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The String Diaries #1
The String Diaries
The String Diaries Hardcover StephenJones MulhollandBooks
423 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2013
143 people are currently reading
5441 people want to read
About the author
Stephen Lloyd Jones
4books131followersStephen Lloyd Jones grew up in Chandlers Ford, Hampshire, and studied at Royal Holloway College, University of London. He now lives in Surrey with his wife, three young sons and far too many books. He's the author of The String Diaries, Written in the Blood and The Disciple.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 594 reviews
April 7, 2019
hmmmm� this is a tough one to review.
first, with the basics: the story begins in a car where a woman is racing to a safehouse in snowdonia with her sleeping nine-year-old daughter in the backseat, and her gut-stabbed husband losing blood in the passenger seat. things are not looking good.
as the story unfolds, it takes the reader back in time to the late 1970's at oxford, and then even further back to the late 1800's in hungary, and the narrative will weave between these time periods and stories like a slow-moving snake tightening around you. yeah, i made a simile - BOOM!
it is a story about an ancient race of supernatural-ish beings in an invented hungarian mythology called the hosszú életek, which means "long life." they are not, strictly speaking, immortal, but they have certain powers, the most useful of which is to be able to change their appearance to that of any human, which is great for getting girls. oh, and healing - that is also pretty useful. but the shapeshifting is the most important for our purposes today. one of these creatures is known as jakab, who is different from others of his race,and his ostracization turns him into a very bad man with violent and obsessive tendencies. his actions have consequences that are long and far-reaching, and lead to the formation of the eleni society, a group devoted to ridding the world of the életek.
while his people are being hunted down, jakab becomes infatuated with a woman, and spends a great deal of his long life stalking and tormenting her family, and the different manifestations of "her" through their generations.
enter hannah and her family. and their racing car.
hannah has been raised knowing the history between her family and jakab, and has been instructed from an early age how to "verify" a loved one's identity. she knows how to handle herself in a dangerous situation, and she has a number of safehouses at her disposal. basically, she has been training her whole life for a confrontation that has finally come to pass.
there are several great and visual scenes that stand out in my mind - a car accident, a tense scene in a kitchen, the amazing final showdown as groups converge with conflicting purposes, and the frequent heart-fluttering realization that you might not be speaking to the person you think. good, shivery stuff.
it's a difficult book to write about without giving too much away, but for a debut full-length novel, it is completely solid and engaging, and although i would have liked more of the oxford and eleni storylines, this was a good book to close out 2013.
first, with the basics: the story begins in a car where a woman is racing to a safehouse in snowdonia with her sleeping nine-year-old daughter in the backseat, and her gut-stabbed husband losing blood in the passenger seat. things are not looking good.
as the story unfolds, it takes the reader back in time to the late 1970's at oxford, and then even further back to the late 1800's in hungary, and the narrative will weave between these time periods and stories like a slow-moving snake tightening around you. yeah, i made a simile - BOOM!
it is a story about an ancient race of supernatural-ish beings in an invented hungarian mythology called the hosszú életek, which means "long life." they are not, strictly speaking, immortal, but they have certain powers, the most useful of which is to be able to change their appearance to that of any human, which is great for getting girls. oh, and healing - that is also pretty useful. but the shapeshifting is the most important for our purposes today. one of these creatures is known as jakab, who is different from others of his race,and his ostracization turns him into a very bad man with violent and obsessive tendencies. his actions have consequences that are long and far-reaching, and lead to the formation of the eleni society, a group devoted to ridding the world of the életek.
while his people are being hunted down, jakab becomes infatuated with a woman, and spends a great deal of his long life stalking and tormenting her family, and the different manifestations of "her" through their generations.
enter hannah and her family. and their racing car.
hannah has been raised knowing the history between her family and jakab, and has been instructed from an early age how to "verify" a loved one's identity. she knows how to handle herself in a dangerous situation, and she has a number of safehouses at her disposal. basically, she has been training her whole life for a confrontation that has finally come to pass.
there are several great and visual scenes that stand out in my mind - a car accident, a tense scene in a kitchen, the amazing final showdown as groups converge with conflicting purposes, and the frequent heart-fluttering realization that you might not be speaking to the person you think. good, shivery stuff.
it's a difficult book to write about without giving too much away, but for a debut full-length novel, it is completely solid and engaging, and although i would have liked more of the oxford and eleni storylines, this was a good book to close out 2013.
July 14, 2022
⭐⭐ 4.5 stars ⭐⭐
“I have love in me the likes of which you can scarcely imagine and rage the likes of which you would not believe. If I cannot satisfy the one then I will indulge in the other� Mary Shelley
The String Diaries, an anthology of paranormal, suspense and mystery, transcends generations, and not a piece of string!!!. It is a tale spanning 150 years across multiple generations with different people, and different places from Eastern Europe to Snowdonia, Oxford and France. It encapsulates the terror created by the beast Jakeb, who is driven by love and obsession but then embarks on a deadly killing spree, sometimes inspired by darker motives.
Balázs Lukács rapes a girl, fails the “vegzet� for young men sparking a major confrontation with his father. He survives an attempt on his life and falls in love with Erna, the woman he “had loved all his life�. It was only years later that Balázs was found guilty of the rape of the young girl, but not before he had sent an innocent man to the gallows, leading to a Royal decree being issued to exterminate the Budapest hosszú életek. Not just Balas himself but also his family and the ruling classes in Hungary.
“Gentlemen, we have ruled. The hosszú élet known as Balázs Lukács is no more. From this day, until our justice is served, the disgraced kirekesztett son will be known as Jakab�.. “Their stain is to be forever cleansed from our society.�
Terror is unleashed by the man now known as Jakeb, for he is the deadliest of killers, a man who has experienced and tasted every aspect of depravity and shows no remorse. He has no identity and no recognisable face because he can supplant others. He is now in pursuit of Erna and the grand daughter that looks like her.
What I liked about this book:
I was in awe after the adrenaline rush from the opening chapters. The beginning of this book was the most gripping and captivating I have read in a long time. The writing is incredibly atmospheric, the story is dark and haunting, and the descriptions were so vivid minus the gore. This author is one of the best and this book is one of my favourites.
The supernatural elements to this story do not require huge leaps of faith but it does mean having to suspend disbelief in parts. I fit naturally with crime / thrillers and historical fiction but gradually getting into the domain of fantasy and the supernatural. I have a mind driven by logic so I have to work at sustaining interest in these books and with plots, characters and events that sometimes seem implausible � that is me not the book.
However, this is a superb read about the most perfidious of men, who would beguile the most unsuspecting of people. Terrifying without the spookology but still a great Halloween read. (or for any time).
“I have love in me the likes of which you can scarcely imagine and rage the likes of which you would not believe. If I cannot satisfy the one then I will indulge in the other� Mary Shelley
The String Diaries, an anthology of paranormal, suspense and mystery, transcends generations, and not a piece of string!!!. It is a tale spanning 150 years across multiple generations with different people, and different places from Eastern Europe to Snowdonia, Oxford and France. It encapsulates the terror created by the beast Jakeb, who is driven by love and obsession but then embarks on a deadly killing spree, sometimes inspired by darker motives.
Balázs Lukács rapes a girl, fails the “vegzet� for young men sparking a major confrontation with his father. He survives an attempt on his life and falls in love with Erna, the woman he “had loved all his life�. It was only years later that Balázs was found guilty of the rape of the young girl, but not before he had sent an innocent man to the gallows, leading to a Royal decree being issued to exterminate the Budapest hosszú életek. Not just Balas himself but also his family and the ruling classes in Hungary.
“Gentlemen, we have ruled. The hosszú élet known as Balázs Lukács is no more. From this day, until our justice is served, the disgraced kirekesztett son will be known as Jakab�.. “Their stain is to be forever cleansed from our society.�
Terror is unleashed by the man now known as Jakeb, for he is the deadliest of killers, a man who has experienced and tasted every aspect of depravity and shows no remorse. He has no identity and no recognisable face because he can supplant others. He is now in pursuit of Erna and the grand daughter that looks like her.
What I liked about this book:
I was in awe after the adrenaline rush from the opening chapters. The beginning of this book was the most gripping and captivating I have read in a long time. The writing is incredibly atmospheric, the story is dark and haunting, and the descriptions were so vivid minus the gore. This author is one of the best and this book is one of my favourites.
The supernatural elements to this story do not require huge leaps of faith but it does mean having to suspend disbelief in parts. I fit naturally with crime / thrillers and historical fiction but gradually getting into the domain of fantasy and the supernatural. I have a mind driven by logic so I have to work at sustaining interest in these books and with plots, characters and events that sometimes seem implausible � that is me not the book.
However, this is a superb read about the most perfidious of men, who would beguile the most unsuspecting of people. Terrifying without the spookology but still a great Halloween read. (or for any time).
February 7, 2021
2016 F.A.B. Bookclub pick # I.❤️. F.A.B.
June 22, 2015
Let me correct the assumption.
This is not a page-turner. This book is a chapter-turner.
I admit there are moments when I just skipped some paragraphs because the descriptions bore me out. But wait until the chapter ends and you'll want to throttle the author because either he did another cliffhanger or he shocked the hell out of you.
The story revolves around some mythical beings from Hungary and I've never heard of them before. I'm interested in mythology (especially the Greek Mythology because their lives are full of tragedy it makes me feel good about my short miserable life. Sorry. Bitter much.)
Back to what I was saying.
There's this guy who was sooo not right in the head and due to some unfortunate events which I will not discuss, this creature which we will call The motherfucker who everybody wants to die decided to stalk this family for almost a century.
This dude put the word STALK into a whole new level.
Then the motherfucker who everybody wants to die originally fell in love with a girl and because even though this is part-mythology, the tragedy still follows those who are fucked up. Some things happened and he decided to follow the girl and all her descendants who looked exactly like her till the end of time..
I love the way the author tells us the whole story in three different era. I'm not familiar with the Hungarian folklore but I'm all good with learning new stuff. I tried googling the word hosszú életek but I came up with almost nothing.
Isn't that weird or what?
This is not a page-turner. This book is a chapter-turner.
I admit there are moments when I just skipped some paragraphs because the descriptions bore me out. But wait until the chapter ends and you'll want to throttle the author because either he did another cliffhanger or he shocked the hell out of you.
The story revolves around some mythical beings from Hungary and I've never heard of them before. I'm interested in mythology (especially the Greek Mythology because their lives are full of tragedy it makes me feel good about my short miserable life. Sorry. Bitter much.)
Back to what I was saying.
There's this guy who was sooo not right in the head and due to some unfortunate events which I will not discuss, this creature which we will call The motherfucker who everybody wants to die decided to stalk this family for almost a century.
This dude put the word STALK into a whole new level.
Then the motherfucker who everybody wants to die originally fell in love with a girl and because even though this is part-mythology, the tragedy still follows those who are fucked up. Some things happened and he decided to follow the girl and all her descendants who looked exactly like her till the end of time..
I love the way the author tells us the whole story in three different era. I'm not familiar with the Hungarian folklore but I'm all good with learning new stuff. I tried googling the word hosszú életek but I came up with almost nothing.
Isn't that weird or what?
April 1, 2014
Hannah arrives at a safe house in the middle of nowhere with a sleeping daughter and a bleeding husband. In a frantic attempt to save his life, she invites in a complete stranger to clean and close the wounds. Shortly after she settles down, Hannah notices an all too familiar mark on the stranger’s hand that may bring to light his true intentions. You see ,Hannah is on the run, and what’s chasing her may not be recognizable at first..
The book is about a lot more than that, trust me, but to fully divulge the plot would most certainly risk spoilers, so you can imagine that Stephen Lloyd Jones� debut novel is a difficult one to talk about it. There’s a lot going on within these four hundred plus pages and while there are a few intense action scenes and thrilling moments (don’t trust that guy/woman/thing!), the whole plot feels like it’s going through the motions.
While the scattered timeline narrative used in Jones� novel is often something I have issues with � obviously no fault of the author, just a preference on my part � it fit well given the subject matter. I liked the use of travelling through time (so to speak) to expand and flesh out the mythology surrounding the villainous Jakab and his relentless pursuit of Hannah and her predecessors.
Overall, I felt the story was OK but didn’t particularly knock my socks off. Jones is a hell of a writer when it comes to frenetic action � I’d love to see more of that from him in the future. In my opinion, he’ll definitely be an author to watch in the coming years.
Also posted @
The book is about a lot more than that, trust me, but to fully divulge the plot would most certainly risk spoilers, so you can imagine that Stephen Lloyd Jones� debut novel is a difficult one to talk about it. There’s a lot going on within these four hundred plus pages and while there are a few intense action scenes and thrilling moments (don’t trust that guy/woman/thing!), the whole plot feels like it’s going through the motions.
While the scattered timeline narrative used in Jones� novel is often something I have issues with � obviously no fault of the author, just a preference on my part � it fit well given the subject matter. I liked the use of travelling through time (so to speak) to expand and flesh out the mythology surrounding the villainous Jakab and his relentless pursuit of Hannah and her predecessors.
Overall, I felt the story was OK but didn’t particularly knock my socks off. Jones is a hell of a writer when it comes to frenetic action � I’d love to see more of that from him in the future. In my opinion, he’ll definitely be an author to watch in the coming years.
Also posted @
January 3, 2023
2022, 3 stars - I'd forgotten that I'd actually finished reading this book before. Life transitions and some early middle-age stagnation...my books were packed and stored for a while. Was it really only 7 years ago?? An eternity, and yet just the other day. Reading this again, huh, very different feelings. It was more a goal to finish and decide whether to Kondo this bitch. There are Dan Brown elements with the short sentences/paragraphs/constant cliffhangers, and romance elements with the overly detailed eye colors (I think one was "coffee and caramel striations" hahaha). But mostly horror elements with being chased, creaky floors, fleeing through storms, the very tiring sexual assaults and sexual depravity, and a bit inexplicably crazed psycho. This all is more a reflection of me as a reader and where I am in life than some objective "good"ness of the book. It's entertaining! I think it'll still hook and pull to the end. But not something I'll read a 3rd time.
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2015, 5 stars - It's been a long time since I've burned through a book like this - in one day and snapping at my dear mother for not letting me ignore the family during dinner and just read - so while I'm not usually drawn to suspenseful stories like this, I've got to recognize how gripping this was. I was quite gripped.
It's hard to describe this without giving away the many payoffs. The synopsis did a pretty good job of giving the intro bits only. The story skips around in time and for once they were all compelling enough that I didn't feel too tempted to skip ahead in order to stick with the one I was on. This would make a jump and twitch inducing movie if it were ever picked up by those people. I found the character descriptions much more vivid than the ones for scenery, which I had trouble visualizing because the people were standing out in such high relief. Towards the end, I got a little disappointed by some of the stock mass market plot elements introduced, but by then I was hooked through the gills. I'm not looking for more books like this, but it was a solid read.
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2015, 5 stars - It's been a long time since I've burned through a book like this - in one day and snapping at my dear mother for not letting me ignore the family during dinner and just read - so while I'm not usually drawn to suspenseful stories like this, I've got to recognize how gripping this was. I was quite gripped.
It's hard to describe this without giving away the many payoffs. The synopsis did a pretty good job of giving the intro bits only. The story skips around in time and for once they were all compelling enough that I didn't feel too tempted to skip ahead in order to stick with the one I was on. This would make a jump and twitch inducing movie if it were ever picked up by those people. I found the character descriptions much more vivid than the ones for scenery, which I had trouble visualizing because the people were standing out in such high relief. Towards the end, I got a little disappointed by some of the stock mass market plot elements introduced, but by then I was hooked through the gills. I'm not looking for more books like this, but it was a solid read.
August 17, 2017
Final is 3.5 � Overall the story was engaging but lacked the power to keep me enveloped. Using three different timelines was a good tool, especially with the Hungarian folklore added. I felt there was a lot of missed potential but I'm also interested in finding the sequel. So this novel isn't a total loss. Just not spectacular either...
August 19, 2014
What a piss-poor excuse for a thriller. It has lots of fun elements that could have come together well: shape-shifters, secret societies, narratives spanning lots of history, etc. But it has no plot or substance or urgency. The book unfortunately goes into the evil shape-shifter's origin story, which makes no sense (don't read on if you want to read this shitty book): as a youth, he's kind of an outcast and gets rejected by a girl he doesn't know at a party, and then he goes out and shape-shifts and RAPES somebody, out of nowhere. ?? And then he gets outcast and later falls in love with a human but has to leave for many years so the human marries someone else. And then he haunts all her future generations of women and tries to shape-shift into their husbands and sleep with them and kill everyone because the women descendants LOOK LIKE the human he fell in love with. What? Unclear his ultimate motive, except he's just "evil" and "deranged" because everyone else keeps saying he is. And the other parts of the book (set among two different generations of these bewitching women that look exactly like the original woman) are so boring. I never thought a thriller could be this boring - the entire conflict for hundreds of pages is, oh no, is that the real person or the shape-shifter pretending to be the real person? This is so hard! Let's move locations! Blah. Lesson: don't read "intellectual" thrillers. Stick with Harlan Coben ( that I've previously posted) or any of the other experts.
March 9, 2016
This is one of those books; that you can tell from beginning that it’s going to be gripping, that it’s going to develop into something much more than it initially appears. The prose is superb and beguiling, the language eclectic and captivating. The opening scene is imprinted in the mind’s eye in an eeriness that captures the nature of the treat they face: Jakob.
Jakob is an immortal shape-shifter with psychotic tendencies. He is completely delusion and possessive over a family he never had. Over the last three generations he has hunted down the decedents of an old love’s line in a twisted attempt to replicate his temporary happiness. This obsession has spanned decades. Hannah and Nate, in this hair-raising tale, must protect their daughter from the threat they’ve long feared.
The book is told from three time frames: Hannah’s parents (twenty years past), Hannah herself (present), Jakob’s origins (several decades past). This interlocking of narratives adds suspense to the novel, as they begin to become entwined, and the links explained.
The first chapter of the 1979 zone was masterfully done. I found myself laughing at the meticulous nature of Professor Charles, probably because I could relate to it a little bit too much!
Overall, an entertaining read; it’s a good stalker like thriller that keeps you gripped.
Good-reads winner!
Jakob is an immortal shape-shifter with psychotic tendencies. He is completely delusion and possessive over a family he never had. Over the last three generations he has hunted down the decedents of an old love’s line in a twisted attempt to replicate his temporary happiness. This obsession has spanned decades. Hannah and Nate, in this hair-raising tale, must protect their daughter from the threat they’ve long feared.
The book is told from three time frames: Hannah’s parents (twenty years past), Hannah herself (present), Jakob’s origins (several decades past). This interlocking of narratives adds suspense to the novel, as they begin to become entwined, and the links explained.
The first chapter of the 1979 zone was masterfully done. I found myself laughing at the meticulous nature of Professor Charles, probably because I could relate to it a little bit too much!
Overall, an entertaining read; it’s a good stalker like thriller that keeps you gripped.
Good-reads winner!
July 24, 2014
[This book was provided to me in all its white, shining POD glory by the publisher, Headline, in return for nothing more than the warm fuzzy feeling that act of generosity gave them. They were able to do this thanks to Bookbridgr, not because they've been stalking me. That I know of.]
I've been keen to read The String Diaries ever since I read about the publishing deal being struck. A book about family relentlessly pursued down the generations by a man who can change his appearance at will? With their only tool for survival the knowledge of the family members gone before, written in a pile of tattered diaries held together with string? Ooooh, yes please!
From the off, TSD has itself set to the highest gear possible, alternating chapters between the present, in which Hannah Wilde is trying to find her way to a safe-house in Snowdonia before her husband bleeds to death in the passenger seat, and late 70's Oxford where Professor Charles Meredith meets a mysterious French scholar who nicks his seat in the library. It's dramatic if you're British. She's also deathly afraid of some bloke who's been pursuing her all her life, and her mother before that, but that's really no excuse.
Such divisions naturally mean it takes a few chapters to get into it, especially as there's also a third timeline, but despite the rather - in my view - over dramatic cliffhanger chapter endings, it works very well, skilfully passing the necessary exposition to the quieter chapters to allow Hannah's timeline to maintain its pace. I was drawn in fairly quickly and interested in all three stories.
I also *loved* the idea behind this, and its mythology - I have no idea if the Hosszu Eletek are a real folk story, Google only brings back this book. There's such potential but its squandered, weakened by two-dimensional characters and a by-the-numbers plot for the set-up. In a fair or unfair point depending on if you, as I, are attracted by that particular aspect of the blurb - the string diaries of the title have little to do beyond existing, and that was a great disappointment.
The main story is Hannah's, the dramatic escape, but I found her to be a deeply boring character who did little more than scream, weep, worry, and think to herself that she must protect her daughter and husband. There is a fine line between legitimate emotion and having a heroine who succumbs to inertia - consider The Hunger Games: the fear and PTSD was one of the bits it got really right, but Katniss still went out and got things done. Here, Hannah's actual actions - what there are of them - happen before the book has started; throughout, things are done by the (male) characters around her. When she does finally act, it is not in the way of somebody who has had the chance to spend their life preparing for the possibility she'll have to.
Then there is Gabriel, a character straight out of any romantic comedy starring an Irishman: over friendly? Check. Turns rebuffs into jokes and ignores them? Check. Uses a small child to trap the object of his affection into spending time with him? Check. We'll grant some bonus points for Hannah's epically stupid reactions to him: What's that? You are on the run from a man who can change his appearance at will, there's a mysterious Irishman who is determined to be your friend, he makes your spidey sense tingle with mistrust, your husband almost died the day before and is lying prone on the sofa vulnerable to the aforementioned man who's hunting you and you ARE going to go for a ride with the mysterious and hunky stranger?
The final nail in the coffin is Jakab himself - the man who's spent over a century tracking down Hannah's family. In the beginning he's done excellently, but his obsession is ludicrous, its explanation overly simplistic, and as he doesn't appear to exist off-screen let alone develop as a character over his lifetume. We have a faceless Big Bad who deserves his endlessly screaming target. It's even more annoying because what he *does* is so utterly horrific but the book is not; Jakab's victims only emotionally respond to the fear of violence but Jones has - possibly inadvertently - created a creature whose MO taps into a very female fear. I would be less annoyed with this book if that aspect had been borne in mind more throughout.
Books like this are a dancing centipede - if I hadn't looked down three-quarters of the way through this would probably have been 3.5 stars. However, I did, and if I hadn't then I really ought to have done. It has a strong start but progress is unoriginal, checking in with Things Which Will Be Important Later, passing Things Which We're Told Can't Happen Manage To For *Reasons* and giving a jaunty wave to Holding Out For A Sequel on the way past. Mentally comparing this to my other scores, I'm going to settle on 2.5 stars: until it all fell apart it was very good, but once it did it was a brainless Hollywood summer blockbuster and I'd really, really hoped for more.
I've been keen to read The String Diaries ever since I read about the publishing deal being struck. A book about family relentlessly pursued down the generations by a man who can change his appearance at will? With their only tool for survival the knowledge of the family members gone before, written in a pile of tattered diaries held together with string? Ooooh, yes please!
From the off, TSD has itself set to the highest gear possible, alternating chapters between the present, in which Hannah Wilde is trying to find her way to a safe-house in Snowdonia before her husband bleeds to death in the passenger seat, and late 70's Oxford where Professor Charles Meredith meets a mysterious French scholar who nicks his seat in the library. It's dramatic if you're British. She's also deathly afraid of some bloke who's been pursuing her all her life, and her mother before that, but that's really no excuse.
Such divisions naturally mean it takes a few chapters to get into it, especially as there's also a third timeline, but despite the rather - in my view - over dramatic cliffhanger chapter endings, it works very well, skilfully passing the necessary exposition to the quieter chapters to allow Hannah's timeline to maintain its pace. I was drawn in fairly quickly and interested in all three stories.
I also *loved* the idea behind this, and its mythology - I have no idea if the Hosszu Eletek are a real folk story, Google only brings back this book. There's such potential but its squandered, weakened by two-dimensional characters and a by-the-numbers plot for the set-up. In a fair or unfair point depending on if you, as I, are attracted by that particular aspect of the blurb - the string diaries of the title have little to do beyond existing, and that was a great disappointment.
The main story is Hannah's, the dramatic escape, but I found her to be a deeply boring character who did little more than scream, weep, worry, and think to herself that she must protect her daughter and husband. There is a fine line between legitimate emotion and having a heroine who succumbs to inertia - consider The Hunger Games: the fear and PTSD was one of the bits it got really right, but Katniss still went out and got things done. Here, Hannah's actual actions - what there are of them - happen before the book has started; throughout, things are done by the (male) characters around her. When she does finally act, it is not in the way of somebody who has had the chance to spend their life preparing for the possibility she'll have to.
Then there is Gabriel, a character straight out of any romantic comedy starring an Irishman: over friendly? Check. Turns rebuffs into jokes and ignores them? Check. Uses a small child to trap the object of his affection into spending time with him? Check. We'll grant some bonus points for Hannah's epically stupid reactions to him: What's that? You are on the run from a man who can change his appearance at will, there's a mysterious Irishman who is determined to be your friend, he makes your spidey sense tingle with mistrust, your husband almost died the day before and is lying prone on the sofa vulnerable to the aforementioned man who's hunting you and you ARE going to go for a ride with the mysterious and hunky stranger?
The final nail in the coffin is Jakab himself - the man who's spent over a century tracking down Hannah's family. In the beginning he's done excellently, but his obsession is ludicrous, its explanation overly simplistic, and as he doesn't appear to exist off-screen let alone develop as a character over his lifetume. We have a faceless Big Bad who deserves his endlessly screaming target. It's even more annoying because what he *does* is so utterly horrific but the book is not; Jakab's victims only emotionally respond to the fear of violence but Jones has - possibly inadvertently - created a creature whose MO taps into a very female fear. I would be less annoyed with this book if that aspect had been borne in mind more throughout.
Books like this are a dancing centipede - if I hadn't looked down three-quarters of the way through this would probably have been 3.5 stars. However, I did, and if I hadn't then I really ought to have done. It has a strong start but progress is unoriginal, checking in with Things Which Will Be Important Later, passing Things Which We're Told Can't Happen Manage To For *Reasons* and giving a jaunty wave to Holding Out For A Sequel on the way past. Mentally comparing this to my other scores, I'm going to settle on 2.5 stars: until it all fell apart it was very good, but once it did it was a brainless Hollywood summer blockbuster and I'd really, really hoped for more.
July 11, 2013
If in doubt....RUN! Set over several periods of time, the String Diaries is a wonderful thrill ride of a mythology story, one you could almost imagine had been written by the Brothers Grimm should they be alive and publishing today. Following Hannah in the present day as she struggles to keep her family safe, through flashback we learn the reasons for her paranoia and fear. Charles in 1970's Oxford meets a mysterious girl who fascinates and intrigues him, but little does he know what pursuing her will bring him. With a rich vein of folklore running through the narrative, each new chapter brings its own rewards and questions - who can be trusted? Who should be feared.....
Ok so if you follow my reviews you know that I do love a clever book - and this book is just that. Clever. Keeping you on a knifes edge even in its less manic moments, if you are the type of person who totally loses themselves in a story you will find yourself looking at your loved ones and feeling a vague sense of unease....before returning to devour as many more words as possible before real life claims you back. I had the added pleasure of knowing some of the locations utilised - I live in Oxfordshire and many happy holidays are spent in Snowdonia - so a lot of the time I was really literally there with the characters. And that isnt hard. They are all wonderful - even the less salubrious - and we all know that great characters you can love or hate are the key to a fantastic book.
I'm wondering if there will be more novels from Mr Lloyd Jones set in this world. The last time I read a book that made me want more in the way that this one does was way back when I first picked up "The Straw Men" by Michael Marshall which became one of my best loved to this day trilogies - in fact "The String Diaries" has inspired me to make that novel my next reread to review on my site. However the author has given us a well rounded and completed tale - the ending was satisfying and perfect in conjunction with what had gone before, but it does leave you wanting more.... Thank you to the publisher for sending me a copy of this book to review, sometimes I love my life! Over to you Mr Lloyd Jones! Brilliant. Happy Reading folks!
Ok so if you follow my reviews you know that I do love a clever book - and this book is just that. Clever. Keeping you on a knifes edge even in its less manic moments, if you are the type of person who totally loses themselves in a story you will find yourself looking at your loved ones and feeling a vague sense of unease....before returning to devour as many more words as possible before real life claims you back. I had the added pleasure of knowing some of the locations utilised - I live in Oxfordshire and many happy holidays are spent in Snowdonia - so a lot of the time I was really literally there with the characters. And that isnt hard. They are all wonderful - even the less salubrious - and we all know that great characters you can love or hate are the key to a fantastic book.
I'm wondering if there will be more novels from Mr Lloyd Jones set in this world. The last time I read a book that made me want more in the way that this one does was way back when I first picked up "The Straw Men" by Michael Marshall which became one of my best loved to this day trilogies - in fact "The String Diaries" has inspired me to make that novel my next reread to review on my site. However the author has given us a well rounded and completed tale - the ending was satisfying and perfect in conjunction with what had gone before, but it does leave you wanting more.... Thank you to the publisher for sending me a copy of this book to review, sometimes I love my life! Over to you Mr Lloyd Jones! Brilliant. Happy Reading folks!
November 1, 2024
A quotation on the cover of this book claims that it is too terrifying to read late into the night. Now I’m a bit of a wimp when it comes to horror films and television, or even video games, but not normally books. With books, you can imagine scenarios exactly how you want to.
That technique did not work with The String Diaries.
It’s been a long while since a book seriously creeped me out. This got to the point that I had to stop reading it for several days whilst my flatmate was away, because I couldn’t read it in the evening knowing that I would be alone in the flat that night. It was that bad. The idea of Jakab, the antagonist, being able to take on the appearance of anyone at all, replacing the lives of Hannah’s friends, relatives, neighbours, her closest loved ones, without her knowing, was truly terrifying. Give me monsters, demons, whatever � human beings are the scary ones.
The String Diaries is set in various locations, across several generations. From present day Wales and France, to 1970s Oxford (these chapters mentioned my workplace, so I heartily approved!), to nineteenth century Hungary, the story weaves its way through the lives of one family and how one man has hunted them over the generations. Initially, I did not enjoy the chapters set in Hungary as much, but as they built up Jakab to be this terrifying character and demonstrated just what he was prepared to do, I found myself more and more enthralled. And despite spanning several generations and countries, the book felt almost claustrophobic to me, as if I were the one trapped in a cabin on a Welsh mountainside, rather than Hannah.
I enjoyed The String Diaries a lot more than I expected � and I also did not expect to feel that terrified by it! To me that shows that Stephen Lloyd Jones is a great writer, although the ending of the story felt a little like a deus ex, and left me unsure as to how the series could progress. However, I would definitely recommend this one if you’re looking for something scary, or something that incorporates folklore.
I received a copy of this book for free from Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review. Originally posted on my former blog, Rinn Reads.
That technique did not work with The String Diaries.
It’s been a long while since a book seriously creeped me out. This got to the point that I had to stop reading it for several days whilst my flatmate was away, because I couldn’t read it in the evening knowing that I would be alone in the flat that night. It was that bad. The idea of Jakab, the antagonist, being able to take on the appearance of anyone at all, replacing the lives of Hannah’s friends, relatives, neighbours, her closest loved ones, without her knowing, was truly terrifying. Give me monsters, demons, whatever � human beings are the scary ones.
The String Diaries is set in various locations, across several generations. From present day Wales and France, to 1970s Oxford (these chapters mentioned my workplace, so I heartily approved!), to nineteenth century Hungary, the story weaves its way through the lives of one family and how one man has hunted them over the generations. Initially, I did not enjoy the chapters set in Hungary as much, but as they built up Jakab to be this terrifying character and demonstrated just what he was prepared to do, I found myself more and more enthralled. And despite spanning several generations and countries, the book felt almost claustrophobic to me, as if I were the one trapped in a cabin on a Welsh mountainside, rather than Hannah.
I enjoyed The String Diaries a lot more than I expected � and I also did not expect to feel that terrified by it! To me that shows that Stephen Lloyd Jones is a great writer, although the ending of the story felt a little like a deus ex, and left me unsure as to how the series could progress. However, I would definitely recommend this one if you’re looking for something scary, or something that incorporates folklore.
I received a copy of this book for free from Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review. Originally posted on my former blog, Rinn Reads.
November 3, 2017
Liked the idea, couldn't deal with the execution. Had a sense of grandiose only the characters themselves were privy to. Plus the ending was a copout.
Apparently the author had a vision of a story where it all began with a woman running away from something scary in a car, and that's the focal point from which he developed the story. Well it showed, because the beginning was one of the more gripping parts of this predictable thriller spiced with what could be an interesting (with better execution) Hungarian fantasy element.
This was ably narrated by Gemma Whelan aka Yara from GoT (her accents were spot on to my ears), but the editing team must've thought the pauses (sfx include: saliva-swallowing, anyone) sexy enough to be included in the recording. Again, execution could have been better.
What, my fault?
Apparently the author had a vision of a story where it all began with a woman running away from something scary in a car, and that's the focal point from which he developed the story. Well it showed, because the beginning was one of the more gripping parts of this predictable thriller spiced with what could be an interesting (with better execution) Hungarian fantasy element.
This was ably narrated by Gemma Whelan aka Yara from GoT (her accents were spot on to my ears), but the editing team must've thought the pauses (sfx include: saliva-swallowing, anyone) sexy enough to be included in the recording. Again, execution could have been better.
What, my fault?
January 16, 2024
I picked up this book not knowing what it was about and it exceeded expectations.
I had that adrenaline of wanting to know what happens next.
I had that adrenaline of wanting to know what happens next.
February 19, 2016
Most impressive debut that I just stumbled across because the author's name just happens to be similar to someone I was trying to look up. The summary is what really drew me in. There might be a way to resist a story of an ancient shapeshifter chasing the long lost love throughout generations and continents, but who'd want to do that. Jones has created his own mythology, using a country most Americans can't even place on a map, no less. Although Jones is British, so that's neither here nor there, just nice and original that an author, particularly a new author, didn't just take an easy way out by sticking with the traditional genre creatures. He grabs your attention from the first chapter and maintains it until the epilogue, mostly due to a really interesting engaging set of characters and terrific speedy pacing. This is all from a man who admits Dean Koontz to be one of his literary heroes, particularly the crapfest that was Strangers. Well, at the very least Jones can be proud to have easily and by far surpassed his hero. String Diaries neither panders nor proselytizes, it just entertains. It's tons of fun to read, even when it's slightly silly or cheesy. All great love has a note of obsession to it, Jones' antagonist is doomed to only hear that one note, for ages. Makes for a compelling narrative. The sort of book, that despite it's size, can be read in a day, because you really want to see what's next. And apparently, plenty. There is a sequel out. I do so wish String Diaries was a standalone, mostly because that's the sort of book I prefer, it has more integrity and gravitas to it that way. But frankly, if a book must have a sequel, it might as well be a good book., especially if the quality stays the same. Great blend of horror, action and drama, character driven literary story telling. Very enjoyable read. Recommended.
August 6, 2013
This fast moving novel straddles many different genres - it is part thriller, part supernatural fantasy and also touches on historical fiction. What is certain is that the whole is more than the sum of the parts. We are immediately thrown into the action, meeting Hannah Wilde, her injured husband Nate and nine year old daughter Leah when they are fleeing for their life. For some time we are unsure about why they are on the run and, more to the point, who (or what) they are trying to escape from. However, their sense of urgency and fear is palpable and you find yourself being swept along into the story.
There are three timelines by which we learn about what is going on. One storyline, concerning Hannah and her family, is set in the present. There is also the tale of Hannah's parents, which largely takes place in 1970's Oxford. Lastly, there is a third, which takes place in Hungary in the 1870's. It is difficult to discuss these various strands of the novel without giving away the plot, so suffice to say that gradually the mystery of why Hannah is running is revealed. A tragedy, beginning in Hungary, so long ago, has followed Hannah's family through the ages. For generations, Hannah's family has relied on escape; but now she faces the final outcome, as events conspire on a collision course which will end in either disaster or freedom from the curse which she has lived with all her life.
There are moments when you do need to suspend disbelief and simply go with the flow of the book. What is without doubt is that this is a huge novel which I found almost unputdownable. It really would be a fantastic holiday read, or on a long plane journey. This is an extremely self assured debut novel and I look forward to reading more from this author.
There are three timelines by which we learn about what is going on. One storyline, concerning Hannah and her family, is set in the present. There is also the tale of Hannah's parents, which largely takes place in 1970's Oxford. Lastly, there is a third, which takes place in Hungary in the 1870's. It is difficult to discuss these various strands of the novel without giving away the plot, so suffice to say that gradually the mystery of why Hannah is running is revealed. A tragedy, beginning in Hungary, so long ago, has followed Hannah's family through the ages. For generations, Hannah's family has relied on escape; but now she faces the final outcome, as events conspire on a collision course which will end in either disaster or freedom from the curse which she has lived with all her life.
There are moments when you do need to suspend disbelief and simply go with the flow of the book. What is without doubt is that this is a huge novel which I found almost unputdownable. It really would be a fantastic holiday read, or on a long plane journey. This is an extremely self assured debut novel and I look forward to reading more from this author.
October 7, 2018
I would give this 3.5 stars if i could. It started off really strong and I was initially hooked. Essentially this book is about a shape shifter who is stalking a family. Its a fun ride as characters are introduced trying to determine whether they are secretly the shape shifting monster.
The story flashes back to two other time periods to explain why all of this is happening and the origin story if you will of the shape shifter himself. I was all in for the first half of the story and found myself getting less interested as it got towards the end. I will say it’s a solid effort considering this is the writer’s first published work and I wouldn’t be opposed to reading more by him in the future.
The story flashes back to two other time periods to explain why all of this is happening and the origin story if you will of the shape shifter himself. I was all in for the first half of the story and found myself getting less interested as it got towards the end. I will say it’s a solid effort considering this is the writer’s first published work and I wouldn’t be opposed to reading more by him in the future.
August 6, 2013
This is an amazing, action packed thriller, it is a rare book that seems to span across enough genres that it is a great read for everyone, there is the folk tale side (which I loved) the love stories throughout histories (which I also loved) the thriller component (which I didn't love and which had me up at 3am scanning my dark room) and also the unexpected twists that lead me to sleepless nights and quickly turning pages. In the end I can't sum this book up, but it is a must read, well written novel that will definitely give you something to think about long after the last page.
October 11, 2018
Okay, folks... are you comfy? Settle in, because I have got OPINIONS.
July 29, 2013
The Review:
“An awesome, engaging and unputdownable novel with a wealth of content and mystery to explore. Highly Recommended.� ~Bane of Kings, The Founding Fields
The String Diaries arrived unannounced along with Herald of the Storm by Richard Ford and was something that immediately piqued my interest. I love a good thriller novel, and endeavoured to make it my next read after I’d finished with Ford’s fantastic grimdark fantasy. As it turns out, the book itself is more of a straightforward horror than a thriller from the likes of James Patterson, Dan Brown etc � but it blends the horror and thriller genres together in order to create a great, atmospheric book that you won’t be able to stop reading.
"A jumble of entries, written in different hands, different languages, and different times. They tell of a rumour. A shadow. A killer.
The only interest that Oxford Professor Charles Meredith has in the diaries is as a record of Hungarian folklore � until he comes face to face with a myth.
For Hannah Wilde, the diaries are a survival guide that taught her the three rules she lives by: verify everyone, trust no one, and if in any doubt, run.
But Hannah knows that if her daughter is ever going to be safe, she will have to stop running and face the terror that has hunted her family for five generations.
And nothing in the diaries can prepare her for that."
I’ve seen nothing but good praise for The String Diaries so far, and the book in question certainly lives up to the feedback. It’s strong and a solid read, standing comfortably as a solo novel (I don’t know whether it’s part of a series � but it doesn’t look like it), and its prose is so well written that you won’t know that this is Jones� first outing as an author. The book itself deals with an interesting matter of secret societies � something that always draws my interest, in fact � I’m even writing a WIP novel with two warring secret societies at the moment, and I was very much intrigued when The Stirng Diaries explored the societies that exist without our knowledge, and handles it a lot, lot better than the appalling Dan Brown-written The Lost Symbol.
The String DiariesThe book itself is divided between multiple timelines. It focuses on the past, where our narrator is Professor Charles Meredith, and the present � where it divides its attention between the main antagonist known as Jakab and Hannah Wilde, who acts as a very strong female lead for the book. The characters are crafted well, entirely three dimensional � but that doesn’t stop me from hating Jakab � believing that his actions are justified � and his ruthlessness behaviour really puts the reader firmly in the camp of Hannah and Charles, even if the two previous characters don’t actually meet at any point in the entire novel.
When dealing with multiple timelines, as mentioned earlier � there’s always a risk of that the book can become too complicated, focus on one setting moreso than the other, and fall into the trap of making the reader want to read about one of the settings and finding the other ones less interesting. I’m pleased to say that this isn’t the case here � and whilst the time periods could be read on their own, each separate from the other � it’s a great achievement by Jones that he manages to get them all to just fit together so well that you won’t want to skip anything, with each setting you’ll find yourself uncovering more of the three principal characters � be they Charles, Hannah or Jakab.
The book itself is a rare urban fantasy novel, with several elements of horror and thriller as mentioned earlier � that doesn’t involve the use of any obvious supernatural creatures like werewolves, dragons or vampires. The book itself is complex, bold � and successfully put together in a way that you’ll find yourself unable to put the book down as you keep moving forward, searching for answers.
Therefore, in conclusion - The String Diaries is an awesome book. Once you get started, you won’t be able to stop � it’s engaging, and a confident tale with an original twist on the urban fantasy setting. As mentioned earlier � it’s highly recommended, with barely any issues being had with the book in question.
VERDICT: 4/5
“An awesome, engaging and unputdownable novel with a wealth of content and mystery to explore. Highly Recommended.� ~Bane of Kings, The Founding Fields
The String Diaries arrived unannounced along with Herald of the Storm by Richard Ford and was something that immediately piqued my interest. I love a good thriller novel, and endeavoured to make it my next read after I’d finished with Ford’s fantastic grimdark fantasy. As it turns out, the book itself is more of a straightforward horror than a thriller from the likes of James Patterson, Dan Brown etc � but it blends the horror and thriller genres together in order to create a great, atmospheric book that you won’t be able to stop reading.
"A jumble of entries, written in different hands, different languages, and different times. They tell of a rumour. A shadow. A killer.
The only interest that Oxford Professor Charles Meredith has in the diaries is as a record of Hungarian folklore � until he comes face to face with a myth.
For Hannah Wilde, the diaries are a survival guide that taught her the three rules she lives by: verify everyone, trust no one, and if in any doubt, run.
But Hannah knows that if her daughter is ever going to be safe, she will have to stop running and face the terror that has hunted her family for five generations.
And nothing in the diaries can prepare her for that."
I’ve seen nothing but good praise for The String Diaries so far, and the book in question certainly lives up to the feedback. It’s strong and a solid read, standing comfortably as a solo novel (I don’t know whether it’s part of a series � but it doesn’t look like it), and its prose is so well written that you won’t know that this is Jones� first outing as an author. The book itself deals with an interesting matter of secret societies � something that always draws my interest, in fact � I’m even writing a WIP novel with two warring secret societies at the moment, and I was very much intrigued when The Stirng Diaries explored the societies that exist without our knowledge, and handles it a lot, lot better than the appalling Dan Brown-written The Lost Symbol.
The String DiariesThe book itself is divided between multiple timelines. It focuses on the past, where our narrator is Professor Charles Meredith, and the present � where it divides its attention between the main antagonist known as Jakab and Hannah Wilde, who acts as a very strong female lead for the book. The characters are crafted well, entirely three dimensional � but that doesn’t stop me from hating Jakab � believing that his actions are justified � and his ruthlessness behaviour really puts the reader firmly in the camp of Hannah and Charles, even if the two previous characters don’t actually meet at any point in the entire novel.
When dealing with multiple timelines, as mentioned earlier � there’s always a risk of that the book can become too complicated, focus on one setting moreso than the other, and fall into the trap of making the reader want to read about one of the settings and finding the other ones less interesting. I’m pleased to say that this isn’t the case here � and whilst the time periods could be read on their own, each separate from the other � it’s a great achievement by Jones that he manages to get them all to just fit together so well that you won’t want to skip anything, with each setting you’ll find yourself uncovering more of the three principal characters � be they Charles, Hannah or Jakab.
The book itself is a rare urban fantasy novel, with several elements of horror and thriller as mentioned earlier � that doesn’t involve the use of any obvious supernatural creatures like werewolves, dragons or vampires. The book itself is complex, bold � and successfully put together in a way that you’ll find yourself unable to put the book down as you keep moving forward, searching for answers.
Therefore, in conclusion - The String Diaries is an awesome book. Once you get started, you won’t be able to stop � it’s engaging, and a confident tale with an original twist on the urban fantasy setting. As mentioned earlier � it’s highly recommended, with barely any issues being had with the book in question.
VERDICT: 4/5
July 10, 2014
“Damn the odds, keep fighting until you have nothing left.�
When Hannah Wilde arrives at the remote farmhouse in Wales, with her young daughter, Leah and seriously injured husband, Nate, in tow, all she knows is that she must protect them at all costs. As she attempts to nurse Nate back to health, with help from a local man (who may be more than what he seems), the terrifying story of how Hannah got to this point unfolds, resulting in an interweaving of historical suspense and present day terror.
The narrative goes back and forth between the 70s, when Hannah’s father, Charles, meets her mother Nicole, who holds dear a series of diaries tied with string, and also the 1800s . Nicole eventually tells Charles a fantastical story involving a man that can change shape and a legacy of murder, and even genocide, that began in the 1800s.
The String Diaries is a clever mash up of historical puzzle mystery and modern day thriller with a bit of a stalker twist, and for a long time, the man at the center of the puzzle remained somewhat elusive. We get bits of his childhood, and his inability to fit in with the rest of his kind, but I can’t help but wish that it was fleshed out a bit more, along with the group that have taken it upon themselves to oversee, and sometimes eliminate, these supernaturally talented people (and no, they’re not vampires, although they are fairly long lived.)
While I enjoyed the story of Charles and Nicole’s fraught courtship, and how Hannah came to be the strong wife and mother that she is now, the scenes at the farmhouse, with her husband gravely wounded, and a young child to protect, were some of the most terrifying, because at first, it was unclear as to what the menace was, and once it was revealed, it became even more obvious why Hannah felt like she must be diligent every single minute. Imagine never knowing who you can trust, even if it’s someone you think you know. If it seems like I’m being deliberately vague, it’s because I am, since revealing the nature of the supernatural menace would destroy quite a bit of the chilling fun of this novel. This is a debut novel, and it’s not without its flaws, but the author is great at stretching out tension to its breaking point, and the present day scenes reminded me very much of classic Koontz, which for me is a good thing. If you enjoy a bit of historical flavor to your thrillers, as well as a supernatural twist, I think you’ll enjoy this fairly ambitious debut. Stephen Lloyd Jones is most definitely a writer to watch.
August 4, 2014
3.5 stars, rounding up since its a first novel
Full Review Posted at Tenacious Reader:
The String Diaries is a mysterious and intriguing tale. There’s no build up in this one, you are thrown straight into the action and are left trying to puzzle together everything through out the book. I tend to like that, and so I felt this started off very strong. The story features three different (alternating) timelines, each providing a piece of the puzzle this story is telling.
Because of the way the reader is dumped right into the middle of things, the characters know much more of what’s going on than the reader. There’s just no reason for them to reveal much information in the middle of current events. And speaking of current events, the book starts of with Hannah driving in the middle of the night while her husband, who is just about bleeding out in the seat next to her, and her daughter is sleeping in the backseat. No matter what kind of reader you are, you can not help but need to know what brought her here, what happened to her husband, and why on earth is she not headed to a hospital?! Mysteries yet to be revealed. She is obviously quite frightened, but determined so it didn’t take me long to like her.
It is always interesting to get an antagonist point of view, and this is no exception. Loved that aspect of this book. We are thrown into the mind of pretty much a mad man, we get to see how he tries to internally justify his crimes as well as a bit of his life that led up to it. It is always fascinating and a bit disturbing to explore a troubled individual.
The String Diaries is a very tense book that takes the reader on a journey through multiple times. While I did find my interest wavering just a bit in the middle, I am glad I read it. I enjoyed the structure of the story and how it used the different timelines to help solve this mystery for the reader (and remember, this is mainly a mystery for the reader, the characters are much more aware of what is going on). Overall, an enjoyable read.
Full Review Posted at Tenacious Reader:
The String Diaries is a mysterious and intriguing tale. There’s no build up in this one, you are thrown straight into the action and are left trying to puzzle together everything through out the book. I tend to like that, and so I felt this started off very strong. The story features three different (alternating) timelines, each providing a piece of the puzzle this story is telling.
Because of the way the reader is dumped right into the middle of things, the characters know much more of what’s going on than the reader. There’s just no reason for them to reveal much information in the middle of current events. And speaking of current events, the book starts of with Hannah driving in the middle of the night while her husband, who is just about bleeding out in the seat next to her, and her daughter is sleeping in the backseat. No matter what kind of reader you are, you can not help but need to know what brought her here, what happened to her husband, and why on earth is she not headed to a hospital?! Mysteries yet to be revealed. She is obviously quite frightened, but determined so it didn’t take me long to like her.
It is always interesting to get an antagonist point of view, and this is no exception. Loved that aspect of this book. We are thrown into the mind of pretty much a mad man, we get to see how he tries to internally justify his crimes as well as a bit of his life that led up to it. It is always fascinating and a bit disturbing to explore a troubled individual.
The String Diaries is a very tense book that takes the reader on a journey through multiple times. While I did find my interest wavering just a bit in the middle, I am glad I read it. I enjoyed the structure of the story and how it used the different timelines to help solve this mystery for the reader (and remember, this is mainly a mystery for the reader, the characters are much more aware of what is going on). Overall, an enjoyable read.
January 22, 2018
Time taken to read - 1 day
Pages - 416
Publisher - Headline
Source - Waterstones
Blurb from ŷ
A jumble of entries, written in different hands, different languages, and different times. They tell of a rumour. A shadow. A killer.
The only interest that Oxford Professor Charles Meredith has in the diaries is as a record of Hungarian folklore ... until he comes face to face with a myth.
For Hannah Wilde, the diaries are a survival guide that taught her the three rules she lives by: verify everyone, trust no one, and if in any doubt, run.
But Hannah knows that if her daughter is ever going to be safe, she will have to stop running and face the terror that has hunted her family for five generations.
And nothing in the diaries can prepare her for that.
My Review
Hannah is on the run, something is coming for her, her little girl and her badly hurt husband but what and why? The story opens with Hannah trying to escape a force we do not see but feel the threat of it almost from the first page. We flit chapter to chapter with different timelines, present day (Wales), the 1870's (Hungary) and the 1970's Oxford introducing Hannah's parents and the origins of what they are running from.
It took a wee bit for me to get into the swing of the other stories and I just wanted to get back to Hannah and find out what it is that is chasing them. Slowly, by following the others stories we are introduced to other key characters all providing a better understanding of everything that follows. You soon get caught up in the time period and characters you are reading and wishing each new chapter was back to the previous ones.
It is an interesting story, shapshifters, love, sacrifice, obsession and family are just some of the themes in this book. Many of the scenes are tense, eerie and keep you engaged to see where it is going. I have never read this author before and I will be reading him again, I bought the next book in the series as soon as I finished this one, 4/5 for me this time.
Pages - 416
Publisher - Headline
Source - Waterstones
Blurb from ŷ
A jumble of entries, written in different hands, different languages, and different times. They tell of a rumour. A shadow. A killer.
The only interest that Oxford Professor Charles Meredith has in the diaries is as a record of Hungarian folklore ... until he comes face to face with a myth.
For Hannah Wilde, the diaries are a survival guide that taught her the three rules she lives by: verify everyone, trust no one, and if in any doubt, run.
But Hannah knows that if her daughter is ever going to be safe, she will have to stop running and face the terror that has hunted her family for five generations.
And nothing in the diaries can prepare her for that.
My Review
Hannah is on the run, something is coming for her, her little girl and her badly hurt husband but what and why? The story opens with Hannah trying to escape a force we do not see but feel the threat of it almost from the first page. We flit chapter to chapter with different timelines, present day (Wales), the 1870's (Hungary) and the 1970's Oxford introducing Hannah's parents and the origins of what they are running from.
It took a wee bit for me to get into the swing of the other stories and I just wanted to get back to Hannah and find out what it is that is chasing them. Slowly, by following the others stories we are introduced to other key characters all providing a better understanding of everything that follows. You soon get caught up in the time period and characters you are reading and wishing each new chapter was back to the previous ones.
It is an interesting story, shapshifters, love, sacrifice, obsession and family are just some of the themes in this book. Many of the scenes are tense, eerie and keep you engaged to see where it is going. I have never read this author before and I will be reading him again, I bought the next book in the series as soon as I finished this one, 4/5 for me this time.
October 15, 2014
It takes a lot to make me intrigued for a book since I read a lot. I mean, A LOT.
The premise of this book sounded not only creative but ripe with potential.
You hear that sound. That THUD. Those were my expectations.
Not only is this book not thrilling, not suspenseful, not full of action or interesting, intriguing characters you want to discover more about...I could almost forgive that.
What I cannot forgive is the 'villain.' Note that villain is written in quotation marks.
A villain, especially one with 'magical' or unexplained powers should be formidable. Memorable. Charismatic. Gone Girl-like, I'll take, I'm not that picky, I just want a worthy bad guy (add more of your own adjectives here). Coupled with the fact that the main protagonists in the novel are women, make the villain a worthy foe capable of matching wits with strong-willed, independent, courageous women.
Nope, not happening since it's apparently too much to ask for.
Instead of having a Magneto-like villain, definitely no character like that here, this powerful creature can change appearance and heal himself a la Wolverine-like, we get one of the worst caricatures of a 'villain' and couple with the fact this 'villain' is pitted against various women during several generations, not only is this misogynistic but completely lacking in originality and creativity.
Jakab is a infantile rapist with serious daddy issues who may or may not also be a pedophile (I'm voting for the latter) but is completely unremarkable, unbelievable and frankly, ridiculous.
There are so many silly plot/character holes in this story I can drive a double-decker bus through them (and you don't want me to do that because I'm a terrible driver.)
1. A rapist is a rapist. Do I believe a rapist can change his ways? NO. He does not feel remorse. He does not find true love. He does not change his ways. He does not feel shame. He does not repent. He is a RAPIST.
2. Jakab continually changes his appearance to assume the form of his target's husbands. See above. VALIDATION!
3. How does he live? Where does he get his money? How does he fund his obsessions?
4. Do I believe the government would enact a 'culling' over one rapist? Ummm...no. Do I believe a rapist would force the hand of the Eleni and be responsible for the near extinction of his own kind? Ummm...no, not really. I find it hard to believe that only one bad seed has ever done something shameful and heinous EVER in the history of this secret society.
5. Everyone.Is.Boring. Everyone. Except Moses. He's cool.
The premise of this book sounded not only creative but ripe with potential.
You hear that sound. That THUD. Those were my expectations.
Not only is this book not thrilling, not suspenseful, not full of action or interesting, intriguing characters you want to discover more about...I could almost forgive that.
What I cannot forgive is the 'villain.' Note that villain is written in quotation marks.
A villain, especially one with 'magical' or unexplained powers should be formidable. Memorable. Charismatic. Gone Girl-like, I'll take, I'm not that picky, I just want a worthy bad guy (add more of your own adjectives here). Coupled with the fact that the main protagonists in the novel are women, make the villain a worthy foe capable of matching wits with strong-willed, independent, courageous women.
Nope, not happening since it's apparently too much to ask for.
Instead of having a Magneto-like villain, definitely no character like that here, this powerful creature can change appearance and heal himself a la Wolverine-like, we get one of the worst caricatures of a 'villain' and couple with the fact this 'villain' is pitted against various women during several generations, not only is this misogynistic but completely lacking in originality and creativity.
Jakab is a infantile rapist with serious daddy issues who may or may not also be a pedophile (I'm voting for the latter) but is completely unremarkable, unbelievable and frankly, ridiculous.
There are so many silly plot/character holes in this story I can drive a double-decker bus through them (and you don't want me to do that because I'm a terrible driver.)
1. A rapist is a rapist. Do I believe a rapist can change his ways? NO. He does not feel remorse. He does not find true love. He does not change his ways. He does not feel shame. He does not repent. He is a RAPIST.
2. Jakab continually changes his appearance to assume the form of his target's husbands. See above. VALIDATION!
3. How does he live? Where does he get his money? How does he fund his obsessions?
4. Do I believe the government would enact a 'culling' over one rapist? Ummm...no. Do I believe a rapist would force the hand of the Eleni and be responsible for the near extinction of his own kind? Ummm...no, not really. I find it hard to believe that only one bad seed has ever done something shameful and heinous EVER in the history of this secret society.
5. Everyone.Is.Boring. Everyone. Except Moses. He's cool.
February 11, 2015
Not quite the book I was expecting. I got it as I thought it would be like The Historian but it turned out to be very different . The academic and research side was little nore than a lead in to the plot .
In saying all that I still enjoyed it. The move back and forward in history was interesting and I quite liked the descriptuons of 19th century Hungary, the pace was quite good but the biggest strength for the book was that the author managed to keep a string tension going from start to finish.
Some silly plot points and a simpler style are forgivable as the book genuinely kept me on edge the whole time.
Not my usual read but glad I tried it.
In saying all that I still enjoyed it. The move back and forward in history was interesting and I quite liked the descriptuons of 19th century Hungary, the pace was quite good but the biggest strength for the book was that the author managed to keep a string tension going from start to finish.
Some silly plot points and a simpler style are forgivable as the book genuinely kept me on edge the whole time.
Not my usual read but glad I tried it.
May 29, 2013
I really enjoyed this one. I don't read a lot of thrillers and it definitely got my pulse racing in places! I also liked the supernatural aspects of it and all the history and backstory you were given. I do feel like the book ended very suddenly and even though everything was resolved I feel like it could have been done better. Other than that a great read that I highly recommend! :)
June 13, 2014
The String Diaries by Stephen Lloyd Jones by a 2014 Mulholland publication. I was provided a copy of this book by Supsense Magazine and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
The String Diaries is a complex supernatural thriller that spans several time periods starting in the 1800's , with a stop over in the 1970's and ending in current times. Hannah, her husband, and young daughter are on the run and in terrible danger. They are hiding out in a farm house borrowing a little time before Jakab finds them.
Steeped in mythology and folklore, Hannah's family has done battle with Jakab for ages but can't shake him. Hannah is determined to stop him because she is desperate to save her daughter But, Jakab is a wily nemesis because he is able to change shapes and embody the people close to you.
Whew! This is not the usual shapeshifter story by any means. Jakab's abilities are the stuff that legends are made of. It's hard to believe this is even possible which is why diaries have been passed down through generations and closely studied. An angry Jakab curses Hannah's family because he feels betrayed by a woman that didn't wait long enough for him and married another man. Equal parts thriller, horror, suspense, and mystery makes this a solid and unique novel. The author did a fine job of taking us through the past all the way to the present for the ultimate good versus evil type showdown. The character of Jakab was already a little bit sociopathic and bitter before he decided to make Hannah's family miserable for all eternity. The suspense leading up to the climax was supercharged because we know Jakab is coming, we just don't know how he will make his grand entrance or what form he will use, and it will take a miracle for Hannah to survive, much less save her daughter. Will she be able to break the curse or will Jakab emerge triumphant once again?
This one gets 4 stars
The String Diaries is a complex supernatural thriller that spans several time periods starting in the 1800's , with a stop over in the 1970's and ending in current times. Hannah, her husband, and young daughter are on the run and in terrible danger. They are hiding out in a farm house borrowing a little time before Jakab finds them.
Steeped in mythology and folklore, Hannah's family has done battle with Jakab for ages but can't shake him. Hannah is determined to stop him because she is desperate to save her daughter But, Jakab is a wily nemesis because he is able to change shapes and embody the people close to you.
Whew! This is not the usual shapeshifter story by any means. Jakab's abilities are the stuff that legends are made of. It's hard to believe this is even possible which is why diaries have been passed down through generations and closely studied. An angry Jakab curses Hannah's family because he feels betrayed by a woman that didn't wait long enough for him and married another man. Equal parts thriller, horror, suspense, and mystery makes this a solid and unique novel. The author did a fine job of taking us through the past all the way to the present for the ultimate good versus evil type showdown. The character of Jakab was already a little bit sociopathic and bitter before he decided to make Hannah's family miserable for all eternity. The suspense leading up to the climax was supercharged because we know Jakab is coming, we just don't know how he will make his grand entrance or what form he will use, and it will take a miracle for Hannah to survive, much less save her daughter. Will she be able to break the curse or will Jakab emerge triumphant once again?
This one gets 4 stars
September 13, 2016
Once upon a time there existed an ancient tribe of shape-shifters who managed to craft an uneasy alliance with nineteenth-century Hungarian aristocracy until a single psychotic adolescent ruined it for everyone. The long-lived race sent their assassins after him, but apparently you trade a hundred or so IQ points for the ability to transform into anyone you like and this makes it very difficult to come up with effective strategy. Hence the lunatic remains alive and on the loose to this very day.
This circumstance is incredibly unfortunate for Hannah Wilde, our lunatic's latest obsession, who appears to have lost a number of her own IQ points somewhere between safehouses in the desperate flight from her stalker. Arriving at speed to her latest pre-arranged sanctuary with a wounded husband and sleeping nine-year-old daughter in tow, Hannah is now at her wit's end - and, trust me, that wasn't as long a journey as one might reasonably suppose. (Though it does keep our adversaries evenly-matched in the cogitation department.)
Terrorizing commences.
There's really only one more piece of information you should know. Those string diaries turn out to be nothing more than diaries tied in stacks with string. We never get to read them. They're not important enough to steal. They're just genealogical luggage taking up space in the back of a variety of escape vehicles. So don't go letting the title fool you. He could just as well have called it Twenty-Three Shotgun Shells Lined Up In A Pretty Little Row. Because they were. Lined up. In a pretty little row.
This circumstance is incredibly unfortunate for Hannah Wilde, our lunatic's latest obsession, who appears to have lost a number of her own IQ points somewhere between safehouses in the desperate flight from her stalker. Arriving at speed to her latest pre-arranged sanctuary with a wounded husband and sleeping nine-year-old daughter in tow, Hannah is now at her wit's end - and, trust me, that wasn't as long a journey as one might reasonably suppose. (Though it does keep our adversaries evenly-matched in the cogitation department.)
Terrorizing commences.
There's really only one more piece of information you should know. Those string diaries turn out to be nothing more than diaries tied in stacks with string. We never get to read them. They're not important enough to steal. They're just genealogical luggage taking up space in the back of a variety of escape vehicles. So don't go letting the title fool you. He could just as well have called it Twenty-Three Shotgun Shells Lined Up In A Pretty Little Row. Because they were. Lined up. In a pretty little row.
June 25, 2013
This book had me up until 1 every morning furtively turning pages and glancing suspiciously around the room EVERY NIGHT. This author has a gift of constructing a tale I another level to most authors. Every chapter had an ending that made you NEED to read the next one, and the next one, and just one more.
Part thriller, part fantasy, awesome intertwining and unraveling of each 'story' within the book.
That being said, the end did let me down a bit. With a book like this in which you slowly tease the ball apart by desperately tugging on the string with each page, you never want it all to come apart in your fingers all at once. After so much suspense and creating of obsessive readers by teasing you slowly with answers, it just resolved everything in one big unfulfilling heap for me.
Also the antagonist Jakab was such a coward in his confrontations which I found really unrealistic. After decades of stalking and physically torturing this family you'd think he would have a little more confidence when he finally finds a member, instead of running away.
So some minor plot flaws into opinion which would stop me giving it a 5 star, but I was really impressed with the authors writing skill.
Part thriller, part fantasy, awesome intertwining and unraveling of each 'story' within the book.
That being said, the end did let me down a bit. With a book like this in which you slowly tease the ball apart by desperately tugging on the string with each page, you never want it all to come apart in your fingers all at once. After so much suspense and creating of obsessive readers by teasing you slowly with answers, it just resolved everything in one big unfulfilling heap for me.
Also the antagonist Jakab was such a coward in his confrontations which I found really unrealistic. After decades of stalking and physically torturing this family you'd think he would have a little more confidence when he finally finds a member, instead of running away.
So some minor plot flaws into opinion which would stop me giving it a 5 star, but I was really impressed with the authors writing skill.
July 20, 2015
Definitely a unique read. I believe this book gets incredible points for originality. The world that the author crafts melds seamlessly into our own that you can almost wonder if it really did happen. Jones is also an expert on conveying the intense emotions that the characters feel. As the reader, you feel yourself tossed about in a tumultuous storm of never being able to trust anyone, of never knowing who's good and who's not.
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