BOOK BRIEF

The Elementals

Michael McDowell
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The Elementals

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1981

Book Brief

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Michael McDowell

The Elementals

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1981
Book Details
Pages

292

Format

Novel • Fiction

Genre
Gothic Literature

Fantasy

Horror & Suspense
Period
Southern Gothic
Setting

Alabama • 1980s

Topic
Religion & Spirituality
Publication Year

1981

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

18+ years

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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

4.1

24,773 ratings

75%

Loved it

19%

Mixed feelings

6%

Not a fan

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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 this

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.

4.1

24,773 ratings

75%

Loved it

19%

Mixed feelings

6%

Not a fan

Book Details
Pages

292

Format

Novel • Fiction

Genre
Gothic Literature

Fantasy

Horror & Suspense
Period
Southern Gothic
Setting

Alabama • 1980s

Topic
Religion & Spirituality
Publication Year

1981

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

18+ years

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