'The Quiet Stillness of Empty Houses', by LV Russell

Hauntingly Beautiful

I love gothic literature. Not necessarily romantic fiction, but more in the ghostly, creepy house, mad-wife-in-the-attic sense.

I'm so happy, then, that there seems to be a resurgence in this style, a 'modern gothic' that hearkens back to what has gone before, while breathing new life (pun intended) into an older genre.

This books ticks many boxes. A creepy house - more than one! A young governess. A reclusive old lady. A single father with a daughter in need of care. A crotchety housekeeper. Lots of storms.

But 'Quiet Stillness' is so much more than this.

If you combined the atmosphere of 'Silent Hill', 'Rebecca' and most of the Bronte's catalogue, you'll have an idea; and of course, 'The Haunting of Hill House', which is even quoted here and there. The mood of the book is as thick as the mist and damp surrounding Broken Oak manor, but it isn't necessarily threatening - more mysterious. What secrets are we going to find? Is this all an illusion, more 'Jane Eyre' than 'Wuthering Heights' - and does it really matter?

The characters sometimes seem like ghosts themselves, and then suddenly turn to become much more real. The scent of hot tea in a warm kitchen, the first crocus in a late-winter garden, the feel of a human touch... all part of this evocative tale.

The magic of the book is in its flow, I think, as it turns away from any unnecessary dramatics or purple prose in favour of simple and beautiful storytelling. FolloAs we follow our narrator exploring her inner and outer worlds, we wander the corridors of house and mind too - but in a manner so natural and unforced. There's nothing pretentious here; just a sense of humanity, of people trying to find their place of contentment.

It's so hard to put into words the feel of this lovely book. It doesn't outstay its welcome, so pick it up and step inside. Your visit to this world will stay with you, the spirit of a remarkable book.