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mirandaandtitania's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
sad
Loved the mystery! Liked how the ending implied that she left some bits only for herself which was nice, I wanted her to have interacted more with Clem but it seems that she definitely did that just not with our knowledge!!
Wasn't too keen on the diary entries at the beginning but they grew on me, especially as he turned more and more mad!
Ivy was nasty but I think that was just how she was, she was a child for half the book bless her, she went through so much too.
Loved the fen and nature imagery, I longed to be there to see it. Hopefully I'll be able to find somewhere similar!
'put not your faith in men, she thought. That out there is all you can trust: that hedge and that wet grass. Those dripping trees'
Just found the passage where Clem and Maud are introduced, so wholesome. He was helping her have Chatterpie back:(((
'he was kind to her. That was all it took.'
Wasn't too keen on the diary entries at the beginning but they grew on me, especially as he turned more and more mad!
Ivy was nasty but I think that was just how she was, she was a child for half the book bless her, she went through so much too.
Loved the fen and nature imagery, I longed to be there to see it. Hopefully I'll be able to find somewhere similar!
'put not your faith in men, she thought. That out there is all you can trust: that hedge and that wet grass. Those dripping trees'
Just found the passage where Clem and Maud are introduced, so wholesome. He was helping her have Chatterpie back:(((
'he was kind to her. That was all it took.'
crispianna's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
4.25
cartoonalien's review against another edition
dark
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
faithhoffmanxo's review against another edition
4.0
It’s been a while since I’ve read a good Gothic. This was perfect. Even had some twists at the very end.
murraybymoonlight's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
jessdrewapic's review against another edition
5.0
This is definitely a slow story, but I found myself gripped and really enjoying it by the end!
A dark, gothic story about a young girl growing up in an oppressive religious environment with her mentally ill father in an old house beside a fen in the English countryside.
One thing that struck me about this was how infuriating the attitude was towards women, I think it really painted a clear picture of just how horrible life was back then. Definitely not my usual taste but found myself gripped by the eerie tone and the protagonists story
A dark, gothic story about a young girl growing up in an oppressive religious environment with her mentally ill father in an old house beside a fen in the English countryside.
One thing that struck me about this was how infuriating the attitude was towards women, I think it really painted a clear picture of just how horrible life was back then. Definitely not my usual taste but found myself gripped by the eerie tone and the protagonists story
wintercricket's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
burningupasun's review against another edition
4.0
It's a bit of a slow build but once you get a certain way it, it gets very good. Very suspenseful.
thechaliceofaries's review against another edition
4.0
I picked this up in the store because the synopsis looked interesting - imagine my delight when I added it to my Goodreads list and found out that this is written by the same author who wrote the Spirit Walker series that I loved so much as a kid! This was an unexpectedly feminist novel about murder, madness and monsters. It was deliciously infused with all the archetypal gothic elements; a dark gloomy backdrop, a sense of consistent dread and uncertainty, curses, pervasive nightmares, and even some romance. It follows the lovely female protagonist Maud, and the evolution of her relationship with her domineering father as she grows up and gains insight into both the stifling unfairness of Edwardian patriarchy and her father’s deterioration into psychosis when he happens upon a painting (aptly called the Doom) and grows increasingly obsessed with it. This book was both wonderfully structured and satisfyingly creepy to read, as well as filled with historically accurate details about Edwardian times (like the fact that women used to sew patches of cloth stuffed with lavenders under the arms of their gowns to use as deodorant). I would definitely recommend this to anyone who enjoys the taste of old-school gothic horror/mystery.
peachy__'s review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5