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emma_probett's review
2.0
"I could see it was hard for her, and I understood that although she seemed strong enough, she was still a lady - cultivated like a small, weak plant in a hot house, to bloom intensely, but have no strength in the real world."
This novel draws very heavily from literary inheritance and is clearly mapped from Jane Eyre and Fingersmith. I hadn't expected the sources to be so clear, but the book had a very clear market in mind and didn't detract from my enjoyment. The novel had a very strong opening but began to wane in the middle with more and more sudden and dramatic twists and turns that were not outlandish, but definitely required more time to blossom. The same can be said for Tobin's characters. So much of what is garnered is from Annaleigh's impressions but we learn nothing real of the history of anyone else. We are meant to take what she says on faith, which would be more easily done if there was any insight or knowledge to Annaleigh's perspective. By the end of the story many of the secondary characters still seemed two-dimensional and their motivations seem to simply answer the needs to the plot and the heroine. The ending I found unsatisfying, but by the conclusion my interest in characters had waned so far it could not even annoy me beyond not seeming like a human reaction.
That being said; for all its faults - it is the first novel I have read in a long time which had an enjoyable narrative voice that kept making me want to pick it up. It had a lot of potential and I will be looking into reading more of Tobin's work in the hope that these issues are addressed/developed in her other publications.
This novel draws very heavily from literary inheritance and is clearly mapped from Jane Eyre and Fingersmith. I hadn't expected the sources to be so clear, but the book had a very clear market in mind and didn't detract from my enjoyment. The novel had a very strong opening but began to wane in the middle with more and more sudden and dramatic twists and turns that were not outlandish, but definitely required more time to blossom. The same can be said for Tobin's characters. So much of what is garnered is from Annaleigh's impressions but we learn nothing real of the history of anyone else. We are meant to take what she says on faith, which would be more easily done if there was any insight or knowledge to Annaleigh's perspective. By the end of the story many of the secondary characters still seemed two-dimensional and their motivations seem to simply answer the needs to the plot and the heroine. The ending I found unsatisfying, but by the conclusion my interest in characters had waned so far it could not even annoy me beyond not seeming like a human reaction.
That being said; for all its faults - it is the first novel I have read in a long time which had an enjoyable narrative voice that kept making me want to pick it up. It had a lot of potential and I will be looking into reading more of Tobin's work in the hope that these issues are addressed/developed in her other publications.
purplemuskogee's review
4.0
It was a pleasant book to read. There is not much depth to the characters - and the story could have been told in 100 less pages (although it is not a very long book) but it was entertaining, had good enough suspense and an interesting atmosphere.
The writing is fairly simple as well, despite some good moments, but I can imagine how this would make an entertaining historical telefilm for example.
The writing is fairly simple as well, despite some good moments, but I can imagine how this would make an entertaining historical telefilm for example.
joecam79's review
4.0
3.5*
It seems that within the wide and varied genre of "historical fiction" there is an ever-increasing interest in Gothic romance and "sensation fiction". Many authors do not only set their stories in the 18th and 19th centuries, but also borrow from the genres popular in the period. Sophia Tobin's "The Vanishing" is a typical example. It follows the destiny of one Annaleigh, a foundling raised by a London artist named Jared. Annaleigh's adoptive parents disapprove of her budding relationship with Jared's stepson, and so she takes on the position of housekeeper at "White Windows", a remote house on the Yorkshire moors. The owners of the house - the dashing Marcus Twentyman and his eccentric sister Hester - are viewed with suspicion by the locals. However, despite dark warnings from several well-wishers not to become too "involved" with the Twentymans, Annaleigh is unexpectedly attracted to Marcus, with devastating consequences.
Some "neo-Gothic" writers try to subvert the genre but Tobin is happy to rely on the tropes of 19th century fiction to recreate the feel of a novel of the time, if with a less "coy" approach to scenes of sex and violence. The Yorkshire moors - bleak and dangerous and yet, like Marcus, strangely beguiling - will surely recall the novels of the Brontës. The dark mansion where the plot pans out, the shadows seemingly haunted by former occupiers, the galleries of ancient portraits, servants who know more than they will tell... this is Gothic at its typical and most gripping. And when the plot becomes more convoluted, secrets are uncovered and the action moves to London, one feels the marked influence of Wilkie Collins and 'sensation fiction'. In other words, this is a novel where you are expected to suspend your disbelief and enjoy the ride - and it's none the worse for that.
It seems that within the wide and varied genre of "historical fiction" there is an ever-increasing interest in Gothic romance and "sensation fiction". Many authors do not only set their stories in the 18th and 19th centuries, but also borrow from the genres popular in the period. Sophia Tobin's "The Vanishing" is a typical example. It follows the destiny of one Annaleigh, a foundling raised by a London artist named Jared. Annaleigh's adoptive parents disapprove of her budding relationship with Jared's stepson, and so she takes on the position of housekeeper at "White Windows", a remote house on the Yorkshire moors. The owners of the house - the dashing Marcus Twentyman and his eccentric sister Hester - are viewed with suspicion by the locals. However, despite dark warnings from several well-wishers not to become too "involved" with the Twentymans, Annaleigh is unexpectedly attracted to Marcus, with devastating consequences.
Some "neo-Gothic" writers try to subvert the genre but Tobin is happy to rely on the tropes of 19th century fiction to recreate the feel of a novel of the time, if with a less "coy" approach to scenes of sex and violence. The Yorkshire moors - bleak and dangerous and yet, like Marcus, strangely beguiling - will surely recall the novels of the Brontës. The dark mansion where the plot pans out, the shadows seemingly haunted by former occupiers, the galleries of ancient portraits, servants who know more than they will tell... this is Gothic at its typical and most gripping. And when the plot becomes more convoluted, secrets are uncovered and the action moves to London, one feels the marked influence of Wilkie Collins and 'sensation fiction'. In other words, this is a novel where you are expected to suspend your disbelief and enjoy the ride - and it's none the worse for that.
veereading's review
1.0
I really wanted to love this book. Sadly, that was not to be. There were just too many issues in this novel for me to enjoy reading it. Also, trigger warning for rape; it wasn't as graphic as in other books but it is uncomfortable and I wanted to mention it straight away.
First of all, the story was just ... weird. It didn't really have a plot. Things happened, for sure, but they lacked that deeper motive. It just felt like events and interactions were cobbled together so that there could be a story; there was nothing to tie everything together.
The novel also moves at a very awkward pace. On the one hand, it is slow because it takes a long time for anything to actually happen. However, the actual relationships between the different characters developed too quickly for it to be believable. In fact, I was shocked to see just how soon characters developed feelings (negative and positive) for each other; there was no build up to any of it, so it all fell very flat for me.
I also didn't like any of the characters. They were all so flat and portrayed in a stereotypical way. It was hard to connect with any of them, including the protagonist - and the story is told from her perspective! Their motives, their behaviours, nothing was properly explained or developed and this just made the story fall apart even more for me.
The only thing I liked about this book is the writing itself. It was fairly easy to read, even though there were occasional slips into more modern ways of talking.
Overall, this book just did not work for me. It was a matter of development; neither the plot nor the characters were well-developed so the entire story just couldn't stand up. I have to give this book a 1/5 stars.
Thank you to Simon and Schuster and Edelweiss for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.
First of all, the story was just ... weird. It didn't really have a plot. Things happened, for sure, but they lacked that deeper motive. It just felt like events and interactions were cobbled together so that there could be a story; there was nothing to tie everything together.
The novel also moves at a very awkward pace. On the one hand, it is slow because it takes a long time for anything to actually happen. However, the actual relationships between the different characters developed too quickly for it to be believable. In fact, I was shocked to see just how soon characters developed feelings (negative and positive) for each other; there was no build up to any of it, so it all fell very flat for me.
I also didn't like any of the characters. They were all so flat and portrayed in a stereotypical way. It was hard to connect with any of them, including the protagonist - and the story is told from her perspective! Their motives, their behaviours, nothing was properly explained or developed and this just made the story fall apart even more for me.
The only thing I liked about this book is the writing itself. It was fairly easy to read, even though there were occasional slips into more modern ways of talking.
Overall, this book just did not work for me. It was a matter of development; neither the plot nor the characters were well-developed so the entire story just couldn't stand up. I have to give this book a 1/5 stars.
Thank you to Simon and Schuster and Edelweiss for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.
iamnobird's review
3.0
The description of The Vanishing ticks so many of my book boxes, it was practically written with me in mind. I knew I had to read this gothic, atmospheric novel set on the Yorkshire moors, that drew comparisons to Jane Eyre and Sarah Waters. Those are big shoes to fill, and I was very curious to discover whether or not The Vanishing could even come close to filling them. The short answer is no; but that doesn't mean that I didn't enjoy this reading experience.
Sophia Tobin is clearly familiar with the gothic genre, and she evokes all the characteristics one would expect. There are the eerie moors, the secluded estate, the employee/employer relationship, the unreliable servants, the older female relative, the mysterious painting, and the locked rooms. I can see how some readers would view these elements of the novel as cliché, but as someone who loves this genre, I didn't mind them. The Vanishing certainly doesn't break the mold; much of the plot will be familiar territory for most readers.
The writing was less atmospheric than I had hoped, and Tobin relied too heavily on telling instead of showing. I would've loved richer descriptions and fuller character development.
The dramatic tension promised by the flash forward in the opening, was only sustained for part of the novel, before dissipating a little too quickly at the end. I was never on the edge of my seat, but I was pleasantly entertained throughout.
If you're looking for something to satisfy a craving for gothic historical fiction, The Vanishing may fit the bill, as long as you temper your expectations. This is not the crème de la crème of the genre, but it did offer a fun taste of it.
**A huge thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster UK for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review**
Full review here: https://dwellinpossibilityblog.wordpress.com/2018/06/18/book-review-the-vanishing-by-sophia-tobin/
Sophia Tobin is clearly familiar with the gothic genre, and she evokes all the characteristics one would expect. There are the eerie moors, the secluded estate, the employee/employer relationship, the unreliable servants, the older female relative, the mysterious painting, and the locked rooms. I can see how some readers would view these elements of the novel as cliché, but as someone who loves this genre, I didn't mind them. The Vanishing certainly doesn't break the mold; much of the plot will be familiar territory for most readers.
The writing was less atmospheric than I had hoped, and Tobin relied too heavily on telling instead of showing. I would've loved richer descriptions and fuller character development.
The dramatic tension promised by the flash forward in the opening, was only sustained for part of the novel, before dissipating a little too quickly at the end. I was never on the edge of my seat, but I was pleasantly entertained throughout.
If you're looking for something to satisfy a craving for gothic historical fiction, The Vanishing may fit the bill, as long as you temper your expectations. This is not the crème de la crème of the genre, but it did offer a fun taste of it.
**A huge thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster UK for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review**
Full review here: https://dwellinpossibilityblog.wordpress.com/2018/06/18/book-review-the-vanishing-by-sophia-tobin/
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