A review by longlost
The Animals at Lockwood Manor by Jane Healey

dark emotional mysterious tense slow-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

3.5

This book was sold to me as "a ghostly, gothic love story" and you know what. That checks out. Props to the author because at no point in this Decently Long book do I feel like we're not right there in 1939 despite the book being published in 2020. It's super cool to see how some authors can immerse a reader into the past, and considering the 30s were almost 100 years ago at this point it's just incredibly cool to read a book where it feels like you're there in that time. 

The narration by both POV characters felt very genuine as women in the late 30s, and the gothic mystery elements were very well done. You do feel the tension as Hetty struggles to understand what is going on with the animals she's been charged to care for, and the strange responses from some of the people at Lockwood. Lucy is a beacon of light in this book; where every other character is dismissive and at times outright cruel, Lucy meets Hetty's concerns with kindness and empathy. 

Their romance is also lovely to read; Healey develops their connection in an incredibly heartfelt way, and you find yourself rooting for Hetty and Lucy to reach their happy ending at the book's conclusion. 

It's important to note that the book has no shortage of potentially triggering content; there are heavy themes of mental health issues that can be uncomfortable to read about, along with the end stretch of the book revealing a pedophilic relationship in a way that is very jarring and graphic. This is definitely a book to approach cautiously if you're triggered by any of the things listed in the content warnings. 
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