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emmacr2024's review against another edition
4.0
Victoria Fox is perhaps best known for writing sizzling bonkbusters with a hint of mystery that always provide such an escapist read. But now she is back with something slightly different and almost sinister in tone which is evident from the cover of The Silent Fountain as it has such dark, foreboding colours compared to the usual brash, bright colours normally a book by this author would have. It's nice to see authors veering out of their comfort zone and taking things in a new direction. I was even more delighted to see this book featured a dual storyline between the past and the present which is just my kind of read.
By the time I was a few chapters in I was kicking myself that I had let this book languish on my Kindle just that little bit too long. Victoria Fox may have ventured down new avenues with this book but she certainly hasn't lost her talent for writing an insanely good story that keeps you turning the pages eager to know more. OK it doesn't feature racy sex scenes and the intrigue and glamour that her readers may have come to expect but that didn't bother me in the slightest as the feelings of menace, hate, evil and dominance intensified with every turn of the page and held me in their thrall. Before I knew it I found myself halfway through this compulsive story whose main characters Lucy Whittaker and Vivien Lockheart had really got inside my head and I really didn't want to leave the book down until I had gotten the answers to so many questions.
The story moves back and forth between Italy in the present and also the past life of Vivien Lockheart beginning in America. It soon becomes apparent the power of love is a strong theme throughout the story. As the story progresses similarities emerge between our female characters yet at the same time there are numerous hidden depths to both that are waiting to be uncovered. Lucy lives in London but even from the first chapter it's evident there has been a recent trauma in her life and everything is about to change. She is attempting to come to terms with what has happened and how both her head and heart have been messed with yet at the same time she needs to keep things under wraps. I enjoyed how we weren't privy to all of Lucy's story in one fell swoop instead we are drip fed bits of tantalising information at the end of every chapter that left you open mouthed more than once. There were such cliffhangers at the end of each chapter I found myself torn in two, wanting to read about whoever was next or else I found myself want to skip it to get back to the cliffhanger part. This story really was that absorbing and just as one question resolved itself another more major plot line would reveal itself. As Lucy battles with her emotions it's clear she needs to make a decision, hide or face the world and accept what has happened. So when an opportunity presents itself in Italy to look after the house of a reclusive woman Lucy jumps at the chance, little does she know instead of finding peace and solitude in order to reach acceptance instead waiting for her are mystery and secrets galore.
In the earlier half of the book in the chapters from Vivien's viewpoint we get to know a little bit more about her back story. Slowly piece by piece the author builds a picture of a woman who has had a rough childhood at the hands of her father, zealous minister Gilbert, and how she ran away to seek her fame and fortune in order to bury painful memories of a cruel and spiteful man. I did initially think this will be the usual Hollywood starlet storyline of making it big against all the odds and meeting and dumping plenty of men along the way. I couldn't have been more wrong. I'm glad Vivien's career wasn't the sole focus as it really allowed the author to spread her wings and run riot with the crazy, foreboding feelings that pervaded for the majority of the book. Vivien is a woman who takes control of her life but the one thing she lacks and deeply longs for is love and through an accident she meets charming Doctor Gio Moretti and falls head over heels. I totally got what Vivien saw in Gio. He was the polar opposite to everything she had experienced when it came to male figures in her life and she wanted to be protected and loved unconditionally. So much so that she would do whatever he wanted even if it meant a third person enters their relationship. That is in the form of his sister Isabella who had been rendered mute by a traumatic incident in her childhood. I could see Vivien desperately wanted comfort, love and security and was delighted when that came in the form of marriage but similar to Lucy little did she know the path that awaited her.
Isabella was a complex character for whom communication was an issue but thanks to the brilliant writing of Victoria Fox she came alive on the page and none more so than when Gio and Vivien move to Italy so he can engage in research. The book really got going then and as connections are established between the castillo Lucy finds herself working in and the story of Vivien's life in Italy. In both story lines the castillo becomes like a character all of its own and is witness to many strange and evil things. Lucy soon forgot what was going back at home (to be honest I felt she got herself into a hole of her own making and should have been wiser) as she tried to understand and uncover the castillo's secrets and the mysterious signora whom she never meets as the maid keeps her away.
I think I preferred Vivien to Lucy, not that I hated Lucy, it's just her story was slightly stronger and made for real edge of your seat stuff. As Vivien settles down to what she hopes will be a blissful life in Italy it soon becomes apparent the villa is not all that idyllic and although one character may present a certain front to the outside world beneath it all there is a lot more going on. There are so many adjectives that could be used to describe said character – manipulative, cruel, evil, crazy, creepy and hateful are just a few. At times I couldn't believe what I was reading and wanted just to shake someone and say come on open your eyes, see what is in front of you. How can you doubt one person over another? As the chapters flew by and my impatience for the big reveal grew the overwhelming sense of mystery, darkness and menace just grew and grew and I couldn't help thinking this really is very different to anything I have read by this author before but my god I'm loving the rising tension and the crafty twists and turns.
My only hope the further I read and as certain things were revealed was that when the big outcome came would it all prove to be a big let down? Where could the story possibly go as Lucy herself feels the sense of sadness and horror emanating from the castle? I would have been bitterly disappointed given how brilliantly the characters had been drawn and how the setting and back story created only to not have that gasp out loud moment of shock when the ultimate reveal came. Thankfully I wasn't one bit disappointed. I had grasped at the hints dropped throughout the story but was never fully able to bring them all together and was pleased with the overall outcome.
Victoria Fox has written a brilliant story that takes you on a journey that is at times very sinister yet at others there are moments of tenderness. As soon as you start reading you will become oblivious to everything around you and find your heart in your mouth more than once as the intrigue and suspicion levels ramp themselves up a gear. To discover does Lucy unearth the secrets so long hidden in the castillo I suggest you get this book as soon as possible. It's a real page turner and definitely one for the keeper shelf.
By the time I was a few chapters in I was kicking myself that I had let this book languish on my Kindle just that little bit too long. Victoria Fox may have ventured down new avenues with this book but she certainly hasn't lost her talent for writing an insanely good story that keeps you turning the pages eager to know more. OK it doesn't feature racy sex scenes and the intrigue and glamour that her readers may have come to expect but that didn't bother me in the slightest as the feelings of menace, hate, evil and dominance intensified with every turn of the page and held me in their thrall. Before I knew it I found myself halfway through this compulsive story whose main characters Lucy Whittaker and Vivien Lockheart had really got inside my head and I really didn't want to leave the book down until I had gotten the answers to so many questions.
The story moves back and forth between Italy in the present and also the past life of Vivien Lockheart beginning in America. It soon becomes apparent the power of love is a strong theme throughout the story. As the story progresses similarities emerge between our female characters yet at the same time there are numerous hidden depths to both that are waiting to be uncovered. Lucy lives in London but even from the first chapter it's evident there has been a recent trauma in her life and everything is about to change. She is attempting to come to terms with what has happened and how both her head and heart have been messed with yet at the same time she needs to keep things under wraps. I enjoyed how we weren't privy to all of Lucy's story in one fell swoop instead we are drip fed bits of tantalising information at the end of every chapter that left you open mouthed more than once. There were such cliffhangers at the end of each chapter I found myself torn in two, wanting to read about whoever was next or else I found myself want to skip it to get back to the cliffhanger part. This story really was that absorbing and just as one question resolved itself another more major plot line would reveal itself. As Lucy battles with her emotions it's clear she needs to make a decision, hide or face the world and accept what has happened. So when an opportunity presents itself in Italy to look after the house of a reclusive woman Lucy jumps at the chance, little does she know instead of finding peace and solitude in order to reach acceptance instead waiting for her are mystery and secrets galore.
In the earlier half of the book in the chapters from Vivien's viewpoint we get to know a little bit more about her back story. Slowly piece by piece the author builds a picture of a woman who has had a rough childhood at the hands of her father, zealous minister Gilbert, and how she ran away to seek her fame and fortune in order to bury painful memories of a cruel and spiteful man. I did initially think this will be the usual Hollywood starlet storyline of making it big against all the odds and meeting and dumping plenty of men along the way. I couldn't have been more wrong. I'm glad Vivien's career wasn't the sole focus as it really allowed the author to spread her wings and run riot with the crazy, foreboding feelings that pervaded for the majority of the book. Vivien is a woman who takes control of her life but the one thing she lacks and deeply longs for is love and through an accident she meets charming Doctor Gio Moretti and falls head over heels. I totally got what Vivien saw in Gio. He was the polar opposite to everything she had experienced when it came to male figures in her life and she wanted to be protected and loved unconditionally. So much so that she would do whatever he wanted even if it meant a third person enters their relationship. That is in the form of his sister Isabella who had been rendered mute by a traumatic incident in her childhood. I could see Vivien desperately wanted comfort, love and security and was delighted when that came in the form of marriage but similar to Lucy little did she know the path that awaited her.
Isabella was a complex character for whom communication was an issue but thanks to the brilliant writing of Victoria Fox she came alive on the page and none more so than when Gio and Vivien move to Italy so he can engage in research. The book really got going then and as connections are established between the castillo Lucy finds herself working in and the story of Vivien's life in Italy. In both story lines the castillo becomes like a character all of its own and is witness to many strange and evil things. Lucy soon forgot what was going back at home (to be honest I felt she got herself into a hole of her own making and should have been wiser) as she tried to understand and uncover the castillo's secrets and the mysterious signora whom she never meets as the maid keeps her away.
I think I preferred Vivien to Lucy, not that I hated Lucy, it's just her story was slightly stronger and made for real edge of your seat stuff. As Vivien settles down to what she hopes will be a blissful life in Italy it soon becomes apparent the villa is not all that idyllic and although one character may present a certain front to the outside world beneath it all there is a lot more going on. There are so many adjectives that could be used to describe said character – manipulative, cruel, evil, crazy, creepy and hateful are just a few. At times I couldn't believe what I was reading and wanted just to shake someone and say come on open your eyes, see what is in front of you. How can you doubt one person over another? As the chapters flew by and my impatience for the big reveal grew the overwhelming sense of mystery, darkness and menace just grew and grew and I couldn't help thinking this really is very different to anything I have read by this author before but my god I'm loving the rising tension and the crafty twists and turns.
My only hope the further I read and as certain things were revealed was that when the big outcome came would it all prove to be a big let down? Where could the story possibly go as Lucy herself feels the sense of sadness and horror emanating from the castle? I would have been bitterly disappointed given how brilliantly the characters had been drawn and how the setting and back story created only to not have that gasp out loud moment of shock when the ultimate reveal came. Thankfully I wasn't one bit disappointed. I had grasped at the hints dropped throughout the story but was never fully able to bring them all together and was pleased with the overall outcome.
Victoria Fox has written a brilliant story that takes you on a journey that is at times very sinister yet at others there are moments of tenderness. As soon as you start reading you will become oblivious to everything around you and find your heart in your mouth more than once as the intrigue and suspicion levels ramp themselves up a gear. To discover does Lucy unearth the secrets so long hidden in the castillo I suggest you get this book as soon as possible. It's a real page turner and definitely one for the keeper shelf.
kdurham2's review against another edition
4.0
Check out the full review at Kritters Ramblings
Two storylines going on at the same time in this book and I loved that they wind around each other the entire book and then completely combust near the end. Viven Lockhart is in both the present and historical storylines, in the historical storyline she is a retired starlet who has taken up residence in a beautiful Italian home with her husband and his sister and its worth reading the book to find out why the sister is in residence with the couple. In the present day, Lucy has some drama on her own so she decides to get away to this Italian home for a job and escape, but drama always finds you!
Two storylines going on at the same time in this book and I loved that they wind around each other the entire book and then completely combust near the end. Viven Lockhart is in both the present and historical storylines, in the historical storyline she is a retired starlet who has taken up residence in a beautiful Italian home with her husband and his sister and its worth reading the book to find out why the sister is in residence with the couple. In the present day, Lucy has some drama on her own so she decides to get away to this Italian home for a job and escape, but drama always finds you!
chatdunoirreadsalot123's review against another edition
4.0
A great mixture of thriller and romance.
balibee146's review against another edition
3.0
Should 3.5 while nothing new it is well plotted though has some paving issues in the middle
jb_slasher's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
kbranfield's review against another edition
4.0
Seamlessly weaving back and forth in time, The Silent Fountain by Victoria Fox is a vaguely sinister mystery which takes place in an isolated Tuscan mansion.
Needing to escape from London, Lucy Whittaker is hired to work for reclusive former actress, Vivien Lockhart in Italy. With no internet or cell service at the spooky mansion, Castillo Barbarossa, she is blissfully unaware of whether or not the mistakes from her past have been exposed. Instead of dwelling on her own problems, Lucy is instead extremely curious about what happened to Vivien and why she lives such a solitary life with no company other than her maid, Adalina and groundskeeper, Salvatore. After experiencing a few strange events she cannot explain, Lucy tries researching the history of Castillo Barbarossa and Vivien's past. Finding little information, she teams up with Max Conti, Vivien's former housekeeper's nephew. When her personal life begins to implode, Lucy becomes more determined than ever to unearth the truth about Vivien and what happened at Castillo Barbarossa.
In the mid seventies, Vivien escaped her abusive father and fled to Hollywood where she discovered she had to a pay a pretty steep price for fame and fortune. Just as her life was spiraling out of control, she unexpectedly finds romance with Italian doctor, Giovanni "Gio" Moretti. Deliriously happy yet wary of his younger sister, Isabella, Vivien eagerly accepts his wedding proposal. Her dream wedding is marred by a vindictive act by Isabella and soon the three are ensconced at Castillo Barbarossa. Their initially happy marriage soon falters as Gio works long hours on a secret research project while Vivien grows increasingly frustrated by his refusal to believe Isabella is trying to drive Vivien away. As the years pass, Vivien and Isabella are locked in a battle of wills that culminates in tragedy.
Lucy has not had an easy life and once she is on her own, she makes a terrible decision when she puts her trust her boss, James Calloway. Now that things have gone horribly wrong, she feels incredibly guilty for her perceived role in what happened. The job in Italy is the perfect opportunity for her to leave the past behind, but she is becoming increasingly uncomfortable with some of the inexplicable and eerie phenomena at Castillo Barbarossa. While at first curious about the history of the Castillo and what happened to Vivien, Lucy's quest for answers eventually turns urgent amid her fears about the increasingly disturbing incidents she is experiencing. At the same time, her past is beginning to catch up with her and Lucy is soon facing an inescapable decision about how to handle the situation.
The Silent Fountain is an atmospheric mystery with increasingly ominous overtones. While Lucy's story is interesting, readers will most likely find Vivien's story arc the most compelling. With the chapters flipping back and forth between past and present, Victoria Fox ratchets up the tension as Vivien's secrets are slowly revealed. With numerous twists, turns and shocking revelations, the novel comes to a an poignant yet satisfying conclusion. A truly spell-binding, suspenseful mystery that I greatly enjoyed and highly recommend to fans of the genre.
Needing to escape from London, Lucy Whittaker is hired to work for reclusive former actress, Vivien Lockhart in Italy. With no internet or cell service at the spooky mansion, Castillo Barbarossa, she is blissfully unaware of whether or not the mistakes from her past have been exposed. Instead of dwelling on her own problems, Lucy is instead extremely curious about what happened to Vivien and why she lives such a solitary life with no company other than her maid, Adalina and groundskeeper, Salvatore. After experiencing a few strange events she cannot explain, Lucy tries researching the history of Castillo Barbarossa and Vivien's past. Finding little information, she teams up with Max Conti, Vivien's former housekeeper's nephew. When her personal life begins to implode, Lucy becomes more determined than ever to unearth the truth about Vivien and what happened at Castillo Barbarossa.
In the mid seventies, Vivien escaped her abusive father and fled to Hollywood where she discovered she had to a pay a pretty steep price for fame and fortune. Just as her life was spiraling out of control, she unexpectedly finds romance with Italian doctor, Giovanni "Gio" Moretti. Deliriously happy yet wary of his younger sister, Isabella, Vivien eagerly accepts his wedding proposal. Her dream wedding is marred by a vindictive act by Isabella and soon the three are ensconced at Castillo Barbarossa. Their initially happy marriage soon falters as Gio works long hours on a secret research project while Vivien grows increasingly frustrated by his refusal to believe Isabella is trying to drive Vivien away. As the years pass, Vivien and Isabella are locked in a battle of wills that culminates in tragedy.
Lucy has not had an easy life and once she is on her own, she makes a terrible decision when she puts her trust her boss, James Calloway. Now that things have gone horribly wrong, she feels incredibly guilty for her perceived role in what happened. The job in Italy is the perfect opportunity for her to leave the past behind, but she is becoming increasingly uncomfortable with some of the inexplicable and eerie phenomena at Castillo Barbarossa. While at first curious about the history of the Castillo and what happened to Vivien, Lucy's quest for answers eventually turns urgent amid her fears about the increasingly disturbing incidents she is experiencing. At the same time, her past is beginning to catch up with her and Lucy is soon facing an inescapable decision about how to handle the situation.
The Silent Fountain is an atmospheric mystery with increasingly ominous overtones. While Lucy's story is interesting, readers will most likely find Vivien's story arc the most compelling. With the chapters flipping back and forth between past and present, Victoria Fox ratchets up the tension as Vivien's secrets are slowly revealed. With numerous twists, turns and shocking revelations, the novel comes to a an poignant yet satisfying conclusion. A truly spell-binding, suspenseful mystery that I greatly enjoyed and highly recommend to fans of the genre.
thea_no_evil's review against another edition
5.0
Really enjoyed this book set in both modern day & the 1970s. The characters have many secrets which come to light as you read on. Some you may guess, others I doubt it. The people and the places unpack the story which I found beautiful, tender, emotional and intense.
ruba0327's review against another edition
3.0
A quick read, predictable at times but with enough suspense to keep me reading.
cservat129's review against another edition
4.0
This worked well for me because I love a book about secrets. The characters were well developed and the story line was great. I look forward to this authors next book.
thebooktrail88's review against another edition
5.0
BRILLIANT! Way more than five stars!
Visit the locations in the novel here: The Silent Fountain
Stunning in every way – the plot, characters, dual time line, hidden secrets, that stunning mansion in the Tuscan hills…the women whose destinies seem to be linked via that place…. I was enthralled throughout and was totally captivated with the twists and turns of the vine like plot which reeled you in and kept me firmly locked inside that house, hearing its every creek, wondering if I would ever see the mysterious owner, find out the mystery of that fountain….
I’ve never felt so excited about a novel unravelling in a long while…that house had me captivated and entranced like I’d been mesmerized, hypnotised even. What is Vivien’s link to that house and why does Lucy find there? Why is Lucy welcomed by a maid who seems to lock everything away and hide even the owner from sight? OMG I wanted to know but all I could see were the vines, the cold gothic turrets of that house..when Lucy dared enter one of the rooms she was not allowed to venture into, I held my breath…… I could see the corridors, feel the tension, smell the fear and wanted to help Lucy dig those secrets out. Vivien especially had that allure from the start and her time in the house and her struggles were some of the most tense moments which shocked and made me gasp out loud. I found myself almost shouting out advice and the odd ‘ She’s behind you!’ so vivid was the tension and fear. This was no pantomime however – but real tension and a story being played out where you as the helpless readers was held there, hynotised by the flicker of each page….
I loved this book – it reminded me of the times where as a child, the world slipped away, the trees seemed to wrap their branches around me, the walls of my bedroom dissolved and where I was in that gothic place, seeing characters come to life and step from the pages.
Victoria Fox has written a novel of complex yet alluring detail that held my gaze from the start. Just brilliant. Breathlessly intriguing, as twisty and deadly as those vines growing on the wall outside. And the Fox puppet master controlling the characters from above…never once did I see or feel the strings and the performances were electric. The ending – bravo but I’m still inside Castillo Barbarossa even now as I cannot bear to leave its walls.
Visit the locations in the novel here: The Silent Fountain
Stunning in every way – the plot, characters, dual time line, hidden secrets, that stunning mansion in the Tuscan hills…the women whose destinies seem to be linked via that place…. I was enthralled throughout and was totally captivated with the twists and turns of the vine like plot which reeled you in and kept me firmly locked inside that house, hearing its every creek, wondering if I would ever see the mysterious owner, find out the mystery of that fountain….
I’ve never felt so excited about a novel unravelling in a long while…that house had me captivated and entranced like I’d been mesmerized, hypnotised even. What is Vivien’s link to that house and why does Lucy find there? Why is Lucy welcomed by a maid who seems to lock everything away and hide even the owner from sight? OMG I wanted to know but all I could see were the vines, the cold gothic turrets of that house..when Lucy dared enter one of the rooms she was not allowed to venture into, I held my breath…… I could see the corridors, feel the tension, smell the fear and wanted to help Lucy dig those secrets out. Vivien especially had that allure from the start and her time in the house and her struggles were some of the most tense moments which shocked and made me gasp out loud. I found myself almost shouting out advice and the odd ‘ She’s behind you!’ so vivid was the tension and fear. This was no pantomime however – but real tension and a story being played out where you as the helpless readers was held there, hynotised by the flicker of each page….
I loved this book – it reminded me of the times where as a child, the world slipped away, the trees seemed to wrap their branches around me, the walls of my bedroom dissolved and where I was in that gothic place, seeing characters come to life and step from the pages.
Victoria Fox has written a novel of complex yet alluring detail that held my gaze from the start. Just brilliant. Breathlessly intriguing, as twisty and deadly as those vines growing on the wall outside. And the Fox puppet master controlling the characters from above…never once did I see or feel the strings and the performances were electric. The ending – bravo but I’m still inside Castillo Barbarossa even now as I cannot bear to leave its walls.