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BEAUTIFUL, FRIGHTENING, AND SILENT
Adam, a young alcoholic, slowly descends into madness while dealing with the psychological scars of childhood trauma which are reawakened when his son and wife die in a car accident that he feels he is responsible for. After a failed suicide attempt, and more group meetings that he can mention. Adam hears a rumor of a Haunted Island off the Coast of Maine, where “if someone wants it bad enough” they could be reunited with a lost loved one. In his desperate attempt to connect with the ghost of his four-and-a half year old son, he decides to go there, to Dagger Island, desperate to apologize to, or be condemned by, his young son. Adam is not sure what he deserves or even which of these he wants more. While staying in a crumbling old boarding house, he becomes involved with a beautiful and manipulative ghost who has spent 60 years tormenting the now elderly man who was her lover, and ultimately her murderer. The three of them create a “Menage-a-Guilt" as they all come to terms with what it is that ties them so emotionally to their memories and their very “existence”.Beautiful, Frightening, and Silent is a poetic fever dream of grief, love, and the terrifying ways that obsession can change who we are.JENNIFER ANNE GORDON is a professional ballroom dancer by day, and a curly haired neurotic writer by night. She is an actor, a traveler, a photographer, a lover of horror, and a dog mom. Beautiful, Frightening and Silent is her debut novel.
Kindle Edition
Published February 24, 2020
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263 people want to read
About the author
Jennifer Anne Gordon
14 books200 followersJennifer Anne Gordon is a Gothic horror novelist. Her work includes Beautiful, Frightening and Silent (2020) which won the Kindle Award for Best Horror/Suspense for 2020, and From Daylight to Madness (The Hotel book 1), and When the Sleeping Dead Still Talk (The Hotel book 2).
She had a collection of her mixed media artwork published during spring of 2020, entitled Victoriana: mixed media art of Jennifer Gordon
Jennifer is one of the hosts as well as the creator of Vox Vomitus, a video podcast on the Global Authors on the Air Network, as well as the Co-Host of the You Tube Channel “Talk Horror to Me”. She had been a contributor to Ladies of Horror Fiction, as well as Horror Tree.
Jennifer is a pale curly haired ginger, obsessed with horror, ghosts, abandoned buildings, and her dog "Lord Tubby".
She graduated from the New Hampshire Institute of Art, where she studied Acting. She also studied at the University of New Hampshire with a concentration in Art History and English.
She has made her living as an actress, a magician's assistant, a "gallerina", a comic book dealer, a painter, and burlesque performer and for the past 10 years as an award-winning professional ballroom dancer, performer, instructor, and choreographer.
When not scribbling away (ok, typing frantically) she enjoys traveling with her fiancé and dance partner, teaching her dog ridiculous tricks (like 'give me a kiss' and 'what hand is the treat in?' ok these are not great tricks.) as well as taking photos of abandoned buildings and haunted locations.
She is a leo, so at the end of the day she just thinks about her hair.
She had a collection of her mixed media artwork published during spring of 2020, entitled Victoriana: mixed media art of Jennifer Gordon
Jennifer is one of the hosts as well as the creator of Vox Vomitus, a video podcast on the Global Authors on the Air Network, as well as the Co-Host of the You Tube Channel “Talk Horror to Me”. She had been a contributor to Ladies of Horror Fiction, as well as Horror Tree.
Jennifer is a pale curly haired ginger, obsessed with horror, ghosts, abandoned buildings, and her dog "Lord Tubby".
She graduated from the New Hampshire Institute of Art, where she studied Acting. She also studied at the University of New Hampshire with a concentration in Art History and English.
She has made her living as an actress, a magician's assistant, a "gallerina", a comic book dealer, a painter, and burlesque performer and for the past 10 years as an award-winning professional ballroom dancer, performer, instructor, and choreographer.
When not scribbling away (ok, typing frantically) she enjoys traveling with her fiancé and dance partner, teaching her dog ridiculous tricks (like 'give me a kiss' and 'what hand is the treat in?' ok these are not great tricks.) as well as taking photos of abandoned buildings and haunted locations.
She is a leo, so at the end of the day she just thinks about her hair.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 58 reviews
March 27, 2020
What an eerily poignant and thought provoking book this was! I love the way the characters are introduced and the pacing of it.
There's a gothic feel to it, and it reminds me of a couple short stories in a way that I've read in the past. Yet completely different...
The blurb is spot on, but doesn't do it justice. The depth and the way the story plays out is really just my kind of book.
There are a few formatting inconsistencies and grammatical errors, but the story is so good! I don't worry about that as much, but some do...
Trigger warnings: suicide attempt, alcoholism, some f bombs, a murder, child abuse, psychological manipulation, etc.
I definitely recommend this book and would read future books by this author. This author is an excellent story teller.
There's a gothic feel to it, and it reminds me of a couple short stories in a way that I've read in the past. Yet completely different...
The blurb is spot on, but doesn't do it justice. The depth and the way the story plays out is really just my kind of book.
There are a few formatting inconsistencies and grammatical errors, but the story is so good! I don't worry about that as much, but some do...
Trigger warnings: suicide attempt, alcoholism, some f bombs, a murder, child abuse, psychological manipulation, etc.
I definitely recommend this book and would read future books by this author. This author is an excellent story teller.
July 17, 2021
3.5 Stars
This was an elegant, haunting ghost story following a man who lost his wife and son in a tragic car accident. The premise made for an emotional read as we follow this struggling alcoholic man. The writing was quite simple, yet still had a lyrical quality, particularly in the sections from the ghost's perspective.
In terms of pace, this was more a slow burning read. Told over multiple perspectives and timelines, I found the narrative to be a bit fragmented and I was most interested in the story of the young widow.
Overall, this was a good story that hits a lot of classic tropes of the genre. Admittedly, ghost stories are not my personal favourite subgenre, so readers who love these kinds of spooky tales will likely enjoy this one more than I did.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publicist for review.
This was an elegant, haunting ghost story following a man who lost his wife and son in a tragic car accident. The premise made for an emotional read as we follow this struggling alcoholic man. The writing was quite simple, yet still had a lyrical quality, particularly in the sections from the ghost's perspective.
In terms of pace, this was more a slow burning read. Told over multiple perspectives and timelines, I found the narrative to be a bit fragmented and I was most interested in the story of the young widow.
Overall, this was a good story that hits a lot of classic tropes of the genre. Admittedly, ghost stories are not my personal favourite subgenre, so readers who love these kinds of spooky tales will likely enjoy this one more than I did.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publicist for review.
May 29, 2020
View my review on Reedsy! Thank you to Reedsy for giving me an e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest review:
https://reedsy.com/discovery/book/bea...
Beautiful, Frightening, and Silent by Jennifer Anne Gordan follows a man named Adam who lost his wife and four-year-old son in a car accident nearly a year ago. Struggling with his grief by way of alcoholism, this story starts in a dark place. We also meet Anthony, an old man who is haunted by his past quite literally. These two meet in a way that is written in their destinies far before the story begins.
This book is dark, twisted, and lyrical. This story starts with grief. I felt so deeply for Adam and what he has experienced through the loss of his family and the guilt that follows him since the accident. This book is painful to read, but it also continuously gave me the feeling of running towards something. The story kept me on my toes sitting right between the real world and fantasy paranormal so that I was never sure where we would go next. There are twists and turns throughout that left me surprised each time while at the same time feeling like there was nowhere else for the story to go.
I absolutely loved the writing. Be ready, it is extremely poetic, flowery, and lyrical. Gordon's storytelling felt like a caress while still giving you the creepy crawlies all at once. With that said, I don't think Gordon's writing will mesh with everyone's preferences. It's such a beautiful but specific way of writing and I think some will be put off by it. With that said, I'm a sucker for the flowery writing. It's why Laini Taylor is a favorite author of mine.
To end with a few quick comments on the formatting rather than the story itself, there were some grammatical issues I noticed throughout the story. In some places, periods were missing or switched to commas. I was able to easily ignore and move on, but I wanted to make sure readers are aware of that as well.
https://reedsy.com/discovery/book/bea...
Beautiful, Frightening, and Silent by Jennifer Anne Gordan follows a man named Adam who lost his wife and four-year-old son in a car accident nearly a year ago. Struggling with his grief by way of alcoholism, this story starts in a dark place. We also meet Anthony, an old man who is haunted by his past quite literally. These two meet in a way that is written in their destinies far before the story begins.
This book is dark, twisted, and lyrical. This story starts with grief. I felt so deeply for Adam and what he has experienced through the loss of his family and the guilt that follows him since the accident. This book is painful to read, but it also continuously gave me the feeling of running towards something. The story kept me on my toes sitting right between the real world and fantasy paranormal so that I was never sure where we would go next. There are twists and turns throughout that left me surprised each time while at the same time feeling like there was nowhere else for the story to go.
I absolutely loved the writing. Be ready, it is extremely poetic, flowery, and lyrical. Gordon's storytelling felt like a caress while still giving you the creepy crawlies all at once. With that said, I don't think Gordon's writing will mesh with everyone's preferences. It's such a beautiful but specific way of writing and I think some will be put off by it. With that said, I'm a sucker for the flowery writing. It's why Laini Taylor is a favorite author of mine.
To end with a few quick comments on the formatting rather than the story itself, there were some grammatical issues I noticed throughout the story. In some places, periods were missing or switched to commas. I was able to easily ignore and move on, but I wanted to make sure readers are aware of that as well.
August 18, 2021
I have stalled on writing this review for awhile. Beautiful, Frightening and Silent was read by me in a kind of book slump timeframe and hence I had a hard time connecting...totally on me. It's about a man named Adam who is an alcoholic and has lost his wife & son in a car accident. He seeks solace & reconnection on a haunted island (Dagger Island) off the coast of Maine. Written almost poetically beautiful with a shake of realism. This haunted ghost story just fell short for me. I had a hard time caring/getting invested in the main characters. I almost feel like I need to re-read it at some point and try again. I believe I may give it another go around at some point to be fair but for now 3 stars.
December 8, 2020
I'm the author, so I may be biased....so I am basing this rating on what my family who don't "understand goodreads" thought about my book.
read the other reviews for a less biased opinion.
<3 you all - Jennifer Anne
read the other reviews for a less biased opinion.
<3 you all - Jennifer Anne
November 6, 2022
Hypnotic, Brilliant, and Unique!
My first read from Gordon, but certainly not my last. This is a haunting exploration of loss and grief that kept me riveted from the first page to the last. The setting is exceptional, the imagery is vivid, and the writing itself is spellbinding.
Here's an excerpt:
He opens the bottle and drinks. Looks at the time and realizes it's not even noon. He wonders if he could find a meeting to go to; at this point, he would probably settle for any kind of meeting. He needs to sit silently in the back of the room and feel a group of strangers forgive him. Adam longs for forgiveness. He was a terrible husband and father. He knew he would be even when he asked Elisabeth to marry him. He is terrible at loving anyone or anything. When he is honest with himself, he realizes that he loves Ben much more now that he is gone. The loss of him created a hole inside him. A hole shaped like a son . . .
Here's another one:
Each day the tide comes in like a scream and just like that, the past is washed out to sea. Cauterized by the icy water, a water that is so cold it burns.
I'm looking forward to reading more from Gordon. Highly recommended!
My first read from Gordon, but certainly not my last. This is a haunting exploration of loss and grief that kept me riveted from the first page to the last. The setting is exceptional, the imagery is vivid, and the writing itself is spellbinding.
Here's an excerpt:
He opens the bottle and drinks. Looks at the time and realizes it's not even noon. He wonders if he could find a meeting to go to; at this point, he would probably settle for any kind of meeting. He needs to sit silently in the back of the room and feel a group of strangers forgive him. Adam longs for forgiveness. He was a terrible husband and father. He knew he would be even when he asked Elisabeth to marry him. He is terrible at loving anyone or anything. When he is honest with himself, he realizes that he loves Ben much more now that he is gone. The loss of him created a hole inside him. A hole shaped like a son . . .
Here's another one:
Each day the tide comes in like a scream and just like that, the past is washed out to sea. Cauterized by the icy water, a water that is so cold it burns.
I'm looking forward to reading more from Gordon. Highly recommended!
April 13, 2020
This was a great read and re-introduction to reading for fun again! Jennifer's descriptions of the characters, events, and settings are beautifully written with a few splashes of ballroom dancing terms thrown in! The flow of the story was great! The anticipation of events between characters would be resolved after a short amount of leading you on for the right amount of time.
There are a few grammar and editing mistakes, however, they can be easily overlooked.
When I finished the book, I felt a little sad that it was over but happy with the way it ended because all, but a few, questions were answered.
There are a few grammar and editing mistakes, however, they can be easily overlooked.
When I finished the book, I felt a little sad that it was over but happy with the way it ended because all, but a few, questions were answered.
August 6, 2020
A hauntingly beautiful story! Obsession, guilt, love, hate, revenge, absolution. What happens when only obsession and guilt rule? Can the spirits teach you? Recommended reading.
October 18, 2020
Jennifer Gordon’s debut novel “Beautiful, Frightening and Silent” is part ghost story, part tear jerker that centers on a high school teacher named Adam who lost his wife and four-and-a-half year old son in a freak truck accident several months ago. Adam has since become an alcoholic. He went into AA, but then suffered a relapse when he resumed drinking.
He is unable to let go of his family, especially his son Ben, a.k.a. “Benny Boy.” His depression has become so serious that he is now on the brink of madness. He rents a room for a week on Dagger Island off the coast of Maine. There he believes he’ll be able to reunite with Benny Boy (or, more precisely, his ghost). He actually seeks redemption, or admonishment from his son. Or he may want both.
The proprietor of the rooming house, an 82-year-old man named Anthony, harbors his own skeletons. Some 60 years ago he murdered his girlfriend, Fiona, whose spirit has since haunted the premises. It may in fact be no accident that Adam is coming here. After all, he wants so badly to be with Benny Boy again. When he arrives, he connects with Fiona. It’s almost as if they had always known each other.
In addition to its often poetic nature, the novel is very atmospheric and character-driven. The coast of Maine provides an excellent backdrop, as it is the same general vicinity in which many of Stephen King’s novels take place. The ambiance is also creepy. The story is minimalist, supported by a paucity of characters, and explores such themes as loss, guilt and solitude. And while Anthony’s conscience (assuming he has one) doesn’t appear to bother him concerning Fiona’s murder, he is peeved by her constant presence. There’s also an indication that he may feel his mother’s presence as well, though that presence is purely symbolic.
“Beautiful, Frightening and Silent” is a finely-spun psychological thriller written mostly in narrative form, with a little dialogue thrown in. It’s very visceral, and succeeds on a very primal level in transporting the reader into the characters’ psyches.
He is unable to let go of his family, especially his son Ben, a.k.a. “Benny Boy.” His depression has become so serious that he is now on the brink of madness. He rents a room for a week on Dagger Island off the coast of Maine. There he believes he’ll be able to reunite with Benny Boy (or, more precisely, his ghost). He actually seeks redemption, or admonishment from his son. Or he may want both.
The proprietor of the rooming house, an 82-year-old man named Anthony, harbors his own skeletons. Some 60 years ago he murdered his girlfriend, Fiona, whose spirit has since haunted the premises. It may in fact be no accident that Adam is coming here. After all, he wants so badly to be with Benny Boy again. When he arrives, he connects with Fiona. It’s almost as if they had always known each other.
In addition to its often poetic nature, the novel is very atmospheric and character-driven. The coast of Maine provides an excellent backdrop, as it is the same general vicinity in which many of Stephen King’s novels take place. The ambiance is also creepy. The story is minimalist, supported by a paucity of characters, and explores such themes as loss, guilt and solitude. And while Anthony’s conscience (assuming he has one) doesn’t appear to bother him concerning Fiona’s murder, he is peeved by her constant presence. There’s also an indication that he may feel his mother’s presence as well, though that presence is purely symbolic.
“Beautiful, Frightening and Silent” is a finely-spun psychological thriller written mostly in narrative form, with a little dialogue thrown in. It’s very visceral, and succeeds on a very primal level in transporting the reader into the characters’ psyches.
March 22, 2020
This book was beautifully written and a GRIPPING READ. The idea of the after life is mysterious and a question for us all. This book is a peek into human Psyche Leaving many questions to ponder about the depths of alcoholism, Depression, and unspeakable behavior that can be lurking below anyone’s surface. Riveting, I couldn’t put it down! I still feel the Dampness in the air and that salty taste on the tongue!
August 31, 2020
Hauntingly beautiful storyline
Obsession, guilt, love, hate, revenge, absolution. What happens when only obsession and guilt rule? Can the spirits teach you? Recommended reading.
Obsession, guilt, love, hate, revenge, absolution. What happens when only obsession and guilt rule? Can the spirits teach you? Recommended reading.
March 2, 2020
This book is a Gem!
The story flows naturally into a vortex, pulling a shattered alcoholic into a world of supernatural intrigue, sorrow and murder. Adam, tied to the story both literally and figuratively, is someone you want to smack upside the head to wake him up to the mess he's in, while also comforting him to help soothe away the overwhelming pain that clouds his thoughts and judgement.
The characters are so well crafted that I lost myself in the story every time I sat down to read it. I cared for Adam, grieved with him over Benny-boy and grew to despise Anthony more and more as I got to know him.
This story is thoroughly engaging and well worth the read!
The story flows naturally into a vortex, pulling a shattered alcoholic into a world of supernatural intrigue, sorrow and murder. Adam, tied to the story both literally and figuratively, is someone you want to smack upside the head to wake him up to the mess he's in, while also comforting him to help soothe away the overwhelming pain that clouds his thoughts and judgement.
The characters are so well crafted that I lost myself in the story every time I sat down to read it. I cared for Adam, grieved with him over Benny-boy and grew to despise Anthony more and more as I got to know him.
This story is thoroughly engaging and well worth the read!
November 10, 2020
This is one of those books that stays with you after you are done. It has everything I like. Terrifying, traumatic events, most of it taking place at an atmospheric New England island. Characters who have much depth and writing style that is very unique. The prose definitely makes this book stand out from all the rest. This is definitely not a gory horror kind of a book but more of a British Victorian ghost novel with an intensity of a Stephen King and the dread of Sylvia Plath. Definitely a must read!
July 23, 2020
I was determined to keep reading this even though I wasn't enjoying it. I usually love the Gothic horror genre but this missed the mark for me. I did love the authors writing, but there was loads of mistakes which were distracting for me after a while.
I didn't really like Adam, and found that there was no real pay off in the end. Obviously I'm in the minority with my opinion but this was not for me.
I didn't really like Adam, and found that there was no real pay off in the end. Obviously I'm in the minority with my opinion but this was not for me.
April 17, 2020
A suspenseful, paranormal work of art. Jennifer has a very poetic way of describing details that flow through the entire book like a long red hair, or an eight-foot length of rope. Playing with the space/time continuum and always leaving you wondering what may happen next, "Beautiful, Frightening, and Silent" has all the elements that make you want to keep turning the pages.
March 13, 2020
This is out of my normal realm of reads. But this is my publish twin, so I HAD to give it a read. SO GLAD I DID! This was an amazing read that kept me up at night to finish it! GREAT JOB JENNIFER! Just sent it to my husband to read.... I think he will love it too!!!
May 7, 2020
Beautiful, Frightening, and Silent by Jennifer Gordon is a psychological horror novel that’ll please readers of Stephen King and Dean Koontz. With its universal theme of guilt and grief, it packs quite a story that could appeal to readers beyond the scope of King and Koontz fans.
Adam is a high school English teacher with a dark childhood that was exacerbated with the death of his son in a truck accident several months earlier. He counts the days since the accident to force himself to live in that bygone moment.
From all the traumas that he carries, there are physical reminders. He feels the burns of ropes around his wrists from when he was a child. As a way of carrying a permanent burden, Adam descriptively imagines how the bones of his broken body are held together by the metal of the truck that killed his son. The author masterfully describes the weight of trauma on the fragile human soul. The emotions described in these pages are heart wrenching and fuel the story’s power.
In order to cope with his demons, he turns to the bottle to drown his sorrows. Unfortunately, it would appear Adam himself is the one drowning. In an attempt to alleviate said sorrows, he visits the infamous Dagger Island, a place reputed to hold the sinister power of ghost-whispering. His goal is to communicate with his son and wife and find closure.
Dagger Island is helmed by Anthony, a mysterious 82-year old curmudgeon haunted by the deed of killing a woman 60 years prior. He also appears to have an unhealthy fixation on his dead mother, to Adam’s consternation. The emphasis of guilt surrounding Anthony’s character is reminiscent of Raskolnikov’s mental struggles in Crime and Punishment. Since Anthony doesn’t have a conscience or able to feel pangs of guilt, he has to suffer his consequences from the ghost of the dead woman from his past. It isn’t made clear as to who the woman is, but it’s implied that it was his fiance.
Said ghost is the author’s main storytelling technique that makes it stand out. The passages (in italics) are very well-written. It was interesting how both men had dark pasts and they suffered from it in their own ways: Adam suffered because of his guilt. Anthony suffered because of karma.
Beautiful, Frightening, and Silent is a must-read for fans of gothic literature and psychological suspense.
Adam is a high school English teacher with a dark childhood that was exacerbated with the death of his son in a truck accident several months earlier. He counts the days since the accident to force himself to live in that bygone moment.
From all the traumas that he carries, there are physical reminders. He feels the burns of ropes around his wrists from when he was a child. As a way of carrying a permanent burden, Adam descriptively imagines how the bones of his broken body are held together by the metal of the truck that killed his son. The author masterfully describes the weight of trauma on the fragile human soul. The emotions described in these pages are heart wrenching and fuel the story’s power.
In order to cope with his demons, he turns to the bottle to drown his sorrows. Unfortunately, it would appear Adam himself is the one drowning. In an attempt to alleviate said sorrows, he visits the infamous Dagger Island, a place reputed to hold the sinister power of ghost-whispering. His goal is to communicate with his son and wife and find closure.
Dagger Island is helmed by Anthony, a mysterious 82-year old curmudgeon haunted by the deed of killing a woman 60 years prior. He also appears to have an unhealthy fixation on his dead mother, to Adam’s consternation. The emphasis of guilt surrounding Anthony’s character is reminiscent of Raskolnikov’s mental struggles in Crime and Punishment. Since Anthony doesn’t have a conscience or able to feel pangs of guilt, he has to suffer his consequences from the ghost of the dead woman from his past. It isn’t made clear as to who the woman is, but it’s implied that it was his fiance.
Said ghost is the author’s main storytelling technique that makes it stand out. The passages (in italics) are very well-written. It was interesting how both men had dark pasts and they suffered from it in their own ways: Adam suffered because of his guilt. Anthony suffered because of karma.
Beautiful, Frightening, and Silent is a must-read for fans of gothic literature and psychological suspense.
May 4, 2020
A masterpiece. One of the most beautiful works.
I have always had a taste for fiction books, and hence I happen to have read a range of them, but not all trigger my senses after reading; some are just the same wine in different bottles. However, “BEAUTIFUL, FRIGHTENING, AND SILENT” almost blew up my mind. With the relevance of its summary, I knew this was a must-read, so I was ready to set my other books aside and dive in. After reading the first section, “Chapter 1," I felt so much absorbed into the book and wanted to keep reading more and more, I couldn't put it down! I loved it. Books like this are definitely my cup of tea.
In my reading life, I have never come across such an impressive piece that combines a lot of feelings making the reader highly connected to the book. The experience of Adam is filled with ups and downs of life, the challenges he undergoes through life due to the obsession of wanting to get love again. The story has made effectively, and one cannot ignore to imagine the actual happenings of some of the story scenes. I found the book as pretty terrifying, suspenseful, and emotional, part of what I mostly look for in a book. Writing a horror book in a poetic structure requires dedication; it is not a walk in the park, but Jennifer Gordon did it with a finesse that only a talented author like herself possibly could. She is a horse of a different color.
Other than the uniqueness of the story, the author has shown masterly skills in writing by having complete control of her story and style. With twists and turns, a reader cannot ignore the imagination of the bloody scenes and much more than the story offers. Character development is realistic. Readers are profoundly engaged with realistic conversations and an exceedingly impressive flow of the story, not forgetting the impeccable and easy to understand grammar. I give this book the big thumbs up!
I have always had a taste for fiction books, and hence I happen to have read a range of them, but not all trigger my senses after reading; some are just the same wine in different bottles. However, “BEAUTIFUL, FRIGHTENING, AND SILENT” almost blew up my mind. With the relevance of its summary, I knew this was a must-read, so I was ready to set my other books aside and dive in. After reading the first section, “Chapter 1," I felt so much absorbed into the book and wanted to keep reading more and more, I couldn't put it down! I loved it. Books like this are definitely my cup of tea.
In my reading life, I have never come across such an impressive piece that combines a lot of feelings making the reader highly connected to the book. The experience of Adam is filled with ups and downs of life, the challenges he undergoes through life due to the obsession of wanting to get love again. The story has made effectively, and one cannot ignore to imagine the actual happenings of some of the story scenes. I found the book as pretty terrifying, suspenseful, and emotional, part of what I mostly look for in a book. Writing a horror book in a poetic structure requires dedication; it is not a walk in the park, but Jennifer Gordon did it with a finesse that only a talented author like herself possibly could. She is a horse of a different color.
Other than the uniqueness of the story, the author has shown masterly skills in writing by having complete control of her story and style. With twists and turns, a reader cannot ignore the imagination of the bloody scenes and much more than the story offers. Character development is realistic. Readers are profoundly engaged with realistic conversations and an exceedingly impressive flow of the story, not forgetting the impeccable and easy to understand grammar. I give this book the big thumbs up!
May 10, 2020
Cover to Cover Beautiful, Frightening, and Silent is a Work of Art
Beautiful, Frightening, and Silent is a cohesive, comprehensive piece of art from cover to cover.
When I picked up this beautiful tome, preparing to walk with the author to her visualized world, I found that it all truly began for me with compelling photographic art as cover.
The cover’s textural, emotional, and visual depths unveil its true connection to the story, and only as we delve further, do we realize the photo is linked to the deeply scarred characters, who are searching for redemption, forgiveness, and love in a world gone mad.
This beautifully woven story—so smashingly poignant and incredibly important to past and current issues in our societies—plumbs the depths of emotion, grief, fear, addiction-as-self-medication, coping, healing, and perhaps even self-understanding, that all of the characters go through during this journey.
I was touched in many unexpected ways by reading this book with such compelling material as to have me actually writing the review that I always think about, but never take the time to sit down and craft, to distill how exactly this story has changed my life or made an impact. Most things don’t deserve that amount of my time, not just the thinking, but the actual writing time. Cover to cover Beautiful, Frightening, and Silent by Jennifer Anne Gordon is a work of art worth the time to read, reflect upon, and learn through story to begin to love and forgive yourself, and accept your own humanness.
Visually, the author’s descriptions are captivating, stunningly beautiful, but most importantly, lasting.
Emotionally-Ms. Gordon’s descriptions of mental angst, addictions, the desire for forgiveness, self-forgiveness, and love are breathtaking, poignant, and masterful. I realized how much it has touched so many parts of my life experience, only weeks after when I still find myself reflecting upon the characters and realize I am compelled to wonder about their world.
Beautiful, Frightening, & Silent, as story, is a very high form of art. It is poignant, full of life experiences I believe most people have been touched by, and it has definitely been worth my time to think about, to distill my experience, and write about it in praise. This new author has brought her imagination to life for us, and I am grateful for her efforts.
Thank you for sharing your gift with us all.
Beautiful, Frightening, and Silent is a cohesive, comprehensive piece of art from cover to cover.
When I picked up this beautiful tome, preparing to walk with the author to her visualized world, I found that it all truly began for me with compelling photographic art as cover.
The cover’s textural, emotional, and visual depths unveil its true connection to the story, and only as we delve further, do we realize the photo is linked to the deeply scarred characters, who are searching for redemption, forgiveness, and love in a world gone mad.
This beautifully woven story—so smashingly poignant and incredibly important to past and current issues in our societies—plumbs the depths of emotion, grief, fear, addiction-as-self-medication, coping, healing, and perhaps even self-understanding, that all of the characters go through during this journey.
I was touched in many unexpected ways by reading this book with such compelling material as to have me actually writing the review that I always think about, but never take the time to sit down and craft, to distill how exactly this story has changed my life or made an impact. Most things don’t deserve that amount of my time, not just the thinking, but the actual writing time. Cover to cover Beautiful, Frightening, and Silent by Jennifer Anne Gordon is a work of art worth the time to read, reflect upon, and learn through story to begin to love and forgive yourself, and accept your own humanness.
Visually, the author’s descriptions are captivating, stunningly beautiful, but most importantly, lasting.
Emotionally-Ms. Gordon’s descriptions of mental angst, addictions, the desire for forgiveness, self-forgiveness, and love are breathtaking, poignant, and masterful. I realized how much it has touched so many parts of my life experience, only weeks after when I still find myself reflecting upon the characters and realize I am compelled to wonder about their world.
Beautiful, Frightening, & Silent, as story, is a very high form of art. It is poignant, full of life experiences I believe most people have been touched by, and it has definitely been worth my time to think about, to distill my experience, and write about it in praise. This new author has brought her imagination to life for us, and I am grateful for her efforts.
Thank you for sharing your gift with us all.
April 30, 2020
Beautiful, Frightening, and Silent is the debut novel written by the author Jennifer Gordon. After reading this book I was not only impressed but it also made me feel all the emotions of the character that the author has expressed.
This book is filled with hope, grief, loss, struggle, ghosts, love, and I have never read any book close to similar to this. A very unique and soulful story. The author Jennifer Gordon has described the characters by keeping in mind their loss and grief which is very impressive. All the characters are unique and have their own backstory that will make you emotional and you will find yourself lost in the book.
The Story starts with a paranormal scene that ends with a suspense and continuous with the character Adams's life where he is struggling with Alcohisim and grief, the grief for the loss of his wife and only son. Similarly, the author has created the story-line with different characters' perspectives and giving us a detailed insider of their life & emotions.
The book is written in easy to read English along with a twist of suspense that will keep you interested in the book. Even though the book contains paranormal scenes and characters, at any point of time I didn't feel creepy, I strongly felt more interested in reading the book.
The main highlight of the book that I personally liked is the storyline of each character, I liked the belief of people having hope, and most of all no matter what you face in life you are not alone there are always others who will be there with their own grief and loss. And the way the author Jennifer Gordon has described emotions are soulful.
Overall a fantastic book with suspense paranormal not scary but Goshty and unique book that will keep you interested till the end.
This book is filled with hope, grief, loss, struggle, ghosts, love, and I have never read any book close to similar to this. A very unique and soulful story. The author Jennifer Gordon has described the characters by keeping in mind their loss and grief which is very impressive. All the characters are unique and have their own backstory that will make you emotional and you will find yourself lost in the book.
The Story starts with a paranormal scene that ends with a suspense and continuous with the character Adams's life where he is struggling with Alcohisim and grief, the grief for the loss of his wife and only son. Similarly, the author has created the story-line with different characters' perspectives and giving us a detailed insider of their life & emotions.
The book is written in easy to read English along with a twist of suspense that will keep you interested in the book. Even though the book contains paranormal scenes and characters, at any point of time I didn't feel creepy, I strongly felt more interested in reading the book.
The main highlight of the book that I personally liked is the storyline of each character, I liked the belief of people having hope, and most of all no matter what you face in life you are not alone there are always others who will be there with their own grief and loss. And the way the author Jennifer Gordon has described emotions are soulful.
Overall a fantastic book with suspense paranormal not scary but Goshty and unique book that will keep you interested till the end.
May 8, 2020
Leaving aside that the author uses the controversial Oxford comma on the title, Jennifer Gordon’s “Beautiful, Frightening, and Silent” is a heck of a debut novel.
Opening with a paranormal scene, the author captures the reader’s attention and holds it until the end. Adam struggles with alcoholism, an addiction which does little to get over his grief for the loss of his wife and son. Jennifer Gordon manages to turn a plot which could depress any reader into one of acceptance and hope using a creative device: you are not alone; many grieve for different reasons and in their own way.
This is a particularly good book for someone who has recently suffered the loss of a loved one. Some say talking about the loss and how it makes you feel is an effective therapy. Perhaps, reading about loss can also have a therapeutic effect.
For a first novel, Gordon manages character development and plot consistency well. Not only that, it's entertaining. Indeed, I would like to read more from this author.
Five personally grateful stars!
Opening with a paranormal scene, the author captures the reader’s attention and holds it until the end. Adam struggles with alcoholism, an addiction which does little to get over his grief for the loss of his wife and son. Jennifer Gordon manages to turn a plot which could depress any reader into one of acceptance and hope using a creative device: you are not alone; many grieve for different reasons and in their own way.
This is a particularly good book for someone who has recently suffered the loss of a loved one. Some say talking about the loss and how it makes you feel is an effective therapy. Perhaps, reading about loss can also have a therapeutic effect.
For a first novel, Gordon manages character development and plot consistency well. Not only that, it's entertaining. Indeed, I would like to read more from this author.
Five personally grateful stars!
May 26, 2020
One of the best ghost stories I have ever read. The haunter and the two men she haunts are rich well-drawn characters. At one point one of them speaks of this being a ménage a trios of guilt. The author blurs the line between living and dead so that at times you don’t know for sure which side of it each character is on. Most times the ghost seems more real than the living. I have never read such a vital undead character. She rules this remote Maine boarding house with an icy grip. Manipulative and revenge-seeking, she twists each man’s guilt into knots. The way the 82-year old ‘slips’ into death rather than ‘fall’ dead shows the border between life and death to be vaporous. A beautiful, frightening, and anything-but-silent haunting book.
April 19, 2020
Harrowing, heartbreaking, emotional, romantic and fantastical. If you have ever lost someone or regretted something in your life that cannot be fixed, you will feel this story in your gut. And it takes place on the coast of Maine, a place both suitably beautiful and suitably eerie for this story of a haunted and brooding—yea, even tortured—man. The author gets everything right, from the emotions and self-castigation to the quality of the light and the wonderful and frightening isolation. No wonder even the ghosts feel free to speak and own their stories.
May 28, 2020
I couldn't put this book down.
It's one of those books where you don't really know what's happening and you still might not after all is said and done, but it's more than worth reading anyway.
Good horror comes from connecting with very real characters that are going through something that's terrifying. That's what this book is.
This book is about grief and pain and the way things that were done to you can come back to haunt you years later and so can things you yourself did. It's hard to explain without giving too much away, but I highly recommend you read it for yourself!
It's one of those books where you don't really know what's happening and you still might not after all is said and done, but it's more than worth reading anyway.
Good horror comes from connecting with very real characters that are going through something that's terrifying. That's what this book is.
This book is about grief and pain and the way things that were done to you can come back to haunt you years later and so can things you yourself did. It's hard to explain without giving too much away, but I highly recommend you read it for yourself!
March 22, 2020
I finished this book last night. It is a stirring, haunting, beautiful depiction of the human psyche as it is unraveling. Beautiful, Frightening, and Silent is a masterful depiction of psychoanalytic theory. It’s all in there - splitting, projection, sadism, perversions, somatization, and psychotic thinking. What a monumental undertaking!
April 4, 2020
Just finished reading this book. Never saw the ending coming. What a thought process. Excellent creative writing. I think that Robert Eggers, the director of the Lighthouse, should read a copy of this. I can definitely see this as becoming a movie and directed by him. It's definitely his style. Loved it.
March 23, 2020
I judge a book by its cover, so when I saw this I immediately bought it. 5 stars!
March 11, 2020
A friend of mine suggested this read. Not gonna lie, I thought it may be out of my realm! But I LOVED IT! 5 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
September 19, 2020
Very haunting and mysterious.. who really is the ghost? Who's doing the haunting? The ghost or the broken hearted man?
March 29, 2020
I am usually am a nonfiction reader, but I read this book because a friend of mine wrote it. I was pleasantly surprised. The story line is dramatic, the sequence of events is suspenseful, there is horror and ungodly anguish. I couldn't wait to see how it ended, but I didn't want it to end. An ending I never would have guessed. I highly recommend it. Good job Jennifer Gordon
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