Ghost Story by Elisa Lodato
She came to write, but the island has its own story . . .
Off the windswept coast of Scotland lies Finish Island, rugged and remote. Once a home, it now stands abandoned, a place of dark history and deep memory, a place that holds its stories close. Unable to write since her daughter’s death, it’s here that Seren comes to work, hoping that the solitude and silence will inspire her next novel.
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But the island holds memories of its own, restless and unwilling to stay buried. As unsettling occurrences become even more bizarre and frightening, Seren starts seeing uncanny resonances between her past and the island’s history. There is something on this island, something ancient and unforgiving. Will Seren discover its secrets, before it’s too late?
My Review
I didn’t expect to like this as much as I did to be honest. But I just loved it.
Seren was once a successful, published author. Her first book was such a success, that the publishers wanted a sequel. But it flopped. It wasn’t very good – Seren knows that.
She hasn’t written anything since. The most unimaginable tragedy befell her family and now she is divorced, alone, and still struggling with her grief six years later. I am not one bit surprised. I’m not sure how you ever get over it.
But now her publishers want her to write a ghost story. She decides to go to Finish Island where she spent holidays when she was young. It’s deserted – the inhabitants all left in 1912. It’s also the site of a terrible act of revenge in the 17th century and many believe that the island is haunted by the spirits of those who died. It sounds perfect for the inspiration she needs.
While researching the island’s history, she meets Alex in the library in Edinburgh. He’s a PHD student, many years her junior, working there while studying. They hit it off but she has now moved on. On the way to Finish she stays in a guest house where she meets Kathleen, who has dementia, but came from the Island originally. Her nephew Daley takes tourists across in his boat.
Sounds like a simple story, but it soon turns into something dark and sinister and I found it scarier than most scary books I have read recently. The myths and superstitions get inside Seren’s head – and mine – until she is not sure what is real and what is not. There are some pretty horrific descriptions of events, so be warned, but nothing is ever gratuitous, it’s always essential to the plot. A fantastic read that will stay with me for a long time to come.
Many thanks to @Tr4cyF3nt0n for inviting me to be part of the #CompulsiveReaders #blogtour and to NetGalley for an ARC.
About the Author
Elisa Lodato grew up in London and read English at Cambridge. Her debut novel, An Unremarkable Body, was longlisted for the 2016 Bath Novel Award and shortlisted for the 2018 Costa First Novel Award. Her second novel is The Necessary Marriage and Ghost Story is her latest novel. Elisa lives in Gloucestershire with her husband and two children.
