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kurumipanda's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical trauma, Blood, Body shaming, Injury/Injury detail, Child abuse, Suicide, Violence, Child death, Grief, Body horror, Bullying, Physical abuse, and Death of parent
Moderate: Gore, Confinement, Racial slurs, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, and Pregnancy
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders, Alcoholism, Self harm, and Religious bigotry
trobinsonmorris's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
So dark
Pros:
- So many plot twists
- Unreliable narrators
- Two POV
Cons:
- So depressing
🪡👗
Pros:
- So many plot twists
- Unreliable narrators
- Two POV
Cons:
- So depressing
🪡👗
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Classism, Death, Confinement, Death of parent, Child abuse, Murder, and Physical abuse
singalana's review
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I picked this book from a local bookshop based on the interesting premise. I had no idea the book had a supernatural element until I started reading it since it isn’t mentioned in the blurb, and I rarely read the testimonials. Because I’m a fan of the supernatural in my books, I didn’t mind that at all.
This book was much more gruesome than I expected, and it is certainly not a light read. It follows two very different women brought together by a crime which we learn more about as the story processes. Without giving anything away about the plot, this story certainly gives food for thought not only because of the historical aspect but also the lives and motivations of the two main characters.
I think this story will stick with me for a while. It has a certain gothic feel to it: horrific historical facts combined with an intriguing supernatural element.
This book was much more gruesome than I expected, and it is certainly not a light read. It follows two very different women brought together by a crime which we learn more about as the story processes. Without giving anything away about the plot, this story certainly gives food for thought not only because of the historical aspect but also the lives and motivations of the two main characters.
I think this story will stick with me for a while. It has a certain gothic feel to it: horrific historical facts combined with an intriguing supernatural element.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pregnancy, Gore, and Body horror
Moderate: Violence, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Slavery, Torture, Child abuse, Child death, and Death of parent
Minor: Grief, Murder, Abandonment, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Toxic relationship, and Vomit
elvenpanther's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
I really enjoyed this novel, right from the start. I loved the Victorian feel of it and the way the author unfolded both Ruth and Dorothea's stories. While I picked up on some of the clues for the pilot's twists fairly quickly, I was still a bit surprised at the turn that the ending took.
Ruth's life was full of so much sorrow and pain and while I appreciated the peace of mind that was given to her at the end, I still wish things had ended differently for her. However, the direction that the author chose gave way for a more emotional reading experience.
Ruth's life was full of so much sorrow and pain and while I appreciated the peace of mind that was given to her at the end, I still wish things had ended differently for her. However, the direction that the author chose gave way for a more emotional reading experience.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicide, Classism, Child abuse, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, and Murder
linguaphile412's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Physical abuse, Death of parent, Torture, Bullying, Confinement, Gore, Grief, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Death, Suicide, Violence, Blood, and Child death
Moderate: Racial slurs, Excrement, Racism, and Vomit
shelfofunread's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Having read, reviewed and enjoyed all three of Laura Purcell’s other novels (The Silent Companions, Bone China, and The Shape of Darkness) I can only assume that I’ve been holding off on The Corset for fear of having no more of her deliciously dark Gothic goodness to read!
The Corset, Purcell’s second novel, alternates between the narratives of Dorothea Truelove, a wealthy philanthropist with a fascination in phrenology; and Ruth Butterham, a teenage seamstress sentenced to death for the brutal and calculated murder of her employer. Fixated on testing her hypothesis that the shape of a person’s skull can cast a light on their darkest crimes, Dorothea at first is dismissive of Ruth’s own belief that her sewing needles hold a deadly power beyond her control. But as Ruth’s story unfolds – and it becomes apparent that this young woman may have more than one death on her hands – Dorothea begins to suspect that there may be more to Ruth’s plight than meets the eye.
Laura Purcell is so brilliant at capturing atmosphere in her work. From the refined confines of Dorothea’s family home to the sparsity of Ruth’s prison cell, the sense of both time and place drips from the page. Purcell’s writing is rich in description without ever becoming overblown, drawing the reader into the world of the characters.
And what a grim and dark world that is! Although Dorothea spends her days in a world of privilege and relative independence, her experience is sharply contrasted by that of Ruth. Coming from a background of genteel poverty, Ruth has known little but hardship in her short life. A natural seamstress, she is forced into labouring as an apprentice for the tyrannical dressmaker Mrs Metcalfe after a series of family tragedies. A seeming escape from penury, Ruth’s time at Mrs Metcalfe’s soon turns into a horrifying ordeal: one that may require use of her strange and disturbing powers to escape from.
To say any more about the plot of The Corset would be to spoil some of the shocking twists and thrilling turns of the narrative. Content warnings, however, for forced labour, forced confinement, imprisonment, child abuse, and murder.
I have to say that I was more drawn towards Ruth narrative – brutal though it is in places – and, at times, felt that some aspects of Dorothea’s story were a distraction rather than an addition to the central narrative thread. Dorothea’s interest in phrenology, for example, wasn’t explored as much as I had expected – although it did make a brilliant comeback towards the end! I also felt that the ending, although satisfyingly surprising, was a little rushed in terms of the way that it connected the two narratives together. In particular, Dorothea’s narrative strand took a sudden and somewhat unexpected turn that I felt could have been introduced and set up earlier on.
Ruth’s ‘power’ – an ability to transmit her feelings and intentions through her stitches – incorporates magical realist elements into the novel and I enjoyed the contrast between Ruth’s honest and fearful belief in this supernatural ability and Dorothea’s rational and scientific scepticism. I also found the supporting cast to be vividly drawn: Mrs Metcalf, in particular, is a a truly disturbing creation and it was easy to empathise with Ruth’s hatred of her. I also loved the way in which Laura Purcell uses narrative perspective to manipulate the reader into seeing characters through a particular lens, only for us to see them differently when viewed at a different angle. In a tale in which belief is central, it was interesting to have my beliefs and perceptions of several characters inverted at times!
Although not my favourite of her novels (I think The Silent Companions is still my number one), The Corset is another accomplished and page-turning gothic tale from Laura Purcell. Combining elegant and rich prose with a compelling narrative, it offers readers a creepily satisfying tale of murder, revenge, and the supernatural that enthrals right through to the very last page!
NB: This review also appears on my blog at https://theshelfofunreadbooks.wordpre.... My thanks go to the publisher and to Netgalley UK for providing an e-copy of the book in return for an honest and unbiased review.
The Corset, Purcell’s second novel, alternates between the narratives of Dorothea Truelove, a wealthy philanthropist with a fascination in phrenology; and Ruth Butterham, a teenage seamstress sentenced to death for the brutal and calculated murder of her employer. Fixated on testing her hypothesis that the shape of a person’s skull can cast a light on their darkest crimes, Dorothea at first is dismissive of Ruth’s own belief that her sewing needles hold a deadly power beyond her control. But as Ruth’s story unfolds – and it becomes apparent that this young woman may have more than one death on her hands – Dorothea begins to suspect that there may be more to Ruth’s plight than meets the eye.
Laura Purcell is so brilliant at capturing atmosphere in her work. From the refined confines of Dorothea’s family home to the sparsity of Ruth’s prison cell, the sense of both time and place drips from the page. Purcell’s writing is rich in description without ever becoming overblown, drawing the reader into the world of the characters.
And what a grim and dark world that is! Although Dorothea spends her days in a world of privilege and relative independence, her experience is sharply contrasted by that of Ruth. Coming from a background of genteel poverty, Ruth has known little but hardship in her short life. A natural seamstress, she is forced into labouring as an apprentice for the tyrannical dressmaker Mrs Metcalfe after a series of family tragedies. A seeming escape from penury, Ruth’s time at Mrs Metcalfe’s soon turns into a horrifying ordeal: one that may require use of her strange and disturbing powers to escape from.
To say any more about the plot of The Corset would be to spoil some of the shocking twists and thrilling turns of the narrative. Content warnings, however, for forced labour, forced confinement, imprisonment, child abuse, and murder.
I have to say that I was more drawn towards Ruth narrative – brutal though it is in places – and, at times, felt that some aspects of Dorothea’s story were a distraction rather than an addition to the central narrative thread. Dorothea’s interest in phrenology, for example, wasn’t explored as much as I had expected – although it did make a brilliant comeback towards the end! I also felt that the ending, although satisfyingly surprising, was a little rushed in terms of the way that it connected the two narratives together. In particular, Dorothea’s narrative strand took a sudden and somewhat unexpected turn that I felt could have been introduced and set up earlier on.
Ruth’s ‘power’ – an ability to transmit her feelings and intentions through her stitches – incorporates magical realist elements into the novel and I enjoyed the contrast between Ruth’s honest and fearful belief in this supernatural ability and Dorothea’s rational and scientific scepticism. I also found the supporting cast to be vividly drawn: Mrs Metcalf, in particular, is a a truly disturbing creation and it was easy to empathise with Ruth’s hatred of her. I also loved the way in which Laura Purcell uses narrative perspective to manipulate the reader into seeing characters through a particular lens, only for us to see them differently when viewed at a different angle. In a tale in which belief is central, it was interesting to have my beliefs and perceptions of several characters inverted at times!
Although not my favourite of her novels (I think The Silent Companions is still my number one), The Corset is another accomplished and page-turning gothic tale from Laura Purcell. Combining elegant and rich prose with a compelling narrative, it offers readers a creepily satisfying tale of murder, revenge, and the supernatural that enthrals right through to the very last page!
NB: This review also appears on my blog at https://theshelfofunreadbooks.wordpre.... My thanks go to the publisher and to Netgalley UK for providing an e-copy of the book in return for an honest and unbiased review.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Mental illness, Physical abuse, and Murder
deirdrelk's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Child abuse, Torture, Slavery, and Racism
Moderate: Abandonment, Alcoholism, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Grief, and Murder
cjlambert's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
**trigger warning for very graphic childbirth scene**
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood and Gore
Moderate: Torture, Pregnancy, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, and Suicide
Minor: Bullying, Confinement, and Death of parent
waione's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-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
4.5
For me, a rollercoaster of emotions, a little predictable in places, but these are forgiven when there's another shock that awaits you around the corner. I found myself full of hope in places only to have the rug pulled from underneath me. At first I didn't like Dorothea much, but found that she grew as a character during the book from a naive and privileged practicing conditional selfish charity to someone who matured into a genuine character. As for Ruth, oh Ruth, another naive character but didn't have a chance. And the twist right in the very last sentence - love! Have I just found my new favourite author?
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide, Murder, Violence, Torture, Slavery, Death of parent, and Child death
archaicrobin's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Laura Purcell’s horror is some of my absolute favorite. I read the Silent Companions prior to The Poison Thread (also called The Corset in some editions) and I honestly can’t pick which is my favorite!
You follow a young girl named Ruth in prison waiting for her trial as she shares her terrifying life story to Dorothea, a well off socialite who spends her time and money studying the skulls of inmates at the prison she sponsors. As Ruth tells her tale and her power to harm through her sewing Dorothea is at first skeptical but slowly begins to believe her.
This story is eerie, horrifying, tragic, and so good!! The characters are well written and while Dorothea’s chapters are boring in comparison to Ruth’s I can still see why they’re necessary. If you’re looking for a unique horror story read this or anything by Laura Purcell.
You follow a young girl named Ruth in prison waiting for her trial as she shares her terrifying life story to Dorothea, a well off socialite who spends her time and money studying the skulls of inmates at the prison she sponsors. As Ruth tells her tale and her power to harm through her sewing Dorothea is at first skeptical but slowly begins to believe her.
This story is eerie, horrifying, tragic, and so good!! The characters are well written and while Dorothea’s chapters are boring in comparison to Ruth’s I can still see why they’re necessary. If you’re looking for a unique horror story read this or anything by Laura Purcell.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Bullying, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Death of parent, Mental illness, Murder, Physical abuse, and Racism
Minor: Torture