A review by oatmilktea
The Whispering Muse by Laura Purcell

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

The Whisperig Muse is a fantastic piece of gothic horror/thriller fiction.

Something always captured my attention: the plot, the plays, the characters, the mystery. 
Purcell’s descriptions of the plays and the actors’ performances were concise and easy to picture, yet so vivid and immersive at the same time.

The characters and their relationships are written so well that I was invested from the start. They are fleshed out, flawed, convincing. Jenny, the narrator, isn’t necessarily the protagonist of this novel. To me, in the book as well as the Mercury theatre, Lilith takes centre stage—a complicated, flawed character that I fell more and more in love with. Yet Jenny isn’t just a blank slate; she has agency and a character arc. It’s just that she plays a supporting role in her own story—which I didn’t mind at all. I’m just mentioning it because it stood out to me.

The Whispering Muse leaves me with questions, but not in an unsatisfactory manner. I enjoyed the mystery and the supernatural, and overly explaining them might have done the story a disservice. This is the perfect book to read by candlelight in the colder months. It’s not scary scary, but a little eerie here and there, as well as quite gory. If you love gothic fiction, the theatre and tragedies in particular (and I’m so happy it’s not just Shakespeare in this one!), complicated characters and relationships, especially between women, and a Victorian setting, you should give The Whispering Muse a go!

I’m just a little disappointed that
Purcell buries her gays
. 
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