Customer Reviews

The Damned

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3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Blackwood explores the concept that the afterlife for each person is what they believe it will be. This book deals with the rising horror faced by the widow of a fanatically religious man who has twisted the christian religion to psychologically abuse and enslave his wife. Although the man has died, his belief structure lingers.

The book is not an attack on God, but it is an open attack on the ways in which religion and the concept of God is often twisted by individuals to achieve power. If you think of the Spanish Inquisition, the Salem Witch Trials, the Nazis, Jim Jones, Charles Manson and the other modern cults, and the September 11th bombings you realize that this is a struggle happening all over the world every day.

As you read of this one women's struggle and think that it is just one of many homes in which the struggle is ongoing, one cannot help but feel the chills.

While the writing and suspense of this book are superb, the story ultimately comes to a lackluster ending. Unless mystery/suspense novels without conclusions appeal to you, I would not recommend this book.

This is a good story and well worth reading. Blackwood's prose is enjoyable, the story itself is slow at times, but it builds to a growing sense of horror, only to fall at the end to an anti-climax. The funny thing is that the readers are warned again and again in the story to expect such an ending. You might think of this as softcore Lovecraft.

I mention such a spoiler in the review because I feel that forwarned a reader should enjoy the story much more for what it is than what it might have been.

This book was very well written in the characteristic fashion of early 19th century writers. The description of the main characters thoughts and feelings really helps the reader immerse himself in the story. This book has terrifying implications about life after death and the writing style of Blackwood carries these implications to the reader with a fear that is almost palpable. This book has probably been the best "horror" book I have read in years. I will agree that the ending was a little anticlimactic but will say that the author is right in his statement that the circumstances leading up to a horrific event are often more frightening than the event itself. Well done Mr. Blackwood!!

Was not expecting the more realistic application or relevence of this book, that aside, I still did enjoy this as a quick read. Expect to be upset if you are looking for a true horror novel though. It approches the ideals of religion and the misrepresentation of religion by means of close minded humans.

again AB creates the greatest setting. a house where strange things happen. giving strange impressions. great descriptions. great descriptions of feelings. but in the end it turns out not to be horror at all. good plot. awful ending. AB seem never to have realized that a horror story should have a horror ending

The writer tries very hard to be a world class timeless author but fails. Blackwood's stories are not classics, & you are not missing anything here by skipping them. Modern horror stories are better, & if you want fresh classic, read one of Poe's less famous works.