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3.73 AVERAGE
3.73 AVERAGE
There's a difference between being held in suspense and just being confused, and this booked erred heavily on the side of confusion. I love gothic tales with dual timelines centered around sisters or best friends. This book had all the right ingredients but somehow mixed them all together into something bland and unappetizing. The reader is told that Margot is unique among her sisters in her intellect and wisdom, yet there is no evidence in her words or actions to back up this claim. Her sisters are even less interesting. Jessie, the modern-day MC, is annoyingly full of worry and insecurity. There were several BIG REVEALS at the end of the book, and none of them made any sort of impression on me, despite being unexpected. On the whole, this was a rather dull read.
"It will cement my position as Strange Margot forever, even though this version of me, the one who walks in Audrey's shoes, is transitory, an experiment, alive only in the confines of Audrey's room. She isn't allowed to escape or leave footprints behind."
The Vanishing of Audrey Wilde is a beautifully written gothic tale detailing two generations of lives at Applecote Manor in the English countryside. In the present, we have Jessie, new wife to widower Will, and their daughter Romy as well as his daughter from his first marriage, the unhappy teenage Bella. In 1959, we have the four sisters, dropped off at Applecote to spend the summer while Ma goes travelling: Flora the beauty, Pam the bossy one, Margot the oddball (and narrator) and Dot the baby sister. Five years before that, their cousin Audrey mysteriously disappeared from Applecote. Both Margot in 1959 and later Jessie and Bella in the early 2000s are entranced by this story: What happened to Audrey?
For me, the answer to that question was actually one of the weaker parts of the story. I loved all of the sisterly dynamics, the complicated game of discovering who you are in relation to the wider world. I don't really like coming of age stories, and this book had a little of that that I skimmed over. I found the story of Jessie and her uncertainties as Will's second wife and stepmother to Bella really interesting. (I too am a second wife but my situation is completely different - wife number didn't die, nor was she beloved. Frankly, from what I understand, the world was happier place when wife one ran off. So I felt a certain connection to Jessie over this).
At first, I thought that Margot and I were alike but the more I read, the more Margot irked me, and the more I realised that actually we have very little in common. Interestingly, take any of the four sisters, and she was somewhat unlikable - Flora was selfish and toyed with the hearts of men, Pam was bossy and bullish, Margot was a whiner and a bit weird, and Dot was wrapped up in her own world that it was hard to connect with her. But put all four together, and you had a beautiful, unshakeable bond. The sum is greater than the parts.
I loved the gothic overtones, and the rich atmosphere. In present, we have the dark and stormy summer with the new family moving into a creaky old house, and in the 50s we have a muggy heatwave weighing on the characters. In past and present, we have the spirit of Audrey, the missing girl, who makes her presence known through the living.
The imagery in the book was very rich as well, though it takes a bit of getting used to - Chase loves to use hyphens in her complex adjectives.
Lastly, the thing that I loved best of all were the references, so many of my favourites. Daphne du Maurier's Rebecca was ever-present in this novel. In present, the story of Jessie follows a lot like Mrs de Winter's in Rebecca. Audrey, too, has hints of Rebecca (with Audrey as Rebecca) - they even have a boat called Daphne, just in case you missed in. Then we get Jane Eyre, another long time fave. The story of Bertha seems present in some ways, as does the "plain Jane" aspect of Jane Eyre's early life. And of course, Pride and Predjuce - we have a whole host of sisters, daughters to a slightly ridiculpus mother, all trying to catch the eyes of the two young men who've just moved into the grandest house in town. And the eldest is even the most beautiful. They even reference Pemberley when mocking Flora! And lastly, I caught whiffs of Diane Setterfield (others ref the Thirteenth Tale but I've not read this one yet!) - for me, it was Once Upon a River - the sweltering heat, the focus on the river and its flow, the mysterious child (in the other book, a child is found, and in this one, a child is lost...), and in both cases, it is blamed on the enigmatic "boat people" or "river gypsies." And then the whole "mysterious old mansion" had a bit of an Agatha Christie vibe, even if the mystery did not.
It's like Eve Chase reached into my mind and my bookshelves and searched for the books that I loved the most and then squeezed their essence into this book. Referencing some of my favourite books/authors, gothic atmosphere, historical mystery, gorgeous writing/imagery, set in England in a big old house... this book was right for me, and I didn't want to put it down!
I think a few of the things that didn't work for me was the revelation and also Chase's discussions of beauty - several times, it felt like she was saying that beauty (or lack thereof) had some bearing on a woman's essence, on who she really was, and the way it was done was, for me, a bit icky. But it was just a few small references so not a reason to not read the book.
All in all, I really enjoyed Audrey Wilde and I look forward to seeing what else Eve Chase might write!
The Vanishing of Audrey Wilde is a beautifully written gothic tale detailing two generations of lives at Applecote Manor in the English countryside. In the present, we have Jessie, new wife to widower Will, and their daughter Romy as well as his daughter from his first marriage, the unhappy teenage Bella. In 1959, we have the four sisters, dropped off at Applecote to spend the summer while Ma goes travelling: Flora the beauty, Pam the bossy one, Margot the oddball (and narrator) and Dot the baby sister. Five years before that, their cousin Audrey mysteriously disappeared from Applecote. Both Margot in 1959 and later Jessie and Bella in the early 2000s are entranced by this story: What happened to Audrey?
For me, the answer to that question was actually one of the weaker parts of the story. I loved all of the sisterly dynamics, the complicated game of discovering who you are in relation to the wider world. I don't really like coming of age stories, and this book had a little of that that I skimmed over. I found the story of Jessie and her uncertainties as Will's second wife and stepmother to Bella really interesting. (I too am a second wife but my situation is completely different - wife number didn't die, nor was she beloved. Frankly, from what I understand, the world was happier place when wife one ran off. So I felt a certain connection to Jessie over this).
At first, I thought that Margot and I were alike but the more I read, the more Margot irked me, and the more I realised that actually we have very little in common. Interestingly, take any of the four sisters, and she was somewhat unlikable - Flora was selfish and toyed with the hearts of men, Pam was bossy and bullish, Margot was a whiner and a bit weird, and Dot was wrapped up in her own world that it was hard to connect with her. But put all four together, and you had a beautiful, unshakeable bond. The sum is greater than the parts.
I loved the gothic overtones, and the rich atmosphere. In present, we have the dark and stormy summer with the new family moving into a creaky old house, and in the 50s we have a muggy heatwave weighing on the characters. In past and present, we have the spirit of Audrey, the missing girl, who makes her presence known through the living.
The imagery in the book was very rich as well, though it takes a bit of getting used to - Chase loves to use hyphens in her complex adjectives.
Lastly, the thing that I loved best of all were the references, so many of my favourites. Daphne du Maurier's Rebecca was ever-present in this novel. In present, the story of Jessie follows a lot like Mrs de Winter's in Rebecca. Audrey, too, has hints of Rebecca (with Audrey as Rebecca) - they even have a boat called Daphne, just in case you missed in. Then we get Jane Eyre, another long time fave. The story of Bertha seems present in some ways, as does the "plain Jane" aspect of Jane Eyre's early life. And of course, Pride and Predjuce - we have a whole host of sisters, daughters to a slightly ridiculpus mother, all trying to catch the eyes of the two young men who've just moved into the grandest house in town. And the eldest is even the most beautiful. They even reference Pemberley when mocking Flora! And lastly, I caught whiffs of Diane Setterfield (others ref the Thirteenth Tale but I've not read this one yet!) - for me, it was Once Upon a River - the sweltering heat, the focus on the river and its flow, the mysterious child (in the other book, a child is found, and in this one, a child is lost...), and in both cases, it is blamed on the enigmatic "boat people" or "river gypsies." And then the whole "mysterious old mansion" had a bit of an Agatha Christie vibe, even if the mystery did not.
It's like Eve Chase reached into my mind and my bookshelves and searched for the books that I loved the most and then squeezed their essence into this book. Referencing some of my favourite books/authors, gothic atmosphere, historical mystery, gorgeous writing/imagery, set in England in a big old house... this book was right for me, and I didn't want to put it down!
I think a few of the things that didn't work for me was the revelation
Spoiler
Harry as the killer, just playing a silly game, that was a bit of a letdown. I was pretty sure she was actually dead but I was hoping for something more meaningfulAll in all, I really enjoyed Audrey Wilde and I look forward to seeing what else Eve Chase might write!
The Wildling Sisters by Eve Chase has the fixings for an enjoyable summer beach read. The book startes with drama, slows to set the framework, and then picks up speed again. The story of the present is a stereotypical one of a hurt teen and an adult trying to forge a relationship. The story of the past and of the Wildling sisters themselves takes a much more unexpected path, making this the more intriguing of the two time periods.
Read my complete review at http://www.memoriesfrombooks.com/2017/08/the-wildling-sisters.html
Reviewed for the Penguin First to Read program.
Read my complete review at http://www.memoriesfrombooks.com/2017/08/the-wildling-sisters.html
Reviewed for the Penguin First to Read program.
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Started and finished date - 30.12.24 to 02.12.24.
My rating - Three Stars.
This book was okay read but it was bit boring and the cover of book was boring. The writing was pretty good and the atmosphere was fine. The paced of plot was bit slow for my like and I have mix feeling about the characters was fine and I feel at they needed to be flash out.
My rating - Three Stars.
This book was okay read but it was bit boring and the cover of book was boring. The writing was pretty good and the atmosphere was fine. The paced of plot was bit slow for my like and I have mix feeling about the characters was fine and I feel at they needed to be flash out.
A little bit Rebecca by Du Maurier, a little bit "if we were villians" and a little bit little women by Alcott, I really enjoyed this one. Predictable ending knocks off one star, but a fun read.
A little slowpaced but the most beautiful vibes
One of the best timeline interweaving I've read
Predictable yet vauge on the actual disappearance
Genuinely lovable characters
One of the best timeline interweaving I've read
Predictable yet vauge on the actual disappearance
Genuinely lovable characters
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Fab!
Loved loved loved it, proper review to come but i thought this was perfect! A real immersive, suspenseful mystery that was loads of fun to read!
Loved loved loved it, proper review to come but i thought this was perfect! A real immersive, suspenseful mystery that was loads of fun to read!