Elsie Bainbridge is a newly
wed when she learns that her husband, Rupert—who had gone to the family mansion
his family had owned for generations, to repair and condition it for the
arrival of his beloved—has died under mysterious circumstances. Overnight,
Elsie inherits a dilapidated mansion in the country where none of the villagers
want to work at, and the company of her late husband’s spinster cousin.
The Bridge, the estate Elsie
has just come into, is as neglected inside as it is on the outside. In one of
her exploratory trips inside, Elsie finds a locked door, one that proves
impervious to any attempt to open it. She makes arrangements with the
headmistress to send for a locksmith but, before anyone can be sent for, the
door is found open, revealing a treasure trove of odd artifacts inside, among
them, a two-hundred-year-old journal from Elsie’s late husband’s ancestor, and strange
figures—half painted, half statues—that have as purpose to serve as silent
companions to the inhabitants of the house. Elsie’s cousin-in-law is quite
taken with a couple of wooden companions and asks a servant to take them out
before leaving the room. Soon, the whole house is full of them... and they seem
to have ulterior motives.
The
Silent Companions is a splendid, beautifully written gothic
novel, with images that rightly convey the atmosphere of isolation,
helplessness and danger, with three parallel storylines: one set in the village
of Fayford, England, where The Bridge is located, in 1635; one in 1865-1866, with
events unfolding at a match factory in London, and also at The Bridge; and events
set, approximately, in 1867, in an insane asylum. I found that both
contemporary timelines were less repetitive and more compelling than the
ancient one—at least until things took a turn for the worst in 1635—, because
most characters, especially Elsie and Sarah, her cousin-in-law, were very
compelling characters that projected the terror they were experiencing into the
narrative, and thus to the reader.
Right at the introduction of
the novel, the publisher warns that this book shouldn’t be read at night, but I
think it is precisely at night, or after dusk, amidst the most deafening
silence, that this story works best. I read the novel at several times during
the day and found it wanting, but it was especially atmospheric during the conditions
I mentioned above.
The
Silent Companions has a sense of menace, an undercurrent of
potential unreliability that gives depth and edge to this novel unlike anything
I have encountered before in my reading. It helps that most characters have secrets
and reasons for keeping their guards up at all times; those secrets are slowly
revealed to great effect. Add to those elements a neglected mansion with an
enigmatic headmistress, wounds that don’t heal, mysterious messages in the dust
of a nursery that may or may not be tidy, wooden companions that may or may not
move...It’s a spook fest.
Disclaimer: I received from the
publisher a free e-galley of this book via Netgalley in exchange for my honest
review. I also bought my own copy.
Wow! "Spook fest" would seem to be a very accurate description of this book.
ReplyDeleteI know. The spookiness was nicely done.
DeleteI thought I left a comment here yesterday. Perhaps you haven't seen it yet. I forget what I said. Lol.
ReplyDeleteIt didn't go through.
DeleteOK. Sometimes I forget to hit "publish." I think I wondered how you found this book and that it was good to have a book review from you.
DeleteI know it's been a while. Before getting to this one I reached the 30% mark on two books and 10% on another before putting them aside because I felt the progress wasn't as fast as I needed/wanted. I'll be reading those in full next year. I found this book on Netgalley and it was chosen by Amazon's Editors as one of the best releases of the month of March. It's been waiting on my Kindle ever since, but with the R.I.P. Challenge, I thought it would be would to read it. I couldn't meet the deadline though.
DeleteI have a copy of this book which I haven't read yet, so I'm glad you liked it. I don't know whether I'll be brave enough to read it at night, but I'm sure it will be more atmospheric that way!
ReplyDeleteThanks for visiting, Helen. Please be brave and read it at night, or near dusk in complete silence. You'll be glad you did. :-)
DeleteSo these wooden figures turn evil in this big dilapidated mansion? Wow I can see where that would be a spook fest. Interesting cover too. Seems a bit of a page-turner.
ReplyDeleteYou got it. :-) Yes, it is a page-turner but not in the conventional sense. The story unfolds slowly but merciless towards the end. :-)
DeleteI'm so glad you enjoyed this too. I thought spook fest was a perfect description - and these wooden figures - brrrrr.
ReplyDeleteLynn :D
I know, right?! I wouldn't like those at home. :-)
Delete