After the sudden death of her beloved father, Eliza Caine makes the rash decision to leave her teaching position and become governess to two children at bleak Gaudlin Hall. Filled with horrifying circumstances, peculiar characters, and an enigmatic history, this novel, set in 1867, slowly unravels a tragic tale of love, sacrifice, and the supernatural. Alison Larkin's precise diction brings the genteel narrator to life, though listeners might be frustrated by Eliza's initial reticence to ask questions along with the continually furtive answers that she receives. Though the conduct is in keeping with the time period, modern listeners will have to keep this fact in mind. Many plotlines such as Eliza's budding feelings for the married solicitor are never thoroughly realized, interrupt the action and mood, and feel ancillary at best.
VERDICT This is a supplementary purchase for most libraries, but it will be enjoyed by fans of Charles Dickens, Jane Austen, Henry James, and spooky stories. ["With well-drawn characters and surprising twists, this book will appeal to fans of horror and historical fiction as well as anyone who likes a good ghost story," read the review of the Doubleday hc, LJ 10/1/13.]
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