The Elementals
The Elementals
Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1981
Book Brief
Beta292
Novel • Fiction
Alabama • 1980s
1981
Adult
18+ years
Super Short Summary
The Elementals by Michael McDowell follows two Southern families, the McCrays and the Savages, who vacation at Beldame, a remote coastal area in Alabama. The story explores the families' encounters with supernatural entities within the isolated vacation homes, as they confront haunting secrets and eerie occurrences tied to the land and its ethereal inhabitants.
Mysterious
Dark
Unnerving
Melancholic
Gritty
Reviews & Readership
24,773 ratings
Loved it
Mixed feelings
Not a fan
Review Roundup
The Elementals by Michael McDowell is praised for its atmospheric and eerie Southern Gothic setting. Reviewers commend the novel's vivid imagery and suspenseful plot, successfully blending horror with family drama. Some readers find the pacing slow and the character development limited. Overall, it’s highly regarded for creating an unsettling and memorable experience.
Who Should Read The Elementals?
A fan of Southern Gothic horror, eerie atmospheres, and generational family secrets would enjoy The Elementals. Readers of Shirley Jackson's The Haunting of Hill House and Stephen King's Salem's Lot will appreciate its slow-building tension and unsettling seaside mansion setting.
24,773 ratings
Loved it
Mixed feelings
Not a fan
292
Novel • Fiction
Alabama • 1980s
1981
Adult
18+ years
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