A review by bookishdea
The Splendor Falls by Rosemary Clement-Moore

4.0

I have a thing for the Southern Gothic, YA, and mysteries. Oh, and I like novels about really talented people (in the arts) who either continue on in their talent, or have it taken away from them and have to deal. So in essence, this book was just what I wanted.

My problem with the book was that it was very slow moving at first. There's a lot of set-up. It takes awhile for the plot to get moving, because it's just hinted at. I would have really liked to know more about the family history, besides what is touched upon (like whatever happened to Jacob Maddox).

Once I got a bit more than halfway in, things really started to move. I enjoyed it a lot, and I liked the magical aspect. This wasn't just a ghost story -- the ghosts actually played less of a role than expected.

I debated whether I should give this book 3 or 4 stars, but finally went with 4 because of the subjects and the ending. It was very long (over 500 pages) and while it's not a bad thing, it probably could have been shorter and therefore moved along quicker. This was also a book that I didn't have problems setting down...which isn't really a good sign. On the other hand, I really did like the characters and story line, so I don't mind giving it 4 stars.