James Herbert, Shrine

James Herbert, Shrine - Synopsis:

"A little girl called Alice, a deaf-mute. A vision. A lady in shimmering white who says she is the immaculate conception. And Alice can suddenly hear and speak. And she can perform miracles. Soon the site of the visitation, beneath the ancient oak tree, has become a shrine, a holy place for thousands of pilgrims. But Alice is no longer the guileless child overwhelmed by her new saintliness. She has become the agent of something corrupt, a vile force that is centuries-old. Innocence and evil have become one".

First published in 1983, Shrine was the ninth novel of Herbert's to be released. He was already a very well-established horror writer, with a collection of classics of the genre under his belt. Shrine runs for 544 pages (epic for our Jim), which delivers a tale of horrific suspense. The novel takes a break from Herbert's splatterpunk roots, instead opting for a more atmospheric and haunting approach. The plot gradually unfolds throughout the novel, building up the suspense from the start. The characterisation is carefully constructed, bringing about a convincing hero character, Fenn. Herbert examines and develops on the conflicts between the religious organisations and the commercial world that we live in with an intelligent and thought-provoking manner. The book builds towards a massive finale which is where the book fails for me. The ending, (don't worry, I won't give it away) although thought-provoking and unexpected, left me feeling cheated. The tension towards the end is outstanding as Herbert has built the novel up to a peak, but it really fails to deliver a conclusion worthy of the build up. Our hero character who has led us through the novel seems to be more of a by-stander at the end rather than involved. Once the novel was finished, I was left in a haze of unrewarded emotions about the book, wishing that the ending had offered me something more to chew over.

Although this review has come out very negative, I must emphasise that it is still an enjoyable read. Ok, I felt cheated by the ending, but the tension created by Herbert's build-up is outstanding. The whole novel is extremely well written, creating a haunting atmosphere that is a pleasure to immerse yourself within.