Book: My
Darling Dreadful Thing
Author: Johanna
Van Veen
Pages: 384
Date(s)
Read: November 6th, 2024 to November 19th, 2024
Date
Published: May 14th, 2024
Rating: 5/5
Favorite
Quotes:
“The
seances were shameful because we abused the suffering of others for our own
gain.”
Review:
My Darling
Dreadful Thing is both romantic and horrific. It is the epitome of Gothic
horror. I found this unique and atmospheric gothic love story hard to put down.
I found myself reading it during work hours, I was so enthralled.
In this
peculiar and aberrant romance we follow Roos, a mistreated young woman forced
to help her mother swindle the innocent and grieving in her sordid seances.
Roos is starved for both food and love by her mother and turns to her spirit
companion Ruth for intimacy. That is, until she meets the beautiful and
generous Agnes who has more in common with Roos than she realizes.
I found
this novel to be completely engrossing. It deals with many deep and dark themes
such as racism, toxic relationships, oppression, and childhood trauma.
Characters are all unique, varied, whole people that you really get a feel for.
Interspersed throughout the novel are present day patient/doctor interviews
that help move the story and mystery along creating a novel that is well paced
and constantly moving. There's never a moment that lulls or overstays it's
welcome.
This
sapphic affaire is both deep and moving as well as atmospheric, dark, and
eerie. It is not to be missed whether you're looking for an emotional love
story or a somber tale of ghosts and spirits.
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