Curling up with a spooky book...
With Halloween fast approaching, Eleanor Walters recommends a ghost story to get you in the mood.
The Earl is dead, and Agatha's life is about to be turned upside down. It's 1899, and cruel Cousin Clarence has inherited property, after the death of the Earl. Lady Agatha Asquith is abruptly cast away from her lifelong home to live with a strange man who claims to be her father. She has to learn to lead a completely different life from before. Meanwhile, there is a spirit upon the banks of the lake that will not rest…
This brief blurb describes a book I recently read, and loved, called The Ghost of Gosswater, by Lucy Strange. It is an eerie, teenage fiction that is set in the late Victorian era and is written in such a way that left me yearning for more after each chapter. The descriptions of the characters leave crystal clear images in your mind, such as 'Clarence had been like this since he arrived at Gosswater Hall two weeks ago - playful, cruel - like a cat with a sparrow between its paws.' All of the characters have varied personalities: some cruel, some kind, some shy, some outgoing. There is a good balance between those I fell in love with and those I hated with a burning passion.
As for the setting, the picturesque, or so it seems, idealistic view of a large country house beside a river is the perfect place for this type of story. There are so many nooks and crannies for a plot twist to be borne out of, both inside and outside the manor. The neighbouring town also offers a place for the characters to adventure into.
The writing style is quite easy to understand in terms of the wording and the words used, but there are definitely enough moments where the author leaves it unclear to make the reader really have to dig deeper to discover all the details. Although it's technically a children's book, I made my mum read it, since I enjoyed it so much, and she loved it too, so it is good for any age.
Overall, this book has everything: engaging characters, perfect setting and easy but thought-provoking writing. I would definitely recommend reading this book; I recommend her other books as well, including Our Castle by the Sea, which I LOVED, The Secret of Nightingale Wood, The Ghost of Midnight Lake, and Sisters of the Lost Marsh.
Eleanor Walters, Year 7
The Earl is dead, and Agatha's life is about to be turned upside down. It's 1899, and cruel Cousin Clarence has inherited property, after the death of the Earl. Lady Agatha Asquith is abruptly cast away from her lifelong home to live with a strange man who claims to be her father. She has to learn to lead a completely different life from before. Meanwhile, there is a spirit upon the banks of the lake that will not rest…
This brief blurb describes a book I recently read, and loved, called The Ghost of Gosswater, by Lucy Strange. It is an eerie, teenage fiction that is set in the late Victorian era and is written in such a way that left me yearning for more after each chapter. The descriptions of the characters leave crystal clear images in your mind, such as 'Clarence had been like this since he arrived at Gosswater Hall two weeks ago - playful, cruel - like a cat with a sparrow between its paws.' All of the characters have varied personalities: some cruel, some kind, some shy, some outgoing. There is a good balance between those I fell in love with and those I hated with a burning passion.
As for the setting, the picturesque, or so it seems, idealistic view of a large country house beside a river is the perfect place for this type of story. There are so many nooks and crannies for a plot twist to be borne out of, both inside and outside the manor. The neighbouring town also offers a place for the characters to adventure into.
The writing style is quite easy to understand in terms of the wording and the words used, but there are definitely enough moments where the author leaves it unclear to make the reader really have to dig deeper to discover all the details. Although it's technically a children's book, I made my mum read it, since I enjoyed it so much, and she loved it too, so it is good for any age.
Overall, this book has everything: engaging characters, perfect setting and easy but thought-provoking writing. I would definitely recommend reading this book; I recommend her other books as well, including Our Castle by the Sea, which I LOVED, The Secret of Nightingale Wood, The Ghost of Midnight Lake, and Sisters of the Lost Marsh.
Eleanor Walters, Year 7