"And He Shall Appear" was promoted as The Secret History meets Saltburn in this decadent dark academia thriller but for me it didn't have the plot of The Secret History and I'd argue it was less of a thriller and more of mystery.
The story is told by an unnamed narrator using the device of him having to attend a function back at his old Cambridge college and the journey and event triggering a series of memories from his earlier time there, so the story switches back and forwards between the two timelines. This sets up some excellent foreshadowing making the book hard to put down in places.
The writing is very atmospheric, with good use of metaphor and descriptions of things, sounds, smells, lights etc that are enough to make a chill run down your spine. Kate van der Borgh's knowledge and understanding of music also comes across as our narrator describes the soundtrack to his time at Cambridge.
The characters, most of whom are high class, wealthy and egotistical do not come as people you'd particularly want to get to know and I didn't even bond well with the narrator either. However, I suspect there is more than an element of truth in their descriptions and quirks and they all shine from the page.
The ending is tragic and wistful, fitting for a very well written book that pulls you in. It is an immersive and gripping read but I should have like a more tangible plot for fives stars.
I would happily read another work by this author and it is a great debut novel.
With thanks to Netgalley and 4th Estate for an arc copy in return for an honest review.

Oh this was really fun!

There's a lot of "dark academia" around and it really ranges in quality.

This has a perfect mix of a classic setting - very Saltburn. A young awkward man starts university and becomes mesmerised by a rich and popular boy, with his rich and popular friends. So far, so Saltburn.

But what And He Shall Appear does well is a really haunting dual narrative. While I much preferred the university sections, these add much needed weight and context, Plus a plot twist that I had to reread twice and nearly made me drop the book.

This one is fun and should be massive.

Our narrator arrives at a Cambridge College to study music. He is from a Northern Comprehensive and he finds it quite difficult to settle and make friends. Life generally is so different when compared with life back home with family and friends around. In Hall there are a number of students who either went to the same, or similar ( boarding) schools.. Their general demeanour,, language and accents coupled with their air of self confidence had little regard for might be thought of as normal.. Happy to challenge College rules with some only attending lectures as and when it suited them etc.. Bryan Cavendish was their natural leader and he dictated whether you could join them or not. The rest were very much followers. Out of favour one might simply be dropped or driven out through unhappiness.
Bryn was a magician, a skill acquired from his father., and happy when seemingly finding an egg in one’s ear.. But other tricks or deceptions could be more sinister where the butt of the joke fell on one of the group or a passing outsider. Life moved on until one fateful day when the bodies of Bryn and his then current girl friend were found under the bell tower. Learning how and why requires you to read the book. Similarly, to find out what happened post University ….. although the book’s title “And He Shall Appear” provides a clue.

This is a goo, well constructed, book particularly if you are into “ young people noir” The characters and their interactions are so well written you can imagine you were there observing it all.

Recommended.

And He Shall Appear by Kate van der Borgh is a haunting and intricate debut that blends dark academia with an unsettling supernatural twist. The story follows a young man who arrives in Cambridge for his first year, immediately feeling like an outsider. While his peers seem well-versed in the traditions of punting, politics, and parties, he struggles to find his place. That is until he meets Bryn Cavendish.

Bryn is a captivating figure – notorious for his wild partying and impressive magical abilities. To be within his orbit is to escape the confines of ordinary university life, basking in a haze of ecstasy and rule-breaking. But to be excluded from his inner circle means a life of haunting isolation on the fringes of campus life.

As the academic year progresses, Bryn's magic tricks take on a more sinister tone, and the narrator begins to question whether Bryn's influence stems purely from his charm or if something darker is at play. Is his power fuelled by charisma alone, or has he tapped into something far more dangerous?

This book is a deeply atmospheric and eerie exploration of obsessive friendship, shrouded in mystery, magic, and gothic undertones. The layering of reality with a ghostly, dream-like quality makes for an intoxicating and perplexing read. It's ideal for lovers of dark academia, with its occult elements and an ominous sense of foreboding.

For those who enjoy creeping into the shadowy corners of the human mind, and exploring themes of power and obsession, this book is tailor-made. However, be warned – it delves into occult practices and devil worship, which may not appeal to every reader. If that's your kind of unsettling thrill, And He Shall Appear will certainly not disappoint.

Read more at The Secret Bookreview.

Something of a strange mix of the desperation of one young man to fit in at university and the darker side of the man he worships, slipping into the occult.
The unnamed narrator of the story is desperate to become part of the popular group and to escape his Northern roots, ditching true friends and risking his degree along the way to achieve his goal The object of his desire is Bryn, a magicians son whose privileged upbringing and louche attitude make him mysterious and desirable, evidenced by his group of hangers-on.
Touching on the already strange academic world of Oxbridge and college life, the story is steeped in dark magic, alcohol and drugs.
I could completely empathise with the desperate desire to fit in, all whilst changing and molding yourself to the person you wish you were rather than the person you really are and the narrators desperation to be "cool" cringed its way off the pages as the story moved from present, where he is returning to college as an adult for a special occasion and the past, covering his 3 years of study.
An intriguing and excellent read.

And He Shall Appear
by Kate van der Borgh
Pub Date: Jan 16 2025

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Awesome Book!!

In the hallowed halls of Cambridge, a dangerous obsession takes hold…

When a young man arrives in Cambridge as a first-year student, he finds himself an outsider. There’s the punting and the politics, the wine and the waistcoats, all seemingly familiar to everyone but him. Then he falls under the spell of Bryn Cavendish.

A notorious party boy and skilled magician, Bryn is magnetic. To be in his circle is to revel in clouds of ecstasy, untouched by the rules. To be exiled from it is to haunt the peripheries of campus life like a ghost.

As the academic year intensifies and Bryn’s magic tricks become more sinister, one question lingers. Is Bryn’s charisma the source of his influence or does he wield a much darker and more dangerous power?

I have to start by saying that I really enjoyed this book. I was slightly alarmed by the suggestion of magic but unnecessarily so. It was brilliantly written with interesting characters and a dual timeline that worked really well. My only criticism is that I found the ending rushed and whilst not a letdown as such, I felt that it could have been revealed a bit more clearly. Still - an excellent read - recommended.

A haunting novel, perfect for fans of dark academia. A tale of a friendship with a slice of obsession. It alternates between two time periods and does that really well. The characters are interesting and well written and they develop through the novel. Its a tricky one to categorize without giving too much away, An enjoyable read perfect for a dark winters night. Thanks to the publishers and to Netgalley for this ARC.

This was everything I wished for and more. The subtlety and elegance of this novel is otherworldly. This might be in par with the Secret History and that is saying a LOT coming from someone with it as a favorite novel of all time. Perfect read really, this book reminded me of why I love dark academia and reading once more. 5 stars, and a half!!

I thoroughly enjoyed ‘And He Shall Appear’. The pull of the fantasy/coming of age theme had me hooked. The setting of Cambridge University was perfect as it added to the eerie and ancient atmosphere. This is a good book to immerse yourself in.

It's always a little dangerous to bill a book as 'Secret History meets...' - with the rise of Dark Academia as a genre this claim gets used a lot and it sets the bar very very high. So although I was intrigued by the concept of Secret History meets Saltburn I was also wary. It's a lot to live up to. Does it succeed? In the main yes, the influences of both are clear, along with Brideshead and other odes to Oxbridge/Ivy Leagues and the gilded and entitled who walk their ancient halls but there is an originality in this tale of obsession, magic and deception that gives it a flavour all its own.
A state educated,loner misfit, desperate to be special, a rich privileged magician, who entices and bewitches, a cool, beautiful girl, a cliquey circle of sycophants, unexplained absences, things that go bump in the night, hauntings. This elegantly book builds tension to excruciating levels as it asks, what is love, what is reality, who gets to tell our stories? Recommended.

And He Shall Appear is a beautifully written, haunting story about a young man, desperate to fit in with his more privileged peers at university. It is a story of obsession, magic, the seeming invulnerability of youth, and untimely death. Throughout the novel, uncertainty and misperception impact the vulnerable mind of the protagonist, and this continues far beyond his years at university. The novel is so cleverly constructed that the reader is constantly surprised at the revelations that occur, particularly at the end of the novel. Highly recommended. Thanks to the publisher, author and NetGalley for the ARC.

The unnamed narrator in Kate van der Borgh’s debut novel And He Shall Appear is a music teacher and choir director who returns to Cambridge University, where he was a student in the early aughts, after being invited to be one of the judges in auditions for a music scholarship. The scholarship has been set up by Frances Cavendish in memory of her son Bryn, one of the narrator’s classmates at University. Unlike the narrator, who came from a working class background, and whose northern accent immediately marked him as an uneasy outsider, Bryn was wealthy and had the right connections, making him one of the most glamorous students around. Darkly charismatic, Bryn also knew how to be the soul of every party, delighting and spooking his coterie of admirers with impressive and inexplicable magic tricks. Through a shared musical connection, the narrator becomes an unlikely member of Bryn’s circle of friends. His initial unqualified admiration for his larger-than-life companion dampens when he starts to suspect that Bryn’s magic is much more than a party piece. There are clues that Bryn is dabbling in the occult, and using it to wreak revenge on those who stand in his way. Dark things happen wherever he goes, and whoever crosses him ends up haunted and cast aside. The narrator’s present-day visit to his old university brings back recollections of the ultimately tragic events of the time, and awakens harrowing ghosts which may have better been left undisturbed. Defeating death might be Bryn’s ultimate sorcery…

I had first come across Kate van der Borgh’s fiction through The Fiction Desk, a journal that had published two of her well-crafted short stories. While those pieces had an understated realism, her first novel is a work of supernatural fiction – an atmospheric ghost story with a decidedly “dark academia” aesthetic. And He Shall Appear delivers all the thrills one would expect of the genre. It starts off with a bang with a really unsettling scene, and there are plenty of nail-biting passages before the sleight of hand of its final part. The narrative is satisfying, even though, as in the best ghost stories, it does not provide neat answers and there is, throughout, an underlying ambiguity as to whether the supernatural trappings are all in the narrator’s mind. The campus setting – Cambridge around 2001 – is lovingly recreated, inspired as it is by the author’s own experiences as a music student at the University.

Beyond the tropes of the genre, which it uses to great effect, the novel also provides thoughtful social and psychological commentary. Through the contrast between the self-assurance of Bryn and the narrator’s self-effacement, van der Borgh highlights the remnants of a class system that still makes itself felt in contemporary society, including in tertiary education. As the author points out in her introduction, some students seem to have all the right connections. “Privilege” is, in itself, a kind of sorcery, which allows “people from certain backgrounds to move through the world differently”.

In this respect, the novel is also a psychological study of a student who, because of his inferiority complex, seems ready to metaphorically sell his soul to the devilish “Bryn Cavendish” in exchange for acceptance and glamour. I liked the smart touch of having the narrator “unnamed”, as if he has given up his own personality. More than that, in two instances in the novel, Bryn gets to give the narrator an invented name. The act of “naming” suggests “ownership”, and there is a poignant symbolism behind Bryn “taking possession” of the narrator. (which, the narrator suspects, he might literally be doing through occult practices).

One of the special things about this novel is that it is haunted by music. Music shapes the plot – it is what brings the narrator, and Bryn (and other key characters) together. It lends authenticity to the voice of the musician-narrator, who often resorts to musical metaphors to express himself. The musical references also provide an oblique counterpoint to the story. Thus, for instance, the recurring figure of Peter Warlock (1894-1930), a favourite composer of the narrator’s, is a particularly apt choice. Warlock famously dabbled in the occult and shocked more conservative friends with his debauched lifestyle. He stands in for Bryn, of course, but also, in a way, represents the insecurities of the narrator (“Peter Warlock” was a pseudonym for the decidedly more mundane “Philip Heseltine). The narrator’s choir, “Voices from Before”, specialises in English music of the early twentieth Century, repertoire which evokes an idea of a lost idyll, shattered by the tragedies of war. There are references to Shostakovich – who himself lived through a reign of terror (albeit, unlike our narrator, not of a “supernatural” kind). And it certainly cannot be a coincidence that the song which Bryn and the narrator perform together is Butterworth’s Is my Team Ploughing, which sets a Housman poem featuring a conversation between the ghost of a man and his friend, who is still alive.

And He Shall Appear is an assured debut which can be enjoyed at so many levels. Full review, including link to Spotify playlist at:

https://endsoftheword.blogspot.com/2024/04/and-he-shall-appear-kate-van-der-borgh.html

Working class boy makes it to Cambridge and becomes captived with the charismatic Bryn a popular, dark and definitely not working class.

But what's the story behind each character is the main story, there are several characters that need to be followed but 2 play center stage as others come and go. Studying music 🎶 our hero well central character I'm not sure hero is justified in this case felt underwhelmed compared to his friends. His friends studied more (in his view) substantial subjects but that's all in each others point of view. Slowly those that fall faul of Bryn leave Cambridge and well the story unfolds.

It's a captivating storyline then keeps you hooked guessing what's to unfold and what becomes of each other and Tim well he's one to watch and listen out for but you'll have to read to find out why as I hate to give spoilers.

And He Shall Appear tells the story of a working class Northern lad arriving at Cambridge University at the beginning of the century and feeling very much an outsider. While he has down to earth friends he comes under the spell of the mercurial Bryn Cavendish and his coterie of hangers-on and admirers. Cavendish revels in his mad, bad and dangerous to know image and likes to throw wild parties where he likes to delight, and sometimes terrify, his fellow students with magic tricks.
After working his way into Cavendish's inner circle the unnamed narrator sees a much darker side to his hero and his magic tricks as the public face of something more malevolent.
Many years later he returns to Cambridge and the ghosts of his University Days ,looking for answers to questions that have haunted him ever since.

This is a very clever , involving ,and ultimately moving, book. It's about class,privilege, wanting to fit in and memory. It's not entirely clear what genre the book is until the end, "Dark Academia" doesn't do it justice, when a clever ending reveals all..........and blows all of the reader's perceptions out of the water.

This book had a great plot with intriguing characters. I’ll definitely be looking out for more from this author.

This book had a great plot with intriguing characters. I’ll definitely be looking out for more from this author.

A rather disturbing and sad story of hero worship. The mixture of magic tricks and belief in the summoning of evil spirits wove a rather frightening atmosphere to the story.

With thanks to Netgalley and Fourth Estate for the arc.
This ticked all the boxes for me, I absolutely loved it and devoured it from beginning to end.
Set in Cambridge, this is the story of young musician from a working class background and his obsessive attempts to befriend a group of charismatic, privileged (entitled) wealthy students.
It’s hard to believe that this is Kate van der Borgh’s debut novel as she writes with such a sure hand, weaving a gripping narrative that includes elements of the supernatural, psychological thriller and dark academia over a dual timeline.
If you enjoyed Donna Tartt’s The Secret History, S.T. Gibson’s Evocation and Saltburn, then you will love this book.

This is the story of a young man (do we know his name?) with a working class background and a talent for music, who enters Cambridge university as an undergraduate. He meets a glamorous upper class man called Bryn who has a talent for mayhem and magic, and becomes an acolyte of his. He also, thankfully, has a sensible friend who is studying medicine, called Tim, who advises him against the worst excesses that hanging around with Bryn and his crowd bring. Eventually, things come to a head and the whole of his life is affected, the only constant being Tim. There are some strange ghostly happenings which ad a mystical touch. This is great coming of age story, set within the hallowed halls of a great university and totally capturing the essence of the place.