Reviews - My Darling Dreadful Thing

2.52k reviews for:

My Darling Dreadful Thing

Johanna van Veen

3.94 AVERAGE

rachhhe's review against another edition

4.0

dark slow-paced

sierrah_2101's review against another edition

3.5

dark mysterious sad 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

Content Warnings

wizardsnspice's review

5.0

challenging dark emotional mysterious 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

Interesting read with a lot of nods to Turn of the Screw, which is, I'm assuming, what this book's plot is loosely based off of plot wise. The ending was a good plot twist I didn't see coming

especially the fact Mrs. K (Agnes) was possibly still alive and just ODed, which means she may have been able to be saved after all...

tinyrat127's review

4.5

dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

whatthecuss's review

3.0

dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

amyan's review

4.75

dark emotional sad 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

Delightfully dark read: perfectly gothic, haunting, and eerie in all the right ways.
It’s beautifully written, with just the right amount of horror to chill without tipping into gore.
The atmosphere is rich and immersive, and the story has both depth and heart woven into its shadows.
A book that pulls you into its shadowy world and lingers, haunting you long after you close the final page.
Gothic, eerie, and beautifully crafted.

Content Warnings

bisexualbookshelf's review against another edition

4.0

challenging dark mysterious medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Audiobook review disclaimer:

I process sound less clearly than text (trauma brain things), so my audiobook reviews tend to be shorter and more surface-level than my usual ones. I don’t take notes while listening, and I often come away with impressions rather than detailed analysis. Still, I’m committed to reviewing every single book I read, even when the format changes how I engage. This is my way of honoring the listening experience—with softness, presence, and care. Thanks for reading!

Review:
I enjoyed this sapphic, gothic, mommy issues book. I also liked the set-up of alternating between the MC's flashbacks and the current day reflections of the psychiatrist treating her. I wasn't particularly excited about the reveals but was still along for the ride. The Gothicism was strong with this one, so definitely recommend it for any readers who enjoy that!

lyssylyssy's review

5.0

challenging dark mysterious tense slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

Content Warnings

taylorpeterson13's review

4.25

dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced

evcrszn's review

4.0

dark mysterious medium-paced

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