There is sokmething very half-baked about this book. The descriptions and atmosphere are convoluted, with a strong whiff of thesaurus abuse. Characterisation is poor, occasionally even slightly disdainful. I did not get the sense thst the author liked or even believed in his own protagonists, which has the unfortunate effect of also rendering them unlikable to the reader.
The American perspective is jarring and exactly the kind of over-romantic Olde-English faux gothicism I usually try to avoid like the plague. As a Northener, I would say that despite being set in North Yorkshire, almost nothing of the English Northern character or landscapes is captured whatsoever, bar a couple of adequately observed descriptions of the moors. And by the way, Haworth is nowhere near York, it's in the Pennines. A waste of a perfectly good title and my shillings and pence.


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In the Night Wood Hardcover – 1 December 2018
by
DALE BAILEY
(Author)
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Product details
- ASIN : 1328494438
- Publisher : Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (1 December 2018)
- Language : English
- Hardcover : 224 pages
- ISBN-10 : 9781328494436
- ISBN-13 : 978-1328494436
- Dimensions : 22.86 x 15.24 x 1.27 cm
-
Best Sellers Rank:
546,587 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- 5,171 in Ghost Stories
- 9,560 in Contemporary Fantasy (Books)
- 12,130 in Dark Fantasy (Books)
- Customer Reviews:
Product description
Review
"Bailey's novel has every aspect of gothic horror: the drafty manor, the shady servants, the tortured protagonists. The writing is dense with allusions and details, the narrative twisting and turning in the same way the Night Wood distorts the senses of anyone who wanders into it [...] A modern gothic horror done right."--Kirkus "Bailey infuses his eighth novel with a sinister foreboding that excellently villainizes its bucolic English setting. [...] With the discovery of a cipher and the help of a local historian who has a daughter uncannily similar to his own, Charles realizes the horrors of "In the Night Wood" are closer to fact than fiction. Bailey's eerie prose centers readers firmly and successfully in his seductive and frightening night wood." --Publishers Weekly "Every story is a ghost story, Bailey tells us. But not every ghost story is as haunting as this one. Nor as luminously written, literate, absorbing, transporting, and all-around excellent. I couldn't put it down." --Karen Joy Fowler, bestselling author of We are All Completely Beside Ourselves "Dale Bailey has written a literary puzzle box that deftly mixes the scary, nasty folktales of the 19th century and Daphne du Maurier's classic Don't Look Now. In the Night Wood is an affecting, weighty, and haunting book about the shackles of grief." --Paul Tremblay, author of A Head Full of Ghosts and The Cabin at the End of the World "In the Night Wood taps into the oldest, darkest roots of the fairy tale tradition, presenting the story of a family in crisis while steered by the pagan energies of a wilder age. It is beautiful, heartbreaking, and inspiring. Once again, Dale Bailey proves he's among the best writers we have." --Nathan Ballingrud, Shirley Jackson Award-winning author of North American Lake Monsters "In the Night Wood is a wonder: literary, intriguingly supernatural, and all too human. A must read for anyone who as a child wanted to find a magic wardrobe to explore or a rabbit hole to fall down only to realize as an adult that those whimsical childhood adventures have a darker side." --Molly Tanzer, author of Creatures of Will and Temper and Vermilion "Elegantly written, In the Night Wood paints a moody portrait of a marriage threatened by betrayal and loss over the backdrop of a strange wood, mysteriously vanishing children, the legend of a horned king, and a children's story that might be more than just a story. Bailey builds his world with great care, slowly and carefully drawing both you and the characters in, revealing some pieces of the puzzle only gradually. By the time you realize where the story is going, he's already hooked you: you couldn't escape even if you wanted to." --Brian Evenson, author of A Collapse of Horses "In the Night Wood begins with a tragic loss and quickly develops into a mystery involving an estate, the history of the forest surrounding it, and a strange book written by the estate's former owner. The mystery is compelling but the heart of Dale Bailey's latest novel is the damaged relationship between grieving parents. Conquering their guilt and salvaging their love for one another depends on their ability to untangle the mystery. This is a heady combination of natural and supernatural influences, clues scattered by an enigmatic ancestor, and local legends both feeding and deriving from a work of fiction. Together these elements create resonance and urgency in a story about the complex workings of the human heart." --S. P. Miskowski, author of I Wish I Was Like You
About the Author
DALE BAILEY is the critically acclaimed author of seven books, including The End of the End of Everything and The Subterranean Season. His story "Death and Suffrage" was adapted for Showtime's Masters of Horror television series. His short fiction has won the Shirley Jackson Award and the International Horror Guild Award, has been nominated for the Nebula and Bram Stoker awards, and has been reprinted frequently in best-of-the-year anthologies, including The Best American Science Fiction and Fantasy. He lives in North Carolina with his family.
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Customer reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
4 out of 5
340 global ratings
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Amazon Customer
1.0 out of 5 stars
Overdone and Undercooked
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 11 January 2020Verified Purchase
14 people found this helpful
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars
You will never look at trees the same again.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 15 February 2019Verified Purchase
Brilliant on all levels.Suspenseful, creepy take on a most unusual ghost story.With a genuine feel for the father and his tormented wife as they go through the process of grieving for their dead daughter .The forest that surrounds the manor house which they inherent is the real star of the book,is it haunted or not,no spoilers here ,just read it and decide yourself.Great,great tale.
9 people found this helpful
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Reading Books Fan Debs
4.0 out of 5 stars
Addictive Read
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 9 March 2020Verified Purchase
A beautiful book, love the orange combination, Kindle verses Physical book, this books wins!
A 'Punchy' way of writing at times, a sudden confirmation of what you are thinking as a reader, Loved that, a real experience of reading. Now.. flip it, a real challenge at times with some sentences, mostly needed as regards to the setting of the story, but still a delight to read.
The story is intriguing, interesting and sad. Frustrating at times to learn what had happened to Lissa, took ages, but...worth the wait, really fabulous writing. I found myself reading really fast, getting pulled in completely to the scene.
The characters feel aliitle distant, but good enough for the story line.
The only fault, hence four stars, not five, was the distance as a reader from Erin. Part if story is Erin's pain, difficult to read as a Mum, but I would loved her to have a 'voice' in this story. Her state of mind left her too far to connect with. Missing this was frustrating.
Loved the ending, could not have been better, could visualise it very clearly, wonderfull writing yet again.
Thank you Dale, a treasure on my bookshelf, will recommend to friends.
A 'Punchy' way of writing at times, a sudden confirmation of what you are thinking as a reader, Loved that, a real experience of reading. Now.. flip it, a real challenge at times with some sentences, mostly needed as regards to the setting of the story, but still a delight to read.
The story is intriguing, interesting and sad. Frustrating at times to learn what had happened to Lissa, took ages, but...worth the wait, really fabulous writing. I found myself reading really fast, getting pulled in completely to the scene.
The characters feel aliitle distant, but good enough for the story line.
The only fault, hence four stars, not five, was the distance as a reader from Erin. Part if story is Erin's pain, difficult to read as a Mum, but I would loved her to have a 'voice' in this story. Her state of mind left her too far to connect with. Missing this was frustrating.
Loved the ending, could not have been better, could visualise it very clearly, wonderfull writing yet again.
Thank you Dale, a treasure on my bookshelf, will recommend to friends.
2 people found this helpful
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artemisbristol
5.0 out of 5 stars
Gloriously Immersive: Enjoy!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 26 August 2019Verified Purchase
Beautifully, spellbindingly dark. A mesmerising bridge between ordinary reality and the rich fear of that which lies behind the veil. Loved it!
6 people found this helpful
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Shal
5.0 out of 5 stars
English Literature at its best........
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 18 March 2019Verified Purchase
This book is a masterpiece of English Literature the writer has an awesome talent. The plot so skillfully woven drives the reader ever onward. I couldn't put it down and am now so sorry that it's finished - a sign of a good book, I'd say.
7 people found this helpful
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