Reviews

The Chateau by Jaclyn Goldis

kritomiester's review

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

ahoydanielle's review

medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

saltygalreads's review

2.0

Summary: Darcy Demargelasse and her friends, Jade, Victoria and Arabelle have returned to Provence to reunite with Seraphine, Darcy’s Grand-Mere, in her elegant chateau. Twenty years ago as young women the friends all bonded at the chateau while they were students, and now Seraphine has invited them to return. Despite their nostalgia and close bond with Seraphine, the trip does not unfold as expected. There are tensions and divisions under the surface, and every one of the friends is hiding secrets which can impact the others. After one particularly drunken evening, the women awake to discover that Seraphine has been savagely murdered during the night. Now they are scrutinizing each other suspiciously while a detective determinedly uncovers all their secrets. Who killed Seraphine and why? When will the murderer strike again?

Thoughts: It is safe to say that this book has been a blockbuster hit this spring and summer with a constant presence on social media. The description and the setting were very appealing and it appeared to be the perfect summer read. Nonetheless, I struggled greatly with this novel. I found the characters to be bland and uninteresting, other than Seraphine, and it dragged for me at the ¾ point, with the remaining ¼ a chore to finish. There was a veritable smorgasbord of plot ideas running wild through the novel – WWII betrayals of Jews to the Nazis, infidelity and marital discord, gay love and relationships, breast cancer, class difference and social status. It bogs down and complicates the storytelling, requiring the author to rely on letters and long conversations to communicate all the complex details of the various storylines. Sadly I cannot recommend this one.

apple0loving0shinigami's review

2.0

My one and only new year's resolution was to dnf books I don't enjoy. So here I am, deciding not to power through another boring read.

I apologize to the author, I just couldn't get into the story.

allycampbell's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

krystagarbarino's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

rosarita's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

lilbroccoli's review against another edition

dark tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

samarie04's review

adventurous 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? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

christip21's review

4.0

Twisty murder, family secrets, friends betraying friends, it was pretty good. I didn't suspect the killer until the last 4 chapters. I did think the lead character should have been a more developed or likeable personality but that might just be my own personal hang up. The book was overall satisfying.