Wylding Hall : Book Review

Wylding Hall by Elizabeth Hand
★★★✰✰ 3.5 stars

I’ve read two other books by Elizabeth Hand, one of which I consider an all time favourite.
Wylding Hall begins strongly enough. The narration uses a limiting form of structure and consists in a series of interviews with the former members of a British an acid-folk band.
In the 70s the band stayed at Wylding Hall in order to work on their second album but things don’t go quite as planned. During their interviews each character gives their own account of those weeks at Wylding Hall. Some of them are still convinced that whatever happened there was caused by unknown supernatural forces. Some are not so sure.
The fact that they are looking back to their time in Wylding Hall gives their accounts a nostalgic tone. They seem to regret not having prevented one of their own from falling ‘prey’ to whatever roamed Wylding Hall. Some simply yearn for the music they were able to create while staying at the hall or for their carefree living styles.
I was absorbed by the story but there seems to be no real conclusion…there is this mounting uneasy which culminates in nothing.
Great until its disappointing ending.

For fans of We Sold Our Souls.

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