The Haunting of Blackwych Grange
The Haunting of Blackwych Grange
By Amy Cross
The Sexton’s musings (spoilers are likely):
The book is set up in parts. Each part focuses on one character and is told in their voice. Part one starts us in the present day with a group of researchers. The second sends us back to the 1700's when Blackwych Grange was first being built. We then move into the mid 1800’s where most of our story takes place (and it is a doozy). For here we go to the early 1900’s for a short period (but poignant). Then back to the present to finish up our project. Easy set up making the time period changes very streamlined and easy to understand.
Paula Clifton
Paula is the first character who's experiences are told in Part 1 and Part 6. She is having doubts about being part of the project. She is not wrong to doubt going into the house is a good idea, and she finds out why on that third night. I wonder if all the nice things that Mac says to her are sincere. I can't see him saying that for any reason other than to gain her trust and to keep her at the house. He thinks that he needs her there but we find out that he could not be more wrong and we find this out in the epilogue.
John “Mac” McAllister
The house is his obsession. He is the lead in this project and because of his obsession he is, I suspect, reckless and dangerous to himself and those around him. He is following the project of another researcher that he was romantically involved with. She came to this house and left with her mind in pieces. He is obsessed with finding what happened so that he can gain a better understanding of how to bring her out of her catatonic state. He does some horrific things to keep with her timeline. Hurting those that are there to aid him. This dude really has it coming. He's a prick through and through. Thinking nothing of anyone but himself. I can't believe that he ever attracted a woman for long enough to actually get engaged. He's about as charming as a pigs wallow.
Helen
This is our tech person. She is also a hardcore skeptic of all things supernatural including the existance of God. She has known Mac for a good long time and seems to know what to expect from him but I have a feeling that she is going to be surprised by him on this one. And guess what? She is! Motherfucker ends up killing her, and I do believe it is him. I don't think there is anything in that house that would do that to her other than him.
Toby
He is our believer and class clown, even though he is not very funny. He thinks he is hilarious. Oh and he does have moments when he gets on your last nerve too and this is from day one of the project. I had the urge to slap him, hard. In the end he is the one that quits. I have to admit, it was not the worst idea he ever had. He is the believer and once they enter the house he can feel that there is something very off with the environment. Things are not always what they seen though.
Sir Edward Marringham
This gentleman is the narrator of part 2. It's set in 1788. This is when the house was first built. I used the word gentleman to describe Sir Marringham though he is anything but. He is a pompous asshole that won't even communicate directly with “common” people including those that are building his damn house. People like this are worthless. How he got knighted we will probably never know. I disliked him from the moment I started part 2. It sounds to me like he may have consumption. We find out that the house seems to have been placed on top of some sort of ancient burial ground as apparently they have found upwords of a dozen bodies when digging the foundation. It is suggested that they move the location but no the view from there is better apparently. Have to wonder if many of the issues stem from this disrespect of the dead.
Sir John Marringham
This man is a monster and this is being overly generous in describing his character. He is sociopathic at it's very peak. He is not only willing to hurt anyone to get what he wants (mostly money from business deals) but the “anyone” includes his own niece and son. Shit, especially his niece and son. It bloody well backfires on his worthless ass but honestly what happens to him is far better than he deserves. I will say one thing, we are lucky that he did not get his own part because I would not want to listen to his BS over several chapters.
Elizabeth Marringham (1851)
I get really frustrated with Elizabeth because she has the opportunity to escape that house and the exploitation that she is being forced into by her Uncle. But she stays for Matthew who does betray her (see below for this rant). She is right that he is only a child and she is smart enough to know that his father’s influence will destroy the boys soul. She very selflessly and foolishly allows herself to be used by the looser who has guardianship over her (even though she is an adult). Now lets talk about the fact that she is indeed haunting this house and if there was ever a soul with unfinished business it is her. Her existence in those last couple of years were full of torture, loss, betrayal, abuse and rape. The poor thing even ends up with child (the child of the local vicer who participated in this criminal activity). That child not only gets taken away from her but it ends up being thrown to the dogs. The amount of suffering she endured is so astronomical that it's no wonder she sticks around and has a bad attitude. I'd be a bitch too.
Matthew Marringham (1851-1912)
I have mixed feelings about Matthew. I think he has a very definite internal conflict going on. He wants to make his father proud of him. He is desperate to gain his approval which means falling into a pit of sociopathic personality flaws the size of king kong. This part is extremely unfortuante and because of his fathers sins as well as his own, although he does exhibit remorse for his part in what happened to Elizabeth. As a grown man he walks into that house knowing what is going to happen to him. He willingly serves himself up on a silver platter. I suppose the guilt just go to be too much for him. I do feel that he was very young when those horrible things happened and I think that, in the mind of a child who lost his mother, the fear of abandonment took him over along with the influence and need for acceptance from his father. He was not a dumb kid. He could see what a horrible person his father was. He worked hard to not become that same monster. You have to respect that.
Daniel Jones (1853)
True love is this man right here. He leaves for two years and what does he do...he keeps his promise to Elizabeth and returns for her once he is established. What he returns to is utterly tragic and horrifying. He finds her buried in the back garden. Not jut buried though...he hears her moving and realizes that she is still alive down there. This whole situation is unbelievable and the fact that Sir John, the horse fucker, has been permitted to do the things he has show just how corrupt the “upper crust” really is. Poor Daniel, a good decent man, comes back to see his future driven crazy by a megalomaniac who care for only himself. I debate on if the end of this part is actually a mercy for Elizabeth and Daniel.
Clara Harrison (1912)
This is where we see Matthew again. This is where Matthew makes an attempt at redemption. He now seeks the forgiveness of Elizabeth who was his protector when he was a child. She loved him dearly and he loved her. Sir John’s influence was just too strong during that time but after his eyes are opened he is able to at least avoid becoming a man like his father. I can respect what he does here even though he traumatizes the family that are his tenants. Clara and her parents move into Blackwych house not believing their luck. The rent is reasonable and the house is amazing. Boy do they start out completely delusional. Clara is not fooled. She knows there is something wrong with the house. She can feel it down deep in her essence, and she's right. A very intelligent, perceptive kid.
Closing thoughts:
A good quick read. Cross always keeps time periods separated in a way that makes the story easy to follow. I do have to say that we have a bit of a Epilogue of doom here. Even though what happens makes perfect sense, I don't have to like it. The possibilities after that are interesting. I just don't like that it happens to Paula. If it were anyone else I might feel differently.
