My Five Word TL:DR Review: Absolutely, Without Doubt, My Favourite

Oh my giddy aunt I loved this book. Saying this is my favourite book by this author to date is a big statement because I’m loving her books but this was brilliant. Now, having said that I feel I must point out that this doesn’t fall into her romance bracket. This is gothic horror and it will certainly make you squirm. I’m not really a horror fan and combined with insects I tend to choose those sort of stories very carefully, fortunately, I didn’t read the description for this one but simply picked it up on the strength of the author’s previous books and I’m so glad I did. I would have been gutted to have missed this (well, strictly speaking I wouldn’t know that I was missing such a gem but even so).

Following the death of her father Sonia Wilson’s hopes and dreams are shattered. She eventually, having sold everything she can, takes up a job in a school until she’s offered an illustrating position with Dr Halder, painting insects to sit alongside his findings in a book that he hopes will be his scientific tour de force. Sonia takes the position and travels to North Carolina with everything that she owns in a little suitcase and the last of her money in her pocket. She eventually arrives at the Dr’s estate and this is when the story really takes shape.

What did I love about this – everything to be honest – but let’s break it down.

First and foremost the writing. This is a historical style novel. Set in 1899 with the usual social restrictions that this holds. The story is so good to read. I really enjoyed the set up and the gradual increase in tension but the writing is just perfect. This doesn’t have the over stuffiness of certain period pieces but at the same time it doesn’t have Sonia talking in a modern way. It’s a perfect blend of easy, enjoyable and on point.

We have this gothic setting. The house is set deep in the middle of the forest (completely understandable given the Dr’s area of expertise – so many insects set in the murky depths). A rambling mansion with most of the rooms shut up, their furniture wrapped in dust sheets. There are few inhabitants. The housekeeper and her handyman husband plus one maid. Obviously the doctor and one other man who helps with his experiments, an unsettling character called Phelps. The place is rambling and creepy. Sonia is given a beautiful studio bedroom with plenty of natural light to aid in her illustrating – but the room looks as though someone has just stepped out for a moment. Clothes and possessions lying abandoned. It’s very puzzling and Sonia is nothing if not curious.

The MC Sonia is such a fantastic character. She loves her painting but, and good for her, she prefers to illustrate plants and flowers rather than grubs and caterpillars – but insects is the job and it is what it is. I loved her inner thoughts and in fact her sense of humour makes this story much more palatable than it otherwise would have been. There are definite situations here that are gruesome and although she wants to fall to pieces she constantly gives herself a ticking off and manages to keep things together. This is definitely one of Kingfisher’s major strengths. She writes normal people. Sonia isn’t beautiful. She isn’t extraordinary in some fantastic way, even her illustrations are not always stand out although she is clearly talented she’s someone you can relate to. It’s an extraordinary gift to be able to create people who feel real and relatable and Kingfisher has nailed it. The other characters are also really well drawn, it’s a great balance when you can hold back just enough to prevent your characters from becoming machiavellian or overblown but enough that they support the plot so well.

The story itself is really intriguing. It builds up gradually with Sonia squeezing out little tidbits of information from a supporting cast that are reluctant to share. She starts to form huge doubts about what’s really going on but the analytical side of her and her upbringing give her something of an ability to look at things more calmly and without hysteria. That being said, she also has her moments where she wants to run away screaming or do that freaky dance that you do when an insect lands in your hair! And, believe me when I say that this really strays into the area of horror. This is not cosy. There is no romance but there is without doubt moments of squeam inducing ick. And then there’s the twist – there are breadcrumbs in the story but I really hadn’t followed them and was blindsided in such a startlingly good way.

I’ll stop here. That’s quite enough gushing for one day. This is a perfect blend of wonderful storytelling, fantastic goings on and a great MC who you can really enjoy reading about.

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 darkly gothic stars