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bellebookcorner's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
- 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
If you like to read gothic story with spooky vibes, eerie atmosphere, intriguing mystery and unexpected plot twist then I suggest picking this one up!
I like the writing style and the way it describes the world building really brings out the creepy vibes.
This book is more of a character driven story, where we get to know Theodora and how she tries to figure out the mystery of the manor and the people in it.
I admit I didn’t suspect anything so that HUGE PLOT TWIST near the ending really shocked me! I had all these theories inside my head and I wasn’t even thinking of that possibility so the twist is really unexpected for me.
I want to talk more about it but I don’t want to spoil it to others who haven’t read it yet!!
While I do enjoy the mystery element and the whole vibes of the story, I didn’t completely feel the spark of romance between the two main characters though. Although at the end, I do feel like they've come to an understanding and seem to forge a deeper bond after knowing the full truth.
Overall, this short gothic story is pretty well written. I do enjoy my time reading this book and the twist left me speechless for a long time. I think this book is one I’ll remember for quite a while.
I’m looking forward to read more books from this author in the future!
I received an advanced review copy for free from Book Sirens, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I like the writing style and the way it describes the world building really brings out the creepy vibes.
This book is more of a character driven story, where we get to know Theodora and how she tries to figure out the mystery of the manor and the people in it.
I admit I didn’t suspect anything so that HUGE PLOT TWIST near the ending really shocked me! I had all these theories inside my head and I wasn’t even thinking of that possibility so the twist is really unexpected for me.
I want to talk more about it but I don’t want to spoil it to others who haven’t read it yet!!
While I do enjoy the mystery element and the whole vibes of the story, I didn’t completely feel the spark of romance between the two main characters though. Although at the end, I do feel like they've come to an understanding and seem to forge a deeper bond after knowing the full truth.
Overall, this short gothic story is pretty well written. I do enjoy my time reading this book and the twist left me speechless for a long time. I think this book is one I’ll remember for quite a while.
I’m looking forward to read more books from this author in the future!
I received an advanced review copy for free from Book Sirens, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death and Death
Moderate: Death of parent
Minor: Child abuse, Child death, and Sexual assault
mythopoeia's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
3.75
This was a short but fun gothic story sure to appeal fans of the Brontës and Henry James. It's difficult to summarize without giving anything away, but here goes:
Theodora has left her familial home behind to take a job as governess at Broken Oak Manor - her only shot at employment after a rough exit from her last position. Within the dark halls of Broken Oak, Theodora makes a place for herself alongside a stern-exteriored housekeeper, her sweet and precocious charge, Ottoline, and Ottoline's father, Cassias. As Theodora grows precariously closer to Cassias, it becomes clearer and clearer that Broken Oak is hiding dark secrets that hold the key to all of their futures.
Overall, the novel was a great example of the gothic genre and a fun spooky story that was building toward a reveal. I did guess the reveal early on, but it was still satisfying to get there. As a result of the form and genre, it leaned much more heavily on plot and atmosphere than character depth - not a bad thing objectively, but not as aligned with my personal tastes.
I was bothered a bit by the pacing early on, particularly surrounding Theodora's initial place of employment. (Slight early spoiler ahead)The off-page sexual assault threw me off, given both the short attention given to those years (which I didn't even realize were years rather than weeks until it was mentioned later) of Theodora's life and the minimal exploration of its effects on her afterward. While it's established early on that Theodora grew up learning to bottle away her emotions, it never felt like those stowed emotions came to play in her character arc, which felt disappointing.
Thank you to NetGalley and Quill and Crow for providing a free digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Theodora has left her familial home behind to take a job as governess at Broken Oak Manor - her only shot at employment after a rough exit from her last position. Within the dark halls of Broken Oak, Theodora makes a place for herself alongside a stern-exteriored housekeeper, her sweet and precocious charge, Ottoline, and Ottoline's father, Cassias. As Theodora grows precariously closer to Cassias, it becomes clearer and clearer that Broken Oak is hiding dark secrets that hold the key to all of their futures.
Overall, the novel was a great example of the gothic genre and a fun spooky story that was building toward a reveal. I did guess the reveal early on, but it was still satisfying to get there. As a result of the form and genre, it leaned much more heavily on plot and atmosphere than character depth - not a bad thing objectively, but not as aligned with my personal tastes.
I was bothered a bit by the pacing early on, particularly surrounding Theodora's initial place of employment. (Slight early spoiler ahead)
Thank you to NetGalley and Quill and Crow for providing a free digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death and Death
Moderate: Sexual assault
Minor: Child death, Sexual content, and Death of parent