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Robert Jackson Bennett
A few weeks ago, I read The Troupe by Robert Jackson Bennett. I'm a fan of horror, strong female characters, well-crafted plots, and 19th century/turn of the century settings. Extra bonus points with sprinkles if you incorporate a carnival somehow.
The Troupe is not about a carnival, it's about a vaudeville troupe. But the rest of my criteria? The book hits them all soundly.
I can't go into too much detail without giving away key elements and twists, but I will say this. The puppets creep the hell out of me, and I've never been afraid of clowns or dolls. Also, the romance in this novel is handled in the most realistic, mature, surprising fashion I have ever seen romance handled. Ever. I loved it. And I say that as a cynic who despises romantic subplots.
I highly recommend this book. If I ran on a star system, I'd give it 5/5.
Afterward, I dug up Bennett's debut novel, Mr. Shivers. This one is set in America during the Great Depression. Now, I think my expectations were high because of The Troupe, so I am trying to be fair and unbiased. But this book is by far the weakest of the three he has out currently. Not a big surprise, since it is his first novel.
I could tell how the book was going to end before I got halfway through. The characters are unmemorable for the most part, and there were hints at deeper characterization that could have been fleshed out (I would have loved to see more of Shivers and Pike)...but instead they were brushed aside and never mentioned again.
If I rated this with candles, I'd give it three and a half out of five. Worth a look if you're in the mood for a gritty vengeance, Stephen-King-flavoured summer read.
The Troupe is not about a carnival, it's about a vaudeville troupe. But the rest of my criteria? The book hits them all soundly.
I can't go into too much detail without giving away key elements and twists, but I will say this. The puppets creep the hell out of me, and I've never been afraid of clowns or dolls. Also, the romance in this novel is handled in the most realistic, mature, surprising fashion I have ever seen romance handled. Ever. I loved it. And I say that as a cynic who despises romantic subplots.
I highly recommend this book. If I ran on a star system, I'd give it 5/5.
Afterward, I dug up Bennett's debut novel, Mr. Shivers. This one is set in America during the Great Depression. Now, I think my expectations were high because of The Troupe, so I am trying to be fair and unbiased. But this book is by far the weakest of the three he has out currently. Not a big surprise, since it is his first novel.
I could tell how the book was going to end before I got halfway through. The characters are unmemorable for the most part, and there were hints at deeper characterization that could have been fleshed out (I would have loved to see more of Shivers and Pike)...but instead they were brushed aside and never mentioned again.
If I rated this with candles, I'd give it three and a half out of five. Worth a look if you're in the mood for a gritty vengeance, Stephen-King-flavoured summer read.