Grave's end Review

Grave’s End didn’t fill me with the kind of dread I was expecting. Sure, it had its moments, but it was tame by many standards and compared to other pieces like this. However, this piece, did have its moments. I found myself thinking Karin possessed or at the very least empathic enough to pick up on the negative emotions left in the home.

            

 I found this well written to be sure. But, this reminded me of something I would see on the Travel Channel: family-oriented horror. It is certainly enjoyable, but not something I would find particularly frightening. This also does go against the ghostly grain in a number of ways.

           

 Granted I found this typical of the real ghost story subgenre, I found some of myself in some of the people mentioned in this. I would find it reasonable to seek outside help,

         

However (again), I didn’t find this very frightening. It may be due to the nature of the haunting. Sure, things were weird at the beginning and the poltergeist activity increased. It takes more than that to scare me. It would take a full apparition capable of harm. I will give the bumps in the night their credit, but they only work up to a point. This seemed to be a common restless spirit story. Though entertaining, it was far from was I would have expected.

             

Mercado’s scientific background comes into play early on and it serves her well, up to a point. When the poltergeist activity picks up, it sets her entire family on edge, and so her reaching out to spiritual help is not unheard of. It could be expected, with her children being easily affected by whatever entity is around. I found it a reasonable approach to the issue.

             

What I found difficult to understand was her family’s reaction to this. It seemed well within reason, but it didn’t have a real quality to it. I found it difficult to really understand how this could stand out against the other true ghost stories. Granted the Exorcist house is one of the most famous haunted locations in the United States, Grave’s End seems a dim flame in comparison. Perhaps an unfair comparison considering the presence didn’t seem demonic.

             

Another aspect I found a bit difficult to accept was the parapsychology course. It seemed too convenient. I wasn’t too fond of that. Scientific reasoning versus the paranormal/supernatural would have been an easy topic to conjure up interest. However, I just didn’t find this all too intriguing of a read. Her portrayals of her family didn’t give me cause for concern. It sounds harsh, but I wanted to know more about the people in her life and how the haunting affected them. I know it was all in the book, but I felt something missing and I can’t quite pin point it. I would have liked to have known whom lived in my home before me and started from there.