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3.72 AVERAGE
3.72 AVERAGE
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
dark
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
There were parts about 25% through the book that I thought were interesting, well written, and brought me into the story. Then there were obscene amounts of body horror which were unnecessary and not consistent in the rest of the book. If this was a horror novel all the way through, that would be one thing, but to me there was only one chapter that fully grossed me out and after that was a bunch of plot points that I didn’t feel were earned or built with the beginning of the story.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Gore, Torture, Murder
Moderate: Alcoholism, Chronic illness, Death, Violence, Gaslighting
Minor: Incest
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Great book! Started out a little slow but the story built more and more to keep it interesting. By the last 10-12 chapters I couldn't quit!
dark
hopeful
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
don't EVER keep a bisexual away from her girl
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Strange and disturbing and ethereal, everything that you would expect in a gothic horror. There were some bits that got a little convoluted for my tastes but again convoluted is to be expected in this genre
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Cross-posted from my blog where there's more information on where I got my copy and links and everything. https://lainahastoomuchsparetime.wordpress.com/2025/04/28/things-ive-read-recently-181-one-of-my-favourite-books-of-the-year-is-in-this-post/
This is tagged as horror and thriller on Goodreads, and horror is sort of right, but this is GOTHIC horror. The house is Wrong. The house is big and confusing and Wrong. It’s isolated. Helen is also isolated because of her grandfather’s will. She wanders the halls at night and she might not be able to ever leave Harrow. Literally the cover has her in a white nightgown in front of the house. It is so Gothic it’s not even funny.
This is a book that messes with reality and I really enjoy that. Helen doesn’t know what’s real or what isn’t, and neither do you. This isn’t the type of book that scares me, but it is definitely creepy and I really enjoyed the creepy elements. If you liked The Haunting of Bly Manor, I think you would really like this. It gave me some of those vibes.
Kayla from BooksAndLala says that an author is a favourite when she gives three books 5 stars, and this is the third book by Kate Alice Marshall that I’ve loved, which I think firmly establishes her as one of my favourite authors. I honestly enjoyed this one so much and really recommend it if you like gothic horror.
Representation: Helen is queer, as is her love interest. She also has a Black cousin, while the rest of her family is white, which is discussed.
Content notes: Child death, animal death (not on screen, but Helen likes making art out of animal bones), murder, violence, gun violence, some body horror.
This is tagged as horror and thriller on Goodreads, and horror is sort of right, but this is GOTHIC horror. The house is Wrong. The house is big and confusing and Wrong. It’s isolated. Helen is also isolated because of her grandfather’s will. She wanders the halls at night and she might not be able to ever leave Harrow. Literally the cover has her in a white nightgown in front of the house. It is so Gothic it’s not even funny.
This is a book that messes with reality and I really enjoy that. Helen doesn’t know what’s real or what isn’t, and neither do you. This isn’t the type of book that scares me, but it is definitely creepy and I really enjoyed the creepy elements. If you liked The Haunting of Bly Manor, I think you would really like this. It gave me some of those vibes.
Kayla from BooksAndLala says that an author is a favourite when she gives three books 5 stars, and this is the third book by Kate Alice Marshall that I’ve loved, which I think firmly establishes her as one of my favourite authors. I honestly enjoyed this one so much and really recommend it if you like gothic horror.
Representation: Helen is queer, as is her love interest. She also has a Black cousin, while the rest of her family is white, which is discussed.
Content notes: Child death, animal death (not on screen, but Helen likes making art out of animal bones), murder, violence, gun violence, some body horror.