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A review by girlglitch
The Shape of Darkness by Laura Purcell
3.0
With The Shape of Darkness Laura Purcell has, once again, crafted a compelling gothic story. This is historical fiction without the gloss: Agnes' Bath is bleak and grimy, choked with disease - and ghosts.
There are some striking scenes and genuinely spooky moments, but I can't help but wish Purcell had picked one trope and stuck to it. With spooky silhouettes, prescient seances and maraudering murderers, there is a lot to unpack. By the end there are simply too many threads to tie together to reach a satisfying conclusion, and the plot twist falls a little flat.
The Shape of Darkness is a compulsive read - if not the most finely crafted Victoriana novel.
*Thank you to Netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review*
There are some striking scenes and genuinely spooky moments, but I can't help but wish Purcell had picked one trope and stuck to it. With spooky silhouettes, prescient seances and maraudering murderers, there is a lot to unpack. By the end there are simply too many threads to tie together to reach a satisfying conclusion, and the plot twist falls a little flat.
The Shape of Darkness is a compulsive read - if not the most finely crafted Victoriana novel.
*Thank you to Netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review*