pickThere's a lot more going on in "Benighted" than I caught the first time I read it. This time, beneath the gothic elements I was previously distracted by, and which still work marvellously, is an allegory on English post-war society, the rottenness of the class system and the aristocracy, coupled to a demonstration of the levelling and humanising effect of meeting others openly and honestly.
I upped my rating to 5 well-deserved stars.
"Gin is saddening," Penderel admitted, "but it's not so saddening as no gin." ?
'Tis a dark and stormy night at Bookwomble Towers, so just the right atmosphere to settle down with a whisky and re-read Priestley's classic old, dark house chiller 💀
so-so🤔 I can see how this was a thriller in 1927, but it doesn‘t hold up today. It had a very promising atmospheric start and even up to the last third there were intriguing elements, but the end felt contrived, winding itself out without adding any depth to the house characters or storyline. Death, dawn, and the end.
In my mind‘s eye this plays as a classic black & white film with screams and wide eyed close ups. All that affected drama.
@vivastory has come up with a great new riff on the #7Days7Covers tag... #HorrorCoverCrush.
I‘m using this as an opportunity to remind myself of what I have on my shelves (and what to add to my October TBR)!
Consider yourself tagged and play along.
Day One.
👻👻👻
pickI bought this book because I enjoyed the James Whale film adaptation, "The Old Dark House". Atmospheric and amusing as the film is, the book (naturally) is better. There are no gruesome shocks in the way of modern horror but, if you let your imagination put you in the shoes of the lonely travellers who find themselves stranded in the strange old Femm house, it is really creepy and horripilating. ????
Benighted (Valancourt 20th Century Classics) | 
bailed
