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An atmospheric, haunting, romantasy inspired by Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility, set in a Regency England about two sisters fighting to hold on to their manor while deadly monsters prowl along its perimeters—perfect for fans of House of Salt and Sorrows and Anatomy: A Love Story. Merrick Darling’s life as daughter of the Manor Lord of Sussex is better than most. Unlike the commoners, she is immune to the toxic fog that encroached on England generations earlier. She will never become a Phantom—one of the monstrous creatures that stalk her province’s borders—and as long as the fires burn to hold them back, her safety is ensured. She wants for nothing, yet she will never inherit her family’s Manor. She must marry smartly or live at the kindness of her elder sister, Essie. Everything is turned on its head, though, when Merrick’s father dies suddenly. Torn from her New London society life of ball gowns and parties, Merrick must travel back to her childhood home, the Darling estate of Norland House, and what she finds there is bewildering. Once strong and capable, Essie is withdrawn and frightened—and with good cause. A recent string of attacks along the province’s borders has turned their formerly bucolic countryside into a terrifying and unpredictable landscape. The fog is closing in and the fires aren’t holding, which makes Merrick and Essie vulnerable in more ways than one. Because the Phantoms are far from the only monsters in Merrick’s world, and the other eleven Manor Lords are always watching for weakness. Revealing her and her sister’s current state to the rest of the Manors is out of the question, but when Essie goes missing, it’s clear that Merrick needs help. Only, who can she trust when everyone seems to be scheming, and when all she holds true feels like it’s slipping right out of her grasp?
The first thing that stood out to me about *The Monstrous Kind* was how slow and wordy it was. The first 30% felt like pure information dumping, and I kept waiting—hoping—for the pace to pick up. This is my first time reading a Regency-era novel with real substance, so I’m not sure if that kind of slow buildup is typical, but it made the reading experience feel like a slog. The story hinges on miscommunication between the sisters and repeated attacks by the Phantom, but neither element felt engaging enough to hold my attention. I found myself wanting it to be over. The only reason I didn’t DNF it was because it's an ARC, but I seriously considered it. As I kept reading, it became clear that one of the main issues was the protagonist, Merrick. She’s clearly privileged, yet spends most of the book complaining about her situation without making any real effort to change it. Everyone has their struggles—hers didn’t feel compelling enough to warrant the constant self-pity. Her character came across as one-dimensional, and she consistently blamed her problems on others, particularly her sister Essie and their father. Overall, this book didn’t work for me. The premise had potential, but the execution fell flat.
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The first thing that stood out to me about *The Monstrous Kind* was how slow and wordy it was. The first 30% felt like pure information dumping, and I kept waiting—hoping—for the pace to pick up. This is my first time reading a Regency-era novel with real substance, so I’m not sure if that kind of slow buildup is typical, but it made the reading experience feel like a slog. The story hinges on miscommunication between the sisters and repeated attacks by the Phantom, but neither element felt engaging enough to hold my attention. I found myself wanting it to be over. The only reason I didn’t DNF it was because it's an ARC, but I seriously considered it. As I kept reading, it became clear that one of the main issues was the protagonist, Merrick. She’s clearly privileged, yet spends most of the book complaining about her situation without making any real effort to change it. Everyone has their struggles—hers didn’t feel compelling enough to warrant the constant self-pity. Her character came across as one-dimensional, and she consistently blamed her problems on others, particularly her sister Essie and their father. Overall, this book didn’t work for me. The premise had potential, but the execution fell flat.
This book had everything I love:
Mystery and Suspense
Unexpected Plot Twists
The best male love interest
And like court stuff
This book was great once I got into it, it just took a little bit for my interest to fully be there. This is a really well done debut novel, and the world building is *chefs kiss*. As a person who has a hard time visualizing things in my brain, I need strong imagery, and this book has it.
There better be a second one coming!!
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to read this ARC for my honest review.