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Long Lankin #1
Long Lankin
Beware of Long Lankin, that lives in the moss. . . .When Cora and her younger sister, Mimi, are sent to stay with their elderly aunt in the isolated village of Byers Guerdon, they receive a less than warm welcome. Auntie Ida is eccentric and rigid, and the girls are desperate to go back to London. But what they don't know is that their aunt's life was devastated the last time two young sisters were at Guerdon Hall, and she is determined to protect her nieces from an evil that has lain hidden for years. Along with Roger and Peter, two village boys, Cora must uncover the horrifying truth that has held Bryers Guerdon in its dark grip for centuries -- before it's too late for little Mimi. Riveting and intensely atmospheric, this stunning debut will hold readers in its spell long after the last page is turned.
464 pages, Hardcover
First published January 6, 2011
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7349 people want to read
About the author
Lindsey Barraclough
4 books115 followersLindsey Barraclough is the author of the acclaimed Long Lankin, a companion book to The Mark of Cain. "The story can be read independently of the first," she says, "although it continues the theme of long-ago horrors — particularly witchcraft and revenge — seeping unsettlingly into the future." Lindsey Barraclough lives in London with her family.
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November 6, 2019
this book is an anomaly.
most books with multiple POV's, where the perspective changes as much as three times per page, will be fast-paced. the benefits of this style, for a writer, are that you can keep the reader interested and frustrated all at once. you want to keep them guessing, you want to make them scream, "no, get back to that character, i want to know what is happening!" and it fragments the narrative so you can show a ton of things happening at once, and usually, the result is a book with the pacing of a video game.
but this is one of the slowest-paced books i have ever read. and that's not a criticism, necessarily, i love giant densely-written books, and i think ordinarily the slower-paced a horror novel is, the more effective it is; the better-defined the atmosphere is, the creepier it is when the supernatural elements begin to intrude.
but this one was so detailed, that i spent a lot of time wondering why that was. had it taken place in a victorian setting, the attention to detail would have made more sense; some sort of YA woman in white that goes on for ages with the endless descriptions and backstories that never find anything to attach themselves to; a tip of the hat to the conventions of the writing of that time. but this is postwar england, and while i really did appreciate her details and her description and the mood it created, there were many times that i thought, "why did she just spend three sentences on that?" usually, when you are reading a mystery novel, your mind will automatically register a detail that seems superfluous or otherwise odd, and you file it away because you assume that there will be a big reveal that will make its seeming incongruity make sense. but in this case, there was never any payoff for the small details, they were just there to give thickness-without-depth.
for example, here is an entire POV "chapter" which adds nothing to the story:
ROGER
and that's it. and then it switches to cora's POV, and we move on. the treasures are never really major characters, and father mansell is a useful character, but not what i would call a focal point. and the information about the rectory being split into two is brought up at least two more times, so without this diversion, we would still have this information.
and why this small domestic scene? i am going to put it in a spoiler thingie because it is really long, which is kind of my point, so you can read it or not.
so i'm not knocking her writing here, because she has a really striking tone, and an ability to write characters that are winning and brave (sometimes a little too brave), but i can't help but wonder if maybe there are two (or more) books in this one. she spends an awful lot of time building up the character of roger's long-suffering and kind-hearted mother in this and other scenes. and it is beautifully written. i would love to read more of her story. just not here.
but this sounds like all i am doing is complaining, but it is meant not as a complaint, but as an observation of something that struck me as odd when i was reading it.
i was never scared, reading this, but with me, that is not unusual ):. however, i did nearly throw up during the scene at gussie's house, which made me over-the-moon happy. any time i can get a real, physical reaction to a book, it thrills me. and it was so, so gross, oh my god. there, her enviable powers of description won me over entirely.
definitely a writer i will look for in the future, because she is very talented and seems to have a lot of ideas, but this one wasn't a slam-dunk for me.
come to my blog!
most books with multiple POV's, where the perspective changes as much as three times per page, will be fast-paced. the benefits of this style, for a writer, are that you can keep the reader interested and frustrated all at once. you want to keep them guessing, you want to make them scream, "no, get back to that character, i want to know what is happening!" and it fragments the narrative so you can show a ton of things happening at once, and usually, the result is a book with the pacing of a video game.
but this is one of the slowest-paced books i have ever read. and that's not a criticism, necessarily, i love giant densely-written books, and i think ordinarily the slower-paced a horror novel is, the more effective it is; the better-defined the atmosphere is, the creepier it is when the supernatural elements begin to intrude.
but this one was so detailed, that i spent a lot of time wondering why that was. had it taken place in a victorian setting, the attention to detail would have made more sense; some sort of YA woman in white that goes on for ages with the endless descriptions and backstories that never find anything to attach themselves to; a tip of the hat to the conventions of the writing of that time. but this is postwar england, and while i really did appreciate her details and her description and the mood it created, there were many times that i thought, "why did she just spend three sentences on that?" usually, when you are reading a mystery novel, your mind will automatically register a detail that seems superfluous or otherwise odd, and you file it away because you assume that there will be a big reveal that will make its seeming incongruity make sense. but in this case, there was never any payoff for the small details, they were just there to give thickness-without-depth.
for example, here is an entire POV "chapter" which adds nothing to the story:
ROGER
I've no idea how old Glebe House is, but it's not as old as Mrs. Eastfield's. Mum says the whole house used to be the rectory, but it's so enormous, it's now divided into two. Father Mansell, the rector, and his wife live in one half, the bit round the back, and the grand bit at the front with the great big shiny black door is where Mr. Treasure and his family live.
Mr. Treasure's the headmaster of Lokswood School on the other side of Daneflete. Mum says the boys' parents pay a lot of money for them to go there—that's why the Treasures can live in that big house and have a gardener with a petrol lawn mower you can ride on.
Father Mansell and Mrs. Mansell are really quiet. They have grown-up children who have left home and have families of their own. I wonder what it's like living joined onto the Treasures. I wonder if they can hear them being smart and posh on the other side of the parlour wall.
and that's it. and then it switches to cora's POV, and we move on. the treasures are never really major characters, and father mansell is a useful character, but not what i would call a focal point. and the information about the rectory being split into two is brought up at least two more times, so without this diversion, we would still have this information.
and why this small domestic scene? i am going to put it in a spoiler thingie because it is really long, which is kind of my point, so you can read it or not.
so i'm not knocking her writing here, because she has a really striking tone, and an ability to write characters that are winning and brave (sometimes a little too brave), but i can't help but wonder if maybe there are two (or more) books in this one. she spends an awful lot of time building up the character of roger's long-suffering and kind-hearted mother in this and other scenes. and it is beautifully written. i would love to read more of her story. just not here.
but this sounds like all i am doing is complaining, but it is meant not as a complaint, but as an observation of something that struck me as odd when i was reading it.
i was never scared, reading this, but with me, that is not unusual ):. however, i did nearly throw up during the scene at gussie's house, which made me over-the-moon happy. any time i can get a real, physical reaction to a book, it thrills me. and it was so, so gross, oh my god. there, her enviable powers of description won me over entirely.
definitely a writer i will look for in the future, because she is very talented and seems to have a lot of ideas, but this one wasn't a slam-dunk for me.
come to my blog!
July 16, 2012
Long Lankin is a tale that is quite slow paced, but in such a way that makes you fall addicted to the story. Its depictions of the creepy atmosphere, blood-curling ghostly creatures, and fascinating history leave you absolutely glued to its pages, not to mention chilled to the bone!
Set in the 1950's, Long Lankin brings us to a time where WW2 was just over and poverty was very much a reality. Electricity was scarce, so were methods of communication. With this setting, we've got just a dash of dialect that makes the dialogue incredibly compelling; it gives the voices a genuinely convincing feel along with aiding the atmospheric countryside vibe to come to life. Our two main characters, Cora and Roger, both have legitimate teenage personalities. Their narrations are realistic, animating this story from both of their perspectives. The regular POV switches are very well managed throughout the book; the story move swiftly regardless of its slow-ish pace, in addition to keeping our curiosity and eagerness alive. Aunt Ida's perspective also makes sporadic appearances, bringing us into the mind of this cold, angry old woman who has incredible depth to her character. No matter how awful she seems, you will be taken by her, I guarantee it!
" Then, among the tombstones, out of the air, small figures appear. They are all the size of little children, but their colourless faces are old and rotten, like the faces of the dead, their eyes nothing more than black holes, their hair grizzled and sparse. "
Aside from the character voices, the descriptions in the book are a work of art. The gloominess of the town, the forsaken church, Auntie Ida's decaying, creaky old home, and best of all: the apparitions (ghosts/horrific children freak me OUT!); it's all so brilliantly enticing: vivid and ominous. It's more than enough to induce chills. Once you get close to the ending, especially, I would even consider terrifying.
We get this mystery solved in tiny bits and pieces, mostly from old research and townsfolk. I constantly wanted to know more, yet too caught up in the book to make up my own theories. This caused the actual story to remain a mystery until the very end. It's not the type of plot you can really guess, even if you try, however. It's unique, encompassing witchcraft, dark legends, engrossing history, and folklore. In fact, as seen along with the book trailer, -- I wasn't familiar with the Long Lankin song before -- it's "inspired by a haunting folk song about murder, witchcraft and revenge." This all comes to a close a bit too narrow for my taste. Not that I didn't like the ending; it's shuddersome with plenty of suspense and a good completion. BUT, I will admit that I was secretly hoping for a shocking revelation or disturbing twist that left me breathless, so the neat ending is a little underwhelming in that sense. I do blame this on my masochistic horror loving taste.
Haunting and tension-filled, Long Lankin is a gripping read that you absolutely must read if you love Gothic horror novels. Expect a slow, but terrific story that brings together excellent writing, amazingly lively characters and a spine-chilling tale.
--
For more of my reviews, visit my blog at Xpresso Reads
Set in the 1950's, Long Lankin brings us to a time where WW2 was just over and poverty was very much a reality. Electricity was scarce, so were methods of communication. With this setting, we've got just a dash of dialect that makes the dialogue incredibly compelling; it gives the voices a genuinely convincing feel along with aiding the atmospheric countryside vibe to come to life. Our two main characters, Cora and Roger, both have legitimate teenage personalities. Their narrations are realistic, animating this story from both of their perspectives. The regular POV switches are very well managed throughout the book; the story move swiftly regardless of its slow-ish pace, in addition to keeping our curiosity and eagerness alive. Aunt Ida's perspective also makes sporadic appearances, bringing us into the mind of this cold, angry old woman who has incredible depth to her character. No matter how awful she seems, you will be taken by her, I guarantee it!
" Then, among the tombstones, out of the air, small figures appear. They are all the size of little children, but their colourless faces are old and rotten, like the faces of the dead, their eyes nothing more than black holes, their hair grizzled and sparse. "
Aside from the character voices, the descriptions in the book are a work of art. The gloominess of the town, the forsaken church, Auntie Ida's decaying, creaky old home, and best of all: the apparitions (ghosts/horrific children freak me OUT!); it's all so brilliantly enticing: vivid and ominous. It's more than enough to induce chills. Once you get close to the ending, especially, I would even consider terrifying.
We get this mystery solved in tiny bits and pieces, mostly from old research and townsfolk. I constantly wanted to know more, yet too caught up in the book to make up my own theories. This caused the actual story to remain a mystery until the very end. It's not the type of plot you can really guess, even if you try, however. It's unique, encompassing witchcraft, dark legends, engrossing history, and folklore. In fact, as seen along with the book trailer, -- I wasn't familiar with the Long Lankin song before -- it's "inspired by a haunting folk song about murder, witchcraft and revenge." This all comes to a close a bit too narrow for my taste. Not that I didn't like the ending; it's shuddersome with plenty of suspense and a good completion. BUT, I will admit that I was secretly hoping for a shocking revelation or disturbing twist that left me breathless, so the neat ending is a little underwhelming in that sense. I do blame this on my masochistic horror loving taste.
Haunting and tension-filled, Long Lankin is a gripping read that you absolutely must read if you love Gothic horror novels. Expect a slow, but terrific story that brings together excellent writing, amazingly lively characters and a spine-chilling tale.
--
For more of my reviews, visit my blog at Xpresso Reads
August 1, 2011
"I look over at the bed. I should lie down for a nap, get rid of this thick headache, but I hear things when I'm half asleep and they give me goose pimples. You're supposed to be able to die from fright from a nightmare, but I don't think these things are nightmares. I think they're real."
Initial Final Page Thoughts.
Um… yeah, just going to make sure my window is closed properly. And double glazed. And bolted… twice. But I can’t help feeling a tad underwhelmed but I’m blaming my immune system… Let me explain…
High Points.
Roger, this little rummon was such a joy to read about. But fret not, dear reader, I’ll virtually mollycoddle him later. Cora and Mimi. Peter. Curses. Witches. Men in graveyards (Mmm, yeah that one probably needs more explanation as to why it’s a high point). Gypsy trees. Marshes. Raffles (I love raffles, it would only be better if it was a tombola. But I don’t think my fragile, Olbas Oiled mind could deal with a tombola right now). Ramshackled houses. Petrifying prose. Hidden passages. Village hearsay (Whatever happened to them?! Actually, don’t answer that question…just in case we summon them back from 90s reject HELL). Things that go bump in the night. “It isn’t Aunt Ida.” The cover. Cave Bestiam.
Low Points.
I wish I had been healthy when I read this book because like I mentioned earlier, I was pretty much flying high as a kite on Olbas Oil. Because I’m actually dying I have a snuffle.
I wasn’t really on my game here and I ended up getting highly confused.
So, I’m reluctant to blame Ms Barraclough’s writing but I have to be honest, there was quite a lot of moments when I was like ‘Whaat? Who’s that? What did they say? Why is everyone getting excited over a gate? Now who is singing?!’ and I had to flick back a few pages.
Eventually it became clear. I may have to re-read this somewhere down the line.
My only real qualms that I had with this book was that there were a lot of peripheral characters. They all seemed to blur into one (tended to be an elderly person with a secret that they didn’t dare tell anyone). And also the middle parts seemed to get a bit tedious. BUT... when the action happened... boy oh boy, did it happen.
Heroine/Hero.
Mmm, Cora. Whenever there are children in books I always want them to be mischievous and cheeky and get into all sorts of scrapes and scuffles (and I guess Cora did, but these scrapes and scuffles could have actually killed her... so they weren’t as sweet and cute as they usually are!). I did like that Cora was a bit rough around the edges and she did come out with some funny grumpy one liners (and she didn’t mind constantly falling over/into marshes, which happened at alarming rates in this book), but I don’t know… there seemed to be something missing with Cora…
Roger on the other hand was absolutely fantastic and he reminded me of Lee Carter.
And when I invoke the power of Lee Carter, I mean business.
And when I say business I mean I want to make tree houses, scrape my knees and fall into patches of nettles (which actually happened once when I was seven) and eat ice lollies and end up with half of it around my face/tangled in my hair.
I bet this one will break a few hearts when he’s older.
I’ll leave you with a quote to illustrate my point:
LOVE HIM.
Baddie.
*Shudder*
The Bogeyman has zilch on Long Lankin.
Theme Tune.
Long Lankin by Steeleye Span
I’m being lazy… but this song kind of speaks for itself.
Angst Level.
9/10. Bahh, this book is like a ghost story that you get told around a campfire (although, I have actually never been told a ghost story around a campfire).
Picture the scene.
You’re sat in your best friend’s bedroom, dressed in pyjamas from Matalan, surrounded by cuddly toys and Mizz magazines that boast how to know if a boy loves you so (I hear it’s in his kiss, but I’m not 100%). You’re best friend is telling you a story that honest-to-god- happened to her granddad’s cousins wife’s niece who lives down the road. And she never lies.
You: “That didn’t happen. Stop lying. It’s not even scary.”
Best friend/Crypt Keeper: “I swear on my life it happened. Anyway, shut up. So yeah, the ghost drags a nail across the window, testing to see if they’re open.”
There’s a loud bang downstairs and you both jump, flinging popcorn and Fangtastic Haribo’s across the room.
You: “Bloody ‘ell, I thought your parents were out!”
Best friend/Crypt Keeper: “Um, they are out.”
You:“What?! No, I just heard them. One of them is coming up the stairs.”
Best friend/Crypt Keeper: “That’s not my parents.”
Nervous laughter.
You: “Creaky floorboards?”
Best friend/Crypt Keeper: “We got new ones fitted last month.”
There’s a knock on the bedroom door and before you have enough time to leap across the room and hope to God the ivy covered lattice will hold your weight, the door flies open and it’s best friend’s brother asking sister if he can borrow a film.
And then, naturally, you pelt him with TY beanie babies until he retreats, eyes watering, because those bad boys hurt.
That is what this book is like. You think everything is just a story, like Chinese-whispers, told over time, just rumours and folk tales and then things start to happen that can’t be explained.
Ms Barraclough is seemingly a mistress of suspense and has created a perfectly paced, genuinely disturbing ghost story.
Recommended For.
People who like spine-chilling books. People who aren’t surfing the Olbas Oil wave. People who like historical books. People who like it when the kids are in charge. People who have ever wonder why there are sometimes teddies and dolls stuck in trees. People who see horrifying, dilapidated churches and are like ‘HEY, LET’S GO IN!’. People who were wondering whether they need double glazing (read this book… there will not be a doubt left in your mind that you not only need it… but your life depends on it). People who wonder what the flip happened to TY beanie babies and how the heck they can get rid of the hordes they collected that are still perfectly packaged. People who find bell ringers unnerving. People who miss Bonzo.
You can read this review and other exciting stuff on my blog here.
Initial Final Page Thoughts.
Um… yeah, just going to make sure my window is closed properly. And double glazed. And bolted… twice. But I can’t help feeling a tad underwhelmed but I’m blaming my immune system… Let me explain…
High Points.
Roger, this little rummon was such a joy to read about. But fret not, dear reader, I’ll virtually mollycoddle him later. Cora and Mimi. Peter. Curses. Witches. Men in graveyards (Mmm, yeah that one probably needs more explanation as to why it’s a high point). Gypsy trees. Marshes. Raffles (I love raffles, it would only be better if it was a tombola. But I don’t think my fragile, Olbas Oiled mind could deal with a tombola right now). Ramshackled houses. Petrifying prose. Hidden passages. Village hearsay (Whatever happened to them?! Actually, don’t answer that question…just in case we summon them back from 90s reject HELL). Things that go bump in the night. “It isn’t Aunt Ida.” The cover. Cave Bestiam.
Low Points.
I wish I had been healthy when I read this book because like I mentioned earlier, I was pretty much flying high as a kite on Olbas Oil. Because
I wasn’t really on my game here and I ended up getting highly confused.
So, I’m reluctant to blame Ms Barraclough’s writing but I have to be honest, there was quite a lot of moments when I was like ‘Whaat? Who’s that? What did they say? Why is everyone getting excited over a gate? Now who is singing?!’ and I had to flick back a few pages.
Eventually it became clear. I may have to re-read this somewhere down the line.
My only real qualms that I had with this book was that there were a lot of peripheral characters. They all seemed to blur into one (tended to be an elderly person with a secret that they didn’t dare tell anyone). And also the middle parts seemed to get a bit tedious. BUT... when the action happened... boy oh boy, did it happen.
Heroine/Hero.
Mmm, Cora. Whenever there are children in books I always want them to be mischievous and cheeky and get into all sorts of scrapes and scuffles (and I guess Cora did, but these scrapes and scuffles could have actually killed her... so they weren’t as sweet and cute as they usually are!). I did like that Cora was a bit rough around the edges and she did come out with some funny grumpy one liners (and she didn’t mind constantly falling over/into marshes, which happened at alarming rates in this book), but I don’t know… there seemed to be something missing with Cora…
Roger on the other hand was absolutely fantastic and he reminded me of Lee Carter.
And when I invoke the power of Lee Carter, I mean business.
And when I say business I mean I want to make tree houses, scrape my knees and fall into patches of nettles (which actually happened once when I was seven) and eat ice lollies and end up with half of it around my face/tangled in my hair.
I bet this one will break a few hearts when he’s older.
I’ll leave you with a quote to illustrate my point:
“It’s a shame though- when Dennis was on the way, Nurse Smallbone was rushing up Fieldpath Road in her old Ford Prefect to get to Mum when our dog, Bonzo, shot out in the road right into her car- smack bang- dead as a doornail. He was a great dog, old Bonzo. I can’t tell you how many times I wish we still had him instead of Dennis.”
LOVE HIM.
Baddie.
*Shudder*
The Bogeyman has zilch on Long Lankin.
Theme Tune.
Long Lankin by Steeleye Span
I’m being lazy… but this song kind of speaks for itself.
Angst Level.
9/10. Bahh, this book is like a ghost story that you get told around a campfire (although, I have actually never been told a ghost story around a campfire).
Picture the scene.
You’re sat in your best friend’s bedroom, dressed in pyjamas from Matalan, surrounded by cuddly toys and Mizz magazines that boast how to know if a boy loves you so (I hear it’s in his kiss, but I’m not 100%). You’re best friend is telling you a story that honest-to-god- happened to her granddad’s cousins wife’s niece who lives down the road. And she never lies.
You: “That didn’t happen. Stop lying. It’s not even scary.”
Best friend/Crypt Keeper: “I swear on my life it happened. Anyway, shut up. So yeah, the ghost drags a nail across the window, testing to see if they’re open.”
There’s a loud bang downstairs and you both jump, flinging popcorn and Fangtastic Haribo’s across the room.
You: “Bloody ‘ell, I thought your parents were out!”
Best friend/Crypt Keeper: “Um, they are out.”
You:“What?! No, I just heard them. One of them is coming up the stairs.”
Best friend/Crypt Keeper: “That’s not my parents.”
Nervous laughter.
You: “Creaky floorboards?”
Best friend/Crypt Keeper: “We got new ones fitted last month.”
There’s a knock on the bedroom door and before you have enough time to leap across the room and hope to God the ivy covered lattice will hold your weight, the door flies open and it’s best friend’s brother asking sister if he can borrow a film.
And then, naturally, you pelt him with TY beanie babies until he retreats, eyes watering, because those bad boys hurt.
That is what this book is like. You think everything is just a story, like Chinese-whispers, told over time, just rumours and folk tales and then things start to happen that can’t be explained.
Ms Barraclough is seemingly a mistress of suspense and has created a perfectly paced, genuinely disturbing ghost story.
Recommended For.
People who like spine-chilling books. People who aren’t surfing the Olbas Oil wave. People who like historical books. People who like it when the kids are in charge. People who have ever wonder why there are sometimes teddies and dolls stuck in trees. People who see horrifying, dilapidated churches and are like ‘HEY, LET’S GO IN!’. People who were wondering whether they need double glazing (read this book… there will not be a doubt left in your mind that you not only need it… but your life depends on it). People who wonder what the flip happened to TY beanie babies and how the heck they can get rid of the hordes they collected that are still perfectly packaged. People who find bell ringers unnerving. People who miss Bonzo.
You can read this review and other exciting stuff on my blog here.
April 6, 2012
Read This Review & More Like It On My Blog!
Though the blurb used most for this truly spine-chilling tale is the one above, all the publishers and author really need to do in order to freak their audience out and interest them at the same time is is use the poem in the prologue:
Effective, yes? It continues in that same grisly, eerie tone and snared me without hesitation. I was both creeped outby the third stanza and interested before even starting the actual novel. There is a reason that I refused to read this book at night (and am writing the review in daylight) and that is because this book? Is effing creepy as fuck. And yes, expletives are needed because this book got under my skin in a way that few other suspense novels have, especially ones in the YA genre, geared at kids younger and supposedly less mature than me. Long Lankin is a deliciously creepy treat that perhaps persists just a bit long for the thrill to last entirely but one that exceeds at building tension and setting an excellent atmosphere and presence for such an intimidating but rarely-seen-on-the-page creature.
Cora and her sister Mimi are the girl leads of this venture and they are paralleled in their male counterparts, Roger and Pete. In each case, I found the elder to be the more interesting and worth attention. The POV shifts between Cora and Roger were hard to discern, but that can hopefully be laid at the feet of formatting for an ARC copy instead of the final product. So while it was distracting trying to constantly figure out the who's who of a dialogue, it was easy to like both inner monologues of the kids. Cora is what my mom would term "a handful." She's adventurous and interested in the world around her and is smart, if not exactly the most obedient of nieces. It's easy to root for her and her spirited nature when one realizes how alone and abandoned this child and her sister really are; Cora realizes that she is literally all Mimi has and is quite caring. Roger is like Cora in many ways; he's from a house that really can't keep him, he's open to adventures and exploring and he's always followed by his brother. Though this is YA, neither Cora nor Roger talk down to the audience or overact their fear; Long Lankin is largely so effective as a antagonist because of how sparsely and eerily he's presented to the quartet of kids.
Ida, the aunt of Cora and Mimi, and the owner of Guerdon Hall, is also a POV character. While I could understand the necessity of having the children as POV characters and they grew into the roles naturally as the book went on, I got the most from Ida's inner monologue. I have to admit that Lindsey Barraclough establishes herself early as a talented writer and storyteller, one that favors lots of creepy descriptions in very tactile narrations. Ida benefits the most from this as she's not innocent and eager; she knows only too well what happens when the tide goes out in her little haunted English village.
The first two hundred and thirty pages of this smashed me, absolutely knocked me back a step with its flair. I was in awe of how creeped out I was, how very much I loved how creeped out I was, and how effective the author was at setting such a tense atmosphere and then.. it died. There's a lull midway through the novel where there is too much rushing about and old letters and no one talking things with the other party and all that accomplished was a sharp decline in my overt interest. The incredible amounts of tension built up to that took a while to climb back to their previous heights (my shoulders were literally riiiight under my earlobes), but climb back they did. I may complain - slightly - about the extended lull midway but the ending was entirely satisfying. It was tension-wracked and emotion-filled and thoroughly engrossing. I am dutifully impressed by this book, even though I won't reread it. My nerves can't take it.
Though the blurb used most for this truly spine-chilling tale is the one above, all the publishers and author really need to do in order to freak their audience out and interest them at the same time is is use the poem in the prologue:
"Said my lord to my lady, as he mounted his horse,
Beware of Long Lankin that lives in the moss.
Said my lord to my lady, as he rode away
Beware of Long Lankin, that lives in the hay.
Let the doors be all bolted and the windows all pinned,
Except one little window,
where Long Lankin crept in..."
Effective, yes? It continues in that same grisly, eerie tone and snared me without hesitation. I was both creeped out
Cora and her sister Mimi are the girl leads of this venture and they are paralleled in their male counterparts, Roger and Pete. In each case, I found the elder to be the more interesting and worth attention. The POV shifts between Cora and Roger were hard to discern, but that can hopefully be laid at the feet of formatting for an ARC copy instead of the final product. So while it was distracting trying to constantly figure out the who's who of a dialogue, it was easy to like both inner monologues of the kids. Cora is what my mom would term "a handful." She's adventurous and interested in the world around her and is smart, if not exactly the most obedient of nieces. It's easy to root for her and her spirited nature when one realizes how alone and abandoned this child and her sister really are; Cora realizes that she is literally all Mimi has and is quite caring. Roger is like Cora in many ways; he's from a house that really can't keep him, he's open to adventures and exploring and he's always followed by his brother. Though this is YA, neither Cora nor Roger talk down to the audience or overact their fear; Long Lankin is largely so effective as a antagonist because of how sparsely and eerily he's presented to the quartet of kids.
Ida, the aunt of Cora and Mimi, and the owner of Guerdon Hall, is also a POV character. While I could understand the necessity of having the children as POV characters and they grew into the roles naturally as the book went on, I got the most from Ida's inner monologue. I have to admit that Lindsey Barraclough establishes herself early as a talented writer and storyteller, one that favors lots of creepy descriptions in very tactile narrations. Ida benefits the most from this as she's not innocent and eager; she knows only too well what happens when the tide goes out in her little haunted English village.
The first two hundred and thirty pages of this smashed me, absolutely knocked me back a step with its flair. I was in awe of how creeped out I was, how very much I loved how creeped out I was, and how effective the author was at setting such a tense atmosphere and then.. it died. There's a lull midway through the novel where there is too much rushing about and old letters and no one talking things with the other party and all that accomplished was a sharp decline in my overt interest. The incredible amounts of tension built up to that took a while to climb back to their previous heights (my shoulders were literally riiiight under my earlobes), but climb back they did. I may complain - slightly - about the extended lull midway but the ending was entirely satisfying. It was tension-wracked and emotion-filled and thoroughly engrossing. I am dutifully impressed by this book, even though I won't reread it. My nerves can't take it.
November 15, 2015
Date Posted: 1/4/2012
Expected Publication Date: July 10, 2012
Long Lankin was kindly provided to me by Netgalley for Candlewick Press.
Interested in more of my reviews? Visit my blog!
'Everything was all right until they came.'
The Storyline
When Cora and her little sister Mimi are sent to live with their Great-Aunt Ida, it is clear from the start that they are neither wanted nor welcome in her house. For the time being the children must stay with her but she immediately sends word to their father that he must come get them, and he must come get them now. Cora, intrigued by the mysteries of the house despite their Aunt Ida's constant demands to 'not do this' and 'not do that', begins searching the house and the closely residing and equally mysterious church. Cora gleans information from various papers found in the house, from the local neighbors, and from strange carvings like the words 'Cave Bestiam' which is found in several locations. Cora finds out more than she bargained for: that her and her family are intertwined in the mystery, that no one is safe, and that there really is something very real to fear.
The Writing
I found the writing to be quite gripping and reminded me at times of Susan Hill's writing in The Woman in Black. I've read several books that write using multiple different points of view and they're not always done as well as could be. I believe it takes a talented author in order to make a multi-point-of-view story not seem too terribly overwhelming; this is definitely one of them. The main focus is on Cora and Roger but you occasionally get an unsettling view of Cora's Aunt Ida and the occasional glimpse into past events.
Okay, so, I'll admit it. I refused to read this alone. I also required a lot of sunlight. And yes, I'm a big weenie. It wasn't exactly creepy the entire time though. It was a bit like riding a wave, honestly. The book would lead up to a scene that would have you trembling in your boots and then everything would suddenly relax again and you'd be lulled into a false sense of calm before the next swell. Then the monster under the bed would jump right back out. Okay, comparing Long Lankin to the monster under the bed makes him sound like one of those monsters from Monsters Inc. Long Lankin... was not cute, fuzzy, or funny. Long Lankin was one scary mo-fo that I hope I never have a chance encounter with in a dark alley. Or in my bedroom. (Mental to-do list: nail windows shut before bed).
The Characters
Cora was quite a spirited little girl and didn't run in fear of anything, including Long Lankin on a few occasions. Cora? Pretty much my hero. She was an awesome big sister who didn't shrink in fear of anything when it came to saving her little sister Mimi. Now Roger... Roger was damn adorable and the frosting on the cake/story. I loved how the occasional funny lines from Roger that were thrown in managed to lighten the overall tension that the story exudes.
The Ending
So the ending lost a star for the overall rating because I can't help but feel that the ending left a bit to be desired. Predictable is the word that primarily comes to mind. I would have loved some cool crazy twist to it or have some rabid monkey show up (okay, maybe not a monkey... a lion?) Anyways, it seemed far too expected and I kind of sighed in disappointment when I was done. Still have plans to nail windows shut though.
Expected Publication Date: July 10, 2012
Long Lankin was kindly provided to me by Netgalley for Candlewick Press.
Interested in more of my reviews? Visit my blog!
'Everything was all right until they came.'
The Storyline
When Cora and her little sister Mimi are sent to live with their Great-Aunt Ida, it is clear from the start that they are neither wanted nor welcome in her house. For the time being the children must stay with her but she immediately sends word to their father that he must come get them, and he must come get them now. Cora, intrigued by the mysteries of the house despite their Aunt Ida's constant demands to 'not do this' and 'not do that', begins searching the house and the closely residing and equally mysterious church. Cora gleans information from various papers found in the house, from the local neighbors, and from strange carvings like the words 'Cave Bestiam' which is found in several locations. Cora finds out more than she bargained for: that her and her family are intertwined in the mystery, that no one is safe, and that there really is something very real to fear.
The Writing
I found the writing to be quite gripping and reminded me at times of Susan Hill's writing in The Woman in Black. I've read several books that write using multiple different points of view and they're not always done as well as could be. I believe it takes a talented author in order to make a multi-point-of-view story not seem too terribly overwhelming; this is definitely one of them. The main focus is on Cora and Roger but you occasionally get an unsettling view of Cora's Aunt Ida and the occasional glimpse into past events.
Okay, so, I'll admit it. I refused to read this alone. I also required a lot of sunlight. And yes, I'm a big weenie. It wasn't exactly creepy the entire time though. It was a bit like riding a wave, honestly. The book would lead up to a scene that would have you trembling in your boots and then everything would suddenly relax again and you'd be lulled into a false sense of calm before the next swell. Then the monster under the bed would jump right back out. Okay, comparing Long Lankin to the monster under the bed makes him sound like one of those monsters from Monsters Inc. Long Lankin... was not cute, fuzzy, or funny. Long Lankin was one scary mo-fo that I hope I never have a chance encounter with in a dark alley. Or in my bedroom. (Mental to-do list: nail windows shut before bed).
The Characters
Cora was quite a spirited little girl and didn't run in fear of anything, including Long Lankin on a few occasions. Cora? Pretty much my hero. She was an awesome big sister who didn't shrink in fear of anything when it came to saving her little sister Mimi. Now Roger... Roger was damn adorable and the frosting on the cake/story. I loved how the occasional funny lines from Roger that were thrown in managed to lighten the overall tension that the story exudes.
The Ending
So the ending lost a star for the overall rating because I can't help but feel that the ending left a bit to be desired. Predictable is the word that primarily comes to mind. I would have loved some cool crazy twist to it or have some rabid monkey show up (okay, maybe not a monkey... a lion?) Anyways, it seemed far too expected and I kind of sighed in disappointment when I was done. Still have plans to nail windows shut though.
July 10, 2012
3.5/5 stars
I have somewhat mixed feelings about Long Lankin. The mystery was good and the characters were complex. But somehow I didn't really connect with the book. Partially because I was in a hurry (I hate myself for that but I feel in the name of honesty I need to admit it) but also because the pace of the book. For me it just moved too slow. I wanted action! Fear! Monsters! Instead, it's a slow building story about a monster that has hunted generations of the Guerdon family. It preys on the youngest--not because they are the weakest, but because they have the most life to steal.
Cora is very much the older sister--annoyed by little 4-year-old Mimi, but very protective when she feels that her sister is in danger. She's the perfect mix of love, protection and revulsion that makes up being a big sister. Mimi, for her part, is not developed. But she's 4-years-old so that's expected. For me Auntie Ida is where things get complicated. In some ways I feel sorry for Ida. Her whole life is one great big tragedy. On the other hand, she's overly harsh with Cora (i.e. abusively harsh) and way too secretive. I get frustrated when stories are prolonged by characters keeping secrets. Ida didn't tell Cora or anyone else about the monster until it's pretty much too late.
Unravelling the mystery of the Long Lankin involves delving into the history of the Guerdon family, the town and the creepy little church down the lane. It's the story of a crime, tragedy and witchcraft. It's a well developed myth, taking into account the region and religion.
After a slow-moving, gradually building story at about 88% everything starts moving at hyper speed. The action is tense, terrifying and suddenly I couldn't put the book down. The story flew towards an ending, which I found almost satisfying. For me the last line kind of fizzled, cutting into the improvement somewhat. I didn't understand the last line enough to check with other bloggers. (After consulting some wonderful bloggers I found out the last line was from the Song of Solomon.)
Overall the book was interesting and atmospheric but too slow for the reading mood I was in. In a different mindset I think I would have enjoyed it more.
I have somewhat mixed feelings about Long Lankin. The mystery was good and the characters were complex. But somehow I didn't really connect with the book. Partially because I was in a hurry (I hate myself for that but I feel in the name of honesty I need to admit it) but also because the pace of the book. For me it just moved too slow. I wanted action! Fear! Monsters! Instead, it's a slow building story about a monster that has hunted generations of the Guerdon family. It preys on the youngest--not because they are the weakest, but because they have the most life to steal.
Cora is very much the older sister--annoyed by little 4-year-old Mimi, but very protective when she feels that her sister is in danger. She's the perfect mix of love, protection and revulsion that makes up being a big sister. Mimi, for her part, is not developed. But she's 4-years-old so that's expected. For me Auntie Ida is where things get complicated. In some ways I feel sorry for Ida. Her whole life is one great big tragedy. On the other hand, she's overly harsh with Cora (i.e. abusively harsh) and way too secretive. I get frustrated when stories are prolonged by characters keeping secrets. Ida didn't tell Cora or anyone else about the monster until it's pretty much too late.
Unravelling the mystery of the Long Lankin involves delving into the history of the Guerdon family, the town and the creepy little church down the lane. It's the story of a crime, tragedy and witchcraft. It's a well developed myth, taking into account the region and religion.
After a slow-moving, gradually building story at about 88% everything starts moving at hyper speed. The action is tense, terrifying and suddenly I couldn't put the book down. The story flew towards an ending, which I found almost satisfying. For me the last line kind of fizzled, cutting into the improvement somewhat. I didn't understand the last line enough to check with other bloggers. (After consulting some wonderful bloggers I found out the last line was from the Song of Solomon.)
Overall the book was interesting and atmospheric but too slow for the reading mood I was in. In a different mindset I think I would have enjoyed it more.
own-tbr
November 21, 2017I found this book in a Little Free Library when I was dropping off a bunch this morning. It's also registered at Bookcrossing so I couldn't possibly leave it sitting there!
May 3, 2015
Not only was Long Lankin one of those books I wanted to reread as soon as I'd finished it but I also wanted to thrust a copy into the hands of everyone I know and demand they read it. The story is as creepy and atmospheric as the cover suggests and I completely and utterly fell in love with it.
The story begins with Cora and her little sister Mimi arriving in Bryers Guerdon to stay with their Aunt Ada. It soon becomes apparent that their Aunt does not wish for them to stay with her, but not necessarily for the reasons they first think. Quickly befriending Roger and his brother, the four are drawn into the mystery surrounding the village. Who is the strange man they see lurking in the graveyard? And why is Cora's Aunt adamant they do not go near the old church? Determined to find all the answers Cora begins to undercover the terrifying truth... but will it be too late?
I honestly don't know where to begin. I found the story completely mesmerising - I could not put the book down and I found myself transported back in time to the 1950's to this small village called Bryers Guerdon. Told in alternating viewpoints between Cora, Roger and Ada we slowly uncover the truth. This works brilliantly, cleverly infusing the book with an energy that might have been missing otherwise. It also gives readers the opportunity to get to know each of the characters really well.
Cora is great as the driving force behind the story. She is very determined to find out what is going on, and as such comes across as very strong willed. I found myself liking her straight away. Roger is a fabulous character and I instantly liked him. His segments provide amusement and I loved his family. He prevents the story from being too melancholy and I found myself laughing out loud many times during his narration. At first I didn't particularly like Ada, but as I learned more and more about the history of the village and everything that happens I came to understand and really like her.
The story itself is brilliantly crafted. It's completely believable and compelling - a slow and intense build up that pays off beautifully at the end. The scenes featuring Long Lankin towards the end are especially creepy - wonderfully so in my opinion. I can't fault this one at all. A stunning debut.
The story begins with Cora and her little sister Mimi arriving in Bryers Guerdon to stay with their Aunt Ada. It soon becomes apparent that their Aunt does not wish for them to stay with her, but not necessarily for the reasons they first think. Quickly befriending Roger and his brother, the four are drawn into the mystery surrounding the village. Who is the strange man they see lurking in the graveyard? And why is Cora's Aunt adamant they do not go near the old church? Determined to find all the answers Cora begins to undercover the terrifying truth... but will it be too late?
I honestly don't know where to begin. I found the story completely mesmerising - I could not put the book down and I found myself transported back in time to the 1950's to this small village called Bryers Guerdon. Told in alternating viewpoints between Cora, Roger and Ada we slowly uncover the truth. This works brilliantly, cleverly infusing the book with an energy that might have been missing otherwise. It also gives readers the opportunity to get to know each of the characters really well.
Cora is great as the driving force behind the story. She is very determined to find out what is going on, and as such comes across as very strong willed. I found myself liking her straight away. Roger is a fabulous character and I instantly liked him. His segments provide amusement and I loved his family. He prevents the story from being too melancholy and I found myself laughing out loud many times during his narration. At first I didn't particularly like Ada, but as I learned more and more about the history of the village and everything that happens I came to understand and really like her.
The story itself is brilliantly crafted. It's completely believable and compelling - a slow and intense build up that pays off beautifully at the end. The scenes featuring Long Lankin towards the end are especially creepy - wonderfully so in my opinion. I can't fault this one at all. A stunning debut.
November 25, 2018
The next book off of the BookRiot's 50 Must-Read Contemporary Horror Novels list.
Young sisters Cora and Mimi are sent to stay with their eccentric-ass aunt who lives in an isolated village in god-knows-where. They're, of course, miserable, which isn't helped by the fact that their aunt, again, is eccentric and weird. They do befriend a couple village boys, Roger and Peter, so things aren't all that bad after a while.
But some strange shit is happening in this village of god-knows-whatever. The children are on a mission to figure things out but not surprisingly they get in over their heads very quickly as tends to happen when strange shit is happening in isolated villages.
This is a fine book, but I didn't love it. I've been reading a lot of books lately where the perspectives change, and in this one, the perspectives changes pretty frequently between the children and the aunt. I wasn't turned off by that, per se, but it was hard to keep track after a while because, in my opinion, there wasn't a lot of differentiation between the ways the children, especially, spoke or thought. Not to mention I had a hard time really seeing the characters. Considering the amount of time Barraclough spent with descriptions of setting and environment, and considering how well she managed that, I would have liked a bit more description of the characters themselves - particularly the children.
It takes a lot to scare me when I'm reading horror books (which is why I've been reading through horror genre lists like no one's business lately), and I won't say this one scared me either. But there were moments that made me uncomfortable because Barraclough really nailed what it is like as a child to deal with creepiness.
Previous read on the horror list I'm reading through: Broken Monsters by Lauren Beukes
Next up on the horror list: The Imago Sequence and Other Stories by Laird Barron
Young sisters Cora and Mimi are sent to stay with their eccentric-ass aunt who lives in an isolated village in god-knows-where. They're, of course, miserable, which isn't helped by the fact that their aunt, again, is eccentric and weird. They do befriend a couple village boys, Roger and Peter, so things aren't all that bad after a while.
But some strange shit is happening in this village of god-knows-whatever. The children are on a mission to figure things out but not surprisingly they get in over their heads very quickly as tends to happen when strange shit is happening in isolated villages.
This is a fine book, but I didn't love it. I've been reading a lot of books lately where the perspectives change, and in this one, the perspectives changes pretty frequently between the children and the aunt. I wasn't turned off by that, per se, but it was hard to keep track after a while because, in my opinion, there wasn't a lot of differentiation between the ways the children, especially, spoke or thought. Not to mention I had a hard time really seeing the characters. Considering the amount of time Barraclough spent with descriptions of setting and environment, and considering how well she managed that, I would have liked a bit more description of the characters themselves - particularly the children.
It takes a lot to scare me when I'm reading horror books (which is why I've been reading through horror genre lists like no one's business lately), and I won't say this one scared me either. But there were moments that made me uncomfortable because Barraclough really nailed what it is like as a child to deal with creepiness.
If she meant to do me harm, she could have done it already - come up behind me in the dark.Long Lankin himself is... well, I don't want to spoil too much. But Long Lankin ranks high on the creep factor in my opinion. It was hard for me to separate him from Slender Man which is more my fault than anything else. Once I had the idea of that in my mind, I just couldn't shake it.
I swallow, pull myself away from the wall, stretch out my hand, and lift the latch again. I can hear my heart thudding in my chest and am barely able to place one foot in front of the other as I move towards the doorway in the corner once more. When I reach it, I hold my breath and slowly peer around the frame.
A lightning bolt cracks, and the room flashes with light. There is nobody there.
(p120)
Previous read on the horror list I'm reading through: Broken Monsters by Lauren Beukes
Next up on the horror list: The Imago Sequence and Other Stories by Laird Barron
July 6, 2011
When Cora and her sister Mimi are sent from their home in London to stay with their aunt in an isolated country village they aren't exactly welcomed with open arms. Their aunt makes it quite clear that she doesn't want them there and she is determined to send them back in London as quickly as possible. Although the girls make friends with local children Roger and Pete they are confused by their aunt's attitude towards them. The longer their visit lasts the more strange things they notice happening around the house and it soon becomes clear that someone - or something - is after Mimi. Can Cora and her new friends figure out what is going on before it is too late?
I used to read a lot of horror stories as a teenager but I have to admit that this is a genre I read much less of now I'm older. I thoroughly enjoyed Long Lankin but I'm glad I was careful to read it in the daylight as I'm sure it would have given me nightmares otherwise! Long Lankin is an impressive debut from Lindsey Barraclough and is based on an old English folk tale that dates back several centuries. Set in the 1950's the author has done a fantastic job of capturing post war Britain and I was completely drawn into Cora & Mimi's world.
Each of the main characters are well written, I absolutely loved Cora and Roger and enjoyed reading parts of the story from each of their perspectives. Along with Mimi and Pete they all felt so real to me that I often found myself wanting to reach into the book and comfort them. It took a long time for Aunt Ida to grow on me but as you find out more about her history you begin to understand why she acts the way she does. The supernatural side of the story is a little slow getting started but the time is spent building a vivid picture of the village, the church and graveyard so it is almost like watching a film instead of reading. The imagery is so clear that when we discover more about Long Lankin I was completely creeped out and had to put the book down a couple of times so I could build up the courage to keep reading.
Long Lankin really is a fantastic debut and one that should put Lindsey Barraclough on your authors to watch list. I can't wait to see what she comes up with next but if it's anywhere near as creepy as this one I'll be sticking to my daylight reading!
I used to read a lot of horror stories as a teenager but I have to admit that this is a genre I read much less of now I'm older. I thoroughly enjoyed Long Lankin but I'm glad I was careful to read it in the daylight as I'm sure it would have given me nightmares otherwise! Long Lankin is an impressive debut from Lindsey Barraclough and is based on an old English folk tale that dates back several centuries. Set in the 1950's the author has done a fantastic job of capturing post war Britain and I was completely drawn into Cora & Mimi's world.
Each of the main characters are well written, I absolutely loved Cora and Roger and enjoyed reading parts of the story from each of their perspectives. Along with Mimi and Pete they all felt so real to me that I often found myself wanting to reach into the book and comfort them. It took a long time for Aunt Ida to grow on me but as you find out more about her history you begin to understand why she acts the way she does. The supernatural side of the story is a little slow getting started but the time is spent building a vivid picture of the village, the church and graveyard so it is almost like watching a film instead of reading. The imagery is so clear that when we discover more about Long Lankin I was completely creeped out and had to put the book down a couple of times so I could build up the courage to keep reading.
Long Lankin really is a fantastic debut and one that should put Lindsey Barraclough on your authors to watch list. I can't wait to see what she comes up with next but if it's anywhere near as creepy as this one I'll be sticking to my daylight reading!
October 9, 2012
Long Lankin by Lindsay Barraclough (The Bodley Head-UK 2011/Candlewick) is an excellent first novel initially published in the UK 2011 and marketed as a young adult novel. Although two out of the three points of view are children’s this book should have great appeal to readers of any age. In the late 1940s, two young sisters from London are sent to stay with their great aunt in a small isolated village in rural England. Their aunt is a strange one and strict. The house in which they stay is haunted, as are the grounds around it. The two children narrators overhear adult conversations and because it takes them longer to comprehend what’s going on than the reader we fear for them. There’s a curse, a witch, ghosts, a bog that can swallow a body without a trace. The fear creeps up on the reader slowly yet relentlessly but it’s the individual voices of each character that makes this novel of fear and desperation so stand out. The last fifty pages are heart-grabbing.
September 5, 2012
Originally reviewed on The Book Smugglers
August, 1958. Cora and her toddler sister Mimi leave the comfort of their squalid London flat, sent away by their father to their great Aunt Ida's estate in the distant marshy village of Bryers Guerdon. Upon arriving, however, the girls discover that there is something eerie about Guderon Hall - the land itself is wild and decaying, and they run into a village boy who solemnly informs them that their Auntie Ida is a witch. Things do not look any better when their Aunt tries to turn them away and only grudgingly lets them stay in the decrepit old mansion - with the strict instructions that they are NEVER to open any windows, and they are to stay away from the old church down the road.
As Cora and Mimi befriend two other village children, brothers Roger and Pete, they learn about Bryers Guerdon's dark, secret history, and the reason for Auntie Ida's paranoia. An old evil lurks in the marshes, a shadowy, savage beast that has stolen countless Guerdon children over the generations; and now, the beast has caught the scent of young Mimi. It is up to Cora, Roger, and her defeated Aunt Ida to discover the truth of Long Lankin, and save Mimi from the same terrible fate that has befallen so many other children over the long, dark years.
I was ridiculously excited to read this book - Long Lankin has received rave reviews from UK publications when it first came out last year, and as it has crossed the pond, the praise has followed, from trusted bloggers and other reviewers alike. Plus, I'm a sucker for horror novels based on legends and poems - and though I'd never heard of the "Long Lankin" ballad before, I was undeniably hooked.
Unfortunately, Long Lankin did not measure up to expectations. While this is a book with some strengths - including a richly detailed period setting and generally strong characters - the sluggish pace of the story and predictable horror elements (employing the same rehashed Evil Spirit/Consecrated Ground tropes) make Long Lankin a decent, but not particularly memorable or exciting novel.
Let's talk atmosphere, first. Set in 1958, Long Lankin meticulously details an impoverished side of Britain, still struggling with the economic and social aftermath of two devastating wars. There's a great juxtaposition of past and present, new and old in this book - for example, the vision of Guerdon Hall's crumbling rot, with Aunt Ida and the girls listening to the wireless in the kitchen, or Roger's mother's makeshift laundry machine are powerful images. This is a time when children eat molded bread with sugar, or have a runny egg for dinner, because there simply isn't anything else to farm or cook - it's not hard to imagine the squalid life at Bryers Guerdon extending to other villages throughout Europe in this post-war period.
Just as the period is richly detailed, the atmospheric quality to the book is also fantastically effective. Guerdon Hall and the forbidden, abandoned church are terrifying places, brought to life by Barraclough's skillful descriptions. You can see the 'gypsy tree' with its tattered offerings blowing in the wind, you can feel the oppressive weight of Guerdon Hall and its secrets bearing down on Ida and Cora, willing them to break. When the children enter the forbidden church - because of course they would, after being explicitly told not to - its shadows and frantically engraved walls are cloaked with fear and dread.
From a character and writing perspective, Long Lankin features an alternating cast of three narrators - Cora and Roger are the predominant narrators with Aunt Ida as an additional occasional voice. This technique, introducing each new narrator at the start of a section that varies in length from a paragraph to multiple pages of text, is intriguing and certainly keeps a reader on her toes. We get nice insight into the minds of these different characters by virtue of this technique, seeing through the eyes of two different children, and then again through Aunt Ida's terrified perspective. Also, the technique adds a layer of tension and confusion to the narrative, everything changing and spinning so quickly as the tension mounts and Long Lankin's story is revealed. By the same token, however, I'm not convinced that this narrative style was entirely necessary, other than for stylistic flair. There are many sections where narrators switch arbitrarily and abruptly for no apparent purpose, revealing and contributing nothing to the overall scene or story.
Which brings me to the main problem of Long Lankin - despite the atmospheric setting and strong central characters, Long Lankin stumbles in execution because of the book's unnecessary bloat. There are countless interactions in the book that could have been trimmed - while atmosphere and attentiveness to detail are invaluable tools to setting the scene, there are only so many times one can read about Cora and Roger running up a hill, or eating toast, or whatever mundane action prevails that particular day.
Even with the horror elements, as Cora and Roger search to discover the truth of Long Lankin and Guerdon's history, nothing really happens until 2/3 of the way through the novel. The nuggets of truth that Cora and Roger discover - that children have disappeared, the ghostly presence of a twisted figure at the forbidden church - are developments that are rehashed ad nauseam with different characters in long conversations, letters, and memories. This numbing repetition is exacerbated by the fact that the horror tropes employed in Long Lankin are nothing new. There's no tension of the unknown here, no big mindblowing reveal to justify the tedium of the previous hundreds of pages of exposition - we essentially come down to a 'body-buried-in-the-wrong-place' story, with a nice excessive dose of ridiculous pseudo-supernatural posturing in the book's final 100 pages. (This is not exaggeration - there is actually a scene in one of Aunt Ida's flashbacks that details a lengthy, info-dumpy conversation about Long Lankin being trapped between two worlds.)
Ultimately, one might say that Long Lankin comes down to a question of style or substance. Stylistically, this is a book with great strengths, including an effectively eerie atmosphere and impeccably detailed setting. Substantively, there's not really anything new here, and the story itself is, well, boring (with the momentary flash of brilliance). I still think there's enough good here to recommend the book, but reader beware - your mileage may vary.
Says mylord to mylady as he mounted his horse,
“Beware of Long Lankin that lives in the moss.”
Says mylord to mylady as he went on his way,
“Beware of Long Lankin that lives in the hay.”
“See the doors are all bolted, see the windows all pinned,
And leave not a crack for a mouse to creep in.”
Oh, the doors were all bolted, oh, the windows were pinned,
But at a small peep in the window Long Lankin crept in.
August, 1958. Cora and her toddler sister Mimi leave the comfort of their squalid London flat, sent away by their father to their great Aunt Ida's estate in the distant marshy village of Bryers Guerdon. Upon arriving, however, the girls discover that there is something eerie about Guderon Hall - the land itself is wild and decaying, and they run into a village boy who solemnly informs them that their Auntie Ida is a witch. Things do not look any better when their Aunt tries to turn them away and only grudgingly lets them stay in the decrepit old mansion - with the strict instructions that they are NEVER to open any windows, and they are to stay away from the old church down the road.
As Cora and Mimi befriend two other village children, brothers Roger and Pete, they learn about Bryers Guerdon's dark, secret history, and the reason for Auntie Ida's paranoia. An old evil lurks in the marshes, a shadowy, savage beast that has stolen countless Guerdon children over the generations; and now, the beast has caught the scent of young Mimi. It is up to Cora, Roger, and her defeated Aunt Ida to discover the truth of Long Lankin, and save Mimi from the same terrible fate that has befallen so many other children over the long, dark years.
I was ridiculously excited to read this book - Long Lankin has received rave reviews from UK publications when it first came out last year, and as it has crossed the pond, the praise has followed, from trusted bloggers and other reviewers alike. Plus, I'm a sucker for horror novels based on legends and poems - and though I'd never heard of the "Long Lankin" ballad before, I was undeniably hooked.
Unfortunately, Long Lankin did not measure up to expectations. While this is a book with some strengths - including a richly detailed period setting and generally strong characters - the sluggish pace of the story and predictable horror elements (employing the same rehashed Evil Spirit/Consecrated Ground tropes) make Long Lankin a decent, but not particularly memorable or exciting novel.
Let's talk atmosphere, first. Set in 1958, Long Lankin meticulously details an impoverished side of Britain, still struggling with the economic and social aftermath of two devastating wars. There's a great juxtaposition of past and present, new and old in this book - for example, the vision of Guerdon Hall's crumbling rot, with Aunt Ida and the girls listening to the wireless in the kitchen, or Roger's mother's makeshift laundry machine are powerful images. This is a time when children eat molded bread with sugar, or have a runny egg for dinner, because there simply isn't anything else to farm or cook - it's not hard to imagine the squalid life at Bryers Guerdon extending to other villages throughout Europe in this post-war period.
Just as the period is richly detailed, the atmospheric quality to the book is also fantastically effective. Guerdon Hall and the forbidden, abandoned church are terrifying places, brought to life by Barraclough's skillful descriptions. You can see the 'gypsy tree' with its tattered offerings blowing in the wind, you can feel the oppressive weight of Guerdon Hall and its secrets bearing down on Ida and Cora, willing them to break. When the children enter the forbidden church - because of course they would, after being explicitly told not to - its shadows and frantically engraved walls are cloaked with fear and dread.
From a character and writing perspective, Long Lankin features an alternating cast of three narrators - Cora and Roger are the predominant narrators with Aunt Ida as an additional occasional voice. This technique, introducing each new narrator at the start of a section that varies in length from a paragraph to multiple pages of text, is intriguing and certainly keeps a reader on her toes. We get nice insight into the minds of these different characters by virtue of this technique, seeing through the eyes of two different children, and then again through Aunt Ida's terrified perspective. Also, the technique adds a layer of tension and confusion to the narrative, everything changing and spinning so quickly as the tension mounts and Long Lankin's story is revealed. By the same token, however, I'm not convinced that this narrative style was entirely necessary, other than for stylistic flair. There are many sections where narrators switch arbitrarily and abruptly for no apparent purpose, revealing and contributing nothing to the overall scene or story.
Which brings me to the main problem of Long Lankin - despite the atmospheric setting and strong central characters, Long Lankin stumbles in execution because of the book's unnecessary bloat. There are countless interactions in the book that could have been trimmed - while atmosphere and attentiveness to detail are invaluable tools to setting the scene, there are only so many times one can read about Cora and Roger running up a hill, or eating toast, or whatever mundane action prevails that particular day.
Even with the horror elements, as Cora and Roger search to discover the truth of Long Lankin and Guerdon's history, nothing really happens until 2/3 of the way through the novel. The nuggets of truth that Cora and Roger discover - that children have disappeared, the ghostly presence of a twisted figure at the forbidden church - are developments that are rehashed ad nauseam with different characters in long conversations, letters, and memories. This numbing repetition is exacerbated by the fact that the horror tropes employed in Long Lankin are nothing new. There's no tension of the unknown here, no big mindblowing reveal to justify the tedium of the previous hundreds of pages of exposition - we essentially come down to a 'body-buried-in-the-wrong-place' story, with a nice excessive dose of ridiculous pseudo-supernatural posturing in the book's final 100 pages. (This is not exaggeration - there is actually a scene in one of Aunt Ida's flashbacks that details a lengthy, info-dumpy conversation about Long Lankin being trapped between two worlds.)
Ultimately, one might say that Long Lankin comes down to a question of style or substance. Stylistically, this is a book with great strengths, including an effectively eerie atmosphere and impeccably detailed setting. Substantively, there's not really anything new here, and the story itself is, well, boring (with the momentary flash of brilliance). I still think there's enough good here to recommend the book, but reader beware - your mileage may vary.
April 14, 2013
It was so refreshing to read this novel. I had a few let downs in the book department of late, and this one really knocked it out of the park. It's a novel of slowly building, creeping horror that climaxes dramatically in a breathtaking sequence of events that had me flipping pages as fast as I could read.
WHAT I LIKED
The World Building
Yes, the book takes place in "our" world, or one very much like it, but it also takes place in Britain of the 1950's. The descriptions of village life, the reconstruction of London, and the slang uttered by the children created a distinctive atmosphere of yesteryear. I haven't read a book set in this time period before, so I found it utterly fascinating. One of the things that was really intriguing (since I love history) was the references to the Great War that nearly wiped out an entire generation of British young men and World War 2.
The Characters
I really liked Cora and Roger. I wasn't ever too sure of their ages. I may have missed the reference to it. It took the book awhile to relay the age of Mimi (she was a small four year old). I'm guessing that Cora and Roger were between 12 and 10. The children definitely had the adventurousness that I remember from that age period and I giggled a few times at the things they would do for fun.
I did like Roger more than Cora right off the bat, but I think it's because Cora spends a lot of her time in the beginning of the book being a bit of a brat. Yet, I really liked how she developed over the course of the book. Her fearlessness in the face of great evil was awesome. She was one determined little girl.
The Monster
Okay...Long Lankin...EWWWWWWWWWWWWW. Talk about nightmarish and gross and terrifying and creepy as fuck! He was really, truly a great evil monster nemesis. At times I felt like wisps of his evil were clinging to me as I read the novel. I also loved the background to the character and the 'rules' surrounding his existence. He was a truly ghoulishly frightening character.
The Dismissal of Children by Adults
When I was a little kid I remember overhearing plenty of adult conversations that confused me. When I asked questions, I was told not to worry about it, or that i was too young to understand, etc. I remember having long conversations with other kids as we tried to figure out exactly what the adults were talking about (divorces, deaths, scandals, etc). We usually came up with much more outlandish explanations than the actual reality.
In Long Lankin a good portion of the book is dedicated to Cora and Roger trying to sort out exactly what the adults are gossiping about, but trying to keep from the kids. What's sad about the whole situation is that the kids should be told, but the adults are trying to 'protect' them. Cora is a determined little thing and she does uncover the whole truth by the time her Aunt Ida finally breaks down and reveals what is happening. The great divide between children and adults is in full affect and it does add to the tension in the novel.
WHAT I DIDN'T CARE MUCH FOR
The Child Abuse
Aunt Ida is not a likable character in any way shape or form. Though you slowly come to understand why she's so messed up in the head, it never excuses the horrible violence she inflicts on Cora. I found it to be upsetting. It was also unsettling how all the adults see the horrible marks on Cora, but do nothing. I realize this is probably realistic to some degree, but I just never understood why it's a part of the story. The abuse is never truly addressed and by the end I felt we were just supposed to forgive Ida because she'd had a tough life and because in her own warped way she wants to save Mimi. Yet, her cruelty to Cora just really set me against her and I never forgave her.
The Pacing
I love slowly building, creepy horror. I really do. But there were sections of the book that felt bogged down with filler. I understand the need for world-building, etc, but sometimes there were sections that felt like they could have been removed and nothing would have been lost.
The First Person Voice
The book is told from three viewpoints: Cora, Roger, and Aunt Ida. At times this device ended up feeling really choppy. Some of the segments were really, really short and didn't add much to the story overall. Also, when I read something from a child's point of view that has vivid descriptions (some of which were beautifully written) of landscapes, buildings, people, etc, it just comes across as odd.
Honestly, I think this would have been a five star review if the book had been written in third person, unleashing the author to write the story in a more dynamic and descriptive way. Being tethered to the three viewpoints felt clunky at times.
FINAL THOUGHTS
I truly enjoyed this book. It was an awesome debut by the author and I look forward to reading more of her works in the future.
Note: The author is from the UK, so the slang, English, and cultural references are sometimes a little confusing.
WHAT I LIKED
The World Building
Yes, the book takes place in "our" world, or one very much like it, but it also takes place in Britain of the 1950's. The descriptions of village life, the reconstruction of London, and the slang uttered by the children created a distinctive atmosphere of yesteryear. I haven't read a book set in this time period before, so I found it utterly fascinating. One of the things that was really intriguing (since I love history) was the references to the Great War that nearly wiped out an entire generation of British young men and World War 2.
The Characters
I really liked Cora and Roger. I wasn't ever too sure of their ages. I may have missed the reference to it. It took the book awhile to relay the age of Mimi (she was a small four year old). I'm guessing that Cora and Roger were between 12 and 10. The children definitely had the adventurousness that I remember from that age period and I giggled a few times at the things they would do for fun.
I did like Roger more than Cora right off the bat, but I think it's because Cora spends a lot of her time in the beginning of the book being a bit of a brat. Yet, I really liked how she developed over the course of the book. Her fearlessness in the face of great evil was awesome. She was one determined little girl.
The Monster
Okay...Long Lankin...EWWWWWWWWWWWWW. Talk about nightmarish and gross and terrifying and creepy as fuck! He was really, truly a great evil monster nemesis. At times I felt like wisps of his evil were clinging to me as I read the novel. I also loved the background to the character and the 'rules' surrounding his existence. He was a truly ghoulishly frightening character.
The Dismissal of Children by Adults
When I was a little kid I remember overhearing plenty of adult conversations that confused me. When I asked questions, I was told not to worry about it, or that i was too young to understand, etc. I remember having long conversations with other kids as we tried to figure out exactly what the adults were talking about (divorces, deaths, scandals, etc). We usually came up with much more outlandish explanations than the actual reality.
In Long Lankin a good portion of the book is dedicated to Cora and Roger trying to sort out exactly what the adults are gossiping about, but trying to keep from the kids. What's sad about the whole situation is that the kids should be told, but the adults are trying to 'protect' them. Cora is a determined little thing and she does uncover the whole truth by the time her Aunt Ida finally breaks down and reveals what is happening. The great divide between children and adults is in full affect and it does add to the tension in the novel.
WHAT I DIDN'T CARE MUCH FOR
The Child Abuse
Aunt Ida is not a likable character in any way shape or form. Though you slowly come to understand why she's so messed up in the head, it never excuses the horrible violence she inflicts on Cora. I found it to be upsetting. It was also unsettling how all the adults see the horrible marks on Cora, but do nothing. I realize this is probably realistic to some degree, but I just never understood why it's a part of the story. The abuse is never truly addressed and by the end I felt we were just supposed to forgive Ida because she'd had a tough life and because in her own warped way she wants to save Mimi. Yet, her cruelty to Cora just really set me against her and I never forgave her.
The Pacing
I love slowly building, creepy horror. I really do. But there were sections of the book that felt bogged down with filler. I understand the need for world-building, etc, but sometimes there were sections that felt like they could have been removed and nothing would have been lost.
The First Person Voice
The book is told from three viewpoints: Cora, Roger, and Aunt Ida. At times this device ended up feeling really choppy. Some of the segments were really, really short and didn't add much to the story overall. Also, when I read something from a child's point of view that has vivid descriptions (some of which were beautifully written) of landscapes, buildings, people, etc, it just comes across as odd.
Honestly, I think this would have been a five star review if the book had been written in third person, unleashing the author to write the story in a more dynamic and descriptive way. Being tethered to the three viewpoints felt clunky at times.
FINAL THOUGHTS
I truly enjoyed this book. It was an awesome debut by the author and I look forward to reading more of her works in the future.
Note: The author is from the UK, so the slang, English, and cultural references are sometimes a little confusing.
July 12, 2012
4.5
This book's atmospheric writing only makes the creep factor in the end that much more powerful. For a long time, I was taken with the setting itself and thought it wouldn't deliver on the fear factor (because at 300 pages I was still unsure exactly what would be the scary part since I knew what was coming) but oh, those last 100 pages pulled it out. My heart definitely raced a bit.
Cora and her sister Mimi are sent to live with their great Aunt Ida while their dad takes care of some business. Their mom's sick -- something that's only ever talked about peripherally, but good readers will figure it out and understand the implications of sooner than the girls will. Despite knowing that bad things have happened to children under the care of Ida, there aren't other choices for the girls' supervision.
It is then that the spirits rise. When things start to appear. When cave bestiam starts showing up everywhere (for someone who knows Latin, all of the Latin infused in here was a trip, but those who don't know it will learn it right along with Cora and Roger). The house they're in is sweltering, all of the windows and doors sealed and locked tight so they're unable to be opened. Because when they're opened, bad things happen.
Bad things are happening already. Back story is woven skillfully into the tale, and while it verges on info-dumping periodically, it's absolutely necessary and essential to moving the story along. This book is almost 500 pages, but I read it almost entirely in one sitting. The pacing is great, and those lengthier pieces do not drag. And oh, does it make the pay off in the end worthwhile. I was terrified that Talking about how the horror and spirits unfold would ruin the plot, but it has to do with the church, with the notion of peace and rest, with rituals and putting the dead into a final rest. The pieces are all there for the reader to put together but they aren't handed over to us. They aren't obvious.
While I thought the characters were good, I was especially taken with Aunt Ida. She's cold. She's grieving. She's angry. And she's downright mean and nasty at times. Except she has to be. She's had a crap lot in life, and she carries the hurt with her. But there is a huge insight into her character through the kids, and it was when that shift happened that I knew how I wanted the story to end.
The only things that didn't work for me here were secondary things: there was a bit of a hint about Aunt Ida's marriage and former relationship that didn't work for me (it's dropped in but never pursued when in reality, it could have not been there at all) and at times, it was hard to keep all of the secondary characters apart. But they're minor quibbles in the face of an incredibly successful story. I'm impressed as hell this is Barraclough's first novel.
The writing and marshy/English countryside setting reminded me a lot of Susan Hill's "The Woman in Black." Oh how I want more books like this, especially in YA.
If you like horror/chilling/creepy stories, especially those that tackle the spiritual world/haunted houses, this is a winner. There's a little bit of gore but not too much. This plays much more into psychological fear than physical fear, even though there is definitely a physical threat in here.
Full review here: http://www.stackedbooks.org/2012/07/l...
This book's atmospheric writing only makes the creep factor in the end that much more powerful. For a long time, I was taken with the setting itself and thought it wouldn't deliver on the fear factor (because at 300 pages I was still unsure exactly what would be the scary part since I knew what was coming) but oh, those last 100 pages pulled it out. My heart definitely raced a bit.
Cora and her sister Mimi are sent to live with their great Aunt Ida while their dad takes care of some business. Their mom's sick -- something that's only ever talked about peripherally, but good readers will figure it out and understand the implications of sooner than the girls will. Despite knowing that bad things have happened to children under the care of Ida, there aren't other choices for the girls' supervision.
It is then that the spirits rise. When things start to appear. When cave bestiam starts showing up everywhere (for someone who knows Latin, all of the Latin infused in here was a trip, but those who don't know it will learn it right along with Cora and Roger). The house they're in is sweltering, all of the windows and doors sealed and locked tight so they're unable to be opened. Because when they're opened, bad things happen.
Bad things are happening already. Back story is woven skillfully into the tale, and while it verges on info-dumping periodically, it's absolutely necessary and essential to moving the story along. This book is almost 500 pages, but I read it almost entirely in one sitting. The pacing is great, and those lengthier pieces do not drag. And oh, does it make the pay off in the end worthwhile. I was terrified that Talking about how the horror and spirits unfold would ruin the plot, but it has to do with the church, with the notion of peace and rest, with rituals and putting the dead into a final rest. The pieces are all there for the reader to put together but they aren't handed over to us. They aren't obvious.
While I thought the characters were good, I was especially taken with Aunt Ida. She's cold. She's grieving. She's angry. And she's downright mean and nasty at times. Except she has to be. She's had a crap lot in life, and she carries the hurt with her. But there is a huge insight into her character through the kids, and it was when that shift happened that I knew how I wanted the story to end.
The only things that didn't work for me here were secondary things: there was a bit of a hint about Aunt Ida's marriage and former relationship that didn't work for me (it's dropped in but never pursued when in reality, it could have not been there at all) and at times, it was hard to keep all of the secondary characters apart. But they're minor quibbles in the face of an incredibly successful story. I'm impressed as hell this is Barraclough's first novel.
The writing and marshy/English countryside setting reminded me a lot of Susan Hill's "The Woman in Black." Oh how I want more books like this, especially in YA.
If you like horror/chilling/creepy stories, especially those that tackle the spiritual world/haunted houses, this is a winner. There's a little bit of gore but not too much. This plays much more into psychological fear than physical fear, even though there is definitely a physical threat in here.
Full review here: http://www.stackedbooks.org/2012/07/l...
September 19, 2015
3.5 Stars
"Long Lankin" is a really good debut novel from new author Lindsey Barraclough and is based on an old traditional poem that's actually quite gruesome. However, I'll just give you a snippet...
The novel certainly keeps the atmosphere and creepiness of the poem and the imagery Barraclough paints is just brilliant. The young characters of Cora, Mimi, Roger and Pete are well written and developed giving me a rounded understanding of their young personalities, and Cora's old great aunt Ida is severe and cruel in her treatment of the children and has a past full of deadly secrets.
Cora and her sister Mimi live in London but are sent to live with their great aunt Ida in the countryside by their father due to their mother being in hospital with mental issues. When the children arrive I got a real sense of how old and dilapidated Guerdon Hall was and the descriptions of the graveyard are wonderfully eerie.
I would have liked a bit more detail of the surrounding area as it really could have been anywhere, but because we are told that the area is Essex, England, it would have been a great opportunity to champion this particular county that gets such a bad rap - there are some stunning areas of natural beauty, especially in north essex. So with that in mind I didn't really get a true sense of where the characters lived in relation to London.
I quickly delved into the lives of Cora, her sister Mimi and great aunt Ida, their story captured my imagination for most of the novel, unfortunately it did wane slightly in the middle. There are references to Ida's complicated past with fragmented memories of certain horrors that happened (and which would soon unfold in the present), but nothing actually got going until a good 250 pages into this quite lengthy novel - overly so in my opinion.
The ending was rushed slightly with an overloading of history into who, and what, is Long Lankin, which did become rather tedious, and seemed to take forever to get to the much anticipated climax. I think at least a hundred pages could have been removed from the first 250 without any loss to the story and maybe a little more attention to the ending would have given the novel a better balance.
However, the fundamental story is a creepy one and there are passages that made my skin crawl. Long Lankin is indeed grotesque and he would have frightened me senseless as a young girl.
Below are two of my favourite passages from the book, both from Cora's perspective...
VERDICT:
"Long Lankin" is a great debut. With a creepy and atmospheric story and great characters, "Long Lankin" was a delight to read and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to young adults and adults alike. Ms Barraclough has a wonderful way with words and I look forward to reading her future work.
"Long Lankin" is a really good debut novel from new author Lindsey Barraclough and is based on an old traditional poem that's actually quite gruesome. However, I'll just give you a snippet...
Let the doors be all bolted and the windows all pinned,
And leave not a hole for a mouse to creep in.
The doors were all bolted and the windows all pinned,
except one little window where Long Lankin crept in.
The novel certainly keeps the atmosphere and creepiness of the poem and the imagery Barraclough paints is just brilliant. The young characters of Cora, Mimi, Roger and Pete are well written and developed giving me a rounded understanding of their young personalities, and Cora's old great aunt Ida is severe and cruel in her treatment of the children and has a past full of deadly secrets.
Cora and her sister Mimi live in London but are sent to live with their great aunt Ida in the countryside by their father due to their mother being in hospital with mental issues. When the children arrive I got a real sense of how old and dilapidated Guerdon Hall was and the descriptions of the graveyard are wonderfully eerie.
I would have liked a bit more detail of the surrounding area as it really could have been anywhere, but because we are told that the area is Essex, England, it would have been a great opportunity to champion this particular county that gets such a bad rap - there are some stunning areas of natural beauty, especially in north essex. So with that in mind I didn't really get a true sense of where the characters lived in relation to London.
I quickly delved into the lives of Cora, her sister Mimi and great aunt Ida, their story captured my imagination for most of the novel, unfortunately it did wane slightly in the middle. There are references to Ida's complicated past with fragmented memories of certain horrors that happened (and which would soon unfold in the present), but nothing actually got going until a good 250 pages into this quite lengthy novel - overly so in my opinion.
The ending was rushed slightly with an overloading of history into who, and what, is Long Lankin, which did become rather tedious, and seemed to take forever to get to the much anticipated climax. I think at least a hundred pages could have been removed from the first 250 without any loss to the story and maybe a little more attention to the ending would have given the novel a better balance.
However, the fundamental story is a creepy one and there are passages that made my skin crawl. Long Lankin is indeed grotesque and he would have frightened me senseless as a young girl.
Below are two of my favourite passages from the book, both from Cora's perspective...
Last night I heard whispering, very close to me. I peered at Mini's face, half in shadow on the pillow. She was moving her lips in her sleep, as if she were speaking. I leaned in towards her, and with her breath on my cheek I heard her say, ' Help us...help us...save us...' but it wasn't her voice, or even one voice alone - it was many voices.
I rush to the stairs and look up. My jaw drops open. Behind Mimi, [Long] Lankin is crawling down like an animal. The tip of his tongue, wet with thick grey spit, is sticking out from between his sharp yellow teeth like a black pointed stone.
VERDICT:
"Long Lankin" is a great debut. With a creepy and atmospheric story and great characters, "Long Lankin" was a delight to read and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to young adults and adults alike. Ms Barraclough has a wonderful way with words and I look forward to reading her future work.
April 13, 2017
Long Lankin was a uniquely creepy read and one of the most original YA novels I have ever read. It is a stunning debut novel.
Long Lankin is a story about two sisters who are sent to their Great Aunt's to live. At first it seems like a story which is quite sad a bit of a comment on th social situation the children have found themselves to be in, in the 1950s but as the story develops it becomes so much more. It is told in first person and the person narrating chops and changes through the story between the the main characters. I found it a little confusing at first but soon grasped all the differing characters in my head enough to keep up. It wouldn't be one of my reviews if I didn't say how much I loved the glimpse into the time period of the 1950s and how much everyday life contrasts with ours today.
I loved the voice of the main character Cora. I loved how she interacted with her younger sister and how she dealt with the new life she had been thrown into and loved following her as she began to unravel the mystery surrounding Long Lankin.
As the story progresses you start to get the idea that all is not well in the household and especially when Cora's great Aunt starts to behave and react to situations in peculiar ways. There are some really weird scenes where you are not sure if the main characters are seeing things or if they are actually there.
I was warned this book was creepy but really didn't think it would be that creepy from the first half. I was really enjoying it but not creeped out. However in the last 100 pages or so everything kicked off and it changed the whole tone of the book. It was definately the creepiest YA I think I've ever read and totally unputdownable. I ended up laying in bed reading late into the night because I needed to know what happened (this is not advisable practice if you have a vivid imagination and want to be able to sleep afterwards). The scenes with Long Lankin himself in were really creepy and those final few scenes were incredibly fast paced and I ended the book in a semi stunned state about what had happened!
All in all an awesome debut novel from an author I am sure we will start to hear loads about in the future. An awesome host of characters and geniunely creepy read!
Long Lankin is a story about two sisters who are sent to their Great Aunt's to live. At first it seems like a story which is quite sad a bit of a comment on th social situation the children have found themselves to be in, in the 1950s but as the story develops it becomes so much more. It is told in first person and the person narrating chops and changes through the story between the the main characters. I found it a little confusing at first but soon grasped all the differing characters in my head enough to keep up. It wouldn't be one of my reviews if I didn't say how much I loved the glimpse into the time period of the 1950s and how much everyday life contrasts with ours today.
I loved the voice of the main character Cora. I loved how she interacted with her younger sister and how she dealt with the new life she had been thrown into and loved following her as she began to unravel the mystery surrounding Long Lankin.
As the story progresses you start to get the idea that all is not well in the household and especially when Cora's great Aunt starts to behave and react to situations in peculiar ways. There are some really weird scenes where you are not sure if the main characters are seeing things or if they are actually there.
I was warned this book was creepy but really didn't think it would be that creepy from the first half. I was really enjoying it but not creeped out. However in the last 100 pages or so everything kicked off and it changed the whole tone of the book. It was definately the creepiest YA I think I've ever read and totally unputdownable. I ended up laying in bed reading late into the night because I needed to know what happened (this is not advisable practice if you have a vivid imagination and want to be able to sleep afterwards). The scenes with Long Lankin himself in were really creepy and those final few scenes were incredibly fast paced and I ended the book in a semi stunned state about what had happened!
All in all an awesome debut novel from an author I am sure we will start to hear loads about in the future. An awesome host of characters and geniunely creepy read!
February 23, 2017
I remember how I just had to have this book when it was published, so I purchased and shelved it immediately. But somehow I never got around to actually reading it until now - I guess it's accusing glare finally worked on me...
The story is quite fascinating: while it starts very slow and gets even slower throughout the story,it never failed to hold my attention nor was it boring to me. Of course, sometimes I thought 'hurry up', because I wanted to know what would happen next. But somehow this painfully reduced pace only added to the tension. The claustrophobic stuffy feeling of the house - due to its always closed doors and windows - added a numbing quality that further enhanced the foreboding feeling of some inevitable evil to happen. At the end, my patience was rewarded with a very creepy (and also creeping) story about the legend - or maybe not - of an evil creature called Long Lankin, who comes to take little children away.
I really loved Cora's character, her suspicious curiosity and ever-present frustration at being left out of some important secret by the adults, especially her weirdly acting and a bit frightening auntie Ida. However, I did have some problems with her younger sister Mimi, which seemed to say don't want/don't like to all and everything. This could have been used as a clever way of showing that she somehow sensed the danger she was in, but without further explanation it only served to irritate me.
All in all, a haunting story with a high level of creepiness, though its snail pace may put off especially its younger readers. I already ordered the sequel...
The story is quite fascinating: while it starts very slow and gets even slower throughout the story,it never failed to hold my attention nor was it boring to me. Of course, sometimes I thought 'hurry up', because I wanted to know what would happen next. But somehow this painfully reduced pace only added to the tension. The claustrophobic stuffy feeling of the house - due to its always closed doors and windows - added a numbing quality that further enhanced the foreboding feeling of some inevitable evil to happen. At the end, my patience was rewarded with a very creepy (and also creeping) story about the legend - or maybe not - of an evil creature called Long Lankin, who comes to take little children away.
I really loved Cora's character, her suspicious curiosity and ever-present frustration at being left out of some important secret by the adults, especially her weirdly acting and a bit frightening auntie Ida. However, I did have some problems with her younger sister Mimi, which seemed to say don't want/don't like to all and everything. This could have been used as a clever way of showing that she somehow sensed the danger she was in, but without further explanation it only served to irritate me.
All in all, a haunting story with a high level of creepiness, though its snail pace may put off especially its younger readers. I already ordered the sequel...
October 11, 2019
Still one of my favorite works of folk horror with an absolute killer grasp of landscape and atmosphere
December 20, 2020
*3.75*
Liked it.
But could've easily been short and the lore should've been explored much.
The characters and the atmosphere is genuinely well done.
Totally recommended!
Liked it.
But could've easily been short and the lore should've been explored much.
The characters and the atmosphere is genuinely well done.
Totally recommended!
December 2, 2012
Deep in the backwoods of England stands a little old house with a sole inhabitant. In 1953 her two granddaughters are sent to the countryside to live with her, due to family problems back in London. Upon arrival, the girls find the house shut up tight and are promptly told not to open any windows or doors. Though there are few other children around the girls find friends in the boys down the street. Together they explore the abandoned church and graveyard, ignoring the grandmothers warning about being forbidden to go there.
Entering the church the children find numerous warnings, CAVE BESTIAM, carved into the walls. Unaware of this warning, the children cross into the graveyard and awaken the beast who has not been seen in years. From this point on, it is a matter of keeping Mimi, the youngest, safe from the beast who has taken so much from the town in past years. "Said mi'lord to mi'lady as he mounted his horse, beware of Long Lankin who lives in the moss. Said mi'lord to mi'lady as he rode away, beware of Long Lankin who lives in the hay. Let the doors be all bolted and the windows all pinned, and leave not a hole for a mouse to creep in. The doors were all bolted, the windows all pinned, except one little window, where Lankin crept in...."
Apparently based upon an old children's rhyme, Long Lankin is a man who was accused of murdering a baby and a wife while the lord of the house was away in London. I'm not sure where the story originated and if it's based on true events, but no matter. This book was by far one of the scariest books I've ever read. It made me nervous to look out my windows at night for fear of seeing Long Lankin creeping across my yard. I'm not sure if it was the story or the poem that did it actually, but suffice it to say, I did not enjoy the nighttime for a few nights after reading this story. It is seriously creepy.
Entering the church the children find numerous warnings, CAVE BESTIAM, carved into the walls. Unaware of this warning, the children cross into the graveyard and awaken the beast who has not been seen in years. From this point on, it is a matter of keeping Mimi, the youngest, safe from the beast who has taken so much from the town in past years. "Said mi'lord to mi'lady as he mounted his horse, beware of Long Lankin who lives in the moss. Said mi'lord to mi'lady as he rode away, beware of Long Lankin who lives in the hay. Let the doors be all bolted and the windows all pinned, and leave not a hole for a mouse to creep in. The doors were all bolted, the windows all pinned, except one little window, where Lankin crept in...."
Apparently based upon an old children's rhyme, Long Lankin is a man who was accused of murdering a baby and a wife while the lord of the house was away in London. I'm not sure where the story originated and if it's based on true events, but no matter. This book was by far one of the scariest books I've ever read. It made me nervous to look out my windows at night for fear of seeing Long Lankin creeping across my yard. I'm not sure if it was the story or the poem that did it actually, but suffice it to say, I did not enjoy the nighttime for a few nights after reading this story. It is seriously creepy.
July 14, 2012
Hmmm . . . Although there were moments of good grisly terror, this debut book by Lyndsey Barraclough didn't quite make the grade for me.
I've long been fascinated with the ballad of Long Lankin, although I prefer the version made popular by the folk/rock group Steeleye Span--slightly different lyrics than the ones this author uses, and to me, more chilling.
Though her plot was essentially good, the author breaks the flow and build of the story by repeating details that only needed one telling to be effective. Too many "every day" scenes slowed the story down and detracted from the momentum and impact of horror. Were all of these relevant and necessary to the plot? The frequent introduction of numerous named characters made it difficult to sort out who was essential to the story. If the many minor named characters had remained un-named it would have lessened the confusion. Usually, I like the technique of switching POV between key characters of a story--it allows for insights and understanding perhaps not otherwise gained--but in this book, the POV switches were too frequent and often too short, which created an effect more choppy and jarring than illuminating.
That being said, there were stretches of cohesiveness, nice arcs of mystery and discovery, and true elements of sheer, active terror. The defeat of the source of terror however, was too easily accomplished, after centuries of previous failures.
I've long been fascinated with the ballad of Long Lankin, although I prefer the version made popular by the folk/rock group Steeleye Span--slightly different lyrics than the ones this author uses, and to me, more chilling.
Though her plot was essentially good, the author breaks the flow and build of the story by repeating details that only needed one telling to be effective. Too many "every day" scenes slowed the story down and detracted from the momentum and impact of horror. Were all of these relevant and necessary to the plot? The frequent introduction of numerous named characters made it difficult to sort out who was essential to the story. If the many minor named characters had remained un-named it would have lessened the confusion. Usually, I like the technique of switching POV between key characters of a story--it allows for insights and understanding perhaps not otherwise gained--but in this book, the POV switches were too frequent and often too short, which created an effect more choppy and jarring than illuminating.
That being said, there were stretches of cohesiveness, nice arcs of mystery and discovery, and true elements of sheer, active terror. The defeat of the source of terror however, was too easily accomplished, after centuries of previous failures.
February 12, 2012
What an interesting read! This was definitely a different story, full of gothic atmosphere and frightening scenes to keep you reading long into the night…and then lying awake because your too scared to turn off the lights.
The story begins ominously, with two sisters who are left by a friend of their dad’s to live with their aunt, Ida. From the very beginning, we think there is something strange about the whole place where they’re sent to live, with a dilapidated, abandoned church nearby that they are forbidden from visiting, and with the orders the two girls live under to never open the windows in the house. This is what the book does so well, create an oppressive atmosphere that starts to make the reader as uncomfortable as the two girls. Add to that a colorful cast of characters, and a truly frightening creature who slithers along the grounds, and you have a great gothic story.
The one thing that bothered me was the constant shift in character viewpoints. I do understand the need to have the story be seen through many different eyes, but some times it felt excessive, especially towards the end, when most of the characters were in the same scene. It juts felt a bit too jumbled.
All in all, this is a great, spooky story that will delight all of you who love to be scared by a book. I can easily recommend it.
The story begins ominously, with two sisters who are left by a friend of their dad’s to live with their aunt, Ida. From the very beginning, we think there is something strange about the whole place where they’re sent to live, with a dilapidated, abandoned church nearby that they are forbidden from visiting, and with the orders the two girls live under to never open the windows in the house. This is what the book does so well, create an oppressive atmosphere that starts to make the reader as uncomfortable as the two girls. Add to that a colorful cast of characters, and a truly frightening creature who slithers along the grounds, and you have a great gothic story.
The one thing that bothered me was the constant shift in character viewpoints. I do understand the need to have the story be seen through many different eyes, but some times it felt excessive, especially towards the end, when most of the characters were in the same scene. It juts felt a bit too jumbled.
All in all, this is a great, spooky story that will delight all of you who love to be scared by a book. I can easily recommend it.
February 20, 2025
This is the best dark fiction I have read so far this year.
While I was reading it, I compared it to the Stephen King novel, It, as both books had a very similar theme. I thought that this book was better.
Why? Because it was strictly British with no boomercentric pop culture references; even though these two novels are set in the same time period. Also, we don't delve into the details of the characters lives and learn a lot of personal things that have nothing to do with the story.
The monster is better. I really loved the Beowulf reference during the final battle with Long Lankin.
I am just a sucker for a novel with a moldering old manor house, a Domesday Book family with a curse and an ancient monster out of legend. You just can't get much better than that.
I would recommend this book to anyone who loves a traditional, creepy ghost story.
Pet Lover's Advisory: SPOILER!
A good dog dies a brave death in this story. The death is not a gratuitous manipulation of the reader's emotions, but integral to the story. Not bloody, gory, disgusting, but he does die......so be warned!
While I was reading it, I compared it to the Stephen King novel, It, as both books had a very similar theme. I thought that this book was better.
Why? Because it was strictly British with no boomercentric pop culture references; even though these two novels are set in the same time period. Also, we don't delve into the details of the characters lives and learn a lot of personal things that have nothing to do with the story.
The monster is better. I really loved the Beowulf reference during the final battle with Long Lankin.
I am just a sucker for a novel with a moldering old manor house, a Domesday Book family with a curse and an ancient monster out of legend. You just can't get much better than that.
I would recommend this book to anyone who loves a traditional, creepy ghost story.
Pet Lover's Advisory: SPOILER!
A good dog dies a brave death in this story. The death is not a gratuitous manipulation of the reader's emotions, but integral to the story. Not bloody, gory, disgusting, but he does die......so be warned!
July 3, 2015
I've read some horror novels with children as main characters over the years. Early Stephen King's I've liked. I became burned out with his after Firestarter. Summer of night by Simmons and Boy's life by Mccammon are very good. The tooth fairy by the late Graham Joyce was great. My list now includes Long Lankin by Lindsey Barraclough which is as good as the others on the list.
September 18, 2017
The story begins great with a scary almost magical feel, 2 young girls are dropped off at a relatives dilapidated mansion and soon are faced with a haunted house and an evil spirit that steals children. The characters are interesting but the writing style is distracting. The story became very detailed about everyday life and the pace much too slow to maintain a scary atmosphere throughout until the very end when the evil spirit finally appears.
July 12, 2024
I bought this not knowing it was a children's book. It was a good story, but the writing was very young. I would like to see a rewrite with adults as the target demographic as the ties to Catholicism were interesting and could be further explored. 3*
October 18, 2020
I have to admit I enjoyed this (somewhat) YA book more than I expected to. Is it perfect? No. It drags a bit and could've been at least fifty pages shorter but in the end it made for a creepy tale of English folk horror that left me wondering until the very end whether everyone would truly be safe from Long Lankin.
January 3, 2018
I chose this book to read as it had appeared in a few lists of recommended reads for those who enjoyed Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children. I could not put it down!
This is middle grade but REALLY scary (or at least I thought so). Perfect for those kids that say they want a really creepy read.I loved the mix of historical fiction and horror. This is bigger than a ghost or haunted house story.
The story moves between the point of view of the different characters which took a little getting used to, so I'd probably recommend it to my more mature readers 10+ (those that can handle more complex text).
This is middle grade but REALLY scary (or at least I thought so). Perfect for those kids that say they want a really creepy read.I loved the mix of historical fiction and horror. This is bigger than a ghost or haunted house story.
The story moves between the point of view of the different characters which took a little getting used to, so I'd probably recommend it to my more mature readers 10+ (those that can handle more complex text).
January 3, 2012
Wow! It's quite some time since I read a book that kept me reading so intensely. I quite literally didn't want to put it down - it was compulsive reading AND it had me so creeped out I didn't dare stop.
Playing on childish fears that you had forgotten about - movements in the shadows, the whisper of voices in the wind, the fear of strange places and old houses with locked doors - and mixing them with the chilling eeriness of witchcraft and folk legends, Long Lankin scares you in a subtle way that gets your heart racing without you even noticing.
I don't want to say too much about the plot for fear of taking away the mystery that helps to drag you through the book by your collar but the narrative voices throughout are brilliant - they make you laugh, they make you cry and they frighten you.
Or at least they frightened me. A lot.
Inspired by an old folk song (which is pretty creepy all by itself) this début novel is a definite must-read. I finished it hours ago and I'm still a little twitchy...
Playing on childish fears that you had forgotten about - movements in the shadows, the whisper of voices in the wind, the fear of strange places and old houses with locked doors - and mixing them with the chilling eeriness of witchcraft and folk legends, Long Lankin scares you in a subtle way that gets your heart racing without you even noticing.
I don't want to say too much about the plot for fear of taking away the mystery that helps to drag you through the book by your collar but the narrative voices throughout are brilliant - they make you laugh, they make you cry and they frighten you.
Or at least they frightened me. A lot.
Inspired by an old folk song (which is pretty creepy all by itself) this début novel is a definite must-read. I finished it hours ago and I'm still a little twitchy...
March 7, 2012
3.5 stars. I enjoyed this book a lot--it's a good atmospheric, creepy read. I think it appeals to the same side of me that fell in love with the show Supernatural. To be honest I spent most of my time while reading this book imagining it as a dark and terrifying BBC miniseries, and wishing such a thing existed!
The thing that let me down most about this book was the end--it was so abrupt! I'd really have liked more a denouement so I could have a sense of what happened to all of these characters after the book ended. The book was also perhaps longer than it needed to be.
But either way I loved the characters and the story, especially the darker segments that describe wheres and the hows of specific children Lankin had eaten in the past--absolutely chilling. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this book to anyone who wants to scare themselves a bit with a good local legend.
The thing that let me down most about this book was the end--it was so abrupt! I'd really have liked more a denouement so I could have a sense of what happened to all of these characters after the book ended. The book was also perhaps longer than it needed to be.
But either way I loved the characters and the story, especially the darker segments that describe wheres and the hows of specific children Lankin had eaten in the past--absolutely chilling. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this book to anyone who wants to scare themselves a bit with a good local legend.
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