Author: Adam McOmber
Format: Paperback
Publisher: Touchstone
Publish Date: September 1, 2012
Source: I received a copy from the publisher; however, this did not affect my review.
Why You're Reading This Book:
- You're a historical fiction fan.
- You're into gothic stories.
- You're looking for a creepy feeling.
From Goodreads.com: "Jane Silverlake lives with her father in a crumbling family estate on the edge of Hampstead Heath. Jane has a secret—an unexplainable and frightening gift that allows her to see the souls of man-made objects—and this talent isolates her from the outside world. She finds solace in her only companions, Madeline and Nathan, but as the friends come of age, their idyll is shattered by jealousies and by Nathan’s interest in a cult led by Ariston Day, a charismatic mystic popular with London’s elite.
A year later, Nathan has vanished, and the famed Inspector Vidocq arrives in London to untangle the events that led up to Nathan’s disappearance. As a sinister truth emerges, Jane realizes she must discover the origins of her talent, and use it to find Nathan herself, before it’s too late."
My Two Cents:
I was initially drawn to "The White Forest" by the promise of a creepy, gothic story. By now, you all might have realized that I really don't care for horror books and "The White Forest" is creepy but doesn't really rise to the level of being scary or truly being a horror book. For those who are looking for an engaging and unique story with a touch of the paranormal, this book might fit the bill for you.
I love gothic novels and one of my favorite aspects of the genre is the feeling you get from the setting. McOmber does a great job of creating a sort of overriding atmosphere throughout the book. The book mostly takes place in Hampstead Heath in England, which is a perfect location for a gothic novel. I really loved the feeling that the setting created.
The book started out a little slowly but once we started getting to see the paranormal elements (I don't want to give anything away so I'll limit my explanation a little bit). I did wish that Jane's existence was explained a little bit more though. There were several things that I had a lot of questions on. Because this book was so different than so many things that I have read before, I really felt a little bit at sea in a couple places throughout the book. Overall though, McOmber has created a really fascinating world that kept me on my toes.
I fall into two of your three categories! this will interest me. Thanks for the post.
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