A review by books_and_pups27
Thornyhold by Mary Stewart

hopeful lighthearted mysterious relaxing slow-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

This is a character driven story told from the point of view of Gilly, a young woman who after the deaths of her parents, inherits a mysterious house from her mother’s cousin. This cousin, Geilis, believed to be a witch by her small English village, also passes on her cat, rooms of herbs and cures, and a mysterious reputation. 

Gilly is more or less modeled after Jane Eyre. A young girl who experiences a bleak, poverty stricken childhood and then is sent to a school run by rather cruel caretakers, there are a lot of similarities. I admire her for working very hard to get over her childhood mistreatment and working to carve a place of her own. 

There are two main differences though. First off, this novel takes place in post WWII England, which was a very different time. Additionally unlike Jane, Gilly has a fairy godmother in her cousin Geilies. This cousin not only befriends her and provides for her education, but also wills her Thornyhold, her mysterious and isolated home in the north of England. 

A lot of detail is centered on Thornyhold itself. There are detailed descriptions of the house and grounds, and while it makes it a little easier to visualize, it definitely slows down the story and takes too much attention away from what Gilly does. However the history of the house is very interesting, but the book doesn’t cover as much as I would like. 

You could almost describe the book as magical realism. While there aren’t that many fantastical elements, there is a lot of mystery and folkloric influences. It appears as though anything that’s happens that could be deemed “magical” has completely logical explanations. Still, it does leave the reader to wonder. 

As far as romance goes, there really isn’t much of it. That’s where the novel differs from a Jane Eyre retelling. Apart from an infatuation that’s free of any angst and the like, it’s not prevalent. Gilly is completely self sufficient and more than that, completely content in her own company. WE LOVE TO SEE IT!

Atmospherically while Stewart’s non Arthurian books are usually gothic/mystery/ romances, Thornyhold is basically a cottagecore lovers perfect novel. If you love a pastoral setting, and old houses with lots of plants and animals, you would absolutely adore this book. It’s a light-hearted read that’s quick and will put you in a restful mood. It’s not a fast paced read by any stretch of the imagination, and if you’re looking for action you may want to look elsewhere. But if you’re looking for a quiet escape  for a bit this book will do you good!