The Companion

The Companion is a fantastic novel that takes modern characters and puts them in the context of a gothic horror novel. An orphaned teenager is taken in by a wealthy family and brought to their secluded country estate to be a companion to their ill daughter. And as you would expect in a secluded country estate, the girl starts to see and hear creepy things and is bent on discovering what it really going on in this house. It was a thoroughly enjoyable read. I loved the characters, the setting was perfect, and the plot was interesting. Definitely an updated version of what you expect from the genre. It is very reminiscent of a Haunting of Hill House or Turn of the Screw. It’s not very scary, if that is what you are looking for. There are a few intense moments, but it is YA, so it's lighter. It really lends itself to a movie version. I think audiences would go for it.

Margot, the main character is dealing with a huge tragedy, her entire family was in a car accident and died except for her. She gets put into a group home, and a couple weeks of staying there, a mysterious rich family wants to adopt her. They said they knew her dad and wanted to repay his kindness, so they take her under their wing. Margot finds out soon enough that these people weren’t just being kind, they needed her help in a way. Laura and John’s daughter had an “accident” and her brain doesn’t work the way it should. She can do basic things such as feed herself, walk around, and go to the bathroom but that’s about all she can. Laura wanted to have Margot come into the family and be Agatha’s companion. To sit with her and just basically watch her and make sure she is okay. Right away, things are just a little off at this mansion of a house. Laura will say things that are a little strange, and John is always away for work. Slowly, we get more and more little tidbits about what is really going on at this house. My heart was racing when I hit the last 100 pages or so and I could not believe what I was reading. The Companion is a seriously messed up book, but I loved every minute of it. I loved Margot and the storyline. I’m not usually into a slower paced thriller, but this one was exceptionally written. It was so unnerving and freaky that I had to stop myself from reading and just breathe. I honestly hope this will be a huge hit in the horror/thriller department because it was perfection.