A review by gloomybookworm2002
A Long Fatal Love Chase by Louisa May Alcott

5.0

"A Long Fatal Love Chase" by Louisa May Alcott is a haunting, Victorian-era thriller that spotlights the devastating potential of obsession, through the chilling story of a woman pursued by her relentless stalker. The protagonist, Rosamond Vivian, is entrapped in an ostensibly passionate but ultimately toxic relationship with Philip Tempest, a wealthy, possessive suitor who ensnares her in his web of deceit. The novel plays out like an extended cat-and-mouse game, with Tempest using his resources and determination to follow Rosamond across Europe, highlighting the unrelenting terror of stalking. Even as she valiantly attempts to escape his clutches, Rosamond's life becomes a drawn-out nightmare, which tragically culminates in her death at Tempest's hands. The chilling denouement underscores the grim reality of how, in certain instances, men kill women out of toxic obsession, positioning "A Long Fatal Love Chase" as a disturbing critique of such extreme patriarchal control.