Magic Cottage

Title: Magic Cottage

Author: James Herbert

Published in: 1986

Date read: 5th September 2006

Score: 4/5

Genre: Supernatural, Horror, Thriller

Plot: (Warning, may contain spoilers):
"The Magic Cottage" by James Herbert, published in 1986, is a standalone novel that offers a departure from his more visceral, creature-based horror, delving into a more subtle and atmospheric form of supernatural dread. It blends elements of folklore, psychological suspense, and a battle between good and evil, often told with a fairytale-like quality that gradually turns sinister.

The story is narrated in the first person by Mike Stringer, a reasonably successful studio musician and songwriter. Along with his partner, Midge Gudgeon, a moderately successful illustrator of children's books, Mike is looking to escape the hustle and bustle of London life for a quieter existence in the countryside.

Midge discovers a small, intriguing advert for a secluded cottage called Gramarye (a term for magic or enchantment) in a remote woodland setting, in need of renovation. Despite its dilapidated state, Midge feels an inexplicable and powerful pull towards it, a passion that Mike, the more cynical and grounded of the two, doesn't initially share but goes along with due to Midge's intense desire.

They manage to purchase the cottage under somewhat peculiar circumstances, almost as if the house itself has chosen them. Upon moving in, they are immediately charmed by Gramarye's unique atmosphere. The cottage seems to possess a benevolent, almost magical aura: injured animals are inexplicably healed, the garden flourishes with unusual vibrancy, and the house itself seems to subtly repair its own structural flaws. Local wildlife, including a mischievous squirrel (possibly a reincarnation of Rumbo from Herbert's earlier novel "Fluke"), become unusually friendly.

However, a subtle undercurrent of unease begins to manifest. Mike, with his more sceptical nature, occasionally glimpses something darker beneath the charming surface. This unease deepens with the arrival of their nearest neighbours: a strange, seemingly friendly, but deeply unsettling religious cult called the Synergists, who reside in a large mansion on the other side of the woods.

Led by a charismatic but manipulative figure named Mycroft, the Synergists initially welcome Mike and Midge with open arms, offering their unique spiritual teachings. Midge, open to new experiences and still grieving the loss of her parents, becomes increasingly drawn into the cult's influence, talking of Mycroft's ability to help her contact her deceased parents and embracing their philosophy. Mike, however, grows increasingly wary and suspicious of their true intentions, sensing a predatory and controlling nature beneath their benevolent façade.

As Midge falls further under Mycroft's sway, the "good magic" of Gramarye begins to sour. The cottage's benign influence is challenged by a darker power, and the delightful oddities turn menacing. Mike realizes that the Synergists, and particularly Mycroft, are not simply a benign cult but are actively attempting to corrupt the "magic" of Gramarye and harness its inherent power for their own nefarious ends, potentially seeking to completely control the cottage and even Mike and Midge themselves.

The novel builds towards a confrontation where Mike must fight not only to save Midge from the insidious influence of the cult but also to defend the soul of the cottage itself from the encroaching darkness. The climax involves a spiritual and physical battle between the natural, benevolent magic of Gramarye and the twisted, malevolent forces of the Synergists and Mycroft, culminating in an epic showdown of good versus evil.

"The Magic Cottage" is an atmospheric and less overtly gory Herbert novel, focusing on the slow build of dread, psychological manipulation, and the insidious corruption of a seemingly idyllic haven. It explores themes of belief, the power of place, and the eternal struggle between light and shadow.

Comments:
Enjoyed this book very much and I distinctly remember the very well thumbed and quite battered copy that had been read by my brother, mother, myself then my father-in-law before going elsewhere. On a random note...as a Kindle reader, I do miss that element of reading when family visited, giving out books that you had read and passing on recommendations and receiving similarly when you visit others.

Books that we've read by James Herbert (20):
The Rats (Rats, #1) (1974), The Fog (1975), The Survivor (1976), Fluke (1977), The Spear (1978), Lair (Rats, #2) (1979), The Dark (1980), Jonah (1981), Shrine (1983), Domain (Rats, #3) (1983), Moon (1985), Magic Cottage (1986), Sepulchre (1987), Haunted (David Ash, #1) (1988), The Ghosts Of Sleath (David Ash, #2) (1994), Others (1999), Once... (2001), Nobody True (2003), The Secret of Crickley Hall (2006), Ash (David Ash, #3) (2012)