A book that will keep you hooked till the very end.
‘Ghosts of the Silent Hills’ is a book that popped up on my recommendation feed by Amazon while I was browsing for some horror books. I found the cover page interesting and also found out that it was a National Bestseller. Enough reasons for me to pick it up immediately. And, I have to admit that I am not disappointed after having read it. The stories are based on real folklore, legends and even true hauntings. The narration is lucid and flowing that’s what makes it even more alluring to go on reading.
The stories start from the old times coming to a modern time towards the end. The first few stories are based on real ghost sightings and hauntings. The last few however seemed more animated to me, perhaps the setting might have made the difference. Although the writer has admitted that she has fictionalized the stories a bit but the Part one stories were really spine-chilling and scary.
I would say, that the book remains true to its name, and the stories from the silent hills actually make you wonder whether next you should visit a mountain area or not, as I have heard many stories too from my in-laws being married into a Pahadi Household. They claim those to be true, so all the stories that I read in this book, I could relate with them all. However, I would recommend if you are a horror lover, then only read it, it's not a light read for everyone.
The stories are vivid with great imagery and for me, it worked well, because I could actually visualise the scenes without much effort. There was not elaborate build-up for the apparitions or ghosts to appear in the scenario or the stories, they came just like that, within a few lines only. This keeps the interest even more intact because you already get the taste of what you are expecting from the book.
I would say, give it a read once for sure, or gift it to someone you know who loves horror. This could be the next horror book they would surely like, ‘Ghosts of the Silent Hills’ by Anita Krishan.
Born in Shimla in 1955, Anita Krishan spent the initial twenty-two years of her life in this pristine Himalayan town, earning her master’s degree in English literature from Himachal University, and moving on to a career of introducing delights of the language to her young learners. In her long tenure as an educator, she has enriched the lives of countless students with the mystery of the narrative.
A versatile writer, each of her literary works appertains to a different genre . . . from the joys and travails of life to terrorism that has brought the world to its tenterhooks, to now the paranormal.
She has travelled extensively around the globe absorbing the diverse human ethos and cultures––the delectable foods for her thoughts. Presently, she lives in Gurgaon with her family.
Review by Monalisa Joshi
Founder, Director & Chief Editor
Chrysanthemum Chronicles
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