The String Diaries

Considering this book is written in a way that spans over 100 years, covers written history from a number of different people and flits around between the 1800s and now quite quickly, you'd be forgiven for thinking it could be difficult to get into.

It was, thankfully, quite easy to get drawn into and seriously easy to follow. The cross over between the different time periods is not immediately known to the reader, but within a few pages I began to draw conclusions that were almost always the right ones. I found this use of covering large chunks of time quite effective overall and it really gave the story something unique - multiple protagonists.

The antagonist, what to say about that? Well it was ingenious. I loved the use of pacing in the writing to make something seemingly innocent appear to be dangerous, it really allowed for me to become wrapped up in the whole tale.

I really enjoyed the way Hungarian folklore was weaved into the story, it was left, like breadcrumbs to be followed and gradually uncovered by the array of protagonists throughout the 100+ year timeline.

With the rich folklore and history came a well written, beautifully constructed story, some of the phrases and scenes painted (and painted they were!) were so richly detailed that I felt like I was there with the characters, not just reading about them from the comfort of my lounge.

Beautiful, crisp, tense writing in scenes where it mattered:

A king-size bed. Plenty of room underneath it. A wardrobe in the corner, old and echoey. Floor-length curtains. So many places to hide. But none of them matter. None of them. Because one of the balcony doors is standing open, and a breeze that smells of lavender and late autumn sun and a terrible finality of endings is pouring through the gap, and now she can no longer deny what has happened, can no longer hope...

Yet beautifully descriptive prose when the need arose too:

As they crossed the bridge, Lukacs studied the vast edifice of Buda Palace on the opposite bank. the building overwhelmed the hill on which it stood, its tall walls of stone, washed golden in the setting sun, rising up proud of the surrounding trees. Verdigris roofs, turrets and domes blazed with color.

A thoroughly enjoyable read one for the thriller and horror fans but also mild enough to cater to those fans of the paranormal and historical genres too.

**Note: I obtained an electronic ARC copy of this book through Net Galley in return for an honest review**

The String Diaries by Stephen Jones. Published by Mullholland Posted on February 25, 2014 by cayocosta72

A series of diaries, some more than 200 years old, passed from mother to daughter are more than family stories. They are survival manuals and they are wanted by a group of very bad people. Hannah is fleeing with the diaries and her daughter, hoping that she will live long enough to pass them on. From modern times to ancient kingdoms, this is a sweeping saga of womens power and knowledge and mens fear of it. Tremendous

I received a free copy of this book from Net Galley and Little Brown Publishing in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for the opportunity!!!

First of all, I want to say that a monster who can live for centuries and change the way he looks, yeah that sounds far fetched and unrealistic. However, if the author comes up with a plausible explanation and a so called myth that tells you "it could happen", then I am totally okay with that. I'm reading to be entertained, not search for facts, etc.

That being said. I absolutely loved this book. Shifting from the early days of when this myth began, to the 1970's and the present, the story is told. It is a tale of generations of a family that are being haunted by a montster with an obsession. He will stop at nothing to get what he wants.

The book has lots of plot twists and turns and will definitely keep you up all night. I read this in one night until very early in the morning. Yes, it's that good!!

“The String Diaries” by Stephen Lloyd Jones
“The String Diaries” is a complex supernatural thriller that spans several time periods starting in the 1800s, with a stopover in the 1970s and ending in current times. Hannah, her husband, and young daughter are on the run and in terrible danger. They are hiding out in a farmhouse borrowing a little time before Jakab finds them.
Steeped in mythology and folklore, Hannah’s family has done battle with Jakab for ages, but can’t shake him. Hannah is determined to stop him because she is desperate to save her daughter, but Jakab is a wily nemesis because he is able to change shapes and embody the people close to you. Whew! This is not the usual shape shifter story by any means. Jakab’s abilities are the stuff that legends are made of. It’s hard to believe this is even possible, which is why diaries have been passed down through generations and closely studied. An angry Jakab curses Hannah’s family because he feels betrayed by a woman that didn’t wait long enough for him and married another man. Equal parts thriller, horror, suspense, and mystery make this a solid and unique novel. The author did a fine job of taking us through the past all the way to the present for the ultimate good versus evil type showdown. The character of Jakab was already a little bit sociopathic and bitter before he decided to make Hannah’s family miserable for all eternity. The suspense leading up to the climax was supercharged because we know Jakab is coming, we just don’t know how he will make his grand entrance or what form he will use, and it will take a miracle for Hannah to survive, much less save her daughter. Will she be able to break the curse or will Jakab emerge triumphant once again? This one gets 4 stars.
Reviewed by Julie Whiteley for Suspense Magazine

Fabulous! If this one doesn't become a number one bestseller, I'll be totally surprised. Hannah is someone you want to cheer for and the suspense really keeps you on your toes. Love it!

My opinion:

This debut novel spans 200 years with 3 distinct locations and timelines: turn of the 19th century Hungary, 1970s Oxford, and present time Wales. Stephen Lloyd Jones’ invention of shapeshifters born out of a Hungarian folklore myth is nothing like the mass produced vampire and werewolf fiction currently flooding the market. I don’t usually enjoy paranormal books but this was similar to one of my favorite historical fiction novels with a paranormal subtext, Elizabeth Kostova’s “The Historian.” From the opening pages of Hannah Wilde driving her bleeding husband and sleeping 9 year old daughter to a safehouse in the country to the action packed finale, Jones will have you flipping the pages in suspense. I was jumping out of my skin with every bump and noise I heard in my house and when my doorbell rang, I about had a heart attack. Still, I couldn’t stop reading because I had to know what was going to happen next!

This book just hooked me from the first page and I can't say I've ever read anything quite like it. It gives a whole new meaning to the phrase "Trust no one".

Although some readers may not enjoy the way this book alternated time periods, I thought it was essential to the story as details were gradually revealed, making the story more engrossing than if told in a linear fashion. The author did a superb job of making me feel Hannah's emotions, so my heart was racing in some parts of this book and at other times I was close to needing kleenex. The action scenes were skillful, well thought out, and highly visual.

As a debut novel, I thought it was fast-paced, the writing evocative, and I would absolutely read more books by this author. With the blending of genres - thriller, suspense, urban fantasy, and supernatural elements- this book would please many readers and I highly recommend it.

This review is based on a digital ARC from the publisher through NetGalley.

He might be anyone

The String Diaries: A Novel by Stephen Lloyd Jones (Mulholland Books, $26).

Stephen Lloyd Jones has written an outstanding supernatural thriller in The String Diaries, opening with a couple and their nine-year-old daughter en route to a safe house in Wales, fleeing some unknown threat.

The husband, Nick, has two life-threatening bullet wounds, but it’s his wife, Hannah, who is the prey here.

As the story unfolds over two centuries and from multiple perspectives, Jones introduces the supernatural element, an intriguing and original twist on the myth of the shapeshifter, with roots in the far reaches of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Obsessed with the women of one family, this psychopathic monster has pursued them relentlessly; the diaries of the title, tied in a bundle with string, are the record of the successive attempts to avoid—or to kill—him.

As Hannah battles a madman who has been stalking her family for centuries, we are left wondering who can be trusted and whether it’s possible to remain sane while living one’s entire life under siege. Tense, fast-paced and lush, The String Diaries is an excellent summer thriller.

The String Diaries - the thrilling debut novel from Stephen Lloyd Jones - is not a pure horror novel, but rather borrows a little bit from a variety of genres. I recently listed it as one of my "Most Anticipated Summer Reads" based off nothing but the official synopsis, which was more than enough to capture my attention. I said it would be a book that would rule my life the minute I start it and my prediction was confirmed the moment I started reading .

The String Diaries kicks off with a bang as Hannah Wilde races through the night trying to make it to Snowdonia, Wales ahead of a mysterious pursuer with her husband slumped in the passenger seat quickly losing blood from a horrific attack and her young daughter sleeping in the back. The family is being hunted by a centuries-old monster and they are armed with little more than a bundle of old diaries that have been handed down throughout the centuries detailing ways to help combat their enemy. What follows is an intense struggle for survival where Hannah must decide how much she is willing to sacrifice to protect her family and put an end to a curse that has spanned centuries.

One of the things I was most excited about was the sprawling timeline that makes up the novel. I love books that are not afraid to explore different settings and time periods because it allows the author the freedom to craft a rich history that can add an interesting dimension to a story. The book starts off with a bang in the present day, but throughout the course of the novel Jones jumps around to Oxford in the 1970s and Hungary at the turn of the 19th century. Sometimes jumping around in time can create a serious continuity problem and jeopardize the momentum built up throughout the course of the novel. However, Jones transports the reader through time with ease and never loses the thread of the story by giving a brief but natural summary at the start of each chapter when returning from a switch in time. The time jumps are not simply about providing background information, although they certainly do that, they are also entertaining story lines in their own right. None of these alternate story threads feels like a bore and each one offers their own central mystery which helps keep the reader engaged.

The main adversary of the novel is another strong point in this book. I want to avoid spoilers, so the only information I will give comes straight from the publisher in their original summary of the novel: "A family is hunted by a centuries-old monster.." The idea behind the force that is haunting Hannah Wilde and her family is pure genius. The basis of the antagonist has appeared in horror before, but Jones uses a bit of Hungarian folklore that I have never seen used before and it helped add a little bit of originality to the plot. I also found it interesting that despite the pure evil displayed by the antagonist, there were times where I couldn't help but feel a little bit of empathy for him. This small bit of humanization makes him a much more complex and interesting adversary.

The String Diaries is an incredibly entertaining book with plenty of surprises that invite marathon reading sessions. If you liked Elizabeth Kostova's The Historian or Andrew Davidson's The Gargoyle, there is a good chance you will love The String Diaries! Stephen Lloyd Jones is an exciting new author worth keeping an eye on.

I have seen interviews that he has a sequel planned for The String Diaries, so that is definitely an early contender for one of my most anticipated reads of 2015!

A centuries-old evil stalks Hannah Wilde, an evil that purports to love her, just as it has all the women in her family for generations, with devastating and murderous consequences. And since this evil can assume any human form, Hannah seeks constant validation – not of herself, but that those she loves are really who they appear to be. For the sake of her daughter, Hannah will confront this evil, which has a name to go with its many faces: Jakab.

Using interconnected storylines and the “String Diaries” begun and perpetuated by members of Hannah’s family to help those who come after, this tale of Jakab’s life, Hannah’s parents, and others in Hannah’s family spans centuries. Born in 19th-century Hungary, Jakab is a member of the hosszú életek, the “long-lived,” elite creatures who have the ability, within certain constraints, to heal themselves as well as change their appearance. Jones creates and fleshes out the concept so realistically that I was uncertain, while reading, if it was of his own devising or based upon some Hungarian folk mythology I’d never before encountered. (It appears to be the former, so even more kudos to Jones.) The jumping storylines and settings (present-day Snowdonia, 1970s Oxford, 1800s Budapest) completely engage the reader and allow for the maintenance of nail-biting suspense over the length of the novel, while still allowing a nuanced “show” rather than “tell” unfolding of the story. The characterization is strong and dimensional, the pacing perfect, and the plot threads skilfully woven. The prose is highly visual, allowing for some disturbing mental pictures, but it’s also an engrossing novel which appeals on a number of levels. Be sure to pick this one up – it’s a stand-out in its genre and a great read.

Published in Historical Novels Review, Issue 69 (August 2014); also available online from the Historical Novel Society website at http://historicalnovelsociety.org/reviews/the-string-diaries/