Fully immersive, eerie, and haunting.  

 

Sometimes I need to escape.  Life and its stresses can become a burden.  And in those times, I long for a whole new world… One filled with clearly defined lines of right and wrong.  One filled with magic.  One that takes me on an adventure.  And I can always count on Schwab to take me there.

 

A mute orphan.  Most people overlook her, expecting very little from her.  She clings to her lost mother’s journal and the hope of one day finding a home.  Just as she’s about to age out of the orphanage that’s raised her, a mysterious letter arrives beckoning her to an uncle and a house filled with otherworldly secrets.

 

At its core, this is a novel about a girl fighting darkness and yearning for a place to belong.  Her journey to found family is full of impossible decisions steeped in years of longing.  As she fought to understand who she was and how to protect the good around her, I was at her side championing her each step.   

 

Schwab’s world building and atmosphere setting are second to none.  I was fully absorbed into her imagining of this enchanted manor and its mirror image.  The lush and descriptive writing gave me a vividly detailed picture of this mind bending world with strong gothic vibes.  The prose is beautiful and the storytelling meticulous.  Everything I’ve come to expect of Schwab.  

 

My one wish is that the ending hadn’t felt so rushed.  After investing so deeply in Olivia’s story, I was left wanting in the end.  This book felt like the start to a great series, one that would satisfy that wanting in the next installment.  Sadly, Schwab intends for this to be a singular storyline.  Maybe we can convince her otherwise? 

 

Even with that, this is a heroine who deserves to shine, and the themes of found family and belonging resonated strongly.