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A review by katiemack
The Death of Jane Lawrence by Caitlin Starling
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
I received an eARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This has a lot of aspects reminiscent of House of Leaves, Rebecca, Crimson Peak, and Jane Eyre. The first half of the novel leans into historical fiction/romance, which is probably why it was easier for me to get through. I found Jane to be not only intelligent, but also charming in her quirks. As the book went on, it became more difficult for me to grasp the threads of Starling's world-building, though I'm not sure if that failing is personal or due to the writing. The ending is also difficult to follow, but the events leading up to it are horrifying and grotesque (a compliment, just to be clear).
This is a worthwhile spooky book to pick up for the season if you're looking for some historical horror with magic gone wrong.
This has a lot of aspects reminiscent of House of Leaves, Rebecca, Crimson Peak, and Jane Eyre. The first half of the novel leans into historical fiction/romance, which is probably why it was easier for me to get through. I found Jane to be not only intelligent, but also charming in her quirks. As the book went on, it became more difficult for me to grasp the threads of Starling's world-building, though I'm not sure if that failing is personal or due to the writing. The ending is also difficult to follow, but the events leading up to it are horrifying and grotesque (a compliment, just to be clear).
This is a worthwhile spooky book to pick up for the season if you're looking for some historical horror with magic gone wrong.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Body horror, and Medical trauma