Skip to main content
PBS logo
 
 

Book Reviews of The Magic Cottage

The Magic Cottage
The Magic Cottage
Author: James Herbert
ISBN-13: 9780451401069
ISBN-10: 0451401069
Publication Date: 12/6/1988
Pages: 321
Rating:
  • Currently 3.5/5 Stars.
 20

3.5 stars, based on 20 ratings
Publisher: Onyx
Book Type: Paperback
Reviews: Amazon | Write a Review

8 Book Reviews submitted by our Members...sorted by voted most helpful

taosing avatar reviewed The Magic Cottage on + 76 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
A rustic and eldritch tale of enchantment, wherein a cottage that sits on a major confluence of ley lines, lures a married couple into becoming its champions against an evil that would pervert its power.
reviewed The Magic Cottage on + 5 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
I like that these characters were almost familiar to me. The couple move into a secluded, fixer upper of a cottage. Almost immediately creepy, yet explainable things start to happen, and then they stumble upon the "religious" cult next door.
This book builds up the suspense until you are on the edge of your seat. Told from the husbands point of view, it's humorous but also ghoulish. I enjoyed it!
perryfran avatar reviewed The Magic Cottage on + 1223 more book reviews
I've read a couple of Herbert's novels in the past and remember thinking they were pretty good horror stories. This one fell a little short for me. I think it was because of on top of the creepy things happening in the cottage, Herbert made a cult group - the Synergists - a big part of the story. The Synergists were out to obtain the cottage because of its location and the "magic" vibes emanating from there. I think the novel would have been better as a more direct ghost story. Anyway, a very mild recommendation for this one.
emeraldfire avatar reviewed The Magic Cottage on
The cottage was so peaceful; maybe a little rundown, but so magically quiet. But then there was an alternate side; the bad magic. I loved this book and give it an A!
reviewed The Magic Cottage on + 335 more book reviews
Gramarye. It's like a fairy tale - a lovely rustic bungalow at the edge of a forest. Thoroughly charming. A red tile roof and ramshackle wihite picket fence. For Mike and Midge, Gramarye is a dream house. Idyllic, even enchanted.
Then everything changes: eerie incidents, inexplicable attacks, ghostly vistations, are set in motion. Mike senses the prescence of an awesome power - a black magic in all its hellish guises. Walls appear to be moving closer and closer, as if to grasp Mike in the cold grip of death, while unstoppable slithering evil prepares to reclaim the cottage in the name of all that is twisted, unearthly, and foul. And an ideal storybook cottage becomes the place where horror dwells and the blood runs cold...
kimberlyrav avatar reviewed The Magic Cottage on + 417 more book reviews
I totally saw everything described in this book in great detail. Herbert captured the perfect description of a magic cottage deep in the woods. I expected more things to occur inside and around the cottage and towards the end, I was just left with a wanting.
Totally creepy story, I was creeped out by the "SYNIGERST TEMPLE" in the woods. Freaky, crazy..This is why I love James Herbert. He can make me see it, feel it, smell it, and just completely pull you along into this magical journey that usually doesn't let up till the end. My fav read by Herbert is, "Secrets of Crickley Hall".
embchicken avatar reviewed The Magic Cottage on + 95 more book reviews
This is a great book for a quick get away from reality. Easy to read and fast paced. keeps you engaged all the way to the end.
reviewed The Magic Cottage on + 52 more book reviews
Gramarye changes from a dream house..eerie incidents, inexplicable attacks, ghostly visitations are set in motion. Mike senses the presence of an awesome power-a black magic in all its worst guises. Walls appear to be moving closer and closer , as if to grasp Mike in the cold crip of death, whileunstoppable slithering evil prepares to reclaim the cottage in the name of all that is twisted, unearthly and foul. And an ideal-storybook cottage bcomes the place where horror dwells and the blood runs cold.
...from the back cover of the book