Book Review: Slade House by David Mitchell
Slade House by David Mitchell is an eerie and exhilarating ghost story in the tradition of the haunted house story. This novel was a very unique take on the haunted house with haunting deriving from an unusual and mysterious source.
One thing I love about David Mitchell novels is that they all take place in the same world. Characters from one book carry over into other books (even if only briefly, even if only mentioned.) It makes for an interesting interconnectedness and a richness of world building on the part of the author. 'Slade House' has a connection to a novel I absolutely loved called 'The Bone Clocks'. There is a character that appears in both novels, but also a type of character created by the author. 'Slade House' shows the reappearance of Soul Carnivores.
Besides the layering of characters between novels, there is a familiar technique that David Mitchell uses in several of his novels including 'Slade House.' This is that the story does not just take place from the point of view of one character, but rather several characters points of views work together to create a cohesive story. David Mitchell is so skilled at creating realistic characters with unique voices. Its amazing how each character is fully their own as the reader shifts from one section to the other.
The novel starts with Nathan Bishops disappearance from the titular Slade House in 1979. The reader is with Nathan as his visit to Slade House takes creepy twists and turns and ultimately leads to his demise. Next, we follow detective Gordon Edmonds as he investigates the disappearance of Nathan Bishop after new clues emerge many years later. As we follow character after character in the novel 'Slade House', more is revealed about the mysterious and sinister twins who seem to be behind it all!
I definitely recommend 'Slade House' as it is an interesting, well written and distinct novel.
One thing I love about David Mitchell novels is that they all take place in the same world. Characters from one book carry over into other books (even if only briefly, even if only mentioned.) It makes for an interesting interconnectedness and a richness of world building on the part of the author. 'Slade House' has a connection to a novel I absolutely loved called 'The Bone Clocks'. There is a character that appears in both novels, but also a type of character created by the author. 'Slade House' shows the reappearance of Soul Carnivores.
Besides the layering of characters between novels, there is a familiar technique that David Mitchell uses in several of his novels including 'Slade House.' This is that the story does not just take place from the point of view of one character, but rather several characters points of views work together to create a cohesive story. David Mitchell is so skilled at creating realistic characters with unique voices. Its amazing how each character is fully their own as the reader shifts from one section to the other.
The novel starts with Nathan Bishops disappearance from the titular Slade House in 1979. The reader is with Nathan as his visit to Slade House takes creepy twists and turns and ultimately leads to his demise. Next, we follow detective Gordon Edmonds as he investigates the disappearance of Nathan Bishop after new clues emerge many years later. As we follow character after character in the novel 'Slade House', more is revealed about the mysterious and sinister twins who seem to be behind it all!
I definitely recommend 'Slade House' as it is an interesting, well written and distinct novel.