Eden Moore – Not Flesh Nor Feathers by Cherie Priest
| Eden Moore – Not Flesh Nor Feathers by Cherie Priest | |
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| Category: Horror | |
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Reviewer: Ani Johnson
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| Summary: There's something unsavoury in the Tennessee River as Eden Moore returns for her scariest outing yet. Fast paced and frightening with a wry sense of humour… and zombies! Excellent stuff in a 'less predictable Scoobydoo for adults' kind of way. | |
| Buy? Yes | Borrow? Yes |
| Pages: 365 | Date: October 2012 |
| Publisher: Titan Books | |
| External links: Author's website | |
| ISBN: 978-0857687746 | |
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A year has passed since medium Eden Moore's brush with the ghostly battlefields and she's certainly come a long way since the first time we encountered her. She's learnt a lot from media celebrity Dana Marshall, is nearly 25 and has decided it's time to move out of Aunt Lu and Uncle David's place. She even has her eye on an apartment in a downtown block by the river. However, some things don't change. The Read House is being renovated to combine a hotel and Starbucks but one room remains untouched due to paranormal activity. Eden's TV journalist friend Nick calls her in to communicate with the ghost, a young girl who isn't satisfied with scary noises and shifting ornaments. Within moments of entering Eden is trapped as the phantom attempts to tear her limb from limb mumbling about how 'they' are coming for her. Who are 'they'? Why are people disappearing near the river? Chattanooga will soon find out as it's about to flood and in the mud something stirs.
Genre defying author Cherie Priest treats us to the third and final Eden Moore book 5 years after its US release. Are we downhearted? Not a bit of it; this has been well worth the wait. We're shoved into the action from the beginning so fiercely that the only assurance of Eden's survival is that there's still 300 pages to go. This is the white knuckle ride that makes Not Flesh Nor Feathers the best of a brilliant bunch.
Again the effects are greatly assisted by a Cherie Priest controlled spoiler, starting the novel with a vignette from the childhood of Eden's mother and Aunt Lu. They climb into the loft to escape a flood and just when they think they're safe… As the waters rise later on we're ahead of the townspeople of Chattanooga because we realise what the water signals, adding a frisson of excitement and the urge to yell 'RUN!!'
Once more Eden has given her relatives something to worry about. You remember Malachi, Eden's half-brother who tried to murder her and then tried to befriend her a book later? (Correct – he's indeed a mass of grits short of a southern breakfast.) Well, everyone now believes him to be dead, apart from Eden, his carer Harry and indeed Malachi himself. So imagine Aunt Lu's reaction when she's informed he's coming for dinner.
There are some new characters to meet too, notably Christ Preston (a name, not a profanity, although the novel does include swearing consistent with the language of fear) and wonderful 103 year old Great Aunt Eliza.
Cherie Priest feels great responsibility where the flood itself is concerned. She makes it clear in both her notes at the end and a passage within the book that there is no connection with the tragic consequences of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans. This novel was actually started prior to Katrina so the subject matter is coincidental although, as we read the novel's realistic descriptions of panic as Chattanooga is evacuated and overcome, we do remember the New Orleans film footage; a tribute to Priest's graphic writing.
This is not a book for the squeamish. There are zombies, blood and heart-stopping races against time balanced with a touching moment invoking tears. More importantly, will we see more of Eden? We were promised three books and three have been given but there are some enticing loose ends (e.g. Eden's mysterious worsening illness) that could mean… perhaps…? Let's just say that whilst the door is still open for a fourth, my foot is firmly wedged in it.
A special thank you to Titan Books for sending us a copy of this book for review.
If this is all new to you then the beginning would be a good place to start. However, if you're already a fan we suspect you'll also enjoy Stray Souls by Kate Griffin.
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You can read more book reviews or buy Eden Moore – Not Flesh Nor Feathers by Cherie Priest at Amazon.co.uk Amazon currently charges £2.99 for standard delivery for orders under £20, over which delivery is free.
You can read more book reviews or buy Eden Moore – Not Flesh Nor Feathers by Cherie Priest at Amazon.com.
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