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3.73 AVERAGE
3.73 AVERAGE
dark
tense
fast-paced
Beautiful illustrations but logistically a bit difficult to follow
The art and presentation of this book are absolutely stunning I wish so, so badly that the plot lived up to the beautiful art. I just wanted the tale to be fleshed out and less frenetic.
Creepy and very well drawn (love the lettering - great mood!), but thin.
dark
emotional
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Loved the illustrations & the creepy gothic lesbian vibes but the story deffo needed a bit more to it
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
dark
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
I'm...not entirely sure I knew what was going on here. But I liked the art! Emily Carroll has this haunting, gothic art style that uses whites, reds, and black alongside fluid and evocative character designs.
WHEN I ARRIVED AT THE CASTLE is a short but somehow full of short stories revealing the fates of those who came before. I'm not sure the vague mission of our main character worked for me, but I appreciate what Carroll was trying to do.
I want to speculate on what I think the story was about, but since this one is solely plot driven and relies on these big reveals, I'll hide my thoughts behind a spoiler warning.So I think the Countess was a beastly cat who roamed the castle. The girl was, for some reason, trapped in the cellar. When the cat discovered the girl down there, the cat decided it'd be able to get more blood if it had human skin. So it tricked the girl into swapping bodies with it. The girl, disoriented by this monstrous act, eventually found her way back to the castle where the Countess invited her in. She forces the girl to revisit the stories of the victims who'd found their way to the castle before the girl eventually remembers her own fate and tears the Countess, and her old body, to shreds, possibly implying that she has become an animal at last.
Now I have no idea if this is correct. This is just me trying to piece together some sort of story from the bits and pieces I got. Intriguing as it was, I found the story very difficult to follow and connect with.
WHEN I ARRIVED AT THE CASTLE is a short but somehow full of short stories revealing the fates of those who came before. I'm not sure the vague mission of our main character worked for me, but I appreciate what Carroll was trying to do.
I want to speculate on what I think the story was about, but since this one is solely plot driven and relies on these big reveals, I'll hide my thoughts behind a spoiler warning.
Now I have no idea if this is correct. This is just me trying to piece together some sort of story from the bits and pieces I got.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Violence, Blood
dark
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated