hdbblog's review against another edition
4.0
I'm rather in love with Craven Place. Although it took the story a little bit to pull me in, it wasn't long before I was caught up in Richard Wright's web. This book isn't as straightforward as you might think it would be. The twists come out of nowhere and that, more than anything, is what kept me reading on. I remember Richard Wright telling me that he believed this to be a very "British" sort of book, and I'm inclined to agree.
The setting, a crumbling cottage in a desolate clearing, really sets the atmosphere. I felt the evil brewing within the walls of the house from page one. What's interesting is that I wasn't certain what timeline Wright's story takes place in. Tanith and Nicholas have a very old world feel to them, while the other characters feel like they fit more in current times. It makes for a story that feels broad, and allows you to sink into it. You might not believe the ghost story, but you'll still want to know what happens next.
More than anything what I want to share is how this isn't your normal ghost story. Part horror, part thriller and part mystery, it's almost in a genre all it's own. I don't want to spoil anything, trust me. Part of the joy of Craven Place is letting it unfold and lead you where it may. I have a feeling some readers might not like the change in pace throughout, but I for one thought it made for an intriguing read. To me, ghost stories don't always have logical endings. This is no exception.
If you're a lover of cozy mysteries, or ghostly tales, it's likely you'll enjoy Craven Place. As I said, it takes a bit for things to pick up. Once they do, it's hard not to keep reading on. I was a fan of Richard Wright's first novel, which was completely different than this. I'm a fan of this one too. Any author that can take their writing across genres and still shine is a winner in my book. More please.
The setting, a crumbling cottage in a desolate clearing, really sets the atmosphere. I felt the evil brewing within the walls of the house from page one. What's interesting is that I wasn't certain what timeline Wright's story takes place in. Tanith and Nicholas have a very old world feel to them, while the other characters feel like they fit more in current times. It makes for a story that feels broad, and allows you to sink into it. You might not believe the ghost story, but you'll still want to know what happens next.
More than anything what I want to share is how this isn't your normal ghost story. Part horror, part thriller and part mystery, it's almost in a genre all it's own. I don't want to spoil anything, trust me. Part of the joy of Craven Place is letting it unfold and lead you where it may. I have a feeling some readers might not like the change in pace throughout, but I for one thought it made for an intriguing read. To me, ghost stories don't always have logical endings. This is no exception.
If you're a lover of cozy mysteries, or ghostly tales, it's likely you'll enjoy Craven Place. As I said, it takes a bit for things to pick up. Once they do, it's hard not to keep reading on. I was a fan of Richard Wright's first novel, which was completely different than this. I'm a fan of this one too. Any author that can take their writing across genres and still shine is a winner in my book. More please.
festivefun's review against another edition
5.0
A compelling tale.
I was fully immersed in the unfolding story at Craven Place. Many questions remain, but good books do that to you.
I was fully immersed in the unfolding story at Craven Place. Many questions remain, but good books do that to you.
philippurserhallard's review
5.0
As a fan of Richard Wright’s short stories, who found his apocalyptic horror The Kingdom Come frankly hard to stomach, I’d unhesitatingly recommend this to anyone who, like me, can be a bit daintier in their taste for the horrific. (Full disclosure: Richard and I share a publisher, Obverse Books, and a story by him appears in my own anthology [b:More Tales of the City|18044282|More Tales of the City (The City of the Saved, #2)|Philip Purser-Hallard|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1370559736s/18044282.jpg|25322059].)
It’s a magnificent ghost story in the gothic tradition, complete with nested narratives, a febrile female protagonist and a building which embodies the terror. For three-quarters of its length it works excellently on exactly those terms, but at that point a plot twist appears which twists the whole book into a different genre entirely, and elevates it into a realm of high cleverness. (This wouldn't work, though, if those three-quarters weren't a fine ghost story in their own right.)
The author’s mastery of prose – often in the service of effects which might otherwise seem cheap or clichéd – creates an immediacy, even an urgency which makes this a difficult book to stop reading.
It’s a magnificent ghost story in the gothic tradition, complete with nested narratives, a febrile female protagonist and a building which embodies the terror. For three-quarters of its length it works excellently on exactly those terms, but at that point a plot twist appears which twists the whole book into a different genre entirely, and elevates it into a realm of high cleverness. (This wouldn't work, though, if those three-quarters weren't a fine ghost story in their own right.)
The author’s mastery of prose – often in the service of effects which might otherwise seem cheap or clichéd – creates an immediacy, even an urgency which makes this a difficult book to stop reading.
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