| Title | : | Eynhallow |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 1947879669 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9781947879669 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Hardcover |
| Number of Pages | : | 178 |
| Publication | : | First published February 22, 2024 |
When a stranger comes ashore to rent an abandoned cottage, Agnes and the other islanders are abuzz with curiosity. Who is this wealthy foreigner and why on earth would he come to Eynhallow? Her curiosity is soon replaced with vexation when her husband hires her out as cook and washerwoman, leaving Agnes with no say in the matter. Agnes begrudgingly befriends this aristocrat-in-exile; a mercurial scientist who toils night and day on some secret pursuit. Despite herself, she’s drawn to his dark, brooding charm. And who is this Byronic stranger sweeping Agnes off her feet? His name is Frankenstein and he's come to this remote isle to fulfill a monstrous obligation.
Eynhallow Reviews
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‘Death is a promise that cannot be made pretty.’
Eynhallow by Tim McGregor is a gripping read that effortlessly blends mystery and folklore into a thrilling narrative. Set on the hauntingly beautiful island of Eynhallow, the story immediately pulls you in with its atmospheric setting and intriguing premise. McGregor's writing is vivid and immersive, making the island almost a character in itself.
Essentially a retelling of Frankenstein, the plot revolves around Agnes and her lonely life on the isolated island with her husband and children. This is not the paradise she was promised by her older husband and she is miserable. So when a stranger comes to the island for a temporary visit, she is intrigued. The man, she learns, is Victor Frankenstein.
McGregor does a fantastic job of keeping the suspense high and the reader guessing. The characters are well developed, with enough depth and complexity to make them feel real and relatable. As the story unfolds, the intertwining of local legends and modern day mystery creates a rich tapestry that is both engaging and thought provoking.
What I particularly loved about Eynhallow is how it balances a fast paced plot with moments of reflection and beautiful prose. It's a book that makes you think, while also providing the kind of page turning excitement that makes it hard to put down. If you're a fan of Frankenstein and atmospheric horror with a touch of scifi, this book is definitely worth your time.
My Highest Recommendation!
If you’re looking for another Frankenstein retelling consider
The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein. I read this last year and enjoyed it immensely. -
On a small, Scottish isolated island called Eynhallow resides a small community of only twenty hardworking people (including children) taking place at the end of the 18th century. Agnes Tulloch is one of those residents who accepts her lot in life and loves her three children more than anything but most of the time she feels cheated with life itself. The wind is brutal day in day out and the storms come out of nowhere leaving their too small cottage which is in ill repair damp, leaky and cold most days and the tedious, hard work is a never ending cycle.
One day a mysterious stranger arrives on the isle and stirs up gossip about why anyone would want to come live on Eynhallow especially in the old vacant cottage rumored to be haunted for many, many years. Superstitions and folklore are abundant during those times so the residents are somewhat fearful as well as curious about why an aristocrat would want to move to their lonely isle. Meanwhile, Mr. Tulloch hires poor Agnes out as a housekeeper and in those days the wives must always abide by their husbands wishes.
The dark, brooding stranger is rude, arrogant and unfriendly as well but he is interesting and accepts Agnes in a way that she has always been denied and they quickly become friendly and enjoy one another's company although Agnes wonders why the man named Victor Frankenstein is so unhappy and why he won't reveal to her the type of work that he performs in the room he keeps locked day and night. Someone has been threatening and harming Victor and he won't tell Agnes who or why this person is after him until the day she comes across this dangerous and terrifying person and is fearful for own her life as well as Victor's and she will then make a decision that will change everything she had ever known or believed for the worse when she suddenly finds herself trapped in a living nightmare that she can never wake up from or find an escape back to her old life.
This was the most amazing, horror book that I will remember for a very long time! The beautiful, atmospheric writing and storytelling were so mesmerizing that I didn't want the story to end. The book begins slow and steady giving lovely and thoughtful detailed descriptions of the island and the colorful lives of the characters. Some may say this was a retelling but I considered this book an original and brilliant piece of work. The last thirty percent of the story had my pulse racing and I was holding my breath but I never expected to feel an ache in my heart by the time I was finished reading. This book was very dark, dismal, raw, unexpected, entertaining and realistically told with it's atmospheric and historical edge that will appeal to almost every single, horror reader.
I must add this was not a long book yet it captured all the substance and quality content of a novel that was three hundred pages or more but without all the silly filler words and phrases that can be so unnecessary and annoying in many books. You won't find any excessive drama although one may wish the story could have lasted longer because Agnes's story will stay with you for a long time as well as some of the other characters. Eerily sinister and the horror will creep up on you slowly and steadily and when it finally hits it may be shock to your psyche as it was to me.
I cannot recommend this book highly enough and wish I could give it more than 5 stars and I am most definitely looking forward to reading more of Tim McGregor's other books since I have been so enchanted by this author's writing! I hope that my hearfelt words will encourage other readers to pick this book up and begin a wondrous and horrific journey to the desolate island of EYNHALLOW which is actually still in existence.
I want to thank the publisher "RDS Publishing" and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this tale of madness and any thoughts or opinions expressed are unbiased and mine alone!
I have given a rating of 5 COMPLETELY CAPTIVATING AND MESMERIZING 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 STARS!! -
Death, Where is Thy Sting?...
EYNHALLOW by Tim McGregor
No spoilers. 3 1/2 stars. This novel is another take on the FRANKENSTEIN story with some interesting embellishments...
Orkney Islands, 1797...
A summer storm blew in over the island of Eynhallow, bringing pummeling rains...
There's no escape from the winds on Eynhallow. It never stops, but it toughens the soul...
Eynhallow is awash in mystery...
Norse Spirits are rumored to haunt the tiny island, and finfolk (fish creatures) are believed to crawl up onto the beach and become human...
Others say...
Trolls are hiding in the caves on the cliffs during the day but come out at night looking for something to eat...
According to the islanders...
The island teemed with ghosts, goblins, and monsters...
20 souls populated the island, and visitors were rare, but one day, the islanders saw a boat on the horizon...
The visitor was a foreigner here for the season. He'd leased a derelict house, abandoned for many years, to complete his research...
And to free himself from a curse...
Frankenstein was his name, and he had lifted the skirts of Mother Nature to know her secrets of the very primal spark of the universe...
Oh, Death, where is thy sting?...
This is a very atmospheric and interesting interpretation of Mary Shelley's novel FRANKENSTEIN.
It was, overall, a good story. My problem with this novel was its glacial pace. Nothing much happened until the last 25% of the book, and then it was great.
The writing was dark and gloomy, and if you're looking for a happy ending, keep looking. I personally don't need every story to end on a good note to deem it a good read.
I'm sorry to go against the tide here, but this is my honest assessment. This is a great author, and this is a good book, but I personally liked LURE by this author much better. This story needed some gas in the tank to pick up the pace a little. -
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Genre: Horror + Literary Fiction + Retelling
Tim McGregor's Eynhallow is a gothic horror literary work that takes place in the Orkney Islands in the year 1797. It tells the story of Agnes Tulloch, a woman who lives on a remote island and feels trapped in a marriage with an abusive husband who does not treat her well. After the arrival of a mysterious stranger on the island, her life undergoes a major transformation.
First and foremost, I would like to recommend that you do not read any further into the synopsis than what I have shared with you here. Allow everything to remain a mystery in order to keep the shock factor intact. This book was my choice for a reason. Because it fulfilled all of the types of tropes that I enjoy. The first is that the entire atmosphere takes place on a remote island with a very small population. The second is the arrival of a mysterious person who will make things so interesting.
The narrative is told from Agnes' point of view, and through her eyes, we, as readers, can see her current life with her husband, children, and the other people who are on the island. We also get to see how things take a different turn when this stranger arrives. The book is very intense and has a very atmospheric feel to it. The author has done such an amazing job with the gothic atmosphere.
As a retelling, the story is fantastic. The entire experience was enjoyable to me. The pace is steady and just right for my aesthetic preferences. The writing is absolutely stunning. There were times when I had the impression that I was the main character and that I was literally sitting there on the island, feeling completely cut off from the rest of the world. This was outstanding in every way. I wholeheartedly endorse it to each and every reader. It is without a doubt that I will continue to read more of Tim McGregor's work.
I would like to express my gratitude to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an advanced reader copy of this book. -
In 1797, only four families inhabit Eynhallow island. Agnes has never fit in with the clannish residents. She lives a lonely existence. Abused by her husband, and worn out from caring for four needy children, she has little to look forward to in her life. That changes when a stranger arrives on the island, and she is forced to provide him with a daily meal. And though Agnes is soon drawn into an odd companionship, it's clear to all who live there that evil has come to the island . . .
It's best not to know any more about this novel. Let its gloomy and atmospheric spell wash over you, and catch you unawares. -
I absolutely LOVED this novel! Prior to reading, I hadn’t heard of Eynhallow, but I’ve researched it since and found the mystery that surrounds the place fascinating. However, I chose not to research it until I finished the novel as I didn't want it to spoil my enjoyment.
So, back to the story...
Both setting and storytelling are superb. I genuinely couldn’t put it down. Utterly compelling!
Of all the classic Gothic tales, Frankenstein is my favourite, so the author had me in the palm of his hand. I also love the fact that Agnes occasionally addresses the audience, i.e. the reader. It works so well. I felt I was in the room with her.
The author paints a vivid picture right throughout the book. I was right there on the island, and the ending is faultless. This book is so visual, so immersive. I really want to visit Eynhallow.
My thanks to the author and publisher for granting me the opportunity to cast my eyes over the tale at an early stage. I can't wait to see this release, and I'm adding it straight to my Top Reads of 2023 Shelf.. -
Huge thanks to Netgalley, Raw Dog Screaming Press and Tim McGregor for this eARC!
Eynhallow, Scotland.
A small, desolate, currently uninhabited island off the northern coast of Scotland. A place, according to Google, that has a folklore surrounding it that suggests the Finfolk, shapeshifting mer-people, reside their during the summer months.
Which, if you read Tim’s prior novella, ‘Lure,’ would have you wondering if these two are interconnected at all. But I’ll leave it at that.
Why I did bring that up, is to highlight the magic that Tim has captured in my imagination twice now. The first time was by crafting a cinematic, fairy tale with ‘Lure,’ a novella about a vengeful mermaid. Mermaids are a topic of story I struggle with and Tim had me rapt from page one and never let go.
Which gave me confidence going into this one. Why? Because I find Shelley’s ‘Frankenstein; or, the Modern Prometheus’ to be a slog to get through. Bits and pieces captured me unequivocally and have always stayed with me, but much like many of the older classics, my brain struggles to be whisked away, instead begging for them to be reduced to short stories instead of novels. I know, for some, that sounds blasphemous, but that’s how this readers brain works.
So, that brings us to ‘Eynhallow.’ A novella which has a very engaging synopsis, until the very last line – ‘His name is Frankenstein and he’s come to this remote isle to fulfill a monstrous obligation.’ That had my hackles up slightly. I trust that with Tim’s work I’ll get a stunning story and phenomenal prose, but when the name Frankenstein rings out, I was worried about how my reading brain would approach the subject.
What I liked: Set at the end of the 1790’s, we follow 29-year-old, Agnes Tulloch, wife, mother and, by default, the island’s midwife. She has no formal training in the practice, but after having four successful births and a few unsuccessful ones herself, she’s the go-to when a baby is arriving. Her life is hard, rough and cracks have appeared in her tolerance. She’s tall and very strong. And she was essentially forced into marrying her husband, who is almost twenty years older than her.
Her life is set and she goes about her day as normal. That is, until this strange visitor arrives. Victor Frankenstein. Those who were born on the island detest those from abroad, and so because of this, none of the islanders want to have anything to do with him. Agnes herself, is not from the island, born on the mainland and only moving her once wed to her husband, so Agnes’ husband hires her out to this stranger. She’ll bring him some food and keep his place clean.
At first things are fine, but as she learns more about Victor and the two develop a connection, life begins to change. McGregor does a wonderful job of making Agnes one of the best characters you’ll ever read. I mentioned her age previously, as throughout, you’d think she is twice that, her soul older and her will ironclad. She cares deeply for her children, and her submissiveness to her husband and his drunken abuse slowly dissolves, her internal strength growing as she sees a potential for her and her children.
The island itself plays a prominent role, its shores and undulations making for a perfect place for these families to be island-bound and artificially stranded. The currents are rough and sailing across isn’t without peril.
McGregor’s masterful prose shines through here. Every single sentence is a highlight and told through a razor sharp sense for a cinematic experience. I read at night, and all day, while at work, I was longing to return to Agnes and Eynhallow, wanting to see who the strange creature was the lurked on the periphery and just how Agnes would get out of this life she so desperately wants to leave.
The final quarter of this story is heartbreakingly bleak. Events have happened and Agnes has to watch her former life from afar. It was soul crushing to witness how time forgets her and she forgets everything else. Her kids, their names, those who used to live on the island and how she’ll haunt its shores forever more.
What I didn’t like: In all honestly, I found this novel perfect. Having finished it late last night and now writing this review up first thing, I struggle to pinpoint something to share with you that you may not like. I would tend to lean toward the obvious, this isn’t a rollercoaster paced novel, it’s more of a casual meander across an island and back, so if you’re looking for non-stop action and cliffhangers galore, this won’t be the novel for you.
Why you should buy this: Tim McGregor has knocked this one out of the park and once again he’s thrown my own reading prejudices in my face.
From start to finish, Agnes bleeds from the pages and you’re going to be rooting for her and holding your breath time and time again as she navigates the harsh life she’s been forced into. Fans of Shelley’s work will really enjoy this ‘side story’ of Frankenstein’s quest to create life from death and the last quarter is a great think-piece exploring the ramifications of what this would mean, were he successful.
Just an outstanding novel and one that I think will elevate McGregor into that next level of world-renowned writers. Right where he belongs. -
This Frankenstein retelling was EVERYTHING. The atmosphere, the setting, the writing… all of it was simply amazing! This retelling is set in 1797, on a small isolated Scottish island called Eynhallow. It’s inhabited by a handful of residents until stranger comes ashore to rent an abandoned cottage. Our protagonist Agnes is forced to befriend him after her husband hires her out as his washerwoman and cook. And then weird and creepy stuff starts happening of course. All of the characters felt so real, even the island itself held such a presence in the story. I can’t think of one single thing I did not like about this book. 5 stars.
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WHAT AN ENDING!!
I did not see any of that coming, at all!!
This book was an absolutely glorious experience! -
This was the perfect Frankenstein retelling for me! I loved the atmosphere and the writing! I think this story portrayed how being a woman in the 1700s was a true horrorshow. I personally didn't need the last 20-30 pages but I was very happy how it ended and understand why it was there. 4.5 stars! I recommend if you love the Mary Shelley classic!
More of my thoughts here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RlTNA...
Thank you! Netgalley for this arc! -
Once again, Tim McGregor captivates readers with his ability to craft stories that evoke intense emotions, leaving no room for respite.
Agnes, married to a widower much older than she living on the island of Eynhallow, is a mother of four young children and is abnormally tall. One fateful day, an enigmatic stranger arrives on the island. He leases a decrepit house, and through a chain of exceedingly unfortunate events, becomes inexorably entwined with Agnes and the island.
No spoilers here, but the 'reveal' in the book had me gasping! 👀 Give me a 🤌🏼 monster retelling, and I'm totally hooked. Let's go!
The characters, even the ones not in the spotlight, are meticulously crafted, and the island has its own distinctive personality–which kinda exudes an air of darkness, gloom, despair, and all those not-so-pleasant words. But hey, at least it's got a certain edgy charm to it. Also, my favorite character is Daisy.
I'm not exactly sure how I feel about this book, except that I absolutely love it. However, it's also got me feeling a little down and kind of bummed out. The pacing is maybe a bit faster than medium, there's no unnecessary exposition, and the dialogue is punchy–made me giggle several times. But, I’m just so sad *cries in wants a happy ending*.
I strongly encourage readers to check any TWs because the author does not hold back; all the kinds of assault, violence involving children, fertility and birth trauma, and lots of other things to make your eyeballs sweat. -
I quite simply, don’t think I can properly put together the words to express how exquisite this book is. Generally, I live in the world of extreme horror and as a result, I find literary horror hard to get into. I gravitate towards books with lots of action and fast-paced plot as a general rule.
Eynhallow, is not any of that. Yet somehow, this might very well be one of my all-time favourite reads. I’m already a fan of McGregor’s writing but I am just absolutely blow away by this book. I’ve never been quite so invested in a character as I was with Agnes. I took my time reading this as I did not want to have to finish it and thus let go.
This re-telling was incredibly harrowing. A melancholy read throughout. You get to know the MC Agnes in such an intimate way, you almost feel like you are her. McGregor captures the extreme horrors of existence in such beautiful prose. Quite literally one of the most enchanting, engrossing stories I’ve ever read. What he’s done here is nothing short of perfection. I cannot find a fault.
Throughout I had no idea where McGregor was taking this story and as a result I was surprised the whole way through. All the twists and turns post climax had me fully engaged until the last work. A masterpiece you need to read immediately. Look of for you February 22nd, you do not want to miss this. -
I’ve read some good books lately, but it’s been a while since I’ve gotten excited, like really excited over a read. What do you think you’re gonna get when you pick up this novel? This is 178 pages of pure magic. I need more, so much more!
Agnes, oh dear Agnes. This is really her story, even if it’s a retelling. What a human to experience. It takes a LOT to make me shed a tear, and it happened thrice! This woman…you feel her struggles, her grief and the weight on her shoulders. You also feel the love she has for her children and her dearest friend. The events that unfold in this story will pull hard and leave you reeling. It is amazing what a person can endure.
I can also finally brag that I learned a hand full of new words! It’s been ages!! A thought provoking, educational read that is also insanely entertaining!
This may be a very personal opinion, but Tim McGregor can write a woman’s perspective beautifully.
There are a few triggers for this read: infant death, maternal death, domestic abuse. -
The island of Eynhallow—which is part of the Orkney archipelago in north Scotland—is now uninhabited. However, in 1797 (the time-period of this book), there was a small conclave of superstitious and xenophobic farmers. In the book, Eynhallow, life is hard on this windy rock, where four families (20 people) live in squalor and deprivation. They believe that spirits, trolls, goblins, and finfolk (fish creatures) roam the island, cause much of their suffering. Such a desolate and lonely place is just the right setting for a horror novel, and Tim McGregor has delivered us a literary marvel.
I don’t want to give too much away, but here is a synopsis. Agnes Turloch is an outsider to the island. Mr. Turloch is an abusive drunk who expects his wife to take care of the family and his sexual desires. She has had seven pregnancies, of which only four have survived. He tries to make her feel grateful that he chose to marry someone like her: tall, physically strong, and hardened by the lack of love and cruelty. When a stranger moves to the island, Agnes soon has someone who is also an outsider; a man who adds a new and exciting dimension to her existence. What is he there for? To tell more would ruin the story.
There is nothing that I can say against this book. It is well paced and well written. The horrors that people inflict on Agnes are emotional, physical, and mental. Much is taken from her, but little is given. This is the first time in a long while where I have read every single word of a book.
On Tim McGregor’s author profile on Goodreads, he states that, he lives with, “A really spiteful ghost.” This may be why he writes so well about the ones that inhabit the land—and people—of Eynhallow. I will be on the lookout for more books written by Tim McGregor.
I would like to thank NetGalley and Raw Dog Screaming Press for the opportunity to read and review this book. -
Author Tim McGregor's "Eynhallow" is an excellent addition to Mary Shelley's "Frankenstein". McGregor takes a small part of Victor Frankenstein's flight away from Geneva, and expands and fills in some details, while creating a new, sympathetic protagonist in Agnes Tulloch.
McGregor takes us to 1797 on the Orkney Islands. Agnes is a wife and mother of four children. She cares deeply for her children, but does not have the resources or support to feed or care for them adequately. Her husband Robert is emotionally and physically abusive, drinks all their money up and pays the lively children little attention when home except to yell at them.
Agnes has no friends amongst the small number of families on the island, except for Katie, also a mother of several children. Katie and Agnes kid each other, and find what humour they can in their lives, which are full of hardship and toil. The other people of the island look at Agnes with a mixture of fear and revulsion; she is a very tall, powerful woman, easily a head taller than Robert. She's been ostracised and reviled since puberty, when she shot up, painfully, and her stepmother was happy to get rid of her as fast as possible to Tulloch.
Things change when a wealthy stranger arrives on the island, with numerous boxes and trunks, and rents the only empty cottage on the island. Robert quickly sees his advantage, and forces Agnes to cook and clean for the man for money. Agnes is unhappy, as she's already struggling to keep her own home, but has no choice but to agree.
She quickly finds the stranger to be somewhat mercurial, obviously privileged, and not always cognizant of how his requests could be interpreted (e.g., asking Agnes to pose for him). She learns his name is Victor Frankenstein, that he seems to be running away from something, even while he works hard daily on something secret. At the same time, both Agnes and Katie begin seeing a giant on the island....
I don't want to say much more, as the story is excellent, and gave me a better appreciation for Mary Shelley's original, though I still think Vic and Monster are annoying and terrible people. I loved the choice of making Agnes the point of view character, which allows McGregor to 1) really show the remoteness of the Orkneys, and the hardscrabble lives of the few inhabiting the place, and 2) slowly reveal Vic's project, and surprise those unfamiliar with the classic.
McGregor builds atmosphere beautifully; one can hear the wind blowing in from the ocean, feel the biting, salty air, and experience the isolation, and Agnes' cramped, small home and her desperate wish for something better. And then really feel the horror that Agnes experiences when she finally realizes what Vic and the Monster are about.
And the ending is so bleak and sad. Wonderful!
Thank you to Netgalley and to RDS Publishing for this ARC in exchange for my review. -
Two things I like, Tim McGregor and Frankenstein, I devoured this is one sitting and it was absolutley PERFECT, a gothic horror with a lot of heart, the writing was syrupy, dreamlike and atmospheric, a melancholy meander that adds to the Shelley lore
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Beautifully written and densely atmospheric tale of the harrowing doings on a largely desolate island. Expands nicely on the Frankenstein mythos. Gothic. Vivid. Wonderful. An outstanding read.
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I have to be honest… I have not read Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein (yet!). That said, I cannot compare this story to the original but I can say that I loved this one—which means you, too, can enjoy it even if you don’t know a gosh darn thing about Frankenstein.
It was a wonderful atmospheric retelling of the original and I devoured it. I was sucked in to Agnes’s world and her fascination with the dark, mysterious visitor on Eynhallow Isle. You don’t need a lot of preface going in to this novel… Just open the book, sit back, and let McGregor take you away to Eynhallow. You won’t regret it. -
4.5
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Wow, I don't even know how to begin describing my thoughts about this book but I should start by saying I immediately want to read all of Tim McGregor's other books.
Knowing this was a Frankenstein retelling, I had a general inkling on where things were headed. They did indeed take the turn I expected but somehow it was all even more twisted, darker, and heartbreaking than I could have imagined. The story follows Agnes, a mother of 4 residing on Eynhallow (population 20). She's stuck in a loveless marriage with a sorry excuse of a husband, and her mundane uneventful life takes a turn for what initially appears to be excitement when a mysterious stranger, Frankenstein, shows up. Bringing the town's population to whopping 21, his arrival also brings a sense of unease and strange sightings to the residents of Eynhallow.
Agnes is tasked with bringing meals to Victor and the two start building a friendship that turns into...more. In ways you expect and in ways that will horrify you. The writing style in this book was fantastic, it was so easy to read, funny and witty, and still conveyed so many emotions. You really feel like you are Agnes as you read this. The setting was amazing. Gloomy, eerie, mysterious, and weirdly cozy.
I would maybe knock off half a star because there were a few instances of repetition (something would be explained, an observation would be made and then rehashed a few pages later as new knowledge). Rounding up to a 5 because I'm a sucker for a good Frankenstein retelling and this one nailed the horrors and twisted nature of the original!
Thank you to RDS Publishing and Netgalley for the eARC! -
I was pleasantly surprised by how good this book is. A variation on the Frankenstein legend, it tells the tale of a small group of inhabitants of the island of Eynhallow who are visited by a stranger who's come to engage in some secretive work. One resident, Agnes, is tasked to bring him food and clean his quarters but soon grows close to the man and discovers his gruesome endeavors. His name is Victor Frankenstein and he's been quite busy... Fascinating as it is horrific in its telling of a fateful trip that changes the island forever. Historical horror at its finest. Very well-written, McGregor has a winner here. 4-4.5 stars. Highly recommended for fans of the genre. Thanks to Netgalley for the free ARC in exchange for an honest review.
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I will be thinking about this book for a long time. It was so haunting and beautiful.
An amazing view/twist on Frankenstein that will stick with me for a while. Agnes falls into hard times because she gets caught up in the wonder of Frankenstein and it completely changes her life and the life of everyone else around her.
I cried and was horrified.
10/10 will be buying my own copy
Thank you Netgalley 🫶🏻
I hate men . -
𝗜 𝗴𝗼𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗮𝘀 𝗮𝗻 𝗔𝗥𝗖 𝗶𝗻 𝗲𝘅𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻 𝗵𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄. 𝗜 𝘄𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗸 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗿, 𝗡𝗲𝘁𝗴𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝗳 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗸!
August 30th, 1797… Agnes Eliza Tulloch, née Burness, is still THE stranger on the island of Eynhallow. She married 'into' the island, so to speak, when she was just 17. Now, about 12/13 years later, she is still the stranger on this Island where only 4 families live, including hers.
And that's not the end, our 'Lamb' is 1.93m tall and strong as an Ox, which makes her even more of an outsider to almost everyone.
Despite her status and the time she lives in, she's not just literate BUT rather well-read thanks to her father. Unfortunately though, she was pushed into marriage by the intrigues of her stepmother and a lot of sweet-talk by widower Tulloch.
Leaving behind her Jamie in Kirkwall.
Agnes loves her children... and her best/only friend Katie, a non-Islander just like her. However, her life is difficult on this barren, cold Island. Every day is filled with toil and drudgery. Her daily work cumbersome and hard, even though her oldest living child, Grace, tries to help her Mother wherever she can.
What's sad about it most, is that her husband Robert doesn't make her life any easier, rather on the contrary now that she's bound to him.
¦ ߹ ¦ · ¦ ߹ ¦ · ¦ ߹ ¦ · ¦ ߹ ¦ · ¦ ߹ ¦ · ¦ ߹ ¦ · ¦ ߹ ¦ · ¦ ߹ ¦
In my eyes this Book is quite a lot about Agnes and how she was never able to do what's right for her without ending up with a more disastrous outcome.
The author has woven all the other characters very well into the story with our main character Agnes. Even Victor, although I'm still not sure if he had planned a 'certain thing' from the beginning as it played out later, or if it all happened in the End just by cruel coincidence and due to her Curiosity.
Agnes undergoes a transformation in this story from the obedient Eve to the emancipated Lilith. The whole thing has only one catch in my opinion, the transformation comes too late for our Heroine.
A fact that honestly saddened me as a woman while I was reading the book.
From the last quarter on, the book was more Women's Fiction than (Gothic-)Horror... but that was absolutely fine with me, as this book was gorgeous.
I felt a lot of sympathy for Agnes and for Katie, as welll as for their children.
I couldn't stand any of the male islanders, except for Tom, they were obnoxious and opressing idiots.
The atmosphere, apart from a few beautiful moments (The children and Daisy), was very gloomy and desolate.
To say, that I was shocked by the extreme turn of events at the End would be an understatement. Well done!
Thank you for gifting me as a reader with the lovely Daisy and Dickie and at the same time How dare you to the Author. (He'll know why…)
This is a 4.75 🌟 Rating rounded up to a 5 here on GR!
𝑰 𝒓𝒆𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒘𝒉𝒐 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆𝒔 𝑯𝒐𝒓𝒓𝒐𝒓, 𝑮𝒐𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒄 𝑯𝒐𝒓𝒓𝒐𝒓 𝒂𝒏𝒅/𝒐𝒓 𝑾𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒏'𝒔 𝑭𝒊𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏. -
5 stars, but I wish I could give it even more.
Wow, Tim McGregor does it again. This is my 2nd book by him, and I can't wait to read more, I think he's definitely a favourite author for me now.
This is a historical gothic horror with a new twist on a classic story. It started of slow, but the pacing picked up quickly, I think I knew early on that this was going to be a book I love. I really enjoyed the atmosphere, which is bleak and dreary. The writing was phenomenal. It was as if I was there alongside Agnes looking out into the water, experiencing the strong bitter winds, and watching the darkness that looms in her home. Usually, I'm able to guess/predict where a story is going to some degree, but this totally took me by surprise.
And the ending. Oof. McGregor took my heart and squeezed it tight. I had to sit there for a while just thinking about it. Haunting.
Read this if you love: Frankenstein, historical horror, gothic horror, retellings, isolation, remote settings, island settings, and monsters.
Many thanks to Netgalley for sharing a digital copy for me to read and also to Raw Dog Screaming Press for sending me an ARC. As always, opinions are my own 🤘🏻💀🤘🏻 -
✨Retellings - yay or nay?
If yay, what’s one of your favorites or what would you like to see in retellings?
I have a love/hate relationship with them. Eynhallow gets a scream from the mountain tops YAY! I honestly can’t remember if I’ve read Shelley’s Frankenstein though I think that I did eons ago in school but am unsure. So long brain cell should you have ever existed! ✌🏻
I saw Eynhallow all over #bookstagram and knew I had to read it. I went in not knowing a single thing about it and was instantly hooked from the opening chapter. Extremely well written with gorgeous atmosphere.
Read this book. Full review to come in Cemetery Dance. 🖤 -
Thank you so much NetGalley and RDS Publishing for providing this ARC. The book has been released as of February 22, 2024 however I just received the approval this week. Needless to say, a retelling of Frankenstein is right up my alley. This book was well written and if you are a fan of gothic vibes and monsters, I definitely think you should pick up this book.
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I'm haunting my own life.
I exist in a clammy limbo between life and death, and yet, never have I felt anything holy here.
The best way to go into a book is without any expectations and sometimes a book blows your mind. Eynhallow is one of those astounding reads where I had no expectations whatsoever and it felt me speechless.
There is simply no way to make the deceased look like they are resting. Death is a promise that cannot be made pretty.
Death is a stingy thing, jealous of every sprout of life. It sidles close in birthing, eager to swallow both mother and child in its pettiness.”
The story of Eynhallow is set in the year 1797 Orkney Islands of Scotland. Agnes our giantess ( wrong to call a tall woman that but old times) lives on island of Eynhallow.
Eynhallow is a real place in Orkney Islands and it is as what is described in this novel. Windswept and umbrous. It gives you a chilling and lonely feeling that sets the tone of the book from the very start. The ruins are the largest and most elaborate structure on the island, but their origin remains a mystery as no one really knows who built them. Eynhallow is awash in mystery, and the legends often contradict one another. Was the island christened the “holy isle” because of the kirk or was it built because the island is holy?
I'm also amazed at author's feminist voice being a male author. — "How on earth could I corral four savage children with swollen feet and an aching back? How would I eat for two when there’s barely enough for one? To say nothing of the heartbreak if the child is born blue or expires shortly afterward. Three times now I have held cold baby flesh that will not warm no matter how I rub it by the fire.
Every woman skates the razor’s edge when she brings life into this world."
Of course the conditions are dire for women , their lives mostly governed by the men in their lives but the way he has written Agnes' character and even Kate's is what I loved the most about this novel.
There are only 20 people on the island. Agnes and her husband, Robert and their 4 kids. Agnes' only friend Kate and her husband and their 6 kids and 3 other couples. There's scarcity of everything on the island. And suddenly there comes a strange visitor to stay on the island, who's mysterious and rude and pompous.
Nobody likes his foreign presence but he needs help looking after his place and Agnes' husband volunteers her for the same. Agnes at the start is vary of the stranger but as she slowly comes to know him, she starts to realise that he is not what he seems. But everytime she goes to help him clean the house, he has new bruises and injuries, cause of which he isn't keen on sharing.
Eynhallow is retelling of Frankenstein, not just retelling it takes you further into the gothic gloomy world Mary Shelley created. Frankenstein is one of my favourite novels of all time and I was highly doubtful if eynhallow will even be able to set the brooding and tense atmosphere Frankenstein sets but eynhallow surpassed the expectations and I was much impressed.
Eynhallow grabbed me from the very first sentence till the end. Towards the end I felt it little bit dragging cause of which I will give it one star less but even then it doesn't lose it grip and keeps reader hooked.
One of favorite reads of the year for sure.
Thank you very much Netgalley and RDS publishing for the ARC in exchange of an honest review.
Some phrases to mention
We may be solemn and respectful at the passing of our fellows, but we are also a people who express mourning with celebration. It is a chance to tweak Death’s nose and spit in its face as we remember our dead.
I claw at the earth and weep, but strangely, no tears fall. My eyes no longer shed tears. Another thing stolen from me.
How entitled is the man who can treat another soul like a tool to be employed and then discarded when it breaks?
She weighs next to nothing in my arms now. How heavy is a soul, i wonder.
The memories are shards of broken glass. They twinkle with discombobulated bits of images and harsh voices. A flash of this or that, but not enough to reflect the whole. Some are dull, while others are sharp enough to cut clean to the bone. -
Eynhallow is a really creative reimagining of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein set on a remote island in the Orkneys.
I really enjoyed reading this, I found the book wholly immersive. I really felt like I was there seeing the world through Agnes's eyes, a character I really connected with. Man I hoped she would have gotten her happy ending.
Agnes is a girl who time and time again has had her hopes dashed. but she still powers through whatever life throws at her, despite everything she remains a devoted and loving mother. Love is what keeps her on the island and what threatens to her to leave.
A bit of a slow burning novel this really gets going at the end and the affects are spectacular! -
This book. Five stars. Such beautiful, horrifying writing.
Truly, a love letter to Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. Obviously, it is not going to be as amazing as Frankenstein the original, but this one is amazing as well.
It started off a little slow, but one Victor Frankenstein arrives, it’s fast from there.
Loved it and highly recommend if you adore the original book. -
Eynhallow, Scotland, 1797. Agnes Tulloch is a misfit in nearly every way: she stands over six feet tall and her strength of build mirrors her stature. She is also not an Orkney native but the second, much younger, wife of one. Despite the fact that she towers over her alcoholic, belligerent husband, she allows him to bully and demean her (for the most part) because - as I mentioned - it's 1797. Life with her four children on the unforgiving island is monotonous and difficult; a mere twenty people in total inhabit the desolate place. The endless monotony is broken when a mysterious Genevan by the name of Victor Frankenstein arrives and inhabits a broken down, abandoned croft that many of the locals believe to be haunted. Who is his man really? What possible purpose could he have for electing to live in such a forlorn place? And who or what is stalking the island, instilling fear in Agnes's heart?
This was a really interesting read made more interesting when considering how the original Frankenstein was written by a woman, Mary Shelley, whereas this version (can it be called a "version"? It's more of an extension really) is written by a man with a female protagonist. McGregor boldly tackles Agnes's plights: her forced subservience to her idiot husband, the lack of autonomy over her own body, her profound loneliness that sometimes (very understandably) feels like it is bordering on insanity. Adding to the suffocation she feels is the inability to take any kind of action due to the love and obligation she feels towards her children.
Agnes's trials are only multiplied with Dr. Frankenstein's arrival. Quickly enlisted as the visitor's cook/maid due to Mr. Tulloch's insatiable greed, Agnes soon finds herself intrigued by the doctor himself as well as his cryptic obsession.
It took me a moment to adjust to the first person writing style - I am always immediately inclined to think it sounds pretentious to write to fit a historical time period, then I remind myself it's just the author being accurate... If you want the complete truth, this story starts out flat-out depressing and just keeps the miserable mood right to the end. But it also kept me hanging on. Agnes is an admirable character and my heart went out to her as her spirit took blow after blow yet she soldiered on.
None of this should come as a surprise if you're familiar with Eynhallow's source material, and nor should the ultimate of outcome of all those involved, but McGregor somehow still skillfully weaves a brief but gripping narrative. If you're looking for a very well-written spin-off of a classic Gothic tale about a complicated/tortured heroine, and don't mind having your emotions substantially battered about like a cat toying with a mouse, Eynhallow will suit you perfectly.
