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The Haunting Season: Ghostly Tales for Long Winter Nights
Winter, with its unsettling blend of the cosy and the sinister, has long been a popular time for gathering by the bright flame of a candle, or the warm crackling of a fire, and swapping stories of ghosts and strange happenings.
Now eight bestselling, award-winning authors - master storytellers of the sinister and the macabre - bring this time-honoured tradition to vivid life in a spellbinding collection of new and original haunted tales.
From a bustling Covent Garden Christmas market to the frosty moors of Yorkshire, from a country estate with a dreadful secret, to a London mansion where a beautiful girl lies frozen in death, these are stories to make your hair stand on end, send shivers down your spine and to serve as your indispensable companion to the long nights of winter.
So curl up, light a candle, and fall under the spell of The Haunting Season . . .
Featuring new and original tales from:
Bridget Collins
Sunday Times bestselling author of The Binding
Imogen Hermes Gowar
Sunday Times bestselling author of The Mermaid and Mrs Hancock
Kiran Millwood Hargrave
Sunday Times bestselling author of The Mercies
Andrew Michael Hurley
Sunday Times bestselling author of The Loney
Jess Kidd
International award-winning author of Things in Jars
Elizabeth Macneal
Sunday Times bestselling author of The Doll Factory
Natasha Pulley
Sunday Times bestselling author of The Watchmaker of Filigree Street
Laura Purcell
Award-winning author of The Silent Companions
Now eight bestselling, award-winning authors - master storytellers of the sinister and the macabre - bring this time-honoured tradition to vivid life in a spellbinding collection of new and original haunted tales.
From a bustling Covent Garden Christmas market to the frosty moors of Yorkshire, from a country estate with a dreadful secret, to a London mansion where a beautiful girl lies frozen in death, these are stories to make your hair stand on end, send shivers down your spine and to serve as your indispensable companion to the long nights of winter.
So curl up, light a candle, and fall under the spell of The Haunting Season . . .
Featuring new and original tales from:
Bridget Collins
Sunday Times bestselling author of The Binding
Imogen Hermes Gowar
Sunday Times bestselling author of The Mermaid and Mrs Hancock
Kiran Millwood Hargrave
Sunday Times bestselling author of The Mercies
Andrew Michael Hurley
Sunday Times bestselling author of The Loney
Jess Kidd
International award-winning author of Things in Jars
Elizabeth Macneal
Sunday Times bestselling author of The Doll Factory
Natasha Pulley
Sunday Times bestselling author of The Watchmaker of Filigree Street
Laura Purcell
Award-winning author of The Silent Companions
304 pages, Hardcover
First published October 12, 2021
About the author
Bridget Collins
7 books2,944 followersBridget Collins has works written under the name B.R Collins.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,124 reviews
August 12, 2024
I’ll review each story as I go:
A Study in Black and White by Bridget Collins - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
A creepy story about a man who rents a large old house. A chess set inside seems to move by itself, and he feels like there is something or someone watching him.
Full of foreboding, this story covered a lot in a short space of time.
Thwaite’s Tenant by Imogen Hermes Gowar - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Loved this one! Wasn’t sure about the main character to begin with but she found her strength. Lucinda and her son Stanley move into the old Thwaite house, fleeing her abusive husband.
The Thwaite house has its own history. Emily Thwaite apparently fled her own husband, and the house is haunted by him. But maybe Emily hasn’t left either.
Another spooky one with a great story.
The Eel Singers by Natasha Pulley - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thaniel, Mori and Six decide to take a trip away from London. Mori is clairvoyant, and he only knows of one place where his mind is quieted. Once they arrive though, Thaniel feels an awful sense of foreboding. The locals seem creepy, always staring and singing or humming this strange song.
Again, a lot packed into a short story and I enjoyed how it panned out and how it ended.
Lily Wilt by Jess Kidd - ⭐️⭐️⭐️
This one was just weird. A photographer called Pemble is asked to photograph a dead girl by her family to preserve her beauty. He becomes obsessed with this ethereal and almost supernatural beauty. He starts to see her ghost in his own home, she asks him to bring her back to life by any means necessary.
We don’t really know how, only that he manages it but she isn’t quite the way he pictured her.
I guess they weren’t all going to be my cup of tea 🤷♀️
The Chillingham Chair by Laura Purcell - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I’m a big Laura Purcell fan and this story didn’t let me down! Evelyn is visiting Chilligham House, where her younger sister is marrying Victor Chillingham. On arrival she suffers a terrible fall from a horse, Victor kindly offers her the use of a wheelchair, used when his father was ill.
But we soon find that the chair has a mind of its own, but just what is its purpose? What happened to Old Chillingham and Victor’s younger brother? How trustworthy is Victor really? A gripping short story with a satisfyingly scary end.
The Hanging of the Greens by Andrew Michael Hurley - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
A story within a story. David is telling his friend Ed a story of something that happened to him as a younger man. Working as a pastor, running a club as it were, for people who are struggling. One man comes to the session - Joe Gull. Joe is a recovering alcoholic and wants David’s help to approach a couple who took care of him at his worst, but who Joe inevitably let down. He wants to apologise before time runs out.
What David discovers at Salter Farm is equally enthralling and disturbing, involving a local cult, taking advantage of those weaker than them.
Confinement by Kiran Millwood Hargrave - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I wasn’t sure about this one at first. It leaves you wondering whether it’s an actual ghost or simply a woman going mad. A young woman goes into labour and is locked into a room, around the village there is a story of a witch, who would buy babies and then kill them.
After the birth Catherine grows more and more frightened, she believes she can see the witch and that she has come for her child.
Like I said, I don’t usually like stories where it could be one or the other. Especially as these are advertised specifically as ghost stories. However, the authors note at the end tipped it for me.
Monster by Elizabeth McNeal - ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Just would have liked a bit more with this one. There was a lot included and nothing really tied up. Victor and his wife Mabel have come to the seaside, in hopes he can make his name and fortune by finding a great discovery.
They are informed that their hotel is haunted by Selkies - seals who can transform into women.
Victor does find his ‘monster’ in the end. But at what cost? And he soon finds himself falling ill and unstable. I just would have liked more
A Study in Black and White by Bridget Collins - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
A creepy story about a man who rents a large old house. A chess set inside seems to move by itself, and he feels like there is something or someone watching him.
Full of foreboding, this story covered a lot in a short space of time.
Thwaite’s Tenant by Imogen Hermes Gowar - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Loved this one! Wasn’t sure about the main character to begin with but she found her strength. Lucinda and her son Stanley move into the old Thwaite house, fleeing her abusive husband.
The Thwaite house has its own history. Emily Thwaite apparently fled her own husband, and the house is haunted by him. But maybe Emily hasn’t left either.
Another spooky one with a great story.
The Eel Singers by Natasha Pulley - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thaniel, Mori and Six decide to take a trip away from London. Mori is clairvoyant, and he only knows of one place where his mind is quieted. Once they arrive though, Thaniel feels an awful sense of foreboding. The locals seem creepy, always staring and singing or humming this strange song.
Again, a lot packed into a short story and I enjoyed how it panned out and how it ended.
Lily Wilt by Jess Kidd - ⭐️⭐️⭐️
This one was just weird. A photographer called Pemble is asked to photograph a dead girl by her family to preserve her beauty. He becomes obsessed with this ethereal and almost supernatural beauty. He starts to see her ghost in his own home, she asks him to bring her back to life by any means necessary.
We don’t really know how, only that he manages it but she isn’t quite the way he pictured her.
I guess they weren’t all going to be my cup of tea 🤷♀️
The Chillingham Chair by Laura Purcell - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I’m a big Laura Purcell fan and this story didn’t let me down! Evelyn is visiting Chilligham House, where her younger sister is marrying Victor Chillingham. On arrival she suffers a terrible fall from a horse, Victor kindly offers her the use of a wheelchair, used when his father was ill.
But we soon find that the chair has a mind of its own, but just what is its purpose? What happened to Old Chillingham and Victor’s younger brother? How trustworthy is Victor really? A gripping short story with a satisfyingly scary end.
The Hanging of the Greens by Andrew Michael Hurley - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
A story within a story. David is telling his friend Ed a story of something that happened to him as a younger man. Working as a pastor, running a club as it were, for people who are struggling. One man comes to the session - Joe Gull. Joe is a recovering alcoholic and wants David’s help to approach a couple who took care of him at his worst, but who Joe inevitably let down. He wants to apologise before time runs out.
What David discovers at Salter Farm is equally enthralling and disturbing, involving a local cult, taking advantage of those weaker than them.
Confinement by Kiran Millwood Hargrave - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I wasn’t sure about this one at first. It leaves you wondering whether it’s an actual ghost or simply a woman going mad. A young woman goes into labour and is locked into a room, around the village there is a story of a witch, who would buy babies and then kill them.
After the birth Catherine grows more and more frightened, she believes she can see the witch and that she has come for her child.
Like I said, I don’t usually like stories where it could be one or the other. Especially as these are advertised specifically as ghost stories. However, the authors note at the end tipped it for me.
Monster by Elizabeth McNeal - ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Just would have liked a bit more with this one. There was a lot included and nothing really tied up. Victor and his wife Mabel have come to the seaside, in hopes he can make his name and fortune by finding a great discovery.
They are informed that their hotel is haunted by Selkies - seals who can transform into women.
Victor does find his ‘monster’ in the end. But at what cost? And he soon finds himself falling ill and unstable. I just would have liked more
September 5, 2023
I am a sucker for a gothic ghost story and these were written by some of my favorite authors. The best one I thought, no surprise, was written by Laura Purcell. "The Chillingham Chair" proves her skill at giving inanimate objects life and therefore terror.
The other two favorites were: "Thwaite's Tenant" and "The Eel Singers". "Thwaite's Tenant reminded me of Henry James crossed with Roald Dahl. It tells the story of a young married woman who endures abuse from her husband and father and a male ghost in turn, but manages to stand up for herself in the end.
The "Eel Singers" is weird and wonderful and creepy in equal measure. Two Londoners and their adopted daughter from the workhouse decide to take a break from the loud Christmas revels and rest in the country. They come upon some nasty, country folk.
The other two favorites were: "Thwaite's Tenant" and "The Eel Singers". "Thwaite's Tenant reminded me of Henry James crossed with Roald Dahl. It tells the story of a young married woman who endures abuse from her husband and father and a male ghost in turn, but manages to stand up for herself in the end.
The "Eel Singers" is weird and wonderful and creepy in equal measure. Two Londoners and their adopted daughter from the workhouse decide to take a break from the loud Christmas revels and rest in the country. They come upon some nasty, country folk.
November 6, 2021
A wonderful, atmospheric, clever collection of ghost stories. I absolutely loved this. It was the right level of spooky and fun for me, without being too chilling.
November 8, 2021
A Study in Black and White - 3 stars. Suitably atmospheric and mildly intriguing, the main character is cold and mean, which goes against the built up tension. I would have liked this to be a little longer, if only to get more history of the house, however I liked the inclusion of chess.
Thwaite's Tenant - 3 stars. Another story etched in atmosphere, twinning cold wintery nights with an ominous house. Again, I wasn't keen on the unpleasant characters and thought the overall malevolence a little lacking. I liked the overall idea though.
The Eel Singers - 3 stars. I'm seeing a pattern emerging. My understanding is that this features characters from Natasha Pulley's earlier work, and there's a lot of backstory alluded to here with some really interesting individuals - especially Six. That said, the story is incredibly slow paced given its length. In fact it's only really the last 20 pages that kicked this up a gear. I liked the creepy inhabitants, but there just wasn't enough of them, or any resolution to the story to keep me satisfied.
Lily Wilt - 3.5 stars. An infatuated photographer brings a beautiful dead girl back to life, with some unpleasant consequences. This has been the most engaging story I've read so far, but also the one with the most plot holes. Lily is certainly mysterious, but I don't think that's such a good thing. We know nothing of her life, or the cause of her death.
The Chillingham Chair - 4 stars. A haunted wheelchair and a family with lots of secrets. Immediately creepy, the characters are all highly entertaining and the plot is fast paced and intriguing. It ends pretty abruptly however, and it's all a bit obvious but so far this is the saving grace of this anthology. Laura Purcell really thrives on making inanimate objects terrifying.
The Hanging of the Greens - 3 stars. A man comes to a church meeting seeking forgiveness, and leaves a lasting impression on a parishioner. I liked the set up for this one, it's very Christmassy and frosty. You can almost smell the resin on the wreaths. However the plot feels very disjointed and doesn't really make much sense.
Confinement - 3.5 stars. A mother in her childbirth confinement is subjected to a haunting from an evil entity. This story made me feel very anxious and unsettled, and it strikes the balance between uncertainty and reality really well. I liked the additional author note too, which added depth to the story. However I found it all a little bit too rushed.
Monster - 2 stars. A man sets out to make a geological discovery that will overshadow his brother's success. I'm still a little confused by the concept of this, and I think the story itself tries to be several things all at once and not really succeeding at any of them. There's a few too many sexual references that feel out of place too.
Thwaite's Tenant - 3 stars. Another story etched in atmosphere, twinning cold wintery nights with an ominous house. Again, I wasn't keen on the unpleasant characters and thought the overall malevolence a little lacking. I liked the overall idea though.
The Eel Singers - 3 stars. I'm seeing a pattern emerging. My understanding is that this features characters from Natasha Pulley's earlier work, and there's a lot of backstory alluded to here with some really interesting individuals - especially Six. That said, the story is incredibly slow paced given its length. In fact it's only really the last 20 pages that kicked this up a gear. I liked the creepy inhabitants, but there just wasn't enough of them, or any resolution to the story to keep me satisfied.
Lily Wilt - 3.5 stars. An infatuated photographer brings a beautiful dead girl back to life, with some unpleasant consequences. This has been the most engaging story I've read so far, but also the one with the most plot holes. Lily is certainly mysterious, but I don't think that's such a good thing. We know nothing of her life, or the cause of her death.
The Chillingham Chair - 4 stars. A haunted wheelchair and a family with lots of secrets. Immediately creepy, the characters are all highly entertaining and the plot is fast paced and intriguing. It ends pretty abruptly however, and it's all a bit obvious but so far this is the saving grace of this anthology. Laura Purcell really thrives on making inanimate objects terrifying.
The Hanging of the Greens - 3 stars. A man comes to a church meeting seeking forgiveness, and leaves a lasting impression on a parishioner. I liked the set up for this one, it's very Christmassy and frosty. You can almost smell the resin on the wreaths. However the plot feels very disjointed and doesn't really make much sense.
Confinement - 3.5 stars. A mother in her childbirth confinement is subjected to a haunting from an evil entity. This story made me feel very anxious and unsettled, and it strikes the balance between uncertainty and reality really well. I liked the additional author note too, which added depth to the story. However I found it all a little bit too rushed.
Monster - 2 stars. A man sets out to make a geological discovery that will overshadow his brother's success. I'm still a little confused by the concept of this, and I think the story itself tries to be several things all at once and not really succeeding at any of them. There's a few too many sexual references that feel out of place too.
October 30, 2021
I can’t resist a ghost story anthology, and The Haunting Season looked set to be a sterling addition to the genre. Inspired by the tradition of telling spooky tales in wintertime, it features contributions from eight well-known authors, promising to ‘bring this time-honoured tradition to vivid life in a spellbinding collection of new and original haunted tales’.
It’s an odd collection, really. All but one of the authors are women, and most of them have chosen to write historical tales with a feminist message. Since so few authentic Victorian ghost stories deal with the experiences of women, it’s an obvious angle. But too many of them are extremely similar; the premises of three of the stories are practically identical. They don’t have anything particularly interesting to say, either. Ghost stories by women of that era were, in fact, far more innovative than the pastiches presented here (just look at Vernon Lee’s work, for example).
Perhaps unfortunately, this ends up meaning that the story written by the sole male contributor, Andrew Michael Hurley, is miles ahead of any of the others, because it’s the only one that a) opts for anything other than a Victorian (or thereabouts) setting, and b) does anything truly surprising. I enjoyed the contributions from Elizabeth Macneal, Natasha Pulley, Laura Purcell and Bridget Collins too, but I’d expected a lot more variation in terms of settings and styles.
What I think this book needed was either a stronger editorial steer, or for the brief to be more specific – four, perhaps five of the stories could be described as reimaginings of traditional 19th-century ghost stories with a feminist angle, so why not make the whole anthology about that? Personally, I wish there had been a few more modern stories and original ideas in the mix.
---
‘A Study in Black and White’ is the first thing I’ve read by Bridget Collins, and it makes for an impressive opening to the book. While cycling through an unfamiliar village, an entitled man becomes fascinated by a beautiful house surrounded with chess-inspired topiary. Against the advice of the locals, he impulsively decides to rent it, a decision he soon comes to regret. The plot doesn’t do anything surprising, but a cosy seasonal ghost story doesn’t have to, and this one succeeds at capturing the essence of a classic spooky wintertime tale.
I loved Imogen Hermes Gowar’s contribution to the Audible anthology Homeless Bodies, so I was looking forward to her story, ‘Thwaite’s Tenant’. Having fled their former home in disgrace, a woman and her young son are installed in a disagreeable house belonging to her father, where they soon intuit a ghostly presence. Good in parts, but lacking in subtlety; I ran out of patience with the narrator quickly, and I’m also not a huge fan of ghost stories that try to push a ‘message’ too hard.
Natasha Pulley’s story, ‘The Eel Singers’, features characters from her novels The Watchmaker of Filigree Street and The Lost Future of Pepperharrow. This makes it feel a bit awkward at the beginning, as the first few pages have a lot of work to do in establishing the characters and their relationships. After that, though, it’s remarkably effective. An unorthodox trio of friends take a holiday in the Fens, where they meet a group of unnerving locals who are less benign than they first appear. Charming and atmospheric.
‘Lily Wilt’ by Jess Kidd: a photographer is sent to capture the image of a corpse, falls in love with the dead girl and sets about trying to bring her back to life. I’m afraid I really disliked this: it was too silly for me, and too knowing, and written in an annoying childish style. But this is an anthology, and it’s unlikely every story in it is going to work for every reader.
‘The Chillingham Chair’ by Laura Purcell is an enjoyable slice of gothic silliness in which a young woman breaks her foot and, recuperating in the home of her former suitor, finds herself confined to a haunted wheelchair. Similar in both ideas and execution to ‘Thwaite’s Tenant’, but more successful.
‘The Hanging of the Greens’ by Andrew Michael Hurley: YES!! This is what I came here for! The narrator’s tale is about something in his past he has never been able to forget, from a time when he was young and passionately devout. It’s a story about a broken alcoholic, the family who take him in, and how that relationship sours. It contains a wonderfully cinematic sequence in which our protagonist is shown a sequence of events he cannot change. Not only is Hurley’s story by far the best in the book, it is also an excellent distillation of the themes ever-present in his work: religion, insular communities, tradition, folklore. (It made me want to revisit his best book, Devil’s Day, which I did immediately after finishing this.)
In ‘Confinement’ by Kiran Millwood Hargrave, a new mother becomes convinced a witch is trying to steal her baby. While it has its striking moments, this is the third story of just eight in the book that a) is set in the Victorian era in Britain, b) is about an upper-class woman with staff, and c) involves her being somehow confined after an incident that restricts her options for freedom. There’s no editor credited for this book and I can’t help thinking it might have turned out better if the authors had been steered in slightly different directions from one another.
Elizabeth Macneal’s cleverly titled ‘Monster’ is yet another Victorian story, but a creative one, and ends the book on a high note. Having been a high achiever as a child, Victor’s adult life has been a disappointment. On a trip to a seaside town with his wife, he’s convinced he can turn things around by discovering a ‘monster’, a new fossil. Macneal paints a fantastic picture of her unpleasant protagonist, and it’s deliciously enjoyable to watch his dreams gradually turn sour.
I received an advance review copy of The Haunting Season from the publisher through Edelweiss.
TinyLetter | Linktree
It’s an odd collection, really. All but one of the authors are women, and most of them have chosen to write historical tales with a feminist message. Since so few authentic Victorian ghost stories deal with the experiences of women, it’s an obvious angle. But too many of them are extremely similar; the premises of three of the stories are practically identical. They don’t have anything particularly interesting to say, either. Ghost stories by women of that era were, in fact, far more innovative than the pastiches presented here (just look at Vernon Lee’s work, for example).
Perhaps unfortunately, this ends up meaning that the story written by the sole male contributor, Andrew Michael Hurley, is miles ahead of any of the others, because it’s the only one that a) opts for anything other than a Victorian (or thereabouts) setting, and b) does anything truly surprising. I enjoyed the contributions from Elizabeth Macneal, Natasha Pulley, Laura Purcell and Bridget Collins too, but I’d expected a lot more variation in terms of settings and styles.
What I think this book needed was either a stronger editorial steer, or for the brief to be more specific – four, perhaps five of the stories could be described as reimaginings of traditional 19th-century ghost stories with a feminist angle, so why not make the whole anthology about that? Personally, I wish there had been a few more modern stories and original ideas in the mix.
---
‘A Study in Black and White’ is the first thing I’ve read by Bridget Collins, and it makes for an impressive opening to the book. While cycling through an unfamiliar village, an entitled man becomes fascinated by a beautiful house surrounded with chess-inspired topiary. Against the advice of the locals, he impulsively decides to rent it, a decision he soon comes to regret. The plot doesn’t do anything surprising, but a cosy seasonal ghost story doesn’t have to, and this one succeeds at capturing the essence of a classic spooky wintertime tale.
I loved Imogen Hermes Gowar’s contribution to the Audible anthology Homeless Bodies, so I was looking forward to her story, ‘Thwaite’s Tenant’. Having fled their former home in disgrace, a woman and her young son are installed in a disagreeable house belonging to her father, where they soon intuit a ghostly presence. Good in parts, but lacking in subtlety; I ran out of patience with the narrator quickly, and I’m also not a huge fan of ghost stories that try to push a ‘message’ too hard.
Natasha Pulley’s story, ‘The Eel Singers’, features characters from her novels The Watchmaker of Filigree Street and The Lost Future of Pepperharrow. This makes it feel a bit awkward at the beginning, as the first few pages have a lot of work to do in establishing the characters and their relationships. After that, though, it’s remarkably effective. An unorthodox trio of friends take a holiday in the Fens, where they meet a group of unnerving locals who are less benign than they first appear. Charming and atmospheric.
‘Lily Wilt’ by Jess Kidd: a photographer is sent to capture the image of a corpse, falls in love with the dead girl and sets about trying to bring her back to life. I’m afraid I really disliked this: it was too silly for me, and too knowing, and written in an annoying childish style. But this is an anthology, and it’s unlikely every story in it is going to work for every reader.
‘The Chillingham Chair’ by Laura Purcell is an enjoyable slice of gothic silliness in which a young woman breaks her foot and, recuperating in the home of her former suitor, finds herself confined to a haunted wheelchair. Similar in both ideas and execution to ‘Thwaite’s Tenant’, but more successful.
‘The Hanging of the Greens’ by Andrew Michael Hurley: YES!! This is what I came here for! The narrator’s tale is about something in his past he has never been able to forget, from a time when he was young and passionately devout. It’s a story about a broken alcoholic, the family who take him in, and how that relationship sours. It contains a wonderfully cinematic sequence in which our protagonist is shown a sequence of events he cannot change. Not only is Hurley’s story by far the best in the book, it is also an excellent distillation of the themes ever-present in his work: religion, insular communities, tradition, folklore. (It made me want to revisit his best book, Devil’s Day, which I did immediately after finishing this.)
In ‘Confinement’ by Kiran Millwood Hargrave, a new mother becomes convinced a witch is trying to steal her baby. While it has its striking moments, this is the third story of just eight in the book that a) is set in the Victorian era in Britain, b) is about an upper-class woman with staff, and c) involves her being somehow confined after an incident that restricts her options for freedom. There’s no editor credited for this book and I can’t help thinking it might have turned out better if the authors had been steered in slightly different directions from one another.
Elizabeth Macneal’s cleverly titled ‘Monster’ is yet another Victorian story, but a creative one, and ends the book on a high note. Having been a high achiever as a child, Victor’s adult life has been a disappointment. On a trip to a seaside town with his wife, he’s convinced he can turn things around by discovering a ‘monster’, a new fossil. Macneal paints a fantastic picture of her unpleasant protagonist, and it’s deliciously enjoyable to watch his dreams gradually turn sour.
I received an advance review copy of The Haunting Season from the publisher through Edelweiss.
TinyLetter | Linktree
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October 18, 2022I especially enjoyed Laura Purcell’s “The Chillingham Chair,” and Imogen Hermes Gowar’s “Thwaite’s Tenant.”
December 29, 2023
THE HAUNTING SEASON is a mishmash of spooky winter/holiday stories. The collection was good overall, with a few hits and a couple of misses —
• A Study in Black and White by Bridget Collins: 4 Stars (creepy chess house)
• Thwaite's Tenant by Imogen Hermes Gowar: 4 Stars (young mother on the run)
• The Eel Singers Natasha Pulley: 2 Stars (wut?)
• Lily Wilt by Jess Kidd: 3.5 Stars (photographer falls for a dead woman)
• The Chillingham Chair by Laura Purcell: 4.25 Stars (haunted wheelchair)
• The Hanging of the Greens by Andrew Michael Hurley: 3 Stars (wreaths bring up bad memories)
• Confinement by Kiran Millwood Hargrave: 3 Stars (woman in confinement stalked by evil)
• Monster by Elizabeth Macneal: 2 Stars (again, wut?)
Laura Purcell's The Chillingham Chair was my favorite! Abrupt ending, but suspenseful & rather creepy. A Study in Black and White was probably second. I loved the chess theme and the overall creepy gothic atmosphere. ♥
• A Study in Black and White by Bridget Collins: 4 Stars (creepy chess house)
• Thwaite's Tenant by Imogen Hermes Gowar: 4 Stars (young mother on the run)
• The Eel Singers Natasha Pulley: 2 Stars (wut?)
• Lily Wilt by Jess Kidd: 3.5 Stars (photographer falls for a dead woman)
• The Chillingham Chair by Laura Purcell: 4.25 Stars (haunted wheelchair)
• The Hanging of the Greens by Andrew Michael Hurley: 3 Stars (wreaths bring up bad memories)
• Confinement by Kiran Millwood Hargrave: 3 Stars (woman in confinement stalked by evil)
• Monster by Elizabeth Macneal: 2 Stars (again, wut?)
Laura Purcell's The Chillingham Chair was my favorite! Abrupt ending, but suspenseful & rather creepy. A Study in Black and White was probably second. I loved the chess theme and the overall creepy gothic atmosphere. ♥
December 10, 2023
4.5 stars
A collection of 8 ghostly tales, mostly set in the Victorian period. They are all around 30 pages, so can be read in one sitting. I enjoyed every story in this collection and I am looking forward to reading more from some of these authors. I had previously read the folk horror Starve Acre by Andrew Michael Hurley, which I really enjoyed, but the rest of these authors were new to me.
A collection of 8 ghostly tales, mostly set in the Victorian period. They are all around 30 pages, so can be read in one sitting. I enjoyed every story in this collection and I am looking forward to reading more from some of these authors. I had previously read the folk horror Starve Acre by Andrew Michael Hurley, which I really enjoyed, but the rest of these authors were new to me.
January 13, 2024
Eine der besten und schön schaurigsten Kurzgeschichtensammlungen, die ich je gelesen habe 🖤
Am meisten gefallen hat mir Laura Purcells “Chillinghams Rollstuhl”:
“Das Geräusch ließ sie zusammenzucken..
.. Es war ein Sich-Setzen, ein Ausatmen, das Geräusch, das ein Möbel machte, wenn es das Gewicht von jemandem aufnahm… Es kam von dem Stuhl”
Am meisten gefallen hat mir Laura Purcells “Chillinghams Rollstuhl”:
“Das Geräusch ließ sie zusammenzucken..
.. Es war ein Sich-Setzen, ein Ausatmen, das Geräusch, das ein Möbel machte, wenn es das Gewicht von jemandem aufnahm… Es kam von dem Stuhl”
November 3, 2022
I'm too lazy to write a detailed review for each short story so I'm only going to rate them:
A Study in Black and White - Bridget Collins: ☆☆☆
Thwaite's Tenant - Imogen Hermes Gowar: ☆☆☆☆
The Eel Singers - Natasha Pulley: ☆☆
Lily Wilt - Jess Kid: ☆☆
The Chillingham Chair - Laura Purcell: ☆☆☆
The Hanging of the Greens: ☆☆
Confinement - Kiran Millwood Hargrave: ☆☆☆
Monster - Elizabeth Macneal: ☆☆☆☆
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Book #1 of my #NoNewBooksNovember📚 challenge.
Since I bought myself an apartment (construction will finish next year) and need to save some (a lot 😭) money, I'm not allowed to buy any new books this month. I can only read or re-read books that I already own.
Fingers crossed that I'm strong enough to go through with this 😂
A Study in Black and White - Bridget Collins: ☆☆☆
Thwaite's Tenant - Imogen Hermes Gowar: ☆☆☆☆
The Eel Singers - Natasha Pulley: ☆☆
Lily Wilt - Jess Kid: ☆☆
The Chillingham Chair - Laura Purcell: ☆☆☆
The Hanging of the Greens: ☆☆
Confinement - Kiran Millwood Hargrave: ☆☆☆
Monster - Elizabeth Macneal: ☆☆☆☆
----------------------------------
Book #1 of my #NoNewBooksNovember📚 challenge.
Since I bought myself an apartment (construction will finish next year) and need to save some (a lot 😭) money, I'm not allowed to buy any new books this month. I can only read or re-read books that I already own.
Fingers crossed that I'm strong enough to go through with this 😂
October 15, 2022
A collection of eight ghostly tales from modern writers including Natasha Pulley and Laura Purcell. All bar one have chosen to set their tales in the Victorian era, only one (by Andrew Hurley) is set in the recent past/present. They are easy to read and I read this in a few nights.
I found five of the stories pretty run of the mill, but there were three that for me stood out from the rest. A Study in Black and White by Bridget Collins, The Eel Singers by Natasha Pulley and Confinement by Kiran Millwood Hargrave.
Collins sets her tale in an old house with a ridiculously cheap rental (always a sign) and an arrogant protagonist. There is also a chess theme in the background:
“He stared down at the trees, feeling a kind of vertigo that was not quite fear. The unearthly light – the dark shapes against the moon-drenched sky – the clarity of outline, the density of the shadows…He felt the space contract, so that for a sickly second the chess pieces were both huge and small enough to fit in his hand. He shut his eyes, but it made him dizzy and he hastily opened them again. The shadows flickered against the pale glare of the moon, seeming to shift.’’
The Pulley story has characters from her Filigree series, which I don’t know. However it is set in the fens and is suitably eerie and atmospheric with sinister locals, and eels!
The Hargrave story looks at Victorian views about childbirth and examines the nature of post-partum psychosis. It is also based partly on the author’s own experience and on a real life Victorian case. This, for me, was the most telling of the stories.
I’m already having difficulty remembering the others!
I found five of the stories pretty run of the mill, but there were three that for me stood out from the rest. A Study in Black and White by Bridget Collins, The Eel Singers by Natasha Pulley and Confinement by Kiran Millwood Hargrave.
Collins sets her tale in an old house with a ridiculously cheap rental (always a sign) and an arrogant protagonist. There is also a chess theme in the background:
“He stared down at the trees, feeling a kind of vertigo that was not quite fear. The unearthly light – the dark shapes against the moon-drenched sky – the clarity of outline, the density of the shadows…He felt the space contract, so that for a sickly second the chess pieces were both huge and small enough to fit in his hand. He shut his eyes, but it made him dizzy and he hastily opened them again. The shadows flickered against the pale glare of the moon, seeming to shift.’’
The Pulley story has characters from her Filigree series, which I don’t know. However it is set in the fens and is suitably eerie and atmospheric with sinister locals, and eels!
The Hargrave story looks at Victorian views about childbirth and examines the nature of post-partum psychosis. It is also based partly on the author’s own experience and on a real life Victorian case. This, for me, was the most telling of the stories.
I’m already having difficulty remembering the others!
October 21, 2022
Eight creepy stories, five of which I enjoyed, and three I didn't really care for at all. All but one are set in Victorian times but it's the one set in the present day that I enjoyed most, The Hanging of the Greens by Andrew Michael Hurley, a little different from the others.
May 28, 2022
The Haunting Season is a collection of eight ghostly short stories. I have enjoyed most of these stories and I was glad for it as it has been a while since I have enjoyed a short story collection. I do want to suggest that read this at night for a better experience rather than during the day. This entire collection is deliciously chilling.
1. A Study in Black and White by Bridget Collins - 4.5 stars
It was peculiarly quiet.
Morton gets fascinated by a black-and-white house and what's even more fascinating is the house's topiary which consists of chess pieces and incidentally, Morton loves chess. When he finds out that the house is up for rent, Morton decides to rent it and the agent lets him move in straight away making it seem too good to be true. But when chess pieces move on their own, Morton finds out sinister things afoot.
Wow! this story set up the atmosphere nicely. I was apprehensive the entire time and it gave me chills. That end was so good, creepy but good. This was definitely my top favorite story.
2 . Thwaite’s Tenant by Imogen Hermes Gowar - 4.5
Oh, what it is to realise that the only thing worse than there being somebody there is there being nobody there.
After leaving her husband, Lucinda along with her young son, Stanley seeks aid from her father but her father is no different from Lucinda's husband and he thinks that women should be with their husbands, no matter how they are being treated. Lucinda ends up in an old house in the countryside only to find out that the previous inhabitant of the house, Emily Thwaite's situation is quite similar to Lucinda's.
Set up in the Victorian era, this story has a strengthening ending that I loved so much. This is another favorite of mine from the collection.
3. The Eel Singers by Natasha Pulley - 4 stars
Something deep in him recognised the language, though he didn't understand. It sounded ancient.
It's Christmas time so this time around it is especially difficult for Mori since he is a clairvoyant and he longs to go somewhere quiet. So, Thaniel, Mori, and Six decide to take a trip to a town a few hours away from London where it is perfectly quiet for Mori. Thaniel does not like the town or its people who stare at Mori unflinchingly and hum at the same time. The longer they stay there, the more Thaniel hates the town. Would they be able to get away from whatever lurks there?
Another creepy story for the collection. This didn't have a whole lot of answers but worked rather well given the spine-chilling atmosphere this collection has.
4. Lily Wilt by Jess Kidd - 3 stars
Pemble is a memorial photographer and he is known for his first-class portraits taken in all weathers. He captures the essence of the deceased like no other. When he is summoned for Lily Wilt's portrait, he is stunned by her beauty even in death. He becomes obsessed with getting the perfect portrait but when he starts to get visits from Lily Wilt's ghost, things only get more horrifying.
This was an interesting story, to say the least. It is definitely atmospheric but I didn't like it as much as I liked the other stories.
5. The Chillingham Chair by Laura Purcell - 4 stars
There was nothing to do but lie awake and nurse her regrets.
Evelyn is at the Chillingham estate to attend her sister, Susan, and Victor Chillingham's wedding. When she has an accident whilst riding a horse and is confined to a guest house, Evelyn's mother thinks that Evelyn is jealous and regrets refusing Victor's hand in marriage and for a second even Evelyn thinks the same as Victor has been nothing but attentive and kind to Evelyn even when he is about to marry Susan. Could all the talk about Victor Chillingham being a gambler be wrong? When she is seated in Victor's father's wheelchair, some secrets are uncovered but what do they mean for the Chillingham estate, and more importantly what do they mean for Evelyn?
Another story set in the Victorian era that I enjoyed a lot. I think if the ending was different, it would have been a 5-star story for me.
6. The Hanging of the Greens by Andrew Michael Hurley - 3.5 stars
Because it was so still, I could hear voices coming from the trees.
Ed does not like Christmas time and when David asks him why - Ed tells him a story of something that happened to him more than half of his life ago when he was twenty-seven years old. Ed recounts how he was so sure of his path at the parish hall and to help people who needed his help. One such person was Joe Gull who tells him a story about how he is on the brink of death and he wants to do right by the people he's wronged. Ed helps him by writing letters to some people and by visiting some of them. But when he gets to a couple Joe wronged, Ed finds out something that shakes him to his core and shakes all his beliefs too.
This was another cryptic story. It is a story within a story that always chills me and delights me. I had guessed the twist early on. The only thing I didn't like was the ending. I think the ending could have been more developed as Ed never did anything with the information he found out.
7. Confinement by Kiran Millwood Hargrave - 2.75 - 3 stars
I was screaming without a sound, on and on, and at last the scream escaped, shrill and piercing. An unbroken cry. But it was not from my mouth.
Catherine is pregnant and she lives at the Blake Manor with her husband and Mr and Mrs Noakes who look after the Manor and the garden. On a walk to the Church around the Christmas period, she finds out about the white witch who killed children. After Catherine gives birth, she is confined to the carmine room for nine days as is the tradition. In her confinement, she finds out that the white witch is after her new born daughter and Catherine would do anything to protect her daughter.
This is not an easy story to read. Also set in the Victorian era, this story is very unsettling and disturbing. I had guessed the twist in this too. I did like the author's note at the end as it gives a better explanation of the events.
8. Monster by Elizabeth McNeal - 2 stars
Things have a habit of being different from how they appear.
Victor is married to Mabel and he is out to prove himself by unearthing a rare fossil they head to Lyme Regis. By going to Lyme Regis, he is also fulfilling his promise to Mabel. When they get there, the innkeeper says that the hotel is haunted by the selkies. Victor gets engrossed in his work and unearths a complete skeleton of a rare monster but no one is there to celebrate that victory with him as his victory is laced with a young child's death.
This was bad. I mean really bad. It is definitely my least favorite story in the collection. I had a feeling that Victor was being punished for something but I couldn't figure out what for? I thought they would reveal Mabel to be a selkie but was never done. Also, if anyone needed to be punished, it was Mabel. That end was so disappointing.
Overall 4 stars for this collection.
1. A Study in Black and White by Bridget Collins - 4.5 stars
It was peculiarly quiet.
Morton gets fascinated by a black-and-white house and what's even more fascinating is the house's topiary which consists of chess pieces and incidentally, Morton loves chess. When he finds out that the house is up for rent, Morton decides to rent it and the agent lets him move in straight away making it seem too good to be true. But when chess pieces move on their own, Morton finds out sinister things afoot.
Wow! this story set up the atmosphere nicely. I was apprehensive the entire time and it gave me chills. That end was so good, creepy but good. This was definitely my top favorite story.
2 . Thwaite’s Tenant by Imogen Hermes Gowar - 4.5
Oh, what it is to realise that the only thing worse than there being somebody there is there being nobody there.
After leaving her husband, Lucinda along with her young son, Stanley seeks aid from her father but her father is no different from Lucinda's husband and he thinks that women should be with their husbands, no matter how they are being treated. Lucinda ends up in an old house in the countryside only to find out that the previous inhabitant of the house, Emily Thwaite's situation is quite similar to Lucinda's.
Set up in the Victorian era, this story has a strengthening ending that I loved so much. This is another favorite of mine from the collection.
3. The Eel Singers by Natasha Pulley - 4 stars
Something deep in him recognised the language, though he didn't understand. It sounded ancient.
It's Christmas time so this time around it is especially difficult for Mori since he is a clairvoyant and he longs to go somewhere quiet. So, Thaniel, Mori, and Six decide to take a trip to a town a few hours away from London where it is perfectly quiet for Mori. Thaniel does not like the town or its people who stare at Mori unflinchingly and hum at the same time. The longer they stay there, the more Thaniel hates the town. Would they be able to get away from whatever lurks there?
Another creepy story for the collection. This didn't have a whole lot of answers but worked rather well given the spine-chilling atmosphere this collection has.
4. Lily Wilt by Jess Kidd - 3 stars
Pemble is a memorial photographer and he is known for his first-class portraits taken in all weathers. He captures the essence of the deceased like no other. When he is summoned for Lily Wilt's portrait, he is stunned by her beauty even in death. He becomes obsessed with getting the perfect portrait but when he starts to get visits from Lily Wilt's ghost, things only get more horrifying.
This was an interesting story, to say the least. It is definitely atmospheric but I didn't like it as much as I liked the other stories.
5. The Chillingham Chair by Laura Purcell - 4 stars
There was nothing to do but lie awake and nurse her regrets.
Evelyn is at the Chillingham estate to attend her sister, Susan, and Victor Chillingham's wedding. When she has an accident whilst riding a horse and is confined to a guest house, Evelyn's mother thinks that Evelyn is jealous and regrets refusing Victor's hand in marriage and for a second even Evelyn thinks the same as Victor has been nothing but attentive and kind to Evelyn even when he is about to marry Susan. Could all the talk about Victor Chillingham being a gambler be wrong? When she is seated in Victor's father's wheelchair, some secrets are uncovered but what do they mean for the Chillingham estate, and more importantly what do they mean for Evelyn?
Another story set in the Victorian era that I enjoyed a lot. I think if the ending was different, it would have been a 5-star story for me.
6. The Hanging of the Greens by Andrew Michael Hurley - 3.5 stars
Because it was so still, I could hear voices coming from the trees.
Ed does not like Christmas time and when David asks him why - Ed tells him a story of something that happened to him more than half of his life ago when he was twenty-seven years old. Ed recounts how he was so sure of his path at the parish hall and to help people who needed his help. One such person was Joe Gull who tells him a story about how he is on the brink of death and he wants to do right by the people he's wronged. Ed helps him by writing letters to some people and by visiting some of them. But when he gets to a couple Joe wronged, Ed finds out something that shakes him to his core and shakes all his beliefs too.
This was another cryptic story. It is a story within a story that always chills me and delights me. I had guessed the twist early on. The only thing I didn't like was the ending. I think the ending could have been more developed as Ed never did anything with the information he found out.
7. Confinement by Kiran Millwood Hargrave - 2.75 - 3 stars
I was screaming without a sound, on and on, and at last the scream escaped, shrill and piercing. An unbroken cry. But it was not from my mouth.
Catherine is pregnant and she lives at the Blake Manor with her husband and Mr and Mrs Noakes who look after the Manor and the garden. On a walk to the Church around the Christmas period, she finds out about the white witch who killed children. After Catherine gives birth, she is confined to the carmine room for nine days as is the tradition. In her confinement, she finds out that the white witch is after her new born daughter and Catherine would do anything to protect her daughter.
This is not an easy story to read. Also set in the Victorian era, this story is very unsettling and disturbing. I had guessed the twist in this too. I did like the author's note at the end as it gives a better explanation of the events.
8. Monster by Elizabeth McNeal - 2 stars
Things have a habit of being different from how they appear.
Victor is married to Mabel and he is out to prove himself by unearthing a rare fossil they head to Lyme Regis. By going to Lyme Regis, he is also fulfilling his promise to Mabel. When they get there, the innkeeper says that the hotel is haunted by the selkies. Victor gets engrossed in his work and unearths a complete skeleton of a rare monster but no one is there to celebrate that victory with him as his victory is laced with a young child's death.
This was bad. I mean really bad. It is definitely my least favorite story in the collection. I had a feeling that Victor was being punished for something but I couldn't figure out what for? I thought they would reveal Mabel to be a selkie but was never done. Also, if anyone needed to be punished, it was Mabel. That end was so disappointing.
Overall 4 stars for this collection.
Want to read
October 14, 2021Sara Collins, Natasha Pulley, Bridget Collins, Imogen Hermes Gowar, Kiran Millwood Hargrave, Andrew Michael Hurley, Jess Kidd, Elizabeth Macneal, and Laura Purcell all combining for one creepy creation! I feel this book was made especially for me.
October 26, 2021
Absolutely superb! I don’t normally like short stories but all of these are excellent. Haunting, gothic tales that stick with you. These writers are all writing at the top of their game. I want to buy this for everyone!! This might be my favourite book of the year…!
Shelved as 'will-not-read'
August 15, 2021This has an interesting premise, but because Bridget Collins (a known TERF) is involved I won't be reading this.
January 5, 2023
I loved this collection. There was maybe only one weak story for me?!
May 20, 2023
I am a fan of ghost stories, so I was interested in what modern writers would make of the genre.
Curiously, none of the stories takes place in the present-day world as we know it (I mean, with the Internet and cell phones and all that). I wonder why - I don't think there are fewer ghosts now.
Most of the stories take place in this or that version of Victorian England, modified by the author's predilections. For instance, Purcell's story has strong and active female characters, one of them a maid - not at all typical for Victorian lit, but very characteristic of Purcell, as I understand. So I think it's a good way to get to know the authors a bit.
Now for the particulars...
'A Study in Black and White' is a very elegant, atmospheric piece with snow and a creepy chess board (or, I should say, creepy chess boards).
'The Eel Singers' deals with the characters from The Watchmaker of Filigree Street, so the story is a bit confusing at first to those who haven't read the novel. However, I found it delightfully memorable, - with quirky humour in the footnotes, a device I love dearly.
'The Chillingham Chair' is interesting in that it has plenty of literary allusions (various parts of it reminded me of Austen and Dickens and Polidori). Like in The Silent Companions, something that can arguably be called 'furniture' is very active, and .
'Lily Wilt' is a kind of black comedy; not the typical ghost story, but curious enough.
'Thwaite's Tenant' and 'Monster' deal with gender-based violence more than with ghosts.
'The Hanging of the Greens' uses the device I hate most, i. e., the dog . It was creepy at times, but mostly revolting.
'Confinement'. I was reading this story in a hospital and the story mentions blood endlessly, - it influenced my aversion to it. But also it's about a really cruel and ugly witch - obviously, I am not a fan of this kind of misrepresentation. (It surprised me in a book I would otherwise call pro-woman). Again, the 'good' woman is treated here in a cruelly restrictive manner, which was painful to read about - not at all an enjoyable read for me.
But an interesting experience overall. They're making a comeback next year: The Winter Spirits: Twelve Ghostly Tales for Festive Nights (I am not sure I want to read it, although I probably will in the end).
Curiously, none of the stories takes place in the present-day world as we know it (I mean, with the Internet and cell phones and all that). I wonder why - I don't think there are fewer ghosts now.
Most of the stories take place in this or that version of Victorian England, modified by the author's predilections. For instance, Purcell's story has strong and active female characters, one of them a maid - not at all typical for Victorian lit, but very characteristic of Purcell, as I understand. So I think it's a good way to get to know the authors a bit.
Now for the particulars...
'A Study in Black and White' is a very elegant, atmospheric piece with snow and a creepy chess board (or, I should say, creepy chess boards).
'The Eel Singers' deals with the characters from The Watchmaker of Filigree Street, so the story is a bit confusing at first to those who haven't read the novel. However, I found it delightfully memorable, - with quirky humour in the footnotes, a device I love dearly.
'The Chillingham Chair' is interesting in that it has plenty of literary allusions (various parts of it reminded me of Austen and Dickens and Polidori). Like in The Silent Companions, something that can arguably be called 'furniture' is very active, and .
'Lily Wilt' is a kind of black comedy; not the typical ghost story, but curious enough.
'Thwaite's Tenant' and 'Monster' deal with gender-based violence more than with ghosts.
'The Hanging of the Greens' uses the device I hate most, i. e., the dog . It was creepy at times, but mostly revolting.
'Confinement'. I was reading this story in a hospital and the story mentions blood endlessly, - it influenced my aversion to it. But also it's about a really cruel and ugly witch - obviously, I am not a fan of this kind of misrepresentation. (It surprised me in a book I would otherwise call pro-woman). Again, the 'good' woman is treated here in a cruelly restrictive manner, which was painful to read about - not at all an enjoyable read for me.
But an interesting experience overall. They're making a comeback next year: The Winter Spirits: Twelve Ghostly Tales for Festive Nights (I am not sure I want to read it, although I probably will in the end).
March 5, 2023
3'5✨
Estaba yo un día de enero (antes de Reyes) con ganas de comprarme un libro del que no hubiera escuchado nada y que me llamara la atención al verlo... ¡y así fue como compré esta antología! (y como empecé a comprarme un libro al mes).
Me llamó porque es cortito (256 páginas) con diferentes relatos (8) y no una novela en sí, por la portada y por la sensación de lectura envolvente de manta y chimenea (técnicamente no lo leí en ese ambiente pero bueno, la sensación estaba ahí).
Los ocho relatos , como el título indica, tienen que ver con apariciones, fantasmas, eventos paranormales... A mí no me han suscitado nada de terror más allá del misterio que hay a lo largo del libro. La verdad es que en casi todos los relatos la atmósfera está muy bien conseguida. No os voy a hablar detalladamente de cada relato, pero sí os voy a contar por encima mis sensaciones.
Mi relato favorito ha sido el segundo, "El inquilino de la casa Thwaite". Me ha gustado mucho el mensaje que deja y cómo consigue meterte tanto en la historia.
De mis menos favoritos, "Las anguilas cantoras" resalta: para mí fue una narración bastante liosa y por ello no conseguía meterme en la historia, la estaba leyendo más como espectador que experimentándola.
Todos los relatos, y eso no lo sabía, están relacionados con la Navidad o estos días festivos. Y la verdad es que resulta algo bastante fresco un libro fechado en esta época con una trama tan singular.
Me gustó también ver que no todos los fantasmas/espíritus son malos. Es una recopilación que invita a pensar así mismo y que no os dejará indiferentes.
Estaba yo un día de enero (antes de Reyes) con ganas de comprarme un libro del que no hubiera escuchado nada y que me llamara la atención al verlo... ¡y así fue como compré esta antología! (y como empecé a comprarme un libro al mes).
Me llamó porque es cortito (256 páginas) con diferentes relatos (8) y no una novela en sí, por la portada y por la sensación de lectura envolvente de manta y chimenea (técnicamente no lo leí en ese ambiente pero bueno, la sensación estaba ahí).
Los ocho relatos , como el título indica, tienen que ver con apariciones, fantasmas, eventos paranormales... A mí no me han suscitado nada de terror más allá del misterio que hay a lo largo del libro. La verdad es que en casi todos los relatos la atmósfera está muy bien conseguida. No os voy a hablar detalladamente de cada relato, pero sí os voy a contar por encima mis sensaciones.
Mi relato favorito ha sido el segundo, "El inquilino de la casa Thwaite". Me ha gustado mucho el mensaje que deja y cómo consigue meterte tanto en la historia.
De mis menos favoritos, "Las anguilas cantoras" resalta: para mí fue una narración bastante liosa y por ello no conseguía meterme en la historia, la estaba leyendo más como espectador que experimentándola.
Todos los relatos, y eso no lo sabía, están relacionados con la Navidad o estos días festivos. Y la verdad es que resulta algo bastante fresco un libro fechado en esta época con una trama tan singular.
Me gustó también ver que no todos los fantasmas/espíritus son malos. Es una recopilación que invita a pensar así mismo y que no os dejará indiferentes.
February 2, 2022
I don’t usually reach for short stories, but after Katie at Books and Things on YouTube raved about this collection of spooky shorts, I decided to try it. I’m glad I did!
With one exception, I liked or loved every one of these stories. It’s hard to go wrong with creepy old houses, the British countryside, and a collection of authors who’ve recently come out with books such as The Mermaid and Mrs. Hancock, The Binding and Things in Jars.
I enjoyed this book so much that it sent me on a hunt to find more of the same. I had no idea there were so many collections of ghost/creepy stories out there. Check my short story shelves to see just a few. One of the things I really appreciated about this collection is that some of the authors were unfamiliar to me. So I found more new (to me) wonderful British authors, all of whom are great, whose writing I need to track down and devour.
My library system didn’t have the audio version for this, although Audible does have it. The clip sounded good, but as this was a fairly short book, I decided to read the print version, and enjoy that glorious new book smell.
Seems like a pretty good day for this reader 😊
I hope you enjoy this as well!
With one exception, I liked or loved every one of these stories. It’s hard to go wrong with creepy old houses, the British countryside, and a collection of authors who’ve recently come out with books such as The Mermaid and Mrs. Hancock, The Binding and Things in Jars.
I enjoyed this book so much that it sent me on a hunt to find more of the same. I had no idea there were so many collections of ghost/creepy stories out there. Check my short story shelves to see just a few. One of the things I really appreciated about this collection is that some of the authors were unfamiliar to me. So I found more new (to me) wonderful British authors, all of whom are great, whose writing I need to track down and devour.
My library system didn’t have the audio version for this, although Audible does have it. The clip sounded good, but as this was a fairly short book, I decided to read the print version, and enjoy that glorious new book smell.
Seems like a pretty good day for this reader 😊
I hope you enjoy this as well!
January 19, 2024
"Ungeheuer" von Elizabeth Macneal ist die letzte der viktorianischen Schauergeschichten.
Der überehrgeizige, narzisstische Protagonist, ein Archäologe hofft kurz nach seiner Hochzeit (1838) bei einer Reise ans Meer einen Fund zu machen, mit dem er Weltruhm erlangen kann.
Da durch den Erdrutsch, durch den er den bedeutenden Fund macht, ein kleiner Junge zu Tode kommt, entwickelt sich aus seinem Fieber eine Psychose, durch die er letztlich in den Tod getrieben wird.
Vor dem unsympathischen Protagonisten, der seine Frau missbraucht und keinerlei Empathie für seine Mitmenschen hat, gruselte es mich, aber die Handlung war wirr und sprunghaft, der Stil gefiel mir auch nicht.
Die Autorin hat eine gute Idee verschenkt.
Leider nur 2 Sterne für "Ungeheuer" von mir.
Insgesamt gebe ich den abwechslungsreichen viktorianischen Schauergeschichten 4 Sterne.
Der überehrgeizige, narzisstische Protagonist, ein Archäologe hofft kurz nach seiner Hochzeit (1838) bei einer Reise ans Meer einen Fund zu machen, mit dem er Weltruhm erlangen kann.
Da durch den Erdrutsch, durch den er den bedeutenden Fund macht, ein kleiner Junge zu Tode kommt, entwickelt sich aus seinem Fieber eine Psychose, durch die er letztlich in den Tod getrieben wird.
Vor dem unsympathischen Protagonisten, der seine Frau missbraucht und keinerlei Empathie für seine Mitmenschen hat, gruselte es mich, aber die Handlung war wirr und sprunghaft, der Stil gefiel mir auch nicht.
Die Autorin hat eine gute Idee verschenkt.
Leider nur 2 Sterne für "Ungeheuer" von mir.
Insgesamt gebe ich den abwechslungsreichen viktorianischen Schauergeschichten 4 Sterne.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 9, 2024
3.5***
Subtitle: Eight Ghostly Tales for Long Winter Nights
The stories (and their authors) in this collection are:
A Study in Black and White by Bridget Collins
Thwaite’s Tenant by Imogen Hermes Gowar
The Eel Singers by Natasha Pulley
Lily Wilt by Jess Kidd
The Chillingham Chair by Laura Purcell
The Hanging of the Greens by Andrew Michael Hurley
Confinement by Kiran Millwood Hargrave
Monster by Elizabeth Macneal
I enjoy short stories. I marvel at how much a talented author can cram into them. No wasted words. No over-the-top exposition. No cast of thousands. In this case they are, as the title hints, “haunting” tales featuring ghosts, monsters, witches, evil spirits and spooky locations. I particularly liked A Study in Black and White, The Chillingham Chair and Confinement.
All are set during winter months, with several being set around Christmas. But there is no holiday cheer here. They are Spooky with a capital ‘S’!
Subtitle: Eight Ghostly Tales for Long Winter Nights
The stories (and their authors) in this collection are:
A Study in Black and White by Bridget Collins
Thwaite’s Tenant by Imogen Hermes Gowar
The Eel Singers by Natasha Pulley
Lily Wilt by Jess Kidd
The Chillingham Chair by Laura Purcell
The Hanging of the Greens by Andrew Michael Hurley
Confinement by Kiran Millwood Hargrave
Monster by Elizabeth Macneal
I enjoy short stories. I marvel at how much a talented author can cram into them. No wasted words. No over-the-top exposition. No cast of thousands. In this case they are, as the title hints, “haunting” tales featuring ghosts, monsters, witches, evil spirits and spooky locations. I particularly liked A Study in Black and White, The Chillingham Chair and Confinement.
All are set during winter months, with several being set around Christmas. But there is no holiday cheer here. They are Spooky with a capital ‘S’!
Read
May 3, 2021I was going to read this, but I'm gonna give it a miss. I just read the full list of contributors, and one of the authors in this anthology is a known TERF. Her work is on my personal blacklist, so I won't be buying or borrowing this one.
I'm sure the stories will be good, and I'd read them if they were available independent of this anthology, so I could just skip over the one written by the TERF. But they're not, so I'm electing to miss out instead.
In light of the fact that I won't read the book, I'm withholding a rating.
I'm sure the stories will be good, and I'd read them if they were available independent of this anthology, so I could just skip over the one written by the TERF. But they're not, so I'm electing to miss out instead.
In light of the fact that I won't read the book, I'm withholding a rating.
November 9, 2023
Ocho cuentos sobre fantasmas o situaciones paranormales. Los cuentos y su respectiva valoración, son las siguientes:
Estudio en blanco y negro de Bridget Collins. Nos muestra la historia de Morton, un hombre que atraído por una casa llena de misterios y rumores, con topiarios que recuerdan las fichas de ajedrez, decide pasar unos días en la vivienda para comprobar los secretos que esconden sus muros… Me dio vibras de Dickens, tiene buen ritmo y me ha gustado bastante. 5/5
El inquilino de la casa Thwaite de Imogen Hermes Gowar. Lucinda y su pequeño hijo Stanley, huyen de un esposo maltratador para refugiarse en la casa Thwaite, allí comienza a escuchar pasos y luego objetos caerse, para descubrir que se trata de fantasmas que intentan comunicarse con ella. Estuvo interesante y causa cierta tensión. 4/5
Las anguilas cantoras de Natasha Pulley. Es una historia navideña en donde conoceremos a Thaniel, a una chica llamada Seis y a Mori, quien es clarividente. Fue un relato demasiado raro, pasan muchas cosas y realmente no entendí de qué iba el cuento. Siento que la traducción influyó bastante y de ahí que no entendiera nada de lo que pasaba. 3/5
Lily Wilt de Jess Kidd. Esta es la historia de Walter Pemble, un joven que es contratado para retratar el cadáver de Lily Wilt, mientras se conoce el pasado de los personajes, el fantasma de Lily se aparece ante el fotógrafo pidiéndole ayuda para volver a la vida y él hará lo posible para cumplirle, pues está sumamente enamorado. Trama entretenida, buen ritmo, me gustó bastante. 4,5/5
La silla Chillingham de Laura Purcell. Evelyn ha sufrido un accidente y se ha roto un pie, situación que la deja inmovilizada y preciso ha sido para la boda de su hermana. El señor Chillingham decide regalarle una silla de ruedas para que no esté postrada en cama y este aparato traeré consecuencias sobrenaturales para Evelyn. Muy interesante y con un ritmo que va aumentando con las
páginas. 5/5
Colgando las guirnaldas de Andrew Michael Hurley. Esta es la historia de Edward Clarke, un hombre que aborrece la navidad y sus decoraciones, la razón se esconde en el momento en que conoce a Joe Gull. La premisa es interesante, pero un tanto confusa, la parte sobrenatural no logré hallarla. 3/5
Confinamiento de Kiran Millwood Hargrave. Catherine Blake es una mujer que ha quedado en embarazo y debe permanecer en confinamiento, al igual que su hija, durante varios días, mientras se cura de las secuelas que dejó su parto. Allí teme que una mujer, señalada de ser una bruja, se lleve a su hija recién nacida. Un relato claustrofóbico y con mucha tensión. 5/5
Monstruo de Elizabeth Mcneal. Aquí conoceremos a Victor, un paleontólogo que busca hacer el mayor hallazgo de su vida, sin embargo, algunos sucesos extraños se cruzan en medio de su travesía. Un relato extraño e inquietante, pero que se deja leer. 4/5
En términos generales ha sido un gran descubrimiento, hay que admitir que es una gran compilación de relatos cuyo eje radica en los fantasmas o situaciones paranormales.
Lo he manifestado con anterioridad y el descubrir antologías, sobre todo si es de diversos autores, permite conocer diversas plumas y hacer un balance o contraste entre cada uno, obviamente, sin desacreditar el trabajo de cada uno. Es claro que, al ser textos tan diferentes, habrá algunos que no lleguen a gustar por determinada razón, cada quien tiene sus gustos y preferencias. De cualquier forma, como mencioné fue una bonita lectura, hubo varios que me dieron vibras dickensnianas, sobre todo el primer cuento, ya que de ahí decidí continuar la lectura.
Que lea a diversos autores en otras obras, no lo veo como posible, ya que tengo prioridad en otras lecturas y, aunque fue una experiencia entretenida y que desconocía a todos los autores, tal vez en el futuro me decida a seguirlos leyendo, por el momento no lo haré.
Recomiendo leer esta antología en diciembre, pues una gran mayoría de cuentos tienen elementos navideños y haría más placentera la lectura, acompañada de una manta y una taza de chocolate caliente.
Estudio en blanco y negro de Bridget Collins. Nos muestra la historia de Morton, un hombre que atraído por una casa llena de misterios y rumores, con topiarios que recuerdan las fichas de ajedrez, decide pasar unos días en la vivienda para comprobar los secretos que esconden sus muros… Me dio vibras de Dickens, tiene buen ritmo y me ha gustado bastante. 5/5
El inquilino de la casa Thwaite de Imogen Hermes Gowar. Lucinda y su pequeño hijo Stanley, huyen de un esposo maltratador para refugiarse en la casa Thwaite, allí comienza a escuchar pasos y luego objetos caerse, para descubrir que se trata de fantasmas que intentan comunicarse con ella. Estuvo interesante y causa cierta tensión. 4/5
Las anguilas cantoras de Natasha Pulley. Es una historia navideña en donde conoceremos a Thaniel, a una chica llamada Seis y a Mori, quien es clarividente. Fue un relato demasiado raro, pasan muchas cosas y realmente no entendí de qué iba el cuento. Siento que la traducción influyó bastante y de ahí que no entendiera nada de lo que pasaba. 3/5
Lily Wilt de Jess Kidd. Esta es la historia de Walter Pemble, un joven que es contratado para retratar el cadáver de Lily Wilt, mientras se conoce el pasado de los personajes, el fantasma de Lily se aparece ante el fotógrafo pidiéndole ayuda para volver a la vida y él hará lo posible para cumplirle, pues está sumamente enamorado. Trama entretenida, buen ritmo, me gustó bastante. 4,5/5
La silla Chillingham de Laura Purcell. Evelyn ha sufrido un accidente y se ha roto un pie, situación que la deja inmovilizada y preciso ha sido para la boda de su hermana. El señor Chillingham decide regalarle una silla de ruedas para que no esté postrada en cama y este aparato traeré consecuencias sobrenaturales para Evelyn. Muy interesante y con un ritmo que va aumentando con las
páginas. 5/5
Colgando las guirnaldas de Andrew Michael Hurley. Esta es la historia de Edward Clarke, un hombre que aborrece la navidad y sus decoraciones, la razón se esconde en el momento en que conoce a Joe Gull. La premisa es interesante, pero un tanto confusa, la parte sobrenatural no logré hallarla. 3/5
Confinamiento de Kiran Millwood Hargrave. Catherine Blake es una mujer que ha quedado en embarazo y debe permanecer en confinamiento, al igual que su hija, durante varios días, mientras se cura de las secuelas que dejó su parto. Allí teme que una mujer, señalada de ser una bruja, se lleve a su hija recién nacida. Un relato claustrofóbico y con mucha tensión. 5/5
Monstruo de Elizabeth Mcneal. Aquí conoceremos a Victor, un paleontólogo que busca hacer el mayor hallazgo de su vida, sin embargo, algunos sucesos extraños se cruzan en medio de su travesía. Un relato extraño e inquietante, pero que se deja leer. 4/5
En términos generales ha sido un gran descubrimiento, hay que admitir que es una gran compilación de relatos cuyo eje radica en los fantasmas o situaciones paranormales.
Lo he manifestado con anterioridad y el descubrir antologías, sobre todo si es de diversos autores, permite conocer diversas plumas y hacer un balance o contraste entre cada uno, obviamente, sin desacreditar el trabajo de cada uno. Es claro que, al ser textos tan diferentes, habrá algunos que no lleguen a gustar por determinada razón, cada quien tiene sus gustos y preferencias. De cualquier forma, como mencioné fue una bonita lectura, hubo varios que me dieron vibras dickensnianas, sobre todo el primer cuento, ya que de ahí decidí continuar la lectura.
Que lea a diversos autores en otras obras, no lo veo como posible, ya que tengo prioridad en otras lecturas y, aunque fue una experiencia entretenida y que desconocía a todos los autores, tal vez en el futuro me decida a seguirlos leyendo, por el momento no lo haré.
Recomiendo leer esta antología en diciembre, pues una gran mayoría de cuentos tienen elementos navideños y haría más placentera la lectura, acompañada de una manta y una taza de chocolate caliente.
April 6, 2024
"The Haunting Season" is an anthology collection with some great short stories involving paranormal stuff and weird creepy settings. It's great to read it if you want to experience winter cozy vibes and some of the stories are set during or near Christmastime. Some stories are really atmospheric. The first one is “A Study in Black and White” by Bridget Collins. It's a haunted house tale set with a dark and dreadful eeriness. The protagonist named Morton decides to move into a creepy house almost within minutes of first seeing it. He is struck by its garden shaped figures resembling chess pieces. Once inside, he gets caught into what it seems to be a chess set that seems to be playing a game by itself. The next story is "Thwaite’s Tenant” by Imogen Hermes Gowar. This story is a tragic one, narrating the real-life horror of domestic violence and how a mother feels trapped between two evil forces, her husband and her father, and there are also paranomal or supernatural developments along the way. Another great one is “Lily Wilt” by Jess Kidd, in which we encounter a funeral photographer falling for one of his deceased subjects and trying to bring her back to life, oh creepy shit!. The best is “The Chillingham Chair” by Laura Purcell, from whom I already read "The silent companions". Purcell knows how to write a good ghost story with lots of gothic vibes. This one is about a Victorian wheelchair inhabited by the ghost of the old man who used to own it before the main protagonist finds herself with no other choice than to use it after a bad horseback riding accident left her with an injured foot, with a very shocking ending. “Confinement” by Kiran Millwood Hargrave reminded me of "The Push" but set in Victorian times. The last story, “Monster” by Elizabeth Macneal, is about an ambitious explorer who will stop at nothing in order to gain fame and fortune after finding some unique fossils, he thinks these are dino's fossils, but are they though? I really enjoyed 5 out of the 8 stories, and I also discovered some writers I've had under my radar for a while. Recommended. Individual ratings:
"A Study in Black and White" 4.5 🌟
"Thwaite's Tenant" 4.5 🌟
"The Eel Singers" 3 🌟
"Lily Wilt" 4.5 🌟
"The Chillingham Chair" 5 🌟
"The hanging of the greens" 3 🌟
"Confinement" 3.5 🌟
"Monster" 4 🌟
"A Study in Black and White" 4.5 🌟
"Thwaite's Tenant" 4.5 🌟
"The Eel Singers" 3 🌟
"Lily Wilt" 4.5 🌟
"The Chillingham Chair" 5 🌟
"The hanging of the greens" 3 🌟
"Confinement" 3.5 🌟
"Monster" 4 🌟
October 19, 2023
One of the best collections of stories I’ve ever read. It gives a special feeling of comfort, autumn, gloomy days, enchanted magic and fabulous places.
Perfect for spooky season.
Perfect for spooky season.
December 29, 2021
La maggior parte dei racconti sono molto carini, anche se alcuni racconti non sono ambientati a Natale. Personalmente trovo che sia piacevole, molto più di quanto mi aspettassi
October 9, 2023
2,5/5
Jestem dosyć rozczarowana, bo po „opowiadaniach z dreszczykiem” spodziewałam się jakichkolwiek emocji, a o ile te opowiadania były okej, to absolutnie nic ponad to i absolutnie bez dreszczyku.
Jestem dosyć rozczarowana, bo po „opowiadaniach z dreszczykiem” spodziewałam się jakichkolwiek emocji, a o ile te opowiadania były okej, to absolutnie nic ponad to i absolutnie bez dreszczyku.
December 27, 2022
Raccolta di racconti che mi aveva catturata fin da subito per il suo theme (che è stato ovviamente copiato), Natale con i fantasmi si rivela un buon romanzo con cui trascorrere le oscure notti invernali. Sebbene lo spirito natalizio si percepisca assai poco (se non del tutto assente in alcuni), di spiriti ce ne sono fin troppi: alcuni amichevoli, altri un po’ meno e altri fin troppo appiccicosi.
Altra piccola curiosità è il fatto che, bene o male, conosco tutti gli autori che hanno collaborato a questo progetto. Alcuni devo ancora affrontarli come Natasha Pulley il che mi fa domandare se abbia fatto bene a leggere subito il suo racconto, dato che è riferito ad altre opere che devo approfondire.
Misteri. Lo scoprirò quando arriverà il momento.
Nonostante la mancanza di vibes festosi, questa raccolta compensa con altro: le novelle saranno sì oscure e pesanti, ma trasmettono un senso di soffocamento e tensione fin troppo logorante per essere ignorato. In particolare: L’inquilina di casa Thwaite, La sedia di Chillingham, i Sempreverde di Natale e Isolamento. Il primo e l’ultimo che ho citato sono a mio avviso una spanna sopra agli altri. Non solo descrivono della condizione della donna e della violenza domestica, ma sono stati davvero un boccone amaro da mandare giù.
Forse non sarà la lettura natalizia che molti si aspettavano, ma come raccolta l’ho trovata del tutto piacevole e ben elaborata. I racconti sono tutti intriganti nel loro piccolo e si nota la bravura dei loro autori. Ideale se volete qualcosa di dark.
Ma veniamo ai vari racconti.
Uno studio in bianco e nero: 3
Interessante per l’ambientazione e i riferimenti al mondo degli scacchi. L’idea della casa appartenuta a un grande maestro con tutti i dettagli del caso ha reso questo racconto particolare, ma la narrazione è stata piuttosto prevedibile, così come il finale. Carino, ma come prima novella poteva essere meglio.
L'inquilina di casa Thwaite: 5
Il racconto che più mi ha fatto soffrire. L’idea della protagonista che cerca di scappare dal marito violento ma che viene allontanata e ostacolata dalla sua famiglia è già di per sé crudele, ma ciò che scopre nella vecchia casa di famiglia e le intenzioni del padre sono molto peggio. Ottimo il modo in cui è stato descritto il rapporto tra lei e il figlio piccolo e delle difficoltà della maternità. Inoltre, questo racconto è stata una finestra sulla mentalità dell’epoca riguardo i doveri della donna nel matrimonio e di come non era considerata un individuo capace di decidere per sé. Aggiungiamoci anche che il padre era proprio come il marito con i suoi precedenti e… lo schifo.
Il finale non è così prevedibile come sembra e questo racconto fa un buon uso dell’elemento sovrannaturale. Davvero ottimo, per quanto pesante.
I cantori delle anguille: 3.5
Le atmosfere e la trama di questa novella sono particolari e misteriose, tuttavia… Ho un dubbio amletico. Come dicevo, i personaggi sono presi da un’altra storia dell’autrice e, per quanto abbia adorato le loro dinamiche e la loro “famiglia”, non sono riuscita a capirli del tutto. Così come molti dettagli della vicenda mi sono sembrati confusi e abbozzati. Credo sia palese che il motivo di ciò sia perché non ho letto la loro opera di riferimento, ma rimane comunque un peccato. Qualche spiegazione in più avrebbe certamente avvicinato i lettori che ancora non si sono approcciati al mondo creato dall’autrice e a mio avviso è stata una possibilità mancata. Nel complesso si è rivelata una lettura gradevole, sebbene viscida e agghiacciante con sta storia dell’acqua e le anguille, ma avrei preferito qualcosa in più.
Lily Wilt. Ovvero, del giglio appassito: 3.5
Una sorta di Frankenstein moderno che come l’opera originale non finisce bene.
L’idea di base era funzionale e interessante, ma man mano che procedevo con la lettura ero perlopiù annoiata dall’ossessione del protagonista verso Lily. La governante però… lei sì che era un personaggio di tutto rispetto.
Carino, ma non spicca.
La sedia di Chillingham: 4
Dalle vibes alla Hitchcock alla sedia posseduta, questo racconto mischia l’horror al thriller in modo intrigante. L’idea della sorella costretta a letto a causa di un incidente che grazie a un aiutante d’eccezione si rende conto che il suo ex e prossimo marito della sorella nasconde un segreto assai oscuro è stata coinvolgente da leggere. La narrazione ha un buon ritmo e i colpi di scena non mancano. Avrei voluto qualche plot twist più conturbante, ma nel suo piccolo è stata ben scritta.
Sempreverdi di Natale: 3.5
Hurley ha sempre avuto uno stile particolare e questo racconto non fa che ricordarlo. Nonostante la narrazione sia caotica e a volte confusa, l’idea di base è davvero originale e la fine… inquietante. L’utilizzo di personaggi grigi e flashback, oltre che di problemi reali come l’alcolismo, ha reso il tutto plausibile quanto realistico. Certo, setta a parte.
Se la storia fosse stata più lineare, l’avrei apprezzata di più.
Isolamento: 5
Come per “L'inquilina di casa Thwaite”, questo racconto è stato un boccone amaro per la condizione della donna e di come la madre in questione venga isolata peggiorando così la sua sanità mentale già fragile per la gravidanza. Il senso di solitudine e smarrimento traspira bene tra le pagine, così come la comprensione inquietante che un’entità oscura stia attentando alla vita della figlia appena nata. Il testo non specifica se l’entità è reale o se sia solo una metafora per la depressione post partum, ma il tutto funziona fin troppo bene. Ottime vibes, nonostante il messaggio inquietante.
Mostro: 4
Racconto adatto per chi adora la paleontologia o Mary Anning. L’ossessione del protagonista nel ritrovare un “mostro” sconosciuto alla scienza e nominarlo come tributo alla fresca mogliettina è il fulcro della vicenda. Tuttavia, man mano che il tempo trascorre e il ritrovamento avviene, distinguere chi dei due è il vero “mostro” non è poi così semplice. Tra perdite improvvise, legami spezzati e la caduta nella pazzia, questa storia ci ricorda di fare attenzione a ciò che si desidera. Interessante e storicamente accattivante.
Altra piccola curiosità è il fatto che, bene o male, conosco tutti gli autori che hanno collaborato a questo progetto. Alcuni devo ancora affrontarli come Natasha Pulley il che mi fa domandare se abbia fatto bene a leggere subito il suo racconto, dato che è riferito ad altre opere che devo approfondire.
Misteri. Lo scoprirò quando arriverà il momento.
Nonostante la mancanza di vibes festosi, questa raccolta compensa con altro: le novelle saranno sì oscure e pesanti, ma trasmettono un senso di soffocamento e tensione fin troppo logorante per essere ignorato. In particolare: L’inquilina di casa Thwaite, La sedia di Chillingham, i Sempreverde di Natale e Isolamento. Il primo e l’ultimo che ho citato sono a mio avviso una spanna sopra agli altri. Non solo descrivono della condizione della donna e della violenza domestica, ma sono stati davvero un boccone amaro da mandare giù.
Forse non sarà la lettura natalizia che molti si aspettavano, ma come raccolta l’ho trovata del tutto piacevole e ben elaborata. I racconti sono tutti intriganti nel loro piccolo e si nota la bravura dei loro autori. Ideale se volete qualcosa di dark.
Ma veniamo ai vari racconti.
Uno studio in bianco e nero: 3
Interessante per l’ambientazione e i riferimenti al mondo degli scacchi. L’idea della casa appartenuta a un grande maestro con tutti i dettagli del caso ha reso questo racconto particolare, ma la narrazione è stata piuttosto prevedibile, così come il finale. Carino, ma come prima novella poteva essere meglio.
L'inquilina di casa Thwaite: 5
Il racconto che più mi ha fatto soffrire. L’idea della protagonista che cerca di scappare dal marito violento ma che viene allontanata e ostacolata dalla sua famiglia è già di per sé crudele, ma ciò che scopre nella vecchia casa di famiglia e le intenzioni del padre sono molto peggio. Ottimo il modo in cui è stato descritto il rapporto tra lei e il figlio piccolo e delle difficoltà della maternità. Inoltre, questo racconto è stata una finestra sulla mentalità dell’epoca riguardo i doveri della donna nel matrimonio e di come non era considerata un individuo capace di decidere per sé. Aggiungiamoci anche che il padre era proprio come il marito con i suoi precedenti e… lo schifo.
Il finale non è così prevedibile come sembra e questo racconto fa un buon uso dell’elemento sovrannaturale. Davvero ottimo, per quanto pesante.
I cantori delle anguille: 3.5
Le atmosfere e la trama di questa novella sono particolari e misteriose, tuttavia… Ho un dubbio amletico. Come dicevo, i personaggi sono presi da un’altra storia dell’autrice e, per quanto abbia adorato le loro dinamiche e la loro “famiglia”, non sono riuscita a capirli del tutto. Così come molti dettagli della vicenda mi sono sembrati confusi e abbozzati. Credo sia palese che il motivo di ciò sia perché non ho letto la loro opera di riferimento, ma rimane comunque un peccato. Qualche spiegazione in più avrebbe certamente avvicinato i lettori che ancora non si sono approcciati al mondo creato dall’autrice e a mio avviso è stata una possibilità mancata. Nel complesso si è rivelata una lettura gradevole, sebbene viscida e agghiacciante con sta storia dell’acqua e le anguille, ma avrei preferito qualcosa in più.
Lily Wilt. Ovvero, del giglio appassito: 3.5
Una sorta di Frankenstein moderno che come l’opera originale non finisce bene.
L’idea di base era funzionale e interessante, ma man mano che procedevo con la lettura ero perlopiù annoiata dall’ossessione del protagonista verso Lily. La governante però… lei sì che era un personaggio di tutto rispetto.
Carino, ma non spicca.
La sedia di Chillingham: 4
Dalle vibes alla Hitchcock alla sedia posseduta, questo racconto mischia l’horror al thriller in modo intrigante. L’idea della sorella costretta a letto a causa di un incidente che grazie a un aiutante d’eccezione si rende conto che il suo ex e prossimo marito della sorella nasconde un segreto assai oscuro è stata coinvolgente da leggere. La narrazione ha un buon ritmo e i colpi di scena non mancano. Avrei voluto qualche plot twist più conturbante, ma nel suo piccolo è stata ben scritta.
Sempreverdi di Natale: 3.5
Hurley ha sempre avuto uno stile particolare e questo racconto non fa che ricordarlo. Nonostante la narrazione sia caotica e a volte confusa, l’idea di base è davvero originale e la fine… inquietante. L’utilizzo di personaggi grigi e flashback, oltre che di problemi reali come l’alcolismo, ha reso il tutto plausibile quanto realistico. Certo, setta a parte.
Se la storia fosse stata più lineare, l’avrei apprezzata di più.
Isolamento: 5
Come per “L'inquilina di casa Thwaite”, questo racconto è stato un boccone amaro per la condizione della donna e di come la madre in questione venga isolata peggiorando così la sua sanità mentale già fragile per la gravidanza. Il senso di solitudine e smarrimento traspira bene tra le pagine, così come la comprensione inquietante che un’entità oscura stia attentando alla vita della figlia appena nata. Il testo non specifica se l’entità è reale o se sia solo una metafora per la depressione post partum, ma il tutto funziona fin troppo bene. Ottime vibes, nonostante il messaggio inquietante.
Mostro: 4
Racconto adatto per chi adora la paleontologia o Mary Anning. L’ossessione del protagonista nel ritrovare un “mostro” sconosciuto alla scienza e nominarlo come tributo alla fresca mogliettina è il fulcro della vicenda. Tuttavia, man mano che il tempo trascorre e il ritrovamento avviene, distinguere chi dei due è il vero “mostro” non è poi così semplice. Tra perdite improvvise, legami spezzati e la caduta nella pazzia, questa storia ci ricorda di fare attenzione a ciò che si desidera. Interessante e storicamente accattivante.
March 17, 2022
I've never been a big fan of short stories, but this is probably my favourite collection I've read. It's high on the creep factor, properly spooky with all the eerie vibes. This was exactly what I was hoping it would be.
Overall The Haunting Season is an easy 4 stars, and I rated each individual story as follows:
A Study In Black and White - Bridget Collins ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Thwaite's Tenant - Imogen Hermes Gowar ⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Eel Singers - Natasha Pulley ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Lily Wilt - Jess Kidd ⭐⭐⭐
The Chillingham Chair - Laura Purcell ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Hanging of The Greens - Andrew Michael Hurley ⭐⭐⭐
Confinement - Kiran Millwood Hargrave ⭐⭐
Monster - Elizabeth Macneal ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Overall The Haunting Season is an easy 4 stars, and I rated each individual story as follows:
A Study In Black and White - Bridget Collins ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Thwaite's Tenant - Imogen Hermes Gowar ⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Eel Singers - Natasha Pulley ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Lily Wilt - Jess Kidd ⭐⭐⭐
The Chillingham Chair - Laura Purcell ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Hanging of The Greens - Andrew Michael Hurley ⭐⭐⭐
Confinement - Kiran Millwood Hargrave ⭐⭐
Monster - Elizabeth Macneal ⭐⭐⭐⭐
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