Review: Breaking the rules for love
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 10 7, 2012
Why are some of us compelled to enter the dark, unknown recesses of an abandoned home? How much do we ever really know about the private lives of our parents -- their lives before children, and outside of family? And how far would a demon go to resurrect the woman he loves?Tara Fox Hall once again weaves a narrative that unfolds carefully and with much detail. Reading The Chalet reminded me of Stephen King's The Shining -- every turn down the winding corridors of a grandiose, but seemingly lifeless mansion was a new revelation. I couldn't put it down. I was drawn in completely by the demanding feeling of inevitability, foreboding, tragedy, and mystery. Once again, Hall's portrayal of the bitter-sweet reality that love can be was powerfully expressed. Her work resonates with hope and loss, confusion and knowledge, hatred and love, in such a way that we cannot help but feel deeply for both the protagonist and the villain. Tara takes a candle to those shadowy places of the human heart where many of us fear to look; she peers into the corners, walking a fine line between light and dark which is both unsettling and arousing. Her story satisfies and yet leaves us hungry for more.Thank you again, Tara, for pushing the limits. I can't wait to read your next work!