E. Edwards

Mostly effective haunted house story

Revisado: 04-28-25

This book has been seriously hyped, and it, somewhat, delivers. It’s interesting to set the haunting in sunny Tuscany. And the initial mystery is suspenseful and intriguing. The unreliable narrator trope is kind of cliche, but the author makes it interesting by framing it in a toxic family dynamic, with the protagonist grappling with the gaslighting and scapegoating of her horrible family as well as a malevolent ghost. I thought the tension in the story slackens quite a bit in the last third of the novel. And the resolution is kind of messy and unsatisfying. Overall, I recommend it. The Audible narrator is very good, and the author’s wonderful descriptions of Italy really bring the setting to life.

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Very Charming Austen-adjacent Novel

Revisado: 01-17-25

If you’ve ever had a soft spot for poor Mary Bennet, or sympathized with her position and plight in the Bennet family, this charming story will delight you! Written in several parts, the novel takes the reader through the familiar events of Pride & Prejudice from Mary’s perspective, and then beyond those events by several years. With a less skilled writer, this could have, at worst, been a silly or tedious disaster. But I’m happy to report that, in my opinion, this is one of the best “tweakings” of Austen’s original novel in a sea of such attempts. Not only is the writing engaging and the characters vivid, but Hadlow is clever enough to subvert some of our perceptions of the characters and circumstances in the original story. The narrator is excellent. Loved it! Highly recommend!

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Excellent!

Revisado: 07-30-23

This was a fascinating story. Excellent research, writing, narration. Really gripping human drama where you get more and more understanding of these people and their experiences. It’s like a fascinating mystery that makes you continue to ponder and change your perspective. I came to feel so much compassion for everyone involved (well, not for the donation company obviously). It made me cry.

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