This House Is Haunted by John Boyne is a gothic ghost story set in a Victorian era, revolving around Eliza Caine, a young governess who takes a job at Gaudlin Hall to care for two children. As Eliza delves into the mysterious occurrences in the house, she uncovers dark family secrets and faces supernatural threats. The novel combines traditional elements of the 19th-century ghost story genre with a modern twist, incorporating feminist perspectives and eerie atmospheres reminiscent of classics like The Turn of the Screw and Jane Eyre.
The plot unfolds with Eliza navigating through the haunted house, encountering chilling events and uncovering the tragic past of the family residing in Gaudlin Hall. John Boyne skillfully weaves a suspenseful narrative, utilizing familiar tropes like ghostly apparitions, mysterious children, and hidden secrets to create a compelling tale that keeps readers engaged till the end.
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Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings
Content warnings include themes of violence, mystery surrounding the deaths of previous governesses, and mentions of childhood trauma.
From The Publisher:
A Dickensian ghost story from the bestselling author of The Heart's Invisible Furies and A Ladder to the Sky
"A wonderfully creepy novel…magnificently eerie." -The Observer
This House Is Haunted is a striking homage to the classic nineteenth-century ghost story. Set in Norfolk in 1867, Eliza Caine responds to an ad for a governess position at Gaudlin Hall. When she arrives at the hall, shaken by an unsettling disturbance that occurred during her travels, she is greeted by the two children now in her care, Isabella and Eustace. There is no adult present to represent her mysterious employer, and the children offer no explanation. Later that night in her room, another terrifying experience further reinforces the sense that something is very wrong.
From the moment Eliza rises the following morning, her every step seems dogged by a malign presence that lives within Gaudlin's walls. Eliza realizes that if she and the children are to survive its violent attentions, she must first uncover the hall's long-buried secrets and confront the demons of its past. Clever, captivating, and witty, This House Is Haunted is pure entertainment with a catch.
Ratings (13)
Incredible (1) | |
Loved It (3) | |
Liked It (4) | |
It Was OK (2) | |
Did Not Like (2) | |
Hated It (1) |
Reader Stats (25):
Read It (14) | |
Currently Reading (2) | |
Want To Read (7) | |
Not Interested (2) |
1 comment(s)
Was excited when I saw this audiobook being available on my book app. Firstly, it's a more gothic ghost story, heavily influenced by Charles Dickens writing style. Secondly its written by John Boyne, an another I have very much enjoyed a book or two. Happily enough this wasn't disappointing, it was a very intruiging and well written ghost story that feelt somewhat victorian
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About the Author:
John Boyne was born in Ireland in 1971 and is the author of twelve novels for adults, most recently the New York Times bestseller The Heart's Invisible Furies, A Ladder to the Sky, and A Traveler at the Gates of Wisdom as well as six novels for…
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