TITLE: BLACK RABBIT HALL
AUTHOR: Eve Chase
DATE OF PUBLICATION: 2016
Available at Joeten-Kiyu Public Library
INTRODUCTION:
Meet Lorna. Meet Amber. Each has a story to tell and each takes turns doing so.
The book is premised on the relationship of past and present, and weaves the two stories together. Lorna, the main character of the story in the present was adopted, and she comes to know herself through piecing together her unknown family history. Amber, of the past, knows the secrets. At the center of the story is Pencraw mansion in Cornwall, more familiarly known as Black Rabbit Hall.
GENRE:
This is a Gothic-atmosphere, family novel, of contemporary literature with a literary flair. Beautifully written and full of imagery.
CONTEXT:
The past story is full of family life and happiness until tragedy strikes. Told through the eyes of Amber, oldest child (by a few seconds to her twin brother) in the Alton family, the tale is poignant and emotional. The modern story has Lorna, the main character, on the brink of marriage, feeling unsettled and excited as she searches for the perfect venue for her wedding.
Each story has its own cast of characters and its own through line. The pacing moves forward in relation to each’s own story and the novel switches back and forth at critical moments, which helps keep it interesting.
Most significant is the role of the Black Rabbit Hall itself. The setting is a character all on its own, and includes the surrounding land. Weather events and terrain variances help establish the provincial, remote reality.
There is a villain, the second Lady Alton, well depicted and easy to dislike. She plays the same role in both stories, which is one of the main filaments that keeps things connected.
While the stories are interesting in their own right and fit neatly together and resolve very nicely, I tired of the entire experience of reading the novel. I had difficulty in forming an attachment to Lorna, the main character, because Amber’s story so often took the front. I didn’t care that much what happened to Lorna. The ending is also perhaps too neat, too happy.
OVERALL RECOMMENDATION:
The novel is near-gothic, atmospheric, and decidedly British. If you like crumbling mansions and family secrets, this is a good book to read. Consider it a leisurely stroll over a long journey. Be prepared to revel in character and setting. Tune in to drama from the past as it seeps into the present. Accept that there is enough Alton family history to make it a story. But it is a slow read and the pay-off is very mild.
Star rating: 3 1/2 stars
