A review by screamdogreads
The Monsters of Rookhaven by Pádraig Kenny

4.0

The Monsters of Rookhaven is a gorgeously told gothic tale about monsters, grief, and what it means to be a family. Complete with a thrilling sense of wonder, and a deliciously dark atmosphere, this is a book that comes across as more of a dark fairy tale than an actual novel. At times, it was easy to forget that this is a middlegrade novel, it felt so impactful, and each characters' story was told in such a compassionate manner while also displaying a heavy sense of sadness, too.

The illustrations scattered throughout the novel added an extra level of beauty to the text. They are so charming, and fit the gothic aesthetic that this book is going for. Sure, this story did start off slow, and honestly, in the beginning I wasn't too sure about it. But, when it starts to pick up, it really gets going, and becomes unnervingly dark as it progresses.