A story that centres women, their relationships, their love whether platonic, familial, or romantic. Their strife, challenges, the struggles they face which are as relevant now as they were when this was set. Lauren Groff is an excellent writer, she writes poems in this book between all the darkness and horrors that happen within the story. Her characters are all visceral, purposeful, strong and flawed and they jump right out of the page. An excellent book, highly recommend for anyone who enjoys literary fiction works.

Saccharine, centrist bullshit. Exactly what I expect from Elif Shafak. The only parts I enjoyed where those from the perspective of the tree, which speaks volumes on my experience with this.

Charles Dickens has the ability of putting together some of the most beautiful sentences that I have ever read. I felt like the book meandered a bit towards the middle, but the ending was beautiful. It brought me to tears even though I saw it coming, that last page is one that I will read again and again for the rest of my life.

“Repression is the only lasting philosophy. The dark deference of fear and slavery, my friend will keep the dogs obedient to the whip as long as this roof shuts out the sky.”

“I wish you to know that you have been the last dream of my soul.”

“It is a far, far better thing that I do, than I have ever done; it is a far, far better rest that I go to then I have ever known.”

Shirley Jackson is an expert at crafting a perfectly gothic atmosphere. In both Hill House and this, the house and the land feel like real characters through the narrator’s description.

This little book sucked me in pretty quickly. The strength of this book is definitely the characters and the setting. The mystery behind the Blackwood family, their deaths, and the strained relationship between them and the villagers. Jackson was able to bring the Blackwood family to life (no pun intended) through her vivid descriptions, a feat that some authors fail to do over a series of novels not 150 pages. Merricat is such an exceptionally crafted character with a very unique voice. Everything she did and said I can perfectly conjure up in my mind.

However, despite its many strengths, I wish we would’ve explored the mystery aspects of this book more. I suppose, it was so engrossing that I just wanted more of the mystery and more of the Blackwoods. But Jackson definitely knows what she’s doing by keeping this short and sweet.

Re-read this for Autumn, can’t believe I gave it 2.5 stars the first time I read it!