Reviews

Mosaic by Catherine McCarthy

ruhika's review

dark mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

readingbelowtheclouds's review

dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

ericarobyn's review

dark mysterious tense slow-paced

5.0

Mosaic by Catherine McCarthy is a gothic horror tale that slowly burns like the candles set up at an altar, complete with shadows that jump, making the viewers ask if it was just a shadow, or perhaps something more sinister.

When Robin receives a letter in the mail asking for her to accept a job restoring a stained glass window at an old abandoned church that they are working to fix up, she’s intrigued. The work sounds like her dream job, but she can’t put a finger on what’s making her cautious.

Going out to the area for the first time, she almost lets her inner thoughts turn her around to leave, but soon enough she arrives at the property and is mesmerized by the building.

Treating the first few days as her research and preparation, she also gets to do a bit of a scavenger hunt. Then the “real work” starts.

Boy, did I love the quick scavenger hunt focus! I would have been just like this character, obsessed with the hunt to try to find all the original pieces of glass. Though knowing myself, I would have been a bit more extreme with it; I would have been absolutely determined to search high and low until I was sure I didn’t overlook any. So I was pleased to see the character note that if she didn’t stop, she would keep going and going and going. That level of awareness was refreshing! Now, if only I could do that in my own life!

I am obsessed with the pacing of this story. There’s such a quiet burn going on. It works its way down to the bottom where you finally get to see what has been lurking just beneath the surface.

The author does an amazing job getting you settled right in the mindsets that the main character has, whether that’s with the project itself, how she feels about various people, her determination to find answers, or, most unsettlingly, her terror of going to the crypt. I’m pretty certain I didn’t breathe the entire time Robin was in the crypt. Her anxiety was so palpable.

And that ending… MY GOSH.

My Favorite Passages from Mosaic –

Ahead stands the church, an ancient Cotswold-stone building complete with narthex and bell tower, but it is the graveyard itself that steals my breath. Scattered headstones peep from behind knee-high grass, some of the stones leaning towards each other as if conspiring. The wind whispers through the trees, giving them a voice: visitors, visitors!

As far as I can see, no skeletons or coffins are hidden in this space. It’s just an empty shell, devoid of any horror except the worst kind: that which one’s own mind produces.

The dream is as sharp as a knife. The final image so keen it threatens to slit my throat and watch me bleed. But I have done so already by shedding my family ties. I will not allow it to kill me twice.

My Final Thoughts on Mosaic –

Gothic horror fans, go snag this one today and dive into the mystery. You’re going to have so much fun with this read! I know I did! I already can’t wait to read it again to see if I can pick up on any hints along the way that I may have missed in my first read-through.

opheliasviolence's review

dark mysterious sad fast-paced

4.0

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

 I went in not knowing what to expect but
I was pleasantly surprised by this novella. I was definitely intrigued by the premise. The main character, Robin, is hired to restore a stained glass window in an abandoned church. Strange things keep happening while she works. The main character begins looking into the history of the church and let's just say things get interesting. 
I won't say much more about what happens. 

I loved the setting of the story and the premise. The main character was well done. I will say the story didn't go the way I thought it would. I liked being surprised by the ending. 

I wish the story would have been longer. I would have liked to get to know the main character more and the backstory of the church. 

All in all, I enjoyed this quick, spooky read. If you're a fan of Darcy Coates or "cozy horror," then this is perfect. 

Thank you to the author and publisher for providing me with an ARC. 

richtate's review

dark mysterious medium-paced

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

4.0

 A mysterious piece of weird fiction with shades of a Poe detective story. This is eerie Lovecraftian story with a fantastic climax. 

torrie_reads's review

3.5

Thoughts 

This book wasn't what I expected at all. I'm used to religious horror being more of the F* the patriarchy. But I still enjoyed this. 

I feel like it is important to note that this is Gothic horror. Gothic as in almost nothing happens until the very end and then you are hit with everything and it feels like a whirlwind. 

I say that but like any good Gothic novel it does a good job of building the tension. It's that heavy breath waiting to look around the corner not knowing what going to be there. 

McCarthy definitely painted a picture of creepy and kept me coming back to find out what was going on with that stained glass window. 

While I enjoyed it, I do feel like there were some loose ends or things not explained well enough.  Maybe there were left open for interpretation but I feel like some of it should have been explained.  

sophee_568's review

dark tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

 Robin Griffiths receives a letter from one Jonathan Hargreaves, the Chairman of Bilbury Parish Council, offering her the job of restoring a stained-glass window on a thirteenth-century church. At first glance, Robin is suspicious - who sends a letter when they could easily mail or phone, but her curiosity and child-like wonder get the best of her. While driving through Bilbury looking for Coppersgate Woods, where the church is situated, Robin's thoughts are plagued by paranoia. Her unease resolves once she meets the unassuming Mr. Hargreaves. He looks like someone's grandpa, not like a deceitful scammer. As Robin gets acquainted with the church in the following week, she battles her inner doubts and fears over whether the job is real or a cover-up for something. Soon she becomes enamored with the stained glass window she needs to repair. The window seems to have portrayed St. Sannan, the saint the church was named after. The more Robin works on the window, the more bizarre the whole figure in the window seems. And why does she feel a constant presence in the church? Why is the crow watching her and attempting to communicate? Odd events start piling up as Robin gets closer to unraveling the truth about the old decrepit church.
Mosaic is a clever little novel. The premise is interesting in itself, but the execution is marvelous. McCarthy told a meticulous story of a troubled woman treading into uncharted territory. Her character work on Robin is incredible. Robin feels like an actual person. The way the author incorporated Robin's childhood trauma into the narrative by having Robin internalize her father's nagging criticism works so well. We notice how the more time she spends in the church, the more prominently her anxiety and paranoia surface. But it may not be an entirely bad thing. With every move she makes, her father's voice rings in her head, condemning her. Robin tries her best to play devil's advocate with her thoughts, but in the end, she must face her past.
McCarthy's writing is descriptive and atmospheric, and it lures you into the story. While reading, I saw every moment of the story so vividly in my mind's eye. I could picture what the church and the backyard looked like, how Robin tirelessly worked on the window, and how the crow followed Robin's every move. The descriptions of Robin working on the window were an equally engrossing part of the narrative, just the creepy scenes. McCarthy sprinkled little details throughout the story, which allowed the story to culminate shockingly. The more I thought about the whole story, the more I realized how clever it all is.
I did not rate the book five stars because I wanted more backstory on the deity. We only get its name and brief description. I think the author built this story on a deity another author already invented and used, which is not a bad thing per se, but I wanted her to explore it. I wondered why St. Sannan's church was home to the deity and what it wanted from people. But the principles of cosmic horror prevent the story from providing any answers. Still, the author could have maneuvered more lore into the story. Also, the ending is odd, and I am uncertain if it works in the story's favor.
Thank you to BookSirens for the review copy! 

justanotherfinalgirlreview's review

adventurous dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5