A review by foldingthepage_kayleigh
Wakenhyrst by Michelle Paver

dark emotional tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

This hit all the gothic high notes for me. An opulent manor in an isolated, mysterious setting, an overbearing patriarch, and a Boschian nightmare with a twist of female rage and revenge.

I don’t think the dual timelines worked very well to frame or push the story along. And some of Maud’s reflections as a child used kind of grotesque language and imagery that made for an uncomfortable read, even if it was fitting for the whole historical gothic vibe. But I did love the multiple POVs. In particular, Edmund’s misogynistic journal ravings were as captivating as they were mindnumblingly enraging.  

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Infertility, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Injury/Injury detail, Classism

Moderate: Abortion