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A review by saimab
All the Dead Lie Down by Kyrie McCauley
3.75
The Haunting of Bly Manor being one of the comp titles was so accurate and really prepared me for the ominous atmosphere this book put forward.
This was such a fun creepy novel. The twins were especially creepy and gave me Shining vibes, and the manor the house was on felt very claustrophobic. Outside of the uneasiness I felt, I appreciated the depths of grief and heartache this novel explored. All the characters had experienced loss and dealt with it in different ways. Marin's experience especially called to me, as her feelings of anxiety and fear about things going wrong felt very real.
The twist about the mother - Alice - being revived multiple times and how she's come back worse every time... I did not expect that twist and it gave me shivers. I wish there had been more horror, something T. Kingfisher-esque with the dead coming back wrong, to really elevate the fear.
The romance was very sweet, and the themes of family were heartwarming. I did think the beginning 1/2 was quite slow, and would have enjoyed if more of the secrets were revealed earlier on. It felt low stakes for a good portion of the novel, and only in the last 1/4 did the fear really ramp up. Overall a good thriller novel!
This was such a fun creepy novel. The twins were especially creepy and gave me Shining vibes, and the manor the house was on felt very claustrophobic. Outside of the uneasiness I felt, I appreciated the depths of grief and heartache this novel explored. All the characters had experienced loss and dealt with it in different ways. Marin's experience especially called to me, as her feelings of anxiety and fear about things going wrong felt very real.
The romance was very sweet, and the themes of family were heartwarming. I did think the beginning 1/2 was quite slow, and would have enjoyed if more of the secrets were revealed earlier on. It felt low stakes for a good portion of the novel, and only in the last 1/4 did the fear really ramp up. Overall a good thriller novel!