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A review by hanarama
The Death of Jane Lawrence by Caitlin Starling
dark
emotional
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
3.75
The Good:
• Intelligent MC
• Eerie setting
• Building tension
The Bad:
• Ending feels odd
• The larger world setting
You Might Like This if You Like:
• Crimson Peak
• Netflix's The Haunting of Bly Manor and The Haunting of Hill House
I feel like this book very nearly gave me what I wanted from it. The growing tension was excellent. The ghosts spooky. The secret society gave me Hellfire Club vibes. All this was great. However, I feel like it failed in the payoff and in some of the details outside of the central plot.
I honestly have no idea why this story takes place in a separate world from our own. The setting is so similar to Victorian England, it feels bizarre that it's not. It's almost distracting to have made up places brought up in a genre that is more commonly set in real world locals.
The final reveal of the story is okay. It just felt like a bit of a letdown after the events of the book. I expected things to go in a different direction, and despite some minor hints, this wasn't made really clear until very far into the story.
A highlight of this story though is in the characters. Jane Shoringfield is an excellent character for a Gothic horror. She's smart and practical, making her later transformations all the more jarring. Dr. Lawrence is moody and confident, with a strong Byronic energy that fits the setting.
In the end, this will probably appeal to fans of Netflix's Haunting series. The twist reminds me of the show, and less of a more traditional Gothic story.
• Intelligent MC
• Eerie setting
• Building tension
The Bad:
• Ending feels odd
• The larger world setting
You Might Like This if You Like:
• Crimson Peak
• Netflix's The Haunting of Bly Manor and The Haunting of Hill House
I feel like this book very nearly gave me what I wanted from it. The growing tension was excellent. The ghosts spooky. The secret society gave me Hellfire Club vibes. All this was great. However, I feel like it failed in the payoff and in some of the details outside of the central plot.
I honestly have no idea why this story takes place in a separate world from our own. The setting is so similar to Victorian England, it feels bizarre that it's not. It's almost distracting to have made up places brought up in a genre that is more commonly set in real world locals.
The final reveal of the story is okay. It just felt like a bit of a letdown after the events of the book. I expected things to go in a different direction, and despite some minor hints, this wasn't made really clear until very far into the story.
A highlight of this story though is in the characters. Jane Shoringfield is an excellent character for a Gothic horror. She's smart and practical, making her later transformations all the more jarring. Dr. Lawrence is moody and confident, with a strong Byronic energy that fits the setting.
In the end, this will probably appeal to fans of Netflix's Haunting series. The twist reminds me of the show, and less of a more traditional Gothic story.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abortion, Blood, Body horror, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Medical trauma, Miscarriage, and Self harm