04-10-2010, 05:56 PM
I wonder if any other members have read this book and what they thought of it?
I read reviews before it was released in the US, forgot about it, and then ran across it on Amazon a few weeks ago. It has tons of international rave reviews, mostly due to it being an homage to the type of Gothic novels actually written in the late 19th century, like Wilkie Collins and Henry James, among others.
The novel is structured so that our heroine Constance Langton, who opens the novel, is off stage for the bulk of it while she reads a series of journals and diaries by people involved in the mysterious disappearances as Wraxford Hall. Part One was very promising, but it after that the book dragged and was hard to follow until she returned to pick up the tale in Part Six. Ultimately, the bulk of the action and plot is delayed until Part Six, so for me this was not a page turner.
Once the story kicks in, we have possibly the most derelict and creepy country mansion ever, endless rain, mud, haunting in Monk's Wood, and an insidiously evil Mesmerist conducting an scientific seance experiment. The author pours on the Gothic tropes during part six, with lots of action and dialogue. A lot of the story reminded me of Kirkland Revels by Victoria Holt, with it's ruined abbey and disappearances in the Minstrel's gallery.
I'm a very picky reader, ultimately I was disappointed in this book, but would be curious to see what others think.
I read reviews before it was released in the US, forgot about it, and then ran across it on Amazon a few weeks ago. It has tons of international rave reviews, mostly due to it being an homage to the type of Gothic novels actually written in the late 19th century, like Wilkie Collins and Henry James, among others.
The novel is structured so that our heroine Constance Langton, who opens the novel, is off stage for the bulk of it while she reads a series of journals and diaries by people involved in the mysterious disappearances as Wraxford Hall. Part One was very promising, but it after that the book dragged and was hard to follow until she returned to pick up the tale in Part Six. Ultimately, the bulk of the action and plot is delayed until Part Six, so for me this was not a page turner.
Once the story kicks in, we have possibly the most derelict and creepy country mansion ever, endless rain, mud, haunting in Monk's Wood, and an insidiously evil Mesmerist conducting an scientific seance experiment. The author pours on the Gothic tropes during part six, with lots of action and dialogue. A lot of the story reminded me of Kirkland Revels by Victoria Holt, with it's ruined abbey and disappearances in the Minstrel's gallery.
I'm a very picky reader, ultimately I was disappointed in this book, but would be curious to see what others think.
