Customer Reviews

Elementals

5 star:		(20)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Marian Savage has died. Her son Dauphin and his wife Leigh attend the strange funeral and afterward decide the family needs a vacation at the isolated family property of Beldame. Taking vacation with them are Leigh's mother Big Barbara McCray, Leigh's brother Luker McCray and his thirteen-year-old daughter India, and family servant Odessa Red.

While the characters are richly portrayed and fully fleshed out, the story is actually about a place: Beldame. Beldame is three Victorian style houses at the end of a sand spit near Gulf Shores, a place that can only be reached at low tide because of a channel that runs between the gulf and St. Elmo's Lagoon. The McCray's stay in one house and the Savages in the other, while the third house has remained empty for years. Empty of people, perhaps, but there's something inside that third house, something thats malevolent and dangerous.

Time stands still at Beldame, where the temperature is suffocatingly hot and there's no electronic distractions such as phones or tv's or radios. As the family lounges in hammocks and works jigsaw puzzles, India becomes intrigued by the third house and the rest of her family's fear of it. But under Odessa's rather unwanted guidance, India discovers that the third house is far from benign.

This story is much more than a simple tale of a haunted house. It's creepy and deadly, and made all the more horrific from the folksy southern charm of McDowell's prose and dialogue. As the power of the third house rises, its presence becomes dangerous for the family. There's something inside that wants all of them dead, and only Odessa holds the clues to what's inside.

'The Elementals' is a languidly rich tale of horror, sinister and frightening, and occasionally gory. McDowell's writing style is addictive, and if you finish this tale wanting more, pick up 'Cold Moon Over Babylon' and his six-book Blackwater series. This is one of the best horror books, and certainly THE best haunted house book, that I've ever read. Ten Stars! I highly recommend it. Enjoy!

This novel, by the late Michael McDowell (he passed away in December, 1999 from complications from AIDS) is the single best horror novel I've ever read, surpassing even Shirley Jackson's Haunting Of Hill House. I don't think there is a horror novel in English that I haven't read, but none combine the eerie yet almost poetically evocative atmosphere, beautiful diction, compelling, awesome (in the true sense of the word) sense of character and place, engrossing plot and tantalizingly ambiguous but totally absorbing horror in this book. Every word is worth reading over and over again. It is truly beautifully crafted. The shame is that, according to the reviews I've read, Mr. McDowell considered himself a "hack writer" of thrillers. This is unfortunate because he was an artist, and this is his masterpiece. It is must reading for any fan of horror or of Southern Gothic, the tradition from which it comes. I re-read it at least a half dozen times a year and still find it fresh and exciting each time. I wish I could rate it higher than a "five." I hope this and all his works (out of print for years) come back into print for another generation of horror fans.

just like "Cold moon over babylon", from the early
80's "Elementals" is also a classic from the late
Michael McDowell. A writer I would have put easily
in a class with King, Farris,Koontz, Coyne, to name a few
of the best of the 80's horror writers. This guy knew
how to write and the only thing missing with stories
such as "Elemental" is he just didn't become a "Super"
success in the thriller/chiller market, I enjoy all his writings and many varied titles. Great story!

If you read horror, this is hands down one of the best, scariest, and most original books you will ever come across. I read it when I was 17, and I'm 34 now, and still get the chills just thinking about it. I cannot recommend this book enough. Please read it, you'll not want to miss out on this one!

I have to practically sign an affidavit whenever I want to borrow this book from my Mom. We pass The Elementals and the Blackwater Series back and forth every few years.

I would give it 4 and 1/2 stars if possible. It misses out on 5 for me because I was a bit disappointed with the ending. But don't let my comments stop you from reading this great book.

I have never, ever seen The Elementals in a store. My mother found it and the Blackwater series years ago in various used bookstores in California. Good luck finding copies of any of these early McDowell horror novels.

Sometimes I dream about that house filling up with sand...

I read this book over 20 years ago and it still gives me the creeps whenever I think about the crawling baby. It was so scary I had to quit reading horror books for awhile. If you like horror, this is a must read. You will never be able to get it completely out of your mind.

Three weeks after finishing this book I still am haunted by the events that took place. Scarier than any Stephen King book. Atmosphere, character development, pacing, plot, etc are all 5/5. From what I read the author (McDowell) was an unusual horror novelist. This book was based about thirty miles west of where I grew up making it all the more real for me. The 'ghosts' in this book are unmatched in terms of creepiness. If you want a good scare try the Elementals. You won't be sorry.

"The Elementals" is my favorite horror book; makes you laugh and gets you to think.

"Gilded Needles" is a close second.

I read this book years ago and was scared out of my wits. I lent it to my sister, who used to read on the sofa and put her books under the sofa when she took a break reading....one night I got a phone call from her and she said...Please, could you come over and get this book out from under my sofa...it scared me so much I don't even want to look at it anymore.
Unfortunately , my Dad lent it out to someone and lost it...but I have been lucky enough to buy a used copy here...can't wait to get it !!!!!!!!!

Veering from blood-chilling scares to sweat-generating descriptions of a hot Gulf summer, McDowell lures the reader into a surprisingly well-written (for a paperback horror yarn) gothic drama. Absolutely engrossing and very, very scary.