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madamenovelist's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Body horror, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Sexism, Violence, Murder, Mental illness, Fire/Fire injury, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Alcoholism, Alcohol, Addiction, Abandonment, Blood, Gore, Grief, and Confinement
Minor: Trafficking
There is a brief mention of a child being rescued from sex trafficking. The emotional/physical abuse, blood, gore, and violence are all very graphic. Not for the sensitive.stardust_heidi's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I listened to this one and often found the audiobook really difficult to follow. The narrator was pretty timeless, and there were odd tonal shifts while listening. I think they were supposed to be special effects, but I didn’t really like them.
The story was interesting but again, I had a difficult time following at times due to the narration. I might give it another go in another format sometime.
The romance was….meh. I mean, I guess it was fine, but it was clearly built off trauma and that’s not really the most solid setting for a budding romance.
Also, I can’t figure out if Magnus knew he turned into the hyena. That’s what the curse did to him, right? He’s shown wiping blood from his face but seems to have no idea what the curse does to him when it transforms.
The story was interesting but again, I had a difficult time following at times due to the narration. I might give it another go in another format sometime.
The romance was….meh. I mean, I guess it was fine, but it was clearly built off trauma and that’s not really the most solid setting for a budding romance.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Panic attacks/disorders, and Violence
erandle's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Gore, Fire/Fire injury, Death, and Body horror
Moderate: Mental illness, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Abandonment, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Drug use, and Emotional abuse
Minor: Colonisation, Death of parent, Suicide, Addiction, and Bullying
rorikae's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
'Within These Wicked Walls' by Lauren Blackwood is an atmospheric reimagining of Jane Eyre that lent a little too much into the romance for my liking.
Andromeda is a debtera, an exorcist who crafts amulets to ward off spirits attached to the Evil Eye. For one of her assignments, she enters the employ of the charming Magnus Rochester. His house is home to some of the more disturbing manifestations that Andromeda has encountered and it will take her full background of knowledge to attempt to cleanse it. As she works to unravel the hold that the manifestations have, she is drawn closer and closer to Rochester.
'Within These Wicked Walls' has incredible atmosphere. Blackwood creates a truly disturbing house with arms extending out of walls and the impression of hundreds of rats at the end of the corridor. This was my favorite aspect as I was quickly immersed in the feeling of the house and understood Andromeda's quest to get rid of the manifestations. Andromeda is a compelling character that I came to care for quickly. Her determination paired with her magical abilities create an engaging heroine that is easy to root for. My one big sticking point with this story is the romance. It happens quickly and then for a third of the book it feels like Andromeda is thinking more about her feelings than the disturbing house she is living in. That felt unrealistic and the instant attraction between her and Rochester was aggravating. I think this story would have benefited from leaning more into the horror than the romance, especially halfway through. Blackwood's gift with atmosphere is exquisite though and does keep my interest in picking up another book of theirs in the future.
Andromeda is a debtera, an exorcist who crafts amulets to ward off spirits attached to the Evil Eye. For one of her assignments, she enters the employ of the charming Magnus Rochester. His house is home to some of the more disturbing manifestations that Andromeda has encountered and it will take her full background of knowledge to attempt to cleanse it. As she works to unravel the hold that the manifestations have, she is drawn closer and closer to Rochester.
'Within These Wicked Walls' has incredible atmosphere. Blackwood creates a truly disturbing house with arms extending out of walls and the impression of hundreds of rats at the end of the corridor. This was my favorite aspect as I was quickly immersed in the feeling of the house and understood Andromeda's quest to get rid of the manifestations. Andromeda is a compelling character that I came to care for quickly. Her determination paired with her magical abilities create an engaging heroine that is easy to root for. My one big sticking point with this story is the romance. It happens quickly and then for a third of the book it feels like Andromeda is thinking more about her feelings than the disturbing house she is living in. That felt unrealistic and the instant attraction between her and Rochester was aggravating. I think this story would have benefited from leaning more into the horror than the romance, especially halfway through. Blackwood's gift with atmosphere is exquisite though and does keep my interest in picking up another book of theirs in the future.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Blood, Death, Death of parent, Violence, Body horror, Grief, Suicidal thoughts, and Toxic relationship
amandadevoursbooks's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
funny
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
I loved the setting. I loved the description of Ethiopia and Ethiopian culture. The mystism and rituals involved with being a debterra were intriguing. The white staff refusing to take it seriously was apt.
The story was a quick, thrilling read. The relationships are messy. The cross the tracks, employee/employer relationship was what I expect from YA. The silly banter for the ages of the characters
The resolution of the child abuse story arc
is decidedly un-Western, and it will likely make some people, myself included, uncomfortable.
The relationship
while riveting, reinforces the damaging ideas that there's only one person who you can truly love, that relationships should be filled with arguments, that some amount of physical abuse is expected and tolerated from women to men, and that long term relationships are great when forged in the fire of crisis.
I'd recommend reading this book with a critical eye and enjoying the story for what it is: a thrilling novel with a love story.
The story was a quick, thrilling read. The relationships are messy. The cross the tracks, employee/employer relationship was what I expect from YA. The silly banter for the ages of the characters
The resolution of the child abuse story arc
The relationship
I'd recommend reading this book with a critical eye and enjoying the story for what it is: a thrilling novel with a love story.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood and Violence
Moderate: Child abuse, Classism, and Death
Minor: Domestic abuse
frantically's review against another edition
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
kinda weird but i still liked it well enough.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Chronic illness, Death, and Abandonment
Moderate: Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, and Classism
Minor: Trafficking and Grief
natashaleighton_'s review
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Blood, and Death
Moderate: Child abuse, Physical abuse, and Body horror
Minor: Slavery, Trafficking, and Racism
stoplickingmeodin's review
mysterious
medium-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? It's complicated
3.75
Content Warnings
Minor: Murder, Child abuse, and Violence
bekkabergamot's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
4.5
<i>Within These Wicked Walls</i> is the third retelling I have read of <i>Jane Eyre</i> and it has moved all the way up to one of my favorites in that category. I think that Lauren Blackwood made several smart choices in writing her Ethiopian-inspired debut fantasy retelling of <i>Jane Eyre</i>. She kept the gothic elements of the original story and amped them up for this story, the struggle for the reader of witnessing an insta-love scenario where all certainly does not feel right for the leading lady, but she made it her own. Sometimes when I read retellings, I feel like the authors stay to close to the original; this often makes me wonder what the point of the new version is. That is not the case here! Blackwood gives us a fantastical world where curses are real and the main protagonist, “Andromeda is a debtera—an exorcist hired to cleanse households of the Evil Eye.” Akin to the original story, Andromeda knows that her best chance of survival is through employment at Rochester’s home, and also similar to the original story the book opens with Andi (Andromeda) believing that she is alone in the world due to being thrown out of her home by her adoptive father, Jember.
Because this is a Young Adult novel, I thought that it was wise that the curse was passed down to Magnus Rochester from his father. The curse itself is horrific with the house manifesting disturbing aspects of gore and monstrous dwellers. I would rate this in the middle for spooky level: if someone is sensitive to stories about murder or hauntings this might not be the book for them, but I also would not call this book flat out nightmarish horror. Magnus is a spoiled brat and I found him at times likable and most other times exceedingly revolting due to this fact. However, this too mirrors the aristocratic Rochester falling for the working girl in his employ from the original story.
I listened to the book as an audiobook and found the narrator to brilliantly convey the captivating tale. I rooted for Andi throughout it and found the ending haunting in its own way.The ending leaves off with Andi realizing her adoptive father did love her in his own traumatized way. She finds herself in a relationship with a young man who proved himself to be proud, egotistical, and self-centered. This echoes the book that inspired it: despite the audience knowing that Mr. Rochester kept his mad wife locked in the attic, once rid of her he marries Jane. Here, Magnus, now rid of his demons, is free to marry Andi.
I give this YA Gothic Fantasy retelling of <i>Jane Eyre</i> 4.5 Stars Rounded Up.
Because this is a Young Adult novel, I thought that it was wise that the curse was passed down to Magnus Rochester from his father. The curse itself is horrific with the house manifesting disturbing aspects of gore and monstrous dwellers. I would rate this in the middle for spooky level: if someone is sensitive to stories about murder or hauntings this might not be the book for them, but I also would not call this book flat out nightmarish horror. Magnus is a spoiled brat and I found him at times likable and most other times exceedingly revolting due to this fact. However, this too mirrors the aristocratic Rochester falling for the working girl in his employ from the original story.
I listened to the book as an audiobook and found the narrator to brilliantly convey the captivating tale. I rooted for Andi throughout it and found the ending haunting in its own way.
I give this YA Gothic Fantasy retelling of <i>Jane Eyre</i> 4.5 Stars Rounded Up.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence, Murder, and Blood
emily_mh's review against another edition
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
I started off LOVING this Jane Eyre retelling. I thought that Blackwood did such a good job at creating Rochester’s desperation in Magnus and the dialogue between Andromeda and Magnus felt as dramatic and devoted as it did in the original. The setting was also really intriguing. However, I liked the book less and less as time went on. There was a lack of context historically and geographically which made it difficult for me to place the book. The romance became the sole focus to the detriment of the more interesting cleansing-the-household plotline. And also the drama in that romance was SO contrived; at some points I didn’t even know what they were disagreeing about. Most importantly, I don’t think it worked well as a Jane Eyre retelling. There was a lack of atmosphere, and also none of the themes of coming-of-age/character development that really makes Jane Eyre stand out to me. Also, the romance in the original is an important part, but not the ONLY part, which is kind of how it ends up in this book. Moreover, I don’t think the toxic relationship between Andromeda and her mentor is given the gravity that it deserved. I also thought that the whole concept of disabilities coming from the attraction of the Evil Eye was super problematic.
I would by no means say this was bad, it just didn’t live up to the expectations it set and instead presented an average, slightly gothic instalove romance. As a side note, I did listen to the audiobook and thought it was okay.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Death, Murder, and Death of parent
Moderate: Violence, Body horror, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, and Ableism
Minor: Sexual harassment, Abandonment, Confinement, Suicidal thoughts, Colonisation, Gun violence, Racism, Drug use, Mental illness, Slavery, War, Excrement, Rape, Pedophilia, and Suicide
Menstruation, drowning, chronic pain