Amanda Mason is another new author for me and her writing style is easy to read. The characters, especially Loo, show some good growth and the author managed to keep the characters' personalities intact in the two various timelines.
I don't know if Iron Sike Farm is a real place or not, but the world Mason created is interposed on our own; the farm being isolated and remote adds to the creepiness factor because one would expect it to be creepy, right?
This is only the second "haunting" type novel that I've read and both of them have been really slow - things only start picking up after the second half of the book and then the ending seems really rushed...
I'm still not sure what exactly happened, which is a little confusing, to say the least.
July 13, 2024
interesting book, took me a while to get into the story but once i reached the 1/3rd mark, i was hooked. Finished it in two days (and two long nights)
The book was spooky at times, and i genuinely got hooked in the atmosphere of it all (hence the long nights) There were a lot of plot twists I didn’t see coming, but there is still a lot of unanswered question. Some of the stuff at the end of the book made me roll my eyes, but for a debut novel, this was great.
The best part of the book was the authentic, realistic relationships Loo had with her siblings. Families can be messy and this was an extreme, but somewhat believable example of it.
The book was spooky at times, and i genuinely got hooked in the atmosphere of it all (hence the long nights) There were a lot of plot twists I didn’t see coming, but there is still a lot of unanswered question. Some of the stuff at the end of the book made me roll my eyes, but for a debut novel, this was great.
The best part of the book was the authentic, realistic relationships Loo had with her siblings. Families can be messy and this was an extreme, but somewhat believable example of it.
September 5, 2019
This is a must read for fans of The Haunting of Hill House, The Enfield Haunting and The Conjuring, creepy, atmospheric, The Wayward Girls is ideal reading for the Autumn nights.
Loo and Bee are sisters, and with their two brothers and mother Cathy an artistic soul,live in a big house, in the middle of nowhere, the summer of 1976 stretches before them, but this will be a summer no one will forget!
The knocking on the walls comes first, then, other things start to manifest, it becomes intrusive, to the point, where they seek help.
Fast forward to present day , Cathy is in a nursing home, and Loo gets the phone call she's been dreading, she has to go back to the house of her childhood,because a group of strangers are looking for answers to the haunting, ,will they get the answers they are looking for, or will it be something from their nightmares? This is Amanda Mason's debut novel, and after being scared silly, I can't wait for her next book.
Loo and Bee are sisters, and with their two brothers and mother Cathy an artistic soul,live in a big house, in the middle of nowhere, the summer of 1976 stretches before them, but this will be a summer no one will forget!
The knocking on the walls comes first, then, other things start to manifest, it becomes intrusive, to the point, where they seek help.
Fast forward to present day , Cathy is in a nursing home, and Loo gets the phone call she's been dreading, she has to go back to the house of her childhood,because a group of strangers are looking for answers to the haunting, ,will they get the answers they are looking for, or will it be something from their nightmares? This is Amanda Mason's debut novel, and after being scared silly, I can't wait for her next book.
June 21, 2020
A haunting at a farm, split across then and now. A good story that occasionally was just a bit too vague. The story was compelling, with the constant tension of supernatural versus explainable however the final conclusion was a bit confusing and not entirely supported. A good read if you’re looking for a light thriller mystery.
April 10, 2025
This book was gripping and built suspense very well. It followed two timelines which added tension and revealed just enough each time. It was positively spooky and had me looking over my shoulder. Set in rural Whitby which was a treat for a local!
However, the ending of this book let it down. It felt rushed and the purpose unclear, but not in an intriguing and mysterious way. I think a few key changes to the ending could have made it a 5 star read.
Would I recommend? Probably worth a read if you love a ghost story as this book had me gripped for hours.
However, the ending of this book let it down. It felt rushed and the purpose unclear, but not in an intriguing and mysterious way. I think a few key changes to the ending could have made it a 5 star read.
Would I recommend? Probably worth a read if you love a ghost story as this book had me gripped for hours.
April 14, 2020
3.5*
I am a huge fan of eery thrillers and realised, that although I have watched a huge amount, I have read very little! so when I read this blurb I thought this would be right up my street. The book is set in 2 separate times - 1976, when wild young sisters Loo and Bee, and their family lived in a run down cottage in the middle of no where. And now, when Loo - now Lucy - a grown woman with her own business is called back to her childhood home to confront what happened there all those summers ago.
In the summer of 1976 their mother Cathy, moved the girls and their siblings to what was supposed to be an idyllic simpler life in the country, but it didn't turn out that way. The father was always working away, artist Cathy was distracted, and odd noises and occurrences which were strange and random to start, eventually took over and affected their every moment.
The book begins with a group of young strangers setting up camera equipment in the now deserted cottage, looking to record disturbances and any evidence of what may have happened in the sweltering hot summer months in 1976. This brings up a lot for Lucy and her family, and as the book flits from the long hot summer years ago to the present day, you are taken on an uncomfortable journey into the past and this family's unspoken secret.
I found the book enticingly eery and satisfyingly atmospheric, albeit a tad confusing. But I am not sure I liked it, which is why its a few stars short of 5. I can't put my finger on it, but although the story was well rounded and came to somewhat of a conclusion, I was found wanting something more... or maybe I would rather just watch an eery thriller than read one!
I am a huge fan of eery thrillers and realised, that although I have watched a huge amount, I have read very little! so when I read this blurb I thought this would be right up my street. The book is set in 2 separate times - 1976, when wild young sisters Loo and Bee, and their family lived in a run down cottage in the middle of no where. And now, when Loo - now Lucy - a grown woman with her own business is called back to her childhood home to confront what happened there all those summers ago.
In the summer of 1976 their mother Cathy, moved the girls and their siblings to what was supposed to be an idyllic simpler life in the country, but it didn't turn out that way. The father was always working away, artist Cathy was distracted, and odd noises and occurrences which were strange and random to start, eventually took over and affected their every moment.
The book begins with a group of young strangers setting up camera equipment in the now deserted cottage, looking to record disturbances and any evidence of what may have happened in the sweltering hot summer months in 1976. This brings up a lot for Lucy and her family, and as the book flits from the long hot summer years ago to the present day, you are taken on an uncomfortable journey into the past and this family's unspoken secret.
I found the book enticingly eery and satisfyingly atmospheric, albeit a tad confusing. But I am not sure I liked it, which is why its a few stars short of 5. I can't put my finger on it, but although the story was well rounded and came to somewhat of a conclusion, I was found wanting something more... or maybe I would rather just watch an eery thriller than read one!
November 7, 2019
This is a spectacular ghost story which felt to me like a cross between The Haunting Of Hill House and The Enfield Hauntings.
It's told in two separate time frames, one in the '70s focusing on the haunting and one in present day, where the hauntings are once again being investigated. It's set out like a ghostly mystery where you're drip fed little bits of information to keep you guessing, and whilst I guessed most of the twists it was still lots of fun to see it unravel.
The writing style was clear and comprehensive, good at creating tension when it was needed but was also a tiny bit simple for my taste. That being said it did a good job at projecting fear and other strong emotions to the point that you feel it too.
My other main gripe was that at first I was confused. It introduced a lot of characters very quickly but you soon got to figure out who was who and who belonged to which time frame, even when the same characters were in both.
I loved the pacing and it especially sped up halfway through which was when the book really started to get very exciting. The whole thing felt very authentic to me, which made it thrilling as I felt I could have been reading about a haunting that actually happened. Whilst I didn't appreciate one certain twist near the end, I'm very glad I picked up this book.
It's told in two separate time frames, one in the '70s focusing on the haunting and one in present day, where the hauntings are once again being investigated. It's set out like a ghostly mystery where you're drip fed little bits of information to keep you guessing, and whilst I guessed most of the twists it was still lots of fun to see it unravel.
The writing style was clear and comprehensive, good at creating tension when it was needed but was also a tiny bit simple for my taste. That being said it did a good job at projecting fear and other strong emotions to the point that you feel it too.
My other main gripe was that at first I was confused. It introduced a lot of characters very quickly but you soon got to figure out who was who and who belonged to which time frame, even when the same characters were in both.
I loved the pacing and it especially sped up halfway through which was when the book really started to get very exciting. The whole thing felt very authentic to me, which made it thrilling as I felt I could have been reading about a haunting that actually happened. Whilst I didn't appreciate one certain twist near the end, I'm very glad I picked up this book.
October 13, 2019
In the 1970s, a bohemian family move into an old farmhouse. Shunned by the locals who consider them outsiders, the mother struggles with bringing up five children with an absent partner. This is made particularly difficult when the two adolescent daughters seemingly start attracting an otherworldly presence, especially when the press and a team of paranormal researchers become interested.
In the present day, Lucy, the younger daughter visits her mother after she experiences seeing a ghostly girl in the garden of her nursing home. Despite Lucy's reservations, she is pushed by her mother to meet with a new group of paranormal researchers who are determined to get to the bottom of what happened at the house.
The dual narrative works really well and makes this a gripping storyline. Just when you want to find out what happens next, the narrative viewpoint shifts. It also keeps you guessing until the end. The author builds up the creepy atmosphere in the house particularly during the investigations. I also thought the characters were very well written, especially the two girls who are very different. A really good spooky autumn read.
In the present day, Lucy, the younger daughter visits her mother after she experiences seeing a ghostly girl in the garden of her nursing home. Despite Lucy's reservations, she is pushed by her mother to meet with a new group of paranormal researchers who are determined to get to the bottom of what happened at the house.
The dual narrative works really well and makes this a gripping storyline. Just when you want to find out what happens next, the narrative viewpoint shifts. It also keeps you guessing until the end. The author builds up the creepy atmosphere in the house particularly during the investigations. I also thought the characters were very well written, especially the two girls who are very different. A really good spooky autumn read.
December 29, 2019
Stop! Stop what you’re doing and order this book! I haven’t seen it featured on bookstagram nearly enough and it needs to be. I can’t really fault a lot of this book, I absolutely adored it. A brilliant debut. Perfectly creepy for October! I read the last 200 pages in one afternoon, lazily flicking through pages in the sun and enjoying every moment of it. The characters were brilliant. The balance between Then and Now was well done, sometimes when there’s flashback scenes I enjoy one story better than the other but in this instance both were equally gripping. I cannot wait to see what Amanda Mason does next. She’s one to watch! I’m definitely a fan.
April 26, 2020
Audio book. The reader makes everyone sound really angry. It's so off putting. Seemed quite confusing - I think being an audio book with 2 time lines is too much. This is the 2nd audio book with 2 timelines I have struggled with. I only got in to it half way through - it may have improved marginally.
The way it's read makes Bea sound a deeply unpleasant person. In fact they all sound deeply unpleasant. The "twist" wasn't very good. The "ghosts" were never really explained.
It occasionally made me feel a bit creeped out, but not really.
Don't think I would bother with another by this author and wouldn't really recommend.
Sorry!
The way it's read makes Bea sound a deeply unpleasant person. In fact they all sound deeply unpleasant. The "twist" wasn't very good. The "ghosts" were never really explained.
It occasionally made me feel a bit creeped out, but not really.
Don't think I would bother with another by this author and wouldn't really recommend.
Sorry!
February 14, 2020
It was GREAT up until the final reveal/climax, which is melodramatic and silly. Bummer.
August 30, 2019
‘There was something scratching, something trying – she thought – to get in. Then she felt it, a sharp pinch, sharp enough to make her catch her breath.’
If I had to pick one word to sum this book up then ‘atmospheric’ is definitely the one that I would go for. From the very first page of this novel you start to get a feel of the story and pick up on a rather unsettling vibe. Uneasiness practically leaps off of the pages and throughout the entire story this unnerving, stifling, almost claustrophobic vibe stays put. There are plenty of chilling scenes and an ever mounting feeling of dread over what will happen next. Honestly the atmosphere in this novel is perfect so, it pretty much goes without saying, that the writing is also superb. Only a talented writer could create such a feeling and carry it on throughout an entire book, after all.
Admittedly this book did turn out a little differently than I was originally expecting. It definitely told the type of creepy tale that I was anticipating it to but the narrative differed slightly from what I’d imagined at first. It still gives a dual narrative but it fragments off a little in places, telling different branches of the overall story and adding in a few more points of view. This is something that I actually think works superbly for the tale that was told; it added to the atmosphere and kept things feeling rather unsettled. It was important for the story to unfold in this way too and helped the reader get to know certain characters a little more.
The mix of characters involved in the story, both in the ‘now’ and ‘then’ storylines, were varied, interesting and felt quite believable and real. The family ties in particular – especially between Loo and Bee – were tremendously well done. The way that the haunting affected the family involved and also the manner that the investigators – both past and present – behaved in seemed believable too. It contained the type of characters that you want to get to know better.
The overall story that was told within the pages of this book was fascinating too. It kept the reader guessing and had important bits and pieces of information dotted throughout. It was a story that I wanted to unravel and get to the bottom of. It kept me intrigued and appeared very well thought out and arranged. Unfortunately I’m not entirely convinced by the ending to it. Don’t get me wrong, it makes sense, is believable and has clues to it dotted throughout. But there’s also too much that is left unanswered in my opinion.
Open endings can work quite well with these type of stories. If the reader is left with a sense of uncertainty and questions it can end up adding to the uneasiness that a chilling story can tell. Not all questions can always be answered after all. Towards the end there are some revelations that I feel need a bit more explaining though. Without them, then yes, an open, uncertain ending could work tremendously here I think but after several of the things that happened in the barn, and some of what was said later, I feel like a little bit more information was needed. Such as exactly who certain individuals are and why they ended up where they did. There did seem to be a few developments that could leave room for a sequel but I’m not at all sure if one is planned or certain how well it would work, now that a good deal of the past has been revealed. Yet I’d honestly like one as I feel as if I need a few lingering questions answered.
Overall I thoroughly enjoyed ‘The Wayward Girls’ and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys ghost stories. It was chilling, atmospheric and gripping but let down ever so slightly by a few too many unanswered questions at the end. I feel that it’s the type of story that would benefit from a second read; to look over again and keep an eye out for additional clues. I plan to pick it up again in the future for this very reason and if a follow up novel is written by the author I’d happily pick it up and I’ll also look out for anything else that she writes in the future as I’m intrigued to see what she writes next.
If I had to pick one word to sum this book up then ‘atmospheric’ is definitely the one that I would go for. From the very first page of this novel you start to get a feel of the story and pick up on a rather unsettling vibe. Uneasiness practically leaps off of the pages and throughout the entire story this unnerving, stifling, almost claustrophobic vibe stays put. There are plenty of chilling scenes and an ever mounting feeling of dread over what will happen next. Honestly the atmosphere in this novel is perfect so, it pretty much goes without saying, that the writing is also superb. Only a talented writer could create such a feeling and carry it on throughout an entire book, after all.
Admittedly this book did turn out a little differently than I was originally expecting. It definitely told the type of creepy tale that I was anticipating it to but the narrative differed slightly from what I’d imagined at first. It still gives a dual narrative but it fragments off a little in places, telling different branches of the overall story and adding in a few more points of view. This is something that I actually think works superbly for the tale that was told; it added to the atmosphere and kept things feeling rather unsettled. It was important for the story to unfold in this way too and helped the reader get to know certain characters a little more.
The mix of characters involved in the story, both in the ‘now’ and ‘then’ storylines, were varied, interesting and felt quite believable and real. The family ties in particular – especially between Loo and Bee – were tremendously well done. The way that the haunting affected the family involved and also the manner that the investigators – both past and present – behaved in seemed believable too. It contained the type of characters that you want to get to know better.
The overall story that was told within the pages of this book was fascinating too. It kept the reader guessing and had important bits and pieces of information dotted throughout. It was a story that I wanted to unravel and get to the bottom of. It kept me intrigued and appeared very well thought out and arranged. Unfortunately I’m not entirely convinced by the ending to it. Don’t get me wrong, it makes sense, is believable and has clues to it dotted throughout. But there’s also too much that is left unanswered in my opinion.
Open endings can work quite well with these type of stories. If the reader is left with a sense of uncertainty and questions it can end up adding to the uneasiness that a chilling story can tell. Not all questions can always be answered after all. Towards the end there are some revelations that I feel need a bit more explaining though. Without them, then yes, an open, uncertain ending could work tremendously here I think but after several of the things that happened in the barn, and some of what was said later, I feel like a little bit more information was needed. Such as exactly who certain individuals are and why they ended up where they did. There did seem to be a few developments that could leave room for a sequel but I’m not at all sure if one is planned or certain how well it would work, now that a good deal of the past has been revealed. Yet I’d honestly like one as I feel as if I need a few lingering questions answered.
Overall I thoroughly enjoyed ‘The Wayward Girls’ and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys ghost stories. It was chilling, atmospheric and gripping but let down ever so slightly by a few too many unanswered questions at the end. I feel that it’s the type of story that would benefit from a second read; to look over again and keep an eye out for additional clues. I plan to pick it up again in the future for this very reason and if a follow up novel is written by the author I’d happily pick it up and I’ll also look out for anything else that she writes in the future as I’m intrigued to see what she writes next.
December 11, 2021
Als schrijver van Gothic Novels is het goed om af en toe eens iets nieuws in dat genre te lezen dat werd uitgegeven aan de overkant van het Kanaal. Zo was het onlangs de beurt aan ‘The Wayward Girls’ van Amanda Mason, die vorig jaar met dit boek op latere leeftijd debuteerde. In ‘The Wayward Girls’ steekt ze haar passie voor de Gothic Novel niet onder stoelen of banken. Maar is passie voor het genre voldoende om ook een goed boek te kunnen schrijven?
‘The Wayward Girls’ speelt zich af op een oude boerderij in de North York Moors op een steenworp van Whitby: het kuststadje dat vooral bekend is omdat Bram Stoker er Dracula in zijn legendarische klassieker voor het eerst aan land laat gaan op Engelse bodem. In Masons verhaal komen echter geen vampiers voor, maar wel spoken en vermeende plaaggeesten.
Het is 1976 wanneer een jong gezin van kunstzinnige hippies hun intrek neemt in de boerderij, ervan overtuigd dat het leven op het platteland voor de nodige rust zal zorgen. Het koppel heeft vijf kinderen waarvan Loo en Bee de voornaamste rollen in het verhaal spelen en de andere drie eigenlijk nauwelijks in de tekst voorkomen. Wanneer de meisjes een koffer met oude kleren van de vorige bewoners vinden, beginnen er vreemde dingen te gebeuren. De vader blijkt plots voor onbepaalde tijd afwezig te zijn en de moeder laat zich overhalen om een parapsychologisch onderzoeksteam uit te nodigen. Die onderzoekers willen maar al te graag bewijs voor het bovennatuurlijke ontdekken, zelfs wanneer de incidenten veeleer het gevolg lijken te zijn van een spel dat de zusjes met hen spelen. De zaak wordt nooit opgelost.
Heden. Een groepje studenten parapsychologie huren voor enkele dagen de berucht geworden leegstaande boerderij in de hoop de zaak alsnog te kunnen ophelderen. Om te vermijden dat de studenten haar dementerende moeder zouden lastigvallen, besluit de ondertussen volwassen Loo om mee te werken aan het onderzoek. Ze verblijft, samen met de studenten, enkele dagen in haar vroegere woonst, maar al snel blijkt dat iedereen van hen wel iets te verbergen heeft.
Amanda Mason heeft er in haar narratief voor gekozen om continu af te wisselen tussen het heden en verleden. Dat kan soms werken, maar in dit geval gaat dat ten koste van de vaart die het verhaal nodig heeft om boeiend te blijven. Bovendien gebeurt er in menig hoofdstuk opvallend weinig, zelfs wanneer de geesten het oude huis wakker schudden. Je zou denken dat die incidenten de personages doen evolueren en het verhaal in beweging zetten, maar dat is vaak niet het geval.
Dat wil niet zeggen dat ‘The Wayward Girls’ niet interessant is. De lezer wordt voldoende aangespoord om zich af te vragen wat er in hemelsnaam aan de hand is, tot Mason tegen het einde van het boek een cruciale fout maakt. Het is te zeggen, ze komt met een plotwending op de proppen die absoluut verboden is in de Gothic Novel, tenzij je Anne Radcliffe heet. Ik kan daar natuurlijk niets over vertellen, tenzij ik een deel van de ontknoping zou verklappen, maar dat is uiteraard niet de bedoeling.
Mason laat zien dat ze enkele goede ideeën heeft, hoewel voor elk goed idee ook een cliché in het boek te vinden is. Het gevolg is dat het geheel nogal langdradig is en dat, in combinatie met de bovengenoemde fout, laat de lezer na het einde gefrustreerd achter.
Amanda Mason mag dan beweren een liefhebber van het genre te zijn, ze beschikt voorlopig over te weinig kennis om er zelf iets waardevols toe bij te dragen. Men moet echter ergens beginnen en hopelijk brengt ze het er de volgende keer beter van af.
K.R. Valgaeren
www.krvalgaeren.com
‘The Wayward Girls’ speelt zich af op een oude boerderij in de North York Moors op een steenworp van Whitby: het kuststadje dat vooral bekend is omdat Bram Stoker er Dracula in zijn legendarische klassieker voor het eerst aan land laat gaan op Engelse bodem. In Masons verhaal komen echter geen vampiers voor, maar wel spoken en vermeende plaaggeesten.
Het is 1976 wanneer een jong gezin van kunstzinnige hippies hun intrek neemt in de boerderij, ervan overtuigd dat het leven op het platteland voor de nodige rust zal zorgen. Het koppel heeft vijf kinderen waarvan Loo en Bee de voornaamste rollen in het verhaal spelen en de andere drie eigenlijk nauwelijks in de tekst voorkomen. Wanneer de meisjes een koffer met oude kleren van de vorige bewoners vinden, beginnen er vreemde dingen te gebeuren. De vader blijkt plots voor onbepaalde tijd afwezig te zijn en de moeder laat zich overhalen om een parapsychologisch onderzoeksteam uit te nodigen. Die onderzoekers willen maar al te graag bewijs voor het bovennatuurlijke ontdekken, zelfs wanneer de incidenten veeleer het gevolg lijken te zijn van een spel dat de zusjes met hen spelen. De zaak wordt nooit opgelost.
Heden. Een groepje studenten parapsychologie huren voor enkele dagen de berucht geworden leegstaande boerderij in de hoop de zaak alsnog te kunnen ophelderen. Om te vermijden dat de studenten haar dementerende moeder zouden lastigvallen, besluit de ondertussen volwassen Loo om mee te werken aan het onderzoek. Ze verblijft, samen met de studenten, enkele dagen in haar vroegere woonst, maar al snel blijkt dat iedereen van hen wel iets te verbergen heeft.
Amanda Mason heeft er in haar narratief voor gekozen om continu af te wisselen tussen het heden en verleden. Dat kan soms werken, maar in dit geval gaat dat ten koste van de vaart die het verhaal nodig heeft om boeiend te blijven. Bovendien gebeurt er in menig hoofdstuk opvallend weinig, zelfs wanneer de geesten het oude huis wakker schudden. Je zou denken dat die incidenten de personages doen evolueren en het verhaal in beweging zetten, maar dat is vaak niet het geval.
Dat wil niet zeggen dat ‘The Wayward Girls’ niet interessant is. De lezer wordt voldoende aangespoord om zich af te vragen wat er in hemelsnaam aan de hand is, tot Mason tegen het einde van het boek een cruciale fout maakt. Het is te zeggen, ze komt met een plotwending op de proppen die absoluut verboden is in de Gothic Novel, tenzij je Anne Radcliffe heet. Ik kan daar natuurlijk niets over vertellen, tenzij ik een deel van de ontknoping zou verklappen, maar dat is uiteraard niet de bedoeling.
Mason laat zien dat ze enkele goede ideeën heeft, hoewel voor elk goed idee ook een cliché in het boek te vinden is. Het gevolg is dat het geheel nogal langdradig is en dat, in combinatie met de bovengenoemde fout, laat de lezer na het einde gefrustreerd achter.
Amanda Mason mag dan beweren een liefhebber van het genre te zijn, ze beschikt voorlopig over te weinig kennis om er zelf iets waardevols toe bij te dragen. Men moet echter ergens beginnen en hopelijk brengt ze het er de volgende keer beter van af.
K.R. Valgaeren
www.krvalgaeren.com
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