Long before the film there was the written word. Long before we settled down in
front of video or now DVD players for our fright-fests, we would read tales of 
terror by candlelight.
For most, this has been lost, however there are still those that prefer the pages
to celluloid or even both and why not?
This section then is for you. To help you to search through the rubbish and find
stories worth your time to read. If you're an avid reader of horror novels then
why not join 'Castle Dracula' as an official 'staff member' reviewing them.
To do so, just click on the 'Join My Staff' link in the menu to the left for details
of this and other vacancies.

- The Devil's Cradle -
- Katie Stewart -

'Dorothy Kite' is a loner and has led a pretty drab existence. Although she loves her 
job at the local small town library, where she works with her close friend, she's never 
really had a relationship. Her mother, who she had cared for many years, recently died 
and left her a large sum of money. The thing 'Dorothy Kite' wants more than anything 
else in the world is a child. A child can love her right? 
She won't be alone then...since her mother's death she no longer has another being to 
take care of, to be appreciated by. A child would be her second chance at happiness.
But the bad thing for 'Dorothy' (and good thing in terms of conjuring a novel plot) is 
that she is much too old to really start bearing a child. Her fertility is in question 
and besides that, there's the issues of possible deformities.
Her hopes crushed, the night she's turned down from a clinic she runs into a man who 
offers her her dreams on a silver platter. Ignoring the reluctance and warning of her 
friend, she sets out to sign a contract of sorts, promising that from that day forth 
she is pregnant and will bear twins in nine months time. The drawback? 
To give one of the twins away to the stranger and to keep one for herself. Is this the
only way she can get a child? 
How desperate do some people become to have an infant of their own to hold, cherish and 
raise?
But usually gold waved in your face and given so freely is tarnished. Soon mysterious 
things begin occuring and 'Dorothy' wonders if she made the right decision after all. 
Researching the past of this 'man', she uncovers a shocking legacy of secrets, horror 
and grief. 
Determined to overcome all this and save her children (and herself in the process), she 
sets out to try and stop a nightmare that has been continuing for centuries.
Kate Stewarts writing style is one to be envied. Her prose is sophisticated but not 
complicated. The novel was penned in a way that's unique, yet not too far out there to 
get into. The character of 'Dorothy' seemed a bit narrow at first but quickly evolved 
into something entertaining. She became a genuine character with fears and passions. I
came to care about the other characters equally; realism was injected at every turn and 
this made the novel that much more rewarding. There were several creepy parts throughout; 
the hair on the back of my neck rose on several occassions. This isn't saying that 'The 
Devil's Cradle' is without its faults however. As in any book written about the dreads 
of humanity, there is a sense of depressing realism. The text was printed rather small 
and there's a lot to absorb. Still, the novel is interesting and this soon proves to be 
something that's overlooked.
I especially loved how the book started and ended. With a preword concerning the devil 
himself, a type of narration, not told through the eyes of any of the characters. These 
words were chilling, particularly at the end, because it's so true. Even if you're not 
one who believes in 'Satan' and all the deep, dark stuff, one cannot deny the truth written 
about human nature and its destructive tendencies. 
In a way, the book wraps up not only as a lesson, but as a warning that deserves to be well 
noted.

Reviewed By Erin Williams.

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