The Death of Jane Lawrence by Caitlin Starling
Length: 368 Pages
Genres: Horror and Fantasy
Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars
Trigger Warnings in this book for Blood, Gore, Body Horror, Miscarriage, and Death
"A magician gets what she asks for, whether she meant to ask for it or not."
My little Gothic loving heart has been eagerly awaiting the publication of The Death of Jane Lawrence! I've always loved the genre, whether it be in film or on paper, and after working on my own Gothic story that love has only bloomed bigger, so it is with much joy in my heart that I can say: Reader, I adored it.
I hadn't looked into the plot very much, as I wanted to go in knowing as little as possible, so I was really surprised (pleasantly, so) to discover it's set in a fantasy alt-England called Great Breltain, where religion is something of the past and the superstitious after a war with Ruzka (a stand-in for Russia), and magic is possible, but often with great cost.
Jane Shoringfield is a woman with a love and understanding of the mathematics that reflects the way she lives her life: practically, and with each decision carefully researched. Orphaned during the war, she has lived with her guardians ever since, but now they wish to return to the very place her parents died. And Jane can't stomach it. So, with a discerning eye, she compiles a list of bachelors within Larrenton, and sets her sight on Dr. Augustine Lawrence. She makes him a proposition, where they will marry, live together, but be more like business partners than husband and wife.
Augustine agrees under one condition -- he must always spend the night at his ancestral home, Lindridge Hall, and she must never come there.
It seems an easy compromise, only Jane never expected to be attracted to him, let alone grow to love him and learn to be loved instead. Soon, she learns that Augustine is inexplicably tethered to Lindridge Hall, and is haunted by his failings...and perhaps something more.
Full of magic and spooks, a crumbling estate filled with things that go bump in the night, and a strong and smart heroine, The Death of Jane Lawrence is a must-read for this Halloween season. If that doesn't convince you maybe this will: It's Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell, where magic not only changes our reality but sometimes our bodies in horrifying ways, meets Crimson Peak. What are you waiting for?
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