REVIEW: Pine by Francine Toon

The gothic novel invades the Scottish Highlands

PINE by Francine Toon Published 23rd January 2020 by Doubleday

Gothic fiction has long been one of my favourite genres, as evident by several reviews recently on this blog, and it's been fantastic to see so many gothic novels publishing over the past few years. There's lots to love about gothic fiction, but for me the three key elements are a spooky, claustrophobic setting, a hint of the supernatural and tormented characters facing a dark, threatening plot. Add in the beautiful jackets that have adorned gothic novels in recent years, and it's a magical combination. All of my top gothic novels capture this cocktail, perfectly, so upon hearing about Pine, I had high hopes that this might reach the same lofty heights.

Pine is set in the Scottish highlands, and follows Lauren, a young girl whose mother disappeared a decade ago, leaving her with her well-meaning but flawed (and alcoholic) father, Niall. The novel alternates between their perspectives as history threatens to repeat itself when a local girl goes missing in a similar situation to Lauren's mother, with stone circles and long-lost items appearing around town. As the townsfolk race to find the girl, secrets and spirits from the past threaten to reappear and tear the isolated community apart for good.

It's a promising premise, particularly when combined with a fantastic jacket. Most gothic features intricate, elaborate designs, but the simplicity of the cover combined with the complexity of the deer drawing makes this stand out as something unique in the marketplace.

So how does Pine measure up against out gothic measuring tapes?

First, the setting. In comparison to the usual haunted house or countryside mansion, Pine focuses on a small, close-knit Scottish town where suspicion and rumour abound. It's a refreshing take on a gothic novel. The town and scenery are brilliantly realised, with Lauren and Niall's home a creaking, sinister house threatening to fall apart at any moment, and the surrounding landscape capturing beauty and dark possibility in equal measure. Much of the dialogue is written in the vernacular, complete with thick Scottish accents and missing vowels, and it really helps to draw the reader in. If anything, I was disappointed to only see this applied to certain characters.

Secondly, the supernatural. For the first chunk of the book, it's unclear whether there are any supernatural goings-on. Everything could be rationally explained away as a prank or cruel trick, but as the book progresses, the supernatural elements come to the fore. I appreciated that the supernatural elements were sparingly used, and rather than aiming for shock or chills, were actually used to add a surprising amount of emotional depth to the novel. Could it have been spookier? Yes, perhaps, but again it was an interesting take on gothic stereotypes that I think worked well, if a little sparsely.

Third, the characters and plot. Lauren is an interesting character (though she feels like she could be any age from 6 to 16), and her perspective combines a childlike simplicity with some dark emotional turmoil that keeps the reader engaged. Niall, on the other hand, is a character that's intentionally very difficult to like. He's a constant failure as a father, and everyone in town treats him with a cautious distance. As characters, they're both interesting to follow, but I did find them both difficult to invest in. I didn't really care what happened to either of them throughout the whole novel, and by the end was drawn on solely by the mysteries unfurling, rather than to see the characters get any redemption or development. For some people, an unlikable cast can be a boon in a novel, but for me it left me feeling slightly cold on the characters. The plot is stronger, with a solid central mystery and good development, though it does feel like there were storylines that could've been trimmed, and characters that could've been developed much more broadly. Again, I enjoyed reading this but was glad to reach the end at the same time.

Overall, I have to commend Pine for a fantastic, original setting and a beautiful jacket, as well as a smart use of the supernatural. While the characters and plot weren't quite so stand-out, this was an enjoyable read as the nights drew in and I would be keen to see what the author writes next.

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I was sent a review copy in exchange for an honest, unbiased review. Many thanks to Doubleday for sending me a copy.