The Death of Jane Lawrence: A Novel
***AN INSTANT BESTSELLER!***
Best Books of 2021 - NPR
ALA/The Reading List Best Horror 2021 Pick
Longlisted for the Bram Stoker Awards for Superior Achievement in a Novel, 2021
From the Bram Stoker-nominated author of The Luminous Dead comes a gothic fantasy horror--The Death of Jane Lawrence.
"Delicious.... By the time the book reached that point of no return, I was so invested that I would have followed Jane into the very depths of hell." --NPR.org
"Intense and amazing! It's like Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell meets Mexican Gothic meets Crimson Peak." --BookRiot Practical, unassuming Jane Shoringfield has done the calculations, and decided that the most secure path forward is this: a husband, in a marriage of convenience, who will allow her to remain independent and occupied with meaningful work. Her first choice, the dashing but reclusive doctor Augustine Lawrence, agrees to her proposal with only one condition: that she must never visit Lindridge Hall, his crumbling family manor outside of town. Yet on their wedding night, an accident strands her at his door in a pitch-black rainstorm, and she finds him changed. Gone is the bold, courageous surgeon, and in his place is a terrified, paranoid man--one who cannot tell reality from nightmare, and fears Jane is an apparition, come to haunt him. By morning, Augustine is himself again, but Jane knows something is deeply wrong at Lindridge Hall, and with the man she has so hastily bound her safety to. Set in a dark-mirror version of post-war England, Caitlin Starling crafts a new kind of gothic horror from the bones of the beloved canon. This Crimson Peak-inspired story assembles, then upends, every expectation set in place by Shirley Jackson and Rebecca, and will leave readers shaken, desperate to begin again as soon as they are finished.
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Community Reviews
In many ways, this book left much to be desired, but also delivered on some of its promises as well. The title makes us think that we know what we're getting into, but we don't. We are as lost and unsure of what we are doing as the title character at times which is both good and bad.
WOW.
This is my first book by Caitlin Starling and it most certainly will not be my last! To be fully transparent with you, I requested this ARC on NetGalley 100% because I thought the cover art was extremely interesting and piqued my curiosity. The book description cemented that it would be a great choice, based on my tastes.
I intended to just read a couple of chapters the night that I started, but I was instantly hooked by this book. Instantly. I read until my eyes couldn't stay open anymore. I'm someone who typically has 4-5 books going at a time, but the next morning when I woke up - my first thought was of this book. I was completely obsessed. There was a portion in the latter section of the story that was dragged out a touch too long and was a bit boring, but the author really slammed a homerun with what she did following that part.
Enough gushing - let's chat about this book. It is a gothic horror threaded with mystery and anticipation. The creep factor was on point and prevalent throughout - which I loved. I did think early on the author revealed something too early and that it would ruin that whole "I'm a bit hesitant to turn the page for what may happen next, but too addicted not to" feeling - but again, the author was able to regain it in a different fashion that I thoroughly enjoyed.
The story is unique in that a young woman, Jane, proposes to the new town doctor, Augustine. Jane is an orphan whose guardians are moving and Jane does not want to be a burden upon them as her funds are running low. Jane loves her quiet, in the background life and feels this business arrangement in the form of marriage will be the perfect solution.
Ah, but the heart wants what it wants, does it not? The terms of their arrangement are quickly discarded and even though Jane is not supposed to ever visit Augustine at his home, a series of unfortunate events find her there and tangles the couple up in a house that is filled with mystery.....and death.
I loved this story. I love the use of logic and supernatural. The character of Jane was so easy for me to relate to and attach my emotions to. I had heard this book compared to tales by Shirley Jackson, House of Leaves and Rebecca and I can definitely confirm that those are accurate.
I fully intend to read more of Starling's work - it is always a wonderful experience to love a book so much that you also fall in love with the author!
This is my first book by Caitlin Starling and it most certainly will not be my last! To be fully transparent with you, I requested this ARC on NetGalley 100% because I thought the cover art was extremely interesting and piqued my curiosity. The book description cemented that it would be a great choice, based on my tastes.
I intended to just read a couple of chapters the night that I started, but I was instantly hooked by this book. Instantly. I read until my eyes couldn't stay open anymore. I'm someone who typically has 4-5 books going at a time, but the next morning when I woke up - my first thought was of this book. I was completely obsessed. There was a portion in the latter section of the story that was dragged out a touch too long and was a bit boring, but the author really slammed a homerun with what she did following that part.
Enough gushing - let's chat about this book. It is a gothic horror threaded with mystery and anticipation. The creep factor was on point and prevalent throughout - which I loved. I did think early on the author revealed something too early and that it would ruin that whole "I'm a bit hesitant to turn the page for what may happen next, but too addicted not to" feeling - but again, the author was able to regain it in a different fashion that I thoroughly enjoyed.
The story is unique in that a young woman, Jane, proposes to the new town doctor, Augustine. Jane is an orphan whose guardians are moving and Jane does not want to be a burden upon them as her funds are running low. Jane loves her quiet, in the background life and feels this business arrangement in the form of marriage will be the perfect solution.
Ah, but the heart wants what it wants, does it not? The terms of their arrangement are quickly discarded and even though Jane is not supposed to ever visit Augustine at his home, a series of unfortunate events find her there and tangles the couple up in a house that is filled with mystery.....and death.
I loved this story. I love the use of logic and supernatural. The character of Jane was so easy for me to relate to and attach my emotions to. I had heard this book compared to tales by Shirley Jackson, House of Leaves and Rebecca and I can definitely confirm that those are accurate.
I fully intend to read more of Starling's work - it is always a wonderful experience to love a book so much that you also fall in love with the author!
*2.5*
I really enjoyed the first third of this book, like the relationship between Jane and Augustine and the atmosphere. After that, the magic just became really hard to understand and some of the things that Jane did where quite confusing.
I thought the husband would be hiding his true identity or become a monster or something like that but instead there was just random magic and i didn’t get the point of it.
I really enjoyed the first third of this book, like the relationship between Jane and Augustine and the atmosphere. After that, the magic just became really hard to understand and some of the things that Jane did where quite confusing.
I thought the husband would be hiding his true identity or become a monster or something like that but instead there was just random magic and i didn’t get the point of it.
This book stated slow and then at the halfway point I devoured it, skipping words in my haste to know what was going to happen. Really cool gothic novel.
3.5 stars.
This was…interesting. I enjoyed the atmosphere of the story and the magic element. I feel like this is the type of book that’s gonna stick with me for a while, as I’m still thinking about it. I didn’t like how the marriage agreement happened..that was kind of weird. But overall I enjoyed the uniqueness of this one! I didn’t have a specific favorite character because I think they were all necessary for the story.
This was…interesting. I enjoyed the atmosphere of the story and the magic element. I feel like this is the type of book that’s gonna stick with me for a while, as I’m still thinking about it. I didn’t like how the marriage agreement happened..that was kind of weird. But overall I enjoyed the uniqueness of this one! I didn’t have a specific favorite character because I think they were all necessary for the story.
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