lørdag den 20. november 2010

Scott Nicholson, The Red Church (2002)

This thriller-cum-ghost story is the American writer´s first novel, a stand-alone. It is set in a rural community in the Appalachian Mountains. 

Whenever thirteen-year-old Ronnie Day walks home from school, he does his best not to see the red church. His life is filled with trouble; his Baptist father has left their home because the mother has joined a weird cult, his younger brother Tim is too stupid to look after himself and then people begin to die mysteriously.

I bought the Kindle edition of this book myself out of sheer curiosity. Even though I liked the environment and the uncanny atmosphere, I gave up finishing the novel after the first handful of chapters. I don´t mind superstition, legends or haunted bell towers in an otherwise appealing story, but paranormal solutions to crime and spritual wars between Baptists and cult member are not really my thing.

Remember: this was just my opinion – if you like the paranormal, you may love this story.

8 kommentarer:

Anonym sagde ...

Dorte - Thanks so much for your honest and thoughtful review. This really doesn't sound like my sort of book, either. I'm just not a fan of the paranormal unless it's woven into an otherwise "real" mystery, and even then...

Thanks for sharing your thoughts!

Mason Canyon sagde ...

Sounds like the red church has a part to play in this. It does sound intriguing.

Mason
Thoughts in Progress

Beth F sagde ...

I don't like ghost stories so I'd stay away from this anyway. You aren't have the best of luck lately.

Unknown sagde ...

Not really a fan of paranormal but thanks for the great review... as always.
CD

Joanne Ganley sagde ...

Not a fan of the paranormal either but thanks for the honest review.

Dorte H sagde ...

Margot: I suppose Harry Potter could be called paranormal, but apart from that series ...

Mason: if you don´t mind winged birds (or beasts) swooping down on victims, you may enjoy this one very much. He is quite good at what he does.

Beth: as long as the solutions to the crimes are policework, I can stomach a ghost in an otherwise good story.

Clarissa: I am afraid I sometimes write too short and insubstantial reviews, but I do what I can to point out so many strong and weak points that my readers have a fair chance to make up their own minds.

Joanne: you are welcome.

Kelly sagde ...

I'm not much into paranormal and from what you've described here, this doesn't appeal to me.

I do consider there to be a difference between paranormal, sci-fi, and fantasy. I guess it's often just a matter of opinion as to what those differences are.

Dorte H sagde ...

Kelly: it is difficult to know what to call a subgenre, but with all the religion and winged beasts, I think of this one as paranormal.