5 Stars Out Of 5!
“Women have been known to visit Castle Moreau…They do not return.”
“Beauty is found in walls of stone, beauty where love begins.”
“She was going to die. Here in Castle Moreau. And then she, too, would vanish.”
One of these days, I might read a Jaime Jo Wright book that disappoints…but today is not that day. The Vanishing at Castle Moreau is a gothic tale at its best. The atmosphere, the mystery, the creepiness: all done very well with great pacing. This book was part Jane Eyre, part Poe, part Netflix’s version of the Haunting of Hill House, and part A&E’s Hoarders. Strange combination? Yes! But it works.
As always, Wright does a fantastic job of complex characters that are flawed and realistic. And of course, there is her patented time slip of past and present that she weaves together perfectly. And oh yeah, and there is a creepy ghostly woman with a crooked hand wandering around a Midwest Castle 😱! There is some romance but not too much and never cringey. This one has a great mystery aspect that you will only figure out once you reach the final chapters. Very satisfying. Some moments might be a little far fetched, but I still loved every moment of it.
I received this book free from publisher Bethany House and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
