Our Hideous Progeny by C.E. McGill @DoubledayUK #NetGalley #gothic #fantasy #historicalfantasy #publicationday #bookreview

May 4, 2023May 1, 2023yvonnembee 2 Comments

I am delighted to share my review today of Our Hideous Progeny by C.E. McGill. This is a wonderful book that is set in the 1850s, a tale of mystery with a fantasy gothic theme to it. I would like to wish the author a Happy Publication Day today 🙂

My huge thanks to Doubleday UK for granting my request to read this title via NetGalley.

I have to mention something about this cover, it is dark but it fits in so well with so many elements of the story.

Mary is the great-niece of Victor Frankenstein. She knows her great uncle disappeared in mysterious circumstances in the Arctic but she doesn’t know why or how…

The 1850s is a time of discovery and London is ablaze with the latest scientific theories and debates, especially when a spectacular new exhibition of dinosaur sculptures opens at the Crystal Palace. Mary, with a sharp mind and a sharper tongue, is keen to make her name in this world of science, alongside her geologist husband Henry, but without wealth and connections, their options are limited.

But when Mary discovers some old family papers that allude to the shocking truth behind her great-uncle’s past, she thinks she may have found the key to securing their future… Their quest takes them to the wilds of Scotland, to Henry’s intriguing but reclusive sister Maisie, and to a deadly chase with a rival who is out to steal their secret…

MY REVIEW

I have read Frankenstein several times over the years, which is a book have enjoyed. When I saw this title on NetGalley it was the title that caught my eye, and then I read the synopsis. Rather than retelling the story, the author has decided to go on a slightly different path.

Mary had no idea who her grandfather was until she finally discovered a briefcase with some papers in it. It turns out that she is the niece of a certain Viktor Frankenstein, of course, we know the name from the Mary Shelly story, but in this story, he is someone who notes may just help Mary and her husband, James, make their mark in history.

Wanting to be recognised and acknowledged in scientific fields, Mary and Henry Sutherland are on the edge. They are not deemed important enough or, if I am being honest, rich enough to warrant being taken seriously. They have caused a few ructions and this has not helped their cause. They decide to travel to Scotland where they can continue their experiments based on her great uncle’s notes, they need solitude and secrecy and this isolated house is one that can offer that. It is Henry’s childhood home where his sister still lives.

This is a gothic horror novel as such, although not so much horror, then I didn’t think Frankenstein was either. But, it does exude that gothic vibe and also being set in the 1850s fit in well with the society at the time, with The Great Exhibition at Crystal Palace Gardens, Charles Darwin published On the Origin of Species and advances in electricity and research and discovery were happening at a fast rate. It is a great era to set a novel that mixes science, history and experimentation.

The characters of Mary and Henry are well done and the author does show the disparities between the different sexes in terms of academia. Women are and do attend scientific discussions, but they are merely seen as socials where they can gather with their male counterparts. Don’t forget this is a time when women are seen to support their husbands by attending functions with them, but do not have the brainpower or the stamina to understand such topics completely. We do now, of course, know differently, but the author does a great job of showing how difficult it is to be seen.

Having a husband and wife team does help to alleviate this, but the underlying problem is always there. With this new experiment they attempt to undertake, they each have their own tasks, and their own strengths and only by working together do they stand a chance of succeeding. The inclusion of a sister adds to the appeal and for me she was a great character to add. She is prone to ailments, but she also has a very good part to play in her own right.

This is a really enjoyable read, it does show perspectives of the society of the time and makes it a very good historical fiction story, it does have mystery and a wonderful gothic feel to it. I would not say it is very fast-paced, but it suits the era. I really enjoyed this one, it is full of descriptions if you are a fan of novels that do have a more classical fiction feel to them then this is one I would definitely recommend.

Many thanks for reading my post, a like or share would be amazing 🙂 xx

The Woman in Black by Susan Hill #gothichorror #ghoststory #thriller #atmosheric #bookreview

February 8, 2023February 5, 2023yvonnembee 2 Comments

I am delighted to share my review today for the wonderfully atmospheric The Woman in Black by Susan Hill. I have had this one on my shelf for a while and it was a brilliant book to read. Ideal for fans of gothic horror and thriller books.

Arthur Kipps, a junior solicitor in London, is summoned to Crythin Gifford to attend the funeral of Mrs Alice Drablow, and to sort through her papers before returning to London. It is here that Kipps first sees the woman in black and begins to gain an impression of the mystery surrounding her. From the funeral he travels to Eel Marsh House and sees the woman again; he also hears the terrifying sounds on the marsh.

Despite Kipps’s experiences he resolves to spend the night at the house and fulfil his professional duty. It is this night at Eel Marsh House that contains the greatest horror for Kipps. Kipps later discovers the reasons behind the hauntings at Eel Marsh House. The book ends with the woman in black exacting a final, terrible revenge.

MY REVIEW

This is a story that is told from the perspective of Arthur Kipps, he recounts his visit to Eel House when he was younger and a junior solicitor. His boss Mr Bentley had asked him to go to sort out the affairs of Mrs Alice Drablow who had died and it was up to the solicitor to put her papers in order.

The story is a fabulous one that has so much atmosphere. The author has injected so much eerie and chilling scenes into this story. A mysterious house that is only accessible at low tide by way of a causeway. The old woman lived alone and had no family. The locals won’t talk about her and don’t visit the house. It is an unmentioned place and one that worries everyone for some reason.

The arrival of Kripps to finalise the affairs does not bring any sense of relief, the locals worry and they are quite right as it turns out. The mystery of the owner is realised when Kripps discovers some letters, but it does not hold all the answers and there are still some things that are left unknown.

Having a ghost story that is not totally finalised leaves the reader with a certain suspense. I did enjoy this book a lot and having such a mysterious presence adds to the suspense. It definitely has that Victorian Gothic horror feel to it and there are events that leave the reader a little unnerved.

I do like the classic style of this story and I am so glad that I finally got around to reading this book. It had been sitting on my kindle shelf for far too long.

If you are a fan of stories that have that classic literature feel and of course ghost stories then this is definitely a book for you. I thought it was brilliant and I would definitely recommend it.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Susan Hill was born in Scarborough, North Yorkshire in 1942. Her hometown was later referred to in her novel A Change for the Better (1969) and some short stories especially “Cockles and Mussels”.

She attended Scarborough Convent School, where she became interested in theatre and literature. Her family left Scarborough in 1958 and moved to Coventry where her father worked in car and aircraft factories. Hill states that she attended a girls’ grammar school, Barr’s Hill. Her fellow pupils included Jennifer Page, the first Chief Executive of the Millennium Dome. At Barrs Hill she took A levels in English, French, History and Latin, proceeding to an English degree at King’s College London. By this time she had already written her first novel, The Enclosure which was published by Hutchinson in her first year at university. The novel was criticised by The Daily Mail for its sexual content, with the suggestion that writing in this style was unsuitable for a “schoolgirl”.

Her next novel Gentleman and Ladies was published in 1968. This was followed in quick succession by A Change for the Better, I’m the King of the Castle, The Albatross and other stories, Strange Meeting, The Bird of Night, A Bit of Singing and Dancing and In the Springtime of Year, all written and published between 1968 and 1974.

In 1975 she married Shakespeare scholar Stanley Wells and they moved to Stratford upon Avon. Their first daughter, Jessica, was born in 1977 and their second daughter, Clemency, was born in 1985. Hill has recently founded her own publishing company, Long Barn Books, which has published one work of fiction per year.

Many thanks for reading my post, a like or share would be amazing 🙂 xx

Gallant by V.E. Schwab #fantasy #gothic #YA #20booksofsummer #bookreview

July 19, 2022July 18, 2022yvonnembee

I am delighted to share my review today for Gallant by V.E. Schwab. This is the first book I have read by this author and I decided to give it a go after seeing other reviewers enjoying it.

This is book 5/20 in the #20booksofsummer reading challenge.

Sixteen-year-old Olivia Prior is missing three things: a mother, a father, and a voice. Her mother vanished all at once, and her father by degrees, and her voice was a thing she never had to start with.

She grew up at Merilance School for Girls. Now, nearing the end of her time there, Olivia receives a letter from an uncle she’s never met, her father’s older brother, summoning her to his estate, a place called Gallant. But when she arrives, she discovers that the letter she received was several years old. Her uncle is dead. The estate is empty, save for the servants. Olivia is permitted to remain, but must follow two rules: don’t go out after dusk, and always stay on the right side of a wall that runs along the estate’s western edge.

Beyond it is another realm, ancient and magical, which calls to Olivia through her blood…

MY REVIEW

This is my first time reading one of this author’s books and I think I chose very well when I decided to buy a copy of Gallant. This was a fabulous gothic-style mystery that did have similarities to another wonderful book, The Secret Garden, but Schwab does go darker.

The story is of an orphan, abandoned and unwanted. Olivia doesn’t speak, this means she doesn’t have friends but what she does do is watch. When she is coming to the end of her time at the Merilance School for Girls a strange message arrives saying that Olivia does indeed have family and they have been searching for her.

When she arrives at her home she discovers a place that has very few people there. It seems that the family and quite possibly the house is cursed. There is a wonderful eerie presence throughout this story and the author increases this as it goes on.

Rather than having the warm welcome she expected, she is received with some shock and surprise. Why on earth would anyone want to come to this house. Why would they want to stay?

I love the mystery in this story and it just oozes that eerie-ness and wonderful gothic thriller/ horror feel. There are many strange things that happen in this story, yes it is a fantasy but one that I adored, but then I do also like fantasy.

This story may be about Olivia, but it is also about the family and what originally brought them there, and why they remain. It provides some interesting and unexpected twists.

Fabulous reading, wonderful characters, and a great storyline. I really enjoyed this and I look forward to reading more. I would definitely recommend this one.

Many thanks for reading my post, a like or share would be amazing 🙂 xx

The Hanging Tree by Misha Herwin @MishaHerwin #childrenfantasy #childrenadventure #bookreview

December 3, 2021December 3, 2021yvonnembee 3 Comments

I am delighted to share my review today for The Hanging Tree by Misha Herwin. This is the 4th book in the Letty Parker series and it is aimed at 8-12year olds. It is a gothic style fantasy, magical and mystery series that this grown-up is also very much enjoying.

The Hanging Tree (Adventures of Letty Parker Book 4) by [Misha Herwin]

The power of the Dark Ones is growing once more. Watching from their rooftop perches, the gargoyles and dragons have all the gossip they could ever want. Deadly night eels slither through the city streets. The thief-taker is on the prowl. And Jebediah Hill is arrested for a crime he did not commit. Letty discovers that Jeb, her oldest friend, has been keeping secrets, yet refuses to reveal them even though he knows he will pay a terrible price. Letty Parker and Associates set out on a race to save Jeb from The Hanging Tree.
And time is running out…

Purchase HERE

MY REVIEW

I have been looking forward to seeing what the author has in store for young Letty Parker and her Associates. The associates are a group of misfits in some ways as there is Letty who used to sell pies, Jeb a one time pickpocket and scoundrel who is now legitimate, Hepzibah a well off young lady, Mango a sort of fixer and a go-to guy as well as other recurring characters.

Letty and Associates are a tight-knit group who have come together over the past books and formed a mystery-solving agency set in the dark port city of Bristol. It is not a Victorian-era Bristol you would remember from history, this one has monstrous eels, gargoyles, dragons and The Dark Ones!

The author has taken a slightly darker turn with The Hanging Tree as Jeb has been arrested, at one time this would have been sort of expected but not now and especially when he is innocent, yes he really is! Breaking Jeb out isn’t an option as he would have no way of clearing his name, instead, it is up to Letty and Co to dig and delve into the murkiness and the backstreets in this against the clock mystery.

I do adore these characters and the whole group works together really well. They bring their own special qualities and skills as they track down and solve mysteries. As I mentioned this one is a slightly darker feeling as there is more going on with the Count. He is a Dark One and has a bigger game plan in mind. He is a threat and not everyone can see it yet.

Once again the author has created a wonderfully dark and atmospheric mystery that has such a wonderful setting. This setting has been reimagined, adapted and the author brilliantly describes the sights, sounds and unfortunately the smells! There is adventure around every corner and page, with intriguing twists and I adored it.

This is aimed at 8-12-year-olds but is also a great series for any age even the grown-ups. It is a book and actually a series I would definitely recommend.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Misha Herwin is a writer of books for adults and children.
They vary from time-slip to contemporary women’s fiction, family saga and children’s fantasy adventures.
All her books are set in Bristol, whether real, imaginary or remembered from her childhood.

Social Media Links – Website – Twitter –

Here are the previous books in the series

From Book 1: Letty Parker lives by her wits. Estranged from her family, she sells pies on the streets of Bristol. But this is a Bristol full of dark secrets, peopled by gangs, monsters, dragons and gargoyles – and by creatures older than time. When her friend and stepsister disappear, when members of Jeb’s gang vanish, Letty is plunged headlong into a conspiracy where homeless children are being spirited away to a place where a terrible fate awaits them. These are the poor and the lost children of the streets whom no one seems to care about – except for Letty. But what if a rich child went missing? Would the authorities then act? Together, Letty and Jeb hatch a plan…

PURCHASE LINK – HERE

Many thanks for reading my post, a like or share would be amazing 🙂 xx

#BookReview The LimeHouse Golem by Peter Ackroyd #AskPenguin @PenguinUKBooks

November 27, 2017yvonnembee 1 Comment

Penguin Uk have an #AskPenguin tag. Give them some ideas about the sort of book you would like to read, they will respond with their book choice. I had asked for a Victorian mystery and their suggestion was “The Limehouse Golem” by Peter Ackroyd. So I bought it and gave it a go.

Book Details:

Paperback: 272 pages
Publisher: Vintage (24 Aug. 2017)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1784708208
ISBN-13: 978-1784708207
Amazon Link
Other Formats available.

Synopsis:

London, 1880. A series of gruesome murders attributed to the mysterious ‘Limehouse Golem’ strikes fear into the heart of the capital. Inspector John Kildare must track down this brutal serial killer in the damp, dark alleyways of riverside London. But how does Dan Leno, music hall star extraordinaire, find himself implicated in this crime spree, and what does Elizabeth Cree, on trial for the murder of her husband, have to hide?

Peter Ackroyd brings Victorian London to life in all its guts and glory, as we travel from the glamour of the music hall to the slums of the East End, meeting George Gissing and Karl Marx along the way.

My Thoughts:

Set in London, in the 1880’s. London is gripped by gruesome murders and the bodies are being found dismembered, the police have no idea who the murderer is. Alongside the murders, is the story of Lizzie, later to become Mrs Elizabeth Cree. When we first meet her it is as she is having the noose placed around her neck having been found guilty of a crime. From this point on we learn more about Lizzie’s life, her love and involvement in music halls and the characters she meets, as well as famous names of the time.

Peter Ackroyd has captures the dark and sinister aspects very well and made them quite believable. He has built up a picture of what you would expect of Victorian London, dark, atmospheric and suspenseful. I did at times feel that some of the descriptive passages were a little long at times, but not so much to detract from the story. It is told in quick chapters that flit from the perspectives of Lizzie , the murder, and also diary entries, keeping the whole story moving along at a good pace.

This is a book I enjoyed and would recommend to readers who like Gothic Fiction, Historical and Literary Fiction.

The book was originally titled “Dan Leno & The Limehouse Golem”. It has also been made into a film, and has a release date on DVD / Blu-ray of 26th December. Amazon link HERE.

About the Author:

Peter Ackroyd is the author of biographies of Dickens, Blake and Thomas More and of the acclaimed non-fiction bestsellers London: The Biography and Thames: Sacred River. Peter Ackroyd is an award-winning novelist, as well as a broadcaster, biographer, poet and historian. He has won the Whitbread Biography Award, the Royal Society of Literature’s William Heinemann Award, the James Tait Black Memorial Prize, the Guardian Fiction Prize, the Somerset Maugham Award and the South Bank Prize for Literature. He holds a CBE for services to literature.