Genre:
Modern Gothic
Description:
"Cast
into this world after the death of his parents, young Marius
Besshaven seeks the truth about his mother’s past, about his own
identity. Cryptic messages in unlikely places, the fractured memories
of unreliable survivors, the haunting voices of ghosts--from these
elements Marius will have to piece together his family’s history.
And what will become of him? Will he find ruin, like so many who came
before him? Will he find resolution? Or will the curse continue?"
Author:
"Ray
Stickle is the author of The
Footnotes, Ruin's
Wasteful Entrance,
and Stay,
Illusion.
He graduated from Ohio State University with a degree in history. He
lived and taught in South Korea for four years, returning to his home
in Ohio in 2006 to finish a master's degree. He currently lives in
Ohio with his wife and sons."
For
more information visit the writer's Author Page on Amazon.
Appraisal:
This
is a book of several genres - gothic, family saga, mystery - all
wrapped up in the story of the main character, 14 year old Marius
Besshaven (terrific name). After the death of his parents, Marius is
suddenly transported to an unknown uncle's house, a place of silence
and secrets, some dating back to the Second World War. He has to
navigate this strange world alone until he makes friends with Flora,
the housekeeper's grandaughter. He meets a taciturn gardener in the
grounds, Ben, who chases him away from a locked garden. And he has a
tutor, Mr Charles, who seems to know something but no one will answer
questions about his parents, his uncle, or his grandparents.
There
is a family tree on the first page of this book which is always good
to see and promises an engrossing tale. From the beginning there are
echoes from the classics: The Secret Garden, Heidi, and Jane Eyre
also comes to mind:
“And
then there was the scream. Far distant in the house. High. Piercing.
Once and then gone."
When
we first meet Marius, we find him self-contained, self-possessed,
holding himself at a distance from the world, concentrating on his
plants and his favourite science fiction books. He has become used to
looking after himself. Adults generally find him direct, almost
confrontational. He didn't know his parents very well; they treated
him coldly when they were alive and he felt no grief when they died.
When he meets his uncle, he is afraid of him but fear doesn't keep
him from pursuing the truth with courage and tenacity.
A day
comes when Marius needs new shoes; Flora drives him into town and it
is a shock to find the modern world continuing as normal away from
his uncle's house. You forget, as you read, that the first question
Marius asked when he arrived was about the internet connection:
"
Leaving the estate for the
first time felt strange, as if we passed a magical barrier when we
turned onto the narrow lane . . . "
The
writing in this book is lyrical in places and there are lines to read
and read again:
"
. . . the overpowering perfume of roses and lilies and violets . . .
Rich and abundant . . . The trees were an artist’s pallet blown
into existence . . . "
And
there's a wonderful library in the house extending to two floors and
furnished with a ladder which the reader can see clearly, and smell
too, the wood and the leather. But the reader is always aware of the
darkness hanging around the house and family. There is death and
spilt blood in this book, and characters with empty souls and hearts:
"The
sound of the orchestra shivering its way through the walls. Enough
sound to bury her initial scream? . . . and the blood spilled and
saturated the carpet and filled the air with the scent of iron and
the scent of the burial pits, those gaping hungry mouths . . . "
The
narrative drive is so good in this book you could read it in one
sitting. The characters are believable and layered and the writing is
delicate and brutal where delicacy and brutality are called for.
A
great story altogether and readers will be happy to know there is a
second Marius Besshaven book available.
FYI:
Some
graphic violence
Format/Typo
Issues:
No
significant issues
Rating:
***** Five Stars
Reviewed
by: Joan Slowey
Approximate word count:
75-80,000 words
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