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The Possessions Of Doctor Forrest
Three respected Scottish doctors - psychiatrist Steve Hartford, paediatric surgeon Grey Lochran and cosmetic surgeon Robert Forrest - have been close friends since their Edinburgh boyhoods, and now live handsomely in suburban London. But for each, midlife has brought certain discontents, especially for Forrest, a reformed womaniser who broods over his fading looks and the departure of his beautiful younger girlfriend.
When Dr Forrest goes missing one summer evening and fails to return, Lochran and Hartford are alarmed by the thought of what might have befallen their friend. The police can find no evidence of foul play, but the two doctors resolve to conduct their own investigation.
Soon, however, Lochran and Hartford find themselves bedevilled by bizarre, unnerving events, and the attentions of menacing strangers. Robert Forrest, they come to realise, has remained closer than they could ever have imagined...
When Dr Forrest goes missing one summer evening and fails to return, Lochran and Hartford are alarmed by the thought of what might have befallen their friend. The police can find no evidence of foul play, but the two doctors resolve to conduct their own investigation.
Soon, however, Lochran and Hartford find themselves bedevilled by bizarre, unnerving events, and the attentions of menacing strangers. Robert Forrest, they come to realise, has remained closer than they could ever have imagined...
442 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2011
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews
November 5, 2016
Sin duda, con este libro salí de mi zona de confort, y no me arrepiento. Tengo que decir que me tocó leerlo para Halloween, y que cuando vi que tenía 989 casi me da un algo... Pero, cuando leí las primeras líneas, fue uno de esos instantes 'mágicos' en que sabes que te va ha gustar; como si hubiera una especie de conexión invisible, que te atrapa y ya no te deja ir.
La historia está narrada a base de diarios, en que los protagonistas explican la extraña desaparición de su amigo. Poco a poco, ves cómo los hilos de la trama se mezclan entre ellos, hasta desencadenar en un torbellino que parece no tener fin. Sin embargo, y a pesar de que me gustó mucho, le he dado las tres estrellas por el final: bueno, eso sin duda, pero me faltó algo...
La historia está narrada a base de diarios, en que los protagonistas explican la extraña desaparición de su amigo. Poco a poco, ves cómo los hilos de la trama se mezclan entre ellos, hasta desencadenar en un torbellino que parece no tener fin. Sin embargo, y a pesar de que me gustó mucho, le he dado las tres estrellas por el final: bueno, eso sin duda, pero me faltó algo...
September 27, 2012
Richard Kelly, in The Possessions of Doctor Forrest, applies a gothic look and feel to a contemporary setting, in presenting and then unraveling for us a strange disappearance.
Doctor Robert Forrest clearly has a dark side. We learn of this by reference, as several other doctors, who make up the alternating narrators here, recall events in their journals. Clearly a hedonist, Forrest seems to have left a trail of destruction in his wanton path. He has a somewhat creepy girlfriend and has captured the interest of the son of one of the narrators. They have problems of their own, shaky home lives, uncomfortable relationships with patients. Kelly goes to some lengths to offer a spooky atmosphere. He then explains all in the final chapter, when we get to meet the missing doctor for ourselves.
The book did not work for me. Kelly would have done better to have planted his story in the Victorian era properly instead of attempting to re-pot it in the colder soil of today. He is successful in creating that older look and feel, which keeps feeling out of place whenever contemporary reality appears.
In order for the supernatural horror aspect to work best, we must care about at least some of the characters who will be affected. Yet Kelly’s atmospheric strength did not work quite so well in presenting his people. They remained distant, more foils than lives, and without the reader caring about them, it is difficult to sustain interest overall.
The strength of the book is in the very fanciful explanation presented in the final chapter, when Doctor Forrest tells all. That was the only part of the book I could really say was fun. It is a pretty outlandish explanation, but hey, it is supposed to be a Victorian horror story. You were looking for Miss Marple? Unfortunately, the fun of the ending did not make up for the disappointment of what preceded. If you are looking for a good creepy read, I suggest you bypass these woods.
Doctor Robert Forrest clearly has a dark side. We learn of this by reference, as several other doctors, who make up the alternating narrators here, recall events in their journals. Clearly a hedonist, Forrest seems to have left a trail of destruction in his wanton path. He has a somewhat creepy girlfriend and has captured the interest of the son of one of the narrators. They have problems of their own, shaky home lives, uncomfortable relationships with patients. Kelly goes to some lengths to offer a spooky atmosphere. He then explains all in the final chapter, when we get to meet the missing doctor for ourselves.
The book did not work for me. Kelly would have done better to have planted his story in the Victorian era properly instead of attempting to re-pot it in the colder soil of today. He is successful in creating that older look and feel, which keeps feeling out of place whenever contemporary reality appears.
In order for the supernatural horror aspect to work best, we must care about at least some of the characters who will be affected. Yet Kelly’s atmospheric strength did not work quite so well in presenting his people. They remained distant, more foils than lives, and without the reader caring about them, it is difficult to sustain interest overall.
The strength of the book is in the very fanciful explanation presented in the final chapter, when Doctor Forrest tells all. That was the only part of the book I could really say was fun. It is a pretty outlandish explanation, but hey, it is supposed to be a Victorian horror story. You were looking for Miss Marple? Unfortunately, the fun of the ending did not make up for the disappointment of what preceded. If you are looking for a good creepy read, I suggest you bypass these woods.
August 23, 2014
Grey Lochran, Steve Hartford and Robert Forrest are a trio of successful doctors who have been friends (and rivals) since their schooldays, although in recent years Robert - a plastic surgeon - has developed a dangerous obsession with youth and vanity which has led to him becoming somewhat alienated from his old friends. When Robert goes missing, the others are perplexed by his sudden disappearance, and Grey in particular is determined to uncover the truth about what has happened to him. The story is told entirely through diary entries and charts the increasingly sinister events that unfold after Robert's disappearance.
A modern reworking of Doctor Faustus with a distinct neo-gothic feel, The Possessions of Doctor Forrest is a powerful tale of sin and devilry which I thoroughly enjoyed. It's a very meaty and intriguing story with plenty of layers and is deliciously rich and dark in its settings, themes and language. The only problematic issue is that the author has a very distinctive, florid style, and using the voices of several different characters doesn't really work as they sound too alike - not to mention the fact that we all know nobody writes like this in their personal diary. Also, the final 'confession' is much weaker than the rest of the narrative and could have benefited from revisiting some of the other narrators. Still, overall this was an excellent, compelling read - I felt like it was the literary equivalent of a huge slice of black forest gâteau. I'm always excited to find good modern authors who write subtle, effective horror, and I will definitely be looking out for Kelly's future books.
A modern reworking of Doctor Faustus with a distinct neo-gothic feel, The Possessions of Doctor Forrest is a powerful tale of sin and devilry which I thoroughly enjoyed. It's a very meaty and intriguing story with plenty of layers and is deliciously rich and dark in its settings, themes and language. The only problematic issue is that the author has a very distinctive, florid style, and using the voices of several different characters doesn't really work as they sound too alike - not to mention the fact that we all know nobody writes like this in their personal diary. Also, the final 'confession' is much weaker than the rest of the narrative and could have benefited from revisiting some of the other narrators. Still, overall this was an excellent, compelling read - I felt like it was the literary equivalent of a huge slice of black forest gâteau. I'm always excited to find good modern authors who write subtle, effective horror, and I will definitely be looking out for Kelly's future books.
August 28, 2023
Un libro interesante que me recuerda en muchos aspectos al "Retrato de Dorian Gray" y que te sumergen en un halo de misterio durante gran parte de la trama permitiendo al lector crear sus propias teorías sobre qué está sucediendo y cómo es posible. Lo recomiendo.
February 18, 2013
This review and others like it available on my blog
I'm not entirely sure it works. Oh, plenty of ideas are presented and discussed within the text, but you are frequently hammered with them. And the dread, the melodrama, the creeping horror that should be present in a Gothic Novel simply, well, isn't.
The writing isn't all that great either - often ham-handed, confusing. The characters all sound the same. If you're going to write a novel where you have everal points of view, you should try to make sure that they don't all sound like the same person. I was confused between the characters quite often - even main characters. I would assume I was in the POV of Grey, when I was in fact in Stevens, and vice versa. I could perhaps forgive that if the prose itself wasn't just so bland. The thing is, there is nothing wrong with basic, workmanlike prose that tells you a story simply and plainly. There is a lot wrong with dull, bland prose that seems to think it's poetic and grand.
Once more I'm confined to Blakedene overnight, but this time not the fault of my bad timekeeping, rather because of the cataclysmic weather that befell us late this afternoon.
It's full of this stuff. Pompous, overbearing, dull.
It's a shame because the story itself is dynamite. In other hands it could have been anything from a true, melodramatic Gothic Novel, a tense thriller, or a slow, poetic tragedy, and I would have loved it. But I finished feeling let down by the book. I'm glad I bought it from a charity shop. I only wasted 50p as opposed to the RRP of 12.99.
Ps:
Can we talk a little bit about the sexism? I wasn't sure if it was supposed to be an critical examination of typical 'mild' misogyny or if it was actually a sexist-as-hell book, but as the owner of a uterus I came away feeling really uncomfortable and unpleasant because of the way women were portrayed in the book. It's a subtle feeling and one I'm struggling to examine properly, but there jsut seemed to be this overriding current of women as 'other', as victims, neurotics or destructive forces that I found very distasteful.
I'm not entirely sure it works. Oh, plenty of ideas are presented and discussed within the text, but you are frequently hammered with them. And the dread, the melodrama, the creeping horror that should be present in a Gothic Novel simply, well, isn't.
The writing isn't all that great either - often ham-handed, confusing. The characters all sound the same. If you're going to write a novel where you have everal points of view, you should try to make sure that they don't all sound like the same person. I was confused between the characters quite often - even main characters. I would assume I was in the POV of Grey, when I was in fact in Stevens, and vice versa. I could perhaps forgive that if the prose itself wasn't just so bland. The thing is, there is nothing wrong with basic, workmanlike prose that tells you a story simply and plainly. There is a lot wrong with dull, bland prose that seems to think it's poetic and grand.
Once more I'm confined to Blakedene overnight, but this time not the fault of my bad timekeeping, rather because of the cataclysmic weather that befell us late this afternoon.
It's full of this stuff. Pompous, overbearing, dull.
It's a shame because the story itself is dynamite. In other hands it could have been anything from a true, melodramatic Gothic Novel, a tense thriller, or a slow, poetic tragedy, and I would have loved it. But I finished feeling let down by the book. I'm glad I bought it from a charity shop. I only wasted 50p as opposed to the RRP of 12.99.
Ps:
Can we talk a little bit about the sexism? I wasn't sure if it was supposed to be an critical examination of typical 'mild' misogyny or if it was actually a sexist-as-hell book, but as the owner of a uterus I came away feeling really uncomfortable and unpleasant because of the way women were portrayed in the book. It's a subtle feeling and one I'm struggling to examine properly, but there jsut seemed to be this overriding current of women as 'other', as victims, neurotics or destructive forces that I found very distasteful.
January 30, 2013
4 stars because I had a feeling I was reading Dracula, Frankenstein, Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and Devil's Elixirs - all at the same time.
I´m really sensitive when it comes to retellings and using/stealing characters previously created. This wasn´t the case in this book but most of the characters have some similarities with characters from the mentioned books above.
However, characters in this book are more complex and haunting.
Story is interesting, at some times creepy, even funny to me.
It´s definitely not the usual kind of ... uhh thriller, horror, mystery plot. Everything makes you question your own sanity and is there anyone who is sane at all.
I actually expected this book to be excellent, for it has really low ratings and we all know that great books are not popular.
I´ll give it 5 stars after all.
I´m really sensitive when it comes to retellings and using/stealing characters previously created. This wasn´t the case in this book but most of the characters have some similarities with characters from the mentioned books above.
However, characters in this book are more complex and haunting.
Story is interesting, at some times creepy, even funny to me.
It´s definitely not the usual kind of ... uhh thriller, horror, mystery plot. Everything makes you question your own sanity and is there anyone who is sane at all.
I actually expected this book to be excellent, for it has really low ratings and we all know that great books are not popular.
I´ll give it 5 stars after all.
October 22, 2011
Loved it. Very interesting way of writing with a curt nod to C19th but steeped in contemporary obsessions. Very original despite being (at the same time, clever that) a homage. If you like books that make you think and classy writing, you won't be disappointed. Howling at the moon gothic. A proper London novel.
February 1, 2012
A Victorian gothic horror set in modern London - this is the sort of thing I'd imagine Robert Lois Stevenson or Wilkie Collins would produce if they were writing today. A wonderfully creepy book for cold, dark evenings.
January 26, 2019
first book ive stopped reading in over two years. didnt like it at all.
December 4, 2015
šteta što nema ocjena 4+, nije mi za 5, al baš je dobra!
September 5, 2021
Gorgeous prose, creepy and well paced on the whole. It lost a little for me at the end but an enjoyable read nonetheless
August 8, 2022
Spiritual descendant of famous 19th century Gothic novels by Bram Stoker and Robert Louis Stevenson, this little gem has confirmed what I always believed, that books found their readers and not the other way around - I stumbled upon it completely by accident, took it home and allowed myself to be possessed, hypnotised and enchanted by it trough the whole weekend of non stop reading. It helped that I was comfortable in a solitary weekend cottage, decidedly offline, surrounded with buzzing bees and chirping birds.
What impressed me even more than the story itself was the writing style which was luminous. In fact, I am not sure was I enjoying more the story or simply the style - every now and than, the author would come up with some really beautiful turn of the phrase and I loved it so much that I returned to the pages again and again. “Our life's great friendships are dropped on us in strange little ways but for providential reasons. We are meant to encounter our opposites in life and be changed by them – transformed, in some manner.” Often I would stop reading and found myself pondering sentences like these, feeling strange kinship with author and marvelling that a complete stranger thinks the same as me. It is very possible that book came in the perfect moment when I was ready to enjoy it. Can't wait to find more books by this guy.
What impressed me even more than the story itself was the writing style which was luminous. In fact, I am not sure was I enjoying more the story or simply the style - every now and than, the author would come up with some really beautiful turn of the phrase and I loved it so much that I returned to the pages again and again. “Our life's great friendships are dropped on us in strange little ways but for providential reasons. We are meant to encounter our opposites in life and be changed by them – transformed, in some manner.” Often I would stop reading and found myself pondering sentences like these, feeling strange kinship with author and marvelling that a complete stranger thinks the same as me. It is very possible that book came in the perfect moment when I was ready to enjoy it. Can't wait to find more books by this guy.
April 8, 2018
Hmm... so this was an interesting read. I've been wanting to read this book for a while but I never managed to. However, when I finally got it from the library it was a bit dissapointing. Thinking back on it, it did sound a bit more interesting then it actually turned out. I think it was well written, it certainly has that gothic vibe so you almost don't even realise the setting is actually in modern day. The plot itself was a bit... lacking. For a while it did hold my attention but as the story went on I started to get bored at the too long descriptions or characters's thoughts which didn't necessarily have much to do with the plot. Throughout the story you basically follow dr. Grey Lochran and dr. Steven Hartford as each of them tries to solve the mystery of their friends' (dr. Robert Forrest) dissapearance. Some strange things start to happen which are all connected and in the end have to do with Forrest's dissapearance. Even thought the story's written from a few characters' points of view at times a had difficulty differentiating between them.
It certainly isn't a light read and you have to pay attention to everything in order to understand what's happening and at times the book just lost my interest. I suppose that something just lacks but I don't know what.
It certainly isn't a light read and you have to pay attention to everything in order to understand what's happening and at times the book just lost my interest. I suppose that something just lacks but I don't know what.
July 6, 2020
A good attempt at writing a horror novel about selling soul to the devil for an eternally young and beautiful body. The characters are interesting at first, but gradually their stories merge and with that they become less and less interesting and somehow unfinished. At the end of the reading there was some silly mehh .. feeling left.
Dobar pokušaj horror priče o prodaji duše vragu za vječno mlado i lijepo tijelo. Likovi su u početku zanimljivi ali postepeno se njihove priče stapaju a s time postaju i sve manje zanimljive i nekako nedovršene. Na kraju čitanja je ostao neki bezvezni mehh.. osjećaj, šteta.
Dobar pokušaj horror priče o prodaji duše vragu za vječno mlado i lijepo tijelo. Likovi su u početku zanimljivi ali postepeno se njihove priče stapaju a s time postaju i sve manje zanimljive i nekako nedovršene. Na kraju čitanja je ostao neki bezvezni mehh.. osjećaj, šteta.
July 9, 2022
The cover of this book and intriguing name were the reasons why did I took this book and start to read it. But I was really disappointed.
Really cliché story and characters. Dr. Forester went missing and we follow day to day life of their friends and ex-lovers to find out in the end where is he.
This book represents itself like a gothic novel, but it doesn’t have any characteristics of one. You don’t feel no dread, no melodrama, no horror while reading it. In fact, you don’t care about characters at all.
End is good but it’s not good enough to say that this book is worth reading. Maybe you can have it because of it’s pretty cover, but that’s all.
Really cliché story and characters. Dr. Forester went missing and we follow day to day life of their friends and ex-lovers to find out in the end where is he.
This book represents itself like a gothic novel, but it doesn’t have any characteristics of one. You don’t feel no dread, no melodrama, no horror while reading it. In fact, you don’t care about characters at all.
End is good but it’s not good enough to say that this book is worth reading. Maybe you can have it because of it’s pretty cover, but that’s all.
June 15, 2023
i have never read anything remotely close to his book. The whole concept of it was just mindblowing.
The circle of life and death and the way undying urge to live forever was portrayed was just perfect.
It was and still is one of the most interesting books I have ever read.
The circle of life and death and the way undying urge to live forever was portrayed was just perfect.
It was and still is one of the most interesting books I have ever read.
October 10, 2020
I didn't like the way this was written, alternating between journal entries from different people, taking too long to get going/interesting.. did not finish..
November 4, 2023
•
(...) romantika može biti droga određenoj vrsti žena, ali ona je samo začin života, ne njegov svakidašnji, uobičajeni nadjev.
•
(...) romantika može biti droga određenoj vrsti žena, ali ona je samo začin života, ne njegov svakidašnji, uobičajeni nadjev.
•
September 11, 2012
Three Scottish doctors - Grey Lochran, Robert Forrest and Steven Hartford - have been friends since their medical school days. As they have grown into middle-age they have grown somewhat apart and practice in very varied fields, but still keep in regular contact. When Dr Forrest suddenly disappears without a trace, his old colleagues are baffled and the police are unable to turn up a single lead. And although Robert is no longer around, his friends continue to feel echoes of his presence in everything they do. Old secrets are unearthed and it becomes certain that there is something sinister afoot.
The first thing that struck me about this novel is that the title is an odd one - Dr Forrest's possessions did not seem to me to play a vital role in the tale, nor did they hold the key to the mystery of his whereabouts. Never mind the fact that Grey and Robert are both surgeons, so surely he would be a Mr Forrest and not a Dr? But when I stopped nit-picking and got over these essentially unimportant quibbles of mine, I enjoyed this mystery with its strong Gothic influences.
The story is told through diary entries and letters from the points of view of several characters, with a final chapter from Dr Forrest revealing all. This was a really effective plot device when it came to letting the reader know about certain secrets and keeping particular characters out of the loop, but it was a shame that none of the characters' voices was particularly distinctive. I had to keep reminding myself who was narrating at any given point. Kelly clearly draws on some Gothic classics for inspiration but does so very well. Suspense builds slowly throughout and I was left with a strong sense of unease when it came to the finale, with no idea what was going on. The ending is surprising if a little drawn out - the whole story is essentially re-told from Forrest's point of view and I became quite impatient for it to finish, although really I can't think of another way that Kelly could have done this and still managed to tie up all the loose ends and explain everything properly.
This is a really solid tale of horror and suspense and if you are in the mood for something spooky then I'd definitely give it a go.
The first thing that struck me about this novel is that the title is an odd one - Dr Forrest's possessions did not seem to me to play a vital role in the tale, nor did they hold the key to the mystery of his whereabouts. Never mind the fact that Grey and Robert are both surgeons, so surely he would be a Mr Forrest and not a Dr? But when I stopped nit-picking and got over these essentially unimportant quibbles of mine, I enjoyed this mystery with its strong Gothic influences.
The story is told through diary entries and letters from the points of view of several characters, with a final chapter from Dr Forrest revealing all. This was a really effective plot device when it came to letting the reader know about certain secrets and keeping particular characters out of the loop, but it was a shame that none of the characters' voices was particularly distinctive. I had to keep reminding myself who was narrating at any given point. Kelly clearly draws on some Gothic classics for inspiration but does so very well. Suspense builds slowly throughout and I was left with a strong sense of unease when it came to the finale, with no idea what was going on. The ending is surprising if a little drawn out - the whole story is essentially re-told from Forrest's point of view and I became quite impatient for it to finish, although really I can't think of another way that Kelly could have done this and still managed to tie up all the loose ends and explain everything properly.
This is a really solid tale of horror and suspense and if you are in the mood for something spooky then I'd definitely give it a go.
March 19, 2015
This book was awesome. The main issue other people seemed to have had with it was the language, which they viewed as too "gothic" for the contemporary setting. I disagree - the language works perfectly for a bunch of very-educated, pompous Brit/Scottish doctors in a modern gothic novel. This is how I would expect intelligent people to speak, with a little gothic flair added (More noticeably on Robert than the others, but then Robert is crazy.)
Another issue seemed to be the inability to tell characters apart, which I didn't experience, and that people were unable to sympathize with the characters. This outright baffles me. Grey describing his interactions with his wife are extremely touching, as was his love for his son. And come on, how can you not feel sorry for Steven?? The man's whole life fell apart. I understand not sympathizing with Robert (again, crazy) but even I felt a twinge for him when She shows him the vision (or whatever) of Melena and Killian together.
Overall, I thought the book was incredibly absorbing. It was wonderfully paced, a slow aching build up to the fantastical reveal in Robert's confession. It reminded me of an Edgar Allen Poe (I think) short story about a man that goes out to hunt a trap making spider in a forest (extremely vague memory of this obviously). Anyway, it's clear that Kelly has done his homework when it comes to gothic writing, and the move to the modern setting didn't bother me at all. Our modern horrors of divorce and sexual abuse and trafficking and drugs are just as frightening as the horrors of old timey books. That is the strength of this novel - not just the horror elements, which were chilling and interesting, but the everyday horrific events, all of which could have occurred with no supernatural explanation at all.
One little nit pick is the plot hole regarding Grey's friend Edward (Edmund?). He keeps appearing to help Grey in his dreams, and his son's death foreshadows Cal's. Still, I feel like there was more going on with that part of the story that feels like it was dropped? Like Ed believing he didn't really save his son, and Grey mentioning in the first chapter that he didn't know what became of the son after the father's death.
Another issue seemed to be the inability to tell characters apart, which I didn't experience, and that people were unable to sympathize with the characters. This outright baffles me. Grey describing his interactions with his wife are extremely touching, as was his love for his son. And come on, how can you not feel sorry for Steven?? The man's whole life fell apart. I understand not sympathizing with Robert (again, crazy) but even I felt a twinge for him when She shows him the vision (or whatever) of Melena and Killian together.
Overall, I thought the book was incredibly absorbing. It was wonderfully paced, a slow aching build up to the fantastical reveal in Robert's confession. It reminded me of an Edgar Allen Poe (I think) short story about a man that goes out to hunt a trap making spider in a forest (extremely vague memory of this obviously). Anyway, it's clear that Kelly has done his homework when it comes to gothic writing, and the move to the modern setting didn't bother me at all. Our modern horrors of divorce and sexual abuse and trafficking and drugs are just as frightening as the horrors of old timey books. That is the strength of this novel - not just the horror elements, which were chilling and interesting, but the everyday horrific events, all of which could have occurred with no supernatural explanation at all.
One little nit pick is the plot hole regarding Grey's friend Edward (Edmund?). He keeps appearing to help Grey in his dreams, and his son's death foreshadows Cal's. Still, I feel like there was more going on with that part of the story that feels like it was dropped? Like Ed believing he didn't really save his son, and Grey mentioning in the first chapter that he didn't know what became of the son after the father's death.
November 16, 2023
Spiritual descendant of famous 19th century Gothic novels by Bram Stoker and Robert Louis Stevenson, this little gem has confirmed what I always believed, that books found their readers and not the other way around - I stumbled upon it completely by accident, took it home and allowed myself to be possessed, hypnotised and enchanted by it trough the whole weekend of non stop reading. It helped that I was comfortable in a solitary weekend cottage, decidedly offline, surrounded with buzzing bees and chirping birds.
What impressed me even more than the story itself was the writing style which was luminous. In fact, I am not sure was I enjoying more the story or simply the style - every now and than, the author would come up with some really beautiful turn of the phrase and I loved it so much that I returned to the pages again and again. “Our life's great friendships are dropped on us in strange little ways but for providential reasons. We are meant to encounter our opposites in life and be changed by them – transformed, in some manner.” Often I would stop reading and found myself pondering sentences like these, feeling strange kinship with author and marvelling that a complete stranger thinks the same as me. It is very possible that book came in the perfect moment when I was ready to enjoy it. Can't wait to find more books by this guy.
What impressed me even more than the story itself was the writing style which was luminous. In fact, I am not sure was I enjoying more the story or simply the style - every now and than, the author would come up with some really beautiful turn of the phrase and I loved it so much that I returned to the pages again and again. “Our life's great friendships are dropped on us in strange little ways but for providential reasons. We are meant to encounter our opposites in life and be changed by them – transformed, in some manner.” Often I would stop reading and found myself pondering sentences like these, feeling strange kinship with author and marvelling that a complete stranger thinks the same as me. It is very possible that book came in the perfect moment when I was ready to enjoy it. Can't wait to find more books by this guy.
December 9, 2012
I was at times very fascinated by the book, but still I could not motivate myself to really continue reading it somehow.
Now I definetely want to read it again. There were a lot of interesting philosophical parts in it I don't think I have fully understood yet.
The languege was very difficult but good. It is written in a very educated way. With a fancy sentence structure and difficult words. That also makes it difficult to read the book in one go. But it was not a made language. It really fits the book.
In the begininning of the last chaper I feared I was going to be dissapointed, so I stopped reading, but when I evantually pressed on it was even more creepy than I could have imagined. The ending was pretty awesome.
Also there were a lot of fascinating characters and really sympathetic ones.
I also liked the way different characters got the change to tell their part of the story. I always like that in books.
Overall a book which took me some time to get into, but evantually was definetely worth it. Also fit to read more than once.
Now I definetely want to read it again. There were a lot of interesting philosophical parts in it I don't think I have fully understood yet.
The languege was very difficult but good. It is written in a very educated way. With a fancy sentence structure and difficult words. That also makes it difficult to read the book in one go. But it was not a made language. It really fits the book.
In the begininning of the last chaper I feared I was going to be dissapointed, so I stopped reading, but when I evantually pressed on it was even more creepy than I could have imagined. The ending was pretty awesome.
Also there were a lot of fascinating characters and really sympathetic ones.
I also liked the way different characters got the change to tell their part of the story. I always like that in books.
Overall a book which took me some time to get into, but evantually was definetely worth it. Also fit to read more than once.
October 2, 2013
I like 'gothic' a lot but, golly gosh, it does need to be done well to be bearable. The first few pages of the 'The Possessions...' are quite a turn off because of this and it's a jolt to discover that one isn't stuck in the pre 19th century after all. Thusly thereafter - note the words - there's a lot of rather archaic language that one occasionally needs to check in the dictionary to understand (not a bad thing) and some terribly convoluted sentence construction - viz. this - that irks rather too much for comfort. And whilst I approve of bits of medical stuff manifesting from time to time, it needs to be 100% accurate: the term is 'gender reassignment' these days, not "gender realignment" (although that has a certain mechanistic appeal). And in case I forget, the hackneyed SCOTTISH stuff needed a thorough sweep with a broom by the editors who probably gave up after the first chapter. And sad to say, that's really how I felt by the end of the book: thoroughly pished off, as the author might say.
February 26, 2015
I like 'gothic' a lot but, golly gosh, it does need to be done well to be bearable. The first few pages of the 'The Possessions...' are quite a turn off because of this and it's a jolt to discover that one isn't stuck in the pre 19th century after all. Thusly thereafter - note the words - there's a lot of rather archaic language that one occasionally needs to check in the dictionary to understand (not a bad thing) and some terribly convoluted sentence construction - viz. this - that irks rather too much for comfort. And whilst I approve of bits of medical stuff manifesting from time to time, it needs to be 100% accurate: the term is 'gender reassignment' these days, not "gender realignment" (although that has a certain mechanistic appeal). And in case I forget, the hackneyed SCOTTISH stuff needed a thorough sweep with a broom by the editors who probably gave up after the first chapter. And sad to say, that's really how I felt by the end of the book: thoroughly pished off, as the author might say.
October 11, 2011
This is my reading group's choice for October - aaaaaah!
Weirdly interesting or interestingly weird...
This book is about the disappearance of a doctor and his friends' quest to find him.
At the beginning I was surprised to find this was a contemporary novel. Indeed, the tome of it suggests it could be similar in era and tone to a Sherlock Holmes. It was only when one of the characters took out a mobile phone that I realised this was supposed to be set in the present-day.
The novel is very atmospheric with a cold and eerie sense, in keeping with the gothic genre.
In concluding, I wouldn't usually have chosen a book like this and, after reading, I'm not sure I'm a convert to this genre. I'm afraid I'm too much of a realist and this requires that I suspend my disbelief just a little too much!
Weirdly interesting or interestingly weird...
This book is about the disappearance of a doctor and his friends' quest to find him.
At the beginning I was surprised to find this was a contemporary novel. Indeed, the tome of it suggests it could be similar in era and tone to a Sherlock Holmes. It was only when one of the characters took out a mobile phone that I realised this was supposed to be set in the present-day.
The novel is very atmospheric with a cold and eerie sense, in keeping with the gothic genre.
In concluding, I wouldn't usually have chosen a book like this and, after reading, I'm not sure I'm a convert to this genre. I'm afraid I'm too much of a realist and this requires that I suspend my disbelief just a little too much!
October 5, 2011
Not quite as clever as it aspires to be. This does wear it's gothic sensibilities quite heavily and the influences of Dracula, Frankenstein and Jekyll and Hyde are splattered all over it. Literally. Some nice touches and a dark storyline, but no one to actually care about within the dreary list of characters. I won't post spoilers, but the end section really dragged on and took the story backwards in some respects - by which point I didn't actually care (much like I felt about Frankenstein himself and his incessant wailing about his creature).
** Edit. I initially gave this two stars, but realised I was being unfair and judging this book by what I wanted it to be, and not what it actually is. Which is a well written yarn, in the end. Just not a classic gothic novel.
** Edit. I initially gave this two stars, but realised I was being unfair and judging this book by what I wanted it to be, and not what it actually is. Which is a well written yarn, in the end. Just not a classic gothic novel.
October 12, 2011
After his disappearance, Dr Forrest’s friends watch as the abyss that lies in his wake inexplicably consumes their every lead and the Grim Reaper’s touch edges closer to those they hold dear. A foreseeable plot that is typical of gothic literature does not detract from the gripping mystery laid down in this book. A subtly sinister tale of partnership between Hubris and the femme fatale pays homage to the masters of the field (Dante in particular) without being weighed down by them. Kelly’s skilful displacement of the gothic dialect to the modern day lays the foundations for a neo-gothic genre.
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February 23, 2014
I actually really liked this, although whether what I got out of it was the author's acutal *intention* is not clear-cut. I felt he was making a bit of fun of the pomposity and entitlement in his rich, white, slightly sexist characters. And what is hell, exactly, Dr Forrest asks the she-demon towards the end? She doesn't say in as many words - but isn't the fact that he's been 'forced' to walk a mile in less priveleged shoes (poor, black, female)been a hellish experience for him? And the lack of choice of his body's integrity... Maybe I'm reading more into it than Kelly intended, but, hey, that's the one thing (the only thing) having a lit degree will do for you. :D
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 6, 2013
I finished this about a year ago. I think the author has the potential to become a very talented writer indeed but perhaps needs to find his feet a little as well as, dare I say, his most suitable genre.
All the same I found it to be a most enjoyable read apart from the fact that I found myself being able to second guess what was going to happen next throughout. That would be my only criticism of the book.
All the same I found it to be a most enjoyable read apart from the fact that I found myself being able to second guess what was going to happen next throughout. That would be my only criticism of the book.
June 29, 2015
Our life's great friendships are dropped on us in strange little ways but for providential reasons. We are meant to encounter our opposites in life and be changed by them – transformed, in some manner.
La vie humaine est limitée, mais je voudrais vivre éternellement – Human life is limited but I would like to live forever. - Yukio Mishima
In driving, one assumes the danger of destroying life, beginning with one’s own.
La vie humaine est limitée, mais je voudrais vivre éternellement – Human life is limited but I would like to live forever. - Yukio Mishima
In driving, one assumes the danger of destroying life, beginning with one’s own.
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