Captivating, but creepy........, 11 Aug 2004
I consider myself to be fairly well-read and I write short stories as a hobby so I'm confident that my review is a fair representation. I have to say this book just has to be one of the best "twist & turn" fiction novels I've ever had the pleasure to read and its certainly the one I'd choose to take away with me to a desert island! It's also my first-read Anne Rivers Siddons book, but it certainly won't be my last!

This captivating tale of a "haunted house" begins fairly innocuously but such is the rate of build-up that I just couldn't put the book down! Its unclear whether the various tragedies that occur are actually down to "the house" itself (or indeed some malevolent facet of the soul of its designer/architect which may have permeated its very fabric) or whether the events are, in reality, brought about by the shortcomings or weaknesses within the character and personality of those who are affected. Can an inanimate structure really reach out to destroy you....? I'm sure part of the pleasure in reading this novel is that you can try to put yourself in the same situation then make up your own mind. Let me say its not a house I would want to live in, but I wish I'd been the one to write it's story....!

Southern Gothic meets suburbia in this haunting tale, 21 Aug 2003
Stephen King devotes a significant number of pages to Anne Rivers Siddon's The House Next Door in Danse Macabre, his remarkable study of all things horror. Without King's reference, I would probably have never crossed paths with this novel. Siddons is not a horror writer, yet in this, her second published novel, she has produced a rather remarkable work of psychological horror, tilling the same fertile fields of Southern Gothicism that a William Faulkner might have worked in decades earlier. The Atlanta suburb of Siddons' creation is a social microcosm of the South in juxtaposition between the old and the new, a place where one's identity is determined by one's position and set of friends, and it is the effects of the house next door on this tight-knit, structured community that really serve as the focus of Siddons' attention. As such, the "haunting" is never really creepy and is certainly not frightening in the least, especially given the fact that we see the effects of the horror through the eyes of our protagonist and her husband, relying on their reports of sights and sounds we really never get to witness firsthand. There is no ghost in the normal sense here, no discernible force that seems to lie behind the horror of events. Siddons' grounding of her tale in reality and in a community her readers can visualize and relate to in a tangible way is absolutely necessary in order for this novel to work. As Siddons has said in reference to The House Next Door, "Without belief, there is no terror."

Some readers have had trouble fully connecting with the narrator of events, Colquitt Kennedy, and her husband Walter, but I really do not. Colquitt can sometimes become a little tiring in terms of her laments of mounting pain and sorrow, but she does not come across to me as a person who puts her social or mildly affluent social position ahead of her humanity. After all, the Kennedys make some entirely self-less decisions when it comes to warning future homeowners of the danger lurking in the walls of the beautiful house next door. The house is unique and brand new, a brilliantly designed structure erected on a site local architects claimed could never support a house. The very antithesis of the traditional haunted Southern manor or plantation house, the house uses its loveliness to entice families inside its seemingly normal walls, somehow isolating each family member's greatest weaknesses and vulnerabilities and playing upon those to enact the destruction it thrives on. The brilliant young architect becomes an important player in this drama, and his character helps build a bridge of plausibility between the brand new home and the tragedies befalling those who live within it. The book is basically broken up into three sections, each one telling the story and eventual tragedy of a different new family, the haunting and tragic factors increasing dramatically as the house feeds itself on the evil forces it unleashes. This premise works beautifully, making The House Next Door a fascinating read for both horror lovers and general readers alike, casting its nets far and wide to entrap readers of all sorts in its unsettling clutches. The ending, which seems to disappoint some readers, really feels right to me and is by no means anticlimactic. Anne Rivers Siddons succeeds in transplanting classic Southern Gothic horror into a modern, idyllic setting in which it seemingly does not belong. This is what makes the house so dangerous and makes the story all the more fascinating.

Siddons'realistic world vanishes with the haunting, 02 Jul 1999
Stephen King recommened this book on a list of ten books that taught him all he knows about writing horror fiction. You can see his attraction to this book for it creates a detailed, realistic world of affluence and harmony that slowly spins out of control due to the influence of the haunted house next door. Siddons creates a narrative voice that is subtle, compassionate, and intelligent. Nothing seems forced. Nothing seems contrived(except for the brief epilogue). I support King's

recommendation for this haunting novel.

Horror with class!, 09 Mar 1999
I've read this book so many times that my copy is falling apart. I enjoyed getting to know the well-drawn characters -- the way they meshed and interacted was fascinating to me. The author got the job done without gross ugliness and shock. Proves that a house doesn't have to be old and full of bats and cobwebs to be scary. I even liked that the ending was not the usual burning down of the house, or ritual to appease the spirits, or wholesale massacre of all the remaining characters except for one gibbering madman.

The End...ing, 04 Feb 1999
Siddons is a master story teller. She creates a world for her characters and you are there. Feeling their feelings, seeing what they see. In this novel it is a world that prompts late-night page turning and rapid pulse. Some have found the end of this book frustrating and/or lacking in creativity. What Siddons has done is let the reader imagine what happend to her central characters. One must have a better-than-average imagination to go along with the novel's premise in the first place, so why should we resent having to invent a fate for this determined couple. Has televsion spoiled us to the point that we want all our mysteries handily solved only to be quickly forgotten? I will not soon forget this couple or stop wondering anytime in the near future about their demise. Or perhaps they survived whatever the monster house threw at them and are happily living on their island.

Captivating, but creepy........, 11 Aug 2004
I consider myself to be fairly well-read and I write short stories as a hobby so I'm confident that my review is a fair representation. I have to say this book just has to be one of the best "twist & turn" fiction novels I've ever had the pleasure to read and its certainly the one I'd choose to take away with me to a desert island! It's also my first-read Anne Rivers Siddons book, but it certainly won't be my last!

This captivating tale of a "haunted house" begins fairly innocuously but such is the rate of build-up that I just couldn't put the book down! Its unclear whether the various tragedies that occur are actually down to "the house" itself (or indeed some malevolent facet of the soul of its designer/architect which may have permeated its very fabric) or whether the events are, in reality, brought about by the shortcomings or weaknesses within the character and personality of those who are affected. Can an inanimate structure really reach out to destroy you....? I'm sure part of the pleasure in reading this novel is that you can try to put yourself in the same situation then make up your own mind. Let me say its not a house I would want to live in, but I wish I'd been the one to write it's story....!

Southern Gothic meets suburbia in this haunting tale, 21 Aug 2003
Stephen King devotes a significant number of pages to Anne Rivers Siddon's The House Next Door in Danse Macabre, his remarkable study of all things horror. Without King's reference, I would probably have never crossed paths with this novel. Siddons is not a horror writer, yet in this, her second published novel, she has produced a rather remarkable work of psychological horror, tilling the same fertile fields of Southern Gothicism that a William Faulkner might have worked in decades earlier. The Atlanta suburb of Siddons' creation is a social microcosm of the South in juxtaposition between the old and the new, a place where one's identity is determined by one's position and set of friends, and it is the effects of the house next door on this tight-knit, structured community that really serve as the focus of Siddons' attention. As such, the "haunting" is never really creepy and is certainly not frightening in the least, especially given the fact that we see the effects of the horror through the eyes of our protagonist and her husband, relying on their reports of sights and sounds we really never get to witness firsthand. There is no ghost in the normal sense here, no discernible force that seems to lie behind the horror of events. Siddons' grounding of her tale in reality and in a community her readers can visualize and relate to in a tangible way is absolutely necessary in order for this novel to work. As Siddons has said in reference to The House Next Door, "Without belief, there is no terror."

Some readers have had trouble fully connecting with the narrator of events, Colquitt Kennedy, and her husband Walter, but I really do not. Colquitt can sometimes become a little tiring in terms of her laments of mounting pain and sorrow, but she does not come across to me as a person who puts her social or mildly affluent social position ahead of her humanity. After all, the Kennedys make some entirely self-less decisions when it comes to warning future homeowners of the danger lurking in the walls of the beautiful house next door. The house is unique and brand new, a brilliantly designed structure erected on a site local architects claimed could never support a house. The very antithesis of the traditional haunted Southern manor or plantation house, the house uses its loveliness to entice families inside its seemingly normal walls, somehow isolating each family member's greatest weaknesses and vulnerabilities and playing upon those to enact the destruction it thrives on. The brilliant young architect becomes an important player in this drama, and his character helps build a bridge of plausibility between the brand new home and the tragedies befalling those who live within it. The book is basically broken up into three sections, each one telling the story and eventual tragedy of a different new family, the haunting and tragic factors increasing dramatically as the house feeds itself on the evil forces it unleashes. This premise works beautifully, making The House Next Door a fascinating read for both horror lovers and general readers alike, casting its nets far and wide to entrap readers of all sorts in its unsettling clutches. The ending, which seems to disappoint some readers, really feels right to me and is by no means anticlimactic. Anne Rivers Siddons succeeds in transplanting classic Southern Gothic horror into a modern, idyllic setting in which it seemingly does not belong. This is what makes the house so dangerous and makes the story all the more fascinating.

Siddons'realistic world vanishes with the haunting, 02 Jul 1999
Stephen King recommened this book on a list of ten books that taught him all he knows about writing horror fiction. You can see his attraction to this book for it creates a detailed, realistic world of affluence and harmony that slowly spins out of control due to the influence of the haunted house next door. Siddons creates a narrative voice that is subtle, compassionate, and intelligent. Nothing seems forced. Nothing seems contrived(except for the brief epilogue). I support King's

recommendation for this haunting novel.

Horror with class!, 09 Mar 1999
I've read this book so many times that my copy is falling apart. I enjoyed getting to know the well-drawn characters -- the way they meshed and interacted was fascinating to me. The author got the job done without gross ugliness and shock. Proves that a house doesn't have to be old and full of bats and cobwebs to be scary. I even liked that the ending was not the usual burning down of the house, or ritual to appease the spirits, or wholesale massacre of all the remaining characters except for one gibbering madman.

The End...ing, 04 Feb 1999
Siddons is a master story teller. She creates a world for her characters and you are there. Feeling their feelings, seeing what they see. In this novel it is a world that prompts late-night page turning and rapid pulse. Some have found the end of this book frustrating and/or lacking in creativity. What Siddons has done is let the reader imagine what happend to her central characters. One must have a better-than-average imagination to go along with the novel's premise in the first place, so why should we resent having to invent a fate for this determined couple. Has televsion spoiled us to the point that we want all our mysteries handily solved only to be quickly forgotten? I will not soon forget this couple or stop wondering anytime in the near future about their demise. Or perhaps they survived whatever the monster house threw at them and are happily living on their island.

FRIGHTENING...........WELL WRITTEN, 26 Aug 2002
I have to give Fox's Earth five stars as this book has been so well written. Set in the Southern state of Georgia, Siddons delves into the lives of three generations of women.

The main character is Ruth Yancey, the daughter of impoverished and demented mill worker Cater. Cater is an embarassment to his family and makes a spectacle of himself on market days as he leads them shepherd-like into town, where he cusses and carries on any person he encounters who is better off financially than he. Returning home in a drunken state he strips his wife Pearl Yancey and daughter Ruth of what little self esteem they have, with brutal beatings,horrible rapings and screams which can be heard far into the night.

It isn't any wonder then that at such an early age, Ruth Yancey is forced to embrace the adoption offered by the seniors of Fox's Earth; Alicia and Claud Fox. Pearl Yancey convinces Ruth that going there will be the answer to all her dreams and the end of her nightmares. So they wait impatiently until Cater Yancey's death, and then Ruth is driven by Alicia Fox's chauffeur
to her new life.

The story takes full swing from here with Alicia turning Ruth into the lady who should be readily accepted by society. She learns all the social graces and proper etiquette, and all the finer things of life. Soon Paul Fox, son of Fox's Earth takes her hand in marriage and she now feels more in control.

See how quickly Ruth Yancey Fox forgets where she has arrived from, as she gains power over all her contacts by evil manipulations and such unpleasant dominance she lauds over all who live at the 'big house'including her husband and eventually the coming generations of Fox's children. It almost leaves you with your mouth open to see such ruthlessnes; for Ruth Yancey Fox rules, and she rules with a very long whip. A whip which leaves indelible marks. A highly recommended saga from Siddons.

The best book Siddons has ever written!, 23 Aug 1998
The synopsis of this book is misleading. It oversimplifies the story. This wonderful book traces three generations of women, their parents, husbands, children and servants. It plows new ground in insanity, cruelty, and child abuse. This is probably the first book Ann wrote because it is truly the great American novel. The best book Siddons has ever written!

Captivating, but creepy........, 11 Aug 2004
I consider myself to be fairly well-read and I write short stories as a hobby so I'm confident that my review is a fair representation. I have to say this book just has to be one of the best "twist & turn" fiction novels I've ever had the pleasure to read and its certainly the one I'd choose to take away with me to a desert island! It's also my first-read Anne Rivers Siddons book, but it certainly won't be my last!

This captivating tale of a "haunted house" begins fairly innocuously but such is the rate of build-up that I just couldn't put the book down! Its unclear whether the various tragedies that occur are actually down to "the house" itself (or indeed some malevolent facet of the soul of its designer/architect which may have permeated its very fabric) or whether the events are, in reality, brought about by the shortcomings or weaknesses within the character and personality of those who are affected. Can an inanimate structure really reach out to destroy you....? I'm sure part of the pleasure in reading this novel is that you can try to put yourself in the same situation then make up your own mind. Let me say its not a house I would want to live in, but I wish I'd been the one to write it's story....!

Southern Gothic meets suburbia in this haunting tale, 21 Aug 2003
Stephen King devotes a significant number of pages to Anne Rivers Siddon's The House Next Door in Danse Macabre, his remarkable study of all things horror. Without King's reference, I would probably have never crossed paths with this novel. Siddons is not a horror writer, yet in this, her second published novel, she has produced a rather remarkable work of psychological horror, tilling the same fertile fields of Southern Gothicism that a William Faulkner might have worked in decades earlier. The Atlanta suburb of Siddons' creation is a social microcosm of the South in juxtaposition between the old and the new, a place where one's identity is determined by one's position and set of friends, and it is the effects of the house next door on this tight-knit, structured community that really serve as the focus of Siddons' attention. As such, the "haunting" is never really creepy and is certainly not frightening in the least, especially given the fact that we see the effects of the horror through the eyes of our protagonist and her husband, relying on their reports of sights and sounds we really never get to witness firsthand. There is no ghost in the normal sense here, no discernible force that seems to lie behind the horror of events. Siddons' grounding of her tale in reality and in a community her readers can visualize and relate to in a tangible way is absolutely necessary in order for this novel to work. As Siddons has said in reference to The House Next Door, "Without belief, there is no terror."

Some readers have had trouble fully connecting with the narrator of events, Colquitt Kennedy, and her husband Walter, but I really do not. Colquitt can sometimes become a little tiring in terms of her laments of mounting pain and sorrow, but she does not come across to me as a person who puts her social or mildly affluent social position ahead of her humanity. After all, the Kennedys make some entirely self-less decisions when it comes to warning future homeowners of the danger lurking in the walls of the beautiful house next door. The house is unique and brand new, a brilliantly designed structure erected on a site local architects claimed could never support a house. The very antithesis of the traditional haunted Southern manor or plantation house, the house uses its loveliness to entice families inside its seemingly normal walls, somehow isolating each family member's greatest weaknesses and vulnerabilities and playing upon those to enact the destruction it thrives on. The brilliant young architect becomes an important player in this drama, and his character helps build a bridge of plausibility between the brand new home and the tragedies befalling those who live within it. The book is basically broken up into three sections, each one telling the story and eventual tragedy of a different new family, the haunting and tragic factors increasing dramatically as the house feeds itself on the evil forces it unleashes. This premise works beautifully, making The House Next Door a fascinating read for both horror lovers and general readers alike, casting its nets far and wide to entrap readers of all sorts in its unsettling clutches. The ending, which seems to disappoint some readers, really feels right to me and is by no means anticlimactic. Anne Rivers Siddons succeeds in transplanting classic Southern Gothic horror into a modern, idyllic setting in which it seemingly does not belong. This is what makes the house so dangerous and makes the story all the more fascinating.

Siddons'realistic world vanishes with the haunting, 02 Jul 1999
Stephen King recommened this book on a list of ten books that taught him all he knows about writing horror fiction. You can see his attraction to this book for it creates a detailed, realistic world of affluence and harmony that slowly spins out of control due to the influence of the haunted house next door. Siddons creates a narrative voice that is subtle, compassionate, and intelligent. Nothing seems forced. Nothing seems contrived(except for the brief epilogue). I support King's

recommendation for this haunting novel.

Horror with class!, 09 Mar 1999
I've read this book so many times that my copy is falling apart. I enjoyed getting to know the well-drawn characters -- the way they meshed and interacted was fascinating to me. The author got the job done without gross ugliness and shock. Proves that a house doesn't have to be old and full of bats and cobwebs to be scary. I even liked that the ending was not the usual burning down of the house, or ritual to appease the spirits, or wholesale massacre of all the remaining characters except for one gibbering madman.

The End...ing, 04 Feb 1999
Siddons is a master story teller. She creates a world for her characters and you are there. Feeling their feelings, seeing what they see. In this novel it is a world that prompts late-night page turning and rapid pulse. Some have found the end of this book frustrating and/or lacking in creativity. What Siddons has done is let the reader imagine what happend to her central characters. One must have a better-than-average imagination to go along with the novel's premise in the first place, so why should we resent having to invent a fate for this determined couple. Has televsion spoiled us to the point that we want all our mysteries handily solved only to be quickly forgotten? I will not soon forget this couple or stop wondering anytime in the near future about their demise. Or perhaps they survived whatever the monster house threw at them and are happily living on their island.

FRIGHTENING...........WELL WRITTEN, 26 Aug 2002
I have to give Fox's Earth five stars as this book has been so well written. Set in the Southern state of Georgia, Siddons delves into the lives of three generations of women.

The main character is Ruth Yancey, the daughter of impoverished and demented mill worker Cater. Cater is an embarassment to his family and makes a spectacle of himself on market days as he leads them shepherd-like into town, where he cusses and carries on any person he encounters who is better off financially than he. Returning home in a drunken state he strips his wife Pearl Yancey and daughter Ruth of what little self esteem they have, with brutal beatings,horrible rapings and screams which can be heard far into the night.

It isn't any wonder then that at such an early age, Ruth Yancey is forced to embrace the adoption offered by the seniors of Fox's Earth; Alicia and Claud Fox. Pearl Yancey convinces Ruth that going there will be the answer to all her dreams and the end of her nightmares. So they wait impatiently until Cater Yancey's death, and then Ruth is driven by Alicia Fox's chauffeur
to her new life.

The story takes full swing from here with Alicia turning Ruth into the lady who should be readily accepted by society. She learns all the social graces and proper etiquette, and all the finer things of life. Soon Paul Fox, son of Fox's Earth takes her hand in marriage and she now feels more in control.

See how quickly Ruth Yancey Fox forgets where she has arrived from, as she gains power over all her contacts by evil manipulations and such unpleasant dominance she lauds over all who live at the 'big house'including her husband and eventually the coming generations of Fox's children. It almost leaves you with your mouth open to see such ruthlessnes; for Ruth Yancey Fox rules, and she rules with a very long whip. A whip which leaves indelible marks. A highly recommended saga from Siddons.

The best book Siddons has ever written!, 23 Aug 1998
The synopsis of this book is misleading. It oversimplifies the story. This wonderful book traces three generations of women, their parents, husbands, children and servants. It plows new ground in insanity, cruelty, and child abuse. This is probably the first book Ann wrote because it is truly the great American novel. The best book Siddons has ever written!

A study in love and loyalties, 22 Aug 2008
Like other Anne Rivers Siddons book, this is set in South Carolina, and carries with it a very strong feel for the place in all its different moods.

The heroine of the book is Anny, who is bowled over when she meets Lewis (15 years her senior and recently divorced). Against her better judgement, she becomes involved with him and falls deeply in love; not just with Lewis himself, but also with his old beach house on Sullivan Island, and with his group of friends (called the Scrubs, because they all have some connection with medicine) who jointly own the beach house. Soon after Anny meets them, the friends make a solemn vow that the beach house will be a sanctuary for any one of them who needs it and that they will always look after each other there.

This story is about love. Anny's love for Lewis; for the beach house; and for the individuals who make up the group of friends, particularly Camilla. But Camilla and the others have history that Anny knows nothing about; and bad things begin to happen.

There was much about this book that I loved. The characters, and the interplay between them, are beautifully written. We see them all through Anny's eyes, but the writer leads us to understand that Anny's (rather rose-tinted) view of them may be slightly superficial and we need to look a bit deeper into their motivations and actions. I also loved the descriptions of South Carolina; of Charleston itself, of the beach & islands, of the swamp, and of the difficult climate - Rivers Siddons books make me want to visit this area (I can certainly see why it is a popular holiday destination)!

However, I don't feel it was one of her best. The pace is slow, and there isn't enough winding up of tension towards the surprise at the end. For readers who haven't come across her books before, I can recommend The Low Country; for readers who have already enjoyed one or more of her books, this is a very pleasant read and worth getting hold of.

Captivating, but creepy........, 11 Aug 2004
I consider myself to be fairly well-read and I write short stories as a hobby so I'm confident that my review is a fair representation. I have to say this book just has to be one of the best "twist & turn" fiction novels I've ever had the pleasure to read and its certainly the one I'd choose to take away with me to a desert island! It's also my first-read Anne Rivers Siddons book, but it certainly won't be my last!

This captivating tale of a "haunted house" begins fairly innocuously but such is the rate of build-up that I just couldn't put the book down! Its unclear whether the various tragedies that occur are actually down to "the house" itself (or indeed some malevolent facet of the soul of its designer/architect which may have permeated its very fabric) or whether the events are, in reality, brought about by the shortcomings or weaknesses within the character and personality of those who are affected. Can an inanimate structure really reach out to destroy you....? I'm sure part of the pleasure in reading this novel is that you can try to put yourself in the same situation then make up your own mind. Let me say its not a house I would want to live in, but I wish I'd been the one to write it's story....!

Southern Gothic meets suburbia in this haunting tale, 21 Aug 2003
Stephen King devotes a significant number of pages to Anne Rivers Siddon's The House Next Door in Danse Macabre, his remarkable study of all things horror. Without King's reference, I would probably have never crossed paths with this novel. Siddons is not a horror writer, yet in this, her second published novel, she has produced a rather remarkable work of psychological horror, tilling the same fertile fields of Southern Gothicism that a William Faulkner might have worked in decades earlier. The Atlanta suburb of Siddons' creation is a social microcosm of the South in juxtaposition between the old and the new, a place where one's identity is determined by one's position and set of friends, and it is the effects of the house next door on this tight-knit, structured community that really serve as the focus of Siddons' attention. As such, the "haunting" is never really creepy and is certainly not frightening in the least, especially given the fact that we see the effects of the horror through the eyes of our protagonist and her husband, relying on their reports of sights and sounds we really never get to witness firsthand. There is no ghost in the normal sense here, no discernible force that seems to lie behind the horror of events. Siddons' grounding of her tale in reality and in a community her readers can visualize and relate to in a tangible way is absolutely necessary in order for this novel to work. As Siddons has said in reference to The House Next Door, "Without belief, there is no terror."

Some readers have had trouble fully connecting with the narrator of events, Colquitt Kennedy, and her husband Walter, but I really do not. Colquitt can sometimes become a little tiring in terms of her laments of mounting pain and sorrow, but she does not come across to me as a person who puts her social or mildly affluent social position ahead of her humanity. After all, the Kennedys make some entirely self-less decisions when it comes to warning future homeowners of the danger lurking in the walls of the beautiful house next door. The house is unique and brand new, a brilliantly designed structure erected on a site local architects claimed could never support a house. The very antithesis of the traditional haunted Southern manor or plantation house, the house uses its loveliness to entice families inside its seemingly normal walls, somehow isolating each family member's greatest weaknesses and vulnerabilities and playing upon those to enact the destruction it thrives on. The brilliant young architect becomes an important player in this drama, and his character helps build a bridge of plausibility between the brand new home and the tragedies befalling those who live within it. The book is basically broken up into three sections, each one telling the story and eventual tragedy of a different new family, the haunting and tragic factors increasing dramatically as the house feeds itself on the evil forces it unleashes. This premise works beautifully, making The House Next Door a fascinating read for both horror lovers and general readers alike, casting its nets far and wide to entrap readers of all sorts in its unsettling clutches. The ending, which seems to disappoint some readers, really feels right to me and is by no means anticlimactic. Anne Rivers Siddons succeeds in transplanting classic Southern Gothic horror into a modern, idyllic setting in which it seemingly does not belong. This is what makes the house so dangerous and makes the story all the more fascinating.

Siddons'realistic world vanishes with the haunting, 02 Jul 1999
Stephen King recommened this book on a list of ten books that taught him all he knows about writing horror fiction. You can see his attraction to this book for it creates a detailed, realistic world of affluence and harmony that slowly spins out of control due to the influence of the haunted house next door. Siddons creates a narrative voice that is subtle, compassionate, and intelligent. Nothing seems forced. Nothing seems contrived(except for the brief epilogue). I support King's

recommendation for this haunting novel.

Horror with class!, 09 Mar 1999
I've read this book so many times that my copy is falling apart. I enjoyed getting to know the well-drawn characters -- the way they meshed and interacted was fascinating to me. The author got the job done without gross ugliness and shock. Proves that a house doesn't have to be old and full of bats and cobwebs to be scary. I even liked that the ending was not the usual burning down of the house, or ritual to appease the spirits, or wholesale massacre of all the remaining characters except for one gibbering madman.

The End...ing, 04 Feb 1999
Siddons is a master story teller. She creates a world for her characters and you are there. Feeling their feelings, seeing what they see. In this novel it is a world that prompts late-night page turning and rapid pulse. Some have found the end of this book frustrating and/or lacking in creativity. What Siddons has done is let the reader imagine what happend to her central characters. One must have a better-than-average imagination to go along with the novel's premise in the first place, so why should we resent having to invent a fate for this determined couple. Has televsion spoiled us to the point that we want all our mysteries handily solved only to be quickly forgotten? I will not soon forget this couple or stop wondering anytime in the near future about their demise. Or perhaps they survived whatever the monster house threw at them and are happily living on their island.

FRIGHTENING...........WELL WRITTEN, 26 Aug 2002
I have to give Fox's Earth five stars as this book has been so well written. Set in the Southern state of Georgia, Siddons delves into the lives of three generations of women.

The main character is Ruth Yancey, the daughter of impoverished and demented mill worker Cater. Cater is an embarassment to his family and makes a spectacle of himself on market days as he leads them shepherd-like into town, where he cusses and carries on any person he encounters who is better off financially than he. Returning home in a drunken state he strips his wife Pearl Yancey and daughter Ruth of what little self esteem they have, with brutal beatings,horrible rapings and screams which can be heard far into the night.

It isn't any wonder then that at such an early age, Ruth Yancey is forced to embrace the adoption offered by the seniors of Fox's Earth; Alicia and Claud Fox. Pearl Yancey convinces Ruth that going there will be the answer to all her dreams and the end of her nightmares. So they wait impatiently until Cater Yancey's death, and then Ruth is driven by Alicia Fox's chauffeur
to her new life.

The story takes full swing from here with Alicia turning Ruth into the lady who should be readily accepted by society. She learns all the social graces and proper etiquette, and all the finer things of life. Soon Paul Fox, son of Fox's Earth takes her hand in marriage and she now feels more in control.

See how quickly Ruth Yancey Fox forgets where she has arrived from, as she gains power over all her contacts by evil manipulations and such unpleasant dominance she lauds over all who live at the 'big house'including her husband and eventually the coming generations of Fox's children. It almost leaves you with your mouth open to see such ruthlessnes; for Ruth Yancey Fox rules, and she rules with a very long whip. A whip which leaves indelible marks. A highly recommended saga from Siddons.

The best book Siddons has ever written!, 23 Aug 1998
The synopsis of this book is misleading. It oversimplifies the story. This wonderful book traces three generations of women, their parents, husbands, children and servants. It plows new ground in insanity, cruelty, and child abuse. This is probably the first book Ann wrote because it is truly the great American novel. The best book Siddons has ever written!

A study in love and loyalties, 22 Aug 2008
Like other Anne Rivers Siddons book, this is set in South Carolina, and carries with it a very strong feel for the place in all its different moods.

The heroine of the book is Anny, who is bowled over when she meets Lewis (15 years her senior and recently divorced). Against her better judgement, she becomes involved with him and falls deeply in love; not just with Lewis himself, but also with his old beach house on Sullivan Island, and with his group of friends (called the Scrubs, because they all have some connection with medicine) who jointly own the beach house. Soon after Anny meets them, the friends make a solemn vow that the beach house will be a sanctuary for any one of them who needs it and that they will always look after each other there.

This story is about love. Anny's love for Lewis; for the beach house; and for the individuals who make up the group of friends, particularly Camilla. But Camilla and the others have history that Anny knows nothing about; and bad things begin to happen.

There was much about this book that I loved. The characters, and the interplay between them, are beautifully written. We see them all through Anny's eyes, but the writer leads us to understand that Anny's (rather rose-tinted) view of them may be slightly superficial and we need to look a bit deeper into their motivations and actions. I also loved the descriptions of South Carolina; of Charleston itself, of the beach & islands, of the swamp, and of the difficult climate - Rivers Siddons books make me want to visit this area (I can certainly see why it is a popular holiday destination)!

However, I don't feel it was one of her best. The pace is slow, and there isn't enough winding up of tension towards the surprise at the end. For readers who haven't come across her books before, I can recommend The Low Country; for readers who have already enjoyed one or more of her books, this is a very pleasant read and worth getting hold of.



May be set in 50's, but coming-of-age story is timeless, 26 Jul 1999
My daughter and I enjoyed this book very much. I read it first, and passed it on. I could see so many similarities with the experiences and feelings my daughter was relating to me during her first year in college. Maggie may be a young woman of the 1950's, but the issues and events she has to cope with are as real for today's young women. I especially loved the "historical" details of the life of the 1950's young woman - it took me back to those days - and it all rang so true. Catherine Paull

Badly dated exploration of a silly young woman's adventures, 13 Jun 1998
This book was one of the most ridiculous things I ever read. Hated it completely. Characters are silly, patronizing sterotypes and the main character is particularly annoying. Despite pretentions to soulful passion for a cause, Maggie's actions seem driven by impulsive, childish dramatics. Odd to have a book about integration without one Black character who rose above Gone with the Wind/noble savage status.

Very emotional, absolutely wonderful, 23 Mar 1998
This story takes place at Randolph University, which is Auburn University in Auburn, Alabama. I live in Auburn and it is very emotional to read this book and realize that things like this did happen here. This is the one book that opened my eyes to what racial integration was really like. Some of the passages are so powerful that I had to reread them to get the full impact. Maggie is forced to make decisions that will change her life forever and before this book I could not comprehend the extremes of emotion that people were going through. Anyone remotely interested in the South or integration should read this book.

Captivating, but creepy........, 11 Aug 2004
I consider myself to be fairly well-read and I write short stories as a hobby so I'm confident that my review is a fair representation. I have to say this book just has to be one of the best "twist & turn" fiction novels I've ever had the pleasure to read and its certainly the one I'd choose to take away with me to a desert island! It's also my first-read Anne Rivers Siddons book, but it certainly won't be my last!

This captivating tale of a "haunted house" begins fairly innocuously but such is the rate of build-up that I just couldn't put the book down! Its unclear whether the various tragedies that occur are actually down to "the house" itself (or indeed some malevolent facet of the soul of its designer/architect which may have permeated its very fabric) or whether the events are, in reality, brought about by the shortcomings or weaknesses within the character and personality of those who are affected. Can an inanimate structure really reach out to destroy you....? I'm sure part of the pleasure in reading this novel is that you can try to put yourself in the same situation then make up your own mind. Let me say its not a house I would want to live in, but I wish I'd been the one to write it's story....!

Southern Gothic meets suburbia in this haunting tale, 21 Aug 2003
Stephen King devotes a significant number of pages to Anne Rivers Siddon's The House Next Door in Danse Macabre, his remarkable study of all things horror. Without King's reference, I would probably have never crossed paths with this novel. Siddons is not a horror writer, yet in this, her second published novel, she has produced a rather remarkable work of psychological horror, tilling the same fertile fields of Southern Gothicism that a William Faulkner might have worked in decades earlier. The Atlanta suburb of Siddons' creation is a social microcosm of the South in juxtaposition between the old and the new, a place where one's identity is determined by one's position and set of friends, and it is the effects of the house next door on this tight-knit, structured community that really serve as the focus of Siddons' attention. As such, the "haunting" is never really creepy and is certainly not frightening in the least, especially given the fact that we see the effects of the horror through the eyes of our protagonist and her husband, relying on their reports of sights and sounds we really never get to witness firsthand. There is no ghost in the normal sense here, no discernible force that seems to lie behind the horror of events. Siddons' grounding of her tale in reality and in a community her readers can visualize and relate to in a tangible way is absolutely necessary in order for this novel to work. As Siddons has said in reference to The House Next Door, "Without belief, there is no terror."

Some readers have had trouble fully connecting with the narrator of events, Colquitt Kennedy, and her husband Walter, but I really do not. Colquitt can sometimes become a little tiring in terms of her laments of mounting pain and sorrow, but she does not come across to me as a person who puts her social or mildly affluent social position ahead of her humanity. After all, the Kennedys make some entirely self-less decisions when it comes to warning future homeowners of the danger lurking in the walls of the beautiful house next door. The house is unique and brand new, a brilliantly designed structure erected on a site local architects claimed could never support a house. The very antithesis of the traditional haunted Southern manor or plantation house, the house uses its loveliness to entice families inside its seemingly normal walls, somehow isolating each family member's greatest weaknesses and vulnerabilities and playing upon those to enact the destruction it thrives on. The brilliant young architect becomes an important player in this drama, and his character helps build a bridge of plausibility between the brand new home and the tragedies befalling those who live within it. The book is basically broken up into three sections, each one telling the story and eventual tragedy of a different new family, the haunting and tragic factors increasing dramatically as the house feeds itself on the evil forces it unleashes. This premise works beautifully, making The House Next Door a fascinating read for both horror lovers and general readers alike, casting its nets far and wide to entrap readers of all sorts in its unsettling clutches. The ending, which seems to disappoint some readers, really feels right to me and is by no means anticlimactic. Anne Rivers Siddons succeeds in transplanting classic Southern Gothic horror into a modern, idyllic setting in which it seemingly does not belong. This is what makes the house so dangerous and makes the story all the more fascinating.

Siddons'realistic world vanishes with the haunting, 02 Jul 1999
Stephen King recommened this book on a list of ten books that taught him all he knows about writing horror fiction. You can see his attraction to this book for it creates a detailed, realistic world of affluence and harmony that slowly spins out of control due to the influence of the haunted house next door. Siddons creates a narrative voice that is subtle, compassionate, and intelligent. Nothing seems forced. Nothing seems contrived(except for the brief epilogue). I support King's

recommendation for this haunting novel.

Horror with class!, 09 Mar 1999
I've read this book so many times that my copy is falling apart. I enjoyed getting to know the well-drawn characters -- the way they meshed and interacted was fascinating to me. The author got the job done without gross ugliness and shock. Proves that a house doesn't have to be old and full of bats and cobwebs to be scary. I even liked that the ending was not the usual burning down of the house, or ritual to appease the spirits, or wholesale massacre of all the remaining characters except for one gibbering madman.

The End...ing, 04 Feb 1999
Siddons is a master story teller. She creates a world for her characters and you are there. Feeling their feelings, seeing what they see. In this novel it is a world that prompts late-night page turning and rapid pulse. Some have found the end of this book frustrating and/or lacking in creativity. What Siddons has done is let the reader imagine what happend to her central characters. One must have a better-than-average imagination to go along with the novel's premise in the first place, so why should we resent having to invent a fate for this determined couple. Has televsion spoiled us to the point that we want all our mysteries handily solved only to be quickly forgotten? I will not soon forget this couple or stop wondering anytime in the near future about their demise. Or perhaps they survived whatever the monster house threw at them and are happily living on their island.

FRIGHTENING...........WELL WRITTEN, 26 Aug 2002
I have to give Fox's Earth five stars as this book has been so well written. Set in the Southern state of Georgia, Siddons delves into the lives of three generations of women.

The main character is Ruth Yancey, the daughter of impoverished and demented mill worker Cater. Cater is an embarassment to his family and makes a spectacle of himself on market days as he leads them shepherd-like into town, where he cusses and carries on any person he encounters who is better off financially than he. Returning home in a drunken state he strips his wife Pearl Yancey and daughter Ruth of what little self esteem they have, with brutal beatings,horrible rapings and screams which can be heard far into the night.

It isn't any wonder then that at such an early age, Ruth Yancey is forced to embrace the adoption offered by the seniors of Fox's Earth; Alicia and Claud Fox. Pearl Yancey convinces Ruth that going there will be the answer to all her dreams and the end of her nightmares. So they wait impatiently until Cater Yancey's death, and then Ruth is driven by Alicia Fox's chauffeur
to her new life.

The story takes full swing from here with Alicia turning Ruth into the lady who should be readily accepted by society. She learns all the social graces and proper etiquette, and all the finer things of life. Soon Paul Fox, son of Fox's Earth takes her hand in marriage and she now feels more in control.

See how quickly Ruth Yancey Fox forgets where she has arrived from, as she gains power over all her contacts by evil manipulations and such unpleasant dominance she lauds over all who live at the 'big house'including her husband and eventually the coming generations of Fox's children. It almost leaves you with your mouth open to see such ruthlessnes; for Ruth Yancey Fox rules, and she rules with a very long whip. A whip which leaves indelible marks. A highly recommended saga from Siddons.

The best book Siddons has ever written!, 23 Aug 1998
The synopsis of this book is misleading. It oversimplifies the story. This wonderful book traces three generations of women, their parents, husbands, children and servants. It plows new ground in insanity, cruelty, and child abuse. This is probably the first book Ann wrote because it is truly the great American novel. The best book Siddons has ever written!

A study in love and loyalties, 22 Aug 2008
Like other Anne Rivers Siddons book, this is set in South Carolina, and carries with it a very strong feel for the place in all its different moods.

The heroine of the book is Anny, who is bowled over when she meets Lewis (15 years her senior and recently divorced). Against her better judgement, she becomes involved with him and falls deeply in love; not just with Lewis himself, but also with his old beach house on Sullivan Island, and with his group of friends (called the Scrubs, because they all have some connection with medicine) who jointly own the beach house. Soon after Anny meets them, the friends make a solemn vow that the beach house will be a sanctuary for any one of them who needs it and that they will always look after each other there.

This story is about love. Anny's love for Lewis; for the beach house; and for the individuals who make up the group of friends, particularly Camilla. But Camilla and the others have history that Anny knows nothing about; and bad things begin to happen.

There was much about this book that I loved. The characters, and the interplay between them, are beautifully written. We see them all through Anny's eyes, but the writer leads us to understand that Anny's (rather rose-tinted) view of them may be slightly superficial and we need to look a bit deeper into their motivations and actions. I also loved the descriptions of South Carolina; of Charleston itself, of the beach & islands, of the swamp, and of the difficult climate - Rivers Siddons books make me want to visit this area (I can certainly see why it is a popular holiday destination)!

However, I don't feel it was one of her best. The pace is slow, and there isn't enough winding up of tension towards the surprise at the end. For readers who haven't come across her books before, I can recommend The Low Country; for readers who have already enjoyed one or more of her books, this is a very pleasant read and worth getting hold of.



May be set in 50's, but coming-of-age story is timeless, 26 Jul 1999
My daughter and I enjoyed this book very much. I read it first, and passed it on. I could see so many similarities with the experiences and feelings my daughter was relating to me during her first year in college. Maggie may be a young woman of the 1950's, but the issues and events she has to cope with are as real for today's young women. I especially loved the "historical" details of the life of the 1950's young woman - it took me back to those days - and it all rang so true. Catherine Paull

Badly dated exploration of a silly young woman's adventures, 13 Jun 1998
This book was one of the most ridiculous things I ever read. Hated it completely. Characters are silly, patronizing sterotypes and the main character is particularly annoying. Despite pretentions to soulful passion for a cause, Maggie's actions seem driven by impulsive, childish dramatics. Odd to have a book about integration without one Black character who rose above Gone with the Wind/noble savage status.

Very emotional, absolutely wonderful, 23 Mar 1998
This story takes place at Randolph University, which is Auburn University in Auburn, Alabama. I live in Auburn and it is very emotional to read this book and realize that things like this did happen here. This is the one book that opened my eyes to what racial integration was really like. Some of the passages are so powerful that I had to reread them to get the full impact. Maggie is forced to make decisions that will change her life forever and before this book I could not comprehend the extremes of emotion that people were going through. Anyone remotely interested in the South or integration should read this book.

Diving is different, 01 Jan 2008
I've come to this writer years too late, but am avidly reading my way through her back catalogue. This is southern gothic in the great tradition of Fitzgerald and Williams, with wonderfully intricate characterisation and none of the irritating desire to amuse that is currently spoiling 21st century British literature. I hate this - that's why I've crossed the Atlantic recently in most of my reading. Yes, it's sentimental in places, but so what? Better that than an infestation of verminous jokes every other paragraph.
The ending, if I can read symbolism at all, is a happy one. Shep has hidden from life all his life - now he dives into it, conquering his fear of heights, which is a fear of living. The dive isn't a dangerous one as all the teenagers survived it earlier in the book - Shep just didn't dare take the plunge. I know he goes to the bridge to throw himself off, but diving is different. Anyway, Sarah is a champion swimmer and diver and she shouts ' I'll mark your trail', so we know she'll rescue him anyway...as marriage with her will rescue him from his reclusive depression. The characters, by my reckoning, are only in their early to mid 40s by the end of the book - he could still have another child with Sarah.

It was a family reunion for me, I cried my heart out., 31 May 1999
I was captured from the first line and could not put it down. I was so shocked by the last line that I cried. I was warmed and chilled throughout. I have not been this moved by an author since Pat Conroy. What brilliance. How could this woman have been educated where I was.

Tiresome Read, 25 May 1999
I found this book typically boring, hundreds of pages going back and forth over and over. Flash Foward, Flash Back. I never could really get a sense of all the characters - there were just too many. The book ends with unclear conclusions. I have read all of her books and felt that this one was a total waste of my time.

A roller coaster ride of love, passion and duty, 30 Mar 1999
"Peachtree Road" is a romantic tale of a southern gentleman and a strong-willed, black-haired southern beauty set against changing times in the South. Another "Gone With the Wind"? No, not by a long-shot! This time the story takes place in the aristocratic homes of Atlanta's wealthiest residents during the changing and turbulent years of the 20th century.

Young Lucy Bondurant comes to live in the home of her cousin, Sheppard Gibbs Bondurant III, and takes him and everyone she knows, including the reader, on a roller coaster ride through life. "Gibby" is torn between his love and duty for his cousin and his romantic love for another woman. The results are tragic for him ... or is he fulfilling his destiny? You, as the reader, must decide.

This book is very long (over 800 pages), but worth the time. Revel in the character development. Savor the relationship you will build with the characters for you will be with them from childhood until death. Speed through the streets on bikes behind Lucy, whoop it up with the Pinks and Jells, march with the Civil Rights Movement and cry through the tragedies that no one is immune from -- not even the very rich.

This is one of the best books I've ever read. Though I desperately wanted to see how it concluded, I felt like I had lost my best friend when I was done.

More about a particular community than the South..., 21 Nov 1998
Yes, it's a long book, but I did not find it to be so much "Southern," as regional. I was born, was raised and still live in the Louisiana/Mississippi area, so I know all about the South, but really, not a whole lot about Atlanta or Georgia even. Maybe it's a Georgia thing? I don't want to like this book. I really don't. But it's a testament of how good it is since it won't get out of my head. Lucy was maddening with her dependence and so was Gibby with his enabling. I mean, really, enough already. But don't we all have relatives or friends we keep rescuing? Or maybe some of us are a lot like Lucy but don't want to admit it? The detail in this book is magnificent, but I became quite confused on the ages. One minute they are this age, the next minute another age and then back again. I swear at least once I saw where they were different ages when the author described a particular event than they were the last time, but I am not sure. This book is wonderful with descriptive phrases and the joy and heartbreak of life. Am I glad I read it? Yes and no. Yes, because it was enriching to read such depth to such characters. No, because in some ways, it was so real and so true and so sad. I loved Colony and chose this book because of that experience. She's a great writer. But sometimes she just gets too *close* and it makes you draw back. So I guess you know now you have to buy this book, right? Ok, then, but be warned. You'll never react the same to the phrase "stick it in your ear" again. And that's a promise!

Captivating, but creepy........, 11 Aug 2004
I consider myself to be fairly well-read and I write short stories as a hobby so I'm confident that my review is a fair representation. I have to say this book just has to be one of the best "twist & turn" fiction novels I've ever had the pleasure to read and its certainly the one I'd choose to take away with me to a desert island! It's also my first-read Anne Rivers Siddons book, but it certainly won't be my last!

This captivating tale of a "haunted house" begins fairly innocuously but such is the rate of build-up that I just couldn't put the book down! Its unclear whether the various tragedies that occur are actually down to "the house" itself (or indeed some malevolent facet of the soul of its designer/architect which may have permeated its very fabric) or whether the events are, in reality, brought about by the shortcomings or weaknesses within the character and personality of those who are affected. Can an inanimate structure really reach out to destroy you....? I'm sure part of the pleasure in reading this novel is that you can try to put yourself in the same situation then make up your own mind. Let me say its not a house I would want to live in, but I wish I'd been the one to write it's story....!

Southern Gothic meets suburbia in this haunting tale, 21 Aug 2003
Stephen King devotes a significant number of pages to Anne Rivers Siddon's The House Next Door in Danse Macabre, his remarkable study of all things horror. Without King's reference, I would probably have never crossed paths with this novel. Siddons is not a horror writer, yet in this, her second published novel, she has produced a rather remarkable work of psychological horror, tilling the same fertile fields of Southern Gothicism that a William Faulkner might have worked in decades earlier. The Atlanta suburb of Siddons' creation is a social microcosm of the South in juxtaposition between the old and the new, a place where one's identity is determined by one's position and set of friends, and it is the effects of the house next door on this tight-knit, structured community that really serve as the focus of Siddons' attention. As such, the "haunting" is never really creepy and is certainly not frightening in the least, especially given the fact that we see the effects of the horror through the eyes of our protagonist and her husband, relying on their reports of sights and sounds we really never get to witness firsthand. There is no ghost in the normal sense here, no discernible force that seems to lie behind the horror of events. Siddons' grounding of her tale in reality and in a community her readers can visualize and relate to in a tangible way is absolutely necessary in order for this novel to work. As Siddons has said in reference to The House Next Door, "Without belief, there is no terror."

Some readers have had trouble fully connecting with the narrator of events, Colquitt Kennedy, and her husband Walter, but I really do not. Colquitt can sometimes become a little tiring in terms of her laments of mounting pain and sorrow, but she does not come across to me as a person who puts her social or mildly affluent social position ahead of her humanity. After all, the Kennedys make some entirely self-less decisions when it comes to warning future homeowners of the danger lurking in the walls of the beautiful house next door. The house is unique and brand new, a brilliantly designed structure erected on a site local architects claimed could never support a house. The very antithesis of the traditional haunted Southern manor or plantation house, the house uses its loveliness to entice families inside its seemingly normal walls, somehow isolating each family member's greatest weaknesses and vulnerabilities and playing upon those to enact the destruction it thrives on. The brilliant young architect becomes an important player in this drama, and his character helps build a bridge of plausibility between the brand new home and the tragedies befalling those who live within it. The book is basically broken up into three sections, each one telling the story and eventual tragedy of a different new family, the haunting and tragic factors increasing dramatically as the house feeds itself on the evil forces it unleashes. This premise works beautifully, making The House Next Door a fascinating read for both horror lovers and general readers alike, casting its nets far and wide to entrap readers of all sorts in its unsettling clutches. The ending, which seems to disappoint some readers, really feels right to me and is by no means anticlimactic. Anne Rivers Siddons succeeds in transplanting classic Southern Gothic horror into a modern, idyllic setting in which it seemingly does not belong. This is what makes the house so dangerous and makes the story all the more fascinating.

Siddons'realistic world vanishes with the haunting, 02 Jul 1999
Stephen King recommened this book on a list of ten books that taught him all he knows about writing horror fiction. You can see his attraction to this book for it creates a detailed, realistic world of affluence and harmony that slowly spins out of control due to the influence of the haunted house next door. Siddons creates a narrative voice that is subtle, compassionate, and intelligent. Nothing seems forced. Nothing seems contrived(except for the brief epilogue). I support King's

recommendation for this haunting novel.

Horror with class!, 09 Mar 1999
I've read this book so many times that my copy is falling apart. I enjoyed getting to know the well-drawn characters -- the way they meshed and interacted was fascinating to me. The author got the job done without gross ugliness and shock. Proves that a house doesn't have to be old and full of bats and cobwebs to be scary. I even liked that the ending was not the usual burning down of the house, or ritual to appease the spirits, or wholesale massacre of all the remaining characters except for one gibbering madman.

The End...ing, 04 Feb 1999
Siddons is a master story teller. She creates a world for her characters and you are there. Feeling their feelings, seeing what they see. In this novel it is a world that prompts late-night page turning and rapid pulse. Some have found the end of this book frustrating and/or lacking in creativity. What Siddons has done is let the reader imagine what happend to her central characters. One must have a better-than-average imagination to go along with the novel's premise in the first place, so why should we resent having to invent a fate for this determined couple. Has televsion spoiled us to the point that we want all our mysteries handily solved only to be quickly forgotten? I will not soon forget this couple or stop wondering anytime in the near future about their demise. Or perhaps they survived whatever the monster house threw at them and are happily living on their island.

FRIGHTENING...........WELL WRITTEN, 26 Aug 2002
I have to give Fox's Earth five stars as this book has been so well written. Set in the Southern state of Georgia, Siddons delves into the lives of three generations of women.

The main character is Ruth Yancey, the daughter of impoverished and demented mill worker Cater. Cater is an embarassment to his family and makes a spectacle of himself on market days as he leads them shepherd-like into town, where he cusses and carries on any person he encounters who is better off financially than he. Returning home in a drunken state he strips his wife Pearl Yancey and daughter Ruth of what little self esteem they have, with brutal beatings,horrible rapings and screams which can be heard far into the night.

It isn't any wonder then that at such an early age, Ruth Yancey is forced to embrace the adoption offered by the seniors of Fox's Earth; Alicia and Claud Fox. Pearl Yancey convinces Ruth that going there will be the answer to all her dreams and the end of her nightmares. So they wait impatiently until Cater Yancey's death, and then Ruth is driven by Alicia Fox's chauffeur
to her new life.

The story takes full swing from here with Alicia turning Ruth into the lady who should be readily accepted by society. She learns all the social graces and proper etiquette, and all the finer things of life. Soon Paul Fox, son of Fox's Earth takes her hand in marriage and she now feels more in control.

See how quickly Ruth Yancey Fox forgets where she has arrived from, as she gains power over all her contacts by evil manipulations and such unpleasant dominance she lauds over all who live at the 'big house'including her husband and eventually the coming generations of Fox's children. It almost leaves you with your mouth open to see such ruthlessnes; for Ruth Yancey Fox rules, and she rules with a very long whip. A whip which leaves indelible marks. A highly recommended saga from Siddons.

The best book Siddons has ever written!, 23 Aug 1998
The synopsis of this book is misleading. It oversimplifies the story. This wonderful book traces three generations of women, their parents, husbands, children and servants. It plows new ground in insanity, cruelty, and child abuse. This is probably the first book Ann wrote because it is truly the great American novel. The best book Siddons has ever written!

A study in love and loyalties, 22 Aug 2008
Like other Anne Rivers Siddons book, this is set in South Carolina, and carries with it a very strong feel for the place in all its different moods.

The heroine of the book is Anny, who is bowled over when she meets Lewis (15 years her senior and recently divorced). Against her better judgement, she becomes involved with him and falls deeply in love; not just with Lewis himself, but also with his old beach house on Sullivan Island, and with his group of friends (called the Scrubs, because they all have some connection with medicine) who jointly own the beach house. Soon after Anny meets them, the friends make a solemn vow that the beach house will be a sanctuary for any one of them who needs it and that they will always look after each other there.

This story is about love. Anny's love for Lewis; for the beach house; and for the individuals who make up the group of friends, particularly Camilla. But Camilla and the others have history that Anny knows nothing about; and bad things begin to happen.

There was much about this book that I loved. The characters, and the interplay between them, are beautifully written. We see them all through Anny's eyes, but the writer leads us to understand that Anny's (rather rose-tinted) view of them may be slightly superficial and we need to look a bit deeper into their motivations and actions. I also loved the descriptions of South Carolina; of Charleston itself, of the beach & islands, of the swamp, and of the difficult climate - Rivers Siddons books make me want to visit this area (I can certainly see why it is a popular holiday destination)!

However, I don't feel it was one of her best. The pace is slow, and there isn't enough winding up of tension towards the surprise at the end. For readers who haven't come across her books before, I can recommend The Low Country; for readers who have already enjoyed one or more of her books, this is a very pleasant read and worth getting hold of.



May be set in 50's, but coming-of-age story is timeless, 26 Jul 1999
My daughter and I enjoyed this book very much. I read it first, and passed it on. I could see so many similarities with the experiences and feelings my daughter was relating to me during her first year in college. Maggie may be a young woman of the 1950's, but the issues and events she has to cope with are as real for today's young women. I especially loved the "historical" details of the life of the 1950's young woman - it took me back to those days - and it all rang so true. Catherine Paull

Badly dated exploration of a silly young woman's adventures, 13 Jun 1998
This book was one of the most ridiculous things I ever read. Hated it completely. Characters are silly, patronizing sterotypes and the main character is particularly annoying. Despite pretentions to soulful passion for a cause, Maggie's actions seem driven by impulsive, childish dramatics. Odd to have a book about integration without one Black character who rose above Gone with the Wind/noble savage status.

Very emotional, absolutely wonderful, 23 Mar 1998
This story takes place at Randolph University, which is Auburn University in Auburn, Alabama. I live in Auburn and it is very emotional to read this book and realize that things like this did happen here. This is the one book that opened my eyes to what racial integration was really like. Some of the passages are so powerful that I had to reread them to get the full impact. Maggie is forced to make decisions that will change her life forever and before this book I could not comprehend the extremes of emotion that people were going through. Anyone remotely interested in the South or integration should read this book.

Diving is different, 01 Jan 2008
I've come to this writer years too late, but am avidly reading my way through her back catalogue. This is southern gothic in the great tradition of Fitzgerald and Williams, with wonderfully intricate characterisation and none of the irritating desire to amuse that is currently spoiling 21st century British literature. I hate this - that's why I've crossed the Atlantic recently in most of my reading. Yes, it's sentimental in places, but so what? Better that than an infestation of verminous jokes every other paragraph.
The ending, if I can read symbolism at all, is a happy one. Shep has hidden from life all his life - now he dives into it, conquering his fear of heights, which is a fear of living. The dive isn't a dangerous one as all the teenagers survived it earlier in the book - Shep just didn't dare take the plunge. I know he goes to the bridge to throw himself off, but diving is different. Anyway, Sarah is a champion swimmer and diver and she shouts ' I'll mark your trail', so we know she'll rescue him anyway...as marriage with her will rescue him from his reclusive depression. The characters, by my reckoning, are only in their early to mid 40s by the end of the book - he could still have another child with Sarah.

It was a family reunion for me, I cried my heart out., 31 May 1999
I was captured from the first line and could not put it down. I was so shocked by the last line that I cried. I was warmed and chilled throughout. I have not been this moved by an author since Pat Conroy. What brilliance. How could this woman have been educated where I was.

Tiresome Read, 25 May 1999
I found this book typically boring, hundreds of pages going back and forth over and over. Flash Foward, Flash Back. I never could really get a sense of all the characters - there were just too many. The book ends with unclear conclusions. I have read all of her books and felt that this one was a total waste of my time.

A roller coaster ride of love, passion and duty, 30 Mar 1999
"Peachtree Road" is a romantic tale of a southern gentleman and a strong-willed, black-haired southern beauty set against changing times in the South. Another "Gone With the Wind"? No, not by a long-shot! This time the story takes place in the aristocratic homes of Atlanta's wealthiest residents during the changing and turbulent years of the 20th century.

Young Lucy Bondurant comes to live in the home of her cousin, Sheppard Gibbs Bondurant III, and takes him and everyone she knows, including the reader, on a roller coaster ride through life. "Gibby" is torn between his love and duty for his cousin and his romantic love for another woman. The results are tragic for him ... or is he fulfilling his destiny? You, as the reader, must decide.

This book is very long (over 800 pages), but worth the time. Revel in the character development. Savor the relationship you will build with the characters for you will be with them from childhood until death. Speed through the streets on bikes behind Lucy, whoop it up with the Pinks and Jells, march with the Civil Rights Movement and cry through the tragedies that no one is immune from -- not even the very rich.

This is one of the best books I've ever read. Though I desperately wanted to see how it concluded, I felt like I had lost my best friend when I was done.

More about a particular community than the South..., 21 Nov 1998
Yes, it's a long book, but I did not find it to be so much "Southern," as regional. I was born, was raised and still live in the Louisiana/Mississippi area, so I know all about the South, but really, not a whole lot about Atlanta or Georgia even. Maybe it's a Georgia thing? I don't want to like this book. I really don't. But it's a testament of how good it is since it won't get out of my head. Lucy was maddening with her dependence and so was Gibby with his enabling. I mean, really, enough already. But don't we all have relatives or friends we keep rescuing? Or maybe some of us are a lot like Lucy but don't want to admit it? The detail in this book is magnificent, but I became quite confused on the ages. One minute they are this age, the next minute another age and then back again. I swear at least once I saw where they were different ages when the author described a particular event than they were the last time, but I am not sure. This book is wonderful with descriptive phrases and the joy and heartbreak of life. Am I glad I read it? Yes and no. Yes, because it was enriching to read such depth to such characters. No, because in some ways, it was so real and so true and so sad. I loved Colony and chose this book because of that experience. She's a great writer. But sometimes she just gets too *close* and it makes you draw back. So I guess you know now you have to buy this book, right? Ok, then, but be warned. You'll never react the same to the phrase "stick it in your ear" again. And that's a promise!

Goat Creek, 08 Sep 2007
I loved this book. I found it 100% compelling and beautifully written. The contradictions in Tom Dabney were wonderful, so rare in a literary world of one-dimensional goody-baddie characters. The mystery about what was happening to the water kept my interest levels way up right through the last chapters. My only quibble is - why wasn't the novel called GOAT CREEK?

not one of her best, 27 Sep 2003
No where near the same league as Up Island or Colony. This book is the sort of book you'd pick up at the airport to read on holiday - and is OK - but the ending is a let down.

Startlingly wonderful, 23 Feb 1999
I bought the book because I so loved Hill Towns and Outer Banks and Downtown, but I didn't read it for a while because it sounded sort of dopey and I don't care for hunting. I finally started it and was swept into another world. It's full of compelling, fascinating people and the plot is surprising and touching. Just like Andy, I started out despising hunters and thought that nothing could change my mind. I loved it, it's one of her best and I don't know why I put off enjoying the book.

Dumb ending mars a pretty good book, 03 Feb 1998
There aren't too many things I hate more than to get engrossed in what seems to be a pretty good book, only to have the author turn into a moron at the end and blow it. Such is the case with "King's Oak". The first 400 pages are pretty good, but the last 100 -- Yow! Should you decide to read this book, stop at the point where the water starts to glow and the baby goat dies. From that point on it's for idiots only.

Captivating, but creepy........, 11 Aug 2004
I consider myself to be fairly well-read and I write short stories as a hobby so I'm confident that my review is a fair representation. I have to say this book just has to be one of the best "twist & turn" fiction novels I've ever had the pleasure to read and its certainly the one I'd choose to take away with me to a desert island! It's also my first-read Anne Rivers Siddons book, but it certainly won't be my last!

This captivating tale of a "haunted house" begins fairly innocuously but such is the rate of build-up that I just couldn't put the book down! Its unclear whether the various tragedies that occur are actually down to "the house" itself (or indeed some malevolent facet of the soul of its designer/architect which may have permeated its very fabric) or whether the events are, in reality, brought about by the shortcomings or weaknesses within the character and personality of those who are affected. Can an inanimate structure really reach out to destroy you....? I'm sure part of the pleasure in reading this novel is that you can try to put yourself in the same situation then make up your own mind. Let me say its not a house I would want to live in, but I wish I'd been the one to write it's story....!

Southern Gothic meets suburbia in this haunting tale, 21 Aug 2003
Stephen King devotes a significant number of pages to Anne Rivers Siddon's The House Next Door in Danse Macabre, his remarkable study of all things horror. Without King's reference, I would probably have never crossed paths with this novel. Siddons is not a horror writer, yet in this, her second published novel, she has produced a rather remarkable work of psychological horror, tilling the same fertile fields of Southern Gothicism that a William Faulkner might have worked in decades earlier. The Atlanta suburb of Siddons' creation is a social microcosm of the South in juxtaposition between the old and the new, a place where one's identity is determined by one's position and set of friends, and it is the effects of the house next door on this tight-knit, structured community that really serve as the focus of Siddons' attention. As such, the "haunting" is never really creepy and is certainly not frightening in the least, especially given the fact that we see the effects of the horror through the eyes of our protagonist and her husband, relying on their reports of sights and sounds we really never get to witness firsthand. There is no ghost in the normal sense here, no discernible force that seems to lie behind the horror of events. Siddons' grounding of her tale in reality and in a community her readers can visualize and relate to in a tangible way is absolutely necessary in order for this novel to work. As Siddons has said in reference to The House Next Door, "Without belief, there is no terror."

Some readers have had trouble fully connecting with the narrator of events, Colquitt Kennedy, and her husband Walter, but I really do not. Colquitt can sometimes become a little tiring in terms of her laments of mounting pain and sorrow, but she does not come across to me as a person who puts her social or mildly affluent social position ahead of her humanity. After all, the Kennedys make some entirely self-less decisions when it comes to warning future homeowners of the danger lurking in the walls of the beautiful house next door. The house is unique and brand new, a brilliantly designed structure erected on a site local architects claimed could never support a house. The very antithesis of the traditional haunted Southern manor or plantation house, the house uses its loveliness to entice families inside its seemingly normal walls, somehow isolating each family member's greatest weaknesses and vulnerabilities and playing upon those to enact the destruction it thrives on. The brilliant young architect becomes an important player in this drama, and his character helps build a bridge of plausibility between the brand new home and the tragedies befalling those who live within it. The book is basically broken up into three sections, each one telling the story and eventual tragedy of a different new family, the haunting and tragic factors increasing dramatically as the house feeds itself on the evil forces it unleashes. This premise works beautifully, making The House Next Door a fascinating read for both horror lovers and general readers alike, casting its nets far and wide to entrap readers of all sorts in its unsettling clutches. The ending, which seems to disappoint some readers, really feels right to me and is by no means anticlimactic. Anne Rivers Siddons succeeds in transplanting classic Southern Gothic horror into a modern, idyllic setting in which it seemingly does not belong. This is what makes the house so dangerous and makes the story all the more fascinating.

Siddons'realistic world vanishes with the haunting, 02 Jul 1999
Stephen King recommened this book on a list of ten books that taught him all he knows about writing horror fiction. You can see his attraction to this book for it creates a detailed, realistic world of affluence and harmony that slowly spins out of control due to the influence of the haunted house next door. Siddons creates a narrative voice that is subtle, compassionate, and intelligent. Nothing seems forced. Nothing seems contrived(except for the brief epilogue). I support King's

recommendation for this haunting novel.

Horror with class!, 09 Mar 1999
I've read this book so many times that my copy is falling apart. I enjoyed getting to know the well-drawn characters -- the way they meshed and interacted was fascinating to me. The author got the job done without gross ugliness and shock. Proves that a house doesn't have to be old and full of bats and cobwebs to be scary. I even liked that the ending was not the usual burning down of the house, or ritual to appease the spirits, or wholesale massacre of all the remaining characters except for one gibbering madman.

The End...ing, 04 Feb 1999
Siddons is a master story teller. She creates a world for her characters and you are there. Feeling their feelings, seeing what they see. In this novel it is a world that prompts late-night page turning and rapid pulse. Some have found the end of this book frustrating and/or lacking in creativity. What Siddons has done is let the reader imagine what happend to her central characters. One must have a better-than-average imagination to go along with the novel's premise in the first place, so why should we resent having to invent a fate for this determined couple. Has televsion spoiled us to the point that we want all our mysteries handily solved only to be quickly forgotten? I will not soon forget this couple or stop wondering anytime in the near future about their demise. Or perhaps they survived whatever the monster house threw at them and are happily living on their island.

FRIGHTENING...........WELL WRITTEN, 26 Aug 2002
I have to give Fox's Earth five stars as this book has been so well written. Set in the Southern state of Georgia, Siddons delves into the lives of three generations of women.

The main character is Ruth Yancey, the daughter of impoverished and demented mill worker Cater. Cater is an embarassment to his family and makes a spectacle of himself on market days as he leads them shepherd-like into town, where he cusses and carries on any person he encounters who is better off financially than he. Returning home in a drunken state he strips his wife Pearl Yancey and daughter Ruth of what little self esteem they have, with brutal beatings,horrible rapings and screams which can be heard far into the night.

It isn't any wonder then that at such an early age, Ruth Yancey is forced to embrace the adoption offered by the seniors of Fox's Earth; Alicia and Claud Fox. Pearl Yancey convinces Ruth that going there will be the answer to all her dreams and the end of her nightmares. So they wait impatiently until Cater Yancey's death, and then Ruth is driven by Alicia Fox's chauffeur
to her new life.

The story takes full swing from here with Alicia turning Ruth into the lady who should be readily accepted by society. She learns all the social graces and proper etiquette, and all the finer things of life. Soon Paul Fox, son of Fox's Earth takes her hand in marriage and she now feels more in control.

See how quickly Ruth Yancey Fox forgets where she has arrived from, as she gains power over all her contacts by evil manipulations and such unpleasant dominance she lauds over all who live at the 'big house'including her husband and eventually the coming generations of Fox's children. It almost leaves you with your mouth open to see such ruthlessnes; for Ruth Yancey Fox rules, and she rules with a very long whip. A whip which leaves indelible marks. A highly recommended saga from Siddons.

The best book Siddons has ever written!, 23 Aug 1998
The synopsis of this book is misleading. It oversimplifies the story. This wonderful book traces three generations of women, their parents, husbands, children and servants. It plows new ground in insanity, cruelty, and child abuse. This is probably the first book Ann wrote because it is truly the great American novel. The best book Siddons has ever written!

A study in love and loyalties, 22 Aug 2008
Like other Anne Rivers Siddons book, this is set in South Carolina, and carries with it a very strong feel for the place in all its different moods.

The heroine of the book is Anny, who is bowled over when she meets Lewis (15 years her senior and recently divorced). Against her better judgement, she becomes involved with him and falls deeply in love; not just with Lewis himself, but also with his old beach house on Sullivan Island, and with his group of friends (called the Scrubs, because they all have some connection with medicine) who jointly own the beach house. Soon after Anny meets them, the friends make a solemn vow that the beach house will be a sanctuary for any one of them who needs it and that they will always look after each other there.

This story is about love. Anny's love for Lewis; for the beach house; and for the individuals who make up the group of friends, particularly Camilla. But Camilla and the others have history that Anny knows nothing about; and bad things begin to happen.

There was much about this book that I loved. The characters, and the interplay between them, are beautifully written. We see them all through Anny's eyes, but the writer leads us to understand that Anny's (rather rose-tinted) view of them may be slightly superficial and we need to look a bit deeper into their motivations and actions. I also loved the descriptions of South Carolina; of Charleston itself, of the beach & islands, of the swamp, and of the difficult climate - Rivers Siddons books make me want to visit this area (I can certainly see why it is a popular holiday destination)!

However, I don't feel it was one of her best. The pace is slow, and there isn't enough winding up of tension towards the surprise at the end. For readers who haven't come across her books before, I can recommend The Low Country; for readers who have already enjoyed one or more of her books, this is a very pleasant read and worth getting hold of.



May be set in 50's, but coming-of-age story is timeless, 26 Jul 1999
My daughter and I enjoyed this book very much. I read it first, and passed it on. I could see so many similarities with the experiences and feelings my daughter was relating to me during her first year in college. Maggie may be a young woman of the 1950's, but the issues and events she has to cope with are as real for today's young women. I especially loved the "historical" details of the life of the 1950's young woman - it took me back to those days - and it all rang so true. Catherine Paull

Badly dated exploration of a silly young woman's adventures, 13 Jun 1998
This book was one of the most ridiculous things I ever read. Hated it completely. Characters are silly, patronizing sterotypes and the main character is particularly annoying. Despite pretentions to soulful passion for a cause, Maggie's actions seem driven by impulsive, childish dramatics. Odd to have a book about integration without one Black character who rose above Gone with the Wind/noble savage status.

Very emotional, absolutely wonderful, 23 Mar 1998
This story takes place at Randolph University, which is Auburn University in Auburn, Alabama. I live in Auburn and it is very emotional to read this book and realize that things like this did happen here. This is the one book that opened my eyes to what racial integration was really like. Some of the passages are so powerful that I had to reread them to get the full impact. Maggie is forced to make decisions that will change her life forever and before this book I could not comprehend the extremes of emotion that people were going through. Anyone remotely interested in the South or integration should read this book.

Diving is different, 01 Jan 2008
I've come to this writer years too late, but am avidly reading my way through her back catalogue. This is southern gothic in the great tradition of Fitzgerald and Williams, with wonderfully intricate characterisation and none of the irritating desire to amuse that is currently spoiling 21st century British literature. I hate this - that's why I've crossed the Atlantic recently in most of my reading. Yes, it's sentimental in places, but so what? Better that than an infestation of verminous jokes every other paragraph.
The ending, if I can read symbolism at all, is a happy one. Shep has hidden from life all his life - now he dives into it, conquering his fear of heights, which is a fear of living. The dive isn't a dangerous one as all the teenagers survived it earlier in the book - Shep just didn't dare take the plunge. I know he goes to the