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A review by allisonwonderlandreads
The Writing Retreat by Julia Bartz
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
A year ago, Alex went through a horrific friend breakup under bloody, mysterious circumstances. Since then, Wren's star has been on the rise, reaching influencer status, while Alex's humdrum publishing job has continued, much the same. She hasn't written a single word since the fight that ended everything. The two were once not only best friends but also in the same writing group. And when their friend from that group, the only one who's made it as a writer, gets both Alex and Wren accepted at an exclusive writing retreat at the home of their favorite author, the feminist icon Roza Vallo, it's too good an opportunity to pass up. Alex needs to get past her writer's block, ignore Wren, and impress her hero.
Blackbriar Estate, a haunted murder house, is the perfect creepy setting for this tense, eerie thriller. The estate's history hinges on the story of a spiritualist/artist and a demoness that ended in two violent deaths. That very saga becomes the topic of Alex's book, and she's consumed by creative inspiration just when she thought she wouldn't find it again. Blackbriar is remote enough to affect cell service and wintry enough for the threat of a snow-in to loom. No wifi and no nearby neighbors mean this isolated locale is only too perfect for some really fucked up stuff to go down with no one outside the wiser.
From the start, Roza's mercurial moods, exacting demands, and fascination with her guests' darker truths make the retreat a tense, high-pressure experience. While Alex was expecting to do battle with Wren, she wasn't prepared for anything more serious or life-threatening from another quarter. Alex isn't the only one with a shady secret, and hers is far from the worst hiding among the house's current residents. With a book deal on the line and a chance to earn her hero's admiration, the stakes are only too high... and that's before one invitee goes missing in the snow. Maybe she was sleepwalking, maybe she was drugged, and maybe the scene is misleading. She issued Alex a warning just before she vanished, and there was a secret she was ready to share.
While the combination of dark, queer elements and feminine fury make for great thriller fodder, I found some of the mystery elements a bit predictable. I also think that where the author shone in her examination of how women might suppress their queerness or struggle to reconcile with their sexuality, the discussion of race, though present, is less carefully considered. It feels a bit rote and lost in the trying, where the conversations around queerness and womanhood are living, nuanced things. One writer at the retreat is Black, and so most conversations come up as reactions to how she's treated or things she calls out. Alex is a bit clueless, and Keira's experiences are an awakening for her. For readers who might be annoyed to read about a white protagonist "discovering" institutional racism, be forewarned.
Readers who want to see more queer women shine in the thriller space should definitely pick this one up. It's got unhinged ladies to spare, feminine longing and obsession, and survival instincts that become strength rather than victimhood. Thanks to Atria for my copy to read and review!
Blackbriar Estate, a haunted murder house, is the perfect creepy setting for this tense, eerie thriller. The estate's history hinges on the story of a spiritualist/artist and a demoness that ended in two violent deaths. That very saga becomes the topic of Alex's book, and she's consumed by creative inspiration just when she thought she wouldn't find it again. Blackbriar is remote enough to affect cell service and wintry enough for the threat of a snow-in to loom. No wifi and no nearby neighbors mean this isolated locale is only too perfect for some really fucked up stuff to go down with no one outside the wiser.
From the start, Roza's mercurial moods, exacting demands, and fascination with her guests' darker truths make the retreat a tense, high-pressure experience. While Alex was expecting to do battle with Wren, she wasn't prepared for anything more serious or life-threatening from another quarter. Alex isn't the only one with a shady secret, and hers is far from the worst hiding among the house's current residents. With a book deal on the line and a chance to earn her hero's admiration, the stakes are only too high... and that's before one invitee goes missing in the snow. Maybe she was sleepwalking, maybe she was drugged, and maybe the scene is misleading. She issued Alex a warning just before she vanished, and there was a secret she was ready to share.
While the combination of dark, queer elements and feminine fury make for great thriller fodder, I found some of the mystery elements a bit predictable. I also think that where the author shone in her examination of how women might suppress their queerness or struggle to reconcile with their sexuality, the discussion of race, though present, is less carefully considered. It feels a bit rote and lost in the trying, where the conversations around queerness and womanhood are living, nuanced things. One writer at the retreat is Black, and so most conversations come up as reactions to how she's treated or things she calls out. Alex is a bit clueless, and Keira's experiences are an awakening for her. For readers who might be annoyed to read about a white protagonist "discovering" institutional racism, be forewarned.
Readers who want to see more queer women shine in the thriller space should definitely pick this one up. It's got unhinged ladies to spare, feminine longing and obsession, and survival instincts that become strength rather than victimhood. Thanks to Atria for my copy to read and review!