DARK INTERVAL [Paperback]

Joan aiken (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback
• Publisher: Pocket (May 1, 1975)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 067178952X
• ISBN-13: 978-0671789527
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)

More About the Author

Joan Aiken (1924-2004) was the daughter of Pulitzer prize winning poet Conrad Aiken and started writing herself from the age of five. During her lifetime she published over one hundred books for children and adults, including the acclaimed Wolves of Willoughby Chase series. In the UK she received an MBE from the Queen for her services to Children's Literature.

This year sees the publication of a brand NEW story collection - The Monkey's Wedding - with previously unpublished material that shows Aiken on top form. This collection of funny, spooky, unexpected but classic Aiken stories has received wonderful reviews and will delight her readers. See below for details.

Her work continues to be adapted for film and television; she is established as a consummate storyteller,and recognized as one of the best loved authors of the twentieth century.

"The Wonderful World of Joan Aiken" is at www.joanaiken.com

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Moody, Suspenseful, August 8, 2000

By 

Patricia Brogan (Iowa City, IA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Dark Interval (Black Dagger Crime Series) (Hardcover)

This novel is a fine example of Aiken's gothic romance novels; perfect for rainy day reading, it is satisfyingly dark and just unpredictable enough to keep the reader on edge. The main character's hateful and abusive family is believably drawn, which contributes much to the novel's effectiveness--this is real, dreary misery, not the colorful Dahl-like cruelty of some of her children's work. The resulting tension throws the heroine's search for love (and our sympathetic hopes) into sharp relief.

Reminiscent of Shirley Jackson's short suspense novels, this is a powerfully written and engaging work. Highly recommended.

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars A gothic attempt at Fall of the House of Usher., September 28, 2004

By 

Peter LaPrade (worcester ma) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Dark Interval (Black Dagger Crime Series) (Hardcover)

"Dark Interval" is one of Joan Aiken's earlier novels, and is her fourth "adult" novel. It is a step down from the previous work of hers, "Beware of the Bonquet". This novel follows a young wife, who is recovering psycologically from her amnesia following the tragic death of her three-year old child. Her family is full of malice, and doesn't wish for her to recover. The woman then finds herself increasly drawn into a plot by a Eastern European emigree to keep his life private at all costs. Aiken does confuse us slightly with his name. Is it Harry Lupac, or Hari Lupac? Anyway, the writing seems to be slowed down by the overall mood of despair and rotting.