#emma stonex

[itacoisa]

19 de julho de 2023. Quarta-feira.

O Farol de Emma Stonex conta a história de três homens que desapareceram em um farol situado em uma formação rochosa de difícil acesso e sob condições bem suspeitas, já que os relógios do local estavam parados no mesmo horário, a mesa estava posta para apenas duas pessoas e a entrada estava trancada por dentro...

Por isso, após 20 anos, um escritor decide que seu próximo livro será sobre esses desaparecimentos.

Essa deve ser a quarta leitura para o >em busca do suspense do ano< e, por enquanto, está sendo a mais promissora.

O livro reveza entre os pontos de vistas dos faroleiros e das esposas de cada um deles lidando com o escritor (que para elas é um enxerido) e revisitando o passado. Além disso, há alguns capítulos que se tratam de cartas ou partes de diários.

Basicamente é isso, eu estou bem intrigado com a história, apesar de que tudo que foi revelado até agora está escondido nas entrelinhas, não tendo nada surpreendente.

Estou em 37% do livro e agora aquele dúvida, que quase todo suspense tem, se o que aconteceu foi algo sobrenatural ou não, já se dissipou, por isso a história urge por um grande acontecimento.

A escrita da autora consegue ser bonita quando quer e as esposas são bem intrigantes, já os maridos ainda não vi muito deles. Inclusive, os capítulos em que as esposas são entrevistas pelo escritor é basicamente só as respostas delas (e eu amei isso) — até porque, o escritor não possui nenhum fala, haha, pelo menos até agora.

E é isso.

O começo intrigante a autora entregou, agora quero respostas para o caos começar a acontecer.

[midnights-wish]

“Helen's never been one to think she was put here to look after me, it's against her nature to think a woman's in the least bit responsible for that, but all the same I'm not sure she likes it - that I don't need her in any practical way. I wish she knew the other ways I needed her. Invisible ways. Important ways.” 

Emma Stonex, 'The Lamplighters'.

[midnights-wish]

This makes me think about 'The Lamplighters' by Emma Stonex. <3

𝘤𝘰𝘭𝘥 & 𝘪𝘴𝘰𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘥

[anolis3]

"The Lamplighters", by Emma Stonex.

"We stood a moment, still tongue-tied : And each with black foreboding eyed The door, ere we should fling it wide, To leave the sunlight for the gloom.", from Flannan Isle, by Wilfrid Wilson Gibson.

"A morning so beautiful you wonder that heaven isn't already here if only we took the time to look up and see.", from The Lamplighters.

[ijustkindalikebooks]

Listening to this, this evening.

[lizardgimpking]

Book Review: The Lamplighters (Emma Stonex).

Sometimes, you just buy a book because the cover is cool, y’know? This one immediately grabbed my attention last year because of its distinct looking cover-art, and that, paired with its promise of a lighthouse based mystery thriller meant when I saw it for sale in a charity shop a month or so ago, I just knew I had to give it a go. And...well...uhh...it’s okay? Hm.

Told from multiple perspectives across two periods of time, ‘The Lamplighters’ chronicles the mysterious disappearance of three lighthouse keepers in the early 70s, and then follows the wives/lovers they left behind as they’re interviewed by an author about it in the 90s. The way the book sets itself up, you feel like it’s going to be a investigation based thriller where the author tries to piece together the truth behind the seemingly impossible nature of the men’s disappearance. Ultimately though, the direction it take is far slower and unfocused than that, for better in small parts and for worse in others. It’s better in the sense that it really captures the mood and atmosphere of living in the isolating and sea-swept environment of a lighthouse, and indeed living in the isolating and melancholy aftermath of a great loss. If there’s one thing this book does really well, it’s that it really soaks every page with the vibes of its central location, and all the romantic imagery and inner-darkness that comes with it. If you’re a fan of that often quite brutal but all the same still alluring nautical atmosphere, this is gonna be a book that really hooks you in with its strong imagery. I did find myself less enamoured with a lot of the rest of the book, mind. The way in which it tells its story, jumping back and forth between two timelines, with multiple character perspectives in both, but only really giving you some sense of a revelation right at the very end? It can prove a little tedious. Rather than being an intriguing mystery or a slowburn thriller, this is mostly just a mood-piece that dangles an opening intrigue at you and then proceeds to do very little with it, beyond explore the emotional ramifications in increasingly unoriginal ways. Maybe it’s to do with expectations, but given a quote on the back of the book calls it ‘Thrilling’, maybe it’s more that it was mis-sold.

This is more of a pet peeve (And maybe a spoiler as to the direction the book takes so maybe skip this paragraph if you intend to read it), but mystery novels that tease larger, possibly even supernatural concepts at play and then take a long time to reveal something far less interesting fob me off quite a bit. I’ve read a few books of this nature, which tease ghosts and entities at work, only to then ignore that in favour of a more mundane conclusion, and whilst this particular one delivers a little of what could be considered a wider scope, it ultimately chose to underwhelm in its main revelation. At least in my opinion. Also, there’s a narrative thread which teases a lot of potentials and then the book’s conclusion ultimately completely ignores it...and I really don’t like that kinda SHIT. Misdirection perhaps, but it doesn’t work in a book that’s so slow and so lacking in interesting revelations throughout.

I didn’t hate ‘The Lamplighters’, but it did disappoint me. There’s some great atmosphere and imagery to be had throughout its reasonably short read, but it over-promises and under-delivers, and along the way tells a rather straight forward story in a protracted and convoluted nature. If you go into this just looking for a moody slowburn mystery, with melancholy romance and darkness to spare? You’ll probably enjoy it quite a bit. I was looking for something more intriguing, especially given that striking cover and promises of thrills, and ultimately...whilst not dreadful by any means, I didn’t come out of it fully satisfied. Ah well!   

Read it or Leave it : Unsure. Reading Next (Ender’s Game by Some Twat *Won’t be Reviewed*)

[crysdrawsthings]

I don't think I will manage another book this year, so it is time for the...

Illiterate Corner with Crys

Aka the roundup of what I have read this year with short notes.

Wilder Girls by Rory Power. 4/5, loved the setting, interesting story and interesting character exploration, I think. Not something I would reread, but it was a nice book.

The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern. 5/5, adore the story within stories and the visuals of the world are outstanding. Very beautiful, I liked it. Would love to get a copy for my home library!

How to Read Literature like a Professor by Thomas C. Foster. 4.5/5, very interesting and educational for me read, loved the approach and examples, but I think that I would enjoy it more should I have been more familiar with the typical literature course author falls back on.

Nettle and Bone by T. Kingfisher. 5/5, uggested to me by @illumiera , iirc, no notes, wonderful little tale. Loved the unusual fairytale protagonist and loved how it takes from fairytales to build it's own unique world.

Dragonbone Throne. Book 1

Dragonbone Throne. Book 2 by Tad Williams. 4.5/5, the book was published as split into two tomes in Russian and so I have opted to count it like that. One of my new favourite fantasy series, definitely. Dated in some regards, absolutely, but I am fascinated with the world and would need to finish the series in 2025 and start on the sequels and sidequels.

Six Crimson Cranes by Elizabeth Lim. 4,25/5 was also suggested to me by @illumiera I believe, I have enjoyed it. Another interesting fairytale retelling, which I found captivating and appreciated the departure from the typical European setting. Maybe will check the second part, but I am not sure.

How to Read Novels like a Professor by Thomas C. Foster. 4.5/5, pretty much the same opinion as the other book earlier this year.

Stone of Farewell. Book 1

Stone of Farewell. Book 2 by Tad Williams. 4.5/5, again, pretty much the same. The tone and pace of the story definitely picks up with the later books as the war in Osten Ard goes on.

Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor.

Muse of Nightmares by Laini Taylor. 5/5, as it is a duology will be talking about them together and I quite liked the story! Some definitely very dark and bleak themes, but also a very curious world, interesting mythology and beautiful imagery. Very... Mythological in some bits?

The Shadow of the Gods by John Gwynne. 4.5/5

The Hunger of the Gods by John Gwynne. 5/5, I loved the setting and the worldbuilding concept with gods and their descendants is really interesting. The writing style is definitely a hit or miss, but I am very excited for the third book. I need to know the fates of cool evil dragon woman and one absolute bastard of a guy.

Nightfall by Peter Kujawinski and Jake Halpern. 3.75/5, this one definitely feels like something for a younger audience, but it was a decent enough read.

A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness. 4/5, very emotional book. Short, but very emotional.

The Lamplighters by Emma Stonex. 3.75/5, nothing particularly outstanding, but a decent enough read I grabbed in the library.

Familiars by Stacey Halls. 4/5, I have enjoyed the historical-ness of the book, can't comment on the accuracy. Fascinating, but one-time read for me.

The Maidens by Alex Michaelides. 3.75/5, forgettable and not very interesting, sadly, I had higher hopes.

Fairy Fale by Stephen King. 5/5, amazing, loved it, very enjoyable read and very interesting worldbuilding. Slow and with a long start, but definitely enjoyable ress for me. Would adore to have a copy in my home library.

The Crystal Pyramid by Soji Shimada. 4/5, I absolutely can nitpick about writing style, plot choices or other things, but I do like to see how mysteries unfold with this author. But definitely a one-time library read for me.

Van Helsing by Kevin Ryan. 4/5, I have went in not expecting much, but I think it was a good novelisation for a movie I really like.

The Secret of the Old Woods by Dino Buzzati. 3/5, a short read and an interesting style, but I think not my kind of an author.

Annihilation by Jeff VanderMeer. 5/5, running in circles and starting the second book immediately, amazing, loved it, the world and characters are just. Amazing. Picked up a book because I saw @ecofear posting about it and it was definitely a Very Good Decision to make.

[novemberhush]

Thanks for tagging me, @firemedicdiaz !❤️

Last song you listened to - Closer by Tegan and Sara

Currently watching - reruns of The Twilight Zone, the last season of The Blacklist, and the current season of Law and Order: SVU

Currently reading - The Lamplighters by Emma Stonex

Current obsession - nothing, tbh

I tag @faithiegirl01 @a-victorian-girl @thenimbletree @guiltypleasurefandomface @halespecterwinchester @tari-aldarion @elysiumwaits @sal-si-puedes @bryonyashley @zerokrox-blog and anyone else who wants to share. No pressure on anyone who doesn’t!😘

[poibynt]

Now that change your mind/Harbinger has come to a close, which is a crazy thought, I’m going to name a couple inspirations and recommendations I have.

IF YOU LIKED THIS TRY THIS:

I took a lot of inspiration for this fic from a lot of different places. Here’s some of them.

If you liked the late night driving, magic and ruminations on the US interstate system (as well as my chapter titles, which are all quotes from this game strung together into a poem): Kentucky Route Zero. KRZ is a point and click adventure game about a delivery man stumbling into a secret underground highway system named route zero. Seriously if you even remotely like the vibes of this fic consider this game it was a HUGE inspiration and also a great piece of storytelling.

If you liked the setting, the spirits and me waking poetic about rivers/water: The Silt Verses. Silt Verses is a dark fantasy/religious/folk horror fiction podcast about two followers of an illegal god named the Trawler Man travelling down their sacred river in search of revelations. Really compelling urban fantasy in this one.

If you liked the lighthouses, vague supernatural things happening in lighthouses, ruminations on family and me waking poetic about water: The Lamplighters by Emma Stonex (I actually read this after this fic was written but shhh). It’s a supernatural thriller/mystery. A writer sets out to uncover the truth behind the odd disappearance of 4 lighthouse keepers in the 70s decades later by interviewing their wives. It’s also a much better depiction of how lighthouses work.

If you liked Boba’s post Jango childhood: Wild Pork and Watercress/Hunt for the Wilderpeople. After the death of his foster mother a Māori boy named Ricky flees into the bush with his “uncle” Hector to evade returning to the foster system which sets off a nationwide manhunt. I haven’t read the book but the movie is excellent & surprisingly wholesome.

If you’re interested in US interstate horror, road trips and Americana: Alice isn’t Dead. A supernatural horror podcast about a woman who becomes a trucker to find her missing wife Alice. There is a hole in the center of America and something rotten is seeping out type beat.

If you liked the characters, quiet everyday magic, the concept of naturally occurring magical disasters & questionable parents: the raven cycle by Maggie Steivater. A book series about 5 fucked up teenagers in small town Virginia looking to wake a dead welsh king so he may grant them a favour.

If you liked Jango and his many children, the short story Mayday by Maria Dahvana Headley from the anthology collection Sword, Stone, Table. The life and fall of Arthur Pendragon as told through descriptions of items, letters and news articles found in an abandoned Lake Erie lighthouse being auctioned off in the 1970s.

[itacoisa]

8 de agosto de 2023. Terça-feira.

No dia 6 de agosto (domingo), eu conclui FINALMENTE a leitura de O Farol da Emma Stonex.

Em suma, o livro conta a história de 3 homens que desapareceram em um isolado farol em que trabalhavam. Acontece que há alguns detalhes estranhos: os relógios do farol estavam parados no mesmo horário e a mesa estava posta para dois...

O livro se passa em duas linhas do tempo: em 1972, o ano do desaparecimento, com os relatos dos faroleiros e em 1992, com o ponto de vista das esposas dos desaparecidos.

Apesar do mistério intrigante, o que achei mais interessante na história foi o drama, principalmente relacionado ao passado de alguns personagens e como as esposas lidaram com a tragédia. No entanto, eu queria era saber do farol e do mistério.

Talvez por isso, eu não tenha achado que seja um suspense avassalador e dado as 3 estrelas.

A conclusão do mistério é boa até, mas nada de extraordinária.

Acho que, se você for pegar esse livro com a expectativa de um thriller, você vai sair um pouco decepcionado... Acredito que tendo ideia de que vai ter um draminha no meio é melhor.

No momento em que escrevo esse post, estou morrendo de sono, por isso, mesmo sentindo que tenho muito para comentar, não faço ideia do que.

Mas de qualquer forma, eu recomendo muito a leitura, já que querendo ou não, tem algumas reviravoltas interessantes e uns personagens intrigantes. Inclusive, ela é bem boa para ler com alguém.

O livro é quase um suspense incrível ou um livro de drama surpreendente, bem como, poderia ser bem bonito e introspectivo ou ser aquela leitura para viciante para ler em 1 dia, mas não é... E ta tudo bem, foi quaaaase tudo isso.

/// #embuscadosuspensedoano2023

Obviamente, apesar do início promissor, O Farol não se tornou um grande candidato para o suspense do ano (mesmo assim, acho que ele vai envelhecer bem). Vamos à disputa parcial:

Um pressentimento funesto

Death Note #1

O Farol

M ou N

Acerto de contas

Por hora, vou dar uma pausa nesses livros de suspense e dar início a leitura mais diferente que tiver aqui, haha. Depois, como estou um pouco preocupado em não achar o livro que faça jus ao título do suspense do ano, pretendo ler os dois livros que são as minhas apostas, só que não vou dizer quais são, rs.

[midnights-wish]

“Helen thinks I haven't noticed that she's stopped wearing it. But I notice everything about her, all that's changed when I go ashore.” 

Emma Stonex, 'The Lamplighters'.

[someonelookingpraediti]

2024 Yearly Round-up ... and an apology

If you're still following this blog, you might have noticed how inactive I've been for the last year. For pretty much the whole of 2024, I've been playing constant catch-up with my blog posts, falling further and further behind. I haven't had any drive to post, and it doesn't seem to be getting any better.

Honestly, I just don't have the same enthusiasm for reading that I used to. I still read a fair amount, I just don't have any passion for it. If you've been reading my (sporadic) monthly wrap-ups, you'll already know this... but I'm sorry to say, k-pop got me! I was losing focus on my reading at the end of 2023, so maybe I was feeling weak, looking for something else to fixate on. But my focus has definitely shifted.

So all I can do is apologise for my inactivity. I've not been updating, and I don't see that changing any time soon. I'm going to do one last yearly roundup, and then I'm putting this blog on indefinite hiatus. I won't delete, and I won't say for sure that I'll never come back, but for now, I won't be posting, and with no plans of returning.

I really enjoyed the three years I spent posting about my reading - I got so many nice messages, and I broadened my horizons through all the recommendations I received. But it's time to call it a day. I've cancelled the last of my book box subscriptions, because I don't get excited receiving them any more. I've stopping hunting down special edition books. I'm not setting any reading goals for 2025, as I don't think I'll stick to them. I'm still going to run my Book Club, because I love the social aspect, but that's about it.

So, without further ado, my final post:

2024 Yearly Round-up

Stats: This year, I read a total of 56 books. 43 of these were new reads, 9 were re-reads, and I DNF-ed 4 books.

Goals: This year, I set six goals to complete each month. I didn't do very well, and to be honest, I kind of gave up on hitting my goals towards the end of the year. 1. Take part in a “social” read (11 / 12 months) 2. Read a current subscription book (01 / 12 months) 3. Read a backlog subscription book (03 / 12 months) 4. Read a free book (02 / 12 months) 5. Annotate a book (02 / 12 months) 6. Read a sequel I’ve been putting off (06 / 12 months)

I had a total of: twenty-five 5★ reads; four 4★ reads (and two 4½★); eight 3★ reads; ten 2★ reads, and five 1★ reads.

I read 9 hardbacks; 18 paperbacks, 26 ebooks, 2 audiobooks, and I tried to struggle through 1 ARC.

My favourite books of the year were: Butter (Yuzuki), These Violent Delights (Nemerever), The Full Moon Coffee Shop (Mochizuki), the Magnus Chase series (Riordan), and The Sunshine Court (Sakavic).

And my the thing I'm most salty about this year is Obsidian Moon Crate taking everyone's money and running. I know I'm never getting that money back now, and that's fine, it's not the end of the world. But it drives me up the wall that there's no way of holding the owner to account. The website has been shut down, and I doubt the email inbox is being monitored any longer. Short of flying to Georgia and banging on her door, there's nothing doing.

The Secret History - Donna Tartt (re-read) ★★★★★

The Little Friend - Donna Tartt ★★★★★

Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte (re-read) ★★★★★

Heroes - Stephen Fry ★★★★★

The Bacchae and Other Plays - Euripides ★★★★★

An English Murder - Cyril Hare ★★★☆☆

Grieving Gold - Daniel McDaniel (DNF) ★☆☆☆☆

Castle in the Air - Diana Wynne Jones ★★★★★

An Enchantment of Ravens - Margaret Rogerson ★★★☆☆

The Invocations - Krystal Sutherland ★★★★★

The Salt Grows Heavy - Cassandra Khaw ★★☆☆☆

A Study in Drowning - Ava Reid ★★☆☆☆

The Stolen Heir - Holly Black (re-read) ★★★★★

The Prisoner's Throne - Holly Black ★★★★½

Summer, Fireworks, and My Corpse - Otsuichi ★★★★½

The Lamplighters - Emma Stonex ★★☆☆☆

Lockwood & Co: The Creeping Shadow - Jonathan Stroud ★★★★★

Lockwood & Co: The Empty Grave - Jonathan Stroud ★★★★★

Frankenstein - Mary Shelley (re-read) ★★★★★

House of Many Ways - Diana Wynne Jones ★★★★★

The Sunshine Court - Nora Sakavic ★★★★★

The Sunshine Court - Nora Sakavic (re-read)

My Sister, the Serial Killer - Oyinkan Braithwaite ★★☆☆☆

Butter - Asako Yuzuki ★★★★★

Magnus Chase: The Sword of Summer - Rick Riordan ★★★★★

The Sunshine Court - Nora Sakavic (re-read)

An Arrow to the Moon - Emily X.R. Pan ★★★★☆

The Mary Shelley Club - Goldy Moldavsky ★☆☆☆☆

The Last Man - Mary Shelley ★★☆☆☆

Touching the Void - Joe Simpson ★☆☆☆☆

The Picture of Dorian Gray - Oscar Wilde (re-read) ★★★★★

The Witchwood Knot - Olivia Atwater ★★★★★

We Were Liars - E. Lockhart ★★☆☆☆

The Spirit Bares its Teeth - Andrew Joseph White ★★★☆☆

In My Dreams I Hold a Knife - Ashley Winstead ★☆☆☆☆

By the Pricking of My Thumbs - Agatha Christie ★★☆☆☆

In Order to Live - Yeonmi Park ★★★★☆

The Picture of Dorian Gray (1980 version) - Oscar Wilde ★★★☆☆

The Wicker King - K. Ancrum (re-read) ★★★★★

Troy - Stephen Fry (DNF) ★★★★☆

Magnus Chase: The Hammer of Thor - Rick Riordan ★★★★★

Magnus Chase: The Ship of the Dead - Rick Riordan ★★★★★

Blacktop Wasteland - S.A. Crosby ★★☆☆☆

These Violent Delights - Micah Nemerever ★★★★★

Stalking Jack the Ripper - Kerri Maniscalco (DNF) ★☆☆☆☆

The Seventh Bride - T. Kingfisher ★★★☆☆

The Full Moon Coffee Shop - Mai Mochizuki ★★★★★

The Wind-up Bird Chronicle - Haruki Murakami (DNF) ★★☆☆☆

The Whistling - Rebecca Netley ★★★★★

We Have Always Lived in the Castle - Shirley Jackson ★★☆☆☆

She - H. Rider Haggard ★★★☆☆

Welcome to the Hyunam-dong Bookshop - Hwang Bo-Reum ★★★☆☆

The Hollow Places - T. Kingfisher ★★★★★

A December to Remember - Jenny Bayliss ★★★★☆

King Solomon's Mines - H. Rider Haggard ★★★☆☆

A Christmas Carol - Charles Dickens (re-read) ★★★★★

[no-i-will-not-shut-up]

the lamplighters by emma stonex ending in looney toons level antics was not what i expected

[alexmotamots]

Les gardiens du phare - Emma STONEX

1972, un jour de fin décembre, au phare de Maiden Rock en Cornouailles, la relève ne trouve aucune des 3 personnes devant s’occuper du phare. 1992, un auteur à succès tente d’éclaircir le mystère et contact les 3 veuves. J’ai aimé l’alternance entre 1972 dans le phare et 1992, le point de vue des femmes. J’ai aimé découvrir peu à peu les pensées des maris et les sentiments de leur femme. J’ai…

[tagesmosaik]

For the end of the year book ask: 3. What were your top five books of the year? 🙂

Thank you @dejlige-dage ☺️

My top five books of 2023 were (in no particular order):

- In Every Mirror She's Black by Lola Akinmade Åkerström - A powerful story about three black woman, who lead vastly different lives as foreigners in Stockholm. I cannot wait to read the sequel.

- The Lamplighters by Emma Stonex - Three lamplighters disappear under mysterious circumstances... 👀 Sounds like a crime novel, but that is not really the case.

- Open Sea by Benjamin Myers - A poetically written story about an unusual friendship.

- Was man von hier aus sehen kann by Mariana Leky - A lighthearted read, funny and refreshingly unique. (Apparently, there is no translated version available yet.)

- Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult times by Katherine May - This one I'm currently reading. It is a beautiful take on how difficult periods in our lifes can be compared to winter season: it can be hard, but you can learn to appreciate the inner and outer darkness. And the best thing about it is that it will pass.