Book Review: Mist in the Willows by Lucy Linne
Genre: Paranormal Gothic
Age: Adult
Format: ebook
It seems others have enjoyed this book, so perhaps this novel was just not for me. Described as a “chilling and cozy gothic novel about loss, cupcakes, annoying family, mysterious steampunk strangers, and the ways in which violence may haunt us” I didn’t find this book particularly chilling or cozy. The family was certainly annoying though. The only character I actually liked was the wild-child sister Leela who, despite her genuine and best efforts, was constantly mistreated by her sister. This did not endear me to the protagonist at all.
While the beginning pulled me in with its atmospheric writing and intriguing main character, my interest dwindled as the plot seemed to stagger and meander in circles instead of striding ahead. The slow pacing, repetitive narrative, and switches in POV, especially when scenes from Jade's perspective shifted between first and third person, made this a difficult read for me. I did end up skimming pages, especially in the middle where scenes seemed to drag.
While the story itself was fine, I didn’t love the depiction of the 'religious extremists' in the 'desert' (the exact location or nature of the combat is never stated), which seemed to rely on stereotypes and generalizations rather than provide any nuanced insight into the complexities of a real combat zone. With the main character being a veteran with PTSD, this was a bit disappointing and seemed like a missed opportunity. The description of fondant fancies at a military dinner were given more page time and greater scrutiny than the nature of the conflict our protagonist had apparently served in. Even the reason for Jade’s trauma felt problematic. I was hoping for some more interrogation of attitudes and perceptions with greater sensitivity to the imbalances of power, but this was not to be.
Jade's family was also insufferable, with the misogyny and ageism making some scenes genuinely unpleasant and frustrating to read. Jade’s treatment of her little sister was particularly awful and only made me dislike Jade. Jade often came across as rather self-righteous and judgmental, especially on topics related to exercise and diet, which I imagine readers more sensitive to body-shaming might find difficult to read, if not triggering.
The supernatural elements were probably the best part of this book, but it took a long time to get to them and even longer to understand what was going on. Some of the more exciting action scenes involving paranormal entities quickly became tiresome as they dragged on for pages and pages. I didn't care for the dynamic between Theodora and Jeronymo either, and found much of their awkward and expository dialogue tedious to read.
Your mileage may vary, but I'm sad to say I didn't enjoy this book won’t be continuing with the sequel. I know the copy I read was an ARC and the final edition has likely seen many corrections, so perhaps the spelling and grammar mistakes and instances of tautology have been addressed.
Review By Xan van Rooyen
ARC generously provided by the author in exchange for an honest review
