Paperback, 305 pages
English language
Published by Penguin Books.
When newly widowed Elsie is sent to see out her pregnancy at her late husband's crumbling country estate, The Bridge, what greets her is far from the life of wealth and privilege she was expecting.
When Elsie married handsome young heir Rupert Bainbridge, she believed she was destined for a life of luxury. But with her husband dead just weeks after their marriage, her new servants resentful, and the local villagers actively hostile, Elsie has only her husband's awkward cousin for company. Or so she thinks.
Inside her new home lies a locked door, beyond which is a painted wooden figure--a silent companion--that bears a striking resemblance to Elsie herself. The residents of The Bridge are terrified of the figure, but Elsie tries to shrug this off as simple superstition--that is, until she notices the figure's eyes following her. A Victorian ghost story that evokes a most unsettling kind of …
When newly widowed Elsie is sent to see out her pregnancy at her late husband's crumbling country estate, The Bridge, what greets her is far from the life of wealth and privilege she was expecting.
When Elsie married handsome young heir Rupert Bainbridge, she believed she was destined for a life of luxury. But with her husband dead just weeks after their marriage, her new servants resentful, and the local villagers actively hostile, Elsie has only her husband's awkward cousin for company. Or so she thinks.
Inside her new home lies a locked door, beyond which is a painted wooden figure--a silent companion--that bears a striking resemblance to Elsie herself. The residents of The Bridge are terrified of the figure, but Elsie tries to shrug this off as simple superstition--that is, until she notices the figure's eyes following her. A Victorian ghost story that evokes a most unsettling kind of fear, this is a tale that creeps its way through the consciousness in ways you least expect--much like the silent companions themselves.
atmospherically very good. well written, wonderful prose. logically not very sound. also, i think that in horror the use of an inherently evil child is just like. kind of tacky and cheap.
Maybe 3.5 stars rounded up. I found some of the mystery of the story confusing, and I wasn’t totally sold on the creepiness of the companions. Sometimes it felt more goofy than creepy. But I enjoyed the gothic feel, the slow build, and the multiple timelines. I liked the ending, which managed to surprise me.
I’ll definitely try more by Purcell as it seems like she’s got some similar books.
The Silent Companions has a pretty eerie premise. The title refers to figures painted on board (like life-size cardboard cut-outs) that were popular among the gentry, especially in the Netherlands. I would be pretty freaked out by them lurking in the corners of an unfamiliar house even if they weren't haunted.
Grieving for Rupert, Elsie uncovers the companions in a locked room at The Bridge. Yeah, yeah, beware of locked rooms that do not wish to be unlocked! At first they feel like they are being watched, just cleverly painted, surely? Then there seem to be more of them.
Rupert's only remaining family is young Sarah, who goes with Elsie into what they think of as exile in this house away from society. Sarah finds the diary of one of her ancestors in the locked room and learns about Anne, accused of witchcraft, and young Henrietta, born without a fully …
The Silent Companions has a pretty eerie premise. The title refers to figures painted on board (like life-size cardboard cut-outs) that were popular among the gentry, especially in the Netherlands. I would be pretty freaked out by them lurking in the corners of an unfamiliar house even if they weren't haunted.
Grieving for Rupert, Elsie uncovers the companions in a locked room at The Bridge. Yeah, yeah, beware of locked rooms that do not wish to be unlocked! At first they feel like they are being watched, just cleverly painted, surely? Then there seem to be more of them.
Rupert's only remaining family is young Sarah, who goes with Elsie into what they think of as exile in this house away from society. Sarah finds the diary of one of her ancestors in the locked room and learns about Anne, accused of witchcraft, and young Henrietta, born without a fully formed tongue. It does well to remember that at the start of the book, Elsie cannot speak either.
The timeline jumps between St Joseph's at an unspecified date, Elsie's time at The Bridge and diary entries from 1635. The portions of the story from 1635 take the form of Anne's diary entries, as they prepare for a royal visit. She buys the companions in an attempt to impress the visiting King and Queen, but soon comes to regret her purchase. The merchant did seem very eager to sell them to her...
A series of unfortunate events leads to paranoia and suspicion. Who would believe that painted wood could move? She must be going mad, or the servants are playing tricks on her. Right? It is very creepy and Laura Purcell does a great job of capturing a Gothic atmosphere.
I found knowing that Elsie makes it out alive but incarcerated in an asylum, gave away some of the mystery. I wasn't hungry to find out what happens next because, to me, it was clear what probably happened. I still enjoyed it but I wan't a fan of the telling in hindsight approach in this case.
Easily the creepiest, most unsettling, absolutely riveting haunted-house/ghost story I’ve read since The Haunting of Hill House (which I’m currently rereading). The tale moves back and forth between intertwined Victorian and 17th century doings in the same doomed house, a house where no one is safe. I was impressed by how difficult it was to put this book down and how it never flinched from its mystery and menace, not a single character too precious to emerge unscathed, right up to the nerve-racking end.
