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b00kh0arder's review against another edition
3.0
Loved the writing, the deliciously Gothic setting and atmosphere, and the classical influences, but I just felt that - plot wise - we've kind of been saturated with this particularly type of storyline recently. Just my persoanl opinion.
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for review.
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for review.
alisaws88's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 Stars
Overall it was a good book and I really enjoyed Phoebe Wynne's style of writing. I was sucked in pretty quickly and then was excited to see how it all played out.
I had some frustrations with a few characters but I understood what Wynne was trying to accomplish. My biggest issue was the ending of the story but I enjoyed it right up until that final event.
Overall it was a good book and I really enjoyed Phoebe Wynne's style of writing. I was sucked in pretty quickly and then was excited to see how it all played out.
I had some frustrations with a few characters but I understood what Wynne was trying to accomplish. My biggest issue was the ending of the story but I enjoyed it right up until that final event.
heather_boo's review against another edition
4.0
This is the perfect read if you enjoy the dark academia aesthetic. The setting of the ancient Scottish castle turned all girls’ school is atmospheric, creepy and suspicious in every way. The main character, Rose, is a young woman hired to teach classics, and she is predictably teaching what her superiors consider to be subversive material. The affect on several of her students will change everyone’s lives. The only reason the rating is not higher is that Rose should be more a more clever, sharper protagonist rather than frustratingly passive and sniveling. If she had been even just a bit stronger the story would have been completely memorable reminiscent of “O Captain my Captain!”
lilmonkey29's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
casperino125's review against another edition
dark
inspiring
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.5
kittym130's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
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? No
2.5
csnurr's review against another edition
1.0
I think this book takes the award for dumbest protagonist I’ve ever read. She is constantly reminded that this school has disappeared people in the past and has POWER OF ATTORNEY over her aging mother but she continually goes around telling people who have worked at the school for decades that what they’re doing is wrong and that she won’t stand for it. The lack of survival instinct was the most infuriating thing I’ve read in a long time.
She is repeatedly surprised that the school has set her up and read letters she’s tried sending or that they’ll threaten her mother. The headmaster directly reminders her multiple times that they have her mother in a care home and the MC is astonished and horrified that they’d bring her mother into things. She refuses to shut up and observe what is going on to formulate a plan and instead runs around drawing as much attention to her moral outrage as possible and then is stunned when she gets threatened again. I lost count of how many times she told other teachers and students that they were brainwashed to their faces and acted stunned when she was reprimanded for it. And the ending isn’t even initiated by her. She does absolutely nothing except dither around fussing about the moral outrage but not actually thinking through a plan to take on the powers that be.
She is repeatedly surprised that the school has set her up and read letters she’s tried sending or that they’ll threaten her mother. The headmaster directly reminders her multiple times that they have her mother in a care home and the MC is astonished and horrified that they’d bring her mother into things. She refuses to shut up and observe what is going on to formulate a plan and instead runs around drawing as much attention to her moral outrage as possible and then is stunned when she gets threatened again. I lost count of how many times she told other teachers and students that they were brainwashed to their faces and acted stunned when she was reprimanded for it. And the ending isn’t even initiated by her. She does absolutely nothing except dither around fussing about the moral outrage but not actually thinking through a plan to take on the powers that be.
missreaderlove's review against another edition
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Madam is a slow burn gothic dark academia novel set in elite and exclusive boarding school, Caldonbrae Hall. The atmosphere was dark, tense and eerie, and I found myself not being able to put down the book even as I grew steadily uncomfortable.
The book follows Rose, a young teacher who gets recruited to teach Classics the school. As she struggles to understand the nature of the school, fit into her role, and gets caught up in the mystery surrounding her predecessor, she slowly uncovers the sinister aspects of Caldonbrae Hall and finds that she is unable to escape.
Filled with darkly lyrical prose and twisty reveals, this book will haunt me for some time to come. A new favourite read.
The book follows Rose, a young teacher who gets recruited to teach Classics the school. As she struggles to understand the nature of the school, fit into her role, and gets caught up in the mystery surrounding her predecessor, she slowly uncovers the sinister aspects of Caldonbrae Hall and finds that she is unable to escape.
Filled with darkly lyrical prose and twisty reveals, this book will haunt me for some time to come. A new favourite read.