My Five Word TL:DR Review : Gothic setting, dark tricksy fae

The Witchwood Knot is a gothic, light romantasy set in a haunted mansion that is creepier and holds more secrets than you first imagine.

As the story begins we meet Winnie as she arrives at Witchwood Manor.  These early chapters were so good at pulling me in, I felt at times as though I was visiting a Bronte novel.  The approach to the manor, the overall sense of foreboding and then Winnie is met at the door by a butler – but it turns out later the manor doesn’t have a butler.  Anyway, I was hooked from the opening chapters to be honest.

Anyway, Winnie, on the face of it has been employed by the Lady of the Manor to act as Governess to her grandson, in truth she’s actually there to use her wiles and her magic to protect him.  Witchwood Manor is haunted and to be frank, the ghosts are the least of the problem. Although, Winnie is no lover of children and her new charge isn’t exactly enamoured with her and from the outset makes her life difficult.

Witchwood Knot is set in the Victorian period, this lends itself particularly well to a story with fae.  This is a time of great invention and the new and old were clashing and this plays into the central theme of this story.  Here we have a young woman trying to find out why the fae seem to be disappearing, at the same time we have a manor with a past, one that is barely keeping the fae at bay with old magic that is coming to an end.

In terms of the plot.  I don’t really want to overdo the description here.  Suffice to say that the fae are crying out for the hunt.  They take Winnie’s charge and leave a changeling in his place and Winnie is determined to bring him back, with the help of the mysterious butler.

What I really liked about this story is the writing.  In fact I would say that I think this could have done with filling out a little more.  It felt almost too fast paced.  I wanted to take my time a little more and really see things for what they were.  I loved the descriptions, the fairytales and spending time with the characters but I felt like the story was in a rush and I wanted it to hold back a little.

That being said, there’s some fantastic imagination at play here, the dream sequences, the way the house is haunted, and the backstory.

In terms of the characters, well, Winnie can be a bit prickly but her back story makes this understandable.  Over the years, she’s had to build up her own defenses and whether that means telling lies (which come remarkably easy to her) or doing whatever is necessary then she’ll do it.  I liked her though.

Criticisms.  I’m not totally sure I felt the romance but in fairness it’s not the sort of romance that takes over the plot and it certainly isn’t love at first sight so I didn’t have those issues.

Anyway, overall, I had a good time with this.  The writing is brilliant.  I certainly wouldn’t have wanted to sleep in this Manor and push come to shove I’d like Winnie on my side.  Also, I’m definitely on board to read more from this series and by this author.

I received a copy through Netgalley, for which my thanks.  The above is my own opinion.

My rating 4 of 5 stars