The untimely death of a student at a girls’ boarding school marks the first in a series of escalating supernatural events, and uncovers buried truths of teenage repression, queer desire, and the everyday horror of coming of age.
Contains echoes of Daphne du Maurier's Rebecca in Curran's intimate, first-person, reflective voice for Emily, among other similarities. Tensions rise for the small group of girls in this closed-room thriller, as petty rifts give way to serious terrors, and readers will keep guessing until the final pages. Classic, but still surprising, Curran's first novel will satisfy gothic fans.
Lush and haunting ... Curran delivers a chilling tale of repressed passion, queer awakening, and the corrosive power of silence. It’s an impressive start.
The use of foreshadowing effectively builds tension and dread—but the novel also hits similar beats over and over, which affects the pacing. Regardless, the novel’s true strength is exploring the complex relationships among the girls—both living and dead—and the unknowns of the world. A queer, eerie debut.
