Friday 6 September 2013

The Haunted Book by Jeremy Dyson

I really enjoyed this book, up until the last twenty or so pages, which absolutely didn't ruin it, but I think went somewhat over my head.

I had downloaded this before I realised that it's by the guy who wrote The League of Gentlemen, which I hate with quite some passion.  However, I am not a fan of dark comedy in general, and I am very much a fan of spooky books, and this did not disappoint at all.  I enjoyed the stories, some were certainly scarier than others, but they were all spine-tinglers rather than violent or graphic.  I liked the framing of the stories, and felt the books within the book idea was fabulous.  I think the book was better for this, which is what made the ending all the more disappointing.  I realise this sounds very vague, but any further details would give away too much, and ruin the effect.

Apparently this is MUCH better in hardback than as a paperback, and less still an e-book, which I can well imagine, because, from what I have read, the effects of the book within a book are much clearer and more spooky in the hardback version.  It would make a great Christmas gift for a late teen or adult who enjoys ghost stories.  Be warned that one of the stories is about a voyeur, and contains references to the Marquis de Sade.  Although there is no inappropriate content, in may lead to some interesting questions!