Reviews

“Happy. Such a funny little word, don’t you think? Perhaps not so hard a state to achieve, but nearly impossible to maintain, and different for everyone.” 🌿🕯️

Rating: 3.5/5 ⭐️

Review: This book feels like a rainy day in October—a wonderfully written gothic tale of love and loss, a chilling experience. It’s pretty slow and highly descriptive. I rarely enjoy books in that format, but this one hooked me. There was a strong resemblance to The Haunting of Bly Manor, which is why I enjoyed it so much.

There’s grief, sorrow, madness, and joy all bundled up in the most perfect way. There were interviews from a case study involving the characters in between some chapters making the story more eerie. The more that was revealed the more I wanted to read, super enjoyable to say the least!

rsehrlich's review against another edition

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dark

Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No

2.5

laurenjade_'s review against another edition

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dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

This was really different to a lot of things I've read: it was part thriller, part romance, part paranormal.

The book tells the story of our protagonist, Roos, a young woman who can see spirits - namely, a spirit who has attached herself to Roos, Ruth.

There's a deep sadness throughout this tale. Roos is just a woman who just wants someone to love her for who she is, yet she's unable to find that. She's naive and vulnerable, and she's so lonely as a result of who she is, and how she's been raised. The story follows Roos as her life begins to change, and how her choices begin to affect those around her.

I think the author has written this so well as I still, even after finishing the book and seeing the conclusion, do not know whether Ruth (and Peter, and Thomas) are real. Whether they're actually spirits that can be seen, or whether they're simply the conjuring of a mentally unwell woman/women.

I enjoyed the recorded conversations with the doctor that are dotted throughout the book, I think they added a really unique take on the story.

I'd definitely read something by Johanna Van Veen again, and I really recommend this as a unique read to anyone who is looking for something a bit different!

midnightsivy's review against another edition

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dark

5.0

dezthereader's review against another edition

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dark mysterious fast-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? Yes

4.25

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