The Vessel

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a b locusmag (18 January 2018). "2017 Stoker Awards Preliminary Ballot". Locus Online . Retrieved 2 January 2019. locusmag (20 February 2020). "2019 in Review: From Haunted Landscape to Hollywood Costume by John Langan". Locus Online . Retrieved 28 July 2020. Let me start off with the writing. It is superb. He both paints the picture and easily draws you in as well. It is why that line by The Guardian so applies in that you become a part of the story and you do live it. I had the oddest feeling reading this book because of that. It was just so different and you do not come across it all that often so when you do it is special. I also think that many publishers don't necessarily like that type of writing. Jonathan Maberry Ghost Road Blues trilogy was also magnificently written but he no longer writes like that. I believe he was told to dummy it down. So many readers simply read over the picture being painted so why bother I guess. Nevill though draws a fine line with how he writes not over complicating things and setting the table just right so to speak. It was so refreshing to see someone who can write, right? Moving along, I enjoyed Nevill’s writing style as he did a decent job at world and character-building. I immediately knew this would be an interesting folk horror novel since the book cover of “The Vessel” is incredibly scary. As I kept reading, I figured this would be a slow burn at first I was hoping would pay off but unfortunately, it didn’t deliver as I had hoped it would.

An eerie folk horror novel from the author of Cunning Folk , The Reddening , The Ritual , No One Gets Out Alive and the four-time winner of the August Derleth Award for Best Horror Novel.

The Vessel” by Adam Nevill started out pretty well. This is the first time I’ve read a book by Nevill and was excited to see what awaited me. Now, before I jump into my review, let’s go over the trigger warnings I found while reading. The first act is dominated by Jess trying to balance the demands of her job as a carer with the demands of her position as a mother as well as the myriad complications thrown into the mix by the presence of the ex-husband, the daughter’s problems at school, and the challenges of working as a carer when the company that employs you refuses to give you adequate support. This aspect of the book is also really well-grounded as Jess’ appeals to her co-worker are met with resentful scorn while any appeals to the boss are met with threats and high-handed finger-wagging about how she should be jolly grateful to have a job in the first place. Fiction Book Review: Under a Watchful Eye by Adam Nevill". PublishersWeekly.com . Retrieved 2 January 2019. After an absurdly long fallow period, literary horror is showing signs of a return to commercial success and cultural visibility.

I should offer a warning before we get started. Elements of The Vessel’s narrative could potentially be triggering to some readers. The story is set in the aftermath of a toxic relationship that has broken down beyond repair.

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Adam’s work isn’t bad, but he’s also not the best horror writer out there at the moment, although I’m sure he thinks differently. This story is short, but it satisfied the feminist pagan in me, and the ending was heartwarming with a strong message of women supporting women. HOWEVER, it is painfully obvious that he wrote this with one goal in mind: to have it made into a movie. The “scary” parts aren’t subtle, and read like a screenplay, not to mention he tells you a lot, instead of showing you - which in a film would be a throwaway Easter egg for example and serve to add to the tension and atmosphere, but in the form of a novel it’s disappointing. The parts that were scary were good but I definitely wanted more of it. “The Vessel” just wasn’t scary enough for me even though it had a few decent moments but regardless, I had higher expectations. With a cover like this, I wanted it to go in a completely different direction than where it went, especially with how it ended. With Nevill, you know you’ll get darkness and despair, but you’re never totally confident on the medium of ‘how.’ With ‘Wyrd and Other Derelictions’ we got stories with no characters. With ‘The Reddening’ we had a folklore story set in a remote location. With ‘Cunning Folk’ we had a horrific story set in an idyllic small town location. And now, with ‘The Vessel,’ we get a pagan-tinged witch style story set on the lands of a large homestead. You’ll find situations involving bullying in school, spousal abuse, parental abuse, and suicide. Please note the spousal abuse is pretty graphic but nothing too crazy. The other trigger warnings are mentioned but not too descriptive. If any of these trigger you, please don’t read this book.

As on the ground floor, up here a poorly-lit exhibition of antiquities with no curator is strewn, piled and propped. A jumbled archive of a long life bereft of a librarian” Again, Nevill does an incredible job of setting the scene. The first chapter is mostly a description of the house itself and Nevill pulls the reader through the place giving them an idea of exactly what the setting of the story will look like. Once the story commences, we get an idea of just how evil the house can become. As a survivor of domestic abuse, this book touched my wounded heart, but at the same time made me sad that there was no saviour in my case. My saviour was myself, and my abuser is still alive and well, however I have a sense of pride in myself that I was able to extract from the situation and begin the healing process.

I’ve been in a major reading slump for nearly the entire month of December, DNFing every book I started. This book couldn’t have come at a better time. “The Vessel” turned out to be exactly what my dark soul needed. The writing is excellent, and I couldn’t put it down! I liked the plot, but the atmosphere completely won me over! “Nevill” writes with care and attention to detail, and it really shows! In refining the tale of supernatural horror to its essence, M.R. James increased the terror, and among his living inheritors is Adam Nevill’– Ramsey Campbell You don't read an Adam Nevill horror novel: you live it" - so says The Guardian on the front cover of my edition and man oh man I could not agree more!! Adam L.G. Nevill was born in Birmingham, England, in 1969 and grew up in England and New Zealand. He is an author of horror fiction. Of his novels, ‘The Ritual’, ‘Last Days’, ‘No One Gets Out Alive’ and ‘The Reddening’ were all winners of The August Derleth Award for Best Horror Novel. He has also published three collections of short stories, with ‘Some Will Not Sleep’ winning the British Fantasy Award for Best Collection, 2017.

Alexander, Niall. "Novel Docu-Horror: Last Days by Adam Nevill". Tor.com . Retrieved 21 August 2013. In refining the tale of supernatural horror to its essence, M.R. James increased the terror, and among his living inheritors is Adam Nevill' - Ramsey Campbell Don’t worry, I won’t spoil anything for you but the ending at least for me was too predictable and again, just not scary enough. It wraps up entirely in the end but it just didn’t leave me horrified or blown away. Vicarage, garden, wood and pond grow smaller below the reprieved thrush. It sees the land become a patchwork in which the suggestion of a circular village, with the vicarage forming the hub of an indistinct wheel, assumes shape.What I liked: The story follows Jess, trying to get on her own feet after her former significant other abused her. He spent some time in jail, but is out now and is trying to push his way into his ex’s life, and their daughter’s, Izzie. It's as if an ancient ritual was triggered when Jess crossed the threshold of the vicarage. A rite leading her and Izzy to a terrifying critical mass, where all will be lost or saved. Film option deal for Adam Nevill's novel Apartment 16". British Fantasy Society. Archived from the original on 6 October 2014 . Retrieved 5 October 2014. Folk horror is something new to me when it comes to books. I’ve seen quite a few movies in that genre and they are some of my favorites. I love the ambiance these tales create and I know it’ll be a hair-raising good time.