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The Birthing House (2008)

by Christopher Ransom(Favorite Author)

2.46 of 5 Votes: 5

ISBN

0751541710 (ISBN13: 9780751541717)

languge

English

genre

Horror

publisher

Sphere

review 1: I had such high hopes for this book. The plot sounded interesting.... spooky old house.... ala Haunting of Hill House/ The Shining. Well folks this isn't it. Novelist Ransome makes the mistake of a lot of first novelists too may plot devices! I grew sickened of every minute the main character drinking iced tea! The plot starts off promising. To save their troubled marriage, Conrad and Joanna move from L.A. to Black Earth, Wisconsin to a large Victorian house that was used for births during the 1800's. Whilst looking at a scrapbook of the women Conrad sees a replica of his wife Joanna. Then the book evolves into a mish mash of dark arts, posession etc. To complicate things, the teen next door reminds Conrad of his high school girlfriend who's mentioned a couple of times a... morend dissappears from the novel. Not recommended.
review 2: First of all, a warning. If you do read this book make sure you don't pick it up before you're about to go to sleep, it will keep you awake.Conrad comes home one day to find his wife Jo in a somewhat compromising situation with their mutual friend Jake. So it seems appropriate that he's just bought them a new house out in the sticks of Wisconsin. This can be a new begining for them, a fresh start.With Jo away on an eight week business course Conrad is left to settle into the house on his own. The house is an old Victorian Birthing House, a place where women would come to bring new life into the world. The house breathes history. When Conrad is given an old photo album by the previous owners he sees an old Victorian photograph of stern looking ladies in black. Staring up at him, with empty eyes, is his wife Jo.From that moment on, strange things start to happen. Things go bump in the night, and there seems to be another human presence with him.Striking up a friendship with his next door neighbours, they ask him to look after their house, and keep an eye on their pregnant daughter while they're away. Nadia has also noticed strange things occuring in the house over the years and once the trust builds up between them they set out to find the key to unlocking the mystery of the old house. I won't spoil the ending for you, but it kept me completely enthralled, every chapter leaves you teetering on the edge of a precipice, and you're compelled to keep reading just so you can find out what comes next. A thrilling read......except right at the end where it just ends. It doesn't do justice to the rest of the book at all. Disappointing. less

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