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claudiareadsitall's review
4.0
Poor Roos is mentally and physically abused by her greedy mother who uses her daughter's supernatural abilities to scam people who attend their seances. While Roos does have a spirit attached to her - Ruth - she is horribly mistreated and used for the money she can earn. When Agnes attends a séance, it changes her and Roos's lives forever.
Agnes is married and lives in a grand house with her husband and his sister, who are very, very close. The marriage is a nightmare and Agnes and Roos are drawn to each other. As things get more sinister, the two women grow closer, and the result is that people start dying.
I had been wanting to read this for a long time, and it did not disappoint - and that cover is everything I want in an October read.
Agnes is married and lives in a grand house with her husband and his sister, who are very, very close. The marriage is a nightmare and Agnes and Roos are drawn to each other. As things get more sinister, the two women grow closer, and the result is that people start dying.
I had been wanting to read this for a long time, and it did not disappoint - and that cover is everything I want in an October read.
lyss_reads's review
challenging
dark
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Rape, Self harm, and Blood
Moderate: Child death, Confinement, Pedophilia, Torture, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, Vomit, and Death of parent
Minor: Animal death and Grief
paigemay's review against another edition
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? Yes
4.25
bookgabz's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
brandysun's review against another edition
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
mrsarains's review against another edition
5.0
This is probably not a 5 star read for everyone but I loved it. Grisly and haunting but also oddly charming
twinmom80's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
sara_reads_things's review
4.0
My Darling Dreadful Thing by Johanna Van Veen is a hauntingly atmospheric gothic novel that masterfully blends romance and dark fantasy. The story follows a young woman, drawn into a world of secrets and danger, as she unravels the mysteries surrounding a cursed estate and the enigmatic man who resides within it. Van Veen’s lush, descriptive writing perfectly captures the eerie and melancholic tone of the novel, pulling readers deep into its shadowy setting. The characters are complex, and the slow-burn romance adds tension that builds throughout the story. While a few plot points felt predictable, the book’s moody ambiance and gripping storytelling kept me hooked until the very end.
Sara | Book Confessions of an ExBallerina | Instagram
Sara | Book Confessions of an ExBallerina | Instagram
celestiainstars's review
5.0
I had expected it to be a mystery novel, but in the end it's a gothic sapphic horror story, about love and grief and ghosts. A perfect book for the season of October and November.