Melmoth

A Novel

By: Sarah Perry

Narrated by: Jan Cramer

For centuries, the mysterious dark-robed figure has roamed the globe, searching for those whose complicity and cowardice have fed into the rapids of history’s darkest waters—and now, in Sarah Perry’s breathtaking follow-up to The Essex Serpent, it is heading in our direction.

It has been years since Helen Franklin left England. In Prague, working as a translator, she has found a home of sorts—or, at least, refuge. That changes when her friend Karel discovers a mysterious letter in the library, a strange confession and a curious warning that speaks of Melmoth the Witness, a dark legend found in obscure fairy tales and antique village lore. As such superstition has it, Melmoth travels through the ages, dooming those she persuades to join her to a damnation of timeless, itinerant solitude. To Helen it all seems the stuff of unenlightened fantasy.

But, unaware, as she wanders the cobblestone streets Helen is being watched. And then Karel disappears. . . .

Not a good creepy Gothic ghost story after all

Really thought this was going to be a good creepy Gothic/ghost story. Most definitely had supernatural elements and started out creepy, but the author overdid it to the point that you were expecting the creepiness and it wasn’t that creepy anymore. And her stories went off on tangents, half of which just weren’t that interesting. And there were very few characters whose personalities were someone you wanted to be in sympathy with. Just a bunch of selfish people. I did not enjoy it in the end, and I am unsure whether I think the narrator made it worse. It might’ve been better or had I read it not listened.

Haunting and compelling

The story pulls the reader along through the story and compels to keep listening to the end. Performance was excellent

Story > performance

Performance was at times overly dramatic and nearly always much too slow. Listened at 1.5x speed (which is faster than I usually listen) and only then did it feel paced appropriately.

Story was interesting and well-written. Some really killer metaphors and descriptive passages. A very timely theme of not shying away from that which is terrible

Love Sarah Perry, Love Melmoth

Fell in love with the Essex Serpent about a year and a half ago, and I was so excited when I saw Melmoth's release. I have never heard a better intro to a book probably in my life. It captivates you as soon as it begins. It is just like the Essex Serpent where you cannot tell if it is going to be spooky/fantastical or if it is merely all in one's head. Even after reading it I'm not sure.

thoroughly enjoyable just a bit slow paced

Good story, I just found it exceedingly slow and if we're being honest a bit boring but I am glad I persevered.