Title: The Loney
Author: Andrew Michael Hurley
First published September 29, 2014
368 pages, Hardcover
ISBN: 9781473619821 (ISBN10: 1473619823)
Rating: 3.27
Overview
In the desolate stretch between the Wyre and the Lune, there lies a place known only as the Loney. Every Easter, a small group of devotees ventures to this peculiar nowhere, led by their parish priest, Father Wilfred.
But this year, something is different. As the tides ebb and flow, the secrets of the Loney begin to unravel.
It’s a place of shifting shadows and forgotten truths. And this time, the horrors of the past won’t stay buried.
About the Author
Andrew Michael Hurley is a talented British author who burst onto the literary scene with his debut novel, The Loney. Originally published in a very limited edition of only 278 copies by Tartarus Press in 2014, it quickly gained popularity and was later re-released under Hodder and Stoughton’s John Murray imprint in 2015.
Editoral Review
“The Loney” is a hauntingly beautiful work of fiction by Andrew Michael Hurley, first published on September 29, 2014. The novel is a gothic horror story that has been compared to the works of Shirley Jackson and M.R. James.
The book explores themes of faith, family, and sacrifice, and is set in a desolate and eerie landscape that adds to the sense of unease that runs throughout the story.
The novel is set in the 1970s and follows the story of a family who make an annual pilgrimage to a remote and desolate stretch of the English coastline known as “The Loney”. The family is made up of the narrator, his older brother Hanny, his parents, and a group of religious pilgrims who they join on their journey.
The main conflict arises when the family discovers that the local church, which they visit every year, is no longer open, and they must instead attend a nearby church with a strange and unsettling priest.
Hurley’s writing is masterful, and he does an excellent job of building suspense and dread throughout the novel. The setting is expertly described, and the bleak and desolate landscape adds to the sense of isolation and unease that permeates the story.
The characters are all well-drawn, and the relationship between the narrator and his brother Hanny is particularly moving.
One of the strengths of the novel is the way that Hurley weaves together themes of faith and family. The religious pilgrims who the family joins on their journey are all searching for something, and the family’s own search for a cure for Hanny’s muteness is intertwined with their religious beliefs.
The novel is also a commentary on the power dynamics within families, and the sacrifices that people are willing to make for their loved ones.
While “The Loney” is an excellent novel, it does have some flaws. The pacing of the book can be slow at times, and some readers may find the ending unsatisfying.
Additionally, some of the characters are not as fully developed as others, which can make it difficult to connect with them.
Overall, “The Loney” is an excellent novel that is sure to appeal to fans of gothic horror and literary fiction. The book is beautifully written, and Hurley does an excellent job of building tension and creating a sense of unease.
While the novel has some flaws, it is a deeply moving and thought-provoking work that is well worth reading.
Rating: 4/5
