Carole Johnstone
Author of Mirrorland
Works by Carole Johnstone
Associated Works
Some of the Best from Tor.com: 2019 Edition: A Tor.com Original (2020) — Contributor — 157 copies, 3 reviews
The Best of the Best Horror of the Year: 10 Years of Essential Short Horror Fiction (2018) — Contributor — 109 copies, 2 reviews
Screams from the Dark: 29 Tales of Monsters and the Monstrous (2022) — Contributor — 100 copies, 2 reviews
Black Static 18 2 copies
Tagged
Common Knowledge
- Canonical name
- Johnstone, Carole
- Legal name
- Johnstone, Carole
- Gender
- female
- Short biography
- Carole Johnstone is a writer of speculative fiction: mostly horror, some fantasy, sci-fi, historical and slipstream.
Since early 2008 her short stories have been published in various anthologies and magazines: Morrigan Books' Voices, Dead Souls, and Grants Pass; In Bad Dreams Vol. 2, From The Asylum, and Black Static among others.
In 2010, she is due to appear in PS Publishing's apocalyptic anthology, Catastrophia.
Her first novella, Frenzy was recently released by Eternal Press, and is also available in paperback at Amazon.com - Nationality
- UK
- Associated Place (for map)
- UK
Members
Reviews
I tried a few different times to get into this book over the course of a year and a half. I picked it up a few days ago and I could not put it down. It was so good. So clever and very atmospheric. The mystery surrounding El's disappearance, El and her identical twin sister's childhood, Mirrorland - everything was so intriguing and it all came together so well. Little twists were thrown in at the right moments and they were shocking. This is one that will stick with me for a while. Very show more impressive debut and I will definitely look for more from this author in the future.
Thank you to Netgalley and Simon & Schuster Canada for an ARC. show less
Thank you to Netgalley and Simon & Schuster Canada for an ARC. show less
There are several implausibilities in the plot, but it was so strange and gothic, so atmospheric, so dark and twisted, that I didn’t mind at all. Mirrorland is a dark and strange world of childhood make-believe, and how Cat’s memories of that make-believe world of the past color her present, however implausibly, is fascinating reading. The ending was a little weak, a whimper rather than a bang, but I enjoyed the numerous surprises on the voyage to get there, some of which I foresaw and show more some I didn’t. I listened to the audiobook, and Katie Leung’s Scottish narration was melodic and really enhanced the story (though it really muddled her attempts at foreign accents to my American ear). show less
Book source ~ TWR Tour
Catriona (Cat) Morgan moved away from her twin sister Ellice (El) in Edinburgh twelve years ago. Now, her brother-in-law Ross has called to tell her El is missing. El went out on her boat and never came back. Cat knows her sister isn’t dead. She knows the way she always knew when El was hurt. But everything is pointing to Cat being wrong. Being back in the house they grew up in is messing with Cat. And that’s only the tip of the iceberg. Cat is about to go through show more some things. The only question is: Will she survive the storm?
Holy shit! This is a mindfuck! This is a book that grabs hold and does not let go. Seriously. I had dreams about it. I don’t usually dream about book plots. Sometimes, but most of the time my dreams are just random complete weirdness. This thing messed with my mind. It’s a book I know I’ll be thinking about for a long long time. And it’ll probably pop into my thoughts when I least expect it. Don’t you love books like that?
So, you’re probably wondering why I didn’t rate it a 5. Well, to be completely honest, the beginning exasperated me. I mean, it got to the point I actually thought about DNFing it. The unreliable narrator (Cat) got on my nerves with the constant flip flopping of past and present. The switches come without warning and, for me, that is just plain annoying. However…you knew there’d be a however, right? However, the further along I read the more I realized this type of narration is key to the story. It’s KEY, people! At about 40% I really got the wind in my sails and couldn’t wait to see where this ship was going to take me. Oh, boy. Oh. Boy! This is one of those rare books I absolutely love the middle to end, but I’m not too crazy about the beginning. I’m glad I stuck with it.
For those who love dark, twisted, mysteries that mess with your brain then this is one for you. There are so many triggers and some I can’t even list without spoiling things. Suffice to say, it’s deep as Davey Jones locker and just as dark. Mirrorland and that house. Holy fuck. That’s some messed up shit. I love it. Carole Johnstone, I’ll be watching you. I mean, in a non-stalkerish way. Like, I’ll be watching for the next book you launch out into the world. I’m a book lover, not a psychopath.
Sidenote: I received a copy via NetGalley and a hardcover I wasn't expecting. Nice! However, I'm a little disappointed the map of the house was in the ebook but not the hard cover. :( show less
Catriona (Cat) Morgan moved away from her twin sister Ellice (El) in Edinburgh twelve years ago. Now, her brother-in-law Ross has called to tell her El is missing. El went out on her boat and never came back. Cat knows her sister isn’t dead. She knows the way she always knew when El was hurt. But everything is pointing to Cat being wrong. Being back in the house they grew up in is messing with Cat. And that’s only the tip of the iceberg. Cat is about to go through show more some things. The only question is: Will she survive the storm?
Holy shit! This is a mindfuck! This is a book that grabs hold and does not let go. Seriously. I had dreams about it. I don’t usually dream about book plots. Sometimes, but most of the time my dreams are just random complete weirdness. This thing messed with my mind. It’s a book I know I’ll be thinking about for a long long time. And it’ll probably pop into my thoughts when I least expect it. Don’t you love books like that?
So, you’re probably wondering why I didn’t rate it a 5. Well, to be completely honest, the beginning exasperated me. I mean, it got to the point I actually thought about DNFing it. The unreliable narrator (Cat) got on my nerves with the constant flip flopping of past and present. The switches come without warning and, for me, that is just plain annoying. However…you knew there’d be a however, right? However, the further along I read the more I realized this type of narration is key to the story. It’s KEY, people! At about 40% I really got the wind in my sails and couldn’t wait to see where this ship was going to take me. Oh, boy. Oh. Boy! This is one of those rare books I absolutely love the middle to end, but I’m not too crazy about the beginning. I’m glad I stuck with it.
For those who love dark, twisted, mysteries that mess with your brain then this is one for you. There are so many triggers and some I can’t even list without spoiling things. Suffice to say, it’s deep as Davey Jones locker and just as dark. Mirrorland and that house. Holy fuck. That’s some messed up shit. I love it. Carole Johnstone, I’ll be watching you. I mean, in a non-stalkerish way. Like, I’ll be watching for the next book you launch out into the world. I’m a book lover, not a psychopath.
Sidenote: I received a copy via NetGalley and a hardcover I wasn't expecting. Nice! However, I'm a little disappointed the map of the house was in the ebook but not the hard cover. :( show less
"ghosts are just unspoken truths."
Haunting, full of secrets and dark waters. I loved another title by this author so I knew this one would be good. Even in the midst of the chaotic season, I sat down to this one and just fell in love with the darknes and well-woven story.
Maggie was a bit hard to like. She's chaotic and messy. I was never sure what to believe. The island was so well done. I felt claustrophobic and cold the whole story, wondering where the next surprise would come. I did show more guess parts of the story but I never guessed the twists and I loved all the turns and plays the ending gave us. The cover is a perfect descrption for the story - dark water and a dark house on an island of secrets.
A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book. show less
Haunting, full of secrets and dark waters. I loved another title by this author so I knew this one would be good. Even in the midst of the chaotic season, I sat down to this one and just fell in love with the darknes and well-woven story.
Maggie was a bit hard to like. She's chaotic and messy. I was never sure what to believe. The island was so well done. I felt claustrophobic and cold the whole story, wondering where the next surprise would come. I did show more guess parts of the story but I never guessed the twists and I loved all the turns and plays the ending gave us. The cover is a perfect descrption for the story - dark water and a dark house on an island of secrets.
A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book. show less
Lists
Awards
You May Also Like
Associated Authors
Statistics
- Works
- 15
- Also by
- 28
- Members
- 755
- Popularity
- #33,681
- Rating
- 3.6
- Reviews
- 41
- ISBNs
- 42
- Languages
- 7
