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A review by moonlightjuju
The Silent Companions by Laura Purcell
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Really good, I started it at 8am finished it at 1:30pm gave off really haunting vibes similar to The Fall Of House Usher great read and loved the twist at the end.
A break down with some spoilers below
For starters, this book grapples with mental illness and with Elise we'll never know if there was something really supernatural going on OR if she was really mentally ill. The stakes were made high from the start from her being pregnant to her brother slowly drifting apart from her.
One thing I would have liked to be expanded on was her own relationship with her parents. Readers later discover that Elsie was the one to push her father into the saw and that he did not in fact fall in to it. Her brother then later states that she smothered her mother with a pillow, however in Elsie‘s eyes she was protecting him from other parents. We understand that her father used to beat her (only explained in 3 lines), but we never really understand what the issue with her mother was (aka what made her think she had to get rid of her). NOW all of this being said, I believe the brother (Jolyon) was Elsie’s son and here are my reasons.
1. Although we are not given a clear reason as to why Elsie hates her mother, we know her father (Edger) abused her and many comments made seemed like he also sexually abused her while the mother ignored it
2. She called Jolyon “my boy” and has an undying love for him and if he is father by her father (making Edger the father/grandfather) it makes sense why Elsie wanted to get rid of both toxic parents
3. Elsie cringes when finding out the staff named her stillborn son Edger
If this is the case I wish the author made it more clear after Jo’s death.
Now with the character of Hetta, I don’t think she was really evil or BORN of evil. Honestly I think her turning point was when her mother smacked her and when her father banned her from the family entertaining the royals. I think she did have powers but out of pettiness of all kids she acted out of it in a VERY sinister way. If she was born evil I think there would have been more signs to that. She felt betrayed by both her parents AND I also believe the Companions played a role into making her evil. Readers find out that she somehow talks to them and the person that sold them to Anne only did so when they found out the Queen was staying with them.
The Companions were the downfall of the family and definitely latched on to Hetta DUE TO her having power and being so young. The man that sold them had to be a demon or something cause he just vanished (and his shop) out of nowhere. After Anne kills, the now possessed, Hetta I believe it locked the “Evil” Hetta in bounding her with The Companions
Anyway
Sarah seemed to be a goner ever since her skin stopped healing. If all of this was supernatural, I believe Hetta took over her once she (Sarah) ran to get help. It was clear the grip she had in Sarah when Sarah 1 didn’t want to burn Hetta’s board 2 stole the necklace out of nowhere. Sarah somehow was the best fit vessel for Hetta, and maybe it was due to both bloodline AND her strong interested in wanting to know more about her family.
Overall great book.
Ps The death of the priest seemed random af and was just another way to raise the stakes WHICH WAS NOT NEEDED.
A break down with some spoilers below
For starters, this book grapples with mental illness and with Elise we'll never know if there was something really supernatural going on OR if she was really mentally ill. The stakes were made high from the start from her being pregnant to her brother slowly drifting apart from her.
One thing I would have liked to be expanded on was her own relationship with her parents. Readers later discover that Elsie was the one to push her father into the saw and that he did not in fact fall in to it. Her brother then later states that she smothered her mother with a pillow, however in Elsie‘s eyes she was protecting him from other parents. We understand that her father used to beat her (only explained in 3 lines), but we never really understand what the issue with her mother was (aka what made her think she had to get rid of her). NOW all of this being said, I believe the brother (Jolyon) was Elsie’s son and here are my reasons.
1. Although we are not given a clear reason as to why Elsie hates her mother, we know her father (Edger) abused her and many comments made seemed like he also sexually abused her while the mother ignored it
2. She called Jolyon “my boy” and has an undying love for him and if he is father by her father (making Edger the father/grandfather) it makes sense why Elsie wanted to get rid of both toxic parents
3. Elsie cringes when finding out the staff named her stillborn son Edger
If this is the case I wish the author made it more clear after Jo’s death.
Now with the character of Hetta, I don’t think she was really evil or BORN of evil. Honestly I think her turning point was when her mother smacked her and when her father banned her from the family entertaining the royals. I think she did have powers but out of pettiness of all kids she acted out of it in a VERY sinister way. If she was born evil I think there would have been more signs to that. She felt betrayed by both her parents AND I also believe the Companions played a role into making her evil. Readers find out that she somehow talks to them and the person that sold them to Anne only did so when they found out the Queen was staying with them.
The Companions were the downfall of the family and definitely latched on to Hetta DUE TO her having power and being so young. The man that sold them had to be a demon or something cause he just vanished (and his shop) out of nowhere. After Anne kills, the now possessed, Hetta I believe it locked the “Evil” Hetta in bounding her with The Companions
Anyway
Sarah seemed to be a goner ever since her skin stopped healing. If all of this was supernatural, I believe Hetta took over her once she (Sarah) ran to get help. It was clear the grip she had in Sarah when Sarah 1 didn’t want to burn Hetta’s board 2 stole the necklace out of nowhere. Sarah somehow was the best fit vessel for Hetta, and maybe it was due to both bloodline AND her strong interested in wanting to know more about her family.
Overall great book.
Ps The death of the priest seemed random af and was just another way to raise the stakes WHICH WAS NOT NEEDED.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Suicide, Murder, and Gaslighting