Reviews

This Gothic novella was nothing that I expected it to be. Infatuation, love, and the means of safety in Victorian society merge together to form intricate characters. The story is told in a straightforward manner that kept me on the edge of my seat.

Gothic literature is defined not only by the roles the characters play, but also the environment the story takes place in. There are multiple Gothic enclosures within this novella: the Coventry house, the garden, the tableau vivant, and even Jean Muir's mask.

I rated this book five stars because the writing is surprisingly unconventional. I finished listening to it minutes ago and I want to hear more, though I can probably guess what happens after the plot, if I have correctly judged the characterization of the Coventry family.

ipanzica's review against another edition

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5.0

When I saw that the author of Little Women wrote a psychological thriller, I didn't have that high of an expectation for it since it sound like a complete 180 of all her other works. I didn't think her writing style would transfer or that she wouldn't be able to pull some good punches in it. I was 100% wrong. This was my favorite Louisa May Alcott book and the best thriller book I read this year. The villain was one of the best I ever read and I was cheering them on for the whole entire book. You never knew what she was thinking, what was true, what she was doing to trick others, what she was going to do next. I loved every part of this book and all the punches it doled out since it was so entertaining and feminist at the same time.

irene_chesnokova's review against another edition

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adventurous

Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No

4.0

joanaad46's review against another edition

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dark mysterious tense fast-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? No

5.0

missbryden's review

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Just read "Behind the Mask". Not as exciting as I had expected.

kkpritchard's review against another edition

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4.0

Partial read for American Women Writers before 1924 with Dr. Ginsberg. Spring 2020. Read "Behind a Mask" and "V.V., or Plots and Counterplots." So fun to read the kinds of stories LMA really wanted to write.

klovdiya's review against another edition

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lighthearted fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No

4.0

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