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3.78 AVERAGE
3.78 AVERAGE
I have to say that, at the beginning, what made me read this book was the cover. I know, I know, don't judge the book by its cover, as cliche as it may sound. However, you can wait for a story as fascinating as the illustration pictures.
It is a simple story tho, you can fell what is coming. But predictable does not always mean bad. On the contrary, I was very pleased with the reading, and how I Noemi character was developed, a perfect heroin of a contemporary gothic romance.
It is a simple story tho, you can fell what is coming. But predictable does not always mean bad. On the contrary, I was very pleased with the reading, and how I Noemi character was developed, a perfect heroin of a contemporary gothic romance.
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This was somehow enjoyable but still too slow paced.
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Moderate: Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Incest, Slavery
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
adventurous
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
A thudding disappointment. How it won best horror novel on Goodreads is a mystery to me.
Here’s the story: A shallow young debutante receives a crazed letter from her cousin, which sounds like it was drafted during an acid trip. Said debutante, Noemí, flies off to rescue her cousin from a spooky old manor, which is populated with the typical frigid and salty staff, a creepy old patriarch, and men of questionable motive. For 200 pages Noemí engages in the same terse interactions over and over, has many nightmares, fails to have a personality, and engages in much navel-gazing. She also makes an observation early on and it’s painfully obvious it’s the source of all the story’s weirdness. In the last 100 pages we discover that yes, this thing is indeed the source of the weirdness. Surprise! Then everything comes to a head, it all gets a bit Lovecraftian and silly, and it ends predictably. Whee!
This novel was obviously built around a concept—which had potential—but the plot is thin, the characters grating, and it’s riddled with plot holes the author tries to plaster over with chewing gum. Noemí spends an inordinate amount of time devising complex explanations for what’s going on. She makes inferences she couldn’t possibly know and the story embraces them, no matter how unlikely. It all feels a bit forced, and coupled with the stilted dialogue and undercooked prose, there’s not much to get excited about.
Oh well, moving on.
Here’s the story: A shallow young debutante receives a crazed letter from her cousin, which sounds like it was drafted during an acid trip. Said debutante, Noemí, flies off to rescue her cousin from a spooky old manor, which is populated with the typical frigid and salty staff, a creepy old patriarch, and men of questionable motive. For 200 pages Noemí engages in the same terse interactions over and over, has many nightmares, fails to have a personality, and engages in much navel-gazing. She also makes an observation early on and it’s painfully obvious it’s the source of all the story’s weirdness. In the last 100 pages we discover that yes, this thing is indeed the source of the weirdness. Surprise! Then everything comes to a head, it all gets a bit Lovecraftian and silly, and it ends predictably. Whee!
This novel was obviously built around a concept—which had potential—but the plot is thin, the characters grating, and it’s riddled with plot holes the author tries to plaster over with chewing gum. Noemí spends an inordinate amount of time devising complex explanations for what’s going on. She makes inferences she couldn’t possibly know and the story embraces them, no matter how unlikely. It all feels a bit forced, and coupled with the stilted dialogue and undercooked prose, there’s not much to get excited about.
Oh well, moving on.
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-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: Body horror, Child abuse, Confinement, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Violence, Vomit, Murder, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Moderate: Incest, Rape
Minor: Child abuse, Child death, Cannibalism
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No