Tuesdays with Ambrea: No One Goes Alone by Erik Larson

 

Reviewed by Ambrea

 

William James, a pioneering psychologist of the nineteenth century, decides to lead a small expedition to a remote island off the coast of England.  Despite its idyllic appearance, not all is well on the Isle of Dorn – and Professor James, along with a motley crew, has decided to explore it.

Josiah Frost, a member of the postal service and an amateur enthusiast of telegraphy, has been roped into the investigation.  He doesn’t expect much from the trip – an opportunity to test his own tinkering with wireless telegraphy, at best, or a short holiday, at worst – but, from the beginning of their trip to Dorn, nothing goes as planned.  And, soon, Josiah and his companions will find their lives in danger as something sinister stalks the island.

I decided to borrow No One Goes Alone, because I enjoyed Erik Larson’s Dead Wake and Devil in the White City.  He uses a narrative style of writing that’s both entertaining and enlightening, crafting a rich, vibrant story and providing insight into historical events that, truthfully, I’d never have realized where quite so riveting.  I was also a little excited about the idea of listening to a ghost story, since No one Goes Alone was only published as an audiobook.

Now, when I started this audiobook, I had very high hopes.  It had everything I could either expect or want in a novel:  a passably likeable main character with Josiah Frost; a solid narrator with Julian Rhind-Tutt; a creepy premise; and an excellent writer.  Even better, No One Goes Alone started out strong.  I immediately liked the depth and the detail of the narration, as well as the little glimpses of history – like the Society for Psychical Research, or the early use of wireless telegraphy by Marconi, or the escalating tensions between world powers – and the sense of slow-building menace.

I was impressed.

And then I wasn’t.

For me, No One Goes Alone seemed to fall apart at the end.  I started to get strong Haunting of Hill House vibes.  (No wonder, since Larson explicitly states he was inspired by Shirley Jackson.)  It started to become more psychological, and I began to wonder:  is this really happening?  Is Josiah losing his mind?  I mean, he begins to hyper fixate on another visitor to the island – an illusionist and confidence man named Adam Winter – and he seems to begin descending into madness.

 

Which might have been preferable, honestly?

I mean, don’t get me wrong, I like Shirley Jackson well enough and I like psychological thrillers, but I wasn’t in the mood for that.  I wanted a ghost story.  I didn’t want to listen to a tale that blurred the line between reality and madness.  I wanted rattling chains; I wanted disembodied voices and moving furniture; I wanted shadows edging along at the periphery of sight.  I wanted a clearly defined ghost story, and I think Larson bends his genres a little too much for my liking.

I will note the ending is a complete shocker.  I did not see it coming, let me tell you.  I screamed “What?!” at my car radio, no joke, as I listened and re-listened to the last five minutes of this story.  I was absolutely floored, which kudos to the author for catching me out of left field with that conclusion, but I was also befuddled.

Not to spoil anything, but I really didn’t expect what happened.  It left me with a lingering sense of unease, as all good ghost stories do – so mission accomplished – but it also left me feeling like I was at loose ends.  I have questions, now.  I need to know what happens next – and, more importantly, I need to know how.

Ultimately, I’m divided in my feelings for Larson’s first foray into fiction.  If I understood the ending a little better, I think I might enjoy it more; however, as it stands, I’m simply confused and not sure what to make of it.