Reviews

The Cloisters by Katy Hays

maddy_porter_27's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark informative mysterious slow-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

2.25

court_bee's review against another edition

Go to review page

2.0

The word Gothic is used ALOT. Im only like 60pgs in too and I've already noticed it........ Feels like it's on everyother page throughout the novel. PLEASE STOP TELLING US AND START SHOWING US

alisontownsend's review against another edition

Go to review page

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

2.0

bestbeefarm's review against another edition

Go to review page

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

4.0

nat1998's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

bonnie_1986's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark hopeful mysterious 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? Yes

4.0

okevamae's review against another edition

Go to review page

2.0

I had a really hard time getting into this one. If there was something in it that was supposed to “hook” the reader early on, then I guess it missed me, because I struggled for 70 pages or so - and to be honest, I probably would have DNF’d if it hadn’t been a review copy. I kept waiting for the thing that would make me care about the characters, but aside from a feeling of sympathy for Ann’s past, it never materialized. Ann is bland and passive for much of the novel, and that made it harder to really engage with her as a POV character. Other people keep telling her she’s “special” but I don’t really see how. Many of the plot points which I think were intended to be “twists” were entirely predictable. When there’s a “whodunit” and you immediately know the answer to that question and it turns out you’re right, it’s not an interesting read. When your “suspense/thriller” book drags on and you find your mind wandering, it’s not a compelling read.

The only thing saving this book from a truly terrible rating is the ending - the last 20 pages or so were actually pretty good. But slapping on a good ending isn’t enough to make up for 70 pages of slog followed by 170 pages of mediocrity. 2.5 stars, rounded down.

I received an ARC of this ebook from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Representation: queer character, maybe?

CW: mild fatphobia, drug use

laurenvoice's review against another edition

Go to review page

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

3.75

The Cloisters was a dark and gripping read; however, the execution was a tad disappointing.

The main character, Ann at times felt a little flat and a little too naive when it came to her relationship with Rachel. Ann's judgement and decision-making sometimes seemed a little too poor. Many questions were left unanswered and there was no closure with certain characters, like Ann's mother. All that said, the ending was the right fit for both Ann and Rachel. It would have been good to see some justice for the characters who met untimely deaths in this story.

The dark and gothic setting of the Cloisters was the right fit for this story of the occult and divination; however, the sticky New York summer season did not feel like the right fit for all the death and treachery that occurred within this story! 

leyza052's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark informative mysterious fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

applechen's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark mysterious tense medium-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? It's complicated

4.0

Warum dieses Buch im Thalia in der Romantasy-Abteilung stand ist mir nicht ganz klar, denn es ist gefühlt alles außer einer Romantasy, aber insgesamt trotzdem ein sehr gutes Buch! 

Das Setting hat mir wirklich sehr gut gefallen: Die Geschichte spielt in New York in einer Art universitärem Forschungskontext im Bereich der Kunstgeschichte, also alles Dinge, die mich sehr ansprechen. Auch das Kloster, in dem ein Großteil der Handlung stattfindet, hat mir als Setting sehr zugesagt: Beinahe habe ich jeden Stein vor meinem inneren Auge sehen, beinahe den wilden Lavendel riechen können. Die Autorin hat zudem einen schönen Schreibstil, der die Atmosphäre toll unterstreicht. Besonders gut gefallen haben mir darüber hinaus die vielen kunst- und architekturhistorischen Eastereggs, die die Autorin auch für Laien gut verständlich rüberbringt. 

Der Plot hat mir ebenso gut gefallen. Für einen Thriller gab es zwar relativ wenig Spannung, diese kam erst gegen Ende so richtig auf, die Auflösung wirkt jedoch angemessen mysteriös und logisch. Ein, zwei Dinge habe ich so auch wirklich nicht kommen sehen. 
Sehr spannend fand ich den "feministischen" Twist in der Erklärung der/des Täter:in.


Ich glaube, wäre ich etwas abergläubischer, hätte ich vielleicht die Thrillerelemente auch etwas mehr gefühlt. So haben mich die ganzen Tarotszenen relativ "kalt" gelassen, obwohl ich die Idee wirklich gut finde! Wie gesagt, der Plot wird kunsthistorisch wirklich super eingebettet und plausibel erklärt. 

Die Figuren fand ich eher weniger sympathisch, aber das war hier auch nicht so wichtig, hier kam es mehr auf die Story und den Plot an, und die haben mich überzeugt. 

So ein tolles Geschenk, liebe Hannah! Danke sehr! 💜 Dir empfehle ich dieses Buch auch total, insbesondere weil du ja auch Rätsel so gerne magst - und "The Cloisters" ist ein einziges großes Rätsel ;).