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3.29 AVERAGE
3.29 AVERAGE
Gothic historical fiction is a lot funnier when you remember they were high as fuck on cocaine all the time
3.5/5
3.5/5
I did not enjoy this. It was messy, confusing, and nonsensical. It felt less like a coherent book and more like incomprehensible ramblings that someone saw potential in. Jane's decisions were extremely inconsistent and oftentimes just stupid. I frequently felt the urge to reach through the pages and shake some sense into her. It's possible for books to have mystical, spooky, magical elements that aren't fully explained and are still enjoyable to read. This wasn't one of them.
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Yikes. This starts out as the story of a very practical, logical woman who makes a marriage of convenience. Then it takes a hard turn into the story of a wretched lost woman deeply in love with this man, shocked that she knows nothing of his past after a week's acquaintance. Plus it's suddenly an absolutely bonkers bloody ghost story where it seems like the really obvious solution is to burn down the crumbling old house and never go back but somehow no one does.
About halfway through this, I got so bored of this pile. DNF it is.
About halfway through this, I got so bored of this pile. DNF it is.
I am absolutely delighted by Caitlin Starling leaning really hard into gothic romance with her latest novel. It is a delightfully gross horror story revolving around medicine, magic, and ghosts. It's very much a cross between the vibes of crimson peak and Mike Flanagan's Haunting of Hill House. Also somehow Caitlin made zero eldritch. Highly recommend.
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
loved this gothic horror, magic, ghosts (?), medicine and doctors, guilt and loss. Devoured this one.
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I’ve been putting off reading this book because I was worried it would be another contemporary gothic let down, but it 100% wasn’t. Great pacing, compelling and interesting narrative with a good internal logic structure for its magic system
A spooky gothic horror in the spirit of Rebecca mixed with Mexican Gothic. Great seasonal read, although some of the propulsive tension was diffused a bit in the mid section because of the length.
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This book was a TRIP in the best way. The gothic atmosphere and surgical scenes really added to the horror and the overall story is reminiscent of the show House on Haunted Hill and even Jane Eyre. What really set me up for success in liking this book is 1) not knowing anything about it so 2) having zero expectations. I was pleasantly surprised.
But my favorite thing about Starling’s writing is how she explains magic. She approaches it from almost a mathematical angle where the number zero is sacred and paradoxical while also similar to the circular shapes that Jane erratically draws over and over again using salt and chalk.There’s a line in the book that gave me SHIVERS and it’s the scene where Jane reads Elodie’s words “Ghosts are not real.” THAT…was phenomenal.
Jane herself is a very pragmatic woman who finds solace in book keeping and numbers, so to view each scene through her eyes and watching her try to make sense of the impossible felt very…real. The way she would conjure magic “rationally” within some confines of physics but then ultimately faith makes you feel like magic is actually within reach.
You’re left with an ending that felt both “happy” and unsettling.
But my favorite thing about Starling’s writing is how she explains magic. She approaches it from almost a mathematical angle where the number zero is sacred and paradoxical while also similar to the circular shapes that Jane erratically draws over and over again using salt and chalk.
Jane herself is a very pragmatic woman who finds solace in book keeping and numbers, so to view each scene through her eyes and watching her try to make sense of the impossible felt very…real. The way she would conjure magic “rationally” within some confines of physics but then ultimately faith makes you feel like magic is actually within reach.
You’re left with an ending that felt both “happy” and unsettling.