[FVZ]∎ Read The House of Dead Maids Clare B Dunkle Patrick Arrasmith 9780805091168 Books

The House of Dead Maids Clare B Dunkle Patrick Arrasmith 9780805091168 Books

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The House of Dead Maids Clare B Dunkle Patrick Arrasmith 9780805091168 Books

The first time I heard about The House of Dead Maids, I was excited because it is a prelude to Wuthering Heights. I absolutely loved Wuthering Heights. In fact, it is one of my favorite books, so when I found out about The House of Dead Maids, I was curious to read a story about Heathcliff before he became THE Heathcliff.

If you want to get into the Halloween spirit and read a truly, creepy book, this is the book for you. The story will give you the chills. It is that good. I loved the illustrations at the beginning of each chapter. They contributed to the story as a whole, which was great. Some of the pictures were indeed spooky.

If I could give any warning for this book it would be to not read it at night. The ghosts in this book will freak you out. Particularly the ghost sleeping in Tabby's bed to the descriptions of their faces. I still get the chills thinking about it. If you want to get freaked out, by all means read it in the middle of the night.

Besides the creepy aspect (which I did enjoy), this book is spectacular. I loved getting to know Heathcliff as a little boy. Sure, he is a huge brat at times, but he has a sweet side. The main character, Tabby, is a strong girl. I loved that she actually had some brains in her head and how given the situation she was in, she still took care of Heathcliff even though he was not the best mannered boy.

The House of Dead Maids is an amazing prelude to Wuthering Heights. It was interesting from the beginning to end with plenty of scary moments. It is a short book (at 146 pages), and fans of Wuthering Heights will definitely enjoy it.


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The House of Dead Maids Clare B Dunkle Patrick Arrasmith 9780805091168 Books Reviews

Clare B. Dunkle has tried out a lot of different genres -- a fantasy trilogy, a sci-fi duology, and a masterful historical horror tale. "The House of Dead Maids" easily fits into the last category, with ghastly dead girls slipping through a strange cursed house, but Dunkle makes the living characters just as creepy... even a strange little boy with no name.

Tabby Ackroyd is the new "young maid" at Seldom House, charged to take care of a wild, nameless boy (known as "Himself"), who is apparently the new master of the house (even though he's not related to the OLD master). But Tabby soon discovers that there's something horribly wrong with her new position -- nobody except her cares about Himself, there isn't a church nearby, and strange ghostly girls with pitlike eyes keep appearing.

But the most horrifying discovery is when Tabby realizes that one of the dead girls was the previous maid -- and she's only one of many maids who has died there. As she tries to protect herself and Himself from the evil forces surrounding (and filling) Seldom House, Tabby begins to realize that the danger is not just aimed at the little boy, but at herself as well.

"The House of Dead Maids" has some interesting literary connections -- Tabby is based on the Bronte sisters' housekeeper, and Himself... well, you'll find out who he is, and why his wild, passionate ways are so important. But even if you're unfamiliar with Bronte lore, this book is still a magnificent story -- think a gothic horror story for kids.

Most of this comes from Dunkle's command of language and atmosphere. The entire book drips with dank, heavy gothic atmosphere and a general feeling of impending doom ("She was nothing but a hollowed-out skin plumped up with shadow"). And she manages to reveal just enough of the mystery surrounding Seldom House without making us feel like Tabby should know what's going on -- there's something horrible coming up, but we don't really know what it is.

The two most impressive characters are, of course, Tabby and Himself -- she's a prim, rather ordinary 19th-century servant girl with very strong Christian beliefs. Himself is the exact opposite a wild, strange child who is swayed entirely by his own selfish passions. Mrs. Winters and Jack are particularly creepy, especially when she gleefully announces that "it warms my heart to think that one day I'll watch you die, and we'll always have each other then."

"The House of Dead Maids" is an eerie little gothic tale that doesn't last half as long as you want it to, courtesy of Dunkle's superb writing and characterization.
Okay
This novel was a quick read for me. Unfortunately, I knew what the gotcha of the mystery was so that diminished the impact for me. I do recommend it for those who like YA ghost stories.
When I first began reading , I didn't think this book was what I thought it would be. As I continued it captivated me. The surprise twist ending made the book a keeper.
it was ok
Tabby Ackroyd becomes the maid to a dirty little boy at Seldom House whom people call "Little Heathen Git." They warm up to each other, which is good because they spend nights together, and the nights are not pleasant at all with the dead after them. Spooks with hollowed eye sockets haunt them. And there are so many. Tabby does her best to keep the bad influence of the house and town away from her, but Little Heathen Git is another matter. He may not be able to resist the temptations they offer.

The atmosphere of a big mansion, the moors, and spooky nights is spine-chilling. I was wondering if this novel would be too strong for the MG crowd, but then I thought nahhh. I love this now and I would have loved this as a tween.
Two disclaimers off the bat

1) I've known Clare since grade school.
2) She dedicated this book to me.

I am not ordinarily a fan of classics, and had trouble getting through Wuthering Heights. But, now having read The House of the Dead Maids three times, I finally understand much more of the background and the character of Wuthering Heights. The story of Tabby and Himself is fascinating and quite chilling; two lost souls clinging together, but also making choices that will follow them into adulthood. (For more information on the background of this book, head over to Clare's website [...].)

The illustrations are perfect for the text; the marrying of illustration to text reminds me of the same marriage of Laura Ingalls Wilder's Little House series with the warm illustrations of Garth Williams. Only this is the flip side, where the illustrations make the story more haunting and chilling rather than warmer and fuzzier.

Now excuse me while I go read this book for a 4th time...
The first time I heard about The House of Dead Maids, I was excited because it is a prelude to Wuthering Heights. I absolutely loved Wuthering Heights. In fact, it is one of my favorite books, so when I found out about The House of Dead Maids, I was curious to read a story about Heathcliff before he became THE Heathcliff.

If you want to get into the Halloween spirit and read a truly, creepy book, this is the book for you. The story will give you the chills. It is that good. I loved the illustrations at the beginning of each chapter. They contributed to the story as a whole, which was great. Some of the pictures were indeed spooky.

If I could give any warning for this book it would be to not read it at night. The ghosts in this book will freak you out. Particularly the ghost sleeping in Tabby's bed to the descriptions of their faces. I still get the chills thinking about it. If you want to get freaked out, by all means read it in the middle of the night.

Besides the creepy aspect (which I did enjoy), this book is spectacular. I loved getting to know Heathcliff as a little boy. Sure, he is a huge brat at times, but he has a sweet side. The main character, Tabby, is a strong girl. I loved that she actually had some brains in her head and how given the situation she was in, she still took care of Heathcliff even though he was not the best mannered boy.

The House of Dead Maids is an amazing prelude to Wuthering Heights. It was interesting from the beginning to end with plenty of scary moments. It is a short book (at 146 pages), and fans of Wuthering Heights will definitely enjoy it.