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serrendipity's review against another edition
5.0
"Olivia Prior has dreamed of gardens. Every grim gray month at Merilance, she longed for carpets of grass, for riotous blooms, for a world engulfed in color. And here it is. Last night it was a moonlit tangle of hedge and vine. Now it is sun drenched, stunning, a field of green interrupted everywhere by red, gold, violet, white.
[...]
And then, her gaze drifts past it all, beyond the trellised roses and down the soft green slope, to a wall.
Or at least, the remains of one, a ruined stretch of stone, its edges crumbling, its front threaded over with ivy."
TL;DR: A luscious, gorgeous, creepy Gothic story that I genuinely could not put down. (Although I did read it in broad, 85-degree daylight because I am A Wimp, and cannot handle even mildly horrific things.)
I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Vibes: The Secret Garden + Jane Eyre (or any Gothic hallmark, really) + Persephone & Hades myth
Genre: YA* Gothic Fairy-Tale / Underworld story
YA, mainly because of age of the protag -- but like most fairy tales/myths, it has a timeless feel to it that transcends age.
Romance Meter:
[...]
And then, her gaze drifts past it all, beyond the trellised roses and down the soft green slope, to a wall.
Or at least, the remains of one, a ruined stretch of stone, its edges crumbling, its front threaded over with ivy."
TL;DR: A luscious, gorgeous, creepy Gothic story that I genuinely could not put down. (Although I did read it in broad, 85-degree daylight because I am A Wimp, and cannot handle even mildly horrific things.)
I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Vibes: The Secret Garden + Jane Eyre (or any Gothic hallmark, really) + Persephone & Hades myth
Genre: YA* Gothic Fairy-Tale / Underworld story
YA, mainly because of age of the protag -- but like most fairy tales/myths, it has a timeless feel to it that transcends age.
Romance Meter:
sunshine_mayfield's review against another edition
4.0
7 out of 10
This book is a classic ghost story reminiscent of so many of the haunted house stories from the past. An engaging lead, an ominous villain, and a few side characters you can't help but love help ground this story and I think readers who are fans of this sub-genre will find enjoyment in this tale.
This book is a classic ghost story reminiscent of so many of the haunted house stories from the past. An engaging lead, an ominous villain, and a few side characters you can't help but love help ground this story and I think readers who are fans of this sub-genre will find enjoyment in this tale.
thepoetessa's review against another edition
Beginning was slow and didn't keep my attention or interest
zeliie's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-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
5.0
dockbbrooks's review against another edition
3.0
Atmospheric and interesting; the vibe of this book is Coraline meets Gothic Haunted house. however, the final half is rushed and honestly doesn’t reveal a lot of character growth or companionship.
16thedition's review against another edition
4.0
A spooky YA read - tons of atmosphere and appropriately creepy setting. I read a review that said the reader couldn't put this book down after the halfway mark. I'd agree with that. First part is kind of slow, but by the end it sucks you in. This would be a great Halloween selection.
frankenstein_darling's review against another edition
2.0
Everything you truly need to know is in the synopsis.
A criminally YA spooky story of ghouls and demons, mysterious family histories, and houses that come with an opposite and a gate in between.
It feels like coralline, just less.
V.E. Schwab has a beautiful way with words, that didn't change at all. I just feel like it's less than all other works VES, beautifully concept ~ however, not quite as fully fledged as I had hoped.
An easy, autumn read. I read it straight through in a handful of hours.
A criminally YA spooky story of ghouls and demons, mysterious family histories, and houses that come with an opposite and a gate in between.
It feels like coralline, just less.
V.E. Schwab has a beautiful way with words, that didn't change at all. I just feel like it's less than all other works VES, beautifully concept ~ however, not quite as fully fledged as I had hoped.
An easy, autumn read. I read it straight through in a handful of hours.
breakaway71's review against another edition
4.0
I’ve seen many reviews comparing this to Neil Gaiman, and that is not inaccurate. The subtleties and nuances of plot, the language used, the atmospheric setting…it does bring to mind that same sort of tone that many of Neil’s stories hold.
I wish I could say I loved this as much as I feel it deserves, because it definitely DESERVES 5 stars, and to be honest, it had me hooked and in love right up until the final few pages. But (and this is very likely a failing on my own current brain space rather than the story itself) I am not ready to forgive that ending. Some might argue that it fits the tone of the story and maybe in some ways it does…but home, for Olivia, wasn’t just about Gallant. It was about family, and not just the shades of it. She should have gotten to keep both.
Olivia is mute, and very likely ace (although it was not explicitly stated) and that was a nice touch of rep. I really loved her as a character. I loved the way her past was explored, the way her parents became characters though they’ve been gone almost her entire life. I loved Matthew. One thing V does is create such wonderful characters and this was no exception.
The haunting tone of the plot was exceptional. Absolutely lovely and eerie at all the right moments.
I wish I could say I loved this as much as I feel it deserves, because it definitely DESERVES 5 stars, and to be honest, it had me hooked and in love right up until the final few pages. But (and this is very likely a failing on my own current brain space rather than the story itself) I am not ready to forgive that ending. Some might argue that it fits the tone of the story and maybe in some ways it does…but home, for Olivia, wasn’t just about Gallant. It was about family, and not just the shades of it. She should have gotten to keep both.
Olivia is mute, and very likely ace (although it was not explicitly stated) and that was a nice touch of rep. I really loved her as a character. I loved the way her past was explored, the way her parents became characters though they’ve been gone almost her entire life. I loved Matthew. One thing V does is create such wonderful characters and this was no exception.
The haunting tone of the plot was exceptional. Absolutely lovely and eerie at all the right moments.
magspie's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 - Creates a scene similar to the upside down for Stranger Things. Well orchestrated, just not the most captivating for me.
sospakethefiend's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
I really wanted to love this book. The vibes were totally up my alley: dark, creepy, a little Coraline-esque.
But I felt the plot sort of fell apart towards the end. There was all this build-up and then…it all just sort of fizzled into something the reader is just supposed to accept as a resolution; really nobody is any better off by the end of the book than they were in the beginning.
The writing itself is lovely, and the story had potential, but the plot fell apart and left me disappointed.
But I felt the plot sort of fell apart towards the end. There was all this build-up and then…it all just sort of fizzled into something the reader is just supposed to accept as a resolution; really nobody is any better off by the end of the book than they were in the beginning.
The writing itself is lovely, and the story had potential, but the plot fell apart and left me disappointed.