lazygal's review against another edition
3.0
Historical fiction mixed with magical realism, plus a Bronte obsession? Ok. I'll bite. To be honest, the blurb made me hope for an adultish version of Octagon Magic (one of my favorite childhood books) - this doesn't quite meet that, but there are some interesting quirks. Like who Matthew is, and what he wants. Like the appearance of the house/game, and the gardens. Oddly, the middle section was better than the opening or the ending.
eARC provided by publisher.
eARC provided by publisher.
dave_holwill's review against another edition
4.0
Lovely bit of gothic folk horror. Set on the Yorkshire moors, with an eldritch children's game, a terrifying Wyrm and a nod or two to the Brontes, what's not to love?
inciminci's review against another edition
4.0
Catherine Cavendish had me fooled throughout the bigger part of this book, had me thinking I had figured it out, rolling my eyes at the ostensible Victorian banality of it all... And then she sped up the story toward the end and came up with that bombshell in the last quarter that I can only applaud. "The Garden of Bewitchment" is an exquisitely crafted, wonderfully astonishing, plain fantastic book! Forget all you know about cozy Gothic fiction because Cavendish is here to push the boundaries of convention and rewrite it all in letters of dread! Love it!
Full review: https://proteandepravity.blogspot.com/2020/12/a-gothic-novel-of-different-kind-garden.html
Full review: https://proteandepravity.blogspot.com/2020/12/a-gothic-novel-of-different-kind-garden.html
karlakayjenniges's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Twins, Evelyn and Claire, spinster women, wanting to hide from society move to a remote location. A sweet little cottage in the Yorkshire Moors. A place for peace and quiet where they can avoid prying eyes and write their stories.
Settling into their new home, they discover a toy box called “The Garden of Bewitchment”. It appears to be magic and they are quite enamored by the box's ability to create an alternate world that feels all too real but disappears and causes even more confusion and fear.
Things become very sinister as there are appearances of ghosts of the past and strange occurrences begin happening in the sisters home.
The neighbors become involved and want to help the sisters to solve the mystery and yet their intentions do not seem to be trustworthy.
The blend of reality and the supernatural gives the story a quality of nothing is as it seems and a sense of being isolated and confused. What is real and what is really happening to these poor sisters? Steeped in deep gothic imagery and the isolated misty moors creates an unsettling feeling of being watched and wanting to look around corners to see if something is lurking. Appearances of sinister presences with evil intentions, the howling of wolves, walking along dark paths, and being trapped in an abandoned cottage were spine tingling.
Suspenseful , mysterious, and creepy with an unexpected ending!
catsluvcoffee's review against another edition
4.0
Catherine Cavendish brings us yet another atmospheric read with The Garden of Bewitchment. While the Victorian Gothic style is one with which many authors flounder, Cavendish's prose flows, clearly proving her niche. The country cottage set on the bleak and remote Yorkshire Moors—as well as a connection to the Brontës—simultaneously romanticizes and grounds the novel. She gently prods the story onward while still exhibiting an acute awareness of the period. While at times the Garden reads like a tenuous laudanum dream, it doesn't take long for the encounters to turn menacing, evoking uncertainty and dread. Cavendish has dreamt into being our two female protagonists, whose impassioned individuality surely establishes them as unique as the Brontës sisters themselves. Surprisingly, the subject matter is never given a chance to become cumbrous as the increasing presence of the sinister game exerts its influence. As is often the theme with gothic fiction, neurosis versus actual paranormal is at first difficult, if not impossible to discern. It's up to the reader to decide if the Garden of Bewitchment and its inhabitants are all in the mind or if there truly is an esoteric or even demonic power at hand.
Reviewed for Unnerving Magazine
Reviewed for Unnerving Magazine
tiffanyreadsbooks's review against another edition
5.0
Wow, this was a great read! This is the first book by Catherine Cavendish I have read and I devoured it! If you love gothic horror, you'll love this slow burn ghost story with a touch of demons.
Evelyn and Claire, identical twins, move to a small cottage and things begin to become odd. A handsome stranger, a mysterious child's game and sisterly conflict create a story that will stick with you for a while.
I can't wait to read more from this author! Thank you NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book.
Evelyn and Claire, identical twins, move to a small cottage and things begin to become odd. A handsome stranger, a mysterious child's game and sisterly conflict create a story that will stick with you for a while.
I can't wait to read more from this author! Thank you NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book.
annarella's review against another edition
4.0
I liked the vintage atmosphere and the creepy story.
The author is an excellent storytelling and you will be involved in this story full of twists and turns.
I liked the well thought cast of characters and the atmospheric setting.
It was a good read, recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.
The author is an excellent storytelling and you will be involved in this story full of twists and turns.
I liked the well thought cast of characters and the atmospheric setting.
It was a good read, recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.
nuzzles_and_novels's review against another edition
3.0
3. 5
I enjoyed this book,I mean the Garden of Bewitchment is just a fantastic idea, who would have thought of the horror that could be being held in a board game designed for children! I've never read a book with anything like it... Totally creepy!
Full review on my blog
https://georgiabooks.wordpress.com/
I enjoyed this book,I mean the Garden of Bewitchment is just a fantastic idea, who would have thought of the horror that could be being held in a board game designed for children! I've never read a book with anything like it... Totally creepy!
Full review on my blog
https://georgiabooks.wordpress.com/
hedwigsworldofbooks's review against another edition
4.0
Its been a while since I read a book in one day. What a fantastic story! Review due my day of the blog tour!
el_stevie's review against another edition
2.0
A good idea which unfortunately fell a bit flat. The story was slow moving and took some time to get going and then suddenly had to pack a lot of information into the ending, this resulted in a lot of telling rather than showing and for me - a lot of confusion.
So much more could've been made of the garden and woven into the story at an earlier stage.
Thank you to #NetGalley for ARC.
So much more could've been made of the garden and woven into the story at an earlier stage.
Thank you to #NetGalley for ARC.