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natashaleighton_'s review
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Deliciously gothic and exquisitely atmospheric, Kate Griffin’s new brilliantly inventive historical thriller was a veritable feast for the senses—with secrets, lies and morally ambiguous characters I couldn’t get enough of!
Firstly, I’m a huge sucker for anything even remotely gothic, so I knew I had to read this as soon as I heard it compared to one of my all time fave novels, Jane Eyre—If Jane had been a witchy, calculating social climber eager to get her hands on the grand (but crumbling) manor.
And I’m glad to report that not only did it live up to my expectations, it actually surpassed them! The lush, mysteriously suspenseful descriptions were to die for and really wouldn’t be out of place in a Brontë novel.
Likewise, the hauntingly uncanny sense of dread that seems to encompass our protagonist, Marta as soon as she arrives at Fyneshade had me practically glued to my seat in anticipation.
For the most part, I did like Marta, but she’s probably the least likeable protagonist I’ve ever encountered—with her fiendish, unfriendly demeanour on show to virtually everyone around her (barring the handsome and soon to be wealthy Vaughan) it was pretty difficult to decide whether to root for or against her at times, especially when considering her pretty abysmal treatment of Grace.
Still in mourning for her grandmother, and smarting from her banishment to a life of servitude (after her dalliance with a wealthy heir she was forbidden from marrying), Marta comes across as quite mercenary in her pursuit of fortune and refuses to socialise with any of the staff beyond Mrs. Gurney (the housekeeper) and Old Maggie (the nursemaid.) And yet, I still found myself inextricably drawn to her, eager to see how far her unapologetically manipulative nature would carry her.
This is a bit of a slow-burn, but the gorgeously atmospheric and tantalisingly psychological buildup will more than make up for it. Personally, I absolutely love a good, gothic slow-burn particularly when it’s as detailed, emotional and full of twists as this was.
Henry James fans will also love the literary nod to his most influential supernatural tale, The Turn of The Screw-I don’t want to spoil the surprise on that front so I’ll leave things there, but trust me the payoff is definitely worth it!
And if like me, you love flawed morally ambiguous characters then you need to add this to your TBRs immediately, as pretty much every character is suspect in some way; their secrets and lies muddying every single action —it’s absolutely glorious!
Also, a huge thank you to Viper Books for the finished copy and for my spot on the blog tour.
Firstly, I’m a huge sucker for anything even remotely gothic, so I knew I had to read this as soon as I heard it compared to one of my all time fave novels, Jane Eyre—If Jane had been a witchy, calculating social climber eager to get her hands on the grand (but crumbling) manor.
And I’m glad to report that not only did it live up to my expectations, it actually surpassed them! The lush, mysteriously suspenseful descriptions were to die for and really wouldn’t be out of place in a Brontë novel.
Likewise, the hauntingly uncanny sense of dread that seems to encompass our protagonist, Marta as soon as she arrives at Fyneshade had me practically glued to my seat in anticipation.
For the most part, I did like Marta, but she’s probably the least likeable protagonist I’ve ever encountered—with her fiendish, unfriendly demeanour on show to virtually everyone around her (barring the handsome and soon to be wealthy Vaughan) it was pretty difficult to decide whether to root for or against her at times, especially when considering her pretty abysmal treatment of Grace.
Still in mourning for her grandmother, and smarting from her banishment to a life of servitude (after her dalliance with a wealthy heir she was forbidden from marrying), Marta comes across as quite mercenary in her pursuit of fortune and refuses to socialise with any of the staff beyond Mrs. Gurney (the housekeeper) and Old Maggie (the nursemaid.) And yet, I still found myself inextricably drawn to her, eager to see how far her unapologetically manipulative nature would carry her.
This is a bit of a slow-burn, but the gorgeously atmospheric and tantalisingly psychological buildup will more than make up for it. Personally, I absolutely love a good, gothic slow-burn particularly when it’s as detailed, emotional and full of twists as this was.
Henry James fans will also love the literary nod to his most influential supernatural tale, The Turn of The Screw-I don’t want to spoil the surprise on that front so I’ll leave things there, but trust me the payoff is definitely worth it!
And if like me, you love flawed morally ambiguous characters then you need to add this to your TBRs immediately, as pretty much every character is suspect in some way; their secrets and lies muddying every single action —it’s absolutely glorious!
Also, a huge thank you to Viper Books for the finished copy and for my spot on the blog tour.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abortion, Blood, Bullying, and Grief
Moderate: Ableism, Child abuse, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Injury/Injury detail, Confinement, Pregnancy, and Murder
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