Publication Date: 15th Nov 2022
Genre: Historical Gothic Fiction, Sapphic Romance, Mystery
4 Stars
One Liner: An entertaining and steady-paced novel
1863, Victorian England
Susan Mottram has a happy life with her parents and sister, Florence, until the untimely death of her father (a kind vicar) leaves them in deep debt. Desperate to keep her family afloat, she accepts the job of a teacher at Matterdale Hall. Susan soon learns that all is not well and things aren’t what they seem. Her life begins to change when she meets the mysterious Cassandra, but Susan has to first uncover the secrets around her before thinking about herself.
The story comes in the limited third-person POV of Susan (with a couple of chapters from Cassandra’s viewpoint).
My Thoughts:
Gothic novels in historical settings have their own charm. This one pretty much hits the mark and reminded me of Jane Eyre at times. Secrets, rude employers, noises at night, excess chill, locked doors, etc., are nicely woven into the plot. It is not spooky but is atmospheric enough to keep the readers engaged.
LGBT (lesbian), disability (deafness) rep, and mixed-race are wonderfully presented. In fact, the themes are integral to the main plot. The book also deals with mental issues and society’s reactions towards people they perceive as ‘different’. To include these elements in historical fiction and balance them isn’t easy, but the book does it effortlessly.
Most characters are defined and established early on. Though they seem to have a façade, this is also evident to the readers. In a way, it works to maintain the classic style where everyone except the heroine seems to be what’s good and what’s not.
Susan’s character is well-etched. She is too good, too compassionate, and a little too ready to jump and support people she likes. There are times when I wanted to knock sense into her (though I know her actions are exactly how they should be for a well-loved and protected vicar’s daughter).
Cassandra, Mary, and Isabel stand out for being who they are. In a way, Anne’s presence also aligns with her characterization.
There were a little too many references to Susan’s height or the lack of it. I didn’t particularly like it, being short myself.
The last part of the novel has quite a lot of action, which ends in a detailed epilogue. Of course, we have HEA, but it is still realistic enough to suit the period.
The romance is also old-school type, so it is quite clean and sweet. There are some dramatic scenes and reactions. But these are limited to keep the story moving.
The mystery wasn’t much to worry about (I figured it out soon enough) as it gets prominence only towards the end. However, it serves its purpose well, so no complaints.
I read the Prequel (free for author’s newsletter subscribers) after finishing the book and found it decent. It does provide a glimpse into the vicar’s character, though the book works very well even if you don’t read it.
To summarize, The Secret of Matterdale Hall is an entertaining historical with a good atmosphere and well-crafted characters (flawed as humans). This easily graces the list of well-written #ownvoices #indie books.
My thanks to author Marianne Ratcliffe for providing me with an eRC upon my request. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
No comments:
Post a Comment