This Book Pulled Me Out of My Reading Slump- Review for “The Silent Companions” by Laura Purcell

I know I’m late to the party but I’ve recently been obsessed with The Haunting of Hill House and The Haunting of Bly Manor. After finishing both shows, I wanted to read something with those same spooky, Gothic vibes and came across The Silent Companions by Laura Purcell. This book was EXACTLY what I was looking for. This review will have spoilers.

Synopsis:

When newly widowed Elsie is sent to see out her pregnancy at her late husband’s crumbling country estate, The Bridge, what greets her is far from the life of wealth and privilege she was expecting . . .

When Elsie married handsome young heir Rupert Bainbridge, she believed she was destined for a life of luxury. But with her husband dead just weeks after their marriage, her new servants resentful, and the local villagers actively hostile, Elsie has only her husband’s awkward cousin for company. Or so she thinks. Inside her new home lies a locked door, beyond which is a painted wooden figure —a silent companion —-that bears a striking resemblance to Elsie herself. The residents of The Bridge are terrified of the figure, but Elsie tries to shrug this off as simple superstition–that is, until she notices the figure’s eyes following her.

A Victorian ghost story that evokes a most unsettling kind of fear, this is a tale that creeps its way through the consciousness in ways you least expect–much like the silent companions themselves.

My Thoughts:

• Rating- ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Whenever I finish a book, I always like to read reviews that are the opposite of what I rated the book. I feel that doing this allows me to maybe think about things differently and I just think it’s fun. For The Silent Companions, I went to the one and two star reviews. The main issues it seemed most people had was that the story was boring and wasn’t scary. Of course, as with all reviews, this is subjective but I do see why some would feel that way.

This is a very atmospheric and slow paced Gothic story. You’re following Elsie as she arrives at her new home in the middle of nowhere and it becomes clear pretty early on that she is an unreliable narrator. Odd things start to happen almost immediately and it’s written in a way where you wonder if she’s really experiencing the supernatural or if it’s mental illness; but it does eventually become clear that it’s supernatural. This is a horror story but it’s not over the top. There’s a feeling of creeping dread with some outright scary moments.

I personally found the silent companions and the stillborn baby covered in wood splinters to be very unsettling. I also really loved the secondary storyline of Hetta, her mother and the origin of the haunting in The Bridge. I was left with some questions, though.

Obviously, Hetta was conceived through unnatural means and was either born evil or became that way. The silent companions, though, are left a bit of a mystery. They were purchased by Hetta’s mother from a creepy store that disappeared right after the purchase. There was something off about them from the beginning but when Hetta is killed by her mother, her blood soaks into the wooden companions. Were the companions haunted from the beginning or was it Hetta’s cursed blood that possessed them? Or was it a mix of both? I do wish this part of the story had been a bit clearer and that, along with a lack of emotional connection to any of the characters, is why I gave this book four stars instead of five.

Final Thoughts:

If you’re wanting a fast paced and super scary read, this isn’t going to be the book for you. However, if you like Gothic historical fiction that is atmospheric and very creepy, I highly recommend The Silent Companions. I would love to read more books like this so let me know if you have any recommendations! Thanks for reading and have a great day!