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Kristy H (1252 KP) rated The Night Visitors in Books

Apr 4, 2019  
The Night Visitors
The Night Visitors
Carol Goodman | 2019
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
I just love Carol Goodman's books. She has eerie, creepy, Gothic writing down perfectly, and this book was certainly no exception. I was hooked from the beginning. This novel alternates between Mattie and Alice's perspectives. Mattie is older (fifties), living alone in her decrepit home, damaged by her past.


"When I told Anita that I didn't believe in God she'd pressed the medal into my hand and told me that I should just say a prayer to whatever I did believe in. So I say my prayers to Anita Esteban, who left her drunk, no-good husband, raised three children on her own, went back to school, and earned a law degree. She's what I believe in."


I took to her immediately. You know that there's definitely more to each woman's story than meets the eye, and it's fascinating to watch their stories unfold. Alice shows up with a story about running away from an abusive relationship. Oren, she claims, is all she cares about. Is that true? How much can we trust either of the women? What I loved was that the book had me guessing the entire time. It was incredibly captivating, and both women seemed so real.

As for Oren, he was great, too, and you immediately wanted to protect him. The novel definitely has some creepy and mysterious pieces to it. It's less about suspending disbelief than just engaging with the story--becoming a part of it. I certainly found myself spooked a few times. It's a compelling tale, which will keep you engaged, intrigued by the characters, and culminates is a really great twisty (and twisted) story. This one isn't necessarily for the faint of heart; there are some brutal moments here. But what I really loved is that while this can be a very dark story, it's also weirdly sweet, too. I was very touched in places--a true sign that I'd grown to love these characters.

Overall, another enjoyable book from Goodman. She has a way of sucking you into the landscape of her books--and suddenly you are engrossed by the story and its characters. This one was eerie, captivating, mysterious, and yet oddly heartwarming at times. 4+ stars.
  
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Louise (64 KP) rated Fever Dream in Books

Jul 2, 2018  
Fever Dream
Fever Dream
Megan McDowell, Samanta Schwebelin | 2017 | Fiction & Poetry
6
6.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
*I received a copy of this from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review*

The title of this book is very apt – this book is like a feverish dream one that is bizaare and just doesn’t make sense where anything can happen. I was instantly pulled in by the synopsis and the fact that this book has been short listed for the Man Booker Prize 2017. I wanted to see what level of writing and concepts it took to be nominated for the Man Booker.

This book was a little confusing for me, eerie and peculiar is what I felt but after finishing I sat back questioning what I had read and was not sure how to rate it. This is definitely a weird and crazy book and would be best to read in one sitting which could be done as it is only 192 pages. I think if you read this in one go uninterrupted you would feel the unease and crazyness of this short story.
  
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Awix (3310 KP) rated I Walked with a Zombie (1943) in Movies

Jan 8, 2020 (Updated Jan 8, 2020)  
I Walked with a Zombie (1943)
I Walked with a Zombie (1943)
1943 | Horror, Romance
8
9.0 (2 Ratings)
Movie Rating
One of the granddaddies of the modern zombie movie is almost unrecognisable as such: no blood to speak of and the plot is derived from a novel by Charlotte Bronte. Nice young nurse goes off to morbid, doomy Caribbean island to care for the creepy wife of her employer (can't speak, has no will of her own following strange 'fever'); finds herself falling for her boss (though God knows why, he's so disagreeable). Perhaps the local voodoo spirits can help cure the afflicted woman?

A zombie movie in the traditional sense, and all the creepier for it. The plot is rather melodramatic, and the gentility of the film is quite amusing to the modern eye (male worshippers at a voodoo ritual all turn up in suits and ties), but it scores hugely for atmosphere, though, and there are some genuinely eerie sequences. Usual studied ambiguity and lack of overt 'horror' you often get in Lewton movies, but this just adds to the sense that this is a classy piece of work.