Top positive review
5.0 out of 5 starsThe perfect escape from the mundane
Reviewed in the United States on April 15, 2014
Rich with an atmosphere of ominous portents and suspense, this novel will satiate the most ardent reader of darkly classic literature. With a credible heroine at the helm, this Gothic tale intertwines the creepy locale, the mystery, the supernatural, love, and enough secondary characters with ulterior motives that keep the reader engaged throughout many sleepless nights.
In what is fast becoming her trademark skill at penning a traditional Gothic story, Amanda DeWees demonstrates in her second book that her particular talent lies in creating a scene that seductively draws the reader in and not letting you go. That being said, this book is not without problems, specifically that it begins with a prologue which many believe slams a story to a halt before it gets off the ground. Sadly, the prologue and the dialogue in it was a major stumbling block for me. With all due respect, the book does not truly begin until Chapter 3 when the author finally settles in to begin her mastery of English prose that we first heard and devoured in her earlier book, Sea of Secrets. At this stage the reader is rewarded for their patience and it is all but impossible to set the book aside. With every page the intrigue mounts, the story unfolds slowly, mesmerizingly, revealing secrets one morsel at a time until the book's surprising conclusion. Amanda DeWees is an immensely talented author on the rise and I, for one, am anxiously await her next work of fiction.
