Pages: 403
Published: 30th August 2022
Genre: Mystery/Gothic Fantasy
Content warnings: Injury detail, sexual references
Orphaned as a baby, nineteen-year-old Signa has been raised by a string of guardians, each more interested in her wealth than her wellbeing – and each has met an untimely end. Her remaining relatives are the elusive Hawthornes, an eccentric family living at Thorn Grove, an estate both glittering and gloomy.
Its patriarch mourns his late wife through wild parties, while his son grapples for control of the family’s waning reputation and his daughter suffers from a mysterious illness. But when their mother’s restless spirit appears claiming she was poisoned, Signa realizes that the family she depends on could be in grave danger, and enlists the help of a surly stable boy to hunt down the killer.
Signa’s best chance of uncovering the murderer, though, is an alliance with Death himself, a fascinating, dangerous shadow who has never been far from her side. Though he’s made her life a living hell, Death shows Signa that their growing connection may be more powerful – and more irresistible – than she ever dared imagine.
This is a book that fully embraces you in its shamelessly Gothic world with a story that brings together the living and the dead, along with the beings that lurk on the edges of reality itself. Gorgeously written with mounting tension and vibes aplenty, fans of haunting mysteries and ghostly romances alike will discover a great deal to enjoy here.
The most outstanding aspect of the premise is the innovative take on life, death, and those who control it. There are countless good ideas that add to the paranormal feel of the plot with Death himself featuring as a prominent character and the opportunity to discover the powers that reapers possess, while strong moral themes are also explored through the choices that the protagonist makes.
Following an explosive prologue we are introduced to Signa Farrow, a mysterious and compelling character who has never found a sense of belonging in the world and bad things seem to happen in her presence. She also has the curious ability to communicate with Death, and their uneasy, sometimes light-hearted relationship develops considerably over the piece into something much more.
As this unusual dynamic becomes established, the early chapters are laced with intrigue but things really start to move forward once Signa comes to stay with her relatives at Thorn Grove and uncovers the awful events that have befallen the Hawthornes. From here it becomes an intense murder mystery with a nice little twist as Signa joins forces with Death and the disarmingly charismatic stable boy Sylas Thorly to investigate.
The plot does keep you guessing as several of the family members to whom Signa grows close are also among the list of suspects. There are secrets and illicit schemes to be found in this rich yet dysfunctional household, which leads to some revelations later on. The clues to these are well hidden, and the quality and allure of the writing ensure that there is never a dull moment on the way to finding out the truth.
However, not all of it is devoted to the mystery. The romantic tension that begins very tentatively turns into something quite substantial as the story builds towards its climax. It arguably goes a little further than one might expect and though powerfully realised, does perhaps get in the way of the rest of the story at times. Some readers will love this element, but it will split opinion and a few of the decisions Signa makes in becoming involved with Death are somewhat questionable.
The feeling of urgency increases massively towards the end as Signa’s powers become as much as a burden as a blessing, secrets are spilled, and the lives of multiple characters come under threat to create a race against time. It is a thrilling ride where you are never sure what will happen next, but ultimately there were some issues with the ending as the villain was not given a clear enough motive, and some of the explanations given for the resolution were fairly weak.
Signa is a highly engaging character. As previously stated there is something unnatural about her right from the beginning and she appears surrounded by darkness, but you soon understand that she is really likeable and well-meaning. There are moments of naivety there and she can be merciless when faced with certain situations, but she is to all intents and purposes a good person.
A lot of the other characters are enigmatic, none more so than Sylas, whose role in the story is predictable in some ways yet also kind of well hidden. Meanwhile, it is clear as day that Marjorie is hiding something, Byron comes across as shifty, and Percy finds himself caught in the middle of his family’s internal politics. It is great fun to follow Signa as she goes about unearthing everything.
Elijah comes across as slightly wayward at first, but his behaviour is brought about through grief and as you get to know him, it is refreshing to see how honest and caring a father he is. As for Blythe, she spends much of this book unwell and with her life hanging in the balance, although there is enough of a spark in her for the reader to be desperate for her to live.
And how about Death himself? Well, he is a multi-layered character, full of wisdom but also very intense and passionate. He is an all-seeing creature who begins as a light hearted enemy of Signa, but as she grows to understand the purpose and reality of his existence he in a way becomes the second protagonist as well as her mentor and lover. If nothing else, it is definitely a fascinating portrayal of the reaper.
Much of what makes the story so gripping is down to the atmosphere, which offers lots of spooky vibes that complement the plot very well. Thorn Grove is an interesting setting which offers real potential but does not leap off the page quite as much as one might hope, but what does come across particularly well is the depiction of high society which feels perfect for a book like this, along with the spirits that Signa can interact with.
The writing is likewise a highlight. Apart from the ending which felt hastily thought through, every aspect of the story is well crafted and carries meaning, and the author has a glorious style that reels you into the drama. The pacing is good, and another thing that stood out is that there are moments where the plot seems set to follow some well established tropes only to veer in a different direction, so there are points for originality.
Overall, this first book in the series captures the imagination with a riveting plot and a large but fascinating set of characters. The romance might grab too large a slice of the pie while the ending is not faultless, but there are way too many things going for it to feel overly concerned about that, with Gothic vibes and wonderful storytelling winning the day.
Native to San Diego, Adalyn Grace worked in live theatre and studied storytelling during an internship on the Nickelodeon show The Legend Of Korra. She then turned her hand to being an author with All The Stars And Teeth, which was released in 2020 and followed by the second part of the duology a year later.
She has since become more well known for Belladonna, published in 2022. It has now spawned two sequels, Foxglove (which I am currently reading) and Wisteria.
A really enjoyable book. Not perfect in every area, but when the writing, atmosphere, and concept are as a good as this, who can resist?
My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Stephen Reads Books 