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A review by boundbywords
The Villa by Rachel Hawkins
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
THE VILLA is, without a doubt, my favourite of Rachel Hawkins' work thus far. Give me a gothic thriller any day, but especially give me the ones that achieve the deliciously dark tone and vibe that Rachel was so successful in creating here. The ending wasn't a win for me, but I immensely enjoyed the journey getting there.
Told in alternating timelines between 1974 and present day, we hear from the perspectives of two women reclaiming their power, going for (literary) gold, and exploring the parameters of some seriously unstable relationships. Add in Rachel's incredible ability to create a perfect tension-filled scene, and you've got yourself your first read for January 2023.
Fun tidbit: The Villa is "inspired by Fleetwood Mac, the Manson murders, and the infamous summer Percy and Mary Shelley spent with Lord Byron at a Lake Geneva castle––the birthplace of Frankenstein"!!
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♡Huge thank you to Netgalley and St. Martins Press for approving the egalley for review!
Told in alternating timelines between 1974 and present day, we hear from the perspectives of two women reclaiming their power, going for (literary) gold, and exploring the parameters of some seriously unstable relationships. Add in Rachel's incredible ability to create a perfect tension-filled scene, and you've got yourself your first read for January 2023.
Fun tidbit: The Villa is "inspired by Fleetwood Mac, the Manson murders, and the infamous summer Percy and Mary Shelley spent with Lord Byron at a Lake Geneva castle––the birthplace of Frankenstein"!!
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♡Huge thank you to Netgalley and St. Martins Press for approving the egalley for review!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, and Infidelity