Apartment 16 [Paperback]

Apartment 16 by Adam Nevill

I was prompted to leave this review after reading some of the comments left by others, in fear that the negativity would put other potential readers off.

Let me start by saying that it has been a long time since I have got excited by a novel. And a horror novel at that! The horror section of book shops always seems to be so small in comparison to the others. And now the limited space is over run with vampire romance stories after the ever popular TWILIGHT saga.
That's o.k. but once you have read one...

I happened to find Apartment 16 purely by chance.

The story follows two main characters and their connection to Barrington House; an upmarket block situated in London.
Within its walls lies Apartment 16. No one goes in. And no one comes out.
Seth is the night-watchman. He investigates a disturbance that appears to be coming from the abandoned apartment. Events that follow change his life forever.
Apryl is a young American woman who has been left an apartment by her Great Aunt Lillian at Barrington House. It appears that her Aunt died in strange circumstances. Overwhelmed by her inheritance, Apryl seeks to discover the truth about her Aunt. She discovers some journals that suggest that Barrington House has a dark secret that it isn't about to let its residents forget it. Apryl unravels more than she bargains for.

If you are looking for an easy horror, then this is probably not a novel for you. But if you want something with a strong story/plot line and something that investigates and explores the supernatural with a unique view point then I urge you to give it chance.

Whilst reading I was completely astounded by the books imagery and intensity.
As I read I could actually visualise what was happening... the supernatural was brought to life. It jumps right out of the pages and drags you in there with it!

It's not only about pure horror and giving his readers a fright. Adam Nevill's novel reaches out on so many other levels. It describes and explores people's natural instinct to orbit certain places and the feeling of entrapment that so many people feel. It explores these effects on people.
It looks at a bond between families, and even if you never got to meet them the sense of loyalty to them. The same as Apryl feels about her Aunt and Uncle; to go back to our roots for instance.
Throughout the story, Adam Nevill creates a vast darkness. With anything possible within its depths. A flash of something here and there that tells us that we are not alone!

So many times I've read a horror to be gripped all the way through just to reach a 'lame' ending and end up feeling 'deflated' but Apartment 16 was a strong story that came together in a very satisfying way at the end. It gave me enough conclusions to feel content but also enough room to question and wonder. After all, don't we all wonder what's next?!

To sum up: I was completely hooked! There were moments where I was goose pimpled, scared, held my breath, smiled, felt repulsed, horrified, sad, and angry. When I finished the book I couldn't look in the mirror when I had to go and use the bathroom... Read it. You'll understand why!

Congratulations to Adam Nevill. A British horror writer to be proud of! He has an amazing and unique insight into the supernatural and humanity. With Apartment 16 he takes us into something we dare not think about... Not with the lights off anyway...

*some spoilers*
This book was initially one of those I had to put down and read something a bit lighter before I went to sleep, brilliantly creepy, descriptive and imaginative it was the horrors of urban life, helplessness and the trap of poverty and misery that disturbed me as much as the haunted house story. The many eccentricities of the British elderly and rich living in seclusion in a well off corner of London through the eyes of a young American and a disillusioned young artist was great, and the glimpses which could have been supernatural or a symptom of a distressed or disturbed mind were brilliant. However, I definitely do agree the book was repetitive, if the big reveal -what actually was in Apartment 16 had not been done so early or in such thorough detail and saved until the denouement it would have been much much better, the descriptions of the suffering and the mangled flesh became so commonplace it no longer had any impact by the slightly confusing end. It reminded me of The Shining, (which is fine as that's a suspenseful delight of a horror novel), especially considering Seth's ultimate fate, (which was fairly early on always going to have to be the outcome) and also the film Poltergeist, which is less of a compliment. The constant and somewhat half-arsed wittering about nazi's and vortexes and portals diminished it for me, more mystery and less attempt at explanation would have been better. The child and the relation to the other porter honestly did appear to have been a last minute addition to the story to tie up a few loose ends, as it didn't seem to have anything to do with the rest of the plot except slightly because he couldn't just leave the job until he had a replacement to take on the curse of Barrington House because his wife had been looking for their dead son? Something like that?(again, very much like The Shining). On the whole I enjoyed it, bits were fantastic and others sound like the script from a schlocky hammer horror.

Choose to read this after it caught my eye online, I haven't read any of This author's work before and can't say that this book has made me want to. As a Horror Genre fan I was really let down by this book, all a bit repetitive and predictable for me.