Review: The Stranger by Kate Riordan
I have previously read and enjoyed both of Kate Riordan's previous novels, The Girl in the Photograph and The Shadow Hour, so I jumped at the chance to be part of the blog tour for her latest book, The Stranger. I wasn't disappointed!
Cornwall, 1940.
For decades, Penhallow Hall has stood frozen in time, protecting the secrets of its inhabitants. But the far corners of England are no shelter from the war, and Penhallow must finally open its door to strangers.
Three newcomers arrive, each looking to escape their past and start afresh. They easily adjust to the routine - nightly blackouts, the threat of invasion - but tensions mount and secrets are forced out into the open. For one of them is not there by choice. And then, in the hushed hours of deepest night, a young woman is taken by the sea.
Was it simply a tragic accident? Or should the inhabitants of Penhallow have been more careful about whom they invited in?
REVIEW
Once I got into this book I couldn't put it down. It's atmospheric to say the least! Cornwall is a much used and beloved location in literature, and its easy to see why. Secret coves and dramatic clifftops set the scene, making the perfect backdrop for events to come.
As in Kate's other novels, the house becomes a character in itself. Penhallow carries the history of its inhabitants within its walls, threatening to out their secrets at any moment. Ruling the Hall with a rod of iron is Mrs Fox, a formidable old woman determined to keep the past firmly where it belongs, particularly when her troubled daughter Eleanor, who hasn't left the grounds of Penhallow in some years, seems intent on inadvertently revealing all.
The three newcomers to Penhallow are members of the Women's Land Army. For all that I love historical fiction, I haven't actually read any novels about the WLA, and whilst I know Penhallow Hall is far from the usual billet, it was an interesting insight into that period of history that left me wanting to know more. Firstly we have Rose. Trapped in a loveless marriage she has come to Penhallow while her husband is at sea with the navy. But she has other, more personal reasons for choosing this particular corner of Cornwall to work in. Second, there's Jane, relation of the Fox family, and seemingly the black sheep of the family. Finally, and at the centre of all the drama, we have Diana Devlin. Sent to Penhallow against her will by her mother she initially comes across as a bit of a spoiled brat, reluctant to work and determined to stir up trouble. But it soon becomes clear that there is more to Diana than meets the eye. Beneath her beautiful exterior lies a clever and devious mind, but also a girl who is deeply affected by her past. Diana, intent on discovering all that Penhallow and its residents have to hide, also has her own dark secrets to bear.
The great mystery to this novel is, at its core, Diana's disappearance. We know from the start that something has happened, then we are taken back in time to the days leading up to the incident. But there are so many other intricacies of plot - every single character has their secrets to be unravelled - that my mind was constantly whirring with theories. The way that the novel is crafted is ingenious. You are drip fed information as you go along to help you piece together the truth, throwaway pieces of narrative or dialogue, or lines from Diana's diary that you suddenly realise are significant, compelling you to keep reading. Whilst I predicted most of the twists, I enjoyed the way in which they were revealed. Some of the clues are slipped into the narrative so casually you could miss them if you weren't paying close attention!
What really makes this book is its intense atmosphere. The changeable Cornish weather, the rolling tides, the colour of the sky, all reflect what's happening at Penhallow, or what's to come. As the summer wears on the threat of invasion becomes more apparent, the heat intensifies, and tempers and tensions begin to flare and break. The scenes leading up to the ball, the climax of the novel, are particularly ominous, as the languid oppressive heat of the previous days gives way to a dark and stormy night.
After I turned the last page I was surprised to have reached the end. We are left to draw our own conclusions, and I was left with so many questions about the fate of various characters. I would have loved an epilogue set a few years later updating us on what happened to them all.
The Stranger is an atmospheric and intense slow-burn of a story. Prepare to read it in one sitting.
*Thanks to Jenny Platt at Michael Joseph for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for a review!*
Cornwall, 1940.
Three newcomers arrive, each looking to escape their past and start afresh. They easily adjust to the routine - nightly blackouts, the threat of invasion - but tensions mount and secrets are forced out into the open. For one of them is not there by choice. And then, in the hushed hours of deepest night, a young woman is taken by the sea.
Was it simply a tragic accident? Or should the inhabitants of Penhallow have been more careful about whom they invited in?
REVIEW
Once I got into this book I couldn't put it down. It's atmospheric to say the least! Cornwall is a much used and beloved location in literature, and its easy to see why. Secret coves and dramatic clifftops set the scene, making the perfect backdrop for events to come.
As in Kate's other novels, the house becomes a character in itself. Penhallow carries the history of its inhabitants within its walls, threatening to out their secrets at any moment. Ruling the Hall with a rod of iron is Mrs Fox, a formidable old woman determined to keep the past firmly where it belongs, particularly when her troubled daughter Eleanor, who hasn't left the grounds of Penhallow in some years, seems intent on inadvertently revealing all.
The three newcomers to Penhallow are members of the Women's Land Army. For all that I love historical fiction, I haven't actually read any novels about the WLA, and whilst I know Penhallow Hall is far from the usual billet, it was an interesting insight into that period of history that left me wanting to know more. Firstly we have Rose. Trapped in a loveless marriage she has come to Penhallow while her husband is at sea with the navy. But she has other, more personal reasons for choosing this particular corner of Cornwall to work in. Second, there's Jane, relation of the Fox family, and seemingly the black sheep of the family. Finally, and at the centre of all the drama, we have Diana Devlin. Sent to Penhallow against her will by her mother she initially comes across as a bit of a spoiled brat, reluctant to work and determined to stir up trouble. But it soon becomes clear that there is more to Diana than meets the eye. Beneath her beautiful exterior lies a clever and devious mind, but also a girl who is deeply affected by her past. Diana, intent on discovering all that Penhallow and its residents have to hide, also has her own dark secrets to bear.
The great mystery to this novel is, at its core, Diana's disappearance. We know from the start that something has happened, then we are taken back in time to the days leading up to the incident. But there are so many other intricacies of plot - every single character has their secrets to be unravelled - that my mind was constantly whirring with theories. The way that the novel is crafted is ingenious. You are drip fed information as you go along to help you piece together the truth, throwaway pieces of narrative or dialogue, or lines from Diana's diary that you suddenly realise are significant, compelling you to keep reading. Whilst I predicted most of the twists, I enjoyed the way in which they were revealed. Some of the clues are slipped into the narrative so casually you could miss them if you weren't paying close attention!
What really makes this book is its intense atmosphere. The changeable Cornish weather, the rolling tides, the colour of the sky, all reflect what's happening at Penhallow, or what's to come. As the summer wears on the threat of invasion becomes more apparent, the heat intensifies, and tempers and tensions begin to flare and break. The scenes leading up to the ball, the climax of the novel, are particularly ominous, as the languid oppressive heat of the previous days gives way to a dark and stormy night.
After I turned the last page I was surprised to have reached the end. We are left to draw our own conclusions, and I was left with so many questions about the fate of various characters. I would have loved an epilogue set a few years later updating us on what happened to them all.
The Stranger is an atmospheric and intense slow-burn of a story. Prepare to read it in one sitting.
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*Thanks to Jenny Platt at Michael Joseph for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for a review!*
I actually wonder if I have the same book?? I guess it must take awhile to get into this book because I'm on Chapter 5 and I'm bored to tears! But because you so highly recommend it, I won't give in!
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