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Calling Mr. Lonely Hearts
Growing up, Roxanne, Del, and Alice tested the limits of their friendship with cruel, and often dangerous, games—but they always knew they would be bound together forever. Now, Alice’s marriage is over, and her husband is having a child with another woman. Roxanne, an artist consumed by her work, is losing touch with her friends—and perhaps with reality. And Del is desperate to be a perfect wife and adoring stepmother, but her friends see that her careful facade is crumbling.
The instrument of their destruction is a single enigmatic man—Varick. He seems to be a lonely woman’s dream come true, but where has he come from? And what does he want?
As he seduces the women in turn, their lives become unrecognizable to them. Varick’s secret lies buried in their shared past. One simple, childish act has brought them, all these years later, to a place where not only their lives but also their souls are at risk. For once upon a time, the three of them agreed to tell a lie—one that ruined the life of a young priest. Defrocked, destitute, and ruined, he hoped with the whole of his shattered heart that he would get revenge. And in that hope he shook hands with the one who promised it. The devil himself. Now they all must live with the consequences.
Dark and provocative, Calling Mr. Lonely Hearts will keep listeners in its terrifying grip long after the chilling conclusion.
The instrument of their destruction is a single enigmatic man—Varick. He seems to be a lonely woman’s dream come true, but where has he come from? And what does he want?
As he seduces the women in turn, their lives become unrecognizable to them. Varick’s secret lies buried in their shared past. One simple, childish act has brought them, all these years later, to a place where not only their lives but also their souls are at risk. For once upon a time, the three of them agreed to tell a lie—one that ruined the life of a young priest. Defrocked, destitute, and ruined, he hoped with the whole of his shattered heart that he would get revenge. And in that hope he shook hands with the one who promised it. The devil himself. Now they all must live with the consequences.
Dark and provocative, Calling Mr. Lonely Hearts will keep listeners in its terrifying grip long after the chilling conclusion.
Audio CD
First published December 30, 2008
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About the author
Laura Benedict
35 books422 followersLaura Benedict is the Edgar- and ITW Thriller Award- nominated author of eight novels of suspense, including The Stranger Inside). Her Bliss House gothic trilogy includes The Abandoned Heart, Charlotte’s Story (Booklist starred review), and Bliss House. Her short fiction has appeared in Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine, and in numerous anthologies like Thrillers: 100 Must-Reads, The Lineup: 20 Provocative Women Writers, and St. Louis Noir. A native of Cincinnati, she lives in Southern Illinois with her family. Visit her at www.laurabenedict.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 50 reviews
November 29, 2008
CALLING MR. LONELY HEARTS by Laura Benedict is a supernatural suspense, a genre that I only touch lightly here at Fantasy Debut. Usually, I like heroic tales of high adventure, which this book is decidedly not. But I loved it anyway. I couldn't put it down.
CALLING is a complex tale about three women, Alice, Roxanne and Del. Alice is the ultimate follower--she would do anything that her hero, Roxanne, says. Roxanne relishes this power, and like all power, it corrupts her. Del is Roxanne's supportive best friend. And Roxanne is the only thing that keeps the three of them together. The story starts when they are thirteen-year-old girls. Roxanne cooks up a ritual--a spell--that will bring them a boyfriend. Del thinks they're just playing. Alice knows they're not.
Jump ahead about twenty years to a very unpleasant character, a young man named Dillon. Dillon has just had a car accident with a well-dressed man with an unusual name--Verick. It turns out that Dillon's sister is Thad's lover. Who is Thad? Thad is Alice's husband. And Verick has targeted Dillon for a reason. The whole book is like this. All these little connections that don't become obvious until many pages later. It was like trying to trace a spider's web. Not just any spider--a black widow. Which spins a web that looks like nothing more than a tangle of silk.
And then we have Romero, who turns out to be a former priest. Who turns out to have been a teacher where young Alice, Roxanne and Del went to school. And we have the sin that drew them all together years ago. And another sin that brings them together once again, years later.
One thing interesting about the horror genre is that it is not afraid to work with Christian elements. This novel has many Christian elements, unapologetically presented. It also has elements of Santeria, which is a blend of Christian saint worship and West African religious traditions. Satan is a character in this novel, and he is absolutely chilling. CALLING is about a deal with the devil--and not the sort of deal you might suspect. And it doesn't have the sort of punishments you might expect. Not all of the sinners die--and not all of the good characters live.
CALLING is not for the faint of heart. It is not a happy book. I would have preferred that there not be so many deaths at the end, but the author knew when to stop. I expected another death, but he lived. The author may take some heat for underage sex here--underage sex with an adult man--but I think she handled it well. But there is a hero by the end after all-someone I never expected. Bravo for him. It was great.
This is the sort of novel that I like to read again in order to find answers that eluded me the first time. It's one for the keeper shelf.
CALLING is a complex tale about three women, Alice, Roxanne and Del. Alice is the ultimate follower--she would do anything that her hero, Roxanne, says. Roxanne relishes this power, and like all power, it corrupts her. Del is Roxanne's supportive best friend. And Roxanne is the only thing that keeps the three of them together. The story starts when they are thirteen-year-old girls. Roxanne cooks up a ritual--a spell--that will bring them a boyfriend. Del thinks they're just playing. Alice knows they're not.
Jump ahead about twenty years to a very unpleasant character, a young man named Dillon. Dillon has just had a car accident with a well-dressed man with an unusual name--Verick. It turns out that Dillon's sister is Thad's lover. Who is Thad? Thad is Alice's husband. And Verick has targeted Dillon for a reason. The whole book is like this. All these little connections that don't become obvious until many pages later. It was like trying to trace a spider's web. Not just any spider--a black widow. Which spins a web that looks like nothing more than a tangle of silk.
And then we have Romero, who turns out to be a former priest. Who turns out to have been a teacher where young Alice, Roxanne and Del went to school. And we have the sin that drew them all together years ago. And another sin that brings them together once again, years later.
One thing interesting about the horror genre is that it is not afraid to work with Christian elements. This novel has many Christian elements, unapologetically presented. It also has elements of Santeria, which is a blend of Christian saint worship and West African religious traditions. Satan is a character in this novel, and he is absolutely chilling. CALLING is about a deal with the devil--and not the sort of deal you might suspect. And it doesn't have the sort of punishments you might expect. Not all of the sinners die--and not all of the good characters live.
CALLING is not for the faint of heart. It is not a happy book. I would have preferred that there not be so many deaths at the end, but the author knew when to stop. I expected another death, but he lived. The author may take some heat for underage sex here--underage sex with an adult man--but I think she handled it well. But there is a hero by the end after all-someone I never expected. Bravo for him. It was great.
This is the sort of novel that I like to read again in order to find answers that eluded me the first time. It's one for the keeper shelf.
January 18, 2009
Laura Benedict is a new to me author. Her new book titled: Calling Mr. Lonely Hearts sounded intriguing, so I decided to get it from the library. From the title alone, I had no idea this book would be as creepy as it was.............YIKES!
About the book
After summoning a lover through a ritual part witchcraft, three 13-year-old Lolitas—Roxanne, Del and Alice—believe that their new teacher at Cincinnati's Our Lady of the Hills school, is the angel sent to deflower them. Roxanne successfully schemes to seduce Cuban-born Father Romero, who suffers terrible guilt as a result. When Alice and Del each falsely accuse Romero of acting inappropriately toward them, Romero is defrocked and loses his job. Seventeen years later, Romero returns to town with Varick, a demon disguised as a man, to punish the now adult schoolgirls. The three find themselves at the mercy of the devil and no one around them is safe.
Varick, the devil disguised as an attractive man, was introduced fairly early in the book to work on the women. It is through his character that the narrative became somewhat erotic, but mostly chilling and disturbing. I would have passed on this book had I read some reviews on it beforehand, however, I can see how this book would appeal to people who enjoy books about with an element of horror. Reader Beware!
About the book
After summoning a lover through a ritual part witchcraft, three 13-year-old Lolitas—Roxanne, Del and Alice—believe that their new teacher at Cincinnati's Our Lady of the Hills school, is the angel sent to deflower them. Roxanne successfully schemes to seduce Cuban-born Father Romero, who suffers terrible guilt as a result. When Alice and Del each falsely accuse Romero of acting inappropriately toward them, Romero is defrocked and loses his job. Seventeen years later, Romero returns to town with Varick, a demon disguised as a man, to punish the now adult schoolgirls. The three find themselves at the mercy of the devil and no one around them is safe.
Varick, the devil disguised as an attractive man, was introduced fairly early in the book to work on the women. It is through his character that the narrative became somewhat erotic, but mostly chilling and disturbing. I would have passed on this book had I read some reviews on it beforehand, however, I can see how this book would appeal to people who enjoy books about with an element of horror. Reader Beware!
September 15, 2011
I’ve tried to write a review for Calling Mr Lonely Hearts several times but every time I try to say what this book is about I get stuck. It could be summer brain; my mind just isn’t firing on all cylinders or it could be that I really don’t know what to say about Benedict’s book.
We first meet Roxanne, Del and Alice in the park. Roxanne is casting a spell or conjuring a spirit. It’s really nothing more than a childhood prank, but it has serious repercussions for the three friends. We don’t get too much more information about the girls at this stage except for the fact that Roxanne, clearly the daredevil, seduces Father Romero, a new young teacher at their parochial school.
Fast forward to the girls as adults: Roxanne is an unmarried artist of some note, Del is happily married to Jock and stepmother to Wendy and Alice is married to Thad, a dentist on the cusp of leaving her. The past is just about to bite them all in the ass.
Here’s where I get stuck. Is this book a supernatural thriller, a revenge fantasy gone awry, a titillating sex romp? I dunno. There are elements of all these things many of the wrapped up in the character, Varick, a mysterious and dangerous man who visits the lives of all the women.
The book clicks along at a reasonable pace and the characters are interesting, but the elements of supernatural means they have no free will and so, ultimately, they’re just fish on a hook.
See, I really don’t know what to say about this book. ::sigh::
We first meet Roxanne, Del and Alice in the park. Roxanne is casting a spell or conjuring a spirit. It’s really nothing more than a childhood prank, but it has serious repercussions for the three friends. We don’t get too much more information about the girls at this stage except for the fact that Roxanne, clearly the daredevil, seduces Father Romero, a new young teacher at their parochial school.
Fast forward to the girls as adults: Roxanne is an unmarried artist of some note, Del is happily married to Jock and stepmother to Wendy and Alice is married to Thad, a dentist on the cusp of leaving her. The past is just about to bite them all in the ass.
Here’s where I get stuck. Is this book a supernatural thriller, a revenge fantasy gone awry, a titillating sex romp? I dunno. There are elements of all these things many of the wrapped up in the character, Varick, a mysterious and dangerous man who visits the lives of all the women.
The book clicks along at a reasonable pace and the characters are interesting, but the elements of supernatural means they have no free will and so, ultimately, they’re just fish on a hook.
See, I really don’t know what to say about this book. ::sigh::
August 20, 2020
9th February 2011
I was expecting this book to be supernatural and I enjoy being a little frightened, but this was just nasty! The characters were all unpleasant, damaged people with no redeeming features, there was no one to empathise with and some parts of the book were simply repellant. I am not in the least squeamish but found this distasteful. I am unlikely to read another of this author's books. I did read Isabella Moon which was supernatural but this has gone up several notches and was just not entertaining in any way, I persisted in the hope that there would be a twist in the story towards the end but unfortunately, there was not and I wish I had just quit while I was ahead. I don't think it is necessary to be quite so unpleasantly explicit to hold the attention of the reader, in fact it is often more frightening to leave a little more to the imagination!
I was expecting this book to be supernatural and I enjoy being a little frightened, but this was just nasty! The characters were all unpleasant, damaged people with no redeeming features, there was no one to empathise with and some parts of the book were simply repellant. I am not in the least squeamish but found this distasteful. I am unlikely to read another of this author's books. I did read Isabella Moon which was supernatural but this has gone up several notches and was just not entertaining in any way, I persisted in the hope that there would be a twist in the story towards the end but unfortunately, there was not and I wish I had just quit while I was ahead. I don't think it is necessary to be quite so unpleasantly explicit to hold the attention of the reader, in fact it is often more frightening to leave a little more to the imagination!
November 22, 2011
review by SusanAshlea
*Warning: possible spoilers ahead.*
What goes around comes around...
You reap what you sow...
Never have those phrases been more true than in Calling Mr. Lonely Hearts, the second novel by author Laura Benedict. This book tells the story of 3 friends - Alice, Del and Roxanne - and how their childish games and spells come back to haunt them in the worst possible way.
Del, Roxanne and Alice all three agree to do a spell which Roxanne promises will bring them the perfect boyfriend to take their virginity. When Father Romero, the new, young, and handsome priest shows up at the Catholic school in which they attend, Roxanne is sure he is the manifestation of this spell. She then creates a vicious circle of lies and deceit that end up with Romero being defrocked and sent away. Thirty years later, the women have a small hold on the friendship they used to share, and each of them have moved on to live perfectly normal, mundane lives. Alice is married to a dentist, Del is married to divorce attorney and Roxanne undeniably leads the most glamorous life of the three as a professional sculptor. What these women don't know is that their lives are about to crumble right down around them. A mysterious stranger by the name of Varick arrives on the scene and slowly but surely drives each of these women mad. What happens to them as they fall under his spell is nothing short of chilling.
This is definitely not a read for the light-hearted. Laura Benedict has done a great job weaving a supernatural mystery into a tale of a Lolita gone bad. And as she did so in her first book, the author proves that she is a master at telling a story through flashbacks. The story takes place in present day Ohio and a serious of flashbacks tell about how Roxanne masterminded Father Romero's dismissal from the Catholic church thirty years before. Slowly but surely, the pieces start to come together, and about halfway through the book we see the sinister forces that are at work in the background, making Del, Roxanne and Alice pay for their earlier sins. The ending is truly heartbreaking, but I also felt that it had a redeeming quality as well.
I really enjoyed this book, though I will admit it was not an easy read. I definitely had to use my brain to make sure I was taking in all of the information. There are about 5 different plots that run simultaneously with each other, so it does take some brain-power. The book is told in 3 parts and the third part ties the first two together seamlessly. It all builds up to the dramatic climax at the end, which is something that I never saw coming. If you like mystery, suspense with some horror thrown in, this is a must read for you!
*Warning: possible spoilers ahead.*
What goes around comes around...
You reap what you sow...
Never have those phrases been more true than in Calling Mr. Lonely Hearts, the second novel by author Laura Benedict. This book tells the story of 3 friends - Alice, Del and Roxanne - and how their childish games and spells come back to haunt them in the worst possible way.
Del, Roxanne and Alice all three agree to do a spell which Roxanne promises will bring them the perfect boyfriend to take their virginity. When Father Romero, the new, young, and handsome priest shows up at the Catholic school in which they attend, Roxanne is sure he is the manifestation of this spell. She then creates a vicious circle of lies and deceit that end up with Romero being defrocked and sent away. Thirty years later, the women have a small hold on the friendship they used to share, and each of them have moved on to live perfectly normal, mundane lives. Alice is married to a dentist, Del is married to divorce attorney and Roxanne undeniably leads the most glamorous life of the three as a professional sculptor. What these women don't know is that their lives are about to crumble right down around them. A mysterious stranger by the name of Varick arrives on the scene and slowly but surely drives each of these women mad. What happens to them as they fall under his spell is nothing short of chilling.
This is definitely not a read for the light-hearted. Laura Benedict has done a great job weaving a supernatural mystery into a tale of a Lolita gone bad. And as she did so in her first book, the author proves that she is a master at telling a story through flashbacks. The story takes place in present day Ohio and a serious of flashbacks tell about how Roxanne masterminded Father Romero's dismissal from the Catholic church thirty years before. Slowly but surely, the pieces start to come together, and about halfway through the book we see the sinister forces that are at work in the background, making Del, Roxanne and Alice pay for their earlier sins. The ending is truly heartbreaking, but I also felt that it had a redeeming quality as well.
I really enjoyed this book, though I will admit it was not an easy read. I definitely had to use my brain to make sure I was taking in all of the information. There are about 5 different plots that run simultaneously with each other, so it does take some brain-power. The book is told in 3 parts and the third part ties the first two together seamlessly. It all builds up to the dramatic climax at the end, which is something that I never saw coming. If you like mystery, suspense with some horror thrown in, this is a must read for you!
July 4, 2009
Calling Mr. Lonely Hearts was a dark tale of lies, revenge and the way they can eat at your soul. Roxanne, Del and Alice are teens at a private high school when the story begins. Bored with their lives, these 3 drastically different girls become interested in the arrival of a new priest. Roxanne, the ringleader of the group, is fascinated with the handsome Cuban priest named Romero. She leads the girls to spy on him and fantasizes about spending time with him. This thinking leads the girls to tell a hateful lie and Romero's life is subsequently ruined. Consumed with hate for these girls, Romero makes a deal with the devil to punish them for their transgressions and the resulting devastation leaves a trail of destoryed lives and innocents harmed.
I went into this book with an open mind and intrigued by the story it offered. At the beginning of the book, I disliked it however the ending of the book made the rest of the story bearable. While I thought the premise of Calling Mr Lonely Hearts was interesting, the writing was awkward and I did not feel any chemistry between the characters. Roxanne, Del and Alice were dry and the tragedies befalling them did not feel personal to me at all. I was left feeling cold towards them and could not sympathize. Romero was a strong male but I felt his story was left too open. His life felt like it was told in beginning and end chunks with large gaps making him feel underdeveloped. Varick was another enigma. He popped in and out of the story and his role was clear but he never felt fully involved. The storyline had too many holes for my taste. The fallout of the lies and their effect on the innocent lives surrounding the main characters was far more interesting than any other aspect of the story and began to feel like the focus of the tale. The description was lacking in my opinion and when I reached the ending, I was left feeling like the story was unfinished. It was a thought-provoking idea that fell flat for me. I most likely will not be recommending this book and may not revisit this author in the future.
I went into this book with an open mind and intrigued by the story it offered. At the beginning of the book, I disliked it however the ending of the book made the rest of the story bearable. While I thought the premise of Calling Mr Lonely Hearts was interesting, the writing was awkward and I did not feel any chemistry between the characters. Roxanne, Del and Alice were dry and the tragedies befalling them did not feel personal to me at all. I was left feeling cold towards them and could not sympathize. Romero was a strong male but I felt his story was left too open. His life felt like it was told in beginning and end chunks with large gaps making him feel underdeveloped. Varick was another enigma. He popped in and out of the story and his role was clear but he never felt fully involved. The storyline had too many holes for my taste. The fallout of the lies and their effect on the innocent lives surrounding the main characters was far more interesting than any other aspect of the story and began to feel like the focus of the tale. The description was lacking in my opinion and when I reached the ending, I was left feeling like the story was unfinished. It was a thought-provoking idea that fell flat for me. I most likely will not be recommending this book and may not revisit this author in the future.
April 7, 2012
This review and more can be found on my blog
This book was absolutely terrible, in my opinion. The characters were all extremely unlikable and didn't have one good or redeeming quality. I couldn't relate to a single character or find even one good quality in any of them. I I found myself not caring what happened to any of them. This book was so incredibly boring that I struggled to stay awake while reading it and couldn't wait for it to be finished just so I could move on to something else. I literally forced myself to finish it last night so I could read something better today.
I have a rule where if I read at least 100 pages in a book, I stick it out to the end because I've already invested that much time in it. This is once when I should have broken this rule. I kept hoping and praying that this book would get better, but, unfortunately it didn't.
I honestly don't have one good thing to say about this book. It was quite possibly the WORST book I've ever read. Stay far, far away!
This book was absolutely terrible, in my opinion. The characters were all extremely unlikable and didn't have one good or redeeming quality. I couldn't relate to a single character or find even one good quality in any of them. I I found myself not caring what happened to any of them. This book was so incredibly boring that I struggled to stay awake while reading it and couldn't wait for it to be finished just so I could move on to something else. I literally forced myself to finish it last night so I could read something better today.
I have a rule where if I read at least 100 pages in a book, I stick it out to the end because I've already invested that much time in it. This is once when I should have broken this rule. I kept hoping and praying that this book would get better, but, unfortunately it didn't.
I honestly don't have one good thing to say about this book. It was quite possibly the WORST book I've ever read. Stay far, far away!
May 1, 2009
Maybe it was because I listened to this as an audio but frankly, with friends like these women, who needs enemies? Each of the three women were nasty and mean and had been since childhood. As teens they ruined the lives of a priest (though he did all the ruining) and he decides to get revenge by calling on the devil, which he does pretty effectively. The reader was awful. I kept thinking that Varik (the devil-type) was a vampire from Transylvania because that was the accent. I didn't think the plot held together very well but then, I've never had frenemies like this.
July 17, 2015
This is a book that I would have given up on if it hadn't been a 5-star title. I didn't like any of the three girls - Roxanne, Delilah or Alice. They were all vindictive little bitches with evil intent. Roxanne was the instigator but the others followed like little disciples of satan. In the end I believe they got what they deserved but I don't think Romero should have blamed himself for the results of his own machinations. After all, the girls wronged him first and even without his intentions, I believe they would have come to no good end.
September 12, 2010
I forced myself to make it through 5 discs of the audio book before giving up. What a depressing book. Not one character had any redeeming qualities so I just didn't like any one enough to worry about all the horrible things happening to them. Sometimes when I don't like an audio book, I go get the printed version at the library to scan through and learn the ending but I didn't see any reason to depress myself any more than I already had.
August 15, 2009
Blech! I managed to choke down 100 pages and finally just gave up. I didn't care for a single character (and there were too many anyway). I thought it would be suspenseful, but it was just downright weird and it skipped around so much I couldn't even seem to follow the storyline.
November 19, 2009
I almost stopped reading this book several times. It was very difficult to stay with. Very slow in parts. I will say that the story is original & the characters are well developed. The whole thing was entirely too dark for me & the ending (actually much of the book) was incredibly DEPRESSING!
February 12, 2014
I've never read a book where I hated every single character, until now. The main characters would best be described as ruthless, a pushover and pathetic. With that being said, I was intrigued enough to keep reading it to the end and they deserved their fate. I sided with evil.
July 7, 2016
Calling Mr. Lonely Hearts was a great surprise! I purchased this hardback book on a clearance sale some time ago. I was happily surprised at what a great read this book was.
Definitely a page turner! Kept my attention and the mystery and suspense lasted throughout the entire story.
Definitely a page turner! Kept my attention and the mystery and suspense lasted throughout the entire story.
March 6, 2009
Depressing!!! with a "thrown together ending" that was stupid. This is the last Benedict book I'm reading!
May 19, 2009
Creepy is the only thing I can say about this book. I don't think I would knowingly read another book by this author.
September 3, 2020
This took me ages to read as I really struggled. It was unbelievable from the beginning with the teenage girls making up a spell to summon a boyfriend- who then appeared as a man who manages to get 2 of them to commit suicide, get someone to murder the 3rd and turn into a bird in between...... not one for me I’m afraid- but I struggled through it thinking there may be some hidden meaning and it all make sense in the end, but it didn’t.......
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 4, 2017
Not exactly a bucket of joy, this book.
Here I was thinking it would be a nice little supernatural book but it was dark, at times suspenseful yet confusing- and savage.
Nevertheless it was enjoyable, as far as one can enjoy dark and twisted tales with a closing reader statement of " what the hell just happened?".
Here I was thinking it would be a nice little supernatural book but it was dark, at times suspenseful yet confusing- and savage.
Nevertheless it was enjoyable, as far as one can enjoy dark and twisted tales with a closing reader statement of " what the hell just happened?".
April 4, 2020
The Characters are nasty and maybe they all got what they deserved except Amber, I feel sorry for Amber.
I am not sure what Varick was, except vomit inducing.
The whole Roxanne/Romero thing, framed like it was her fault, UGH!
She was 13, he was 25, bloody hell.
This book will leave you with a bad taste in your mouth and images that you do not want in your head.
I am not sure what Varick was, except vomit inducing.
The whole Roxanne/Romero thing, framed like it was her fault, UGH!
She was 13, he was 25, bloody hell.
This book will leave you with a bad taste in your mouth and images that you do not want in your head.
July 13, 2018
The book was awful.....
March 9, 2018
Hmm...this was one of my 2013 "to-read" books. I know, I am still 5 years behind, but I am trying. However, I must ask myself, "self, what were you thinking?". I wonder what made me want to read this book. So far, it's just strange. A weird mix of genres, I'm not sure what the ultimate goal of the story really is. Of course, I will see this through, but I am not exactly loving it.
Nope. No good for me. A mash-up of genres and none of it worked very well.
Nope. No good for me. A mash-up of genres and none of it worked very well.
May 30, 2009
This one was not great. The revenge plot and supernatural aspects were never very clear or well explained. I never knew if Varrick was Satan himself, a demon, a magical person, a ghost... who he was and what his motivations were were never explained.
And the revenge he wrought for Romero, I never understood that either. However much responsibility you ascribe to the girls, Roxanne for seducing him and Alice for lying about being assaulted and Del for going along with it, they were children, only 13, so perhaps they did not have equal culpability as Romero. (Not no culpability, but perhpas not equal.) He was, after all, an adult, the girls' teacher and a priest, but he slept with Roxanne. He has to accept ant least 50 % of the responsibility for the problems that befall him, but he does not.
There is a reason for statuatory rape laws, children don't always know what they want and what is best for them. They cannot have consentual sex, because they don't understand what they are getting into and their own feelings enough to consent.
Yet, Romero's punishment is not legal prosecution or even getting defrocked, only being sent away to a monastery. In time, I am sure he could have returned to a parish, perhaps not a school or not a girls school, or not right away until his superiors trusted him again, but his life and his life as a priest would continue and could return to normal in time. Nothing about his life was ruined.
So we are to believe that a kind hearted, religeous man who commits a sin, a sin so great in his mind he flagelates himself for just thinking about it, before he commits it, who gets in trouble yet is given a mild punishment, becomes so filled with hatred for the girls, blaming them for ruining his [unruined:] life, becomes so bent on revenge, that 10 years later, he trades his life to an evil entity for the deaths and ruined lives of these girls, now women.
He takes no responsibility for his own actions and is incapable of forgiveness, has no understanding that these were children who made mistakes and didn't know how to get out of them. It just makes no sense. None of it. Why they did what they did, how he reacted to it, the destruction of so many lives. It was all pointless violence. Not an enjoyable read.
And the revenge he wrought for Romero, I never understood that either. However much responsibility you ascribe to the girls, Roxanne for seducing him and Alice for lying about being assaulted and Del for going along with it, they were children, only 13, so perhaps they did not have equal culpability as Romero. (Not no culpability, but perhpas not equal.) He was, after all, an adult, the girls' teacher and a priest, but he slept with Roxanne. He has to accept ant least 50 % of the responsibility for the problems that befall him, but he does not.
There is a reason for statuatory rape laws, children don't always know what they want and what is best for them. They cannot have consentual sex, because they don't understand what they are getting into and their own feelings enough to consent.
Yet, Romero's punishment is not legal prosecution or even getting defrocked, only being sent away to a monastery. In time, I am sure he could have returned to a parish, perhaps not a school or not a girls school, or not right away until his superiors trusted him again, but his life and his life as a priest would continue and could return to normal in time. Nothing about his life was ruined.
So we are to believe that a kind hearted, religeous man who commits a sin, a sin so great in his mind he flagelates himself for just thinking about it, before he commits it, who gets in trouble yet is given a mild punishment, becomes so filled with hatred for the girls, blaming them for ruining his [unruined:] life, becomes so bent on revenge, that 10 years later, he trades his life to an evil entity for the deaths and ruined lives of these girls, now women.
He takes no responsibility for his own actions and is incapable of forgiveness, has no understanding that these were children who made mistakes and didn't know how to get out of them. It just makes no sense. None of it. Why they did what they did, how he reacted to it, the destruction of so many lives. It was all pointless violence. Not an enjoyable read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 3, 2011
This book may be the final straw in my habit of browsing the sparse shelves of my library's books-on-CD section for novels to listen to during my commute (next time I'll place something on hold that comes with good credentials). The subject matter--black magic, sinful priests, possession--is sensational, but the book is surprisingly boring. The prose lacks the shimmer of mystery that much less explicitly supernatural books deliver.
Mr. Lonely Hearts is the story of three Catholic schoolgirls who ruin a priest's life by accusing him (not totally without warrant) of sexually assaulting them. He seeks revenge, and we get to watch their adult lives destruct. I'm always drawn to stories about how girlhood friendships evolve into adulthood, and this one seemed ripe for metaphorical examinations of morality, culpability, envy and revenge. But while Benedict tries to make the characters three-dimensional by giving them all negative and positive traits, they all feel flat, and there's no real protagonist. Above all, I think this novel is just kind of tone deaf. It doesn't help that the male characters have names like Thad, Jock and Varick (hi, daytime soap/porn!). Or that Benedict traffics in one of my new least favorite stereotypes: the brittle, unhinged infertile woman (her pregnant foil is earthy and innocent). Or that the actress who narrated the CD did inconsistent accents and pronounced "santeria" to rhyme with "cafeteria."
Mr. Lonely Hearts is the story of three Catholic schoolgirls who ruin a priest's life by accusing him (not totally without warrant) of sexually assaulting them. He seeks revenge, and we get to watch their adult lives destruct. I'm always drawn to stories about how girlhood friendships evolve into adulthood, and this one seemed ripe for metaphorical examinations of morality, culpability, envy and revenge. But while Benedict tries to make the characters three-dimensional by giving them all negative and positive traits, they all feel flat, and there's no real protagonist. Above all, I think this novel is just kind of tone deaf. It doesn't help that the male characters have names like Thad, Jock and Varick (hi, daytime soap/porn!). Or that Benedict traffics in one of my new least favorite stereotypes: the brittle, unhinged infertile woman (her pregnant foil is earthy and innocent). Or that the actress who narrated the CD did inconsistent accents and pronounced "santeria" to rhyme with "cafeteria."
August 31, 2016
I really, really wanted to like this book. Maybe my hopes were too high, or maybe the book was just so very predictable. I don't mind books with dislikeable protagonists. It can be a strong effect when it's done right, keeping the reader on wobbly ground, a little uncomfortable as you try to find your footing within the mind of someone you don't quite trust. Unfortunately, this attempt didn't work. I'm not saying I didn't have some sympathy for the girls, who are...you know...kids taking their time to develop empathy in a world that doesn't exactly foster that kind of thing. The thing was, from the first chapter, I knew what the ending was going to be, and I hoped beyond hope that it wasn't going to go to that oh-so-very-cheesy conclusion. And then it did.
Despite trudging through this book only to be disappointed in the end, I've got to give this author one more chance because I know she has the skill and talent to write a story that haunts you like a bad dream. My first experience with her work was a brilliant story my husband and I listened to on the Ellery Queen podcast during a blackout from a summer storm. Granted, the atmosphere was ideal for a gothic murder, but "The Erstwhile Groom" could have chilled in the midst of the most relentlessly sunny musical theater dress rehearsal. That's worth something.
Despite trudging through this book only to be disappointed in the end, I've got to give this author one more chance because I know she has the skill and talent to write a story that haunts you like a bad dream. My first experience with her work was a brilliant story my husband and I listened to on the Ellery Queen podcast during a blackout from a summer storm. Granted, the atmosphere was ideal for a gothic murder, but "The Erstwhile Groom" could have chilled in the midst of the most relentlessly sunny musical theater dress rehearsal. That's worth something.
May 7, 2013
This is a hard one to rate. It's been on my to-read list for some time, and I picked it up at the library even though supernatural fiction is not something I read very often. And I finished the book in two days, so I can't say there wasn't something gripping about it. But it's hard to say exactly what was gripping about it. There isn't anything particular stand-out about the prose, and the characters are, with a couple exceptions among some of the side characters, all uniformly awful and unsympathetic people. Perhaps I was just in a mood to read about terrible people.
It also troubled me quite a bit to see that all the major women characters (except one, who might not even qualify as a "major" character) are dead by the end of the book, while all the major male characters are still alive, despite everyone being pretty awful. Two of the male characters, including the one who instigated all the horrible things that happen in the book, even earn a sort of redemption. But all that is denied to the women, who die in extremely degrading ways. One could argue that there are reasons for why that is, but it's just a narrative I'm kind of sick of.
It also troubled me quite a bit to see that all the major women characters (except one, who might not even qualify as a "major" character) are dead by the end of the book, while all the major male characters are still alive, despite everyone being pretty awful. Two of the male characters, including the one who instigated all the horrible things that happen in the book, even earn a sort of redemption. But all that is denied to the women, who die in extremely degrading ways. One could argue that there are reasons for why that is, but it's just a narrative I'm kind of sick of.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 1, 2010
This is a dark thriller about a group of people whose lives have become intertwined in a twisted skein of dysfunction. In the center of the knot are three girlhood friends, now all grown up and each having chosen a very different life. One is seriously unbalanced; one is a free-spirited artist; and the third is living a calmly married life.
Early in their teenage years they performed a ritual to summon a boyfriend especially for them. The rest of the book may or may not be a result of the impact of that ritual.
Not for the squeamish.
Early in their teenage years they performed a ritual to summon a boyfriend especially for them. The rest of the book may or may not be a result of the impact of that ritual.
Not for the squeamish.
June 27, 2012
I generally don't read horror novels, and I was reminded why with this book. Perhaps its unfair for me to rate it poorly in that I was disturbed by it, but I guess it's fair warning to those looking to read it.
There's a central figure who's the embodiment of evil, and all sorts of terrible things happen
repeatedly.
and I finished it feeling like I didn't gain anything. I did find the "end" of the main characters to be interesting and for me, unexpected. All in all, though, I wouldn't recommend this book to a friend.
There's a central figure who's the embodiment of evil, and all sorts of terrible things happen
repeatedly.
and I finished it feeling like I didn't gain anything. I did find the "end" of the main characters to be interesting and for me, unexpected. All in all, though, I wouldn't recommend this book to a friend.
November 24, 2015
I hated reading this book......first half of it was confusing....the last half was vile. I don't mind reading Dean Koontz scary stuff, but this was truly awful. I cannot even imagine the imagination of the writer.....I hated all the characters.......I kept thinking I would just chuck it, but I finished it and then tossed it......it was awful........who thinks of this crap???? I am truly glad to be done with it and can't wait to take it back to the library.
June 24, 2009
I picked this up randomly at the library, being in the mood for something suspenseful and frivolous. It was well written, but a little genre-less. Unclear whether it was horror or fantasy or thriller or what. Entertaining enough, but read kind of like a movie script in its lack of characterization or other novel-like qualities.
June 30, 2009
This book gave me chills. I will never say, "I'd give anything if....." You have to be careful what you wish for. You have to be careful what you trade your soul for....this book centers around the lives of three girls, the choices they make and the consequences of those choices. This book is graphic, creepy and chilling and I would read it again.
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