What is it about?
Set in an abandoned cliff side hotel that holds a mysterious and sinister history, four teenagers attempt to document Ravencliffe hotels secrets. But while doing so, one of them disappears into thin air on camera. A televised reunion ten years later gives the group the opportunity to finally unravel the hotel's mysteries, as well as uncover the truth about their friends’ mysterious disappearance.
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What’s good about it?
The plot might sound like it’s been recycled or done before, but Mumford has managed to provide a sharp twist on an old classic.
Our narrator is Final Girl Bex, the only female in the original group that ventures to Ravencliffe Hotel, a woman who has become a popular figure since the original events ten years prior. In Bex we find a version of ourselves: Old enough to have bad things happen. Young enough that she shouldn’t be hiding from her problems. She’s a relatable character with relatable emotions that occur from a scenario that could be entirely believable.
The novel is categorised as a psychological thriller, and it’s clear that the events of their friend Leo’s disappearance (the catalyst of the novel) have wounded all of the remaining characters in different ways. This reflects well to the reader and provides a twist that both is and isn’t predictable, varying on your point of view. Either way, it’s no less enjoyable, as there are plenty of twists and moments of intrigue to keep you going.
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What’s not so good about it?
Usually when I’m captivated by a novel it only takes me a few days to churn through it. Two to three days is the average. If I’m really engaged in a novel, less. (Word count dependent, of course.) This novel took me 3-4 days to read in total, and that was with me being captivated by the novel. There were several chapters and passages where I had to read the prose several times for it to make sense to my brain (descriptions are the enemy of the writer) or I’d skipped over the text as I needed to know what happened now, Now, NOW! And I’d missed a few key details.
This leads to my only other piece of criticism; the book's pacing is quite slow. After four chapters, I wanted to be in the thick of the story, or at least have an idea that we were heading out of the introductory stage and into the events that set the story. It felt like, as good as the writing was and as engaging as the plot was, the writer didn’t get me to the destination as quickly as I’d like. It’s not a book designed for a binge reading session, but very much a “I’m going to pick this up and read a few pages when I nip to the loo” type of story, which is a shame.
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Why should I read it?
This is the ideal book for someone who loves a strong female lead character that isn’t offputting (in a super manic pixie dream girl kind of way), which can be a challenge in fiction. The supporting cast of characters are also equally strong and engaging in their own way. This is something Mumford does well, and these relationships don’t just guide the story, but they enhance the various situations as well.
Haunted locations and gothic elements feature quite heavily in this book, and there are clear and loving references to Jane Eyre, which should satisfy any fan of classic feminist literature from any of the Bronte sisters.
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Should I read it?
If you’re a fan of any of the above, and can get on board with reading this book at a slower pace, then yes you should. If you’re used to reading something with a bit more gore, or are looking for something that has deeper scares or a more elaborate twist at the end, then this probably won’t be the book for you.
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