The Haunted Mountain: A Story of Suspense

by Mollie Hunter, Laszlo Kubinyi (Illustrator)

After angering the fairy creatures of the Highlands, a stubborn Scot is thirteen years bringing an end to their terrible revenge against him.

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Young Adult

Paperback

First published January 1, 1972

About the author

Maureen Mollie Hunter McIlwraith was a Scottish author. She wrote under the name Mollie Hunter. Mollie Hunter is one of the most popular and influential twentieth-century Scottish writers of fiction for children and young adults. Her work, which includes fantasy, historical fiction, and realism, has been widely praised and has won many awards and honors, such as the Carnegie Medal, the Phoenix Award, a Boston Globe - Horn Book Honor Award, and the Scottish Arts Council Award.

There has also been great interest in Hunter's views about writing fiction, and she has published two collections of essays and speeches on the subject. Hunter's portrait hangs in the Scottish National Portrait Gallery, and her papers and manuscripts are preserved in the Scottish National Library.

Her books have been as popular in the United States as in the United Kingdom, and most are still in print. Critic Peter Hollindale has gone so far as to assert that Hunter "is by general consent Scotland's most distinguished modern children's writer."

Reviews

[Richard · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a book I read back in elementary school. I later remembered some details, but forgot much of it. However, I knew that I had enjoyed it and wanted to find it again. And finally I did, thanks to a GR group called What's The Name of That Book???

The Haunted Mountain combines a real geographic location, folklore, mythology, a good plot and some excellent storytelling.

Ben MacDhui is the second highest mountain in the UK and the highest in the Cairngorm Range. The River Dee, the Lairig Ghru (Gloomy Pass), the Lurcher's Crag, Braeriach and the March Burn really do exist. But they provide an excellent backdrop which proves integral to the story.

There is a cast of human characters: the stubborn but charming MacAllister, his lovely red-haired wife Peigi-Ann who has the faithfulness of Penelope, their equally stubborn son Fergus and the dimwitted but well-meaning farmhand Murdo. The Skeelie Woman, with one foot in the world of humans and the other in the world of Faerie, provides a unique perspective. And the faithful dog Colm proves his loyalty and worth by the end of the story.

There are also a whole range of fascinating and fearsome characters taken from folklore. First and foremost are the sidhe, heartless, relentless and crafty with almost limitless power to beguile and trap unwary humans. These beings remind me very much of the faery-folk as portrayed in the works of Susanna Clarke. But there are also other creatures, not least the Stone Man of Ben MacDhui, who can cause fatal panic just by his appearance.

The story has many features which make one think of Greek mythology. MacAllister defies tradition and angers the local spirits (the sidhe) by his pride and stubbornness. Despite many warnings he persists and, like Odysseus, he gains a victory which seems assured. However, he suffers greatly for his daring as do his whole family, and it takes all their wits and resourcefulness to survive.

There are good lessons here about persistence, love and loyalty in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds. The characters also learn the value of taking good advice. But these lessons are inculcated with humour in the context of a fast-moving and suspenseful tale that grabs and keeps the reader's interest right to the last page.

[Hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I bought this for 10p from the library when I was little and it absolutely gripped me. Now I'm an adult, it's still one of my favourite books. I remember the feelings I got reading it the first time through. And, even now, it will pop into my head from time to time.

[Rhiannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is what the cover says, it is a story of suspense. You never know what is going to be the turn out. This story takes place in the highlands of scotland with the main character Mac Allister is a very stubborn man. He doesn't want to believe in the powerful black magic of the sidhe, the evil creatures who rule the land. They can take any shape or form, and the people of the village are required not to call them by there true name.
So the people go by the name of the Good People, so as not to upset them. For any being who upsets the sidhe seems to always disapear the next day. The people of the village are also told to give an acre of their land to the sidhe called the Goodmans Croft. Mac Allister refuses to do so, for he has to have land for his beloved Pegie-Ann. When he tricks the sidhe more than once and thinks he is in the clear, he disapears leaving his newborn son and wife to get faboric for a coat that Pegie-Ann is going to make for their newborn son. But little does he know that he is stolen from his horse by a wicked creature disguised as an old woman. He is then enslaved for 7 years so that the sidhe can sacrifice him to the gods of the deep black magic. By now his son has gotten older and wants to save his father after he finds out the truth from a woman who's mother was sidhe and father mortal. This Skeelie woman gives him the right tools to try to win his father back.
But can he succeed, for he still has to watch out for the sidhes giant man of stone who guards the mountains prisoner and precious jewels.

[Debbie McGowan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can't remember this book, other than being utterly terrified going to sleep after reading it, so I'm guessing it was a good scary story for a 10 year old. Would that be the same now? When Enid Blyton is being listed as 'advanced reading level' in the school library and children are being allowed to watch 18 rated horror films I imagine not. Still, I enjoyed it, I know that much, and made my dad read it to me because I was too frightened to read it on my own!

[Elinor Loredan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Along with The King of the Golden River, this is one I have had on my shelf for years. I should have read it long ago, because it is a fantastic tale of courage and love triumphing over evil. I so admire the bravery of MacAllister and Fergus and of Peigi-Ann's perseverance despite her grief. Although MacAllister's stubbornness brings much suffering, it also brings joy and shows that good conscience and manhood are worth fighting for. I shed tears over noble Colm. Why does the dog always die!! Yet I know that he would prefer to die out with his masters than left at home. I also thrill at the mystery of the mountains and of the skeelie woman. There is tension between everyday good sense and magic, and both end up helping the characters, and the duality of the skeelie woman's nature perhaps points to a need for both in life. MacAllister is rather too skeptical of her warnings and of the sidhe's power, but his wife and son listen to her and thus succeed in rescuing him.

[Chris Meads · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have always enjoyed fantasies that include the Irish folklore and this one is one of the best.

Macalister prides himself for his land and also for his love of Peggy Ann (American spelling). He has decided that he will not give up the Goodman's croft to the "good people." Everyone around has told him not to mess with the Sidhe (the Shee as in banshee)--they are magical creatures that can harm a person and make spells.

Since he did that, the Sidhe are after him--they send magical beasts to take what they believe is theirs and finally try to kill him as he travels to see Peggy Ann. In the end he is captured by the Sidhe.
In the end will Fergus (his son) rescue him or will Macalister be lost forever.

Anyone that is into Irish folklore should read this book. It is a bit old but still a good read

[Sarah Morton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I re-read this childhood favourite as it had planted a seed in my mind that I wanted to walk the Larig Gru- a pass in the Cairngorms that features in the story. I didn’t really realise this is where my ambition came from, until I asked my mum (age 87) if she had heard of the Larig Gru- she said of course from this book. , so I decided I should re-read it.

it was great fun to have followed McAllister‘s journey up the Larig Gru and to hear the landscape brought to life in this beautiful and scary story. It was great to make the connections between the place names and the folklore and Gaelic language.

[Japunkt · Rating 5 out of 5]

I first read this book when I was maybe 10 or 11. It made an impression on me, but the only things I could remember was a trip over forbidding mountains in the dead of winter, the Sidhe, and that the cover was orange and white. But then I read something about the Cairngorm mountains, which sounded familiar, and that was enough for me to find the book.

[Bridgett Leslie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this as a child, and it struck me enough that I have remembered it over the years. It was fun to re-read it as an adult. It did not frighten me the way it did when I read it as a nine-year-old, but it was still enjoyable.

[Carol Werner Harris · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Scottish legend straight out of a fairy tale. There are elements of magic, love, lore, and sacrifice woven expertly throughout Hunter's novel. I would recommend this book for all ages, young and old.

[Gena Lott · Rating 4 out of 5]

An exciting tale probably devised by Christians to show the power of Christianity over the old pagan beliefs.
A wonderful tale for children to learn of the fables and legends of Scotland.
3rd - 6th grade.

[Maya · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this was a good book, it's just that some of the Scottish words mentioned confused me.

[Kirsten · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mollie Hunter weaves threads of Scottish folklore together with her usual skill to create a backstory behind the legend of the Big Grey Man of Ben Macdui.

[Peter Kay · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was never into reading until this book was read to us in my Class back in Primary 5.
Im going to read it again soon, see what I can remember from it.

[Barbara Henderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love how Gaelic is thoughtfully woven into this narrative. The style feels timeless in the sense that fairy tales feel timeless.

[Cynthia Egbert · Rating 4 out of 5]

What can I say, I have totally fallen in love with the works of Mollie Hunter. This one transported me to the Highlands and kept me locked in suspense indeed through the entire trip. I am almost glad that I never read this book as a child because the thought of the sidhe (pronounced shee) would have kept me awake at night. One thing that I was delighted about was the weapon of the monster An Ferla Mor -The Great Gray Man. HIs sword was a blade made up of a single ray of light. Makes me wonder if George Lucas didn't read some Mollie Hunter back in the day.

[Tori · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just reread this book and would like to say that it remains awesome and I wish I had read it when I first got it (in elementary school) instead of dismissing it as boring and childish due to its cover and the fact that it's short and the whole "story of suspense" thing. It's good.

[Rick Davis · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't remember how young I was when first read this. I think I was about eight. I only remember that it sparked my interest in Celtic fairy tales.

Reading it out loud to my kids, I realized what as large role Christianity plays in the world of the story.

[Krista the Krazy Kataloguer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Mollie Hunter's books because they take place in Scotland, where some of my ancestors are from, and because she writes about the supernatural in such a vivid, creepy way.

[Ken · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great Scottish faerie tale - where the faeries are evil. I've had this since I was a kid and this was my third time reading it, and it delights every time.