All That Lives : A Novel of the Bell Witch

Rating:
Summary: A good fictionalized revival of an old legend
Review: I first encountered the Bell Witch story when I was eight years old in the children's book Thirteen Tennessee Ghosts and Jeffrey by Kathryn Tucker Windham. The chilling account of the long-lasting incidents at the Bell family farm stuck with me all these years, and I was somewhat reluctant to risk ruining my personal imagery of the account by reading the novel by Sanders-Self. I was, however, pleasantly surprised: the book is well-researched and well-written. The author brought to life real people with real qualities - good and bad. What is most impressive is the author's ability to shed light on the supernatural entity without trivializing it or attempting to claim she understands it, either. Readers will feel the curiosity, bewilderment, anger, anguish, grief and joy that forces them - just as it forced the Bells - to constantly second-guess their understanding of the sometimes benevolent, sometimes malevalent creature. Kudos to the author for her musical and triumphant piece on such a famous and daunting subject. Surely she has added to the timelessness of the Bell family story.

Rating:
Summary: What happened to the end of this story?
Review: I have never felt so let down by the ending of a book. The author did a great job of creating a mystery that kept me riveted, but then never offered a satisfactory explanation for the puzzling events that took place. By the time I got to the last few pages of the book, I happily anticipated a good "payoff"---a revelation that would leave me saying "Wow" but no such ending was forthcoming. There was no revelation. There was nothing. The author offered a few veiled hints along the way, but they were way too subtle and I was left with many questions that never got answered to my dismay. I felt that I had wasted my time reading this book. My advice is Don't Bother.

Rating:
Summary: A Dull Ending to a Good Story
Review: I loved the story of the Bell Witch. I read a lot of horror novels and the hauntings in this book were unique and kept me intrigued. I could not wait to find out why this family (especially the daughter) was being tortured. Unfortunately, my curiosity was not satisfied and I was upset that the story ended with little explanation. There are many unanswered questions like: Why were people outside of the Bell home tortured? Where exactly did this spirit come from? Did the jawbone have anything to do with the haunting? Why did she suffer painful encounters when it was stated that the spirit only had her best interest in mind? Where did the "witch creatures" come from? Did Old Kate really summon the witch? Was it really a witch? It did not possess the characteristics of a witch. It behaved more like a poltergeist or doppelganger. What was wrong with Josh? Why did the spirit not want Betsy to be with her love? The spirit revealed an unhappy Betsy in the future, but why was she unhappy and was this unexplained unhappiness worth having stones and twigs thrown at her? Why did the spirit not broadcast Jack's wrongdoings if that was the reason that he suffered the most? The story was going well until the end. Maybe a sequel would suffice to respond to the unanswered questions.

Rating:
Summary: LOVED THIS BOOK
Review: I loved this book from beginning to end and I couldn't put it down. When I finished it I wanted to read it again because I didn't want to leave the beautiful countryside and the wonderful characters. I had never heard of the Bell witch, but the author created a spirit that was both evil and frightening and wise and good, and incredibly real. I found it thought provoking and completely absorbing and I loved the way it was written. I want all my friends to read it now so we can talk about the themes. I highly recommend this novel, especially if you like to think about all the things we hear we can't explain.

Rating:
Summary: Interesting spin on a haunting
Review: I read this book in one sitting because it was so interesting. I have to admit I was drawn more to the character of the 'Bell Witch' than any of the members of the Bell family. This book is full of interesting historical details and enough fictional plot twists and dialogue to keep most readers involved in the action. Although not particularly frightening, I found it different enough to be slightly unsettling. The Bell Family is a typical rural Tennessee family that gains notoriety in their community when their house becomes haunted.
'The Spirit' attaches itself to the family's daughter, Betsy, and proceeds to destroy the physical structure of the home and the infrastructure of the family. The Spirit is particularly fond of Betsy and her mother, and not all that kind to the male members of the family or community.
My only complaint about this book is the ending. The book just ends without any real resolution or explanation of the haunting, nor any historical documentation about what really occurred. I found myself wanting more story to satisfy my curiosity.

Rating:
Summary: Interesting spin on a haunting
Review: I read this book in one sitting because it was so interesting. I have to admit I was drawn more to the character of the 'Bell Witch' than any of the members of the Bell family. This book is full of interesting historical details and enough fictional plot twists and dialogue to keep most readers involved in the action. Although not particularly frightening, I found it different enough to be slightly unsettling. The Bell Family is a typical rural Tennessee family that gains notoriety in their community when their house becomes haunted.
'The Spirit' attaches itself to the family's daughter, Betsy, and proceeds to destroy the physical structure of the home and the infrastructure of the family. The Spirit is particularly fond of Betsy and her mother, and not all that kind to the male members of the family or community.
My only complaint about this book is the ending. The book just ends without any real resolution or explanation of the haunting, nor any historical documentation about what really occurred. I found myself wanting more story to satisfy my curiosity.