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A review by atlastheninth
My Darling Dreadful Thing: A Novel by Johanna van Veen
dark
mysterious
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
4.0
I received a free ARC of this book and here's my honest review.
At the beginning the author writes: “If you strip down My Darling Dreadful Thing until nothing remains but its essence, you will not find a horrific secret at its very heart. You will find, instead, a love story.” And I could not say it better.
Overall this was an enjoyable, easy flowing read. I liked the writing, I liked the characters an I liked the pacing.
I also did enjoy the interview excerpts every other chapter but at the same time I felt like they took out some of the tension.
The ending was nice, but a bit boring? The story just kind of ebbed off with no real climax.
Personally I had hoped for something a bit more exciting and maybe that the question if the spirits are actually real would have been answered, but that's just my preference.
"I know what she wants: to curl herself around me like a comma and press her gaping mouth to my throat so she can drink my blood."
Graphic: Mental illness, Racism, Rape, and Child abuse
Moderate: Ableism, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Miscarriage, and Misogyny