Book review: Fellside by M.R. Carey
The Sixth Sense meets Orange is the New Black
CCB rating: 3.5/5
Genres: Horror, supernatural, speculative fiction, mystery, thriller
Grim and creepy, Fellside by M.R. Carey swings between reality and the fantastical, curating a ghost story that sometimes suspends all disbelief, leaving the reader with supernatural whiplash.
I am an avid fan of ghost stories and all things supernatural with a Gothic vibe. When I picked up Fellside, I was immediately drawn in by its checklist of tropes that I truly enjoy. Unreliable narrator? Absolutely! Ghostly encounters? You bet! An atmospheric, Gothic-like setting? Tick! Here are my thoughts.
Let’s drop the synopsis:
Jess Moulson wakes up in a hospital without remembering how she got there. High on heroin, she started a fire that left her face unrecognisable, severely injured her boyfriend and led to the death of 10-year-old Alex Beech. Convicted of Alex's murder, Jess is sent to Fellside, a notorious women's prison on the Yorkshire Moors.
As Jess navigates the dangerous realities of prison life, Alex's ghost visits her, insisting she didn't hurt him and urges her to uncover the real culprit. Together, they delve into 'the Other World' to unearth what happened that fateful night. Meanwhile, sociopathic inmate Harriet Grace rules the prison hierarchy, running a lucrative drug ring with the help of a corrupt guard. Jess aims to solve Alex's murder and expose Grace, but she starts to suspect that Alex's ghost isn't who he claims to be, leaving her unsure of who to trust.
CCB thoughts:
One of Fellside's most compelling features is its vividly depicted setting. Carey captures the oppressive, claustrophobic atmosphere of the prison, making the cold stone walls and bleak surroundings almost tangible, personified characters themselves. The haunting, solitary beauty of the Yorkshire Moors heightens themes of abandonment, exile, and grief, contrasting the Moors' allure with the prison's bleakness and portraying the building as a blemish on the picturesque landscape. This is reminiscent of Gothic literature, where Fellside's long, echoing corridors and the constant feeling of being watched create a sense of purgatory in physical form.
Jess Moulson is a fascinating protagonist. Her struggle with addiction and quest for redemption form the novel’s emotional core. Jess is portrayed with depth and nuance, making her both relatable and complex. At times, she is painfully self-critical and crippled by low self-esteem. Jess feels the weight of her guilt pressing down on her, a constant reminder of the life she'd taken - or thought she'd taken. This internal conflict makes Jess a compelling and sympathetic character. However, Jess is hard to like at first, given how she was at the beginning of the story - abandoned of all hope, entirely convinced of her own worthlessness, and quite frankly, a bit annoying. Carey gifts us with a slowly unfolding metamorphosis, juxtaposing the new person Jess ultimately becomes against her initial hopelessness, portraying her as a human being rather than the monster created by her environment and decisions. Jess’s journey isn’t just about seeking forgiveness from others but also about coming to terms with herself.
"I've got to do something. I can't just sit here until the world ends. It will take too long."
Fellside explores the complexity of human emotions and the idea that people are rarely wholly good or evil. Through Jess, Carey dives into the grey areas of morality, showing a woman haunted by her past and uncertain of her guilt. This ambiguity forces readers to grapple with their perceptions of justice and forgiveness. Jess’s uncertainty about her culpability builds tension, creating a deliciously unreliable narrator that leaves us questioning whether she can be trusted.
One quote from the book stands out: "You can't punish yourself into innocence." This line encapsulates Carey's exploration of the futility of self-inflicted guilt and the necessity of confronting one's past to move forward. This theme resonates throughout the novel as Jess interacts with other inmates, prison staff, and the supernatural elements that push her towards self-discovery.
Carey uses the supernatural to deepen the plot rather than rely on it purely for shock value. The ghostly presence in Fellside prison catalyses Jess's journey, representing the voices of those wronged and the need for their stories to be heard. This element adds depth to the story, making it not just a horror tale but a poignant reflection on how the past continues to haunt the present.
"The universe was a badly written soap opera where every plot twist strained credibility just that little bit further."
However, it’s worth noting the paranormal factors of Fellside are heavily woven into the narrative as a mechanism to drive the story forward. At times, this can be difficult to grasp, especially as the prison setting seems so close to reality. The sharp and sudden switches between realism and the fantastical can be jarring and may leave readers feeling disoriented.
It would be amiss not to mention that the ghost of the little boy clearly represents Jess's guilt and her need for redemption. His presence forces her to confront the past, adding depth to her character arc. This blending of psychological and supernatural horror makes Fellside commendable. Carey writes, “The little boy's voice was a whisper in the dark, a ghostly echo that promised both answers and more questions.” This line effectively conveys the eerie and enigmatic nature of the supernatural, enhancing the overall sense of uncertainty and ambiguity.
"It's a strange thing to wake up not knowing who you are."
The supporting characters in Fellside are equally well-developed and, at times, outshine our lead protagonists. Each character, from the hardened inmates to the prison staff, brings a unique perspective to the story. The relationships between these characters are complex in their own right and often fraught with tension.
The relationship between Jess and Dr. Salazar, the prison doctor, is one of the most emotionally charged aspects of the book. Dr. Salazar sees a flicker of humanity in Jess amidst the harshness of prison life. He finds in her a patient worth fighting for, offering the reader a sense of hope for redemption and a glimpse of light amid the novel's darkness.
"She thought all gods were basically big bully-boy cops dreamed up by people who wanted the laws they liked on Earth to be true everywhere else."
Another notable character is Harriet Grace, a prison officer who embodies the brutality and corruption within the prison system. Her interactions with Jess and other inmates highlight the power struggles and moral ambiguities central to the story. Grace is a character you love to hate, and Carey portrays her as both a villain and a product of the harsh environment in which she works.
Carey's work often touches on societal issues. In The Girl With All the Gifts, Carey comments on fear, prejudice, survival, childhood innocence, and sacrifice, while in Fellside, he critiques the prison system and its failure to rehabilitate, instead frequently exacerbating the problems of those within it. By setting his story in a maximum-security prison, Carey sheds light on the dehumanising aspects of incarceration and the struggle for redemption and humanity in a place designed to strip it away. He questions the human capacity for change, using a supernatural framework to explore these themes in a way that feels both immediate and timeless.
"Justice? Justice is even more problematic than truth."
So, is it a near-perfect read? Not quite. After enjoying Carey's debut, The Girl With All the Gifts, I had (albeit unfairly) high expectations for Fellside. The book had some great moments in its 512 pages, but unfortunately, it didn't quite meet the level of its predecessor. I found that, at times, the supernatural elements overshadowed the gritty realism of prison life, which affected the overall impact. It might have been more effective if the balance between the supernatural and the portrayal of prison life was adjusted. However, despite this, there are intervals of masterful storytelling that are otherwise hard to fault.
Despite its flaws, Fellside is a compelling read, and I urge you to give it a go and form your own opinion, especially if you enjoy fiction with a dark and supernatural twist. Undeniably, Carey's storytelling is of top-notch quality, consistently drawing readers in. His adeptness in character development and his skill in crafting compelling sentences allow readers to immerse themselves in the setting and truly feel the characters' emotions. It is fair to say that Carey's talent for exceptional storytelling is beyond dispute.
Fellside is worth reading. Just temper your expectations if, like me, you're coming off the high of The Girl With All the Gifts.
Recommended for fans of:
Paranormal suspense
Plots about the complexities of prison life
Mysteries, rather than hardcore horror
A cast of unreliable narrators
Content warnings:
Substance abuse, child death, suicide idealisation, and murder.
Buy the book:
Bookshop.org | Waterstones | Amazon
Publisher: Little, Brown Book Group | Page count: 512
Have you read Fellside? What did you think? Please share your thoughts in the comments below.
As always, happy reading!
Until next time,
Sian | Criminally Creepy Books
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