- Paperback: 208 pages
- Publisher: Penguin Books; 1 Original edition (September 25, 2012)
- ISBN-10: 0143121464
- Source: Publisher
Set in the village of Hemmersmoor in Germany, not long after the closing of the concentration camps and the raising of the Berlin Wall, Your House Is on Fire, Your Children All Gone shares connected stories of a village shrouded in death and despair. It starts off with the funeral of Anke, the final remaining heir to the von Kamphoff manor. Each story that follows details retellings by children, now adults, who grew up in Hemmersmoor. The villagers were incredibly suspicious and superstitious people and for good reason. The village appears to be cursed, the residents punished perhaps for previous deeds.
In addition the the overall feeling of dread due to the overwhelming number of deaths, primarily of children and infants, the town is also riddled with individuals who are obviously disturbed, from a young boy who kills his sister to a father who attacks his daughter, leaving her permanently scarred. This, with the overall feeling of dread and despair adds up to a truly chilling read.
Fans of Shirley Jackson’s classic horror fiction will be certain to enjoy this truly chilling novel. A bit of a warning, however. This book does contain some graphic scenes, not particularly gory but still unsettling. All in all, an overwhelmingly terrifying book, not necessarily because of ghosts and monsters but instead “real” monsters within the residents of Hemmersmoor. Recommended.
Pingback: Jenn's Bookshelves 2012 Murder, Monsters & Mayhem Wrap-Up | Jenn's Bookshelves