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A mix of gothic horror, family bonds, an illicit affair, socialism, misogyny, toxic codependency blended together and have me a creepy but exceptional read from an author I've never read before.
The author's note highlights a lot of triggers for readers, which I appreciated because it was a fair warning to the content of the story because once I got past the 20% mark it was non stop.
I had to pause reading at different times just so I wouldn't see the vivid images she created in my head before eating or sleeping because she rights with so much detail.
For me, this read as atmospheric due to the author's rich details, her world building, and the relationships but wow these characters are different shades of morally grey and that too added a complexity to the story.
Fantastic and creepy, and I would definitely read one of her other books.
Graphic: Body horror, Misogyny, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood
Moderate: Child death, Death, Infidelity, Forced institutionalization
Graphic: Child death, Blood, Grief, Murder
Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, Infidelity, Misogyny
Minor: Forced institutionalization, Grief, Injury/Injury detail
This book was slow to hook me, and I found some of the middle portion unbearably slow to advance, but as with her other book, Van Veen really nailed the gothic aura. Whereas that enhanced the last novel, I find that it almost distracted me in this one. Maybe not distracted, but it felt like the ambiance and gothic themes were turned up to 11 whereas the plot and character development (mostly for Lucy) was at a 6. By the last 50 pages I was pretty resigned to there being no real climax to this story- the misogyny just led to its natural end in a way that felt predictable
One thing I did like is Van Veen’s affinity for writing from the perspective of people that can be and often are wrong. Lucy is… very twisted and male-centered and pathetic;mostly as a product of her shit upbringing and dependency on a dominant figure, Sarah is incredibly mean and demanding only PARTLY because of the same shit upbringing,.. I could go on. I disliked nearly everyone in this book to varying degrees, but that just made everything more interesting. It feels refreshing to read truly morally grey people. None of them made the “right” choices because there weren’t any. Me cheering when [redacted] died was because it was just desserts & deeply satisfying, not because it was a pure heroic triumph.
This ranks lower than Dreadful Thing for me personally, but it was still a good read and very nice to finish while waiting many hours in an airport
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Body horror, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Infidelity, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Cannibalism, Suicide attempt, Murder, Lesbophobia, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Child death, Mental illness, Rape, Sexual assault, Forced institutionalization, Murder
Minor: Torture
Graphic: Body horror, Violence, Blood, Murder, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Child death, Death, Cannibalism
Minor: Confinement, Forced institutionalization
Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Cursing, Death, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Cannibalism, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis
Minor: Forced institutionalization
Read it. Add it to your spooky season tbr lists
Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Cursing, Death, Gore, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual content, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Cannibalism, Suicide attempt, Murder, Lesbophobia, Gaslighting
Moderate: Incest
I really felt like this was a greatest hits tour of Victorian Gothic lit; amateur scientists, mild doctor friends of the family, poor relations, manor houses, mad aunts, etc. The setting was a stunning backdrop for the mechanic of what’s unsettling this set of twins. If you’ve been drawn to these dark, historic stories of elegant families upset and brought to ruin by the supernatural, it’s a great choice.
The author also has a very interesting take on twins and sisterhood. This also mirrors a sometimes converging conversation on parasitism (both literal and figurative). I really thought the non-horror themes were well discussed and clearly had a lot of thought behind their inclusion.
For me, this is a very easy 5/5 recommendation for anyone who loves a gooey, gross body horror book (with carriages and signet rings as a bonus.)
Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Death, Gore, Self harm, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Grief, Cannibalism
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Misogyny
Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Mental illness, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting
Graphic: Confinement, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Misogyny, Sexism, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Cannibalism, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Child death, Cursing, Drug use, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Grief, Medical trauma, Lesbophobia
Gripping, horrible, macabre, gruesome, lovely, dark, monstrous, and some of the most infuriating and relatable characters I've ever read.
Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Sexism, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Cannibalism, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail