The Silent Companions
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Average rating3.5
"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"--
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Extremely creepy!
I'd dare say a point is being made about female power traditionally being as precarious as it is feared and how female emotions were often viewed as hysteria.
Well, that was DEFINITELY a step up from my last horror read! Wasn't sure what to make of Elsie at first, but I warmed up to her eventually. I had some pretty complicated feelings about her, mostly because of the way she treated some of the people around her, but I appreciate having those complicated feelings. Means she's a nuanced, complicated character, which is something I always appreciate (especially in the wake of my last horror novel read, which featured a protag with about as much nuance as cardboard).
As for the horror story itself, it's got a very psychological bent, and keeps the reader asking if what Elsie's experiencing is “real” or not. I'm not sure how I feel about the ending, though. I mean, it makes sense, overall, that that should be how it ends, but... Hm. Not sure how I feel about it. Maybe there's something about the execution of it that doesn't sit well with me? I mean, I don't MIND it, conceptually, just... Not sure I feel about it overall. Still, not a bad read at all!
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