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Isabelle is haunted by the ghost of Annette, her daughter who died at age six
- GenresHorror
252 pages, Paperback
First published February 1, 1988
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
December 10, 2017
Six years ago, Isabelle's 6 year-old daughter Annette died in a tragic bathtub accident, and Isabelle blames herself. Her husband left her soon after, and now she's alone, leading a lonely existence and absorbed with guilt. But things are about to get worse for her, as Annette is showing signs of returning -- tormenting her through the TV, the radio, phone, etc., even sabotaging Isabelle's attempts to leave the house. Is Annette's ghost truly haunting her, or is it all in her head? Or is her spiteful ex-husband playing elaborate tricks on her somehow? She better figure it out quickly, as the anniversary of Annette's death is coming up, and the little girl wants revenge.
This was a super-creepy reading experience for me. I was never really on steady ground, never sure if Isabelle was insane, or truly haunted. The pace was pretty relentless, with no real time to take a breather. The tension and unease just slowly builds and builds. Though written in the 3rd person, the reader is in Isabelle's head nearly the entire time, and it was easy to relate to her fears and her guilt. About the only negative I can think of is that things got a bit...silly at times later on. I can buy into things like ghosts and all manner of creatures when in the context of a horror novel, but I expect people to act like people and behave accordingly. But the behavior of some of the secondary characters in this book stretched my ability to "believe" what was happening. Sure, people behave irrationally sometimes, and there are plenty of mentally disturbed people in the world, but how did they ALL end up in Isabelle's little circle?
Other than that, this was one of the better examples of psychological horror I've read, with plenty of truly scary invasions of the supernatural, and I'll definitely be checking out more from Mr. Clements. I'm honestly surprised this isn't more well-known, as it hits all the right buttons for me as a horror reader. And it's a first novel to boot.
4.0 Stars
This was a super-creepy reading experience for me. I was never really on steady ground, never sure if Isabelle was insane, or truly haunted. The pace was pretty relentless, with no real time to take a breather. The tension and unease just slowly builds and builds. Though written in the 3rd person, the reader is in Isabelle's head nearly the entire time, and it was easy to relate to her fears and her guilt. About the only negative I can think of is that things got a bit...silly at times later on. I can buy into things like ghosts and all manner of creatures when in the context of a horror novel, but I expect people to act like people and behave accordingly. But the behavior of some of the secondary characters in this book stretched my ability to "believe" what was happening. Sure, people behave irrationally sometimes, and there are plenty of mentally disturbed people in the world, but how did they ALL end up in Isabelle's little circle?
Other than that, this was one of the better examples of psychological horror I've read, with plenty of truly scary invasions of the supernatural, and I'll definitely be checking out more from Mr. Clements. I'm honestly surprised this isn't more well-known, as it hits all the right buttons for me as a horror reader. And it's a first novel to boot.
4.0 Stars
December 1, 2015
3.5-ish stars...
When it comes to creativity and originality, I gotta hand it to this book.
Isabelle is a lonely, miserable middle-aged woman, living alone in the house where her then-six-year-old daughter, Annette, died six years earlier. Isabelle is haunted by the death of her daughter, which may or may not have been an accident. Her ex-husband torments her every year around the holiday season (the time of Annette's birth and death), and now she's got something new on her plate. Annette's ghost may be haunting her, too.
Towards the beginning of the book, the creepiness was spot on. It was everything and everything that I could ask for, creepy-wise. I just love the concept of watching late night shows, only to find it be interrupted by something not part of the TV programming. And of course, the book is set in the 1980s, so you've got all these outdated things that add to the plot and general feel of helplessness.
Somewhere along the line, the book turned into a horror that made me feel like I was watching American Horror Story. Which isn't necessarily a bad thing, since I like the show. But it also means that towards the end, the book was starting to get a little too much. A little too disturbing, too occult, and with really gruesome death scenes and details. It's not that I have a weak stomach or couldn't take it... it's just that I prefer general creepiness.
I appreciate the explanation for what actually happened, too. A lot of authors just kind of leave you in the dark after throwing so much information at you, but Clements actually doesn't leave you in the dark.
All in all, it was an entertaining read. The "retro" feel of the book was just a cherry on top, much better than a contemporary feel and time period. But I would have preferred straight creepiness over full-on horror.
When it comes to creativity and originality, I gotta hand it to this book.
Isabelle is a lonely, miserable middle-aged woman, living alone in the house where her then-six-year-old daughter, Annette, died six years earlier. Isabelle is haunted by the death of her daughter, which may or may not have been an accident. Her ex-husband torments her every year around the holiday season (the time of Annette's birth and death), and now she's got something new on her plate. Annette's ghost may be haunting her, too.
Towards the beginning of the book, the creepiness was spot on. It was everything and everything that I could ask for, creepy-wise. I just love the concept of watching late night shows, only to find it be interrupted by something not part of the TV programming. And of course, the book is set in the 1980s, so you've got all these outdated things that add to the plot and general feel of helplessness.
Somewhere along the line, the book turned into a horror that made me feel like I was watching American Horror Story. Which isn't necessarily a bad thing, since I like the show. But it also means that towards the end, the book was starting to get a little too much. A little too disturbing, too occult, and with really gruesome death scenes and details. It's not that I have a weak stomach or couldn't take it... it's just that I prefer general creepiness.
I appreciate the explanation for what actually happened, too. A lot of authors just kind of leave you in the dark after throwing so much information at you, but Clements actually doesn't leave you in the dark.
All in all, it was an entertaining read. The "retro" feel of the book was just a cherry on top, much better than a contemporary feel and time period. But I would have preferred straight creepiness over full-on horror.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews