Status
Available
Call number
Call number
F Woo
Collection
Publication
New York : Orchard Books, 2004.
Description
In a world similar to Victorian London, Thaniel, a seventeen-year-old hunter of deadly, demonic creatures called the wych-kin, takes in an lost, possessed girl, and becomes embroiled in a plot to unleash evil on the world.
Subjects
Original publication date
2001
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User reviews
LibraryThing member drneutron
I'm a fan of horror, fantasy, weird tales, steampunk - especially the classics in these genres. It's nearly impossible to find a good book that's more than one of these, but The Haunting of Alaizabel Cray has all and more! I loved the mixture of early 20th century London, supernatural creatures
The Haunting of Alaizabel Cray is easily one of the best books I've read this year. Chris Wooding has a way with horror that harkens back to the good old days when writers scared you through innuendo and careful imagery, not by splattering gore. This is the way scary should be done!
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invading our world, secret societies and hidden conspiracies. The Haunting of Alaizabel Cray is easily one of the best books I've read this year. Chris Wooding has a way with horror that harkens back to the good old days when writers scared you through innuendo and careful imagery, not by splattering gore. This is the way scary should be done!
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LibraryThing member krau0098
I have read a lot of other Chris Wooding books. I loved Poison and enjoyed Storm Thief and Malice as well. This though, was one of the best of the bunch. This is a very well done book and creates a wonderful world with an excellent story.
Thaniel is a wych hunter, like his father before him. On one
The characters in this book were amazing as was the creative world that Wooding has created in Victorian London. Thaniel is an interesting character as a seventeen year old boy who was raised by the most prominent wych hunter in London. He feels a desperate need to prove himself now that his father is dead. Alaizabel is intriguing because of her mysterious past and her persistent ability to survive against all odds. Then you have Thaniel's guardian Cathaline, the Beggar Lord, Carver a determined police deputy, Stitchface (A serial killer of dubious alingment), and the Fraternity themselves. All of the characters are incredibly interesting and have many shades of grey to their personalities.
This is not a light-hearted book, it is very dark and has a bit of a steampunk tone to it. Most of it takes place in dark places and the hunts are for monsters and other evil things. The book isn't incredibly gory, but it is very spooky. The action scenes were very well done.
The plot was amazing and it was nice how the number of small plots that were going on all tied together. In true Chris Wooding style there is a revelation at the end that is surprising and thought-provoking. Wooding is very good at throwing something crazy at you at the end and it is always something that makes you think.
I really enjoyed this book and recommend it for middle grade and older readers. It would probably be a bit scary for younger children; a lot of people do die and it is a very dark story. I loved the way it ended and kind of wished we would get to join Alazaibel, Thaniel, and Cathaline on more adventures.
Chris Wooding continues to be one of my favorite authors. Next up to read from him is Fade and then the next book in the Malice series Havoc.
Thaniel is a wych hunter, like his father before him. On one
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of his treks into the dark alleys of London, while tracking a Cradlejack, his is attacked by a young woman. He subdues her and brings her home. When she comes too he finds that her name is Alaizabel Cray and she has been possessed by an evil old wych named Thatch. Little do they know that Alaizabel is tied into much darker plans that threaten to destroy London. Thaniel and his friends will have to join forces with both legal and illegal forces to prevent a secret society, the Fraternity, from summoning darkness that will destroy first London and then the world. The characters in this book were amazing as was the creative world that Wooding has created in Victorian London. Thaniel is an interesting character as a seventeen year old boy who was raised by the most prominent wych hunter in London. He feels a desperate need to prove himself now that his father is dead. Alaizabel is intriguing because of her mysterious past and her persistent ability to survive against all odds. Then you have Thaniel's guardian Cathaline, the Beggar Lord, Carver a determined police deputy, Stitchface (A serial killer of dubious alingment), and the Fraternity themselves. All of the characters are incredibly interesting and have many shades of grey to their personalities.
This is not a light-hearted book, it is very dark and has a bit of a steampunk tone to it. Most of it takes place in dark places and the hunts are for monsters and other evil things. The book isn't incredibly gory, but it is very spooky. The action scenes were very well done.
The plot was amazing and it was nice how the number of small plots that were going on all tied together. In true Chris Wooding style there is a revelation at the end that is surprising and thought-provoking. Wooding is very good at throwing something crazy at you at the end and it is always something that makes you think.
I really enjoyed this book and recommend it for middle grade and older readers. It would probably be a bit scary for younger children; a lot of people do die and it is a very dark story. I loved the way it ended and kind of wished we would get to join Alazaibel, Thaniel, and Cathaline on more adventures.
Chris Wooding continues to be one of my favorite authors. Next up to read from him is Fade and then the next book in the Malice series Havoc.
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LibraryThing member Crowyhead
Absolutely fantastic, creepy fantasy with hints of Lovecraft and steampunk. Totally awesome.
LibraryThing member krypto
Gothic, macabre and chilling. A war-ravaged London overrun by creatures of the night is the setting for the tale of a young Wych-hunter who rescues an enigmatic young girl. Supposedly for children, this easily competes with 'adult' fantasy, and has a finale worthy of anything out there.
LibraryThing member surreality
Plot: An alternate universe apocalypse plot with some twists on it to keep it interesting. Well-chosen side plots that help the story along. Good pacing for most of the book, although towards the end the story feels weighted down with too many scenes. A rather anticlimatic ending is the result.
Characters: These are the weak point of the book. Characterization is started, and started well, but it feels as if Wooding abandoned the work somewhere in the middle of the story. The omniscient point of view doesn't help much with it either.
Style: Great setup, with wonderful atmosphere. The descriptions are done beautifully and the writing style too is interestingly done. It all tapers off a bit in the second half, when less attention is paid to maintaining the mood.
Plus: Good story, well-done gothic setting.
Minus: The spelling of some names and terms (presumably to underline the alternate universe issue). The drop in quality in the second half.
Summary: Good story, but not perfect. It's written for a teenage audience and it shows.
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Characters: These are the weak point of the book. Characterization is started, and started well, but it feels as if Wooding abandoned the work somewhere in the middle of the story. The omniscient point of view doesn't help much with it either.
Style: Great setup, with wonderful atmosphere. The descriptions are done beautifully and the writing style too is interestingly done. It all tapers off a bit in the second half, when less attention is paid to maintaining the mood.
Plus: Good story, well-done gothic setting.
Minus: The spelling of some names and terms (presumably to underline the alternate universe issue). The drop in quality in the second half.
Summary: Good story, but not perfect. It's written for a teenage audience and it shows.
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LibraryThing member insomniel
an example of fine horror literature for teens. Think of a Victorian-era London, with Jack the Ripper allusions and stuff about the Illuminati or something. Extremely tense and dramatic, with unusual characters, terrifying monsters and a sufficiently complicated plot that does not patronize younger
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readers and would engage older readers. The ending was a teensy bit anti-climactic, but overall, a recommended book. Show Less
LibraryThing member jeriannthacker
Gothic and original thriller about a 17 year old wych-hunter and the girl he loves (who just happens to be posessed). Fast paced and a bit gruesome. Good for mid teens and up.
LibraryThing member ewyatt
Thaniel, a noted wych-hunter, is extremely busy as the wych-kin work to take over London and the Fraternity emerge as a sinister threat to the future of humanity. Alaizabel turns up confused as it turns out she has become possessed partially by Thatch. As the mystery unfolds, Thaniel and Alaizabel
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along with several others set out to bring down the Fraternity and try to survive all manners of danger, supernatural and otherwise along the way. Show Less
LibraryThing member ctmskagi
I abandened this book because at first I was interested in it but after a few chapters I had difficulties with wanting to read it. I guess it just didn't grab my attention and I also dropped this book because I wanted to read a different book instead so I decided to switch and drop this one and
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read that one. I just couldn't get into the book and I didn't want to read anymore of it so I thought it was best for me to drop it. Show Less
LibraryThing member DanielAlgara
No attention to prose. This garbage reads like a first draft. One that should have been tossed. Maybe it's an airplane read for the fans of steampunk (oh, thank God that's going the way of the purple buffalo), but there are far too many books to read by writers who have a love affair with their
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craft to waste time with some hack. Show Less
LibraryThing member carpentermt
My perspective for this review will be the interest this book holds for a dedicated Lovecraftian. I first heard about The Haunting of Alaizabel Cray in a post on a Cthulhu discussion board, where it was described as "mythos related." Funny, it has been around since 2001 as far as I can tell, and
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somehow I missed it. Maybe the tag `young adult' turned me off. At any rate, my curiosity was roused and I got a used copy fo Show Less
LibraryThing member RobertaLea
Different. I liked it, it was just different.
Pages
292