A review by athenezadam
House of Roots and Ruin by Erin A. Craig

mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot

4.0

House of Roots and Ruin is about a now-grown-up Thaumas sister who still sees ghosts. Desperate to escape her sister's protectiveness, she grasps an opportunity to run off to a botanist's manor to paint a portrait of his handsome son and learns about sinister family secrets. This installment is focused primarily on a romance. Several plot points are predictable. The imagery is stunning and there is careful thought around the use of various plants and flowers, which are incorporated in the plot but also in the everyday lives of the manor's occupants. Given prior world-building explanation and character development, the ending raises questions about its feasibility including how the characters missed its signs. This novel is longer than needed, and is recommended for fans of the gothic fantasy journey.