it only makes sense to immediately move on to this after finishing Carmillait only makes sense to immediately move on to this after finishing Carmilla...more
The year is 1896 and in the aftermath of a relentless twister, the folks of Sunbonnet are working to put the pieces of their lives and their farms bacThe year is 1896 and in the aftermath of a relentless twister, the folks of Sunbonnet are working to put the pieces of their lives and their farms back together. Shortly before the twister began, young Dorothy Gale was nowhere to be found� When she is discovered miles away four days later, the townspeople—especially Aunt Emily and Uncle Henry—are relieved. Feelings of joy quickly turn to concern when Dorothy regales them with her fantastical tales of the land of Oz.
Believed to be delusional, suffering from sacrilegious hallucinations, and suspected of the recent murder of a townswoman, she is sent to the Topeka Insane Asylum. Everyone is convinced that Dorothy is “positively demented�, everyone that is except psychologist Dr. Wilford.
This story is as fascinating as it sounds. I mean, Dorothy accused of being a madwoman plus the unfolding of a small-town mystery? Hell. Yes. My complaint is that a lot of this book—mainly the back half—doesn’t come in to deep contact with Dorothy directly but rather through the townspeople and the psychologist. The book shifts its view away from Dorothy and instead focuses its lens on the murder of the townswoman, merely using Dorothy as a vehicle to get there. It wasn't bad by any means, simply a different path than I was expecting.
I think it is fair to also say that readers will be disappointed if they expect a retelling of The Wizard of Oz. Rather, this is (as the title suggests) a continuation of the story once Dorothy is back home. That said, readers may feel disappointed about the lack of Oz in this novel but still, this “retelling� is engrossing, imaginative, relevant to the time that it is set, and absolutely worth the read.
I read this book via audio with Maria Ru-Djen as the narrator who, I believe, was the perfect fit for the job as her voice really helped bring this story to life.
Thank you Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for the audiobook in exchange for an honest review! Available 08/06/2024!...more
I have to be honest� I have not read Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein (yet!). That said, I cannot compare this story to the original but I can say that I lI have to be honest� I have not read Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein (yet!). That said, I cannot compare this story to the original but I can say that I loved this one—which means you, too, can enjoy it even if you don’t know a gosh darn thing about Frankenstein. It was a wonderful atmospheric retelling of the original and I devoured it. I was sucked in to Agnes’s world and her fascination with the dark, mysterious visitor on Eynhallow Isle. You don’t need a lot of preface going in to this novel� Just open the book, sit back, and let McGregor take you away to Eynhallow. You won’t regret it. ...more
Mina Murray lives a safe life, a predictable life. It’s the only way that she can tame the chaos and the fear. Working as a psychiatrist in a governmeMina Murray lives a safe life, a predictable life. It’s the only way that she can tame the chaos and the fear. Working as a psychiatrist in a government-funded facility, she feels that she has the best of both worlds: she can support not only her bank account but her passion. Mina works with women suffering from extreme trauma which is where we met her peculiar new patient, Renee. Shortly after, a new character is introduced to us� After twelve years of silence, Mina receives an email from her estranged best friend, Lucy, practically begging Mina for her “professional help�. It is with severe hesitation that Mina returns to her hometown of Tylluan to help her old friend but when she arrives, she is forced to face her past along with whatever strange illness her friend is currently suffering from which has odd similarities to her new patient.
This book is being considered by many a “remix� of Bram Stoker’s Dracula, with “familiar characters�. Considering I have not yet gotten around to reading Dracula—I know, I know!—I cannot speak to that. I find that I am not usually a fan of modern retellings on classics anyway so I think that that is for the best as I was able to read this story wholly on its own without drawing any comparisons.
Some epistolary parts—audio recording scripts, patient file reports, emails, etc—which I always find intriguing when done well in a story. The synopsis of this sounded quite fascinating but there were plot holes and conveniences that took away from the story for me. I had a difficult time getting in to this book and I had a difficult time finishing it. This one didn’t do it for me but it might just be the perfect spooky season read for you.
Give it a go when it comes out on 08/27/2024! Thank you NetGalley for my digital copy....more
If an author truly must revisit the world that is Hill House, my only wish is that the author would honor it with the same brilliant gothic writing thIf an author truly must revisit the world that is Hill House, my only wish is that the author would honor it with the same brilliant gothic writing that Jackson gave it. As I had expected, that was not the case here.
I would like to applaud the author because it takes guts to take something so iconic and include it as a central part of your book—it’s a huge risk. Including the famous house in her story almost felt like a ploy, though, just to get readers to the book. And, I mean, hey, brava because it worked on me, as I know it will for many other readers who have adored Jackson’s Hill House.
It is important to note that this isn’t a retelling of Jackson’s story or even a sequel. Rather, it is more of an appreciative nod towards it. That said, you don’t need to read The Haunting of Hill House to benefit from reading this story. In fact, I think readers who haven’t read Hill House will probably enjoy this book more than readers (and lovers) of the classic. As a lover of the original work, I found it impossible not to draw comparisons between the two and I think that is where a lot of the problem lies. For me, at least.
� What I liked: -Colorful, haunting cover. -Paranormal happenings and supernatural beings, duh. -The action in the second half of the book. -Evadne’s witchy vibes.
� What I didn’t like: -Short chapters are normally a win for me but a lot of these chapters were cut short for the sake of creating a false sense of suspense when the story could have just continued on. -The characters. For a group of adults, they sure acted like a bunch of adolescents. -Hand never got to the nitty gritty about WHY the house is haunted which is, dare I say, essential for a haunted house story. -The whole “actors gather in a house to rehearse a play� thing was a miss for me. It just wasn’t very interesting.
� Nods to the OG: -Set in the town of Hillsdale. -Brief mention of how Eleanor died (though it didn’t mention her by name). -I don’t know if it was the author’s intention but one could argue that the LGBT+ MC was inspired by Theodora’s often-speculated sexuality. -Each room had a color (which is easily overlooked in this book if you haven’t read Jackson’s rendition), but Stevie is staying in the “yellow room� which was our good old friend, Dr. Montague’s room. -Melissa, the housekeeper, and her husband do not stay at the house after dark, same as Mrs. and Mr. Dudley from Jackson’s story. -The use of the name Nell in Holly’s first play. -Cold spot in the nursery is the same. (I’m sure that I missed some but these are the ones that stood out to me.)
Overall, this book wasn’t great but it wasn’t terrible, it’s just kind of� there� existing. It was tolerable but nothing to write home about� Ultimately, my love for The Haunting of Hill House overshadowed my enjoyment. 2.5 stars....more
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