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The Ghosts of Kerfol
In an enthralling work of Gothic suspense, an Edith Wharton story inspires five connected tales set in the same haunted manor over the centuries.
In her classic ghost story "Kerfol," Edith Wharton tells the tale of Anne de Barrigan, a young Frenchwoman convicted of murdering her husband, the jealous Yves de Cornault. The elderly lord was found dead on the stairs, apparently savaged by a pack of dogs, though there were no dogs — no live dogs — at Kerfol that day. In this remarkable collection of intertwining short stories, Deborah Noyes takes us back to the haunted manor and tells us Anne de Barrigan's story through the sympathetic eyes of her servant girl. Four more tales slip forward in time, peering in on a young artist, a hard-drinking party girl, a young American couple, and a deaf gardener who now tends the Kerfol estate. All these souls are haunted by the ghosts of Kerfol — the dead dogs, the sensual yet uneasy relationships, and the bitter taste of revenge.
In her classic ghost story "Kerfol," Edith Wharton tells the tale of Anne de Barrigan, a young Frenchwoman convicted of murdering her husband, the jealous Yves de Cornault. The elderly lord was found dead on the stairs, apparently savaged by a pack of dogs, though there were no dogs — no live dogs — at Kerfol that day. In this remarkable collection of intertwining short stories, Deborah Noyes takes us back to the haunted manor and tells us Anne de Barrigan's story through the sympathetic eyes of her servant girl. Four more tales slip forward in time, peering in on a young artist, a hard-drinking party girl, a young American couple, and a deaf gardener who now tends the Kerfol estate. All these souls are haunted by the ghosts of Kerfol — the dead dogs, the sensual yet uneasy relationships, and the bitter taste of revenge.
176 pages, Paperback
First published August 26, 2008
7 people are currently reading
654 people want to read
About the author
Deborah Noyes
30 books76 followersDeb writes for adults and children and is also an editor and photographer. She lives in Massachusetts with her family.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 81 reviews
January 27, 2019
A lot of reviewers have already talked about the plot of this book so I won’t waste anytime filling you in on what you already know.
I thought it was beautiful written and a little creepy, by the end of the fifth story I realised how it was all linked in and even though I was confused at the start I was able to catch on pretty quickly . I thought Deborah did a really impressive job with this book. She did justice to the original author.
In saying that It's not a book I’d jump to reading again quite so soon. Props on the atmosphere of the book though.
I thought it was beautiful written and a little creepy, by the end of the fifth story I realised how it was all linked in and even though I was confused at the start I was able to catch on pretty quickly . I thought Deborah did a really impressive job with this book. She did justice to the original author.
In saying that It's not a book I’d jump to reading again quite so soon. Props on the atmosphere of the book though.
July 13, 2008
Noyes takes Edith Wharton's classic gothic ghost story, Kerfol, and retells it in an opening story three times the length of the original from the viewpoint of a servant girl. Then, she further riffs on the story in four more stories set in later years that continue the themes and elements of the original.
January 1, 2011
When I was young, I adored nothing more than being given the creeps by a well written ghost story. As I grew older though, it became more and more difficult to be scared or un-nerved by a story, no matter how well written. So I resigned myself to the fact that clearly I had outgrown being frightened by fiction and gave up the ghost shall we say.
Imagine my delight and surprise today when I found myself quite thoroughly creeped out and more than a little unsettled by The Ghosts Of Kerfol- Deborah Noyes. In broad daylight no less.
The Ghosts of Kerfol is a collection of five short stories, each set in a different century from the last, though each are situated in the haunted and eerie grounds of Kerfol, an estate in the French Countryside. Beginning with a brilliantly written retell of Edith Wharton’s original tale ‘Kerfol’, Deborah Noyes skilfully and quickly lures the reader into a somewhat enchanted state of fascination as the tales unfold. With each story, we the reader learn a little more of the cursed history of Kerfol and the fates that befell the inhabitants in 1613.
I am usually wary of collections of short stories, as there is often only one or two that I enjoy and the rest often seem to me to be fodder to fill in pages. However, this time I was delighted to discover that each and every story stands beautifully on its own and each and every story grows more un-nerving than the last.
The Ghosts Of Kerfol- Deborah Noyes, will not merely unsettle you, giving you the sense that you might need to glance often over your shoulder, the tiny hairs at the back of your neck standing on edge, but it will ensnare and bewitch you with its beautiful phrases and descriptions. It manages to be both frightening and somehow sensual at the same time. It is a lovely book and one that I highly recommend to all.
I will also say this, it reinforced my determination to never own a dog again.
Imagine my delight and surprise today when I found myself quite thoroughly creeped out and more than a little unsettled by The Ghosts Of Kerfol- Deborah Noyes. In broad daylight no less.
The Ghosts of Kerfol is a collection of five short stories, each set in a different century from the last, though each are situated in the haunted and eerie grounds of Kerfol, an estate in the French Countryside. Beginning with a brilliantly written retell of Edith Wharton’s original tale ‘Kerfol’, Deborah Noyes skilfully and quickly lures the reader into a somewhat enchanted state of fascination as the tales unfold. With each story, we the reader learn a little more of the cursed history of Kerfol and the fates that befell the inhabitants in 1613.
I am usually wary of collections of short stories, as there is often only one or two that I enjoy and the rest often seem to me to be fodder to fill in pages. However, this time I was delighted to discover that each and every story stands beautifully on its own and each and every story grows more un-nerving than the last.
The Ghosts Of Kerfol- Deborah Noyes, will not merely unsettle you, giving you the sense that you might need to glance often over your shoulder, the tiny hairs at the back of your neck standing on edge, but it will ensnare and bewitch you with its beautiful phrases and descriptions. It manages to be both frightening and somehow sensual at the same time. It is a lovely book and one that I highly recommend to all.
I will also say this, it reinforced my determination to never own a dog again.
April 10, 2017
I really loved this book of short stories, based on Edith Wharton's classic ghost story "Kerfol" (which I dug up on Project Gutenberg to read AFTER I finished this collection.) It has been ages since I read a ghost story, and these just-creepy-enough stories were extremely well crafted and highly entertaining. I would say it would appeal more to adults or mature teens as opposed to the general young adult set; in fact, the only reason I can figure that landed it in our YA collection at the library is that the central characters are all older teenagers or young adults in their early twenties.
The book's first story is a retelling of the original "Kerfol" (set in the 1600's) from one of the young housemaids' points of view (after reading Wharton's version, it is interesting to note that many of the details are exactly the same, though some very key elements were changed). The following stories take place at the same haunted manor throughout the centuries, from the 1800's to present day. What is so fascinating is that Noyes seamlessly weaves characters from each story together in unusual and unexpected ways.
I was reading the final story one dark night during a wind storm, and practically every noise outside made me jump--I was too freaked out to even peek outside and see what was banging on the side of our house over and over again. It's just a testament to how psychologically into this book I truly was!
I have to thank my librarian friend Claudia for recommending this great book!
The book's first story is a retelling of the original "Kerfol" (set in the 1600's) from one of the young housemaids' points of view (after reading Wharton's version, it is interesting to note that many of the details are exactly the same, though some very key elements were changed). The following stories take place at the same haunted manor throughout the centuries, from the 1800's to present day. What is so fascinating is that Noyes seamlessly weaves characters from each story together in unusual and unexpected ways.
I was reading the final story one dark night during a wind storm, and practically every noise outside made me jump--I was too freaked out to even peek outside and see what was banging on the side of our house over and over again. It's just a testament to how psychologically into this book I truly was!
I have to thank my librarian friend Claudia for recommending this great book!
July 14, 2008
I love a good ghost story and here is a collection of 5 creepy and beautifully written ghost stories that is also a tribute to the wonderful writing of Edith Wharton. First Deborah Noyes rewrites the classic story Kerfol from the perspective of a young maid in the household, then she takes the framing device of the original story as a spring board for the second ghost story, ladling up large dollups of Wharton's atmospheric prose. Three more stories follow, moving forward in time but all set in the same location and with visitations from the many ghosts that haunt the house.
I started by rereading the original Wharton but that is because I am just compulsive that way. Teens won't have to do that as the first story beautifully retells the story but I expect that many teens will hunt up Wharton's writing when they finish this book! The stories that follow are eerie, the narrative styles skillfully reflective of their time period and completely satisfying.
Noyes is a MUCH under-appreciated writer and this is a book that I hope will get the attention it deserves. Besides it is a really really scary!
I started by rereading the original Wharton but that is because I am just compulsive that way. Teens won't have to do that as the first story beautifully retells the story but I expect that many teens will hunt up Wharton's writing when they finish this book! The stories that follow are eerie, the narrative styles skillfully reflective of their time period and completely satisfying.
Noyes is a MUCH under-appreciated writer and this is a book that I hope will get the attention it deserves. Besides it is a really really scary!
October 22, 2015
Noyes bases her stories on Edith Wharton's Kerfol. The first story is just a retelling of Kerfol, fleshed out, and from the point of a serving girl newly arrived at the house. From there, Noyes each story moves the the house closer to the present time, with various manifestations of the hauntings.
Her descriptions are uneven though. In one story, the house is haunted only by the dogs, as in Wharton's story. In other stories, there are various other ghosts, and it's not always clear who they're supposed to be. In one story, a girl dies. In another, a couple is only hurt. I would have felt better if all the stories were building to a grand exorcism of some kind, or if the hauntings all got worse until some drastic action were taken. In other words, I wish the stories had all built on each other in some way. But this isn't really how Noyes chose to write her stories. Except she did, in some ways. I wish she'd chosen either to write completely individual stories, or chosen to write stories that all built up into something. As it is, the tension of the hauntings builds for a couple of stories, and then just kind of fizzles.
Her descriptions are uneven though. In one story, the house is haunted only by the dogs, as in Wharton's story. In other stories, there are various other ghosts, and it's not always clear who they're supposed to be. In one story, a girl dies. In another, a couple is only hurt. I would have felt better if all the stories were building to a grand exorcism of some kind, or if the hauntings all got worse until some drastic action were taken. In other words, I wish the stories had all built on each other in some way. But this isn't really how Noyes chose to write her stories. Except she did, in some ways. I wish she'd chosen either to write completely individual stories, or chosen to write stories that all built up into something. As it is, the tension of the hauntings builds for a couple of stories, and then just kind of fizzles.
December 30, 2008
**nota bene: i read an ARC of this book**
a fascinating premise: five short stories, all taking place in the same house- kerfol, of edith wharton's short story (which is called, well, 'kerfol'.) noyes starts with a retelling of wharton's story, told this time from the perspective of a handmaid. in 1613 a beautiful young frenchwoman is essentially kept prisoner in her home by her cruel older husband, who strangles her beloved dogs. eventually the husband is found dead in their home, kerfol, of injuries that appear to have come from the very dogs he killed.
then we jump forward to later guests of kerfol, each in different time periods until the present day, all haunted by ghosts. these stories were so brief that i couldn't get attached to the characters. noyes drops in juicy details only to move on to the next story before i could figure out why the details mattered. i was hoping that a common link, besides the house itself, would be revealed in the end, but when i finished the last page my lingering impression was "huh?"
a fascinating premise: five short stories, all taking place in the same house- kerfol, of edith wharton's short story (which is called, well, 'kerfol'.) noyes starts with a retelling of wharton's story, told this time from the perspective of a handmaid. in 1613 a beautiful young frenchwoman is essentially kept prisoner in her home by her cruel older husband, who strangles her beloved dogs. eventually the husband is found dead in their home, kerfol, of injuries that appear to have come from the very dogs he killed.
then we jump forward to later guests of kerfol, each in different time periods until the present day, all haunted by ghosts. these stories were so brief that i couldn't get attached to the characters. noyes drops in juicy details only to move on to the next story before i could figure out why the details mattered. i was hoping that a common link, besides the house itself, would be revealed in the end, but when i finished the last page my lingering impression was "huh?"
September 29, 2009
The writing in this book is spectacular. Ms. Noyes creates a unique and tangible voice for each story (it is a collection based on a single incident and drawn through history), such that I believed in the time period she tried to evoke and in the distinct character’s point of view. This is also a slightly unsettling book, with its repetitious ghostly encounters, and the tension is strung very tight. Nevertheless, there were some moments when I wasn’t entirely engaged – and that may have been my relationship with the protagonist of that particular story. I almost wish she had elected to write an entire novel about the first story, which I found the most beautifully written and which I felt ended abruptly and in unsatisfying fashion. Still – I can’t wait to read what she writes next.
October 10, 2008
I love the idea behind this book. After reading Edith Wharton's "Kerfol" just before getting this book, I was excited to read Noyes' take on the continuing adventures at the haunted house, but I felt that the delivery never quite lived up to the premise. It took me awhile to really get into the first story, but I think overall it's my favorite in the collection, followed by the final story. The three in the middle are all good stories, but not as creepy and thrilling as I'd hoped they would be.
December 24, 2024
Noyes bases her stories on Edith Wharton's Kerfol. The first story is just a retelling of Kerfol, fleshed out, and from the point of a serving girl newly arrived at the house. From there, Noyes each story moves the the house closer to the present time, with various manifestations of the hauntings.
Her descriptions are uneven though. In one story, the house is haunted only by the dogs, as in Wharton's story. In other stories, there are various other ghosts, and it's not always clear who they're supposed to be. In one story, a girl dies. In another, a couple is only hurt. I would have felt better if all the stories were building to a grand exorcism of some kind, or if the hauntings all got worse until some drastic action were taken. In other words, I wish the stories had all built on each other in some way. But this isn't really how Noyes chose to write her stories. Except she did, in some ways. I wish she'd chosen either to write completely individual stories, or chosen to write stories that all built up into something. As it is, the tension of the hauntings builds for a couple of stories, and then just kind of fizzles.
Her descriptions are uneven though. In one story, the house is haunted only by the dogs, as in Wharton's story. In other stories, there are various other ghosts, and it's not always clear who they're supposed to be. In one story, a girl dies. In another, a couple is only hurt. I would have felt better if all the stories were building to a grand exorcism of some kind, or if the hauntings all got worse until some drastic action were taken. In other words, I wish the stories had all built on each other in some way. But this isn't really how Noyes chose to write her stories. Except she did, in some ways. I wish she'd chosen either to write completely individual stories, or chosen to write stories that all built up into something. As it is, the tension of the hauntings builds for a couple of stories, and then just kind of fizzles.
February 23, 2018
Oh man, did I want to love this book. And at first, I did. The first short story, a retelling of Edith Wharton's "Kerfol," is absolutely fantastic. I was prepared to heartily recommend it to every reader I know based on the strength of that short story alone.
But the rest? Ehhhhh. There's a lot of inconsistencies in the hauntings, the stories are rushed and feel a little too thin to support their own weight, and ultimately I finished each one wondering, "But why these characters?" The final story's a little better in that regard, but the ending is way, way too pat and, again, quite rushed. It's really too bad. At least that first short story will stick with me for a while.
But the rest? Ehhhhh. There's a lot of inconsistencies in the hauntings, the stories are rushed and feel a little too thin to support their own weight, and ultimately I finished each one wondering, "But why these characters?" The final story's a little better in that regard, but the ending is way, way too pat and, again, quite rushed. It's really too bad. At least that first short story will stick with me for a while.
November 18, 2024
I loved reading these little horror stories. They were easy reads, with clear and evocative prose and a good dose of suspense and horror. I also loved how all the stories echoed each other and how each haunting built upon the next. The first story, Hunger Moon, was my favorite and I also greatly enjoyed These Heads Would Speak and The Red of Berries. I would definitely read these again!
June 23, 2020
I loved this collection of short stories coming from Edith Wharton’s Kerfol! (I also loved reading the original ghost story—having toured Wharton’s Berkshire’s house at night, I have strong feelings about her and ghosts.) AND the author is a new advisor at VCFA :)
February 2, 2017
I liked this, I didn't love it. I thought the first story was the best of the three. It was very well written and the characters were well done. Just okay for me.
December 27, 2017
This book was crap. Deborah did not make it clear when she switched to another person's story. I t wqas horrible
April 10, 2015
MY TAKE:
The thread of the first tale runs through all the stories in some aspect, a different ghost or memory affecting them all, but each was separate in its own identity. I realize that it was meant to portray a timeline of haunting through the ages, but the stories felt disconnected – they were meant to tie together, but I think they were too different or singularly unique to blend together in a complete story.
Hunger Moon – What a haunting, sad, desperate tale told from the viewpoint of a servant
girl sold into service, of the Lady of the Manor kept as a trophy by an abusive, hard man.
She was locked away from even simple pleasures, like walking alone in the orchard, denied
companionship, and kept loveless and alone. The tone is dark, desperate, hopeless, resigned
– there is no joy to be had by anyone in the household, no love to be spoken or shared, not
even that of a puppy – all her dogs, murdered for their mistress’ craving for love with a
necklace given to a suitor in secret as a sign of her favor. I find it fitting that Yves was killed
by the ghosts of her dead dogs (as I believe was truly the case).
“… especially when the moon swelled and paw prints dotted the mud round the moat come morning.”
The hunger moon speaks of always hungering – food, comfort, love.
“”I used to think there was no fate worse than not being loved,” she told me – told herself – in the looking glass. “But now I know there are worse things.””
These Heads Would Speak – Victor, a delicate, frail artist – is drawn into the essence of the home, and made corrupt by its unknown history and unnerving appearances of the dogs. He is haunted by the horror of his father’s beheading, and visualizes the heads removed with the ability to live on after removal for a limited time – what horrors they would have to say. It is easy for the evil of the place to permeate and penetrate his frail defenses, to the extent that he debases the portrait of his soul’s mate with red paint to try and save her suffering.
“What these dogs most suggested to him was loneliness beyond reckoning, and he tried to imagine his father’s loneliness under the blade.”
“He slashed at her pretty eyes, erasing what could only suffer, saving her.”
The Figure Under the Sheet – a hard drinking party girl, “Queen of Parties and yet all alone, is pregnant and single in a time when this would mean to be immediately ostracized. After a few unnerving encounters with an intruder on the grounds, she seduces a local boy, trying to recapture the love and security of her lost lover Stan. She awakens the night after with the vile intruder from the garden, and the story ends there. I wasn’t as happy with this story – it isn’t clear what the intent is for its inclusion in the collection. You find out in the next story that she was murdered, case unsolved.
When I Love You Best – tense atmosphere, filled with things left unsaid. A couple, full of love for each other, but her dalliance with his twin brother is unforgiveable. This is a tale full of emptiness and need.
“Why do I love you best when you’re walking away from me?”
The Red of Berries – a story in which a deaf boy is hired to renovate the building after the fire from the previous story. At the manor, he can hear music playing, horses, and the barking of dogs. His own dog finds the necklace from the original story (used to murder all the dogs) – the necklace is removed from the site as he escapes from the ghosts, and the haunting is over. I like the tone of this story, the compilation of all the previous weave the tale of the history of the manor, but I find the ending too neat, too pat. To exorcise the ghosts simply by finding the necklace and taking it away – I don’t buy it.
The thread of the first tale runs through all the stories in some aspect, a different ghost or memory affecting them all, but each was separate in its own identity. I realize that it was meant to portray a timeline of haunting through the ages, but the stories felt disconnected – they were meant to tie together, but I think they were too different or singularly unique to blend together in a complete story.
Hunger Moon – What a haunting, sad, desperate tale told from the viewpoint of a servant
girl sold into service, of the Lady of the Manor kept as a trophy by an abusive, hard man.
She was locked away from even simple pleasures, like walking alone in the orchard, denied
companionship, and kept loveless and alone. The tone is dark, desperate, hopeless, resigned
– there is no joy to be had by anyone in the household, no love to be spoken or shared, not
even that of a puppy – all her dogs, murdered for their mistress’ craving for love with a
necklace given to a suitor in secret as a sign of her favor. I find it fitting that Yves was killed
by the ghosts of her dead dogs (as I believe was truly the case).
“… especially when the moon swelled and paw prints dotted the mud round the moat come morning.”
The hunger moon speaks of always hungering – food, comfort, love.
“”I used to think there was no fate worse than not being loved,” she told me – told herself – in the looking glass. “But now I know there are worse things.””
These Heads Would Speak – Victor, a delicate, frail artist – is drawn into the essence of the home, and made corrupt by its unknown history and unnerving appearances of the dogs. He is haunted by the horror of his father’s beheading, and visualizes the heads removed with the ability to live on after removal for a limited time – what horrors they would have to say. It is easy for the evil of the place to permeate and penetrate his frail defenses, to the extent that he debases the portrait of his soul’s mate with red paint to try and save her suffering.
“What these dogs most suggested to him was loneliness beyond reckoning, and he tried to imagine his father’s loneliness under the blade.”
“He slashed at her pretty eyes, erasing what could only suffer, saving her.”
The Figure Under the Sheet – a hard drinking party girl, “Queen of Parties and yet all alone, is pregnant and single in a time when this would mean to be immediately ostracized. After a few unnerving encounters with an intruder on the grounds, she seduces a local boy, trying to recapture the love and security of her lost lover Stan. She awakens the night after with the vile intruder from the garden, and the story ends there. I wasn’t as happy with this story – it isn’t clear what the intent is for its inclusion in the collection. You find out in the next story that she was murdered, case unsolved.
When I Love You Best – tense atmosphere, filled with things left unsaid. A couple, full of love for each other, but her dalliance with his twin brother is unforgiveable. This is a tale full of emptiness and need.
“Why do I love you best when you’re walking away from me?”
The Red of Berries – a story in which a deaf boy is hired to renovate the building after the fire from the previous story. At the manor, he can hear music playing, horses, and the barking of dogs. His own dog finds the necklace from the original story (used to murder all the dogs) – the necklace is removed from the site as he escapes from the ghosts, and the haunting is over. I like the tone of this story, the compilation of all the previous weave the tale of the history of the manor, but I find the ending too neat, too pat. To exorcise the ghosts simply by finding the necklace and taking it away – I don’t buy it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 3, 2008
Noyes, Deborah. 2008. The Ghosts of Kerfol.
The Ghosts of Kerfol is an enjoyable short story collection that pays tribute to Edith Wharton's short story "Kerfol". I'd encourage you to take a few minutes (about ten or twenty actually) and read this haunting story about an old-and-creepy manor. The Ghosts of Kerfol is a collection of five short stories: "Hunger Moon," "These Heads Would Speak," "The Figure Under the Sheet," "When I Love You Best," and "The Red of Berries." The first two especially--"Hunger Moon" and "These Heads Would Speak" pay tribute to Wharton's original story. The remaining stories are imaginative what-ifs that bring the story into the modern world.
The original story is a story-within-a-story. Kerfol is the manor in question. The framework of the story is about a person (I don't think it says if it is a man or woman; if it did I missed it) who is considering buying Kerfol. The narrator is there at the estate exploring the grounds and hoping for a closer view of the house itself. But the narrator keeps seeing a handful of dogs around the place. We later realize--along with the narrator--that these dogs are ghosts. That one day a year--on the terrible anniversary--they appear. The guardian and his daughter always leave that day to avoid the creepy factor as much as possible. The narrator then reads an account of the history of Kerfol.
This second story, the inner story, is set in the seventeenth century. It involves an old man and a young woman in a "seemingly" "happy" but childless marriage. Happy if you think such a thing is possible when the woman has no freedom to move about on her own even on her own estate in and about her home, her gardens, etc. Sensing on some level at least her loneliness, he buys her a dog. What happens next isn't pretty. One day he becomes jealous and he strangles her dog. And it only gets worse from there. Believe me. Dog-lovers will be crushed at the cruelty. But the husband does get his comeuppance, he's murdered--and according to his wife's claims--by these dead dogs of hers.
The story isn't pretty. It's melancholy at best. And the stories crafted in The Ghosts of Kerfol are bittersweet and haunting. The first, "Hunger Moon," re-envisions the second story (Yves de Cornault and Anne de Barrigan) as told by a servant girl, a waiting woman. The second story, "These Heads Would Speak," is about a young man visiting the estate. He's there while his mother seeks to straighten out his inheritance. Anyway, this story parallels the frame story of the original in a way.
The remaining stories interconnect with the previous and the original. It was a well-crafted book. The creepiness was perfect. I enjoyed all the stories.
Other reviews: Teenreads.com, ReadSpace, The Well-Read Child.
© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews
The Ghosts of Kerfol is an enjoyable short story collection that pays tribute to Edith Wharton's short story "Kerfol". I'd encourage you to take a few minutes (about ten or twenty actually) and read this haunting story about an old-and-creepy manor. The Ghosts of Kerfol is a collection of five short stories: "Hunger Moon," "These Heads Would Speak," "The Figure Under the Sheet," "When I Love You Best," and "The Red of Berries." The first two especially--"Hunger Moon" and "These Heads Would Speak" pay tribute to Wharton's original story. The remaining stories are imaginative what-ifs that bring the story into the modern world.
The original story is a story-within-a-story. Kerfol is the manor in question. The framework of the story is about a person (I don't think it says if it is a man or woman; if it did I missed it) who is considering buying Kerfol. The narrator is there at the estate exploring the grounds and hoping for a closer view of the house itself. But the narrator keeps seeing a handful of dogs around the place. We later realize--along with the narrator--that these dogs are ghosts. That one day a year--on the terrible anniversary--they appear. The guardian and his daughter always leave that day to avoid the creepy factor as much as possible. The narrator then reads an account of the history of Kerfol.
This second story, the inner story, is set in the seventeenth century. It involves an old man and a young woman in a "seemingly" "happy" but childless marriage. Happy if you think such a thing is possible when the woman has no freedom to move about on her own even on her own estate in and about her home, her gardens, etc. Sensing on some level at least her loneliness, he buys her a dog. What happens next isn't pretty. One day he becomes jealous and he strangles her dog. And it only gets worse from there. Believe me. Dog-lovers will be crushed at the cruelty. But the husband does get his comeuppance, he's murdered--and according to his wife's claims--by these dead dogs of hers.
The story isn't pretty. It's melancholy at best. And the stories crafted in The Ghosts of Kerfol are bittersweet and haunting. The first, "Hunger Moon," re-envisions the second story (Yves de Cornault and Anne de Barrigan) as told by a servant girl, a waiting woman. The second story, "These Heads Would Speak," is about a young man visiting the estate. He's there while his mother seeks to straighten out his inheritance. Anyway, this story parallels the frame story of the original in a way.
The remaining stories interconnect with the previous and the original. It was a well-crafted book. The creepiness was perfect. I enjoyed all the stories.
Other reviews: Teenreads.com, ReadSpace, The Well-Read Child.
© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews
June 26, 2011
Let’s get one thing clear – I’m the biggest chicken ever. At least when it comes to ghost stories. I can’t read them without getting a bit jumpy, I watched Paranormal Activity behind a gap in my fingers, I think the guys on Ghost Hunters are nuts. So I was a bit hesitant about reading a story about vengeful ghosts from the 17th century.
The Ghosts of Kerfol is five short stories, starting with a retelling for Edith Wharton’s original short story Kerfol , with each subsequent story moving forward in time till we get from 1629 to 2006. In the first story (the retelling) we learn about the mysterious death of Yves de Cornault, who was found dead on the stairs of his home, apparently attacked by dogs. Since he maliciously killed every dog his wife ever had after discovering her disloyalty, there hadn’t been a dog on the grounds since. So how did he die?
The stories that follow are about the house that still stands and the ghosts that now haunt the grounds.
Despite my previous issues with ghost stories I thought the story sounded interesting and was ready to give it a go. Unfortunately it didn’t live up to my hopes.
My issue was that after the first story, each of the others felt too brief and disconnected from one another. At only 171 pages each story only got about 30 pages and in that time there’s so much focus on the main character that the ghosts become a small and almost pointless feature. Once we started to become interested in the human characters, we moved right along to the next story.
And the ghosts themselves, in the end what did they do? Not that much, besides one incident all they did was a lot of creepy staring. It would have been better if each story linked to one another or built up to some big ending but the tension just kind of fizzled out to nothing.
If you do happen to read it I don’t recommend doing what I did – reading it right before bed. Though none of it was hardly scary, the creepy staring is still not the best thing to have in mind while trying to sleep.
If you were interesting in the story, you’re probably better off just reading Edith Wharton’s original short story. There was nothing wrong with this book generally but in the end all I could think was ‘meh’.
The Ghosts of Kerfol is five short stories, starting with a retelling for Edith Wharton’s original short story Kerfol , with each subsequent story moving forward in time till we get from 1629 to 2006. In the first story (the retelling) we learn about the mysterious death of Yves de Cornault, who was found dead on the stairs of his home, apparently attacked by dogs. Since he maliciously killed every dog his wife ever had after discovering her disloyalty, there hadn’t been a dog on the grounds since. So how did he die?
The stories that follow are about the house that still stands and the ghosts that now haunt the grounds.
Despite my previous issues with ghost stories I thought the story sounded interesting and was ready to give it a go. Unfortunately it didn’t live up to my hopes.
My issue was that after the first story, each of the others felt too brief and disconnected from one another. At only 171 pages each story only got about 30 pages and in that time there’s so much focus on the main character that the ghosts become a small and almost pointless feature. Once we started to become interested in the human characters, we moved right along to the next story.
And the ghosts themselves, in the end what did they do? Not that much, besides one incident all they did was a lot of creepy staring. It would have been better if each story linked to one another or built up to some big ending but the tension just kind of fizzled out to nothing.
If you do happen to read it I don’t recommend doing what I did – reading it right before bed. Though none of it was hardly scary, the creepy staring is still not the best thing to have in mind while trying to sleep.
If you were interesting in the story, you’re probably better off just reading Edith Wharton’s original short story. There was nothing wrong with this book generally but in the end all I could think was ‘meh’.
June 22, 2010
"The Ghosts of Kerfol" is a unique tale that follows the fictional, yet haunted, estate of Kerfol in France. Deborah Noyes wrote the book based off a story by Edith Wharton. However, Noyes takes an interesting spin in weaving five unrelated protagonists together with the supernatural character of Kerfol. The book starts off with the original story for the estate being haunted: an old nobleman by the name of Yves de Cornault is savagely murder by what appears to be dogs, even though de Cornault himself has personally murdered all of the dogs that his young wife has brought to Kerfol. The novel continues chronologically from the 1600s (the century of de Cornault's murder) to the present, illustrating how the estate will have a maniacal hold on whomever dares to spend time there. A party girl socialite and deaf caretaker are only two of the protagonists who get ensnared by "The Ghosts of Kerfol". The book contains adventure, romance, multiple deaths, and mystery. What more could a reader ask for?
Well, I certainly could have asked for more. The premise of "The Ghosts of Kerfol" seems enticing and Noyes certainly provides enough suspense to keep the reader going, but I had a hard time with the stream of consciousness point of view of some of the main characters. Rather than focusing on the sequence of events, Noyes gets too much inside of the head of her characters when the reader just wants to know what is going on. I found following the plot to be hard because the main character would go into too much personal thought or too much description about his or her surroundings. Only the last story seemed to focus more on the chain of events leading up to the climax. I feel like good fiction should focus on those events.
Overall, "The Ghosts of Kerfol" was entertaining, though it doesn't live up to its potential. Noyes had a wonderful story with which to work and just didn't get me interested enough in what was happening to half of her main characters, although I am glad that she broke up the book into five stories. I was so ready to move on after a few of the stories and they provide a mental break for the reader.
Well, I certainly could have asked for more. The premise of "The Ghosts of Kerfol" seems enticing and Noyes certainly provides enough suspense to keep the reader going, but I had a hard time with the stream of consciousness point of view of some of the main characters. Rather than focusing on the sequence of events, Noyes gets too much inside of the head of her characters when the reader just wants to know what is going on. I found following the plot to be hard because the main character would go into too much personal thought or too much description about his or her surroundings. Only the last story seemed to focus more on the chain of events leading up to the climax. I feel like good fiction should focus on those events.
Overall, "The Ghosts of Kerfol" was entertaining, though it doesn't live up to its potential. Noyes had a wonderful story with which to work and just didn't get me interested enough in what was happening to half of her main characters, although I am glad that she broke up the book into five stories. I was so ready to move on after a few of the stories and they provide a mental break for the reader.
July 27, 2015
This series of short ghost stories I found quite eerie. The first of the stories was definitely my favourite, spooky and beautifully told and subtly scary, the atmosphere building and building throughout. It was also the longest story in the collection. I loved the concept - five short stories told from different narrators set years and years apart, but all centering around the same haunted manor - and I felt it was well executed. In each subsequent story there were references to the ones previous through paintings and so on, which helped tie the stories together. The conclusion in the fifth and final story was somewhat satisfying, however the first story was definitely the best, and though the rest of the stories were well-written and enjoyable, with a slight sense of building tension, the book didn't really return to or end with the level of spookiness that was achieved in the first story.
I wonder, perhaps, if reading the stories in the reverse order - starting with the story set in 2006 and going back to the story set in the 17th century - would be a more interesting reading experience, and would give the reader more of a sense of that building sense of tension getting somewhere and more of a sense of revelation. This didn't strike me as a specifically YA title - all the narrators, from the young maid to the deaf boy restoring the manor, are teenagers, however the themes and storylines don't seem particularly teenaged - fidelity, for instance, was a prominent theme. I imagine this book would also be enjoyed by adult readers.
Highly recommended to anyone who likes old ghost stories! A beautifully written and eerie read.
I wonder, perhaps, if reading the stories in the reverse order - starting with the story set in 2006 and going back to the story set in the 17th century - would be a more interesting reading experience, and would give the reader more of a sense of that building sense of tension getting somewhere and more of a sense of revelation. This didn't strike me as a specifically YA title - all the narrators, from the young maid to the deaf boy restoring the manor, are teenagers, however the themes and storylines don't seem particularly teenaged - fidelity, for instance, was a prominent theme. I imagine this book would also be enjoyed by adult readers.
Highly recommended to anyone who likes old ghost stories! A beautifully written and eerie read.
July 3, 2012
I honestly didn't know what to expect from this book because I've been trying to branch out more and discover books that I haven't heard about before. This was one of the books in that little experiment that I picked up from the library. I thought that it would be interested just because of the ghosts and murder. Then I realized it was several interconnecting stories and I was even more intrigued. While it didn't completely impress me and isn't a favorite, it also isn't a waste of time and was definitely enjoyable.
I think that my favorite tale has to be the last not, and not because it's the most recent. That and the first were the ones I connected to the most because the characters felt closer to my own age and were more relatable. I liked how every story had a different person with a distinct personality to fixate on, giving me an idea of what it was like living in that time period and dealing with this haunted house. Its history was gruesome and the horrors kept piling up as I flipped through the pages.
While there were some parts where the plot dragged, I had enough interest in everything to carry on. It did help that each story was fairly short, twenty or thirty pages long, so the entire novel was short as well. I don't think that I'll be rereading this, but I will check and see if Deborah Noyes has written anything else. Her writing style was really gripping and great.
3/5 stars
I think that my favorite tale has to be the last not, and not because it's the most recent. That and the first were the ones I connected to the most because the characters felt closer to my own age and were more relatable. I liked how every story had a different person with a distinct personality to fixate on, giving me an idea of what it was like living in that time period and dealing with this haunted house. Its history was gruesome and the horrors kept piling up as I flipped through the pages.
While there were some parts where the plot dragged, I had enough interest in everything to carry on. It did help that each story was fairly short, twenty or thirty pages long, so the entire novel was short as well. I don't think that I'll be rereading this, but I will check and see if Deborah Noyes has written anything else. Her writing style was really gripping and great.
3/5 stars
February 16, 2009
A collection of 5 short stories based on "Kerfol" by Edith Wharton. The stories start in the 17th Century with a retelling of Wharton’s story through the eyes of a young servant girl and end in 2006. All of the stories take place at the Kerfol estate which in the first story (and in Wharton’s) is the place of a mysterious and possibly supernatural murder, which has been haunted ever since by human and non-human spectres / forces.
Literary. Well-written. Ultimately unimpressive. There was nothing to really stay with me after closing the book for the last time.
I expected something slightly more haunting.
The best thing was the actual smell of the ARC- electricity and copy machine ink.
The stories are loosely connected. I wish the stories were more like strangers meeting by chance, than strangers thrust together on purpose. But even with the deliberateness of the connection between the stories, the connection is no more than elbows brushing elbows in an empty room. Nothing real or substantial is passed between.
It’s not a bad book by any means. I really enjoyed the first story. It was the only one that had a haunting, almost gothic tone to it. Once the stories moved beyond the 17th Century and into the 20th Century, I lost interest and the plot moved too quickly. By the last story, it felt rushed. I’m just left with a feeling of being wholly underwhelmed.
Literary. Well-written. Ultimately unimpressive. There was nothing to really stay with me after closing the book for the last time.
I expected something slightly more haunting.
The best thing was the actual smell of the ARC- electricity and copy machine ink.
The stories are loosely connected. I wish the stories were more like strangers meeting by chance, than strangers thrust together on purpose. But even with the deliberateness of the connection between the stories, the connection is no more than elbows brushing elbows in an empty room. Nothing real or substantial is passed between.
It’s not a bad book by any means. I really enjoyed the first story. It was the only one that had a haunting, almost gothic tone to it. Once the stories moved beyond the 17th Century and into the 20th Century, I lost interest and the plot moved too quickly. By the last story, it felt rushed. I’m just left with a feeling of being wholly underwhelmed.
May 10, 2009
The Ghosts of Kerfol is by Deborah Noyes, who edited a couple of my very favorite anthologies, and the first story in it, "Hunger Moon," was nominated for a Shirley Jackson Award for best novelette (where it is competing against several truly incredible stories). So, needless to say, I was interested in giving it a look.
And I found the whole book very enjoyable, especially "Hunger Moon," which is a retelling of the Edith Wharton short story "Kerfol" from the point of view of a serving girl. Each subsequent story moves forward in time and tells the story of someone else affected by the hauntings (both literal and figurative) of the titular house. They're full of nice details and good, clear writing, but none of the others ever succeed in engaging at quite the same level as "Hunger Moon."
And I found the whole book very enjoyable, especially "Hunger Moon," which is a retelling of the Edith Wharton short story "Kerfol" from the point of view of a serving girl. Each subsequent story moves forward in time and tells the story of someone else affected by the hauntings (both literal and figurative) of the titular house. They're full of nice details and good, clear writing, but none of the others ever succeed in engaging at quite the same level as "Hunger Moon."
October 4, 2009
I love creepy, gothic ghost stories and Noyes is creating her place as the reigning queen of gothic. This collection is based on Edith Wharton's Kerfol, the story of love, jealousy and dead vengeful dogs. The first story in this collection retells Kerfol from a servant's point of view and is the best in the collection. Each of the following stories visits Kerfol in a different century. Each character has some outside dilemma. It feels to me as if these dilemmas really distract from the real story - the Ghosts of Kerfol. I would have liked to have read more about the hauntings and about a possible resolution to the timeless tragedy that makes them remain in such an enigmatic place. I also feel that this is not the best book for teens - it is too mature in its theme and style. I am not sure YA readers in seek of the scare will find it in this. It is worth a read, however. Lovers of true ghost stories will find themselves in a brief romance here.
March 17, 2009
This group of stories is centered around a place, an old chateau in France called Kerfol, which was featured in a ghost story by Edith Wharton. The author has taken Wharton's story and retold it, then told other stories about encounters with the ghosts of Kerfol at various periods in history--the early 1800s, 1926, 1982, and 2006. The house affects people in different ways, and some later visitors to the chateau end up as ghosts there themselves. I liked the retelling of Wharton's tale and the tale from the 1800s and from 2006 the best. I don't think the tales in between were as spooky as the first two and the last. Of course, I read Edith Wharton's short story before I started the book, and enjoyed that immensely, as I do all of Wharton's writing. I think teens will enjoy this book, especially if they do as I do and read the original short story first. Recommended.
August 13, 2010
I'm not going to recap the plot of the stories - the other reviewers have done that already. I'm just going to say that I really enjoyed the individual stories and the way they loosely wove together. The first and the last especially appealed to me.
Noyes is good at creating distinct characters and establishing their separate voices. Since the stories are all quite short, we get to know the characters in each tale just enough to give us a good sense of their personalities and histories and how they contribute to each story. Moreover, Noyes is very adept at setting the mood - in the first and second stories especially, I really felt the eerie, oppressive weight of Kerfol and the unsettling sensuality that she wove into the tales. The whole book is darkly atmospheric, madness and haunting mixed with lust and despair. A good quick read for a rainy day.
Noyes is good at creating distinct characters and establishing their separate voices. Since the stories are all quite short, we get to know the characters in each tale just enough to give us a good sense of their personalities and histories and how they contribute to each story. Moreover, Noyes is very adept at setting the mood - in the first and second stories especially, I really felt the eerie, oppressive weight of Kerfol and the unsettling sensuality that she wove into the tales. The whole book is darkly atmospheric, madness and haunting mixed with lust and despair. A good quick read for a rainy day.
January 21, 2010
What an impressive book! Very well-written, very different from the tons of Young Adult literature out there. Five interconnecting stories all revolve around the Kerfol estate (using Edith Wharton's story "Kerfol" as the influence). Five different narrators - two in first person, three in third - and a great sense of arc, of building from one story to the next, to the final climax and resolution in the very last story.
I haven't read anything like this in YA literature, and it's definitely worth the read - from a writing/craft perspective, to a study in creating and differentiating characters and voices, to the pure enjoyment of a good ghost story (or stories). One of the best, and most refreshing, books I've read in a long time.
I haven't read anything like this in YA literature, and it's definitely worth the read - from a writing/craft perspective, to a study in creating and differentiating characters and voices, to the pure enjoyment of a good ghost story (or stories). One of the best, and most refreshing, books I've read in a long time.
January 5, 2013
The Ghosts of Kerfol is an anthology of ghost stories all set in one Renaissance French mansion. The stories range in chronological time frames from 1613 to 1982 and they're about people encountering the mansion's ghosts. The anthology is based on Edith Wharton's ghost story, Kerfol. The Ghosts of Kerfol is excellent. The protagonist of each story is very different from those of the others, and Deborah Noyes gives each a distinct inner voice, perspective, and reason for being at Kerfol. In a lesser talent, all the stories would have had the same style. Each story was fascinating; not a weak one in the bunch. I actually bought The Ghosts of Kerfol thinking it WAS Edith Wharton's Kerfol (maybe I'm ADD). I'm so glad for my mistake. Now, of course, I can't wait to find Wharton's story.
January 18, 2016
Sometimes visceral shivers, an exploration of the darker side of humanity and a little psychological suspense is exactly what I'm looking for in a book.
Deborah Noyes has written five short stories set in the same haunted mansion in Brittany. The first is a retelling of Edith Wharton's classic ghost story, Kerfol. It takes place in 1613 and is told from a maid's viewpoint. The young noblewoman Perette works for is terrified of her insanely jealous and much older husband. He ends up dead, apparently torn apart by a pack of dogs... but there are no dogs at Kerfol. No living dogs, anyway.
The subsequent tales move forward in time; 1802, 1926, 1982 and 2006. Each weaves in threads from the earlier stories. Intriguing and, appropriately, haunting.
Deborah Noyes has written five short stories set in the same haunted mansion in Brittany. The first is a retelling of Edith Wharton's classic ghost story, Kerfol. It takes place in 1613 and is told from a maid's viewpoint. The young noblewoman Perette works for is terrified of her insanely jealous and much older husband. He ends up dead, apparently torn apart by a pack of dogs... but there are no dogs at Kerfol. No living dogs, anyway.
The subsequent tales move forward in time; 1802, 1926, 1982 and 2006. Each weaves in threads from the earlier stories. Intriguing and, appropriately, haunting.
November 4, 2011
The concept of this novel really drew me in. Taking another persons story and wrapping your own around it in a very tantalising fashion. Each story is set a Kerfol, the home of a Baron who lived there in the early 17th century in the original story. There he was found dead on the stairs. Murdered. With scratches and marks like that a pack of dogs would create. But there were no dogs on the property at the time. Apart from the dead.
The following stories jump ahead in time, with similar circumstances befalling the characters and each story making connections with its predecessors. It was a really interesting a way to write a novel, different stories moulding into one.
The following stories jump ahead in time, with similar circumstances befalling the characters and each story making connections with its predecessors. It was a really interesting a way to write a novel, different stories moulding into one.
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