mferrante83's review against another edition
5.0
Jack Durkin has inherited the job of clearing Lorne Field from his father, who in turn inherited it from his father, who in turn inherited it from his father, and so on and son going back 300 years. You see the weeds of Lorne Field aren’t just any weeds but maelvelont, intelligent, vicious creatures that if left to grow will destroy the world in days. Or so Durkin believes much to the chagrin of his wife and children who endure his claims that he is saving the world every day, while being forced to live in near poverty since the caretaker’s stipend isn’t what it used to be.
The oscillation between doubt and certainty plays a very large role in The Caretaker of Lorne Field; particularly when it comes to the reader’s own involvement in the story. The narrative perspective of the novel is fixed firmly in the third person limited split infrequently between two characters: Durkin and his wife. Durkin’s certainty feels so rock solid from the start of the novel it is only due to the additional perspective from his wife that doubt even begins to creep in. That doubt occurs over a slow and subtle creep that is both thrilling and terrifying. Zelstermann’s lavish attention on Durkin’s characterization and our limited view of characters outside of that perspective puts the reader’s judgment into question right alongside Durkin’s. Complicating matters is that the event that causes the most doubt occurs off screen during one of Zelsterman’s brief excursions to a new character.
The Caretaker of Lorne Field works well as horror on multiple levels. On the one hand watching not just a man’s life, but a centuries old legacy, torn apart is absolutely tragic and quite terrifying on its own. Add in the potential threat of horrid monsters that will rip apart the world as a result and you get quite caught hoping on the one hand that Durkin is as mad as everyone thinks he is, fearing that he isn’t, and sometimes echoing Durkin’s own hopes that the vicious weeds of Lorne’s Field will show the world that he really is its saviour. Zelsterman’s writing, while not diverging into outright laugh out loud humor, invests Durkin with a crotchety old man vibe that certainly adds a gentle element of black humor to the proceedings particular in Durkin’s interactions with his wife.
The Caretaker of Lorne Field also serves quite well as a somewhat cogent commentary on the modern world. The mocking tolerance of the town towards Durkin’s work serves quite well as a metaphor for the marginalization of the elderly in our own society while their doubt as to the truth behind his work serves well as a commentary on the loss of wonder and mystery that seems to be one of the hallmarks of the modern world. That last bit is can be particularly cogent in a young lawyer’s desire to commercialize the legend of Lorne Field, a lawyer who uses Salem as his template. What Zelsterman seems to be asking, with a bit of a smile and wink, is “what if?”
While it never achieves an outright air of terror or dread The Caretaker of Lorne Field manages to feel like an extended campfire story or cautionary tale. The eerie and frightening aspects of the novel are woven tightly into the human drama never taking center stage over the trials and tribulations of Jack Durkin. Landing somewhere at the intersection of social commentary, horror, and family drama The Caretaker of Lorne Field is a wholly enjoyable novel that is difficult to put down. If you’re looking for new and interesting fiction to read that is a bit off the beaten path I highly recommend the uniformly excellent The Caretaker of Lorne Field.
The oscillation between doubt and certainty plays a very large role in The Caretaker of Lorne Field; particularly when it comes to the reader’s own involvement in the story. The narrative perspective of the novel is fixed firmly in the third person limited split infrequently between two characters: Durkin and his wife. Durkin’s certainty feels so rock solid from the start of the novel it is only due to the additional perspective from his wife that doubt even begins to creep in. That doubt occurs over a slow and subtle creep that is both thrilling and terrifying. Zelstermann’s lavish attention on Durkin’s characterization and our limited view of characters outside of that perspective puts the reader’s judgment into question right alongside Durkin’s. Complicating matters is that the event that causes the most doubt occurs off screen during one of Zelsterman’s brief excursions to a new character.
The Caretaker of Lorne Field works well as horror on multiple levels. On the one hand watching not just a man’s life, but a centuries old legacy, torn apart is absolutely tragic and quite terrifying on its own. Add in the potential threat of horrid monsters that will rip apart the world as a result and you get quite caught hoping on the one hand that Durkin is as mad as everyone thinks he is, fearing that he isn’t, and sometimes echoing Durkin’s own hopes that the vicious weeds of Lorne’s Field will show the world that he really is its saviour. Zelsterman’s writing, while not diverging into outright laugh out loud humor, invests Durkin with a crotchety old man vibe that certainly adds a gentle element of black humor to the proceedings particular in Durkin’s interactions with his wife.
The Caretaker of Lorne Field also serves quite well as a somewhat cogent commentary on the modern world. The mocking tolerance of the town towards Durkin’s work serves quite well as a metaphor for the marginalization of the elderly in our own society while their doubt as to the truth behind his work serves well as a commentary on the loss of wonder and mystery that seems to be one of the hallmarks of the modern world. That last bit is can be particularly cogent in a young lawyer’s desire to commercialize the legend of Lorne Field, a lawyer who uses Salem as his template. What Zelsterman seems to be asking, with a bit of a smile and wink, is “what if?”
While it never achieves an outright air of terror or dread The Caretaker of Lorne Field manages to feel like an extended campfire story or cautionary tale. The eerie and frightening aspects of the novel are woven tightly into the human drama never taking center stage over the trials and tribulations of Jack Durkin. Landing somewhere at the intersection of social commentary, horror, and family drama The Caretaker of Lorne Field is a wholly enjoyable novel that is difficult to put down. If you’re looking for new and interesting fiction to read that is a bit off the beaten path I highly recommend the uniformly excellent The Caretaker of Lorne Field.
mccleark's review against another edition
4.0
The conundrum that The Caretaker sets up is quite simple: is Durkin correct that the weeds are actually vicious monsters, or has he been brainwashed by his father and grandfather into performing this meaningless task for his whole life? As the book progresses, evidence for both sides of the argument accumulates – both possibilities seem equally likely and equally depressing. Despite its simple plot, I found myself enthralled by The Caretaker. Zeltserman’s writing builds the tension throughout the book until you can’t decide which outcome you’d rather have be true.
It makes perfect sense to set this story in a small New England town steeped in tradition. Having grown up in a town such as this, I can tell you that we have a lot of old traditions that seem to have been around since the beginning of the town. Fireworks not on the Fourth of July, but on the day when the Declaration of Independence reached our town? Check. Brass band that has played at the bandstand every summer night for the past 180 years? Check. Easter Sunrise Service on top of a local hill? Check. While none of our traditions claim to prevent the end of the world, the town could certainly save some money in not following some of these, just like Durkin’s town could save some money by not paying him $8,000 a year and giving him a free house to weed a field. At what point does practicality outweigh tradition?
But the real question that The Caretaker asks is, how far will we go to protect our beliefs? How far will Durkin go to prove that the Aukowies are real, and how far will the Sheriff go to prove they’re not? Is the one who’s right justified in his actions? While the novel may not give us satisfactory answers, it certainly prods the reader to consider these questions. And no matter what your conclusion is, it’s sure to leave you unsettled.
If you liked this review, check out my blog for more!
It makes perfect sense to set this story in a small New England town steeped in tradition. Having grown up in a town such as this, I can tell you that we have a lot of old traditions that seem to have been around since the beginning of the town. Fireworks not on the Fourth of July, but on the day when the Declaration of Independence reached our town? Check. Brass band that has played at the bandstand every summer night for the past 180 years? Check. Easter Sunrise Service on top of a local hill? Check. While none of our traditions claim to prevent the end of the world, the town could certainly save some money in not following some of these, just like Durkin’s town could save some money by not paying him $8,000 a year and giving him a free house to weed a field. At what point does practicality outweigh tradition?
But the real question that The Caretaker asks is, how far will we go to protect our beliefs? How far will Durkin go to prove that the Aukowies are real, and how far will the Sheriff go to prove they’re not? Is the one who’s right justified in his actions? While the novel may not give us satisfactory answers, it certainly prods the reader to consider these questions. And no matter what your conclusion is, it’s sure to leave you unsettled.
If you liked this review, check out my blog for more!
raforall's review against another edition
5.0
David Zeltserman’s The Caretaker of Lorne Field has an imaginative frame that should please readers looking for the unsettling feeling of horror without all the gore. Jack Durkin is the current caretaker of Lorne Field, but he is merely one in a 300-year line of Durkin men who have held the job. From spring until first frost, Jack’s life is dedicated to pulling the weeds that grow in Lorne Field. Why? Because the weeds are vicious monsters, and if not weeded, they will grow to their full form, leave the ground, and destroy the world! Then again…they might just be weeds. The only way to know for sure is to stop taking care of the field.
More here:
https://raforallhorror.blogspot.com/2011/02/what-im-reading-caretaker-of-lorne.html
More here:
https://raforallhorror.blogspot.com/2011/02/what-im-reading-caretaker-of-lorne.html
faerytaleonfire's review against another edition
3.0
The premise of this novel is stellar, but the execution leaves a lot to be desired. Some of that is it hit more than one of my personal narrative deal-breakers (zero characters I can care about, not one but two completely random, out of the blue accidental deaths in the third act that significantly impact the direction of the plot), but the story is also weirdly devoid of suspense for a horror novel. Despite all that, it's entertaining enough and the ambiguity surrounding whether whether the monsters are real is well done enough that I'm giving it three stars.
waclements7's review against another edition
3.0
At times the writing is clunky but in general a pretty good story. The question of reliable narrators keeps a good tension going. There is a lot of family dysfunction.
lamusadelils's review against another edition
4.0
Me recordó a Shirley Jackson. Y ustedes saben cuánto amo a Shirley Jackson.
horrorghoul's review against another edition
5.0
*****SPOILERS*****
About the book:Jack Durkin is the ninth generation of Durkins who have for nearly 300 years weeded Lorne Field. It's an important job, though no one else seems to realize it. For, if the field is left untended, a horrific monster called an Aukowie will grow.Short listed by the American Library Association for best horror novel of 2010. Black Quill nominee for best dark genre book of the year.
Release Date: 02/04/2010
Genre: Horror
Pages: 237
Rating: ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
What I Liked:
• The plot is interesting
• No dull moments
• Makes you think
• For such a short story the auther is able to fit in a lot of details and character development.
What I Didn't Like:
• I wish the book was bigger
Overall Thoughts: This book is seriously wonderful! I loved the writing, the flow, and the story. You feel badly for Jack being forced to be out there weeding all day to save everyone. This book plays with your mind so much you start to wonder; is it real? Is it fake? I went back so many times it's crazy. The ending was wonderful. There were some times in this book where I was seriously caught off guard and surprised. It makes me wonder how this started that the town believed the first person who said this. Did something happen in the area to make them be able to get them to grow in just area.
The wife is ridiculous because she just sat around all day smoking 3 packs of cigarettes letting her family starve, but kept telling him to work... She could have gotten a job.
Final Thoughts: Read this book! It's short and wonderful! I really want Netflix to turn this into a movie!
TW: Miscarriage, use of r-word, death of child, tox relationships
IG|Blog
About the book:Jack Durkin is the ninth generation of Durkins who have for nearly 300 years weeded Lorne Field. It's an important job, though no one else seems to realize it. For, if the field is left untended, a horrific monster called an Aukowie will grow.Short listed by the American Library Association for best horror novel of 2010. Black Quill nominee for best dark genre book of the year.
Release Date: 02/04/2010
Genre: Horror
Pages: 237
Rating: ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
What I Liked:
• The plot is interesting
• No dull moments
• Makes you think
• For such a short story the auther is able to fit in a lot of details and character development.
What I Didn't Like:
• I wish the book was bigger
Overall Thoughts: This book is seriously wonderful! I loved the writing, the flow, and the story. You feel badly for Jack being forced to be out there weeding all day to save everyone. This book plays with your mind so much you start to wonder; is it real? Is it fake? I went back so many times it's crazy. The ending was wonderful. There were some times in this book where I was seriously caught off guard and surprised. It makes me wonder how this started that the town believed the first person who said this. Did something happen in the area to make them be able to get them to grow in just area.
The wife is ridiculous because she just sat around all day smoking 3 packs of cigarettes letting her family starve, but kept telling him to work... She could have gotten a job.
Final Thoughts: Read this book! It's short and wonderful! I really want Netflix to turn this into a movie!
TW: Miscarriage, use of r-word, death of child, tox relationships
IG|Blog
kikathewordnerd's review against another edition
3.0
An odd little book. It has a Stephen King short story feel. It was a quick read & I enjoyed it.
themadmaiden's review
4.0
Very creepy and makes you wonder whose version of reality is the real one. I'm going with the Caretakers view, due to that ending but even then there's some room for doubt if he is insane. He's a lot more dedicated than I am. I probably would have been like, okay enjoy being destroyed by plant monsters, like half way through this story if I'd had to go through what he did.
The part of me that likes tidy conclusions wishes we could have an ending where the people were like, oh no he was right. But I enjoyed this all the same.
The part of me that likes tidy conclusions wishes we could have an ending where the people were like, oh no he was right. But I enjoyed this all the same.
jennysaisquois's review against another edition
4.0
I liked this much more than I expected to! It's a fast read as you will REALLY WANT TO KNOW if the mystery of what is really in Lorne Field is solved.
Basically, the main character - and his father before him, and HIS father and HIS father etc for 300 years - have had a contract with the town to root up things that look like weeds but are actually ferocious deadly monsters. OR ARE THEY?! He believes, and so do a few of the old-timers in town, but everyone else, including his wife and older son (who is supposed to become Caretaker in his turn) think he’s coo coo if not outright dangerous. The main character’s anxiety is palpable as he agonizes over fulfilling his contract in order to save the world, tries to ensure his successor, and feels the creeping doubt and regret over FOR THE LOVE OF GOD are these things really monsters or not? Has he wasted his entire life or has he really been saving the planet? Is he insane like everyone says, or is he the only clearheaded one?
(Semi-spoiler alert:
.
.
.
.
.
.
you do find out one way or the other if they are really monsters or weeds. Or do you? Maybe not. The book follows the point of view of the main character, who strongly doubts his own sanity by the end of the book, so you can never really trust what he observes).
Basically, the main character - and his father before him, and HIS father and HIS father etc for 300 years - have had a contract with the town to root up things that look like weeds but are actually ferocious deadly monsters. OR ARE THEY?! He believes, and so do a few of the old-timers in town, but everyone else, including his wife and older son (who is supposed to become Caretaker in his turn) think he’s coo coo if not outright dangerous. The main character’s anxiety is palpable as he agonizes over fulfilling his contract in order to save the world, tries to ensure his successor, and feels the creeping doubt and regret over FOR THE LOVE OF GOD are these things really monsters or not? Has he wasted his entire life or has he really been saving the planet? Is he insane like everyone says, or is he the only clearheaded one?
(Semi-spoiler alert:
.
.
.
.
.
.
you do find out one way or the other if they are really monsters or weeds. Or do you? Maybe not. The book follows the point of view of the main character, who strongly doubts his own sanity by the end of the book, so you can never really trust what he observes).