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Shadows in Summer: A Novel in Six Voices
Plagued by dreams of her dead father, Katrina Nielsen returns to her native Denmark to face the ghosts of her past. After seven years in New York, sidelined by a career-ending injury, Katrina is determined to reunite her shattered family. But when she and her American husband, Richard, purchase Sound House, an ordinary-looking home overlooking the water, a series of weird events inexplicable smoke and footsteps, a ghostly face at the window. After she is "pushed" down the cellar stairs by an unseen force, her charming (if slightly creepy) neighbor, Søren, convinces her that she is being haunted by the ghost of Karl Damsgaard, the original owner of Sound House. As the terrifying disturbances escalate, the desperate couple puts their faith in Rowena, a flamboyant psychic - which leads to the book's tragic conclusion. Inspired by actual events, Shadows in Summer is a deliciously scalp-prickling tale that will haunt readers long after the final page.
- GenresHorror
452 pages, Paperback
First published December 22, 2009
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32 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
July 15, 2010
I thought Shadows in Summer was an excellent ghost story that somehow managed to feel quite gothic despite taking place during the Clinton era. It had all the trappings of a traditional ghost story...things that go bump in the night, mysterious shadows, objects being moved and a juicy history that spanned three generations.
Being described as a novel told in six voices, I was afraid it would be hard to keep track of who was who and what was going on, but there were only a couple of times I found it difficult to switch perspectives and that was when chapters would switch between Katrina and her mother. Otherwise, the six different points of view weren't a problem at all.
Varrone did an excellent job with the setting. I didn't know much about Denmark before going into this book, but his descriptions were detailed and fascinating and I found myself looking up places online to see if they really exist (they do!) He also wove a bit of the country's history into the story, especially its role during World War II (events from this era play a role in the story and in the perceptions of some of its characters.)
The ghostly occurrences start early in the book and their effect on Kristina builds slowly as the reader is left wondering about the true nature of what she is going through. Is their house indeed haunted? Is it all in her mind? Does the "slightly creepy" neighbor have anything to do with what is going on?
This is a thinking person's ghost story. And by that I mean it 's not one of those filled with in your face frights, it's more subtle than that. There are dinner parties, details, and discussions but they are interesting. And just when you think you have everything figured out, Varrone manages to pull out a couple of surprises.
Being described as a novel told in six voices, I was afraid it would be hard to keep track of who was who and what was going on, but there were only a couple of times I found it difficult to switch perspectives and that was when chapters would switch between Katrina and her mother. Otherwise, the six different points of view weren't a problem at all.
Varrone did an excellent job with the setting. I didn't know much about Denmark before going into this book, but his descriptions were detailed and fascinating and I found myself looking up places online to see if they really exist (they do!) He also wove a bit of the country's history into the story, especially its role during World War II (events from this era play a role in the story and in the perceptions of some of its characters.)
The ghostly occurrences start early in the book and their effect on Kristina builds slowly as the reader is left wondering about the true nature of what she is going through. Is their house indeed haunted? Is it all in her mind? Does the "slightly creepy" neighbor have anything to do with what is going on?
This is a thinking person's ghost story. And by that I mean it 's not one of those filled with in your face frights, it's more subtle than that. There are dinner parties, details, and discussions but they are interesting. And just when you think you have everything figured out, Varrone manages to pull out a couple of surprises.
September 4, 2022
Note: I received a complimentary copy of this book for review from the author.
What a pleasant surprise!
This book easily has one of the most original and unique plots I've read in a while. To tell the truth, there wasn't much that I didn't enjoy about this novel.
As a reader who loves her characters, this book was right up my alley. I love a character-driven story, and this is just that, with a lot of dialogue and superbly fleshed-out characters. I couldn't stop thinking about them as I was reading. Despite being told by six different narrators, which could be tremendously confusing but wasn't, I found that the urge to know what was going on was that much stronger. Each of the characters added something different to think about, and I was dying to know how each of them came to play in the story's events. I had so many questions as I was reading, and each of them was sufficiently answered by the end of the book.
Speaking of characters, there is nothing I love more than a character I love to hate, especially when done well. I thought Soren was a big creep the whole story. I felt dirty after reading the chapters that he narrated. But what Varrone did with Soren that I really loved was that he excelled in making me feel empathetic towards him at the end of the story. It's easy to write characters to love, and it's easy to write characters to hate, but it's another matter to write a despicable character that you can't help but feel sorry or sad for when all is said and done.
Even though the book contained quite a bit of dialogue and interactions between characters, I was completely sold on the setting. I could produce vivid pictures in my mind of Denmark even though I really don't know much of anything about it. The setting really lends itself to the story, and I felt as though it couldn't have taken place anywhere else.
I went into this novel thinking it was just going to be a ghost story, and even though I was perfectly content with that, I ended up being pleasantly surprised with all of the different twists and takes on the series of events that happen at #18. It gave me a lot to think about and led to some interesting speculation on what happens to our souls after we die. I love a book that can make me think, and this one certainly did so.
As I mentioned, there is an element of a ghost story in this book, and it was delightfully creepy. I found myself with chills at various points, and there was even a point last night as I was reading this that I had to put it down because I was so freaked out.
I thought it was so great that every time I thought I had the plot figured out, some other twist would happen, and I'd be back to square one. This book was not predictable whatsoever. It had me guessing right up to the end.
The only minor problem I had with this book was in the middle. I found myself zipping through this book and lapping up the pages. I hit a snag in the middle, and the plot really started to bore me. Never fear, though, it eventually picked right back up, and it all made sense in the end. Like I said, this was a minor problem, and since this is Varrone's first book, I didn't pay that much mind to it.
I enjoy Varrone's writing style. For being his first novel, he really has a handle on his own voice, and it really shines through. I would definitely be interested in reading anything else that he would write.
What a pleasant surprise!
This book easily has one of the most original and unique plots I've read in a while. To tell the truth, there wasn't much that I didn't enjoy about this novel.
As a reader who loves her characters, this book was right up my alley. I love a character-driven story, and this is just that, with a lot of dialogue and superbly fleshed-out characters. I couldn't stop thinking about them as I was reading. Despite being told by six different narrators, which could be tremendously confusing but wasn't, I found that the urge to know what was going on was that much stronger. Each of the characters added something different to think about, and I was dying to know how each of them came to play in the story's events. I had so many questions as I was reading, and each of them was sufficiently answered by the end of the book.
Speaking of characters, there is nothing I love more than a character I love to hate, especially when done well. I thought Soren was a big creep the whole story. I felt dirty after reading the chapters that he narrated. But what Varrone did with Soren that I really loved was that he excelled in making me feel empathetic towards him at the end of the story. It's easy to write characters to love, and it's easy to write characters to hate, but it's another matter to write a despicable character that you can't help but feel sorry or sad for when all is said and done.
Even though the book contained quite a bit of dialogue and interactions between characters, I was completely sold on the setting. I could produce vivid pictures in my mind of Denmark even though I really don't know much of anything about it. The setting really lends itself to the story, and I felt as though it couldn't have taken place anywhere else.
I went into this novel thinking it was just going to be a ghost story, and even though I was perfectly content with that, I ended up being pleasantly surprised with all of the different twists and takes on the series of events that happen at #18. It gave me a lot to think about and led to some interesting speculation on what happens to our souls after we die. I love a book that can make me think, and this one certainly did so.
As I mentioned, there is an element of a ghost story in this book, and it was delightfully creepy. I found myself with chills at various points, and there was even a point last night as I was reading this that I had to put it down because I was so freaked out.
I thought it was so great that every time I thought I had the plot figured out, some other twist would happen, and I'd be back to square one. This book was not predictable whatsoever. It had me guessing right up to the end.
The only minor problem I had with this book was in the middle. I found myself zipping through this book and lapping up the pages. I hit a snag in the middle, and the plot really started to bore me. Never fear, though, it eventually picked right back up, and it all made sense in the end. Like I said, this was a minor problem, and since this is Varrone's first book, I didn't pay that much mind to it.
I enjoy Varrone's writing style. For being his first novel, he really has a handle on his own voice, and it really shines through. I would definitely be interested in reading anything else that he would write.
March 30, 2019
Surprising and engaging on many levels
This book was a little slow in the beginning but as soon as the story started rolling it really held me and kept surprising me. Many really interesting perspectives and characters that all work on many different levels. Looking forward to the next one!
This book was a little slow in the beginning but as soon as the story started rolling it really held me and kept surprising me. Many really interesting perspectives and characters that all work on many different levels. Looking forward to the next one!
July 27, 2010
My review is now up here: http://amomentwithmystee.blogspot.com...
April 17, 2011
I enjoyed this thinking-man's thriller when I first read it awhile back,and am now enjoying sharing it with students in my course on gothic literature.
June 7, 2013
Amazingly well written. Great story
great plot. I was not expecting the end! I highly recommend this book!
great plot. I was not expecting the end! I highly recommend this book!
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews