The fifth book in our week of 20th August releases is ‘The Quickening’ by Rhiannon Ward and it is an absolutely glorious piece of historical fiction.
I had scheduled this post for later in the week, but you absolutely need to know about this now – publication day!
Well, this is rather fabulous! I came to this book expecting a bit of intrigue, a gothic feel and a solid historical tale. It delivered all that and a lot more.
The main narrative takes place in 1925 and is told by Louisa Drew, a war widow who has remarried and is heavily pregnant. In need of money, she takes a commission at the crumbling Clewer Hall in Sussex which is shortly to be sold; her job is to photograph the house and its contents for auction.
She is welcomed by the residents of the Hall, although they seem ill at ease and perturbed by her pregnancy. She finds out that the Hall was the site of an infamous séance in 1896 which is to be recreated during her stay with as many of the original attendees as are still alive. As the date for the séance arrives, there are mysterious occurrences and tension begins to build about why Louisa was selected for the commission.
Some of the scenes in the novel flash back to the original séance in 1896 and the reader begins to see how the events of that night continue to reverberate down through the years.
One of the strengths of this story is just how deliciously creepy it is! The building of Clewer Hall is hugely important to the story and it is a place of decay, mysterious shadows and uncanny events. The fact that one wing has fallen into disrepair is central – it is here that Louisa feels most uncomfortable and unsure whether to blame her strange symptoms on advanced pregnancy or something more sinister.
The plotting of this book is also intricate and clever – I felt that I was in the hands of a confident and accomplished storyteller, even as I also felt that I couldn’t see how the strands of the narrative were ever going to come together. But come together they do – and it is absolutely satisfying.
The novel is filled with realistic and compelling characters, but it is especially worth mentioning Louisa Drew herself. Louisa is a really engaging narrator and we feel – in turn – frightened with her, sorry for her, awed at her bravery and empathetic for her situation. Her tragic back-story gives her depth and should make her feel like one of life’s victims,; however, she shows so much strength in her position as a pioneer of magazine photography and courage in facing the events at Clewer Hall that she is elevated in the readers’ opinion. The rest of the inhabitants of the Hall are no less developed – and there are a lot of them with complex, intertwining lives.
This book would be absolutely perfect for those who love Laura Purcell’s books or ‘The Little Stranger’ by Sarah Waters. There is the same mix of a compelling and well-crafted story with just a pinch of the supernatural!
Overall, this is a highly recommended slice of historical fiction. It has mystery, horror and – more surprisingly – a lot of heart. I loved it.
I received a free copy of the book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
If you would like to buy this book, the link is below – I may receive commission on any purchases but it won’t cost you any more.
Header photo with thanks to Ján Jakub Naništa for sharing their work on Unsplash.
