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3.64 AVERAGE
3.64 AVERAGE
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Took a little while to get started but it was an enjoyable (albeit sad) story. I was a little annoyed that the MC was only 55 but acted more like 85. It took me out of the story.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Nothing wrong with this, just not really my style of book. Old-fashioned feeling and excessively British.
(I have a surplus of library books right now so I'm not sparing the DNF hammer. This is a good thing,
I really need to weed through my unruly TBR!)
(I have a surplus of library books right now so I'm not sparing the DNF hammer. This is a good thing,
I really need to weed through my unruly TBR!)
Gothic horror lite. Gothic horror in the sense of a Renaissance painting of a cat where you're like yes the elements are there and it is vaguely cat-like but definitely not the best representation of a cat.
We had ghosts but I was never really frightened by them. We had a nearby abandoned asylum but I was never really frightened by it. The well creeped me out but that's just a me & wells thing.
I was initially excited at the prospect of a romance subplot with people in their 50s because there's not enough of that in the world, but it wasn't as compelling as I wanted.
It was fine to read and find out what happened to the family all those years ago.
We had ghosts but I was never really frightened by them. We had a nearby abandoned asylum but I was never really frightened by it. The well creeped me out but that's just a me & wells thing.
I was initially excited at the prospect of a romance subplot with people in their 50s because there's not enough of that in the world, but it wasn't as compelling as I wanted.
It was fine to read and find out what happened to the family all those years ago.
emotional
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This book first came to my attention as Good Reads Awards horror selection, so I was intrigued. Just because there are ghosts doesn't make it a horror! At no point was there anything scary, tragic, sure, but never scary. It's slower pace kept it from being a Thriller, so it's best fit is in the Mystery genre. So if you're going into this expecting scares, reconsider.
It does do Gothic very well, to the extent it feels out of time. It's sent in present day with the backstory 50 years ago, but it feels far older. The mentions of internet searches are just odd and pulled me out. However, it's quite cozy in small-town, British village, cottage and tea, quite cottage-core with gardens, flowers, etc. So A+ for atmospheric vibes, but it's slower pace kept putting me to sleep until I finally relegated it to a daytime read. The central storyline centers around the deaths of small children, so be prepared for tragedy! It does get quite sad. I would read more from this author
It does do Gothic very well, to the extent it feels out of time. It's sent in present day with the backstory 50 years ago, but it feels far older. The mentions of internet searches are just odd and pulled me out. However, it's quite cozy in small-town, British village, cottage and tea, quite cottage-core with gardens, flowers, etc. So A+ for atmospheric vibes, but it's slower pace kept putting me to sleep until I finally relegated it to a daytime read. The central storyline centers around the deaths of small children, so be prepared for tragedy! It does get quite sad. I would read more from this author
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I got this book as a goodreads giveaway and I'm so happy I did. I enjoyed this book very much!
Francine Thwaite has lived all her 55 years of live in her family's gothic mansion. Francine is the only living being there but is not alone for there are ghosts that are harmless and loved but none more than Bree a childhood 'imaginary' friend. She's mischievous and sometimes quite reckless.
When Francine's estranged sister Madeleine returns to the manor after years away and brings with her a story of cruelty and desperation and terror. As Francine learns more about her family's past dark past and how she played a role in it that she has no memory of. Can she confront the truth without losing what she holds dear?
First, I love the gothic mansion and spooky atmosphere of this book. It was perfect for the October season. There is an abandoned insane asylum and a creepy forest. The whole theme is spooky.
The forest behind the house gives off a feeling of dread. "Those ancient trees had seen enough human suffering and brutality to create a miasma of creeping spite." You can literally feel the hatred from the forest. The mansion has a personality of its own "faced the old building...There was a melancholic droop to the eaves, emanating an unbearable yearning during Francine's absence and conflicting reproach for her late return."
Second, this book has a sprinkling of magic in it. Tea leaf reading, talking to ghosts, seeing ghosts. The part with the language of flowers was something I really enjoyed. I ended up doing some research about meanings behind flowers after reading this book. It's quite fascinating. The personality of the ghost Bree was great. She was fiery and protective. This part adds a bit of levity to a very intense and creepy story. Bree's story is a huge part of the plot, and I loved uncovering the mystery of what happened to her and who she was before she died.
Third, I loved the characterization especially of Francine. Francine is very old fashioned. She doesn't have a phone and has to use a payphone. She doesn't have TV or radio. She just spends her time in quiet solitude with her flowers and ghost friends. She changes so much in this book, and I enjoyed watching her growth from a scared person who forgoes any company out of fear, to doing everything in her power to save the beings and people that are important to her. She is so brave that she fights her fears head on.
Fourth, the storyline itself is tragic. The dark spirit trapping all of them in a cycle of misery and fear. The story of the lives of the ones who lived in that house. It has a bittersweet ending of love, forgiveness, and moving on. This story was creepy but also very beautiful! I enjoyed it from beginning to end.
Francine Thwaite has lived all her 55 years of live in her family's gothic mansion. Francine is the only living being there but is not alone for there are ghosts that are harmless and loved but none more than Bree a childhood 'imaginary' friend. She's mischievous and sometimes quite reckless.
When Francine's estranged sister Madeleine returns to the manor after years away and brings with her a story of cruelty and desperation and terror. As Francine learns more about her family's past dark past and how she played a role in it that she has no memory of. Can she confront the truth without losing what she holds dear?
First, I love the gothic mansion and spooky atmosphere of this book. It was perfect for the October season. There is an abandoned insane asylum and a creepy forest. The whole theme is spooky.
The forest behind the house gives off a feeling of dread. "Those ancient trees had seen enough human suffering and brutality to create a miasma of creeping spite." You can literally feel the hatred from the forest. The mansion has a personality of its own "faced the old building...There was a melancholic droop to the eaves, emanating an unbearable yearning during Francine's absence and conflicting reproach for her late return."
Second, this book has a sprinkling of magic in it. Tea leaf reading, talking to ghosts, seeing ghosts. The part with the language of flowers was something I really enjoyed. I ended up doing some research about meanings behind flowers after reading this book. It's quite fascinating. The personality of the ghost Bree was great. She was fiery and protective. This part adds a bit of levity to a very intense and creepy story. Bree's story is a huge part of the plot, and I loved uncovering the mystery of what happened to her and who she was before she died.
Third, I loved the characterization especially of Francine. Francine is very old fashioned. She doesn't have a phone and has to use a payphone. She doesn't have TV or radio. She just spends her time in quiet solitude with her flowers and ghost friends. She changes so much in this book, and I enjoyed watching her growth from a scared person who forgoes any company out of fear, to doing everything in her power to save the beings and people that are important to her. She is so brave that she fights her fears head on.
Fourth, the storyline itself is tragic. The dark spirit trapping all of them in a cycle of misery and fear. The story of the lives of the ones who lived in that house. It has a bittersweet ending of love, forgiveness, and moving on. This story was creepy but also very beautiful! I enjoyed it from beginning to end.
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail
Took me awhile to get into it, but actually ended up liking it more than I had thought. I am not a big one for ghost stories but these characters had heart and depth and reasons for ghosts
What an interesting read! I’ve always had a love for flowers instilled into me by my granny, so I thoroughly enjoyed this novel with its rich knowledge of flowers. The twist and turns were just enough to keep my guessing about the truth of Francine’s family. Even when I thought I had it figured out, I still didn’t see the twists at the end turning out exactly like that. My only qualms with this book was that the chapters are long, which makes it harder for me to stop and go during my day, but other than that it was an excellent read.