isabelpasrod 's review for:

The Quiet Stillness of Empty Houses by L.V. Russell

3.25

dark emotional mysterious sad fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

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Lovers of the gothic genre, I believe you may want to give The quiet stillness of empty houses a chance.

Most of the elements presented in this book are pretty well balanced. The romance does take up an important portion of the story and, even though I found it to be a bit too modern and not entirely true to the period, it was enjoyable. Whatsmore, the relationship between Theodora and Cassias is profoundly romantic and passionate, so you will probably be satisfied in that department.

As for the horror aspect, I must admit I was pretty pleased. I love when a book manages to give me literal goosebumps and this book did that twice. The mysterious footsteps and a certain porcelain doll might give you a fright. 

In regards to the gothic atmosphere, it was positively achieved. The descriptions of the house, the constant eeriness, the secretive nature of its residents, it all added up to the vibes I was hoping to find in a book such as this.

Finally, the reveal and subsequent plot twist were so well handled I couldn’t believe I hadn’t figured the mystery by myself. A couple of hints were given throughout the story and I failed to pick up on them and perhaps that’s why I was so shocked. Nonetheless, it was the perfect twist for this story and I was more than pleased with the ending.

There are a few things however I wasn’t thrilled about. One being the fact I didn’t enjoy the first few chapters. I could’ve easily done without them. Second, the way Theodora behaved was too “unconventional” for my taste, especially considering the period this book is supposed to be set in. Lastly, the manner in which the romance was handled also rubbed me the wrong way. The repetitive use of their names when addressing each other made the dialogues feel very unnatural, at least to me.

Still, I had an enjoyable time reading this gothic story about a governess that finds love in a place where darkness and loneliness is all there is, a young girl desperate to love and be loved and a man tormented by the horrible truth hidden inside the attic of his grand manor.