Helpful Score: 1
This was an entertaining tale of the typical British country manor house, complete with busybody servants and their oblivious employers.
This book reminded me of Kazuo Ishiguro's "The Remains of the Day" for its insights into the life of the servants and Kate Morton's "The House at Riverton" for its brooding family secrets.
This is also a rather close and claustrophobic book. Brightwell does a superb job of drawing you into the life of the home, of introducing characters that are as complex as they are questionable, and pulling off an ending that is both surprising and satisfying.
This was a grittier take on what is often a very romanticized subject, and it managed to strike the difficult balance of being dark without being overbearing. In all I found it to be an engaging read with enough twists and surprises to keep me interested and guessing until the very end. For anyone who enjoys a good social commentary / mini-mystery from this particular period in history, then this book is definitely well worth your time.
This book reminded me of Kazuo Ishiguro's "The Remains of the Day" for its insights into the life of the servants and Kate Morton's "The House at Riverton" for its brooding family secrets.
This is also a rather close and claustrophobic book. Brightwell does a superb job of drawing you into the life of the home, of introducing characters that are as complex as they are questionable, and pulling off an ending that is both surprising and satisfying.
This was a grittier take on what is often a very romanticized subject, and it managed to strike the difficult balance of being dark without being overbearing. In all I found it to be an engaging read with enough twists and surprises to keep me interested and guessing until the very end. For anyone who enjoys a good social commentary / mini-mystery from this particular period in history, then this book is definitely well worth your time.
Helpful Score: 1
I grabbed the book randomly off the shelf, as I was drawn in by the cover and title. Not always the best way to choose a book, but I'm glad I did.
What a neat counterpart to the romance novels of the era. This book takes you through the dark, claustrophic world of servitude and attempting to better one's situation through whatever means it takes.
I liked how I was tossed between characters and plot-lines, it really kept the story moving. It's a very secretive novel and rather like the title suggests, the author wields her dark lantern with skill and verve. The ending is satisfying if not completely illuminating - and this, I think, is a big part of the book's draw.
What a neat counterpart to the romance novels of the era. This book takes you through the dark, claustrophic world of servitude and attempting to better one's situation through whatever means it takes.
I liked how I was tossed between characters and plot-lines, it really kept the story moving. It's a very secretive novel and rather like the title suggests, the author wields her dark lantern with skill and verve. The ending is satisfying if not completely illuminating - and this, I think, is a big part of the book's draw.
