_alwaysrealokay's review
3.0
I guess like it and also didn't like it. Don't get me wrong this was a good book. Perry uses Gothic and a wraith like figure to tell people to bare witness, to pay attention to the things that's going on around you: which is a great message especially with everything going on at the moment. I love love how the novel is set in present Prague but it reads like a Victorian Gothic novel and that's one of the brilliant thing Perry's done.
cwalsh's review
2.0
As I mentioned earlier, I adored the general feel of this book... it’s Gothic in nature and I couldn’t help but fall in love with beautiful descriptions of the white cobblestones beneath Helen’s feet or the countless cups of bitter tea poured from the piping hot kettle. However, I found the plot of Melmoth to be quite slow and disjointed; I loved so many parts of this novel – the writing in and of itself is absolutely phenomenal (reminiscent of Sarah Waters in my opinion) – I’m just not so sure all the parts worked well together as a whole. The timeline of the events was very interesting but the characters all fell rather flat, including Melmoth, and I felt as though the entire horror component of this book was meek.
This was one of my most anticipated reads of 2018 and sadly, it was quite disappointing. The next time that I’m looking for a book reminiscent of 19th century gothic tale, I will actually read a legitimate 19th century gothic tale. Perhaps Melmoth the Wanderer…
While the actual novel itself is somewhere in the 2-3 star range, THAT THOSE DECKED PAGES AND THE COVER ARE A 10. Absolutely gorgeous!
This was one of my most anticipated reads of 2018 and sadly, it was quite disappointing. The next time that I’m looking for a book reminiscent of 19th century gothic tale, I will actually read a legitimate 19th century gothic tale. Perhaps Melmoth the Wanderer…
While the actual novel itself is somewhere in the 2-3 star range, THAT THOSE DECKED PAGES AND THE COVER ARE A 10. Absolutely gorgeous!
aleonak's review
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
alex_wordweaver's review against another edition
4.0
Nice tinges of horror throughout. More under the cut because Spoilers.
I liked the character of Melmoth and her relationship with Helen, although I feel that her insinuating herself into the lives of Thea and Helen and Albina is also strange in that, if her main character trait is loneliness and wanting to assuage it, shouldn't she've felt something like relief after hanging out with two to three people for (potentially in book time) several weeks?
Also, the ending invitation left me, as a queer reader who has regular standing appointments with both a support group and a therapist, unintentionally laughing, in that I wanted to both invite Melmoth to the support group and give her my therapist's card, especially with the fourth-wall-breaking guilt trip she throws at the reader. Like, "Ma'am. Ma'am, please. I've already talked about all my dark thoughts with my therapist and peers and I have X amount of characters I traumatize in my writing to deal with the rest, but if I really have such Bad Evil Terrible Person Thoughts(TM) I've even hidden away from myself, do let me know. I'm sure I've lost at least one compartmentalization box somewhere in my head attic."
Also, I now want to search the Internet for Helen x Melmoth fic, and knowing I probably won't find any (yet) has given me a small Disappointment. C'est la vie.
I liked the character of Melmoth and her relationship with Helen, although I feel that her insinuating herself into the lives of Thea and Helen and Albina is also strange in that, if her main character trait is loneliness and wanting to assuage it, shouldn't she've felt something like relief after hanging out with two to three people for (potentially in book time) several weeks?
Also, the ending invitation left me, as a queer reader who has regular standing appointments with both a support group and a therapist, unintentionally laughing, in that I wanted to both invite Melmoth to the support group and give her my therapist's card, especially with the fourth-wall-breaking guilt trip she throws at the reader. Like, "Ma'am. Ma'am, please. I've already talked about all my dark thoughts with my therapist and peers and I have X amount of characters I traumatize in my writing to deal with the rest, but if I really have such Bad Evil Terrible Person Thoughts(TM) I've even hidden away from myself, do let me know. I'm sure I've lost at least one compartmentalization box somewhere in my head attic."
Also, I now want to search the Internet for Helen x Melmoth fic, and knowing I probably won't find any (yet) has given me a small Disappointment. C'est la vie.
zarrazine's review against another edition
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
merchantivory's review against another edition
3.5
he may have gone, but i am still here, and now what am i supposed to do with all this love?
rosekk's review
5.0
This is what ghost stories are like at their best. It was eerie and, in places, scary, but mostly it was thoughtful and sad.
The idea of Melmoth feels exactly as desirable and terrifying as she is described in the book; the thought of an inescapable entity who's there to bear witness to the worst that happens in the world, is equal parts comforting and awful. It's a brilliant concept to have captured in a story. I suspect the idea will stick in my mind for a long time.
The idea of Melmoth feels exactly as desirable and terrifying as she is described in the book; the thought of an inescapable entity who's there to bear witness to the worst that happens in the world, is equal parts comforting and awful. It's a brilliant concept to have captured in a story. I suspect the idea will stick in my mind for a long time.