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A review by justinkhchen
The Shape of Darkness by Laura Purcell
4.0
4.25 stars
A moody and engaging tale of supernatural and murder set during the Victorian era, The Shape of Darkness hits the spot for me as a cozy wintry read—soaked in atmosphere, evenly paced (while I still wouldn't call it fast, it is much more brisk comparing to some of the other historical horror novels I've read), and slightly unpredictable with all the red herrings on the table.
Narratively speaking, the ending is meant to be an unexpected twist, yet for me it is a slight letdown, as I feel like I've read this conclusion in a handful of historical horrors before; perhaps it is part of the formula, and I can see the contextual relevance, but I would've preferred The Shape of Darkness closing on a slightly different note. Still, as a whole I'm glad I've picked up this novel, which I consider to be an improvement over The Silent Companions (fascinating subject matter, underwhelming story), with its near-perfect mix of historical factoids (cut-paper silhouette, seance for starter) and layered plotting.
A moody and engaging tale of supernatural and murder set during the Victorian era, The Shape of Darkness hits the spot for me as a cozy wintry read—soaked in atmosphere, evenly paced (while I still wouldn't call it fast, it is much more brisk comparing to some of the other historical horror novels I've read), and slightly unpredictable with all the red herrings on the table.
Narratively speaking, the ending is meant to be an unexpected twist, yet for me it is a slight letdown, as I feel like I've read this conclusion in a handful of historical horrors before; perhaps it is part of the formula, and I can see the contextual relevance, but I would've preferred The Shape of Darkness closing on a slightly different note. Still, as a whole I'm glad I've picked up this novel, which I consider to be an improvement over The Silent Companions (fascinating subject matter, underwhelming story), with its near-perfect mix of historical factoids (cut-paper silhouette, seance for starter) and layered plotting.