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The Death of Jane Lawrence

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The Death of Jane Lawrence is a gothic horror novel by Caitlin Starling that follows the story of Jane, a young woman who proposes a marriage of convenience to Dr. Augustine Lawrence. Initially, their agreement seems straightforward - Jane will help the doctor with his books while he keeps his secrets about his family manor, Lindridge Hall. However, as Jane starts unraveling the mysteries surrounding Augustine and the manor, she discovers dark secrets and supernatural elements that challenge her perception of reality. The plot is filled with twists, eerie settings, and a mix of blood, ghosts, and dark magic, creating a haunting and chilling atmosphere that keeps readers on edge.

The writing style of The Death of Jane Lawrence is described as atmospheric, creepy, and vivid, capturing the increasing paranoia and gory scenes with skill. The characters, particularly Jane and Augustine, are complex and not always likable, adding depth to the narrative. The author weaves a tale of madness, loss, grief, and black magic that pushes the boundaries of traditional gothic horror, keeping readers engaged with its mysterious and suspenseful plot.

Characters:

The characters are marked by complexity and growth, particularly Jane, who shifts from independence to a more passive struggle against the supernatural.

Writing/Prose:

The style is characterized by atmospheric and vivid prose that immerses readers in a gothic and unsettling atmosphere.

Plot/Storyline:

The narrative presents a marriage of convenience that spirals into a realm of supernatural intrigue and unsettling revelations, especially surrounding the mysterious family manor.

Setting:

The gothic setting is crucial, providing an eerie backdrop that amplifies the story's tension and supernatural presence.

Pacing:

The pacing varies significantly, beginning with engagement but slowing down substantially in the latter parts, leading to a less coherent progression.
He was frozen in the doorway to her guardian’s study, and she was similarly still just behind the desk. Even from here, she could see that she had several inches on him in height, that his dark hair w...

Notes:

The story is set in a fictional version of England with a mix of historical and magical elements.
Jane Shoringfield, the protagonist, uses math and statistics to find a husband.
She proposes a marriage of convenience to a doctor named Augustine Lawrence.
Augustine has a haunted family mansion called Lindridge Hall, which Jane is forbidden to enter.
A storm forces Jane to spend her wedding night at Lindridge Hall, where she discovers Augustine's erratic behavior.
The book combines gothic romance with horror and elements of supernatural.
There is a gruesome surgical scene early in the book involving a sorcerer.
The narrative explores themes of magic, obsession, and the consequences of black magic.
The second half of the book's plot becomes chaotic and less coherent, shifting focus to Jane's attempts to blend math and magic.
Lindridge Hall is depicted as a character itself, with locked doors and shadows hiding its secrets.
The book has drawn comparisons to gothic classics like 'Crimson Peak' and 'Rebecca'.
Readers have mixed feelings about the book, with some loving its originality while others find it confusing or tedious.

Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings

Content warnings include graphic surgical gore, themes of madness, trauma, and supernatural elements that might disturb some readers.

Has Romance?

While the romance plays a significant role, it does not dominate the story, allowing for other themes to flourish.

From The Publisher:

***AN INSTANT BESTSELLER!***

Best Books of 2021 · NPR

From the Bram Stoker-nominated author of The Luminous Dead comes a gothic fantasy horror-The Death of Jane Lawrence.

"A delicious Gothic romance.... 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.

"Don't read this one alone at night; Caitlin Starling has done it again. Unsettling, atmospheric, and downright brutal at times, The Death of Jane Lawrence will continue to haunt you long after you leave Lindridge Hall…if the house lets you leave, that is." -Genevieve Gornichec, author of The Witch's Heart

Ratings (14)

Incredible (4)
Loved It (7)
Liked It (2)
Did Not Like (1)

Reader Stats (47):

Read It (15)
Want To Read (26)
Not Interested (6)

1 comment(s)

Loved It
6 months

I received an advance copy of this book for free from Netgalley.

Actual rating: 4.5 stars.

This was, overall, just

fantastic. It was everything I had wanted and expected from a gothic romance/haunted house horror story, while still being innovative and surprising. The cast was fascinating: Jane in particular felt fully realized and sympathetic as a character, and the psychological elements of this novel were believable and captivating. I also love what Starling did with the overall theme (

of shame

), and her creative melding of mathematics and magic. To top it off, it was beautifully written and absolutely horrifying.

I knocked off a half star because it got off to a

rough start. In the opening chapters, the writing style seemed a bit amateur, and worse, major plot points seemed unnecessarily contrived: specifically, I didn't really buy the reasoning behind Jane's very rushed engagement, her immediate participation in Augustine's surgery, and especially the events that led to her 1) arriving at Lindridge Hall, and then 2) staying there past the first night. These decisions did not make sense to me outside of needing to happen for plot purposes, and also seemed like they could have easily been replaced with other explanations/events that would have been more believable and made more sense given the characters' personalities.

However, once Jane finally arrives at Lindridge Hall, Starling really hits her stride. From then out, the novel is tense and terrifying and full of twists and turns that I could have never predicted (that ending…).

I can't wait to see what Starling does next!

 
 
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