mike_brough's review against another edition
2.0
A curiously unsatisfactory offering from Mr Tallis.
A couple of past-their-prime celebrities (a composer and a super-model) move into a new house which, as is usual in this type of story, has its secrets. The author pays lip service to a number of genre tropes - a mechanical musical monkey, an overgrown garden, a possibly psychic acquaintance, the baking summer of '76 - but really doesn't make the most of them, doesn't weave them together into a coherent whole.
It has its opportunities, little detours and half-developed scenes, but they're allowed to flutter away and the story as a whole never really takes off. The book trundles on to its half-expected ending with no real scares or even any sense of unease in return for the reader's effort.
The main problem is that none of the main characters is especially sympathetic or intriguing. There's a slightly unexpected reversal thirty or forty pages from the end that has a critical impact on all of the main characters but it's almost glossed over. And, to be honest, I didn't really care.
A more skilled writer could make more of this thin gruel, making something more than the sum of its parts, but Tallis struggles a little.
I hate posting a negative review - I've had this book on my Amazon wishlist since it came out in 2014 - and it's really not a bad book but it just doesn't engage.
A couple of past-their-prime celebrities (a composer and a super-model) move into a new house which, as is usual in this type of story, has its secrets. The author pays lip service to a number of genre tropes - a mechanical musical monkey, an overgrown garden, a possibly psychic acquaintance, the baking summer of '76 - but really doesn't make the most of them, doesn't weave them together into a coherent whole.
It has its opportunities, little detours and half-developed scenes, but they're allowed to flutter away and the story as a whole never really takes off. The book trundles on to its half-expected ending with no real scares or even any sense of unease in return for the reader's effort.
The main problem is that none of the main characters is especially sympathetic or intriguing. There's a slightly unexpected reversal thirty or forty pages from the end that has a critical impact on all of the main characters but it's almost glossed over. And, to be honest, I didn't really care.
A more skilled writer could make more of this thin gruel, making something more than the sum of its parts, but Tallis struggles a little.
I hate posting a negative review - I've had this book on my Amazon wishlist since it came out in 2014 - and it's really not a bad book but it just doesn't engage.
wombat_88's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
sh233405's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
3.0
frombethanysbookshelf's review against another edition
3.0
I've tried to decide how I feel about this book but I still can't seem to formulate a solid opinion on it. I loved the idea behind the story, the suspense was built exceptionally well and it does make you want to read on, but it was also very lacklustre in many parts of the story and completely lost momentum.
The Voices is set in the summer of 1976, which is brilliant for already making an uncomfortable atmosphere, if not a little overdone. Christopher, a genius musician and his wife Laura move into a haunted house (Convention of the genre, I suppose!) with their young daughter, Faye. Strange things start happening, the classic monkey-playing-the-cymbal, the strange noises, and ethereal voices appearing on recordings. Chris thinks these strange sounds will be excellent to compose with, but Laura feels that it's something a lot more sinister. She keeps losing sight of Faye, until she ultimately disappears. Trying to find the secrets that their new home holds, Laura slowly realises that there are things out of their control and understanding unfolding around them. Their marriage splinters, irreparable damage coming in between them as Christopher seeks out the voices that are slowly tearing Laura apart.
After slowly losing her mind, (with underlying issues that are not addressed in the story) Laura finds that Faye is dead - and has been for some time - and been left out in the overgrown horror of their garden.
The story has a bit too much of the classic-horror conventions for me, the footsteps, the knocking, the old Victorian house - but these conventions also leave a building feeling of tension throughout the book. It's slow-moving, and when looking back on the story, not a lot happens - but it's a quiet, atmospheric horror that works quite well. For the most part, I felt the couple were a bit flat, but as we go on to explore the strain in their relationship we get plenty of insights into mind-set of Laura and Chris, and how dynamics can change violently during such a strain.
The conclusion, whilst I'd already suspected that Faye would not be coming home, was still very well written enough to give me Goosebumps, quite a few tears - and a lot of questions! Whilst it's clear Faye was taken as a part of a revenge-fuelled plot, there are still so many questions that I need answered,
All in all, it's a very tense read but in part I couldn't get past some of the conventions and the lack of substance to the novel. It was a good story, so if you like haunted house stories it's worth a read.
3.5/5
The Voices is set in the summer of 1976, which is brilliant for already making an uncomfortable atmosphere, if not a little overdone. Christopher, a genius musician and his wife Laura move into a haunted house (Convention of the genre, I suppose!) with their young daughter, Faye. Strange things start happening, the classic monkey-playing-the-cymbal, the strange noises, and ethereal voices appearing on recordings. Chris thinks these strange sounds will be excellent to compose with, but Laura feels that it's something a lot more sinister. She keeps losing sight of Faye, until she ultimately disappears. Trying to find the secrets that their new home holds, Laura slowly realises that there are things out of their control and understanding unfolding around them. Their marriage splinters, irreparable damage coming in between them as Christopher seeks out the voices that are slowly tearing Laura apart.
After slowly losing her mind, (with underlying issues that are not addressed in the story) Laura finds that Faye is dead - and has been for some time - and been left out in the overgrown horror of their garden.
The story has a bit too much of the classic-horror conventions for me, the footsteps, the knocking, the old Victorian house - but these conventions also leave a building feeling of tension throughout the book. It's slow-moving, and when looking back on the story, not a lot happens - but it's a quiet, atmospheric horror that works quite well. For the most part, I felt the couple were a bit flat, but as we go on to explore the strain in their relationship we get plenty of insights into mind-set of Laura and Chris, and how dynamics can change violently during such a strain.
The conclusion, whilst I'd already suspected that Faye would not be coming home, was still very well written enough to give me Goosebumps, quite a few tears - and a lot of questions! Whilst it's clear Faye was taken as a part of a revenge-fuelled plot, there are still so many questions that I need answered,
All in all, it's a very tense read but in part I couldn't get past some of the conventions and the lack of substance to the novel. It was a good story, so if you like haunted house stories it's worth a read.
3.5/5
lsm's review against another edition
1.0
Read Harder Challenge #4 - A book published by and indie press
Umm, I really anted to LOVE my independent press choice but.. well, I didn't like this one much. I think there was only one decent person in the whole book. I slogged through it to leaner what happens in the end and HATED the ending. I was looking for a solid horror read but got an annoying and depressing mess.
Umm, I really anted to LOVE my independent press choice but.. well, I didn't like this one much. I think there was only one decent person in the whole book. I slogged through it to leaner what happens in the end and HATED the ending. I was looking for a solid horror read but got an annoying and depressing mess.
trishwils's review against another edition
2.0
Underwhelming. I only finished it to see if the reason for the haunting would finally be revealed.
jaclynday's review against another edition
3.0
Not sure where I read about this book, but it’s a little outside my normal box and I thought, “What the hell? Let’s try a horror story.” The problem is that I’ve seen this story before. In many, many different horror movies. A couple moves into an old Victorian home (yep), begins to hear weird sounds (of course), and there’s an old monkey toy that has cymbals in its paws (sure). It’s a conglomeration of at least 4 different horror movies I’ve already seen and there was no real suspense in the story for me. There were perhaps two genuinely chilling moments and the rest of the time, I wondered when Jamie Lee Curtis would appear, tearing through the house in a chambray shirt.
hamandaj's review against another edition
2.0
I really did not care at all for the characters. I had no emotional attachment to any of them but I was interested enough in the story to finish it. It was decent.
steph1rothwell's review against another edition
3.0
The Voices wasn't like I expected it to be. Whilst the scary parts of the book were scary, there wasn't enough of them. I found most of the story concentrated on the relationships between the four main characters. None of who were particularly likeable.
I felt that there was no closure at the end, maybe there are plans for a follow on book.
Thanks to the publisher and the author for the copy via netgalley
I felt that there was no closure at the end, maybe there are plans for a follow on book.
Thanks to the publisher and the author for the copy via netgalley
traviscommeau's review against another edition
2.0
Meh. 2.5 really - not bad but I wouldn’t revisit.