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157 reviews
Girls Made of Snow and Glass by Melissa Bashardoust
adventurous
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Girls Made of Snow and Glass by Melissa Bashardoust is a book centered around a pair of incredibly complex and well developed characters - even with the secondary characters nearly as developed alongside them. From a surface level, of course, this is a story of a snow white and the ice queen merged together and darker. But there is so much there in this little 370 page book underneath the retelling itself.
I picked up pretty quickly on the theme of trauma put on daughters. For both Mina and Lynet, most of their trauma was actually inflicted by their fathers (though they had very different fathers) and the trauma caused by their mothers were only through words told to them about their mothers. Completely different circumstances, but oddly similar. One thing that stood out to me the most was how early on we see that Lynet is most concerned with disappointing or making her father sad. That can be waved off, sure - until we see much later, a chapter from Mina's point of view, seeing her father say "you don't want to make me sad" in response to acting out, and with other interactions within that same chapter, it seems to be implied that this is his go to response. Alongside that, she is then constantly not only compared to her late mother, but also told that she would become her mother as she grew up.
Still, this isn't the only serious topic tackled. As some of my review readers may know from prior reviews, I sorta have a thing for stories about mortality and what makes you human, especially when told in unique ways. Bashardoust does this here too. Not just mortality but about the mortality of beauty as well, the interactions between older and younger women. This goes hand in hand with the fear Lynet has of becoming her mother, Mina being convinced that Lynet will eventually replace her.
One of my favorite quotes: "He knew that if he raised his daughter without love, and that if he told her often enough that she wasn't capable of it, she would soon start to prove him right, if only because it was all she'd ever known" (334).
in my opinion, this quote does a damn-near lyrical job of showing Gregory's manipulations and the trauma as a result, the trauma she then inadvertently caused Lynet. So at the very end of the book, it feels like this cycle of trauma among women has finally shattered.
As far as the actual craft of the novel, the pacing was absolutely phenomenal. While yes, I was waiting for the so-called "Bloody Chamber" aspect of the story, upon arriving to that part of the plot, I understood the author's decision. It seemed like a perfect three act structure, and the much darker part of the plot - in my opinion - marks the beginning of the third act. Not for a single minute did the previous acts feel boring or slow or like they dragged on too long. Instead, Bashardoust perfectly writes a very clear image of Mina's past and how it lead to her present and the rest of the book. She does similarly with Lynet, making the pair incredibly well-rounded, complex, flawed, and developed characters. I think though, above all else, what mattered the most was the way she developed and showed the interactions and relationships between characters - especially from the different points of view from Mina and Lynet both.
Alongside the pacing, the way that many important events were described, was in a way that I swear I could almost feel. In particular, when Lynet and Nadia are in the North Tower and Lynet is feeling restless and suddenly like she could jump from the ledge to the tree. Nadia, of course, is terrified, telling her to come back inside but Lynet simply responds with "you'll just patch me up." And it isn't until Nadia says "not if you're dead" that reality seems to sink in for Lynet. In that moment she seems to not even trust herself to go back inside, and her voice is described, in her own point of view, as sounding quiet and far away as she tells Nadia that she is ready to come back inside.
There is so much longing and yearning between Nadia and Lynet, it's ridiculous (positive). It is a perfect example of a true slow burn, their first kiss happening twenty pages from the end. I love how Bashardoust reminds us of the unsettling dream she'd had when she wakes up, but points out how things are still different, that she is not dead like her mother. Overall, this was absolute perfection. And to think, this was Melissa Bashardoust's debut - I aspire.
Quotes:
"maybe Lynet was enough without it"
"I should have been the one to show her the South, she thought. That was mine to give her."
"-too late to push her away, too late to hold her at all"
I picked up pretty quickly on the theme of trauma put on daughters. For both Mina and Lynet, most of their trauma was actually inflicted by their fathers (though they had very different fathers) and the trauma caused by their mothers were only through words told to them about their mothers. Completely different circumstances, but oddly similar. One thing that stood out to me the most was how early on we see that Lynet is most concerned with disappointing or making her father sad. That can be waved off, sure - until we see much later, a chapter from Mina's point of view, seeing her father say "you don't want to make me sad" in response to acting out, and with other interactions within that same chapter, it seems to be implied that this is his go to response. Alongside that, she is then constantly not only compared to her late mother, but also told that she would become her mother as she grew up.
Still, this isn't the only serious topic tackled. As some of my review readers may know from prior reviews, I sorta have a thing for stories about mortality and what makes you human, especially when told in unique ways. Bashardoust does this here too. Not just mortality but about the mortality of beauty as well, the interactions between older and younger women. This goes hand in hand with the fear Lynet has of becoming her mother, Mina being convinced that Lynet will eventually replace her.
One of my favorite quotes: "He knew that if he raised his daughter without love, and that if he told her often enough that she wasn't capable of it, she would soon start to prove him right, if only because it was all she'd ever known" (334).
in my opinion, this quote does a damn-near lyrical job of showing Gregory's manipulations and the trauma as a result, the trauma she then inadvertently caused Lynet. So at the very end of the book, it feels like this cycle of trauma among women has finally shattered.
As far as the actual craft of the novel, the pacing was absolutely phenomenal. While yes, I was waiting for the so-called "Bloody Chamber" aspect of the story, upon arriving to that part of the plot, I understood the author's decision. It seemed like a perfect three act structure, and the much darker part of the plot - in my opinion - marks the beginning of the third act. Not for a single minute did the previous acts feel boring or slow or like they dragged on too long. Instead, Bashardoust perfectly writes a very clear image of Mina's past and how it lead to her present and the rest of the book. She does similarly with Lynet, making the pair incredibly well-rounded, complex, flawed, and developed characters. I think though, above all else, what mattered the most was the way she developed and showed the interactions and relationships between characters - especially from the different points of view from Mina and Lynet both.
Alongside the pacing, the way that many important events were described, was in a way that I swear I could almost feel. In particular, when Lynet and Nadia are in the North Tower and Lynet is feeling restless and suddenly like she could jump from the ledge to the tree. Nadia, of course, is terrified, telling her to come back inside but Lynet simply responds with "you'll just patch me up." And it isn't until Nadia says "not if you're dead" that reality seems to sink in for Lynet. In that moment she seems to not even trust herself to go back inside, and her voice is described, in her own point of view, as sounding quiet and far away as she tells Nadia that she is ready to come back inside.
There is so much longing and yearning between Nadia and Lynet, it's ridiculous (positive). It is a perfect example of a true slow burn, their first kiss happening twenty pages from the end. I love how Bashardoust reminds us of the unsettling dream she'd had when she wakes up, but points out how things are still different, that she is not dead like her mother. Overall, this was absolute perfection. And to think, this was Melissa Bashardoust's debut - I aspire.
Quotes:
"maybe Lynet was enough without it"
"I should have been the one to show her the South, she thought. That was mine to give her."
"-too late to push her away, too late to hold her at all"
Make the Season Bright by Ashley Herring Blake
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Confession - I stayed up til 2am last night (?) to finish because I realized I'd almost gotten to the end of the book and it was one of those few that I just needed answers. Not that staying up til 2am is unheard of for me but because of a book has been rare lately. And its books like this that make me want to figure out how to write a contemporary romance of my own.
Anyway, this felt so very real. The way that Ashley Herring Blake seems to effortlessly pours these words out, (the only romance author that has been and will likely ever be an auto-buy for me) I believed every moment. I especially enjoyed the conversations that weren't taking center stage but were still important - about sexuality and identity and how people feel about those things. Even the entire cast of characters felt incredibly real and as if I could run into one of them in real life.
I'll admit that when I pick up a romance - even a sapphic one (though I don't remember when the last time was that I willingly read a cishet romance) - there's a 50/50 chance on whether I'm actually in the mood for it. It's why I'm one of those people who brings 3-5 books on a road trip. Ashley Herring Blake is one of few that I can pick up, unsure if I'm in the mood for it, then all of a sudden be halfway through the book.
The chemistry was absolute perfection. And I don't just mean Charlotte and Brighton. I mean the entire Rosalind Quartet and even the few people not in the quartet - Adele, Wes, Dorian, Nina. While I know that not everyone loves childhood best friends to lovers and second chance romance, I do think that this book (so far - Dream On, Ramona Riley has yet to come out and I haven't read the final book in the Bright Falls Trilogy just yet) displays most if not all of Blake's strengths as a writer.
I cannot wait for her next wlw romance (Dream On, Ramona Riley - out May 13, 2025) and hope that maybe sometime soon Berkley will decide to print her books in hardcover since she's doing so well. But until then, I'll just keep my afterlight sub and keep my eyes peeled for any hardcover/special edition announcements.
Either way, it would be an absolute dream come true if Blake managed to get a new book of such quality out every year. (and yes I did shockingly like this one more than Astrid Parker.)
Anyway, this felt so very real. The way that Ashley Herring Blake seems to effortlessly pours these words out, (the only romance author that has been and will likely ever be an auto-buy for me) I believed every moment. I especially enjoyed the conversations that weren't taking center stage but were still important - about sexuality and identity and how people feel about those things. Even the entire cast of characters felt incredibly real and as if I could run into one of them in real life.
I'll admit that when I pick up a romance - even a sapphic one (though I don't remember when the last time was that I willingly read a cishet romance) - there's a 50/50 chance on whether I'm actually in the mood for it. It's why I'm one of those people who brings 3-5 books on a road trip. Ashley Herring Blake is one of few that I can pick up, unsure if I'm in the mood for it, then all of a sudden be halfway through the book.
The chemistry was absolute perfection. And I don't just mean Charlotte and Brighton. I mean the entire Rosalind Quartet and even the few people not in the quartet - Adele, Wes, Dorian, Nina. While I know that not everyone loves childhood best friends to lovers and second chance romance, I do think that this book (so far - Dream On, Ramona Riley has yet to come out and I haven't read the final book in the Bright Falls Trilogy just yet) displays most if not all of Blake's strengths as a writer.
I cannot wait for her next wlw romance (Dream On, Ramona Riley - out May 13, 2025) and hope that maybe sometime soon Berkley will decide to print her books in hardcover since she's doing so well. But until then, I'll just keep my afterlight sub and keep my eyes peeled for any hardcover/special edition announcements.
Either way, it would be an absolute dream come true if Blake managed to get a new book of such quality out every year. (and yes I did shockingly like this one more than Astrid Parker.)
Where Shadows Bloom by Catherine Bakewell
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Catherine Bakewell does something that is already wonderful and beautiful on its own with this book. One thing that I've felt to be missing in most fantasy romance novels is that when a major character has a point of view and a particular hobby, there is no special way of seeing the world due to that hobby. I don't know if Cat and I ever talked about this or if she just magically read my mind, but she did exactly what I would ask any author ever to do. She describes certain things in painter's vocabulary, other's more poetically - its, well, poetic.
I know that those of us in the bookish community mostly agree that there is no such thing as a new idea anymore. I would agree with that statement as far as themes and messaging go, but not necessarily the plots or the characters, etc. I bring this up to say that I apparently have "a type". Simply put, Where Shadows Bloom is a story about what it means to be human. Closer to the end we even see a human that doesn't act like a human and a being that yearns to be human (would love a short story about this part).
Catherine explores different types of love, from motherly, to best friends and to true love. While at the same time delving into one of my favorite discussions ever - immortality and invincibility. My only critique would be that I thought there was going to be an enchantment on the castle or Ofelia at some point for reasons. But at the same time I do see that it is more of an isolation progression and is actually... almost cult like? Though I do love the idea of an enchantment so maybe I'll have to steal that for my own writings.
This was one of those books where I ran out of tabs due to all the descriptions I wanted to remember, and of those mysteries that I felt so incredibly smart for figuring most of it out on my own, before the reveal. With as few spoilers as possible, I will end on this - the thing with the mirror oddly enough gives "Melody in the mirror" from Barbie and the Diamond Castle vibes.
Well done Cat, this was amazing - I can't wait to see what you do next!
I know that those of us in the bookish community mostly agree that there is no such thing as a new idea anymore. I would agree with that statement as far as themes and messaging go, but not necessarily the plots or the characters, etc. I bring this up to say that I apparently have "a type". Simply put, Where Shadows Bloom is a story about what it means to be human. Closer to the end we even see a human that doesn't act like a human and a being that yearns to be human (would love a short story about this part).
Catherine explores different types of love, from motherly, to best friends and to true love. While at the same time delving into one of my favorite discussions ever - immortality and invincibility. My only critique would be that I thought there was going to be an enchantment on the castle or Ofelia at some point for reasons. But at the same time I do see that it is more of an isolation progression and is actually... almost cult like? Though I do love the idea of an enchantment so maybe I'll have to steal that for my own writings.
This was one of those books where I ran out of tabs due to all the descriptions I wanted to remember, and of those mysteries that I felt so incredibly smart for figuring most of it out on my own, before the reveal. With as few spoilers as possible, I will end on this - the thing with the mirror oddly enough gives "Melody in the mirror" from Barbie and the Diamond Castle vibes.
Well done Cat, this was amazing - I can't wait to see what you do next!
Nobody in Particular by Sophie Gonzales
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
What a wonderful, beautifully told love story.
Going into this book, I assumed this was going to be a small little sapphic boarding school rom-com. It is so much more than that. Sophie tackles some very serious topics that impact teenagers, whether adults think they do or not. This (in my opinion) would be classified as upper YA, and discusses everything from social media and drugs to sexuality and politics. Each handled with grace and thoughtfulness. There is almost an undercurrent of grief and loss, Sophie never lets you forget the trauma that other characters went through. Right when you might have "forgotten" it gets brought back up - not in a harsh or dramatic way, but in a way that makes perfect sense. And honestly its just another aspect of the character development we see throughout the novel.
Much of the story focuses on Rose's complete lack of control of just about any situation. Throughout, we see her bit by bit, taking back that control. At the beginning she is dreading the idea of ever being Queen. By the end, she has decided what kind of ruler she will be - taking back her own narrative.
As far as Danni Blythe, who I believe we do get less page time with, she goes from shy and timid and terrified to even think about playing piano in front of someone else to standing in front of reporters and not batting an eye. I believe that it is the mix of having to hide her and Rose's relationship, while juggling social media and being involved with a princess in the first place that push her towards stepping into, or at least accepting, the spotlight.
Really, simply put, this is a story about being brave enough to be yourself, to be in the public eye, and not regretting it a single time.
Going into this book, I assumed this was going to be a small little sapphic boarding school rom-com. It is so much more than that. Sophie tackles some very serious topics that impact teenagers, whether adults think they do or not. This (in my opinion) would be classified as upper YA, and discusses everything from social media and drugs to sexuality and politics. Each handled with grace and thoughtfulness. There is almost an undercurrent of grief and loss, Sophie never lets you forget the trauma that other characters went through. Right when you might have "forgotten" it gets brought back up - not in a harsh or dramatic way, but in a way that makes perfect sense. And honestly its just another aspect of the character development we see throughout the novel.
Much of the story focuses on Rose's complete lack of control of just about any situation. Throughout, we see her bit by bit, taking back that control. At the beginning she is dreading the idea of ever being Queen. By the end, she has decided what kind of ruler she will be - taking back her own narrative.
As far as Danni Blythe, who I believe we do get less page time with, she goes from shy and timid and terrified to even think about playing piano in front of someone else to standing in front of reporters and not batting an eye. I believe that it is the mix of having to hide her and Rose's relationship, while juggling social media and being involved with a princess in the first place that push her towards stepping into, or at least accepting, the spotlight.
Really, simply put, this is a story about being brave enough to be yourself, to be in the public eye, and not regretting it a single time.
Fable for the End of the World by Ava Reid
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Thank you so much Epic Reads/YallFest for the opportunity to snag this beauty, I cannot imagine having to wait til MARCH.
What unfolds is a spectacularly heart-wrenching love story, startlingly deep and real conversations about trauma, the "fine line" between human and machine and human and animal, and what it takes to see someone you once thought was far from human, as human.
There is also a very interesting discussion about who we are when we think no one is watching and how things change once we do know that we are being watched and having our lives picked apart. While none of us are trying to survive with cameras on - social media is a close second of a sort.
One of my favorite moments is when Inesa and Melinoë kiss for the first time after Jacob had kissed Inesa before she left and she thinks about how right it feels with Melinoë and how wrong it felt with Jacob. I'm very lucky to have not had the experience of "feeling wrong" because I've mostly dated only women but I definitely know what the "right" feeling feels like and it was beautiful to see it written the way it was.
Artfully crafted thoughts on bodily autonomy, government, and even a brief mention of education systems - all very pertinent and all too real and relevant for the place and times we are living in (at least in the United States). Despite all of this, it manages to still be a story about finding yourself, falling in love, and hope.
Well done Ava Reid, I look forward to (hopefully) more sapphic content from you in the future.
What unfolds is a spectacularly heart-wrenching love story, startlingly deep and real conversations about trauma, the "fine line" between human and machine and human and animal, and what it takes to see someone you once thought was far from human, as human.
There is also a very interesting discussion about who we are when we think no one is watching and how things change once we do know that we are being watched and having our lives picked apart. While none of us are trying to survive with cameras on - social media is a close second of a sort.
One of my favorite moments is when Inesa and Melinoë kiss for the first time after Jacob had kissed Inesa before she left and she thinks about how right it feels with Melinoë and how wrong it felt with Jacob. I'm very lucky to have not had the experience of "feeling wrong" because I've mostly dated only women but I definitely know what the "right" feeling feels like and it was beautiful to see it written the way it was.
Artfully crafted thoughts on bodily autonomy, government, and even a brief mention of education systems - all very pertinent and all too real and relevant for the place and times we are living in (at least in the United States). Despite all of this, it manages to still be a story about finding yourself, falling in love, and hope.
Well done Ava Reid, I look forward to (hopefully) more sapphic content from you in the future.
Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Kaz: *gets Inej a ship and finds her parents*
Inej: "I didn't know we were getting each other gifts brb"
Ch. 44: Pekka
Pekka: *nearly shits himself from fear of Inej in the middle of the night*
Inej: "ta daaaaa"
-----
As long as that literal paragraph long chapter in Matthias' literal dying point of view is literally on the next page, then I will always cry at that. (apparently if you give me a quick death pov of the dying character dreaming about the love of their life you can make me sob). I would also like to note that this is the owlcrate version - the one with the inside artwork. The second scene they decided to commission was the remaining crows around Matthias' dead body. Which was a gut punch.
Love that it is officially canon for Nina to have not known that Sturmhond = Nikolai, but almost recognize him but not quite. I feel like the writers of season two of the Shadow and Bone tv show just tried to (incorrectly - which likely didn't help the depleted viewership that got the show and spin off canceled) throw Crooked Kingdom at the wall to keep the Six of Crows fans sated until a spinoff/season 3.
Absolutely loved every single second, scene, interaction, and piece of dialogue between Genya, Zoya, and Nina, and even more so them as what I like to call "honorary crows". Also, this is my first time rereading adn honestly while Kaz was brilliant in the first book, he is even more so in this one. I mean the "outbreak" hitting the Menagerie? the "Alby" scene being pure Pekka humiliation, since Kaz had already paid of Inej's contract like 75% of the way through the book? I aspire.
Inej: "I didn't know we were getting each other gifts brb"
Ch. 44: Pekka
Pekka: *nearly shits himself from fear of Inej in the middle of the night*
Inej: "ta daaaaa"
-----
As long as that literal paragraph long chapter in Matthias' literal dying point of view is literally on the next page, then I will always cry at that. (apparently if you give me a quick death pov of the dying character dreaming about the love of their life you can make me sob). I would also like to note that this is the owlcrate version - the one with the inside artwork. The second scene they decided to commission was the remaining crows around Matthias' dead body. Which was a gut punch.
Love that it is officially canon for Nina to have not known that Sturmhond = Nikolai, but almost recognize him but not quite. I feel like the writers of season two of the Shadow and Bone tv show just tried to (incorrectly - which likely didn't help the depleted viewership that got the show and spin off canceled) throw Crooked Kingdom at the wall to keep the Six of Crows fans sated until a spinoff/season 3.
Absolutely loved every single second, scene, interaction, and piece of dialogue between Genya, Zoya, and Nina, and even more so them as what I like to call "honorary crows". Also, this is my first time rereading adn honestly while Kaz was brilliant in the first book, he is even more so in this one. I mean the "outbreak" hitting the Menagerie? the "Alby" scene being pure Pekka humiliation, since Kaz had already paid of Inej's contract like 75% of the way through the book? I aspire.
Say a Little Prayer by Jenna Voris
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
So, for starters, I am an agnostic woman who also happens to be a raging lesbian. This story was so beautifully told and regardless of the subject matter, it is at its heart, a story about female friendship and the humanity in misunderstanding and learning from one another. But as religion, abortion, and sexual orientation are literally part of the plot of this book, it is a great reminder to readers that books and the act of reading is inherently political.
From Riley to Julia to Hannah to Amanda and all the spring break church camp girls in between, Voris does an excellent job of creating real characters with just as real issues. Even those who don't get entire points of view chapters have appropriate and real reactions to the goings on around them. It reminds me of when I was the characters' age and coming out (albeit not in a tiny religious town).
A story of people managing to bridge gaps between beliefs - via religion - while remaining steadfast on human rights - this is the only thing I mean when I say I'm ok with having differing beliefs. Not in politics or human rights, but things such as religion. I do not believe in being tolerant of the intolerant.
I read this in October and I am writing this review on the morning of November 8. It has brought up feelings to say the very least.
From Riley to Julia to Hannah to Amanda and all the spring break church camp girls in between, Voris does an excellent job of creating real characters with just as real issues. Even those who don't get entire points of view chapters have appropriate and real reactions to the goings on around them. It reminds me of when I was the characters' age and coming out (albeit not in a tiny religious town).
A story of people managing to bridge gaps between beliefs - via religion - while remaining steadfast on human rights - this is the only thing I mean when I say I'm ok with having differing beliefs. Not in politics or human rights, but things such as religion. I do not believe in being tolerant of the intolerant.
I read this in October and I am writing this review on the morning of November 8. It has brought up feelings to say the very least.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Lesbophobia
Minor: Abortion
A Dark and Drowning Tide by Allison Saft
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Allison Saft’s adult debut brings everything missing from the dark academia trope. Sapphics, Jewish women, conversations on antisemitism in fairytales, and a hunt for something magical.
…
Hauntingly written as a gothic dark academia fantasy, this book is one of a few that actually express a realistic rivals to lovers relationship - based on miscommunication and misunderstanding, not any real sort of hatred for one another.
Taking the conversation of antisemitism in folklore further, Saft also applies it to the world around Lorelei, with her at one point being threatened to be a scapegoat - something our people are all too familiar with. And that is just one example of her beautifully written tension throughout, genuinely heightening the reading experience - even on a reread.
Everything was so amazingly described that I genuinely can recall how I envisioned almost everything and am itching to reread already.
…
Hauntingly written as a gothic dark academia fantasy, this book is one of a few that actually express a realistic rivals to lovers relationship - based on miscommunication and misunderstanding, not any real sort of hatred for one another.
Taking the conversation of antisemitism in folklore further, Saft also applies it to the world around Lorelei, with her at one point being threatened to be a scapegoat - something our people are all too familiar with. And that is just one example of her beautifully written tension throughout, genuinely heightening the reading experience - even on a reread.
Everything was so amazingly described that I genuinely can recall how I envisioned almost everything and am itching to reread already.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Antisemitism
The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Reading Vlog: https://youtu.be/kO5ikpm8ts8
Often referred to as the original haunted house story or the original modern haunted house story, The Haunting of Hill House - by a woman aptly nicknamed "The Queen of Horror"- is indeed a masterclass in horror via the lens of the unknown, isolation, the (potentially) unreliable narrator, atmosphere, and allowing the reader's imagination to be what truly terrifies them.
In under 200 pages (182 to be exact), Shirley Jackson explores the terrors of isolation and mental illness. Through Eleanor Vance, we see underlying sapphic subtext, the fear of being completely and utterly alone, and the complications of human emotion. All of this lends itself to a shockingly well-rounded character in Eleanor, and what is almost a discussion of humanity itself.
Most people, whether they express it or not, have extremely complex feelings and even more complicated relationships - especially with family members - and Eleanor Vance is no different. Within her are two seemingly warring feelings: deep resentment for her mother whom she was forced to care for - for over a decade - meaning she never properly lived alone - and a deep seated fear that seems to be what makes her so susceptible to the horrors of Hill House. Being too afraid to truly be alone is (or so it seems) why she accepts Dr. Montague's invite in the first place, and is the one thing she never wants to feel - seemingly driving (pun unintended) her to her death.
The house itself, is an unknown. It can't be known. We don't even know if it is truly haunted or if it just so happened that Eleanor was, and it was all in her own head. There isn't much in the way of a warning once all four of the main characters are on the premises. The doctor does not specify to be wary of anything in particular - in ways that the house might affect them. The only sort of "hint" is his response to Eleanor's uncharacteristic acts in the last stretch of the novel, almost appearing to know something that the others do not, when he insists to Eleanor that she must leave immediately, and not just that, but to forget all of them, and the house especially.
Throughout the book, each character appears to believe that they are in control - that each odd occurrence is explainable by a tilt in the floorboards or Mrs Dudley disliking the doors being open and closing them herself. But truly the house is the only one with any real power, with any true control int heir situation. In fact, even Theodora's suggested explanation for why Mrs. Dudley would even dislike the doors being left open in the first place, revolves around the house. Theodora suggests that it might be the same reason as to why they'd begun propping doors open - that perhaps she preferred to know that she had already closed the doors herself, than to turn around and find a door suddenly shut behind her.
I know that Shirley Jackson's writing style is not for everyone, and I'm sure some might consider the way things are left to interpretation as a form of underwriting but I think the absolute masterpiece of craft that this novel is displays just how terrifying humanity can be, how terrifying the human mind can be, and how terrifying the human imagination can be. I absolutely cannot wait to dive deeper into The Queen of Horror's novels in the future and had such a fun time reading this book.
Often referred to as the original haunted house story or the original modern haunted house story, The Haunting of Hill House - by a woman aptly nicknamed "The Queen of Horror"- is indeed a masterclass in horror via the lens of the unknown, isolation, the (potentially) unreliable narrator, atmosphere, and allowing the reader's imagination to be what truly terrifies them.
In under 200 pages (182 to be exact), Shirley Jackson explores the terrors of isolation and mental illness. Through Eleanor Vance, we see underlying sapphic subtext, the fear of being completely and utterly alone, and the complications of human emotion. All of this lends itself to a shockingly well-rounded character in Eleanor, and what is almost a discussion of humanity itself.
Most people, whether they express it or not, have extremely complex feelings and even more complicated relationships - especially with family members - and Eleanor Vance is no different. Within her are two seemingly warring feelings: deep resentment for her mother whom she was forced to care for - for over a decade - meaning she never properly lived alone - and a deep seated fear that seems to be what makes her so susceptible to the horrors of Hill House. Being too afraid to truly be alone is (or so it seems) why she accepts Dr. Montague's invite in the first place, and is the one thing she never wants to feel - seemingly driving (pun unintended) her to her death.
The house itself, is an unknown. It can't be known. We don't even know if it is truly haunted or if it just so happened that Eleanor was, and it was all in her own head. There isn't much in the way of a warning once all four of the main characters are on the premises. The doctor does not specify to be wary of anything in particular - in ways that the house might affect them. The only sort of "hint" is his response to Eleanor's uncharacteristic acts in the last stretch of the novel, almost appearing to know something that the others do not, when he insists to Eleanor that she must leave immediately, and not just that, but to forget all of them, and the house especially.
Throughout the book, each character appears to believe that they are in control - that each odd occurrence is explainable by a tilt in the floorboards or Mrs Dudley disliking the doors being open and closing them herself. But truly the house is the only one with any real power, with any true control int heir situation. In fact, even Theodora's suggested explanation for why Mrs. Dudley would even dislike the doors being left open in the first place, revolves around the house. Theodora suggests that it might be the same reason as to why they'd begun propping doors open - that perhaps she preferred to know that she had already closed the doors herself, than to turn around and find a door suddenly shut behind her.
I know that Shirley Jackson's writing style is not for everyone, and I'm sure some might consider the way things are left to interpretation as a form of underwriting but I think the absolute masterpiece of craft that this novel is displays just how terrifying humanity can be, how terrifying the human mind can be, and how terrifying the human imagination can be. I absolutely cannot wait to dive deeper into The Queen of Horror's novels in the future and had such a fun time reading this book.
In a Garden Burning Gold by Rory Power
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0