Island Legends, Ghostly Tales and the Darker Side of Wight
Written by Katie Barr
The Isle of Wight is probably not the first place that comes to mind when you think of horror. Beaches, seaside towns and holidays perhaps — but Peter J. Murray’s The Darker Side of Wight invites you to look at the island rather differently.
This collection brings together twelve spooky stories, each connected to a different part of the Isle of Wight. Rather than creating an entirely fictional world, Murray takes recognisable places and gives them a much darker side. Carisbrooke Castle, Ryde, Ventnor, the Garlic Farm, Arreton and Brading Wax Museum all become settings for stories involving ghosts, aliens, vampires and other strange characters. That use of real locations is one of the things that makes the collection particularly effective. There is something much more unsettling about reading a spooky story when you can picture where it is happening. A place that might normally be associated with a day out or a holiday suddenly feels rather different when you start imagining what could be lurking there.
The stories also have plenty of variety. Among the characters are Jax Alexander, an alien boy, Witch Hazel, Mary in the well house at Carisbrooke Castle, A Lucard and the Siamese Twins at Brading Wax Museum. Each story has its own setting and idea, which keeps the collection moving rather than making every tale feel like a repeat of the one before it. I also liked the fact that Murray introduces each story himself. It gives the collection a little more personality and adds another connection between the author, the island and the stories he has created from its history, myths and legends. The book is aimed primarily at children, but it is written with enough maturity to appeal to adults too.
“The stories are not simply about being frightened for the sake of it; they use familiar places and local legends to encourage you to look at the island differently…”
There is a real sense that the book is designed to make younger readers curious. The stories are not simply about being frightened for the sake of it; they use familiar places and local legends to encourage you to look at the island differently and, perhaps, make you wonder what stories might be hiding behind places you have passed before. The illustrations by Paul Bryn Davies are another welcome part of the book. They add to the atmosphere and suit the gothic feel of the collection, while the cover itself immediately gives you an idea that this is not quite the Isle of Wight you might expect.
“Murray takes an island many people know … and turns it into something much more mysterious — his own “Isle of Fright”.
The Darker Side of Wight is an enjoyable collection for anyone who likes their spooky stories with a strong sense of place. What makes it stand out is the combination of the familiar and the frightening. Murray takes an island many people know as a holiday destination and turns it into something much more mysterious — his own “Isle of Fright”.
It is a reminder that sometimes the best settings for a scary story are the places we think we already know.
All content is original to The Literary Lounge. Review written by Katie Barr. All reviews are written without incentive.
Featured and in-article images taken from Amazon. No changes were made to these images.
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