The Birthing House
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Review
'If The Birthing House had just been a biting and well-written novel about a contemporary marriage, that would have been enough to make it worth your time. If it had just been the kind of genuinely scary story that makes little hairs stand up on the back of your neck, that would have been sufficient as well. But what's remarkable is that it manages to have the best of both genres, without sacrificing thrills for insight. This is a rare thing: a ghost story with class. Read it.' Peter Blauner
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Review
If The Birthing House had just been a biting and well-written novel about a contemporary marriage, that would have been enough to make it worth your time. If it had just been the kind of genuinely scary story that makes little hairs stand up on the back of your neck, that would have been sufficient as well. But what's remarkable is that it manages to have the best of both genres, without sacrificing thrills for insight. This is a rare thing: a ghost story with class. Read it. (Peter Blauner )
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
18 of 18 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
So, I fell for it: like so many others here I picked this up because it 'sounded good' and because the first page was intriguing. Unfortunately this is a poorly written novel that is ultimately devoid of atmosphere. In spite of the presence of all the expected genre ingredients and a potentially interesting twist on the 'haunted house' scenario, it is poorly constructed. The characters behave in increasingly frustratingly abstract ways that serve the author's needs above the logic of the story. He seems keen to generate 'moments' and those 'moments' serve the thematic side of things, but the connecting scenes of characterisation and plot fail to sustain a sense of dread. It lurches between several different story elements none too elegantly, and then moves towards its conclusion in a self-consciously hallucinogenic register that really just shows the author has given up trying to hold it together. This is not a good read, and it becomes worse as you realise that he's not actually going to make it work, and by the time you reach the end you are likely to feel very silly for having fallen for the pitch. I certainly did.
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I bought this book thinking it would be a real page turner from the start, how wrong was I. All the way through I didn't really understand what was happening, thinking that all would be explained at the end. Well I have now finished it, and I still have no clue as to what it was all about or what the end really was, (spoiler) did he die? was he now a ghost? the questions go on and on. There was no real story line and no answers to the questions that kept popping up throughout the book,(another spoiler)what happened that day to his dogs? why was it a healing house if the doctor was bad? why was he killing the babies? why did alma's mother die? again I could go on and on. I shall not be reading another one of his books - thats if after this rubbish he gets another one published!!
17 of 18 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I bought this book on the strength of its cover, not having read the reviews here - my mistake.
It purports to be a 'horror/ghost' story, but its major failing is that it is not at all scary - in fact for the first half of the book I thought maybe it wasn't a ghost story at all but some sort of mid-life crisis story about the central character - Conrad. (I should point out that I am very easily scared with an over-active imagination and have to sleep with the lights on after watching scary films so if you can't scare me, you're not going to scare anyone!)
As several other reviewers have pointed out - the ending is just terrible - really rushed and badly executed. The device by which Conrad finds out what happened to Alma is levered in with a crow-bar and even then large parts of it are nonsensical. Either leave the past as a mystery or explain it properly!
The idea behind the book is sound but just wasted in poor execution. The initial characterisation is ok too - but Conrad's & Jo's descent into 'madness' is too abrupt and not at all convincing. Take The Shining as a benchmark and this falls far short.
All in all I found this to be a very unsatisfying read and would not recommend it.
It purports to be a 'horror/ghost' story, but its major failing is that it is not at all scary - in fact for the first half of the book I thought maybe it wasn't a ghost story at all but some sort of mid-life crisis story about the central character - Conrad. (I should point out that I am very easily scared with an over-active imagination and have to sleep with the lights on after watching scary films so if you can't scare me, you're not going to scare anyone!)
As several other reviewers have pointed out - the ending is just terrible - really rushed and badly executed. The device by which Conrad finds out what happened to Alma is levered in with a crow-bar and even then large parts of it are nonsensical. Either leave the past as a mystery or explain it properly!
The idea behind the book is sound but just wasted in poor execution. The initial characterisation is ok too - but Conrad's & Jo's descent into 'madness' is too abrupt and not at all convincing. Take The Shining as a benchmark and this falls far short.
All in all I found this to be a very unsatisfying read and would not recommend it.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Really, don't waste your time. Really!
I got this book thinking the premise was really good, but how wrong was I! It's boring boring boring. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Ankiara
Seems to be a 'love it or hate it' but i thought it was ok...
Having read the reviews there are not many 2 or 3 stars which I find surprising. For me, if the ending had paid off, I would probably have given this a 5. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Crackers
Confusing
I have no idea what this was all about, it was very confusing in the end I just read it to finish it. It didn't seem to have any point to the story or seem to be going anywhere. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Morgan
Good but confusing.
I read this book after reading and really enjoying "The people next door". I found it easy reading to begin with, it was entertaining and made me want to find out what happened. Read more
Published 5 months ago by C. Lee
Fantastic
This is a fantastic book. I have read this book before but reading again has made this a true masterpiece. Read more
Published 8 months ago by MissT89
Failed to deliver
Like others, I was drawn in by the cover and disappointed with this book. The (only?) redeemable thing about it was that I couldn't put it down - but that was because I wanted to... Read more
Published 9 months ago by Alicie
Utterly awful if not dangerous book
This is the only book that I have ever consigned to the recycling bin, on the grounds that no one else should ever read it. Read more
Published 9 months ago by C. A. Bancroft
failed to live up to its potential
firstly, i think this auther has potential, some of the ideas in this book were really interesting. however, i dont know if its because its his first book, but the author just... Read more
Published 10 months ago by F. Ridler
Confusing Ending
I absolutely love ''ghosty'' books, so when I seen the Birthing House on the shelves I immediatly snapped it up! Read more
Published 10 months ago by Pancake123
Should have listened to the reviews
After picking up The Haunting of James Hastings while on holiday and got total griped, I couldn't wait to read another one of Christopher Randoms book, I was wrong, realy really... Read more
Published 12 months ago by Flible
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