#shepherd's warning

[sitting-on-me-bum]

Shepherd’s warning

‘Bembridge beach on the Isle of Wight just before sunrise.’

Photograph: Michele Farwell

[jadethhh]

This morning.

[llpodcast]

This is basically a hard review to write and not even sure where to start.  The reasoning behind this….when you have something so fantastic and love so much, how do you review it without giving anything away.  I went into this cold with little knowledge beyond a brief synopsis and it caught me off guard.  This is an excellent haunting tale that really gets under the skin.

 Starting out in a typical fashion, haunted house, dark past, a death prologue then family moves in to renovate, you are wrong to think this is anything but typical.  Lloyd masterfully keeps you on your toes and whilst this is a slow burn novel, every sentence and nuance is used to start the slow build tension to its climatic conclusion.  

 The characters are well drawn though there are moments when you do want to slap some of them for their actions or their sense of common sense.  Laura is one of these characters where at times you do what to shake her beyond comprehension.  Saying that, I have never been to the point where I give up on this character, it is more too involved with the character being so involved with the story.  The characters are not always likeable and Shepherd is an odd mix but works in the context of the plot.

 The plotting is well paced and Lloyd does a marvellous job building tension and quiet moments and steadily increasing.  This is where Lloyd really excels and keeps this tight.  As mentioned above, some of the character’s choices are infuriating but does not take away from the pacing and the keen sense to drive forward with this amazing plot.

 Overall, Shepherd’s Warning is a true winner that is rich in folklore, history and hauntings and it is to Lloyd’s credit to be able to hold this all together especially with her sweeping story line.  I have read quite a few haunting ghost stories but this is only one of the very few that hits it out of the park.  Excellent, well written, great story and plotting and a writer that is a mastermind at her craft that has written a well and successful unique novel.    Strongly encourage to read this.  Fantastic.

[catalogue34-blog]

The wind is summoning majestic noises from the trees out in the night. I don't like the naming of storms, but this one is shouting outside the windows and knocking on doors. This picture is the shepherd's warning we were given this morning. Ignore her at your peril.

[wonkywonko]

Early morning sky.

[heredrinkthis]

Red sky at night, shepherd's delight.

[jendoespictures]

Auckland City from Devonport, angry skies :) January 2015

[oh-glasgow]

Queens Park station. It's ingrained in me whenever I see a skyline like this to repeat "red sky in the morning, shepherd's warning." Thanks for that, mum.