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The Call of Cthulhu by H.P. Lovecraft
My rating: 3 of 5 stars Those Old Ones were gone now, inside the earth and under the sea; but their dead bodies had told their secrets in dreams to the first men, who formed a cult which had never died. - H.P. Lovecraft This is the second book I have read that has been penned by Lovecraft. "The Case of Charles Dexter Ward" blew my imagination away, but the "The Call of Cthulhu" felt more like a short prequel to a thrilling adventure that awaits Lovecraft fans. The story's narrator, Francis Wayland Thurston, begins the story by recollecting the belongings and highly detailed notes of his great Uncle Professor Angell. His investigation bears a strange resemblance to the curious antiquarian, Charles Dexter Ward, and similarly both characters unearth findings from their ancestors to uncover dark secrets that go beyond the realm of time and matter itself. The secret is so horrifying, it convinces Francis that has does not have much longer to live. The discovery should have never been found, nor discovered by any sane living mortal on earth, and so the reader is warned of a dark, powerful force that threatens our humanity itself. The opening paragraph is tantalizing brilliant! It is no wonder so many readers have included it in the opening of their book reviews. There is nothing like an ill foreboding, a chilling presage of the things to come... "The most merciful thing in the world, I think, is the inability of the human mind to correlate all its contents. We live on a placid island of ignorance in the midst of black seas of infinity, and it was not meant that we should voyage far." View all my reviews
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Crow Calls: Volume One by Cassandra L. Thompson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars Beloved She calls to him I believe that there is a rare quality in certain people that love the darkness; captivated by its raw energy and mysterious substance. Similar to a tomb, this book of poems embalms our senses, enraptures us into a wild frenzy. For the poets they do not fear darkness or death or grief, for those are the topics that captivate their attention, and it is plainly seen in the myriad of poems divulging on the subject matter. If you are a fan of H.P. Lovecraft or Poe's poem, it is certain you will enjoy this read. By far my favourites are the one posted above, but I also enjoyed "Vampiric Umbra" by Ravven White and "Melancholy" by Lynn-Cee Faulk. View all my reviews
Uncle Silas by J. Sheridan Le Fanu
My rating: 5 of 5 stars "Perhaps other souls than humans are sometimes born into this world, and clothed in human flesh." - J. Sheridan Le Fanu What a hypnotic book?! Such a page turner! The entire novel gave me countless nights of horror and suspense. The story begins with an odd personality, Mr. Ruthyn of Knowl, and his young daughter and heiress, Maud. They live a secluded life in the countryside, shut up from all society. This form of life makes Maud ignorant of the world, especially the true evils that lurk outside of it. A change in her father's personality puts her into a state of alarm, for he is capricious and reticent; he speaks of going on a long journey and the fear of abandoning his young daughter. Quite suddenly, he passes away, leaving poor Maud alone in the world and compelled to fulfill her father's dying wish that she should go and live with her Uncle Silas. For Maud, her Uncle has always been draped in a wave of mystery and scandal. She half-hardheartedly sets out for Betram-Haugh, the Ruthyrn's ancestral home, but the evil foreboding of the land and its owner is enough to bring the heiress into a paroxysm of hysterics and sheer terror. From the very first page, I knew that I would enjoy this read. The author's words flow effortlessly and he has a certain knack of bringing in subtle references to classical pieces of Gothic literature into his story. The main character Maud has a wild imagination, and the author most certainly took advantage of that fact. There were times when I began to question her own sanity, but in my heart I know there was something deeply sinister about Uncle Silas. All of the main characters were explicitly written, so believable I almost believe that I could encounter them on the street. The roguish governess, Madame de la Rougierre, is without a doubt a memorable character, almost larger than life as she torments poor Maud with her cynicism and cruelty. I half believed she was a witch, especially by the author's vivid description of her "great long nose and hallow low cheeks of hers." For me, she was almost as villainous as Uncle Silas, but of course, no one can be more manipulatively or cunning as Silas. Half way through the novel, I considered this plot to be the means of a brilliant play. I was quite satisfied when I searched up the book to see that it was once made into a movie in the mid-twentieth century. It is unlikely that I shall watch the film, but it does instill my belief that the larger than life characters are meant for the big screen. I highly enjoyed the novel from beginning to end. The final plot-twist took me by surprise- I never expected such crafty wickedness even from Silas. I highly recommend this book if you enjoy a bit of darkness in a novel with a steady level of suspense, horror and a puzzling mystery. "Uncle Silas" is hand's down a five star read! View all my reviews |
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