Customer Reviews

Castle Barebane

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"Castle Barebane" was another experiment by Joan Aiken. It was her first adult novel to be set in the 19th Century, where an intrepid female reporter runs away to Europe to find her missing half-brother and his naive wife. She finds that the children were abandoned, and that she must care for them until her wayward brother is found. Part of it is a relief from the pressures of an engagement to a scion of a high society family, but it also burdens her. The trio find their way up to an ancient, decaying castle in Scotland, where secrets are unraveled, lies are exposed, and lives are lost, both innocent and wicked. The ending was a bit off, and certain things just didn't seem to work. Not bad though.

Joan Aiken, daughter of poet Conrad Aiken, was a prolific writer in the last half of the twentieth century. She is best remembered for her alternate history juveniles The Wolves of Willoughby Chase series. She also wrote books for adults, usually gothics of some variety.

Castle Barebane is a historical gothic, but Aiken often seems to have her tongue in her cheek in the most delightful way. Val is a writer engaged to the proper son of a wealthy family. She is getting intimations that married life in this family may not be quite to her liking, but is ignoring them as best she can. Returning home after her engagement party she finds her hal-brother Nils waiting on her doorstep. Nils is obviously in trouble, but Val ignores the signs of this as well because Nils offers escape in the form of a favor. Will Val travel to England and take care of Nils' wife and children while Nils is away. As this suits several purposes of Val's she agrees. Upon arriving in England she finds Nils and his wife missing and the children in terrible circumstances. She undertakes transporting the children to the home of Kirstie's relations - more disapproving wealthy relations. Once there the truth about Kirstie, Nils and a Jack the Ripper type killer unfold in a deadly climax.

I'm not certain I can be completely reliable about this book as it has the magic of childhood stamped on every page for me. It was one of the books I read when I was first making the transition to adult books in early adolescence and nostalgia colors every re-read for me. However, it is a fun read and Aiken's humor keeps gothic traditions from getting stale. Recommended for Aiken fans and gothic fans. Probably falls into the good but not great category but a favorite nevertheless.