| Title | : | The Chalet |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | - |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Kindle Edition |
| Number of Pages | : | 33 |
| Publication | : | First published October 5, 2012 |
The Chalet Reviews
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I loved writing this story, and hope to write more with the same kind of supernatural entity, if readers like this work!
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Originally posted at:
http://www.longandshortreviews.com/bo...
The Chalet is remarkable in that the time span of the story covered in only twenty-seven pages is immense. If there is a downside to this, it is that keeping the timeline and relevant characters straight was a little confusing at the beginning. But do not let that small inconvenience put you off from reading this story.
There are murders a-plenty, and disappearances; lots of those. Hatred and love fuel the tale as do betrayals. And yet it is an all-consuming love that drives the plot. A plot I found disturbing.
Ms. Fox Hall’s uses the first person point of view of Madeline, and we live the tale through Madeline’s eyes as she relives tales from the past, tales from her adoptive mother and information gleaned from a dairy. While I didn’t find this an easy read, I did find it a fascinating one. I was drawn into the past events and interested to discover if the outcome would work out as anticipated or not.
The author painted the exterior and interior of The Chalet so clearly I could almost smell the mouldy walls, hear the plaster falling from the ceiling and share Madeline’s shock when she came across some rooms so well preserved.
This is a supernatural story of extremes that will entrance enthusiasts of the paranormal genre. The author’s fluent writing style held this reader to the end. -
I found myself drawn into The Chalet from the very first pages. I have a passion for old houses with histories and mysteries and Madeleine's chalet had plenty of both to satisfy my appetite throughout. We know it's going to be a sinister place right from the start because of the narrator's life-long fear of it. Many people who have entered its doors simply disappear without trace, but what is its mystery? Well if I were to tell you, it would spoil your experience of reading this gripping and entertaining story, and I would hate to do that.
The story has surprising layers of complexity - just when you think you're getting to the truth, the story takes another surprising turn to lead you deeper into the puzzle, deeper into the heart of the house. And it is a house with a heart in some respects. The Chalet becomes another character in the story.
Tara Fox Hall doesn't just tell stories, she weaves spells of enchantment. The way she creates and sustains atmosphere is masterful and her characters (including the chalet) live and throb with life. This is a highly recommended short story read; it will leave you wanting and hoping for more. The Chalet shows us a writer at her very best. Well done author! -
Why are some of us compelled to enter the dark, unknown recesses of an abandoned home? How much do we ever really know about the private lives of our parents -- their lives before children, and outside of family? And how far would a demon go to resurrect the woman he loves?
Tara Fox Hall once again weaves a narrative that unfolds carefully and with much detail. Reading The Chalet reminded me of Stephen King's The Shining -- every turn down the winding corridors of a grandiose, but seemingly lifeless mansion was a new revelation. I couldn't put it down. I was drawn in completely by the demanding feeling of inevitability, foreboding, tragedy, and mystery. Once again, Hall's portrayal of the bitter-sweet reality that love can be was powerfully expressed. Her work resonates with hope and loss, confusion and knowledge, hatred and love, in such a way that we cannot help but feel deeply for both the protagonist and the villain. Tara takes a candle to those shadowy places of the human heart where many of us fear to look; she peers into the corners, walking a fine line between light and dark which is both unsettling and arousing. Her story satisfies and yet leaves us hungry for more.
Thank you again, Tara, for pushing the limits. I can't wait to read your next work! -
Reviewed by Shyla
Book provided by the author for review
Review originally posted at Romancing the Book
From the first page, The Chalet placed me into a world full of mystery, unexplainable paranormal activity, and history. All encompassing, this story is more than one person’s tale. It belongs to a home, and the entity that dwells within its walls.
The heroine, Maddie is stuck between a rock and a hard place. Her mother’s cancer has advanced, and the one place she wants to return to is the one Maddie avoids at all cost. The Chalet, a mansion outside the woods in an affluent area which has been the epicenter of murder and disappearances for centuries. Experiences in her youth showed Maddie just how malevolent the family home could be, but when her mother persists she gives in. What happens next is a wild ride as puzzle pieces come together, the past is retold, and a shocking love story emerges. I want to say more, but it would ruin the element of surprise Ms. Hall wielded so well!
I loved seeing this story through the eyes of Maddie. The first person point of view worked well, giving the spine tingling scenes an extra edge. Ms. Hall did an excellent job building tension and answering all the questions formed as we discovered new clues. I highly recommend this read. But if you scare easily you might want to read it during the day. -
One Hell of a Spooky Story!
The Chalet had once been the home of the wealthy Centaurian family, but now it is in disrepair, its beautiful rooms shrouded in dust. Strange things happen in the old house. There are rumours of ghosts walking the empty rooms, and those who venture there often never return. Is the house really haunted? Or do the legends stem from the vivid imaginations of the local people?
Madeline´s mother has just inherited the house and it seems Madeline is about to find out for herself.
This is one hell of a spooky story. You imagine it is going to be a typical gothic ghost story with some tragic event in the past triggering the apparitions. Wrong! But I’m not going to tell you what is really going on. You’ll have to read it for yourself.
PS. I’d leave the light on if I were you. -
Madeline’s haunting memories of her brief visit to the chalet when she was younger are still at the forefront of her mind when her mother makes her death bed wish for them both to return there to spend her mothers last hours.
Right from the start there is an air of menace. Tara Fox Hall built just enough tension to have me reading with one eye closed as I imagined moving through the shadows and dust in a chalet from which no outsider every returns. Well written and spooky. Best read with a glass of wine to hand for courage.
