The book drips with scenes of gothic horror and quiet menace. There are moments that are truly creepy and intense, heightened by the ambiguity of the two sides to the story ... The language used is beautiful throughout. The different voices of the two women draw you deeply into both their worlds and the shifts in the prose depict the changes in their thoughts and behaviour patterns, as their stories shift and change ... combines class envy with sexual repression and social history. Purcell writes beautifully, drawing the reader into the dark, gothic landscape of Victorian England. A highly recommended read.
There are violent turns of plot in this semi-gothic novel, and less exotic emotional crises too, as Dorothea—caught between the titled suitor her father wants her to marry and the penurious policeman she much prefers—begins to scrutinize her own life, and her own mother’s early death, in keener fashion ... [a] well-wrought chiller.
... a compelling slice of early Victorian gothic ... Vivid and well researched, this book is an evocative portrait of a society that punishes women who dare to contravene social norms – Ruth’s mother has suffered appallingly as a consequence of marrying against her family’s wishes – as well as a splendid mystery with suitably melodramatic flourishes.
... unsparingly gothic ...Nathalie Boscombe, already versed in horror readings, imaginatively varies her voice, enunciating Dorothea’s puzzled naiveties in crisp, stilted accents, then presenting Ruth, the more sympathetic character, in a warmer way, usually humble, at times heart-rendingly angry.
It’s perhaps not surprising that Dorothea’s narrative is somewhat less engrossing than Ruth’s ... That said, the parallels the author draws between the women in relation to how little control either has over their lives is relevant and nicely done, showing clearly that gender was a great leveller, still the biggest obstacle to a woman having choices, no matter her social or financial status ... beautifully written, and her research has clearly been impeccable. The descriptions of what Ruth goes through – the poverty, the despair, the cruelty – have a visceral impact and make Ruth an easy figure to sympathise with, but they were also a little too gory at times for my taste, and there were elements of unnecessary repetition that didn’t enhance or further the story ... earns a solid recommendation courtesy of its superb writing, strong characterisation and intriguing storylines. The novel’s flaws don’t outweigh its strengths by any means, and anyone looking for a gritty, well-written and well-researched gothic mystery could do worse than give it a try.
Purcell alternates character narratives to question motives, reality, and truth on a 'bumpy' ride full of violence and death. Both girls hang by a thread but neither can control the outcome.
Purcell cleverly plays two unreliable narrators off each other here. Ruth is more compellingly drawn, but Dorothea’s obsession with head bumps is downright creepy. Who is the dotty one? Unfortunately, the supporting characters are not as fully fleshed out, primarily serving as plot devices in the novel’s sudden and rather clunky climax ... Purcell’s slightly flawed novel expertly threads splashes of Grand Guignol violence with dark gothic atmosphere to make for a chilling and engrossing read.
The novel’s suspenseful plot is a fittingly knotty one, even if the final strand is a bit too hastily tied off. But what elevates Purcell’s novel is its inflection with issues of class, race, gender, and educational inequities, upon which much of the novel’s dramatic irony relies. This smart and sophisticated historical thriller will appeal to fans of Sarah Waters’s Fingersmith and Margaret Atwood’s Alias Grace.
