Wakenhyrst
Registered by 
GoryDetails
of Nashua, New Hampshire USA on 5/4/2024
This Book is Currently in the Wild!
GoryDetails of Nashua, New Hampshire USA on 5/4/2024 This Book is Currently in the Wild!
1 journaler for this copy...
I got this UK-edition softcover from an online seller. I've enjoyed other works by Paver, especially her high-altitude chiller Thin Air, and hope this one's as good.
Later: This book had its points, but for me it wasn't as involving. It also seemed to drag quite a bit, and the final revelations were a bit of a letdown for me.
The story centers on Maud, who - in the 1960s timestream - is a very old woman, who's agreed reluctantly to an interview with a journalist about the events that took place in 1913 when she was just 16. Her father, whose behavior towards her mother and to Maud was less than stellar, became fascinated by a medieval painting that had been removed from the local church. The painting became known as the Wakenhyrst Doom, and Maud's father, increasingly obsessed, began to believe that there were demonic influences at play. (His own callous treatment of his family made him more of a monster than any supernatural being, but he seemed bent on placing the blame on the strange devils tucked away in the artwork.)
The narrative flashes back and forth, following Maud's youthful recollections of her family life, her attempts to win her father's approval, and the results of that infamous painting on their lives. The whole thing ramps up to tragedy, and to people who - for whatever reason - choose to spend their lives stuck in the aftermath of those events. The framing device eventually brings things up to date, and the much-tormented Maud, having been dragged into revealing much about her past, eventually finds her way to freedom once the truth (or at least most of it) comes out, so there's a more upbeat resolution than I would have expected. (Not without some humor, as Maud learns about the plans for a film adaptation of her story {wry grin}.)
The author's notes at the end of the book interested me as much as the story itself; I do enjoy reading about Paver's inspirations and processes.
Later: This book had its points, but for me it wasn't as involving. It also seemed to drag quite a bit, and the final revelations were a bit of a letdown for me.
The story centers on Maud, who - in the 1960s timestream - is a very old woman, who's agreed reluctantly to an interview with a journalist about the events that took place in 1913 when she was just 16. Her father, whose behavior towards her mother and to Maud was less than stellar, became fascinated by a medieval painting that had been removed from the local church. The painting became known as the Wakenhyrst Doom, and Maud's father, increasingly obsessed, began to believe that there were demonic influences at play. (His own callous treatment of his family made him more of a monster than any supernatural being, but he seemed bent on placing the blame on the strange devils tucked away in the artwork.)
The narrative flashes back and forth, following Maud's youthful recollections of her family life, her attempts to win her father's approval, and the results of that infamous painting on their lives. The whole thing ramps up to tragedy, and to people who - for whatever reason - choose to spend their lives stuck in the aftermath of those events. The framing device eventually brings things up to date, and the much-tormented Maud, having been dragged into revealing much about her past, eventually finds her way to freedom once the truth (or at least most of it) comes out, so there's a more upbeat resolution than I would have expected. (Not without some humor, as Maud learns about the plans for a film adaptation of her story {wry grin}.)
The author's notes at the end of the book interested me as much as the story itself; I do enjoy reading about Paver's inspirations and processes.
Journal Entry 2 by GoryDetails at LFL - Stow Rd in Boxborough, Massachusetts USA on Monday, August 12, 2024
GoryDetails at LFL - Stow Rd in Boxborough, Massachusetts USA on Monday, August 12, 2024
Released 1 mo ago (8/12/2024 UTC) at LFL - Stow Rd in Boxborough, Massachusetts USA
WILD RELEASE NOTES:
I left this book in the Little Free Library; hope someone enjoys it![See other recent releases in MA here.]
Released for:
** 2024 One Word Title challenge **
