By Ben Wright (@iamzavagno | www.xgeeks.co.uk)
This review is spoiler-free.
Synopsis:
Where ghosts tread, black feathers fall…
When Annie marries widower Edward Stonehouse and arrives at Guardbridge, his estate on the Yorkshire moors, she thinks she has finally put the darkness behind her. She is mistaken.
Edward’s sister, Iris, still lives in the family home. A taxidermist and medium, she urges Annie to watch out for black feathers – claiming that they mark the spot where a spirit has visited. At first, Annie dismisses her warnings. But, before long, she begins to feel haunted.
What exactly happened to Edward’s first wife? Why is Iris so disturbed? And should Annie really be watching for signs from the dead – or is she the one being watched?
The Black Feathers is the second audiobook, by Rebecca Netley, that I have experienced, and just like with The Whistling, my experience is another positive one!
The Yorkshire Moors, an old mansion, a family formed in loss, seances and a chilling mystery… all the perfect ingredients for a deliciously engaging story! But does it live up to the hype of the tantalising synopsis?
Atmospheric and unnerving, Netley does not hang around in getting straight to the heart of this chilling tale. The pacing is phenomenal, throwing you straight into the story! Despite the speedy pacing, the characters, story and world-building are never overlooked, and everything feels well-fleshed out and nurtured. Getting this balance right is never easy, sometimes you can progress too quickly, and the story feels rushed. Likewise, you can pad out the story too much, thus slowing down the narrative. So, Netley deserves huge credit for getting that formula just right, with the end result – a thrilling and chilling gothic tale full of an incredible eclectic gathering of characters and intrigue. There is a lot of past trauma interweaved into the story and compliments the events of the present. The characters are all unique and easily identified, with their motivations and reasoning all very organic and believable.
I managed to complete The Black Feathers in one sitting. It never lulls or drags, and the quality of the story is the main reason I managed to achieve this! The story is captivating and entertaining. It leaves you guessing how the events will unfold, and most importantly it never feels predictable. As for sticking the ending? I was delighted with how the story came to a close.
This is my first time listening to the narration of Genevieve Gaunt (Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Knightfall), and she serves the story well. Her delivery is faultless, and she distinctly separates all the characters with ease. No one “voice” was the same, which gave the audiobook an authentic ensemble cast feeling. Gaunt delivers an incredibly expressive and emotive performance, that hooks the listener into the chilling story. The narration elevates the story to even greater heights.
For me, The Black Feathers is the perfect audiobook for an Autumn or Winter’s evening. Grab yourself a hot drink, dim the lights and lose yourself in this beautiful and chilling story!
Wonderfully narrated and exceptionally written, The Black Feathers is a haunting and beautiful gothic horror that will chill you to your core!
X-Geeks 