Wonderland

April 6, 2020
In this tepid psychological thriller with a paranormal slant from Stage (Baby Teeth), 41-year-old Orla Bennett, a recently retired ballet dancer, and her family—husband Shaw and two young children—move from a New York City apartment to an old house on six acres deep in the Adirondacks. Shortly after their arrival, Orla and the children have deep misgivings about the secluded place, which seems to be home to a supernatural presence. But Shaw, an aspiring artist who grew up in the North Country, was drawn to the property—especially the towering, centuries-old pine tree behind the house—and advises Orla and the kids to disregard the increasingly strange occurrences (like 10 feet of snow falling overnight), all of which seem to be aimed at keeping the family on the property. Though Stage’s darkly lyrical writing style shines in places—particularly in creating memorable imagery—that can’t save a derivative story with a conspicuous lack of overall emotional intensity. This is disturbing for all the wrong reasons. Agent: Stephen Barbara, Inkwell Management.

Starred review from April 1, 2020

Proving that the scares in her 2018 debut, Baby Teeth, were no accident, Stage returns with her second novel, this time ratcheting up the supernatural element. Orla, a recently retired ballerina, agrees to move with her family from Manhattan to a remote farmhouse in upstate New York so that her husband can pursue his painting career. Almost immediately upon arriving, their tween daughter senses something is very wrong; the land and trees surrounding their house teem with evil intent. The atmosphere is oppressive from page one and the tension builds steadily throughout, as the house and the land it stands on turn against the family, infiltrating their innermost thoughts, making Orla question her very sanity. VERDICT Reminiscent of the severe disorientation and trauma in Mark Z. Danielewski's House of Leaves and the nature-seeking revenge theme of Stephen Graham Jones's The Only Good Indians--with elements of and nods to Shirley Jackson's works--Stage's latest offers a memorable take on the haunted house trope.

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April 15, 2020
A plot of land becomes a family's prison. Ballet dancer Orla Moreau has long been the Moreau-Bennett clan's breadwinner, but now that she's 41, it's time for her to retire and watch the kids while her husband, 38-year-old painter Shaw Bennett, pursues his dream. Nature inspires Shaw, and their money will go further up north, so they put their New York City co-op on the market and start house hunting. When a realtor shows them a dilapidated dwelling on six remote acres in the Adirondacks, they pass; although Shaw feels drawn to a 500-year-old Eastern white pine that occupies the property, an isolated fixer-upper isn't what they had in mind. In the ensuing months, though, Shaw grows obsessed with the tree--dreaming about it, painting it--so when the price drops, they take the plunge and sink their savings into renovations. Orla, Shaw, and their children, 9-year-old Eleanor Queen and 4-year-old Tycho, move in after Thanksgiving, anticipating an idyllic winter in the country. Instead, Shaw turns manic and distant, Eleanor Queen senses an entity trying to communicate with her, and the homestead is beset by inexplicable phenomena. Attempts to leave are not only thwarted, but punished. Orla resolves to figure out what is tormenting her family and why, but she might not like the answer. Author Stage perfectly captures the fears and frictions that accompany household moves and career changes; indeed, her keen portrayal of domestic upset is what grounds the story and imparts verisimilitude. Regrettably, the book's bigger emotional beats fail to resonate, blunting the tale's impact, and a silly denouement further disappoints. What starts as a creepy slow burn fizzles in the homestretch.

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Starred review from April 15, 2020
A beautifully choreographed and astonishing second novel from the author of the much-celebrated Baby Teeth (2018). Shaw and Orla Bennett decide to leave their cherished Manhattan apartment because they need more space for their two young children and for Shaw's artistic pursuits, and Orla is concerned that city living is taking its toll on their daughter, Eleanor Queen, who has become fearful and neurotic. What they encounter at their new home, a rural farmhouse in upstate New York, will challenge the child's psyche in ways she could never have imagined. The discovery that there were tuberculosis cure cottages on the property and that many souls perished there seems to explain the overall eeriness of the land. The scary dreams are just part of the off-grid adjustment, right? And then there is a grim and massive evergreen tree out back, surrounded by smaller trees, like attendants in waiting. Waiting patiently, it turns out, for the unknown entity that dwells within it to possess Eleanor Queen. Eventually Orla is left alone with the children, snowbound and unable to contact the outside world, with starvation imminent and the trees inching ever closer to the house as the evil manifests itself. This book is being marketed as Shirley Jackson meets The Shining, and it delivers. The horror genre has found an eloquent and unflinching new author.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2020, American Library Association.)

Narrator Xe Sands's whispery soft voice is a good match for this introspective novel about Anna Brundage, a 44-year-old indie rock musician who's on an international tour in an attempt to stage a comeback. The bulk of the story consists of Anna's thoughts as she reflects on the men in her life, her unconventional childhood, and the uncertainty of her future. Sands's performance adds to the surreal quality of life on the road, and she's especially good at handling the numerous sexual encounters. In those scenes Sands maintains a level emotional range, which keeps the focus on how Anna uses sex for both escape and power. While the novel itself suffers from a lack of cohesiveness, Sands's narration is near flawless. C.B.L. © AudioFile 2014, Portland, Maine


Narrator Xe Sands combines an easy-listening voice and a wide range of character differentiation in this suspenseful story. Orla and Snow Bennett and their two children are ready to escape their harried lives in the city. They go to the Adirondack Mountains, where they expect a peaceful existence, but things are not what they seem. The isolation proves frightening as something formless and frightening begins to come for the family. Sands varies her tone and pacing to portray the keen awareness and intelligence of Orla, who must do everything she can to save her loved ones. Capturing the story's blend of calm and creepiness, Sands takes listeners on an eerie adventure. M.L.S. � AudioFile 2020, Portland, Maine