2008-09-24 grim but good

The other 2 reviews say all that needs saying about the plot; apart from that, it's true that the atmosphere is very sinister indeed, but it is also very convincing. If I have any complaint, it's that the final showdown is a bit contrived. The next book, "The Witch of Clatteringshaws", also has a very sinister atmosphere - like so many of Aiken's books, such as "Midnight is a place" or "The cuckoo tree" - but ends on a less gloomy note than this one.