My Five Word TL:DR Review : Characters, Setting, Story, All Perfect

In a nutshell I loved this. I’ve taken to barely browsing the descriptions of books these days (mainly because I prefer to have as little knowledge as possible of the content before picking it up) so I had little notion of what to expect from this. I did however have high expectations, this being an author I really enjoy and I actually think on this occasion this book exceeded my expectations. I had a great time with this one. 

The story begins as we meet Cordelia. Cordelia is only a young girl (14 years young I think). Her mother is a sorceress who wields her magic in a terrible way, often controlling her daughter in a way that renders her little more than a puppet. Cordelia lives her life in constant fear, trying to predict her mother’s mood and what to say in order to avoid any repercussions.  One day, her mother decides that she needs to marry a wealthy man and with that in mind they leave their cottage and hamlet behind. 

I don’t really want to say too much about the plot. I understand this is inspired by the Brothers Grimm Goose Girl, a fairytale that I’m not familiar with although I have since familiarised myself with the story and can see how the original was used to guide the narrative. 

What I really loved about this. 

After starting the story with an almost traditional fairytale fashion, with mother and daughter living in a small cottage in a tiny hamlet the setting morphs into an almost Regency style story. Don’t get me wrong, this isn’t a comedy of manners with bustling, bonnets and ribbons, but at the same time it draws on the etiquette and expectations of that period, relying very much on manners and genteel behaviour and the willingness to accept things at face value. 

Cordelia and her mother find themselves, through deceit, ensconced in a fine country manor where the Squire quickly becomes besotted with Cordelia’s mother (Evangeline). And Cordelia, terrified of the repercussions is afraid to say anything.

I really loved the setting and period and felt it worked perfectly for this dark tale lending it a gothic feel, especially when we move to the estate of Lord Evermore. 

The writing is really well executed, I was totally immersed in the story and the plight of the characters, to such an extent I was trying to conjure up ways for them to escape their predicament, not very successfully I confess. The pacing is also really well handled. The tension is cranked up with a deft hand and before you know it you’re on the edge of your seat. 

The characters really make this story. Cordelia is the narrator but Hester, the Squire’s sister really steals the show, abetted by her two close friends Imogene and Penelope. Plus I have to applaud our dastardly villain, Evangeline. She is so perfectly horrible. She’s almost like a small child with her petty tantrums, except of course here there are more deadly consequences. 

A dark story with some unsettling themes that are handled with finesse. I was totally enchanted. 

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

My rating 5 of 5 ensorcelled stars.