A review by thechaliceofaries
Wakenhyrst by Michelle Paver

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.