The Plague Stones – James Brogden
Expectation: A fast-paced ghost story with a plot akin to “The Fog.”
Reality: At times uneven and ridiculous, the historical elements helped elevate the premise and the last third delivered.
My Take:
In a private enclave outside of London, the trustees of Holiwell village welcome the Frennans — teenager Toby and his parents, Trish and Paul — as the new caretakers of the Stone Cottage and its historic stone that once served as a plague boundary.
While they revel in their good fortune — the cottage was previously owned by a distant relative — once they learn the trustees must engage in a centuries long battle with flesh-eating rats and bubonic plague-infected ghosts seeking revenge, they become far less excited.
Reminiscent of “The Cabin in the Woods,” “Poltergeist” and “The Evil Dead,” “The Plague Stones” is a slightly better than average ghost story that incorporates elements of medieval history, spirituality and politics while delivering a few creepy scenes and light gore. In many ways it read like an R.L. Stine book for grown-ups.
If you’re looking for high-brow literature, this isn’t it, but after initially becoming frustrated by the character archetypes and stilted dialogue, I was ultimately won over by the last third of the novel, where James Brogden’s frequent plot twists kept me hooked.
Here’s a few things I really enjoyed:
The history - while I can’t speak to accuracy, Brogden effectively incorporated the socio-political landscape of 1300s Britain as a way to explain the unending blood lust of Hester, our primary ghoul. While this was published prior to COVID-19, the parallels are eerily similar, which help make the more absurd aspects feel plausible.
Hester’s flashbacks - A few well-placed flashbacks help to humanize our antagonist and further the mythology around the plague stones. Brogden found the right balance of past and present.
The last third - I was honestly surprised at the plot twist that propels the story to its conclusion. While the beginning of the story was dull and plodded along, the last few chapters elevated the book as a whole.
And a few things I didn’t like:
The conspiracy element - In theory, the idea of a cabal of appointed “warriors” trying to stave off a resurgence of the plague is interesting, but Brogden never had me sold on the idea, primarily because the mystery is unraveled by a teenager within months.
The execution - In general there’s a tad too much going on. When you pair that with laughable dialogue and no character development - outside of Hester - it’s difficult to care about what’s happening and not scoff at some of the more ridiculous ideas. I was hoping Brogden was going to be a diamond in the rough, but he’s more cubic zirconia.
Criticisms aside, “The Plague Stones” still won me over. The premise is really what sets it apart, so if you’re in the mood for spooky historical fiction and don’t mind some flaws, it’s worth the time.
Rating (story): 3.5/5 stars
Rating (narration): N/A
Formats: Paperback (personal library)
Dates read: September 20 – October 14, 2022
Multi-tasking: N/A
