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The Visitors
Imagine if you couldn't see, couldn't hear, couldn't speak... Then, one day, somebody took your hand and opened the world up to you.
Adeliza Golding is a deaf-blind girl, born in late Victorian England on her father's hop farm. Unable to interact with her loving family, she exists in a world of darkness and confusion; her only communication is with the ghosts she speaks to in her head, whom she has christened the 'Visitors'. One day she runs out into the fields and a young hop-picker, Lottie, grabs her hand and starts drawing shapes in it. Finally Liza can communicate.
Her friendship with her teacher and with Lottie's beloved brother Caleb leads her from the hop gardens and oyster beds of Kent to the dusty veldt of South Africa and the Boer War, and ultimately to the truth about the Visitors.
Rebecca Mascull's first novel is the tale of a wonderful friendship, but it is also a thrilling adventure, a heartbreaking love story and a compelling ghost story.
Adeliza Golding is a deaf-blind girl, born in late Victorian England on her father's hop farm. Unable to interact with her loving family, she exists in a world of darkness and confusion; her only communication is with the ghosts she speaks to in her head, whom she has christened the 'Visitors'. One day she runs out into the fields and a young hop-picker, Lottie, grabs her hand and starts drawing shapes in it. Finally Liza can communicate.
Her friendship with her teacher and with Lottie's beloved brother Caleb leads her from the hop gardens and oyster beds of Kent to the dusty veldt of South Africa and the Boer War, and ultimately to the truth about the Visitors.
Rebecca Mascull's first novel is the tale of a wonderful friendship, but it is also a thrilling adventure, a heartbreaking love story and a compelling ghost story.
247 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2014
13 people are currently reading
1861 people want to read
About the author
Rebecca Mascull
7 books77 followersRebecca Mascull lives by the sea in the East of England.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 106 reviews
June 16, 2015
The Visitors is incredibly beautiful and captivating story that will enhance the reader’s senses. It’s tale of a young girl life, born in the Victorian, where words or language didn’t exist.
The young girl in question is Adeliza (Liza) Golding. At a tender age of 2, Liza contracted a virus that destroyed her sense of hearing and sight. Over the years Liza developed a sharp sense of touch and smell, where she taught herself to get around the family home and hop farm unaided. However with her senses so enhanced and open, it also brought in unexpected Visitors, that only she could see through her mind. Even though she couldn’t hear them, they gave her some comfort and companionship through lonely times.
But for most part Liza world was a black hole; she had drive, desires, needs like everyone else but no concept of words to get the message through. This left her is a state of confusion and rage, and was deemed a wild child. Until one day, in a fit of rage, a hand of a stranger touched her and her life transformed significantly from then on.
I reach the end of the row and stop, winded. Then I feel a hand touch mine. I pull away, ready to yell, but it is a new hand: cracked and cut, used to manual work, but slender, mobile and female. It touches my hand again. This time I do not recoil. It begins to move, making shapes.
For a first novel I would imagine this subject would’ve been a challenging one to write though Liza perspective, but it was told effortlessly. Ms. Mascull used just right words and phrase to convey Liza thoughts to perfection, and to haul the reader into a haunting world of darkness. But at the same time, having awareness of what’s really happening in the background and establishing a good judge of character of family and staff members who are looking after Liza. It was evenly pace throughout Liza’s growing development and changing world – with the Boar War erupting at this time – that it felt like a grand epic novel in content and drama, even though it’s only very short.
The young female who touched Liza hand is Lottie, who eventually became Liza teacher and a truly gracious and loyal friend. Lottie stayed with her every step of the way - traveling and translating for her, and bringing Liza to her home. She didn’t skim on Liza education, she taught her everything she could to help her advance and become independent; from finger spelling, braille, to hand writing while blind. It was extremely fascinating, I could’ve read so much more of this type of learning and language. When Liza first made the connection between the shapes made on her palm is a name, and that the object she’s holding, IS its name!! - was a tremendously heartwarming and joyful experience. The excitement radiated off the pages, and I could not wait to read on, to see what’s to become of her now with this new gift of knowledge.
Ms Mascull gave Liza a realistic and fulfilled life that also comes with tragedies, love and betrayal. Some may think that these spirits - or ‘Visitors’ as Liza would call them – is an odd mix to the plot. They are not a highlight in the first part of the novel; in fact they’re just there, as Liza doesn’t fully comprehend what they are. But as Liza’s knowledge of the world develops, they do play an important and natural part in the plots progress, of peace and contentment not only to the living but also to the deceased.
The Visitors is without a doubt a remarkable book with beautifully vivid language and description to be cherished.
The young girl in question is Adeliza (Liza) Golding. At a tender age of 2, Liza contracted a virus that destroyed her sense of hearing and sight. Over the years Liza developed a sharp sense of touch and smell, where she taught herself to get around the family home and hop farm unaided. However with her senses so enhanced and open, it also brought in unexpected Visitors, that only she could see through her mind. Even though she couldn’t hear them, they gave her some comfort and companionship through lonely times.
But for most part Liza world was a black hole; she had drive, desires, needs like everyone else but no concept of words to get the message through. This left her is a state of confusion and rage, and was deemed a wild child. Until one day, in a fit of rage, a hand of a stranger touched her and her life transformed significantly from then on.
I reach the end of the row and stop, winded. Then I feel a hand touch mine. I pull away, ready to yell, but it is a new hand: cracked and cut, used to manual work, but slender, mobile and female. It touches my hand again. This time I do not recoil. It begins to move, making shapes.
For a first novel I would imagine this subject would’ve been a challenging one to write though Liza perspective, but it was told effortlessly. Ms. Mascull used just right words and phrase to convey Liza thoughts to perfection, and to haul the reader into a haunting world of darkness. But at the same time, having awareness of what’s really happening in the background and establishing a good judge of character of family and staff members who are looking after Liza. It was evenly pace throughout Liza’s growing development and changing world – with the Boar War erupting at this time – that it felt like a grand epic novel in content and drama, even though it’s only very short.
The young female who touched Liza hand is Lottie, who eventually became Liza teacher and a truly gracious and loyal friend. Lottie stayed with her every step of the way - traveling and translating for her, and bringing Liza to her home. She didn’t skim on Liza education, she taught her everything she could to help her advance and become independent; from finger spelling, braille, to hand writing while blind. It was extremely fascinating, I could’ve read so much more of this type of learning and language. When Liza first made the connection between the shapes made on her palm is a name, and that the object she’s holding, IS its name!! - was a tremendously heartwarming and joyful experience. The excitement radiated off the pages, and I could not wait to read on, to see what’s to become of her now with this new gift of knowledge.
Ms Mascull gave Liza a realistic and fulfilled life that also comes with tragedies, love and betrayal. Some may think that these spirits - or ‘Visitors’ as Liza would call them – is an odd mix to the plot. They are not a highlight in the first part of the novel; in fact they’re just there, as Liza doesn’t fully comprehend what they are. But as Liza’s knowledge of the world develops, they do play an important and natural part in the plots progress, of peace and contentment not only to the living but also to the deceased.
The Visitors is without a doubt a remarkable book with beautifully vivid language and description to be cherished.
January 22, 2014
In her debut novel Rebecca Mascull has brought together so many elements I love to find in books .....
•Female Friendship
•Ghost Story
•Victoriana
•Coming of Age
•Love Story
..... and she has spun them into a story that is both original and engaging.
It is the story of the daughter, the only child, of a hop farmer, born in late Victorian England, told from the moment of her birth.
“When I cry out and open my eyes I see a grey blur. Within it crowds a host of faces; pale and curious, they whisper and nod. This is my first meeting with The Visitors.”
Adeliza is born with little sight, and what little she has she quickly loses. And then, the cruellest of blows, she loses her hearing to a fever. She cannot communicate with the world; she only has The Visitors. But she rages to live and to explore the world. As she grows she runs wild, beyond the control of her parents and their servants.
Her voice was so real, so clear, that I completely understood, and my heart went out to her.
One day she runs into the path of Lottie, a young hop picker, who seizes her by the hand and finds a way to communicate with Adeliza, by drawing patterns onto her hand. Adeliza’s father sees what has happened, and he takes Lottie into his household. She teaches Adeliza, she finds ways to bring her into the world. It was quite wonderful to watch that process, and to be able to share Adeliza’s joy in all that she learned and discovered.
An operation she restore Adeliza’s sight – she had cataracts – allowed her to learn and discover even for. Her joy in seeing the world that she had previously only known by touch was palpable, and so very, very moving.
Adeliza was still constrained by her lack of hearing, but she was freed by an upbringing that had been free of so many of the restrictions that would have been placed on other children of her age.
Her relationship with Lottie grew from teacher-pupil into true friendship, and their bond grew stronger as Adeliza came to understand The Visitors, and was able to give something back to her friend in a time of trial.
Adeliza’s ties with Lottie’s family would take the pair to South Africa, when her brother, Caleb, who they both loved dearly was in terrible trouble. What they discovered there, what they had to do, what they learned, made owed much to The Visitors, and it made Adeliza’s understanding of them complete.
I realised, as the story came to an end, that I had lived with her through her journey from childhood to maturity; Adeliza was an intelligent, compassionate young woman as she sailed towards a new future.
It was a wonderful story. It wasn’t perfect: there were times when things fell into place too easily, and times where practicalities were glossed over.
In the early part of the book I found it difficult to understand where Adeliza’s understanding of abstract concepts came from – though, when I think about it, I have no idea how I learned them myself.
I could understand why The Visitors were there, I could understand that they were an integral part of the story and it wouldn’t have worked with out then, sometimes their presence seemed odd. But, then again, odd can be good …..
The important thing, the thing that overrode everything else, was that I loved the heart and soul of this book.
Adeliza’s voice rang true, and her story spoke so very profoundly about the sheer wonder of being alive, about the capacity to learn and grow, and about the importance of friendship.
•Female Friendship
•Ghost Story
•Victoriana
•Coming of Age
•Love Story
..... and she has spun them into a story that is both original and engaging.
It is the story of the daughter, the only child, of a hop farmer, born in late Victorian England, told from the moment of her birth.
“When I cry out and open my eyes I see a grey blur. Within it crowds a host of faces; pale and curious, they whisper and nod. This is my first meeting with The Visitors.”
Adeliza is born with little sight, and what little she has she quickly loses. And then, the cruellest of blows, she loses her hearing to a fever. She cannot communicate with the world; she only has The Visitors. But she rages to live and to explore the world. As she grows she runs wild, beyond the control of her parents and their servants.
Her voice was so real, so clear, that I completely understood, and my heart went out to her.
One day she runs into the path of Lottie, a young hop picker, who seizes her by the hand and finds a way to communicate with Adeliza, by drawing patterns onto her hand. Adeliza’s father sees what has happened, and he takes Lottie into his household. She teaches Adeliza, she finds ways to bring her into the world. It was quite wonderful to watch that process, and to be able to share Adeliza’s joy in all that she learned and discovered.
An operation she restore Adeliza’s sight – she had cataracts – allowed her to learn and discover even for. Her joy in seeing the world that she had previously only known by touch was palpable, and so very, very moving.
Adeliza was still constrained by her lack of hearing, but she was freed by an upbringing that had been free of so many of the restrictions that would have been placed on other children of her age.
Her relationship with Lottie grew from teacher-pupil into true friendship, and their bond grew stronger as Adeliza came to understand The Visitors, and was able to give something back to her friend in a time of trial.
Adeliza’s ties with Lottie’s family would take the pair to South Africa, when her brother, Caleb, who they both loved dearly was in terrible trouble. What they discovered there, what they had to do, what they learned, made owed much to The Visitors, and it made Adeliza’s understanding of them complete.
I realised, as the story came to an end, that I had lived with her through her journey from childhood to maturity; Adeliza was an intelligent, compassionate young woman as she sailed towards a new future.
It was a wonderful story. It wasn’t perfect: there were times when things fell into place too easily, and times where practicalities were glossed over.
In the early part of the book I found it difficult to understand where Adeliza’s understanding of abstract concepts came from – though, when I think about it, I have no idea how I learned them myself.
I could understand why The Visitors were there, I could understand that they were an integral part of the story and it wouldn’t have worked with out then, sometimes their presence seemed odd. But, then again, odd can be good …..
The important thing, the thing that overrode everything else, was that I loved the heart and soul of this book.
Adeliza’s voice rang true, and her story spoke so very profoundly about the sheer wonder of being alive, about the capacity to learn and grow, and about the importance of friendship.
August 13, 2015
Might we have another Sarah Waters in training? This is an eloquent debut novel about a Victorian deaf-mute girl who achieves more and travels farther from her Kent hop farm than anyone expected – plus she sees dead people.
Though well written, this one contains a rather strange blend of topics, places and influences. It starts off as The Miracle Worker meets M. Night Shyamalan, veers into Victorian historical fiction territory (with marked similarities to Ronald Frame’s Havisham and Sarah Waters’s Tipping the Velvet), and in the last half comes to resemble Gillian Slovo’s novel of late nineteenth-century African warfare, An Honorable Man.
I wasn’t entirely sure what to make of it (or convinced that it made a coherent whole), but if you’ve really liked any of the historical fiction mentioned above, do give this one a try. It will certainly be interesting to see what Mascull turns to next.
(See my full review at Nudge.)
Though well written, this one contains a rather strange blend of topics, places and influences. It starts off as The Miracle Worker meets M. Night Shyamalan, veers into Victorian historical fiction territory (with marked similarities to Ronald Frame’s Havisham and Sarah Waters’s Tipping the Velvet), and in the last half comes to resemble Gillian Slovo’s novel of late nineteenth-century African warfare, An Honorable Man.
I wasn’t entirely sure what to make of it (or convinced that it made a coherent whole), but if you’ve really liked any of the historical fiction mentioned above, do give this one a try. It will certainly be interesting to see what Mascull turns to next.
(See my full review at Nudge.)
February 16, 2017
"One does not need sight and hearing to be fully human, only communication."
This was a beautiful book. That's it, plain simple. Its first 5 chapters or so were just perfection, the description of a young deaf-blind girl and the way she faces the world and handles the few inputs she can get were so beautifully written that I spent two hours crying in bed the day I read them.
I had to knock a star off just because history is not really my jam and I got slighly distracted during those parts.
The ending again was perfect, the way you see Liza all grown up, a person that went from a wild child to an educated woman in search for herself, for her home, for where she belongs left me speechless. Liza has a lot to teach the world and will do anything to achieve that.
"Every human has the capacity for thought, for language, for mind. Every waking moment we negotiate the news from our senses with what sense our mind makes of it, moving effortlessly between the mind's territory and outside."
This was a beautiful book. That's it, plain simple. Its first 5 chapters or so were just perfection, the description of a young deaf-blind girl and the way she faces the world and handles the few inputs she can get were so beautifully written that I spent two hours crying in bed the day I read them.
I had to knock a star off just because history is not really my jam and I got slighly distracted during those parts.
The ending again was perfect, the way you see Liza all grown up, a person that went from a wild child to an educated woman in search for herself, for her home, for where she belongs left me speechless. Liza has a lot to teach the world and will do anything to achieve that.
"Every human has the capacity for thought, for language, for mind. Every waking moment we negotiate the news from our senses with what sense our mind makes of it, moving effortlessly between the mind's territory and outside."
August 28, 2014
This enchantingly great book is one of the best I've ever read!
I bought it with no expectations. The story sounds nice and quite different. A deaf-blind girl - not exactly your run-of-the-mill kind of topic to read!
Interesting, but also one of the reasons why I had no imagination of how a story like this might develop.
But develop it did!
The story starts with this forlorn little girl who has no way of communication.
Forlorn was a word I found striking several times while reading this book. It sounds so similar to the German verloren ("being lost") and it's exactly what little Adeliza is!
The moment she meets Lottie her world changes and so did the book - it developed from a story about a deaf-blind girl to some kind of enchanting tale of friendship, hope, love, gain and loss!
And from that moment on, with every page, it got better and better!
I actually was in love with this book from page one, but the further I got, the more I was fascinated and riveted by it and I really, really wanted this girl to succeed in her every endevour.
However, this book was not only some kind of magic reading experience - you might think I lost my mind about it, judging from the way I'm fancying it right now!!
To me, the story-telling was just perfect: there were so many twists and turns. Some of them I liked, others I dreaded... I guess that's a great thing. Otherwise, it would have been predictable. But it wasn't at all (only concerning the true nature of the Visitors, but I didn't mind that).
It was charming, touching, sweet, amiable and I thought it quite realistic - at least the characters, their flaws and their actions (I cannot judge the historical correctness or whether or not the social conventions of the time match the depiction).
I even found a tear escaping my eye, while reading a letter near the ending (no spoilers here!).
Somehow I could relate so well to this girl - a women by then - though she is so different. With this book, Rebecca Mascull managed to bring a world to life which is beyond our imagination and she points out the real essence of human nature, the most important thing that distinguishes us from some wild creature.
COMMUNICATION
Well, if you managed to get though all my raving about this book, then you might have discovered that I liked it!
I strongly recommend it to everybody who likes an atmospherical read!
I'm in love with this great book!
XXX
I bought it with no expectations. The story sounds nice and quite different. A deaf-blind girl - not exactly your run-of-the-mill kind of topic to read!
Interesting, but also one of the reasons why I had no imagination of how a story like this might develop.
But develop it did!
The story starts with this forlorn little girl who has no way of communication.
Forlorn was a word I found striking several times while reading this book. It sounds so similar to the German verloren ("being lost") and it's exactly what little Adeliza is!
The moment she meets Lottie her world changes and so did the book - it developed from a story about a deaf-blind girl to some kind of enchanting tale of friendship, hope, love, gain and loss!
And from that moment on, with every page, it got better and better!
I actually was in love with this book from page one, but the further I got, the more I was fascinated and riveted by it and I really, really wanted this girl to succeed in her every endevour.
However, this book was not only some kind of magic reading experience - you might think I lost my mind about it, judging from the way I'm fancying it right now!!
To me, the story-telling was just perfect: there were so many twists and turns. Some of them I liked, others I dreaded... I guess that's a great thing. Otherwise, it would have been predictable. But it wasn't at all (only concerning the true nature of the Visitors, but I didn't mind that).
It was charming, touching, sweet, amiable and I thought it quite realistic - at least the characters, their flaws and their actions (I cannot judge the historical correctness or whether or not the social conventions of the time match the depiction).
I even found a tear escaping my eye, while reading a letter near the ending (no spoilers here!).
Somehow I could relate so well to this girl - a women by then - though she is so different. With this book, Rebecca Mascull managed to bring a world to life which is beyond our imagination and she points out the real essence of human nature, the most important thing that distinguishes us from some wild creature.
COMMUNICATION
Well, if you managed to get though all my raving about this book, then you might have discovered that I liked it!
I strongly recommend it to everybody who likes an atmospherical read!
I'm in love with this great book!
XXX
January 7, 2014
Rebecca Mascull’s debut novel is both original and imaginative, and full of well-researched period detail. Adeliza Golding is a deaf blind girl, born towards the end of the 19th century. Apparently doomed to a life of frustration and isolation, she has the good fortune to meet someone who has learnt how to communicate with the deaf blind. Lottie becomes her saviour and also her friend, opening out Liza’s world into one of growing horizons and fulfilling relationships. Mascull is particularly good at describing the world through Liza’s growing perception, and the hop fields of her father’s farm and the sights and sounds of the London she visits to visit a doctor are especially vivid. As her situation improves, she is introduced to Lottie’s family and particularly to Lottie’s brother Caleb, and through him the story takes the reader and Liza to South Africa and the Boer War.
However, although there were aspects of this novel that both engaged and interested me, such as the education of the deaf blind in the late Victorian era, overall I was not convinced by either Liza or the other main protagonists. Liza’s development is far too quick and she becomes almost miraculously articulate far too easily. Caleb himself sends letters from the war which are far too expressive and articulate for a working man (and surprisingly arrive uncensored) and written in perfect English. In addition they are a fairly clumsy plot device.
But above all it was the paranormal aspect of the story that didn’t convince me. Liza is visited by ghosts, or spiritual apparitions of some sort, and I could not suspend my disbelief. I’m not even sure that they were necessary to the otherwise fairly realistic scenario of the rest of the book.
So all in all, this was not a book that I particularly enjoyed, although it is well-written on the whole, and for those who can buy into the supernatural elements I can see that it would be an engaging and enjoyable read.
However, although there were aspects of this novel that both engaged and interested me, such as the education of the deaf blind in the late Victorian era, overall I was not convinced by either Liza or the other main protagonists. Liza’s development is far too quick and she becomes almost miraculously articulate far too easily. Caleb himself sends letters from the war which are far too expressive and articulate for a working man (and surprisingly arrive uncensored) and written in perfect English. In addition they are a fairly clumsy plot device.
But above all it was the paranormal aspect of the story that didn’t convince me. Liza is visited by ghosts, or spiritual apparitions of some sort, and I could not suspend my disbelief. I’m not even sure that they were necessary to the otherwise fairly realistic scenario of the rest of the book.
So all in all, this was not a book that I particularly enjoyed, although it is well-written on the whole, and for those who can buy into the supernatural elements I can see that it would be an engaging and enjoyable read.
March 23, 2014
The Visitors is a wonderful gem of a debut by Rebecca Mascull. The prose is controlled but no less beautiful for that. The author’s eye for period detail is coupled with an unforgettable characterisation, communicated through a totally compelling voice. A gem.
May 31, 2014
'I know there is a land that surrounds me, but always lies just beyond my grasp. I feel its constant presence through everything everyone else can do and I cannot.'
The Visitors is an intelligent, imaginative and beautifully written debut novel which I found absorbing and really enjoyed reading. The author has created a wonderful, convincing narrator in Liza, a young deaf-blind girl, and by telling the story in her voice almost throughout, we are drawn deeply, vividly into her unique world and able to share in all that she can, and cannot, be part of:
'...I cannot imagine comprehending an object through anything but the feel of it, the shape, the weight, the texture and the space it inhabits. Does all this also come through sight, or is it something so different it cannot be conceptualised, as different from touch as smell is? Another country, another language, another arena of sensation? I ache for it.'
I found this a captivating read that I was eager to continue with. It was a pleasure and a joy to read because of the way the reader could share so closely in Liza’s joy as she discovers more of the world around her through the use of finger spelling with Lottie, and then in other ways as things change further for her than she could have hoped.
Lottie is a hop picker working for Liza's father, and in her Liza finds a very dear and devoted friend, the way they are together is heartwarming, with Lottie patient and kind. Liza finds love and friendship amongst Lottie's family too, with her brother Caleb's letters from the Boer war in the second half of the book adding further shape and historical context to the narrative. Liza has a loving father, their closeness was wonderful and I was glad she had this relationship, as, at least at first, her mother was too weak to be there for her.
With the Visitors, the ghostly apparitions seen by Liza when she closes her eyes, and with whom she can communicate in her mind, the author adds another dimension to Liza's experiences and to the tale. I liked the significance of the role they played towards the end of the novel, though of course I won't write more about that here so that I don't spoil the story. The descriptions of the Kent hop fields, the oyster beds, and the Boer war are vivid and evocative. The book has a very attractive cover design, too.
What I think I liked most of all was that Rebecca Mascull makes us see anew through Liza’s eyes much of the wonder in the world around us every day, and made this reader think about appreciating it all, and not taking things for granted.
For me this was a very engaging, moving and atmospheric story of devoted, wonderful friendship, first love and attraction, of travel, adventure and war, and of ghostly visitors. I looked forward to getting back to it every time I had to put it down, and I read it in only a few sittings. An impressive debut.
4.5 stars
The Visitors is an intelligent, imaginative and beautifully written debut novel which I found absorbing and really enjoyed reading. The author has created a wonderful, convincing narrator in Liza, a young deaf-blind girl, and by telling the story in her voice almost throughout, we are drawn deeply, vividly into her unique world and able to share in all that she can, and cannot, be part of:
'...I cannot imagine comprehending an object through anything but the feel of it, the shape, the weight, the texture and the space it inhabits. Does all this also come through sight, or is it something so different it cannot be conceptualised, as different from touch as smell is? Another country, another language, another arena of sensation? I ache for it.'
I found this a captivating read that I was eager to continue with. It was a pleasure and a joy to read because of the way the reader could share so closely in Liza’s joy as she discovers more of the world around her through the use of finger spelling with Lottie, and then in other ways as things change further for her than she could have hoped.
Lottie is a hop picker working for Liza's father, and in her Liza finds a very dear and devoted friend, the way they are together is heartwarming, with Lottie patient and kind. Liza finds love and friendship amongst Lottie's family too, with her brother Caleb's letters from the Boer war in the second half of the book adding further shape and historical context to the narrative. Liza has a loving father, their closeness was wonderful and I was glad she had this relationship, as, at least at first, her mother was too weak to be there for her.
With the Visitors, the ghostly apparitions seen by Liza when she closes her eyes, and with whom she can communicate in her mind, the author adds another dimension to Liza's experiences and to the tale. I liked the significance of the role they played towards the end of the novel, though of course I won't write more about that here so that I don't spoil the story. The descriptions of the Kent hop fields, the oyster beds, and the Boer war are vivid and evocative. The book has a very attractive cover design, too.
What I think I liked most of all was that Rebecca Mascull makes us see anew through Liza’s eyes much of the wonder in the world around us every day, and made this reader think about appreciating it all, and not taking things for granted.
For me this was a very engaging, moving and atmospheric story of devoted, wonderful friendship, first love and attraction, of travel, adventure and war, and of ghostly visitors. I looked forward to getting back to it every time I had to put it down, and I read it in only a few sittings. An impressive debut.
4.5 stars
April 15, 2017
Adeliza Golding kommt blind auf die Welt, später verliert sie dann nach einer schweren Ohrenentzündung noch ihr Gehör. So wächst sie in völliger Isolation auf, bis sie auf Charlotte trifft, einer Farmarbeiterin ihres Vaters, die ihr die Fingersprache beibringt. Von diesem Tag an saugt sie alles an Wissen auf, das ihr in die Hände kommt. Jahre später findet sich dann auch noch ein Arzt, der ihr ihr Augenlicht zurück gibt. Adeliza wächst zu einer selbstbewussten und klugen jungen Frau heran. Als dann Charlottes Bruder in den Krieg zieht und in große Gefahr gerät, reisen Lottie und Liza nach Afrika, um ihn zu retten. Denn Liza hat eine besondere Fähigkeit, die ihr dabei helfen soll.
Dieses Buch ist leider nicht so beworben worden und ich habe es eigentlich nur durch Zufall entdeckt. Der Klappentext sprach mich sehr an, denn ich habe in meiner Kindheit mal einen Film über ein taubstummes Mädchen gesehen, der thematisch ähnlich war. Dieser Film hat mich damals umheimlich fasziniert und deshalb musste ich dieses Buch hier einfach lesen. Ich finde es ja sehr interessant, wenn Charaktere ein Handicap haben, das macht die Handlung erst richtig interessant. Diese Geschichte hier hat mich von der ersten Seite an fasziniert. Die Handlung wird aus der Sicht von Adeliza kurz Liza erzählt. Zu lesen, wie sie Dinge wahrnimmt, fand ich unglaublich interessant. Wir begleiten Liza von ihrer frühsten Kindheit an und erleben wie sie sich von dem wilden isolierten Kind zu einer mutigen und selbstbewussten jungen Frau entwickelt. Sie verliebt sich, verliert Menschen die sie liebt und entdeckt ihre besondere Fähigkeit. Die Autorin erzählt diese Geschichte wirklich ganz toll.
Dem ganzen mischt die Autorin noch eine gute Portion Fantasy bei, was mir ebenfalls sehr gut gefallen hat. Liza hat eine besondere Gabe, die erste im Laufe der Handlung richtig klar wird. Anfangs hat sich das ganze eher wie kindliche Fantasie angefühlt, aber später wurde dann klar, dass da viel mehr hinter steckt.
Das Ende hat mich ein wenig traurig gemacht, denn ich hätte Liza gerne noch weiter in ihrem Leben begleitet. Von mir bekommt dieses tolle Buch die volle Punktzahl.
Dieses Buch ist leider nicht so beworben worden und ich habe es eigentlich nur durch Zufall entdeckt. Der Klappentext sprach mich sehr an, denn ich habe in meiner Kindheit mal einen Film über ein taubstummes Mädchen gesehen, der thematisch ähnlich war. Dieser Film hat mich damals umheimlich fasziniert und deshalb musste ich dieses Buch hier einfach lesen. Ich finde es ja sehr interessant, wenn Charaktere ein Handicap haben, das macht die Handlung erst richtig interessant. Diese Geschichte hier hat mich von der ersten Seite an fasziniert. Die Handlung wird aus der Sicht von Adeliza kurz Liza erzählt. Zu lesen, wie sie Dinge wahrnimmt, fand ich unglaublich interessant. Wir begleiten Liza von ihrer frühsten Kindheit an und erleben wie sie sich von dem wilden isolierten Kind zu einer mutigen und selbstbewussten jungen Frau entwickelt. Sie verliebt sich, verliert Menschen die sie liebt und entdeckt ihre besondere Fähigkeit. Die Autorin erzählt diese Geschichte wirklich ganz toll.
Dem ganzen mischt die Autorin noch eine gute Portion Fantasy bei, was mir ebenfalls sehr gut gefallen hat. Liza hat eine besondere Gabe, die erste im Laufe der Handlung richtig klar wird. Anfangs hat sich das ganze eher wie kindliche Fantasie angefühlt, aber später wurde dann klar, dass da viel mehr hinter steckt.
Das Ende hat mich ein wenig traurig gemacht, denn ich hätte Liza gerne noch weiter in ihrem Leben begleitet. Von mir bekommt dieses tolle Buch die volle Punktzahl.
April 24, 2014
What a lovely cover. Simple and yet eye-catching, its especially perfect given the Victorian setting of the story.
Historical fiction combined with a tender love story, a murder and a good old-fashioned ghost story that, incredibly atmospheric, far from being in any way scary I actually found immensely touching. This is a wonderful debut novel by an author well worth looking out for.
The moving story of a young girls emergence into adulthood at the end of the Victorian era. I was particularly impressed by the authors ability to get inside the thoughts and feelings of a deaf-blind girl who, her temper fuelled by frustration, finds herself increasingly isolated until her world is opened up thanks largely to the friendship and tutorship of a young hop picker.
A wonderful tale of abiding friendships that perhaps could have verged on the overly sweet if it weren't for the contrast between the relationship shared by Adeliza/Liza and Lottie and that enjoyed by Liza and Lottie's brother, Caleb.
A flawed character who seemingly always sees 'the grass as being greener' it is Caleb's enlistment into the Boer War that though very interesting from a historical point of view proved the least compelling aspect of the novel for me. Written in letter form, not my favourite type of narration it has to be said, I'm afraid it failed to engage me in the same way as the rest of the novel.
Liza's story aside, strangely enough given that historical novels with a supernatural element rarely 'do it for me' it was actually the ghost story that I found most absorbing. Incredibly intriguing, though gripped from the start I admit that at times I did find myself wondering just where (if anywhere) it was leading and whilst I don't want to give anything away I will say stick with it to anyone struggling with this side of the book as chances are you won't be disappointed.
Copyright: Tracy Terry @ Pen and Paper.
Historical fiction combined with a tender love story, a murder and a good old-fashioned ghost story that, incredibly atmospheric, far from being in any way scary I actually found immensely touching. This is a wonderful debut novel by an author well worth looking out for.
The moving story of a young girls emergence into adulthood at the end of the Victorian era. I was particularly impressed by the authors ability to get inside the thoughts and feelings of a deaf-blind girl who, her temper fuelled by frustration, finds herself increasingly isolated until her world is opened up thanks largely to the friendship and tutorship of a young hop picker.
A wonderful tale of abiding friendships that perhaps could have verged on the overly sweet if it weren't for the contrast between the relationship shared by Adeliza/Liza and Lottie and that enjoyed by Liza and Lottie's brother, Caleb.
A flawed character who seemingly always sees 'the grass as being greener' it is Caleb's enlistment into the Boer War that though very interesting from a historical point of view proved the least compelling aspect of the novel for me. Written in letter form, not my favourite type of narration it has to be said, I'm afraid it failed to engage me in the same way as the rest of the novel.
Liza's story aside, strangely enough given that historical novels with a supernatural element rarely 'do it for me' it was actually the ghost story that I found most absorbing. Incredibly intriguing, though gripped from the start I admit that at times I did find myself wondering just where (if anywhere) it was leading and whilst I don't want to give anything away I will say stick with it to anyone struggling with this side of the book as chances are you won't be disappointed.
Copyright: Tracy Terry @ Pen and Paper.
October 26, 2016
As I adored Song of the Sea Maid, the authors' second novel, so much, I was eager to get my hands on her debut and have found it just as captivating and enthralling! There is just something about the way the author captures the female characters so perfectly, that you can't help but embrace their journeys and find it difficult to put down without the story staying in your head, and your heart!
This is the story of an extraordinary young girl, Adeliza, set in late Victorian England and her battle to understand the world she lives in as a blind deaf girl. She is extremely isolated although she does have contact with the Visitors who appear only to her and give her extra insight into many situations.
Her life becomes less insular though when she meets Lottie who befriends her and teaches her to use a form of sign language and this is such a revelation for Adeliza and allows her to finally communicate with those around her and she soon becomes much more confident and a very brave young woman as she deals with love, loss and all that comes with the harshness of War.
The Visitors that she sees are never too far away and this adds an almost magical element to the story as she gets to see that there is often more to a story than meets the eye, and gives her an advantage over others which is even more remarkable considering the start she has had to her life.
A beautifully touching and inspiring story - highly recommended!
This is the story of an extraordinary young girl, Adeliza, set in late Victorian England and her battle to understand the world she lives in as a blind deaf girl. She is extremely isolated although she does have contact with the Visitors who appear only to her and give her extra insight into many situations.
Her life becomes less insular though when she meets Lottie who befriends her and teaches her to use a form of sign language and this is such a revelation for Adeliza and allows her to finally communicate with those around her and she soon becomes much more confident and a very brave young woman as she deals with love, loss and all that comes with the harshness of War.
The Visitors that she sees are never too far away and this adds an almost magical element to the story as she gets to see that there is often more to a story than meets the eye, and gives her an advantage over others which is even more remarkable considering the start she has had to her life.
A beautifully touching and inspiring story - highly recommended!
March 17, 2020
This is a fantastic book, beautifully written with such depth of characters it is breathtaking. Set in Victorian times, Adeliza is deaf/blind girl born to wealthy parents. Although she lives in a world of darkness, Liza is able to see people she calls, 'The Visitors', people who do not know that they have passed away. There are many threads to this amazing story. It is about love, fear, relationships - specifically the realtionships she has with Caleb and Lottie, her teacher - and a rite of passage into adulthood. Well done to Rebecca Mascull for creating such an enchanting and often painful story that will stay with me for along time after reading it.
August 3, 2014
Historical fiction - with ghosts. I've found that I have a love/hate relationship with ghosts in fiction. There are authors who are utterly convincing, I'm thinking Susan Hill and The Woman in Black here, and there have been times when I've taken a book and thrown it down in despair because the ghostly thing is just not happening for me. I often have the same problem with historical fiction, I struggle with unfamiliar language and often feel as though it is a barrier that stops me from immersing myself totally in the story.
So, it was with some hesitancy that I decided to read The Visitors, but I was swayed by the fact that a few of my trusted blogger friends had read and enjoyed it, and by the cover. Oh that cover is so delicious, I'm a sucker for a lovely cover, I really am.
The Visitors is the story of Adeliza (Liza) Golding, a young deaf-blind girl and is narrated in her voice. The reader accompanies Liza through her life, from the moment of her birth. Also accompanying Liza are the visitors; unseen, and only heard by Liza and a strange and quite odd presence throughout the story, yet it is Liza's visitors that for me, added another dimension to what is a well-constructed and quite unique story.
Rebecca Mascull's characters are vivid and larger than life. The reader follows Liza as she grows and matures, not only in years, but also in confidence and capability. She has created a friendship between Liza and her friend Lottie that is endearing and enduring.
The sense of place, as Liza and Lottie travel from England to the horrors of the Boer War portrayed in the letters received from Lottie's brother Caleb is incredible. Caleb himself is a flawed character, and I found it quite difficult to warm to him, although I thought his and Liza's developing relationship was carefully and sensitively written.
The Visitors is not a long novel, but there is a lot packed into the 250 pages, and although it is clearly a work of fiction, I enjoyed learning about the development of sign language which has been researched very well.
I enjoyed the story, the style of writing and the very different setting and themes in The Visitors, this is a very good debut novel and I look forward to reading more from Rebecca Mascull in the future.
So, it was with some hesitancy that I decided to read The Visitors, but I was swayed by the fact that a few of my trusted blogger friends had read and enjoyed it, and by the cover. Oh that cover is so delicious, I'm a sucker for a lovely cover, I really am.
The Visitors is the story of Adeliza (Liza) Golding, a young deaf-blind girl and is narrated in her voice. The reader accompanies Liza through her life, from the moment of her birth. Also accompanying Liza are the visitors; unseen, and only heard by Liza and a strange and quite odd presence throughout the story, yet it is Liza's visitors that for me, added another dimension to what is a well-constructed and quite unique story.
Rebecca Mascull's characters are vivid and larger than life. The reader follows Liza as she grows and matures, not only in years, but also in confidence and capability. She has created a friendship between Liza and her friend Lottie that is endearing and enduring.
The sense of place, as Liza and Lottie travel from England to the horrors of the Boer War portrayed in the letters received from Lottie's brother Caleb is incredible. Caleb himself is a flawed character, and I found it quite difficult to warm to him, although I thought his and Liza's developing relationship was carefully and sensitively written.
The Visitors is not a long novel, but there is a lot packed into the 250 pages, and although it is clearly a work of fiction, I enjoyed learning about the development of sign language which has been researched very well.
I enjoyed the story, the style of writing and the very different setting and themes in The Visitors, this is a very good debut novel and I look forward to reading more from Rebecca Mascull in the future.
January 28, 2015
Review also posted on my blog http://www.reviewedthebook.co.uk/2014...
I don’t know if it’s possible to look at the cover and the synopsis for The Visitors and not think this book is going to be something special. Actually, Rebecca Mascull made her debut novel so much more than that. With stunning prose, The Visitors is a beautiful, moving story which I absolutely loved.
Set in Victorian times, we have the wonderful protagonist of Adeliza, who blind and deaf from a young age, wants nothing more than to be allowed to experience the world she lives in and not let anything hold her back. Liza is a brave character to write but we’re brought her story in such a touching, magnificent way. I never once felt like I was being told everything that was happening or told how I should feel about Liza’s story – instead, I was transported on this journey with Liza and I grew to love her character like I would someone I knew in real life.
There were a lot of themes in this book other than the obvious – from friendship to romance and the supernatural involvement of the Visitors. There’s always the chance in packed books that the overall story will be overpowered but that wasn’t the case here. Rebecca combined everything together perfectly and each added to the story rather than distracted from it.
As this book spans over twenty years, I liked how the format of the book switched a little – from the poignant tale of Liza’s youth to the letters from Caleb. Whilst Liza is a lovely character, easy to support and root for, I equally loved her friend Lottie. Seeing their bond and relationship develop was easily my favourite part of this book. The author wrote their friendship so eloquently.
I can’t claim to be a massive lover of historical fiction because it’s not a genre I’ve read too often before The Visitors. I have since reading this book bought a selection of historical novels although I’m not so sure any will live up to this fantastic book. If you can find a new favourite author from just one book, I’m pretty sure Rebecca Mascull is there with this beautiful novel.
5/5.
*Book gifted for honest review.
Read
February 18, 2014Reviewed by author, K.M. Lockwood.
The Visitors has a striking cover: scarlet and slate grey silhouettes on a mottled cream vintage paper. There are hops, a ribbon across a child’s eyes and a rather lovely High Victorian font - all very suitable for the story inside.
It’s a large tale which broadens out from Adeliza’s intimate childhood in Kent to her adventures in South Africa as a young woman. The intrigue of who and what the Visitors are, and what they want spans the whole two-decade time-scale. It leads you on, as does Adeliza’s engaging personality.
Whilst the story covers her emergence into adulthood, it would not be unsuitable for a younger reader of high ability. There is romance – but it is handled with grace and sensitivity. I am happy to say that the supernatural element is also delicately and convincingly portrayed. It is unlikely to cause nightmares – yet it is essential to the plot.
Ideally, readers of The Visitors would revel in all the rich sensuality of Liza’s experience. They would delight in the beautifully realised turn-of-the-century setting, language and period detail.
There are aspects of British Imperial history in the Boer War portrayed that are far more distressing than anything supernatural – not least, because they are based on truth. For me, reading about this through Caleb’s letters was less engaging than following Liza’s direct experience – but I suspect that’s a matter of personal taste. Besides, letters were often used in novels of the time, and they work well to distance the reader slightly from the events so that they are brought in gradually.
I would cheerfully recommend this book to lovers of rich, sweeping historical drama with an eerie core to it. There is a small cast of characters to engage deeply with and a fine mix of adventure, romance and ghosts.
The Visitors has a striking cover: scarlet and slate grey silhouettes on a mottled cream vintage paper. There are hops, a ribbon across a child’s eyes and a rather lovely High Victorian font - all very suitable for the story inside.
It’s a large tale which broadens out from Adeliza’s intimate childhood in Kent to her adventures in South Africa as a young woman. The intrigue of who and what the Visitors are, and what they want spans the whole two-decade time-scale. It leads you on, as does Adeliza’s engaging personality.
Whilst the story covers her emergence into adulthood, it would not be unsuitable for a younger reader of high ability. There is romance – but it is handled with grace and sensitivity. I am happy to say that the supernatural element is also delicately and convincingly portrayed. It is unlikely to cause nightmares – yet it is essential to the plot.
Ideally, readers of The Visitors would revel in all the rich sensuality of Liza’s experience. They would delight in the beautifully realised turn-of-the-century setting, language and period detail.
There are aspects of British Imperial history in the Boer War portrayed that are far more distressing than anything supernatural – not least, because they are based on truth. For me, reading about this through Caleb’s letters was less engaging than following Liza’s direct experience – but I suspect that’s a matter of personal taste. Besides, letters were often used in novels of the time, and they work well to distance the reader slightly from the events so that they are brought in gradually.
I would cheerfully recommend this book to lovers of rich, sweeping historical drama with an eerie core to it. There is a small cast of characters to engage deeply with and a fine mix of adventure, romance and ghosts.
October 18, 2014
This book was amazing. It felt like I just flew through it and I was so disappointed when I finished it because I just wanted to keep reading more and more about Adeliza and her growing knowledge of the world. I'd love a sequel to this book please Ms. Mascull!
The descriptions at the beginning really helped me identify with Adeliza's blindness. This is particularly amazing as for 18 years of my life I had perfect vision, but it honestly felt like I was there with Adeliza learning to finger spell and stumbling through life.
The relationship Lottie built with Adeliza, despite their huge differences was heart warming, and her empathy and understanding was remarkable. She was an amazing character, definitely my favourite. However, I did not at all care for Caleb, Lottie's brother. I felt he led Adeliza on despite having no romantic feelings for her at all, and I can't help but feel he took advantage of her before he went off to war.
The Visitors added a wonderfully eerie side to the novel, it had me questioning whether or not humans who are lacking in some/most senses can develop a sixth sense leaving them more open to the paranormal world. It really made me think, which isn't common for me (when reading of course!)
The writing of the novel was astounding, Mascull's descriptions and syntax was charming and out of this world, I loved everything about it.
Overall, I adored this book, I wish I could reread it over and over for the first time.
I rated this book 5 stars on Goodreads.
This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review, my views are in no way affected by the author or publishers.
Originally posted here: http://thereadingwonderland.blogspot....
The descriptions at the beginning really helped me identify with Adeliza's blindness. This is particularly amazing as for 18 years of my life I had perfect vision, but it honestly felt like I was there with Adeliza learning to finger spell and stumbling through life.
The relationship Lottie built with Adeliza, despite their huge differences was heart warming, and her empathy and understanding was remarkable. She was an amazing character, definitely my favourite. However, I did not at all care for Caleb, Lottie's brother. I felt he led Adeliza on despite having no romantic feelings for her at all, and I can't help but feel he took advantage of her before he went off to war.
The Visitors added a wonderfully eerie side to the novel, it had me questioning whether or not humans who are lacking in some/most senses can develop a sixth sense leaving them more open to the paranormal world. It really made me think, which isn't common for me (when reading of course!)
The writing of the novel was astounding, Mascull's descriptions and syntax was charming and out of this world, I loved everything about it.
Overall, I adored this book, I wish I could reread it over and over for the first time.
I rated this book 5 stars on Goodreads.
This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review, my views are in no way affected by the author or publishers.
Originally posted here: http://thereadingwonderland.blogspot....
February 12, 2016
'We all seek home in the end'
I received this free from the publishers via NetGalley
Adeliza Golding is a deafblind girl born in Victoria England. She spends the first few years of her life frustrated and angry. That is, until a young woman takes her hand and starts to communicate. The only communication she had before was the Visitors she spoke to in her head. Liza friendship with Lottie and Calab leads her to travel the world and learn the truth about The Visitors.
I was really unsure whether to rate this 4 or 5, I don't know why I couldn't rate this 5 stars, something held me back. Perhaps, 4.5 stars would be more suitable. I really did love Liza and following her development into adulthood was a fantastic experience. Liza narration really does change and matures when she grows up and I think it was done really well. Liza gets her eye-sight back not long after Lottie takes her hand and learns to talk with her, and she can develop that communication after her eye-sight is given back to her. She grows into a young, loveable and mature woman. Liza friendship with Lottie is lovely to read, and it really shows how having a friend like Lottie can really change your life forever and can open the world up to them.
I had already guessed early on what The Visitors were. They have always been with her, and she eventually learns to help them and give them peace.
This is a very promising debut novel from Rebecca Mascull. It is an eye-opening and lovely piece of historical fiction and I would really recommend that you pick this one up.
I received this free from the publishers via NetGalley
Adeliza Golding is a deafblind girl born in Victoria England. She spends the first few years of her life frustrated and angry. That is, until a young woman takes her hand and starts to communicate. The only communication she had before was the Visitors she spoke to in her head. Liza friendship with Lottie and Calab leads her to travel the world and learn the truth about The Visitors.
I was really unsure whether to rate this 4 or 5, I don't know why I couldn't rate this 5 stars, something held me back. Perhaps, 4.5 stars would be more suitable. I really did love Liza and following her development into adulthood was a fantastic experience. Liza narration really does change and matures when she grows up and I think it was done really well. Liza gets her eye-sight back not long after Lottie takes her hand and learns to talk with her, and she can develop that communication after her eye-sight is given back to her. She grows into a young, loveable and mature woman. Liza friendship with Lottie is lovely to read, and it really shows how having a friend like Lottie can really change your life forever and can open the world up to them.
I had already guessed early on what The Visitors were. They have always been with her, and she eventually learns to help them and give them peace.
This is a very promising debut novel from Rebecca Mascull. It is an eye-opening and lovely piece of historical fiction and I would really recommend that you pick this one up.
September 12, 2014
A remarkable debut.
With a considerable lightness of touch, Rebecca Mascull tells a story that is at once beautifully-rendered, unique and entirely engaging.
The Visitors is the story of deaf-blind-mute girl named Adeliza Golding.
Set at the start of the last century, Liza’s world is transformed when she meets Lottie Crowe, the daughter of a Whitstable oyster-farmer, who is able to communicate with her by means of finger writing. Later, following some experimental surgery, her sight is restored to her and, for the first time, she is able to see the world around her.
The ‘visitors’ - of the title - have always been with her - and she soon begins to understand that they are spirits of the dead…
Part historical-novel, part ghost-story, The Visitors is an ambitious undertaking for a new novelist – but one the author sets to with astonishing skill and finesse.
It is entirely understandable, therefore, that the novel has been put forward for the Guardian / Edinburgh International Book Festival ‘First Book Award’ 2014.
It simply isn’t possible to feel short-changed by The Visitors. It is a compelling and textured read, full of emotion, imagination and charm.
With a considerable lightness of touch, Rebecca Mascull tells a story that is at once beautifully-rendered, unique and entirely engaging.
The Visitors is the story of deaf-blind-mute girl named Adeliza Golding.
Set at the start of the last century, Liza’s world is transformed when she meets Lottie Crowe, the daughter of a Whitstable oyster-farmer, who is able to communicate with her by means of finger writing. Later, following some experimental surgery, her sight is restored to her and, for the first time, she is able to see the world around her.
The ‘visitors’ - of the title - have always been with her - and she soon begins to understand that they are spirits of the dead…
Part historical-novel, part ghost-story, The Visitors is an ambitious undertaking for a new novelist – but one the author sets to with astonishing skill and finesse.
It is entirely understandable, therefore, that the novel has been put forward for the Guardian / Edinburgh International Book Festival ‘First Book Award’ 2014.
It simply isn’t possible to feel short-changed by The Visitors. It is a compelling and textured read, full of emotion, imagination and charm.
July 19, 2015
Bonita historia que mezcla muchos elementos y temas distintos con gran acierto. Al principio me intrigó la portada y su sinopsis; si bien no ha sido del todo lo que esperaba, me ha dejado satisfecho.
La novela narra la historia de Liza, una chica que a los pocos años de vida, tras una enfermedad, pierde la visión y el oído. Ciertamente, durante la primera parte de la novela, la autora consigue que sientas el agobio del aislamiento de Liza, incapaz de relacionarse con las demás personas, y el alivio cuando encuentra a Lottie, quien comienza a comunicarse con ella escribiendo formas en la palma de su mano.
Por otro lado, Liza es capaz de sentir y comunicarse con los "Visitantes", espíritus que, aunque siempre están ahí, no suponen el eje principal de la novela. Sí, hay fantamas pero la historia no se centra en lo paranormal, sino en la propia vida de Liza, en su aprendizaje, sus sentimientos y sus vivencias.
La ambientación también es llamativa, ficción histórica a finales de la época victoriana, narrando hechos y datos de los que siempre se aprende algo.
Algunas situaciones se resuelven demasiado rápido, para mi gusto, pero aún con algunas pequeñas pegas, es una novela emotiva, bien escrita y recomendable.
La novela narra la historia de Liza, una chica que a los pocos años de vida, tras una enfermedad, pierde la visión y el oído. Ciertamente, durante la primera parte de la novela, la autora consigue que sientas el agobio del aislamiento de Liza, incapaz de relacionarse con las demás personas, y el alivio cuando encuentra a Lottie, quien comienza a comunicarse con ella escribiendo formas en la palma de su mano.
Por otro lado, Liza es capaz de sentir y comunicarse con los "Visitantes", espíritus que, aunque siempre están ahí, no suponen el eje principal de la novela. Sí, hay fantamas pero la historia no se centra en lo paranormal, sino en la propia vida de Liza, en su aprendizaje, sus sentimientos y sus vivencias.
La ambientación también es llamativa, ficción histórica a finales de la época victoriana, narrando hechos y datos de los que siempre se aprende algo.
Algunas situaciones se resuelven demasiado rápido, para mi gusto, pero aún con algunas pequeñas pegas, es una novela emotiva, bien escrita y recomendable.
October 10, 2015
This is an original and beautifully written debut - a real gem of a book. Set in the hopfields of Kent and the battlefields of the Boer War in South Africa, it tells the story of Liza Golding, a deaf, blind and mute girl. Liza’s life is transformed when she meets Lottie Crowe, who is able to communicate with her by finger writing. Following an operation to restore her sight, Liza’s world begins to open up in ways she could never have imagined. The Visitors of the title are ghosts she has been able to see and communicate with since infancy; it’s as though lacking physical senses has given her extra-sensory perception. She is unsure who they are and why they appear to her, yet through them, she finds a way of helping those who helped her.
I particularly liked Mascull’s evocation of the inner world of a person who can neither hear nor see; it is an extraordinary imaginative feat. Her descriptions of Liza’s first experiences of the sensory world are intense and moving. Liza is a compelling and unique narrator, drawing the reader into her orbit on page one, and not letting go until long after the book ends.
Part historical novel, part love story, part atmospheric ghost story, this is a skilful debut. I look forward to reading Mascull’s latest novel, Song of the Sea Maid.
I particularly liked Mascull’s evocation of the inner world of a person who can neither hear nor see; it is an extraordinary imaginative feat. Her descriptions of Liza’s first experiences of the sensory world are intense and moving. Liza is a compelling and unique narrator, drawing the reader into her orbit on page one, and not letting go until long after the book ends.
Part historical novel, part love story, part atmospheric ghost story, this is a skilful debut. I look forward to reading Mascull’s latest novel, Song of the Sea Maid.
August 3, 2014
The Visitors is Rebecca Mascull's debut book, and what a debut it is. Intrigued as I was by the synopsis, I wasn't entirely sure what to expect from The Visitors. On the one hand, it was sure to be an interesting look at the deafblind in Victorian England, a subject not much, at least to me, is known about, and I'm quite the history geek. There was also the promise of a friendship, love, adventure and a dash of war. The ghosts, however, are what threw me. Like I said, I didn't know what to expect, I wasn't sure if it was going to be full out creepy or just sort of Mediatory/Meg Cabot-y.
Mascull takes us to late Victorian Kent and it's hop-fields, and blazing South Africa, the backdrop for the Boer War (something I feel this book educated me on). Our narrator is Liza. When we first meet her, we come to understand, heartrendingly, that as she is deafblind, she cannot communicate with her family living in a world of darkness but for the voices of The Visitors she hears in her head, obsessed with the last day they died. In a lucky case of right time, right place, Liza meets Lottie, whose sister was like Liza. Lottie offers Liza a way to express herself to her family, and to at long last communicate with them.
Liza's intelligence means she fast picks up finger writing, along with her father, and eventually, her mother, but it also means she soon becomes able to write, read braille and make sentences with cut out letters. Finally able to communicate with her loved ones, a whole new world is opened up to Liza as she learns about the world. Even more so when she is finally able to see again thanks to a kindly doctor. With this sight, she can finally see her Visitors. When the Boer war emerges, Liza will lose her love, but she'll discover more than she ever knew about her Visitors, and how to help them, as well as saving a life.
I cannot begin to explain to you how truly astounding it is to read a book from the point of view of a little girl who is deafblind. Things we do, without even thinking about it, that are such a challenge. How Liza can recognise people by their handshakes, know things by smell and so on, pick things up from facial expressions, it was fascinating. It was also fascinating to learn about how the deafblind where treated at the time, what was available to them, what could be done surgery wise for them. It was inspirational watching Liza learn different ways to communicate, including signing, which I had no idea went that far back!
I mean the book was beautifully written, particularly the descriptions of things from Liza, especially after she can see again, I mean I see some of the things mentioned and I'm like "meh, see it every day, it's not that special" but everything is so precious and new to Liza and described magically and with so much wonder. It makes you want to sit outside and just look at the world around you, really study it, and see the beauty in things the way Liza saw beauty and wonder in everything.
The beginning of the book, when she's frustrated and unable to communicate with her family is so heartbreaking, but as you watch her learn and discover the world, it's truly beautiful to read. I've got to say, Liza is such a strong character, willing to learn, incredibly intelligent, and so kind hearted to others. I loved her friendship with Lottie, it was written so perfectly, and you got to watch their bond grow, and Lottie really did change Liza's life, and watching how Lottie's family acted as if she was an honorary family member was touching in more than once place.
When the Boer war started, and Caleb, Lottie's brother and Liza's one time lover, enlists and is shipped off, Mascull gives a surprisingly in depth look at the war, considering that obviously, Liza is not there. I thought it was very well done and slotted in with the narrative, it kept the book fresh. We get a few letters from Caleb, not only describing events leading up to a plot point, but describing what the war was like, and what soldiers thought of the war.
I knew nothing about the war in detail, which is kind of shameful, I knew of it obviously, but I was fuzzy on the details. When we find out Caleb has gone, the author slots in a little chunk telling us what the war is roughly about, which was concise and didn't break the flow of the narrative, but still managed to be very informative. Caleb's letters built on this knowledge in an interesting way that didn't bore you with reams of information, you got to see the war from his perspective, and how the newspapers at the time portrayed it differently, as they tend to do when this sort of thing happens, I mean look at WW1 and WW2.
It's clear the book has been well researched and that Mascull is adept at filtering out the most important and relevant chunks of information, rather than trying to chuck it all in and bore us to death like some. The book was very fast paced and easy to read to be quite honest!
The Visitors where intriguing and portrayed in a unique way I haven't come across in any other book. As i'm sure you've guessed, they're ghosts of the dead, I was expecting fully creepy from the way the synopsis was written, but they weren't really? I liked how the author had lore for them and rules, like suicides don't have ghosts, and how they would be obsessed with talking about the day of their death or the hours before. The whole hearing voices of their loved ones to calm them so she could then ask them if they wanted to move on was mildly heart breaking, but not as much as the scene with her father. Man I was not expecting this much emotion!
The Visitors is an emotional and inspiring read of a deafblind girl and her determination to be able to communicate with those she loves. A beautiful friendship, a brutal war, and beautifully written, The Visitors may or may not cause the odd tear or sniffle! You live with Liza as you see her grow up, learn, love, lose and live.
January 18, 2014
One of my biggest fears is losing my sight. The thought of losing my vision and the ability to read and to watch my girls freaks me out even to contemplate. So when I read the above cover copy for Rebecca Mascull's debut novel The Visitors, I was immediately captured by the visual of this little girl completely cut off from sight and sound and I wondered how Mascull would portray her and let her tell her story, as from glancing at the first few pages I'd seen the book was told in Liza's first-person perspective. The answer to that question is beautifully. I found Liza's story haunting and evocative and if it hadn't been for the pesky need for sleep and the fact that I have two toddlers running around, I would have finished this book in one sitting.
Adeliza, the book's narrator, is a fascinating character. I loved the way that Mascull managed to convey her world even though she was deafblind and could only experience it through touch and smell. Adeliza is born with bad eye sight which slowly fades as her cataracts worsen. She isn't born deaf, but contracts scarlet fever when she is two and becomes deaf from complications of the disease. Mascull's description of the slow retreat of Liza's senses and her growing isolation happens within the first page and a half, but is vivid and gripping, leaving me in no doubt as to her writing chops. The need to communicate is paramount in all humans and it is a relief when Liza gets the opportunity, as her growing frustration and the helplessness of not just Liza but those around her as well is almost painful. When Lottie grabs her hand and manages to connect, it forms a crack in her closed shell of a world, one that is opened further by having her undergo an, at the time, dangerous procedure which allows Liza to regain her sight. Throughout all of this we follow Liza and her voice is compelling, especially once she starts exploring the world with her new abilities. It's an almost magical experience and Liza's joy and wonder radiate of the page.
Liza's almost constant companion and her window on the world is Lottie. A young woman from an oystering family, who do seasonal work at Liza's father's hop farm, she is a wonderful character, loving and clever. The book is as much about the love and friendship between her and Liza as about anything else. Without Lottie, Liza would have no voice, no way to have broken from her dark shell and their mutual devotion is touching. The older Liza gets the more of a well-rounded person Lottie seems to become, more of an individual with her own needs and desires, mirroring Liza's ability to see people separate from their meaning to her.
Lottie's twin brother Caleb is both alluring and mysterious, somewhat of the strong, silent and broody type. Given Liza's strong attachment to Lottie it's not surprising she'd love Caleb as much as she does, though at the same time it shows how much of a little girl she still is. Father is loving and protective and I loved that he learned all the ways to communicate with Liza. He was far from the stereotypical Victorian father figure, who is only seen at a distance and is a stern presence in his children's lives. Instead he's a warm and comforting presence in Liza's existence and their bond is genuine and deep. Mother is a far more distant figure, though given her fragile (mental) health that isn't surprising. Nevertheless, she does truly love Liza, like her father and they try to do their best by her. The Visitors, the ghostly presences only Liza can see, are fascinating. Especially at the beginning I wasn't sure whether they were real or just signs of Liza's underused optical nerves firing at random, but I love how they are brought along and how Liza's understanding of them develops. In the end, they are a solid part of the plot and I thought they were a wonderful creation.
Some of the most powerful scenes in the book are those set in South Africa during the Boer War. While I knew it was a war between the Dutch and British immigrants, the particulars of that war were unknown to me and as such The Visitors proved educational. The visual descriptions are evocative and sometimes even disturbing. Caleb's voice in his letters is distinct and the situations he relates, especially of his experiences at the refugee camp that Lottie and Liza later encounter, are harrowing and the latter feels rather current if one considers the pictures we see of modern refugee camps in Syria, Chad, the Sudan, or Kenya.
Rebecca Mascull's The Visitors might seem a slim, little book at 256 pages, but it certainly packs a punch. It is a stunning story, told in beautiful prose and clear visuals. Mascull's debut combines many elements – history, friendship, romance, ghost stories, adventure – and melds them into a distinctive and unique blend. The Visitors tells a story that will haunt the reader beyond its pages and I for one am glad to have been haunted by it.
This book was provided for review by the publisher.
Adeliza, the book's narrator, is a fascinating character. I loved the way that Mascull managed to convey her world even though she was deafblind and could only experience it through touch and smell. Adeliza is born with bad eye sight which slowly fades as her cataracts worsen. She isn't born deaf, but contracts scarlet fever when she is two and becomes deaf from complications of the disease. Mascull's description of the slow retreat of Liza's senses and her growing isolation happens within the first page and a half, but is vivid and gripping, leaving me in no doubt as to her writing chops. The need to communicate is paramount in all humans and it is a relief when Liza gets the opportunity, as her growing frustration and the helplessness of not just Liza but those around her as well is almost painful. When Lottie grabs her hand and manages to connect, it forms a crack in her closed shell of a world, one that is opened further by having her undergo an, at the time, dangerous procedure which allows Liza to regain her sight. Throughout all of this we follow Liza and her voice is compelling, especially once she starts exploring the world with her new abilities. It's an almost magical experience and Liza's joy and wonder radiate of the page.
Liza's almost constant companion and her window on the world is Lottie. A young woman from an oystering family, who do seasonal work at Liza's father's hop farm, she is a wonderful character, loving and clever. The book is as much about the love and friendship between her and Liza as about anything else. Without Lottie, Liza would have no voice, no way to have broken from her dark shell and their mutual devotion is touching. The older Liza gets the more of a well-rounded person Lottie seems to become, more of an individual with her own needs and desires, mirroring Liza's ability to see people separate from their meaning to her.
Lottie's twin brother Caleb is both alluring and mysterious, somewhat of the strong, silent and broody type. Given Liza's strong attachment to Lottie it's not surprising she'd love Caleb as much as she does, though at the same time it shows how much of a little girl she still is. Father is loving and protective and I loved that he learned all the ways to communicate with Liza. He was far from the stereotypical Victorian father figure, who is only seen at a distance and is a stern presence in his children's lives. Instead he's a warm and comforting presence in Liza's existence and their bond is genuine and deep. Mother is a far more distant figure, though given her fragile (mental) health that isn't surprising. Nevertheless, she does truly love Liza, like her father and they try to do their best by her. The Visitors, the ghostly presences only Liza can see, are fascinating. Especially at the beginning I wasn't sure whether they were real or just signs of Liza's underused optical nerves firing at random, but I love how they are brought along and how Liza's understanding of them develops. In the end, they are a solid part of the plot and I thought they were a wonderful creation.
Some of the most powerful scenes in the book are those set in South Africa during the Boer War. While I knew it was a war between the Dutch and British immigrants, the particulars of that war were unknown to me and as such The Visitors proved educational. The visual descriptions are evocative and sometimes even disturbing. Caleb's voice in his letters is distinct and the situations he relates, especially of his experiences at the refugee camp that Lottie and Liza later encounter, are harrowing and the latter feels rather current if one considers the pictures we see of modern refugee camps in Syria, Chad, the Sudan, or Kenya.
Rebecca Mascull's The Visitors might seem a slim, little book at 256 pages, but it certainly packs a punch. It is a stunning story, told in beautiful prose and clear visuals. Mascull's debut combines many elements – history, friendship, romance, ghost stories, adventure – and melds them into a distinctive and unique blend. The Visitors tells a story that will haunt the reader beyond its pages and I for one am glad to have been haunted by it.
This book was provided for review by the publisher.
May 10, 2014
Time taken to read - 1 day
Pages - 247
Publisher - Hodder & Stoughton
Blurb from Goodreads
3.95 of 5 stars 3.95 · rating details · 56 ratings · 19 reviews
Imagine if you couldn't see, couldn't hear, couldn't speak... Then, one day, somebody took your hand and opened the world up to you.
Adeliza Golding is a deaf-blind girl, born in late Victorian England on her father's hop farm. Unable to interact with her loving family, she exists in a world of darkness and confusion; her only communication is with the ghosts she speaks to in her head, whom she has christened the 'Visitors'. One day she runs out into the fields and a young hop-picker, Lottie, grabs her hand and starts drawing shapes in it. Finally Liza can communicate.
Her friendship with her teacher and with Lottie's beloved brother Caleb leads her from the hop gardens and oyster beds of Kent to the dusty veldt of South Africa and the Boer War, and ultimately to the truth about the Visitors.
Rebecca Mascull's first novel is the tale of a wonderful friendship, but it is also a thrilling adventure, a heartbreaking love story and a compelling ghost story.
My Review
The story opens with our main character, Adeliza (Liza) Golding and takes us from the moment she is born up to and throughout her adult life. After birth she describes seeing the visitors, which turn out to be ghosts although she doesn't cover too much detail here. We are then told about how she comes to be deaf and blind and how this affects her behavior as she is growing up. She is angry, aggressive and almost feral in her frustration and loneliness until she is 6 years old and a chance encounter with Lottie changes everything. Lottie teaches Liza how to communicate which impacts upon her quality of life and opens up a new world for her. The book is then focused upon her becoming an adult, the war and how this affects her life and relationships.
The first part of this book moved me, if you have a family member or friend who is blind or deaf I think you may feel the same. Having someone who is so isolated and being helpless to do anything about it, I could appreciate how that must be for Liza's father although that isn't heavily featured in the book. How Lottie manages to change Liza's whole life, with patience and giving her the means to communicate was beautiful. Her experiences and how everything changes through having access to talk to others and seeing the character bloom was just wonderful.
The next part focuses on her interactions as an adult, her character growth, war and the visitors. As a child she meets and is taken with Caleb, Lottie's twin brother. As war is coming he is caught up in that and writes home to Liza and Lottie about what he sees and experiences which takes the novel down a darker path. Whilst the letters gave a stark look at the horrors seen whilst out in the field during war and they were interesting, they were a world away from the style and theme of the beginning of the book. I think some readers may like this contrast however for me I would have preferred it to be delivered maybe in a different format?
The ghost aspect is quite different, Liza isn't sure how she can see them when others cannot. What is the purpose to it, why her? Some questions are answered but not all and whilst this generally irks me when I am reading, I didn't mind the unanswered questions as you discovered answers along with Liza and accept her view point on it all, well I did.
I think this is a well written debut novel and can't describe how, on a personal level, watching the beginning of a new world opening for Lottie warmed me. It was a delight to read and I don't think I have read anything like it before. This writer has so much more to share with the reading world and I hope she continues to write, I will certainly be looking for any new material from her, 4/5 for me this time.
Pages - 247
Publisher - Hodder & Stoughton
Blurb from Goodreads
3.95 of 5 stars 3.95 · rating details · 56 ratings · 19 reviews
Imagine if you couldn't see, couldn't hear, couldn't speak... Then, one day, somebody took your hand and opened the world up to you.
Adeliza Golding is a deaf-blind girl, born in late Victorian England on her father's hop farm. Unable to interact with her loving family, she exists in a world of darkness and confusion; her only communication is with the ghosts she speaks to in her head, whom she has christened the 'Visitors'. One day she runs out into the fields and a young hop-picker, Lottie, grabs her hand and starts drawing shapes in it. Finally Liza can communicate.
Her friendship with her teacher and with Lottie's beloved brother Caleb leads her from the hop gardens and oyster beds of Kent to the dusty veldt of South Africa and the Boer War, and ultimately to the truth about the Visitors.
Rebecca Mascull's first novel is the tale of a wonderful friendship, but it is also a thrilling adventure, a heartbreaking love story and a compelling ghost story.
My Review
The story opens with our main character, Adeliza (Liza) Golding and takes us from the moment she is born up to and throughout her adult life. After birth she describes seeing the visitors, which turn out to be ghosts although she doesn't cover too much detail here. We are then told about how she comes to be deaf and blind and how this affects her behavior as she is growing up. She is angry, aggressive and almost feral in her frustration and loneliness until she is 6 years old and a chance encounter with Lottie changes everything. Lottie teaches Liza how to communicate which impacts upon her quality of life and opens up a new world for her. The book is then focused upon her becoming an adult, the war and how this affects her life and relationships.
The first part of this book moved me, if you have a family member or friend who is blind or deaf I think you may feel the same. Having someone who is so isolated and being helpless to do anything about it, I could appreciate how that must be for Liza's father although that isn't heavily featured in the book. How Lottie manages to change Liza's whole life, with patience and giving her the means to communicate was beautiful. Her experiences and how everything changes through having access to talk to others and seeing the character bloom was just wonderful.
The next part focuses on her interactions as an adult, her character growth, war and the visitors. As a child she meets and is taken with Caleb, Lottie's twin brother. As war is coming he is caught up in that and writes home to Liza and Lottie about what he sees and experiences which takes the novel down a darker path. Whilst the letters gave a stark look at the horrors seen whilst out in the field during war and they were interesting, they were a world away from the style and theme of the beginning of the book. I think some readers may like this contrast however for me I would have preferred it to be delivered maybe in a different format?
The ghost aspect is quite different, Liza isn't sure how she can see them when others cannot. What is the purpose to it, why her? Some questions are answered but not all and whilst this generally irks me when I am reading, I didn't mind the unanswered questions as you discovered answers along with Liza and accept her view point on it all, well I did.
I think this is a well written debut novel and can't describe how, on a personal level, watching the beginning of a new world opening for Lottie warmed me. It was a delight to read and I don't think I have read anything like it before. This writer has so much more to share with the reading world and I hope she continues to write, I will certainly be looking for any new material from her, 4/5 for me this time.
August 7, 2014
4.5 of 5 stars
I received a copy of this book from Rebecca Mascull and this is my honest opinion of the book.
Adeliza Golding is the much wanted child of Edwin and Evangeline Golding, born after 5 other miscarriages. She is born with extreme myopia and soon looses her sight to cataracts. When she is just two years old she contracts Scarlet Fever and is left deaf as a result. Her world is closed off. She comes to cherish the interaction with her father, misbehaving and lashing out in the hope that it is he who comes to calm her down. Other times it is Nanny who has less patience with the frustrated Liza. Meanwhile Liza's mother has retreated to her bed and refuses to allow Liza to interact with her.
One day Liza 'escapes' the confines of her nanny and runs amongst her father's hops plants. Suddenly someone grabs her hand and repeatedly stokes a pattern in it. Surprised, confused and intrigued Liza allows herself to be led away. Soon her new friend Lottie replaces Nanny and opens up the world to Liza, introducing finger spelling to her, and with it a way to interact and live again.
Lottie's influence on Liza has a dramatic effect on the family. Her father can now communicate with her and her mother too. She soon emerges from her room and Liza can finally realise how loved she is. Lottie introduces Liza to her family and the outside world and allows Liza to become the determined, selfless, caring person she is.
I picked this book up intrigued with the synopsis but not sure what to expect. I read the first few pages and was immediately drawn into the story. Rebecca Mascull has created a compelling character in Adeliza Golding and I didn't want to stop reading until I found out how her life was going to develop. It was a pleasure to see the relationship between Liza and other members of her family grow, and to see that family grown beyond her immediate one to include Lottie and her family. Lottie was also a wonderful character, full of love and understanding and as the story develops we see how she has come to know finger spelling and see a little of the heart-ache that drives her.
When Liza learns to communicate she not only opens the world to herself but also the Visitors. These visitors she learns to realise are spirits, trapped on earth. She learns to first keep these visitors a secret but then opens up to Lottie of their existence. In time as she discovers more about her own spirit she figures out how she can help the ones only she can see and hear.
I loved the pace of this story, how we get to see Liza grow from a child to a young kind woman, who realises her own limitations but who is determined that her lack of senses will set her back in life. The story travels from Kent to Africa and I particularly liked that part of the story related to the Boer War.
It is a beautifully rendered story of acceptance - acceptance of ourselves and others, acceptance of our gifts and limitations, of forgiveness and accepting that we can make more of our life than was originally deemed for us if we try.
I highly recommend this book. It is part love story, saga, ghost story and historical fiction, a perfect amalgam. It is wonderful debut and I can't recall reading a story quite like it. I eagerly await more from Rebecca Mascull.
I received a copy of this book from Rebecca Mascull and this is my honest opinion of the book.
Adeliza Golding is the much wanted child of Edwin and Evangeline Golding, born after 5 other miscarriages. She is born with extreme myopia and soon looses her sight to cataracts. When she is just two years old she contracts Scarlet Fever and is left deaf as a result. Her world is closed off. She comes to cherish the interaction with her father, misbehaving and lashing out in the hope that it is he who comes to calm her down. Other times it is Nanny who has less patience with the frustrated Liza. Meanwhile Liza's mother has retreated to her bed and refuses to allow Liza to interact with her.
One day Liza 'escapes' the confines of her nanny and runs amongst her father's hops plants. Suddenly someone grabs her hand and repeatedly stokes a pattern in it. Surprised, confused and intrigued Liza allows herself to be led away. Soon her new friend Lottie replaces Nanny and opens up the world to Liza, introducing finger spelling to her, and with it a way to interact and live again.
Lottie's influence on Liza has a dramatic effect on the family. Her father can now communicate with her and her mother too. She soon emerges from her room and Liza can finally realise how loved she is. Lottie introduces Liza to her family and the outside world and allows Liza to become the determined, selfless, caring person she is.
I picked this book up intrigued with the synopsis but not sure what to expect. I read the first few pages and was immediately drawn into the story. Rebecca Mascull has created a compelling character in Adeliza Golding and I didn't want to stop reading until I found out how her life was going to develop. It was a pleasure to see the relationship between Liza and other members of her family grow, and to see that family grown beyond her immediate one to include Lottie and her family. Lottie was also a wonderful character, full of love and understanding and as the story develops we see how she has come to know finger spelling and see a little of the heart-ache that drives her.
When Liza learns to communicate she not only opens the world to herself but also the Visitors. These visitors she learns to realise are spirits, trapped on earth. She learns to first keep these visitors a secret but then opens up to Lottie of their existence. In time as she discovers more about her own spirit she figures out how she can help the ones only she can see and hear.
I loved the pace of this story, how we get to see Liza grow from a child to a young kind woman, who realises her own limitations but who is determined that her lack of senses will set her back in life. The story travels from Kent to Africa and I particularly liked that part of the story related to the Boer War.
It is a beautifully rendered story of acceptance - acceptance of ourselves and others, acceptance of our gifts and limitations, of forgiveness and accepting that we can make more of our life than was originally deemed for us if we try.
I highly recommend this book. It is part love story, saga, ghost story and historical fiction, a perfect amalgam. It is wonderful debut and I can't recall reading a story quite like it. I eagerly await more from Rebecca Mascull.
August 12, 2014
Adeliza (Liza) Golding was born with little sight and when she is 3 years old, scarlet fever takes away her hearing and cataracts remove her remaining sight. She is now deafblind and mute and lives in a world of confusion and frustration. As a result, she begins to run wild and the only way to control her is to physically restrain her by tying her to a chair. Her fragile mother retires to her bedroom and has very little contact with her daughter so initially Liza’s main carers are her brutish nanny and her devoted father. Her salvation arrives in the form of Charlotte (Lottie) Crowe, a young woman staying with her family on Liza’s father’s hop farm for the hop picking season. Lottie has experience of deaf blindness and with time and infinite patience brings to an end Liza’s lonely and isolated existence by teaching her to communicate and giving her the confidence to live a normal life.
This debut novel from Rebecca Mascull could be described as historical fiction/a love story/a ghost story as it encompasses all three genres. I sometimes find that historical fiction can be a bit dry however this is a beautifully written account of Liza’s transition from a dark and lonely childhood to experiencing her first love and finding her place in the world.
The characters are expertly drawn and it is clear that detailed research has been undertaken. I had heard of the Boer War, although I knew very little about it. When Lottie’s brother Caleb enlists as a soldier to fight for his country, his letters home bring to life the reality of war – the initial excitement of action giving way to the weary resignation of the death and destruction endured. I thought this was a very effective way of including the war in the story without making the narrative feel like a history lesson.
As a child, Liza’s lack of sight had given her an extra sense – she could see and communicate with ghosts – the Visitors. At first she doesn't understand these visions and why she alone can see and hear them. However, as the story progresses, this gift of hers comes to the fore and she learns how to use this gift to its full advantage. I have to admit, this was the weakest part of the story for me and although I could see how they were relevant to the story, I wasn't totally convinced by the paranormal aspect.
I loved both the characters of Liza and Lottie. Despite the obstacles to be overcome, Liza’s enthusiasm for learning and experiencing new things in life were superbly written, as was the friendship and devotion between her and Lottie.
I really enjoyed this original and thoughtful debut novel and look forward to reading more by this very talented author.
I received my paperback copy through the Amazon Vine review programme.
This debut novel from Rebecca Mascull could be described as historical fiction/a love story/a ghost story as it encompasses all three genres. I sometimes find that historical fiction can be a bit dry however this is a beautifully written account of Liza’s transition from a dark and lonely childhood to experiencing her first love and finding her place in the world.
The characters are expertly drawn and it is clear that detailed research has been undertaken. I had heard of the Boer War, although I knew very little about it. When Lottie’s brother Caleb enlists as a soldier to fight for his country, his letters home bring to life the reality of war – the initial excitement of action giving way to the weary resignation of the death and destruction endured. I thought this was a very effective way of including the war in the story without making the narrative feel like a history lesson.
As a child, Liza’s lack of sight had given her an extra sense – she could see and communicate with ghosts – the Visitors. At first she doesn't understand these visions and why she alone can see and hear them. However, as the story progresses, this gift of hers comes to the fore and she learns how to use this gift to its full advantage. I have to admit, this was the weakest part of the story for me and although I could see how they were relevant to the story, I wasn't totally convinced by the paranormal aspect.
I loved both the characters of Liza and Lottie. Despite the obstacles to be overcome, Liza’s enthusiasm for learning and experiencing new things in life were superbly written, as was the friendship and devotion between her and Lottie.
I really enjoyed this original and thoughtful debut novel and look forward to reading more by this very talented author.
I received my paperback copy through the Amazon Vine review programme.
May 21, 2014
This is the debut novel of Rebecca Mascull and I have to say that I am very impressed with her writing. I chose to read and review this for the Amazon Vine program and was not disappointed. I think it is quite a hard genre to write from and produce a convincing narrative.
The story spans over twenty years in the life of a blind/deaf girl called Adeliza, it tells of how she became blind/deaf and the frustrations of her silent, dark world until someone changes her life.
However, she is never totally alone as she has "The Visitors" This was an aspect which attracted me to the book as it had a supernatural element as well as having the unusual main character of the book with so many physical disadvantages to conquer or at least make peace with. The Visitors are the dead, who do not know they are dead, looking for something or unfinished business. They talk to Liza and she has to learn how she can help them.
I had some experience of working with deaf children in my younger years and learned a little sign language myself and witnessed first hand how it can open up communication in a way that would otherwise be closed to the hearing as well as the deaf. The story is written from the perspective of Liza as she learns to communicate with the "hearing/seeing world" She is fortunate that she has a family that is supportive (especially her father) and that her circumstances of birth (middle class hop farming family)that she is allowed to develop.
Liza is a bright, inquisitive girl, who is eager to break out of the prison of her bodily limits and learn about the world around her and partake of what it has to offer in terms relationships. The most endearing and lasting friendship is between that of her and her friend/companion Charlotte Crowe, who helped her communicate.
It covers several events of that time in history, (late Victorian era/Edwardian era) including the Boer war. The horrors of the camps and the fighting told in letters by Charlotte's brother, Caleb. Liza's attachment to Caleb and a series of events causes Liza and Charlotte to witness some of the horror for themselves, first hand. Liza also makes peace with her gift of seeing the dead and realizes how it might help the living as well as those who have passed on.
The story moves at a steady pace and is intelligently written. I look forward to reading more stories by this author.
The story spans over twenty years in the life of a blind/deaf girl called Adeliza, it tells of how she became blind/deaf and the frustrations of her silent, dark world until someone changes her life.
However, she is never totally alone as she has "The Visitors" This was an aspect which attracted me to the book as it had a supernatural element as well as having the unusual main character of the book with so many physical disadvantages to conquer or at least make peace with. The Visitors are the dead, who do not know they are dead, looking for something or unfinished business. They talk to Liza and she has to learn how she can help them.
I had some experience of working with deaf children in my younger years and learned a little sign language myself and witnessed first hand how it can open up communication in a way that would otherwise be closed to the hearing as well as the deaf. The story is written from the perspective of Liza as she learns to communicate with the "hearing/seeing world" She is fortunate that she has a family that is supportive (especially her father) and that her circumstances of birth (middle class hop farming family)that she is allowed to develop.
Liza is a bright, inquisitive girl, who is eager to break out of the prison of her bodily limits and learn about the world around her and partake of what it has to offer in terms relationships. The most endearing and lasting friendship is between that of her and her friend/companion Charlotte Crowe, who helped her communicate.
It covers several events of that time in history, (late Victorian era/Edwardian era) including the Boer war. The horrors of the camps and the fighting told in letters by Charlotte's brother, Caleb. Liza's attachment to Caleb and a series of events causes Liza and Charlotte to witness some of the horror for themselves, first hand. Liza also makes peace with her gift of seeing the dead and realizes how it might help the living as well as those who have passed on.
The story moves at a steady pace and is intelligently written. I look forward to reading more stories by this author.
October 16, 2014
In late Victorian England on her father’s hop farm, Adeliza Golding is born with very little sight. Tragically, as a three year old, and after a bout of scarlet fever, she loses her hearing and cataracts obstruct her vision even further. She becomes increasingly isolated; unable to communicate and trapped and lost in a world of darkness. Her father tries in vain to understand her, but has neither the knowledge nor the patience to overcome Liza’s disabilities.
In her darkness and confusion, Liza’s only communication is with the visitors, ghostly visions she speaks to in her head, who bring her neither comfort or joy, but who are her only way of making sense of her dark and dangerous world. One day, Lottie, a young hop picker takes Liza’s hand and begins to draw the shape of words, and suddenly the world beckons Liza in a way that she could never have envisaged.
What then follows is a beautifully written and very poignant coming of age story, in which Liza matures and grows into a strong and courageous young woman. With Lottie’s companionship, Liza is able to make sense of a changing world which sees her leave the familiarity of the Kentish hop fields, and head towards the unknown territory of the Boer War. The sweep of history moves effortlessly and very cleverly takes the reader on a voyage of discovery. We view the world through Liza’s eyes, which damaged though they are, offer a unique perspective on the world around her.
The overriding theme of love, friendship and survival make this one of those stories that stays with you long after the last page is turned.
It is a commendable debut novel, and I look forward to reading more from this talented author.
In her darkness and confusion, Liza’s only communication is with the visitors, ghostly visions she speaks to in her head, who bring her neither comfort or joy, but who are her only way of making sense of her dark and dangerous world. One day, Lottie, a young hop picker takes Liza’s hand and begins to draw the shape of words, and suddenly the world beckons Liza in a way that she could never have envisaged.
What then follows is a beautifully written and very poignant coming of age story, in which Liza matures and grows into a strong and courageous young woman. With Lottie’s companionship, Liza is able to make sense of a changing world which sees her leave the familiarity of the Kentish hop fields, and head towards the unknown territory of the Boer War. The sweep of history moves effortlessly and very cleverly takes the reader on a voyage of discovery. We view the world through Liza’s eyes, which damaged though they are, offer a unique perspective on the world around her.
The overriding theme of love, friendship and survival make this one of those stories that stays with you long after the last page is turned.
It is a commendable debut novel, and I look forward to reading more from this talented author.
August 14, 2014
The unexpected twists and turns of ‘The Visitors’ compel the reader on an extraordinary journey across both geographical and social boundaries. Beautifully observed, Rebecca Mascull expertly absorbs the reader in the life of an unlikely deaf-blind-mute heroin, Adeliza (Liza), as she grows through isolation to liberation, from the seeming hopelessness of her situation into the vastness of possibilities.
Set during the turn of the twentieth century the pioneering spirit of that age is infused within the pages of this story as Liza discovers the world anew, firstly through contact with Lottie, a hop-picker on her father’s farm who can communicate with her by finger-spelling. Later, when experimental surgery restores Liza’s sight it is both joyous and shocking as she sees, for the first time, all the beauty of the world that before she could only touch, as well as the strangeness of the only thing she has ever been able to hear, ghosts. That which seems a curse, however, proves later a saving grace, and when the man she grows to love leaves to fight in South Africa, the history of the long dead past is literally illuminated for us in this captivating and often stark adventure.
On every level ‘The Visitors’ is an enlightening and gripping read. Written with such insight and finesse the characters are tangible, the themes unique and the plot enthralling. As a reader, I finished the book with a feeling that I would miss Liza and Lottie, and with a real sense that I had traveled and grown with them through this intriguing and heart-warming story.
Set during the turn of the twentieth century the pioneering spirit of that age is infused within the pages of this story as Liza discovers the world anew, firstly through contact with Lottie, a hop-picker on her father’s farm who can communicate with her by finger-spelling. Later, when experimental surgery restores Liza’s sight it is both joyous and shocking as she sees, for the first time, all the beauty of the world that before she could only touch, as well as the strangeness of the only thing she has ever been able to hear, ghosts. That which seems a curse, however, proves later a saving grace, and when the man she grows to love leaves to fight in South Africa, the history of the long dead past is literally illuminated for us in this captivating and often stark adventure.
On every level ‘The Visitors’ is an enlightening and gripping read. Written with such insight and finesse the characters are tangible, the themes unique and the plot enthralling. As a reader, I finished the book with a feeling that I would miss Liza and Lottie, and with a real sense that I had traveled and grown with them through this intriguing and heart-warming story.
December 29, 2014
This is a surprising story in several respects. It defied my attempts to categorise it. The beginning reminded me of a Victorian family saga like one of my favourite books, 'The Thirteenth Tale' by D Setterfield. Then it moved into a kind of ghost story, but one where the ghosts are mainly befuddled refugees from their own lives (don't think this is a spoiler). Then it moved to Africa and graphic depictions of the Boer War. Our heroine, Liza, develops from a deaf/blind girl, with no connection to the world, into an adventurer who solves crimes on a different continent. Mascull's meticulous research is evident throughout. The period detail is excellent and free of anachronisms (my pet hate with historical fiction). The 'Visitors' come into their own towards the end of the book, in scenes which are affecting and poignant. I also really enjoyed the grittiness of the African scenes after the pastoral English scenes. This is a story of strong female characters and the bonds between them. I thought about the book after I finished it, which doesn't happen often. And I decided that Liza's deafness/blindness was really a metaphor for other kinds of blindness in the other characters. It was about people who won't see what's in front of them, who only hear what they want to hear. An affecting and accomplished debut from a writer with great promise.
January 9, 2014
I do love a book where you are not only entertained but you also learn something. I've never really thought much about the world of the deafblind and how they communicate (or indeed how they managed in this era), but this made me stop and think and try to imagine that kind of world.
I enjoyed the supernatural element to the story, and like the way it plays into the idea that if one sense is 'stunted' another will compensate - is she able to 'see' these Visitors because her other senses are lacking? I also liked the way they (the Visitors) were completely preoccupied with what happened to them (it reminded me of Sixth Sense - in a good way!).
However delightful that aspect was, what really stood out for me and drives Liza's development and character throughout, is her friendship with Lottie, and I think that's where the heart of the story is.
Clearly very thorough research has gone into this, yet it is never overpowering like some other historical stuff I've read.
A really cracking debut. Recommended. Looking forward to the next from this author.
I enjoyed the supernatural element to the story, and like the way it plays into the idea that if one sense is 'stunted' another will compensate - is she able to 'see' these Visitors because her other senses are lacking? I also liked the way they (the Visitors) were completely preoccupied with what happened to them (it reminded me of Sixth Sense - in a good way!).
However delightful that aspect was, what really stood out for me and drives Liza's development and character throughout, is her friendship with Lottie, and I think that's where the heart of the story is.
Clearly very thorough research has gone into this, yet it is never overpowering like some other historical stuff I've read.
A really cracking debut. Recommended. Looking forward to the next from this author.
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