Stirrings in the Black House by Ambrose Ibsen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
The deepening of the sound; the barest blush of a funerary march. Slowly, it all came back to me.
Emil, a moderately successful pianist, has hit a rough patch. His career has derailed after an incident at a performance. He is struggling making ends meet, getting his life back on track, and living up to the musical talent of his Uncle Gustav. This uncle, recently deceased, has left Weatherby House and Steinway grand piano to Emil, who seizes the opportunity to rebuild his life and career. But it seems that the house has other designs for him.
Weatherby House is an interesting setting. It is neglected and separate from the small town of Newberg, Oregon that it sits near. The town is also an interesting location that contrasts wonderfully with the house. The town itself is quite isolated, especially from Emil’s hometown across the country, however it is populated and seemingly peaceful. It has a small country town vibe, complete with inhabitants somewhat wary of newcomers. Through Emil’s exploration of Newberg, we learn alongside him that Weatherby House has a reputation amongst the locals.
Emil is a relatable character. He is flawed, ambitions, uncertain, and very real. I found myself sympathising with him and wanting him to succeed in rebuilding his life and career. As such, I was heavily invested in his development and story.
I was less keen on Kelly, a college student in Newberg that Emil is quick to befriend. It is initally through her that we discover that Weatherby House has a violent history. My main issue with her is that she seemed somewhat inconsistent, and not completely necessary to the plot.
I’m not going to go into too much detail about how Emil learns in more detail about the history and legacy of his new home, because I don’t want to spoil this for anyone, but I thought it was very unique and clever. It was an enjoyable experience to share with Emil (though I’m sure he’d disagree).
As a musically inclined person, I appreciated this aspect of the novel. Emil often describes musical pieces and his love of the piano and classical music which not only added depth to Emil’s character, but also made the world around him more real.
All in all, I really enjoyed Stirrings in the Black House and would recommend it to fans of horror, ghosts, and another horror concept that I haven’t mentioned here so that it isn’t spoiled for you (it is an aspect that I have disliked in other books, but in this one, it worked really well).
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Rebecka O'Malley 