My mum has been an avid fan of James Herbert's books for years, but his horror has never really appealed to me, until she said I had to read this novel. The title intrigued me and so I borrowed it and I haven't been disappointed at all.
The Magic Cottage is part fairy tale, part ghost story, part Escape to the Country...at times it is twee and enchanting, at other times it is Gothic and spooky. It tells the story of Midge, a children's book illustrator and her musician boyfriend Mike, who are tired of living in London and buy an idyllic cottage in the New Forest. From the very beginning the cottage is special - it has an aura of peace and purity that the couple both pick up on and enjoy. Their creativity thrives, their neighbours are friendly, the wildlife are sociable and trusting, the cottage feels protective and safe, almost alive...it's all very Disney...until it's not.
As the title suggests this novel is full of magic. It has everything; a creepy old witch, dark sects, a cheeky red squirrel, a plague of bats, hints at vampirism, healing potions, wands, meditations, mediumship - the lot. Magic, like anything else, has its trends and published in 1986 The Magic Cottage includes the magical trends of the 1980's, such as dark cults and pyramid power. It is all included in the plot. Thank goodness pyramid power was just a passing trend! But the sect reminded me of the alchemists and the transcendentalists of the past - it has that kind of old fashioned magical Order feel to it.
I liked this book because it describes the fairy tale cottage, deep in the country, surrounded by wildlife, that I have wanted to live in ever since I was a little girl, which is probably why my mother told me I needed to read it. I like the descriptions of power raising and of all the different kinds of magic the author has managed to cram into one story! And I adore Rumbo the red squirrel - he is my favourite character and I have met a couple of little chaps just like him in Strathpeffer in the Highlands.
The novel keeps you guessing throughout. Are Mike and Midge being drawn into a vampire cult? Is Midge, whose nickname is Pixie, really a changeling and she has been called home to roost in an enchanted forest? Who was the old witch and is she haunting them? Protecting them? You'll need to read the book to find out.
It is a lovely, turning to spooky, read - unless you have a phobia about bats, in which case it's probably not for you. But I like bats, so I really enjoyed the book. Who knows, I might even read more of James Herbert's novels now that I have discovered his talent. You can buy or download the book here Enjoy!
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