Welcome back to Books With Cause. Let’s dive straight into my latest review.
I think Matt Haig is one of the most important contemporary British authors. In a world where many celebrities/writers feel out of reach and invincible, Haig bucks the trend by reminding us that he is human. In his interviews, he has been candid about his mental health struggles and the dark places it’s taken him to. The fact that he’s still here tells us that he’s strong and a survivor. He also shows us that mental health issues aren’t something to be ashamed of. My personal belief is that more people should be like Haig. Honest, raw, and unapologetically themselves.
But before you think I’m going to tell you Haig can do no wrong, the truth is that I’ve had a mixed experience with his books. I remember enjoying The Dead Fathers Club, The Humans, and How to Stop Time. I absolutely loved The Midnight Library. The Life Impossible didn’t really do much for me. I haven’t currently read any of Haig’s children’s books or non-fiction, but the fact that he does have different strings to his bow is what I think makes him an essential part of any library. I will always sit up and take notice every time he releases something new. While this is one of his older books, I’ve been looking forward to reading The Radleys for some time.
On the surface, the Radleys appear to be a regular family. Peter is a GP and his wife, Helen, is a housewife. They have two teenage children, Rowan and Clara. Rowan writes poetry, pines for his crush, and is considered a weirdo by his peers at school. Clara is more popular at school, but senses that every animal hates her, so she has recently turned vegan. Her parents are concerned that she’s not getting the nutrition she needs.
But Peter and Helen have been hiding a secret from their children. They are actually a family of vampires. Clara only learns what she really is when she’s attacked by a boy from school and her natural instincts kick in. With a dead body to dispose of and the police on their trail, the Radleys realise there is only one person who can help them. Peter’s estranged brother, Will.
The Radleys is a unique book because the lead characters are vampires, but this is not a horror novel. It’s a family drama with a supernatural twist. Some might say that Haig takes some liberties with vampire folklore (these vampires have a reflection in mirrors, for example), but that is his right as an author of fiction. While this book is not necessarily a love letter to Dracula, Haig does still pay tribute to Bram Stoker and creates his own fictional history for the world his characters inhabit.
I had a lot of fun with this book. I could devour it, if you pardon the pun, and it’s one of those books where I didn’t want it to end. Maybe that’s the thing that stopped this from being a five-star book for me. Maybe I felt there was some potential story left on the table. But maybe I’m being too picky. I don’t think Haig has written any sequels to his adult fiction. But if he were to, I think this is one that deserves it. I would love to know what the Radleys got up to next.
My Goodreads Rating: ★★★★☆ (4 stars)
