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My Darling Dreadful Thing
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Readers' Favorite Horror (2024)Spirits are drawn to salt, be it blood or tears.
Roos Beckman has a spirit companion only she can see. Ruth—strange, corpse-like, and dead for centuries—is the light of Roos' life. That is, until the wealthy young widow Agnes Knoop visits one of Roos' backroom seances, and the two strike up a connection.
Soon, Roos is whisked away to the crumbling estate Agnes inherited upon the death of her husband, where an ill woman haunts the halls, strange smells drift through the air, and mysterious stone statues reside in the family chapel. Something dreadful festers in the manor, but still, the attraction between Roos and Agnes is undeniable.
Then, someone is murdered.
Poor, alone, and with a history of 'hysterics', Roos is the obvious culprit. With her sanity and innocence in question, she'll have to prove who—or what—is at fault or lose everything she holds dear.
Roos Beckman has a spirit companion only she can see. Ruth—strange, corpse-like, and dead for centuries—is the light of Roos' life. That is, until the wealthy young widow Agnes Knoop visits one of Roos' backroom seances, and the two strike up a connection.
Soon, Roos is whisked away to the crumbling estate Agnes inherited upon the death of her husband, where an ill woman haunts the halls, strange smells drift through the air, and mysterious stone statues reside in the family chapel. Something dreadful festers in the manor, but still, the attraction between Roos and Agnes is undeniable.
Then, someone is murdered.
Poor, alone, and with a history of 'hysterics', Roos is the obvious culprit. With her sanity and innocence in question, she'll have to prove who—or what—is at fault or lose everything she holds dear.
10 pages, Audiobook
First published May 14, 2024
1346 people are currently reading
121834 people want to read
About the author
Johanna van Veen
6 books1,421 followersJohanna van Veen grew up in the Netherlands with her two sisters. She received an MA in English Literature with a specialization in early modern literature, as well as an MA Book and Digital Media with a specialization in early modern book history.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 3,581 reviews
December 2, 2024
⋆✴︎˚｡⋆ “𝓢𝓹𝓲𝓻𝓲𝓽𝓼 𝓵𝓲𝓴𝓮 𝓱𝓮𝓻 𝓪𝓻𝓮 𝓷𝓸𝓽 𝓭𝓻𝓪𝔀𝓷 𝓽𝓸 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓱𝓪𝓹𝓹𝔂 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓬𝓪𝓻𝓮𝓯𝓻𝓮𝓮; 𝓽𝓱𝓮𝔂 𝔀𝓪𝓷𝓽 𝓼𝓪𝓵𝓽, 𝓫𝓮 𝓲𝓽 𝓫𝓵𝓸𝓸𝓭 𝓸𝓻 𝓫𝓮 𝓲𝓽 𝓽𝓮𝓪𝓻𝓼.” ⊹ ࣪ ˖༉‧₊˚🕯️
⋆✴︎˚｡⋆ “. . . 𝓽𝓱𝓮𝓻𝓮’𝓼 𝓼𝓸𝓶𝓮𝓽𝓱𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓶𝓲𝓼𝓼𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓯𝓻𝓸𝓶 𝓶𝔂 𝓵𝓲𝓯𝓮, 𝓼𝓸𝓶𝓮𝓽𝓱𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓭𝓻𝓮𝓪𝓭𝓯𝓾𝓵, 𝓼𝓸𝓶𝓮𝓽𝓱𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓭𝓪𝓻𝓵𝓲𝓷𝓰.” ִֶָ. ..𓂃 ࣪ ִֶָ🦇་༘࿐ִֶָ
A haunting gothic tale that blends horror and poignant romance. A dark exploration of wanting to be loved, wanting to belong, and dealing with trauma. 🥀
➽──────────────❥
ˋ°•*⁀➷ We follow our FMC, Roos Beckman in post-World War II Holland and her centuries-old spirit confidant, Ruth. The story is told on two timelines, in the past as first POV and also through the notes of a psychologist. Both come very neatly together to tell her story as it unfolds...
Roos is an only, and lonely child with an invisible ‘ghost’ for a friend, sent to live with 'mama' after her father passed, she was forced by her mother from an early age to act as a psychic medium during fake seances.
As time passed, she became more contentious about her mother’s fraudulent scams, especially her part in them.
Following one seance session, a wealthy widow offered Roos lodging at her home, and she was beyond excited to accept the invitation—all to Mother's displeasure.
Anticipating a life of new beginnings, stability, and normalcy free from exploitation and the opportunity to develop genuine friendships and relationships is not precisely what Roos found awaiting her at the widow’s mansion...
Agnes chooses Roos for one simple reason: she also has a spiritual guide named Peter. With her husband dead and an ailing sister-in-law, we travel into a very dark world where two siblings are still at their worst. The sister will do anything to have her brother back, including tricking a young Roos into helping her raise his ghost.
ˋ°•*⁀➷ Johanna van Veen’s opulent imagery and atmospheric details pull readers into the time and place of the novel, as they explore themes of psychological abuse, love, envy, sanity, death, and the supernatural.
˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ The tension between reality and the supernatural is well crafted, keeping the reader guessing about what is real. It is a chilling yet heartfelt read.
˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ This was such a fun read, poetic, ominous, mysterious, creepy - a perfect book to cozy up to the fire with during a cool autumn evening! Highly recommend! Very Poe-esc.
₊⊹⁀➴ 🥀Sapphic Love Story
⁀➴ˎˊ˗ 🖤Poe and Shirley Jackson Inspired
₊⊹⁀➴ 🕯️Gothic and Atmospheric
⁀➴ˎˊ˗ 🥀Horror
₊⊹⁀➴ 🖤Séances
⁀➴ˎˊ˗ 🕯️Spirit Companions
₊⊹⁀➴ 🥀Murder
⁀➴ˎˊ˗ 🖤LGBTQ+
₊⊹⁀➴ 🕯️Multi Timeline
❥・ “𝓣𝓱𝓮𝓻𝓮’𝓼 𝓪 𝓻𝓮𝓪𝓼𝓸𝓷 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝔀𝓸𝓻𝓭 ‘𝓱𝓪𝓾𝓷𝓽𝓲𝓷𝓰’ 𝓲𝓼 𝓻𝓪𝓻𝓮𝓵𝔂 𝓾𝓼𝓮𝓭 𝓲𝓷 𝓪 𝓹𝓸𝓼𝓲𝓽𝓲𝓿𝓮 𝔀𝓪𝔂. 𝓣𝓸 𝓷𝓮𝓿𝓮𝓻 𝓫𝓮 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝓮 𝓸𝓯 𝓼𝓸𝓶𝓮𝓸𝓷𝓮, 𝔀𝓮𝓵𝓵, 𝓽𝓱𝓪𝓽’𝓼 𝓷𝓸𝓽 𝓪𝓵𝔀𝓪𝔂𝓼 𝓪 𝓬𝓸𝓶𝓯𝓸𝓻𝓽.”
❥・ “𝓘 𝓼𝓾𝓹𝓹𝓸𝓼𝓮 𝓘 𝔀𝓪𝓼, 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓬𝓸𝓷𝓽𝓲𝓷𝓾𝓮 𝓽𝓸 𝓫𝓮, 𝓪 𝓱𝓾𝓷𝓰𝓻𝔂 𝓽𝓱𝓲𝓷𝓰.”
❥・ “𝓑𝓮𝓬𝓪𝓾𝓼𝓮 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓽𝓻𝓾𝓽𝓱 𝓼𝓬𝓪𝓻𝓮𝓼 𝓹𝓮𝓸𝓹𝓵𝓮. 𝓣𝓱𝓮𝔂’𝓻𝓮 𝓪𝓵𝔀𝓪𝔂𝓼 𝓪𝓯𝓻𝓪𝓲𝓭 𝓸𝓯 𝔀𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝓽𝓱𝓮𝔂 𝓬𝓪𝓷’𝓽 𝓮𝔁𝓹𝓵𝓪𝓲𝓷, 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓶𝔂 𝓡𝓾𝓽𝓱 𝓬𝓪𝓷’𝓽 𝓫𝓮 𝓼𝓸 𝓮𝓪𝓼𝓲𝓵𝔂 𝓮𝔁𝓹𝓵𝓪𝓲𝓷𝓮𝓭.”
❥・ “𝓘𝓽’𝓼 𝓷𝓸 𝓼𝓶𝓪𝓵𝓵 𝓽𝓱𝓲𝓷𝓰, 𝓽𝓸 𝓫𝓮 𝓪𝓵𝓵𝓸𝔀𝓮𝓭 𝓽𝓸 𝓴𝓮𝓮𝓹 𝓸𝓷𝓮’𝓼 𝓭𝓲𝓰𝓷𝓲𝓽𝔂.”
⋆✴︎˚｡⋆ “. . . 𝓽𝓱𝓮𝓻𝓮’𝓼 𝓼𝓸𝓶𝓮𝓽𝓱𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓶𝓲𝓼𝓼𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓯𝓻𝓸𝓶 𝓶𝔂 𝓵𝓲𝓯𝓮, 𝓼𝓸𝓶𝓮𝓽𝓱𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓭𝓻𝓮𝓪𝓭𝓯𝓾𝓵, 𝓼𝓸𝓶𝓮𝓽𝓱𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓭𝓪𝓻𝓵𝓲𝓷𝓰.” ִֶָ. ..𓂃 ࣪ ִֶָ🦇་༘࿐ִֶָ
A haunting gothic tale that blends horror and poignant romance. A dark exploration of wanting to be loved, wanting to belong, and dealing with trauma. 🥀
➽──────────────❥
ˋ°•*⁀➷ We follow our FMC, Roos Beckman in post-World War II Holland and her centuries-old spirit confidant, Ruth. The story is told on two timelines, in the past as first POV and also through the notes of a psychologist. Both come very neatly together to tell her story as it unfolds...
Roos is an only, and lonely child with an invisible ‘ghost’ for a friend, sent to live with 'mama' after her father passed, she was forced by her mother from an early age to act as a psychic medium during fake seances.
As time passed, she became more contentious about her mother’s fraudulent scams, especially her part in them.
Following one seance session, a wealthy widow offered Roos lodging at her home, and she was beyond excited to accept the invitation—all to Mother's displeasure.
Anticipating a life of new beginnings, stability, and normalcy free from exploitation and the opportunity to develop genuine friendships and relationships is not precisely what Roos found awaiting her at the widow’s mansion...
Agnes chooses Roos for one simple reason: she also has a spiritual guide named Peter. With her husband dead and an ailing sister-in-law, we travel into a very dark world where two siblings are still at their worst. The sister will do anything to have her brother back, including tricking a young Roos into helping her raise his ghost.
ˋ°•*⁀➷ Johanna van Veen’s opulent imagery and atmospheric details pull readers into the time and place of the novel, as they explore themes of psychological abuse, love, envy, sanity, death, and the supernatural.
˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ The tension between reality and the supernatural is well crafted, keeping the reader guessing about what is real. It is a chilling yet heartfelt read.
˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ This was such a fun read, poetic, ominous, mysterious, creepy - a perfect book to cozy up to the fire with during a cool autumn evening! Highly recommend! Very Poe-esc.
₊⊹⁀➴ 🥀Sapphic Love Story
⁀➴ˎˊ˗ 🖤Poe and Shirley Jackson Inspired
₊⊹⁀➴ 🕯️Gothic and Atmospheric
⁀➴ˎˊ˗ 🥀Horror
₊⊹⁀➴ 🖤Séances
⁀➴ˎˊ˗ 🕯️Spirit Companions
₊⊹⁀➴ 🥀Murder
⁀➴ˎˊ˗ 🖤LGBTQ+
₊⊹⁀➴ 🕯️Multi Timeline
❥・ “𝓣𝓱𝓮𝓻𝓮’𝓼 𝓪 𝓻𝓮𝓪𝓼𝓸𝓷 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝔀𝓸𝓻𝓭 ‘𝓱𝓪𝓾𝓷𝓽𝓲𝓷𝓰’ 𝓲𝓼 𝓻𝓪𝓻𝓮𝓵𝔂 𝓾𝓼𝓮𝓭 𝓲𝓷 𝓪 𝓹𝓸𝓼𝓲𝓽𝓲𝓿𝓮 𝔀𝓪𝔂. 𝓣𝓸 𝓷𝓮𝓿𝓮𝓻 𝓫𝓮 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝓮 𝓸𝓯 𝓼𝓸𝓶𝓮𝓸𝓷𝓮, 𝔀𝓮𝓵𝓵, 𝓽𝓱𝓪𝓽’𝓼 𝓷𝓸𝓽 𝓪𝓵𝔀𝓪𝔂𝓼 𝓪 𝓬𝓸𝓶𝓯𝓸𝓻𝓽.”
❥・ “𝓘 𝓼𝓾𝓹𝓹𝓸𝓼𝓮 𝓘 𝔀𝓪𝓼, 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓬𝓸𝓷𝓽𝓲𝓷𝓾𝓮 𝓽𝓸 𝓫𝓮, 𝓪 𝓱𝓾𝓷𝓰𝓻𝔂 𝓽𝓱𝓲𝓷𝓰.”
❥・ “𝓑𝓮𝓬𝓪𝓾𝓼𝓮 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓽𝓻𝓾𝓽𝓱 𝓼𝓬𝓪𝓻𝓮𝓼 𝓹𝓮𝓸𝓹𝓵𝓮. 𝓣𝓱𝓮𝔂’𝓻𝓮 𝓪𝓵𝔀𝓪𝔂𝓼 𝓪𝓯𝓻𝓪𝓲𝓭 𝓸𝓯 𝔀𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝓽𝓱𝓮𝔂 𝓬𝓪𝓷’𝓽 𝓮𝔁𝓹𝓵𝓪𝓲𝓷, 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓶𝔂 𝓡𝓾𝓽𝓱 𝓬𝓪𝓷’𝓽 𝓫𝓮 𝓼𝓸 𝓮𝓪𝓼𝓲𝓵𝔂 𝓮𝔁𝓹𝓵𝓪𝓲𝓷𝓮𝓭.”
❥・ “𝓘𝓽’𝓼 𝓷𝓸 𝓼𝓶𝓪𝓵𝓵 𝓽𝓱𝓲𝓷𝓰, 𝓽𝓸 𝓫𝓮 𝓪𝓵𝓵𝓸𝔀𝓮𝓭 𝓽𝓸 𝓴𝓮𝓮𝓹 𝓸𝓷𝓮’𝓼 𝓭𝓲𝓰𝓷𝓲𝓽𝔂.”
July 24, 2024
Clearly influenced by the Master of the Macabre, Edgar Allan Poe, Johanna Van Veen masterfully officiates a most unholy marriage of the macabre, the supernatural, and the tragically beautiful in her debut horror novel, My Darling Dreadful Thing. One of Poe’s most haunting tales, The Fall of the House of Usher, provides the gothic architecture Van Veen builds from. Similarities immediately visible include a thematic presence of claustrophobia and isolation, death and decay, and myth and madness. The Rozentuin, the decaying family manor, is also likened to a living and breathing thing, dying out with the end of the Knoop bloodline. As expected, the Knoop siblings, Thomas and Willemijn, are uncomfortably dependent on each other and so emotionally entangled together the reader immediately detects the symptoms of a sick, incestuous relationship between the two. Thomas’ wife, Agnes, is revolted by their relationship but stays for her fondness of the family manor and meager prospects should she divorce her husband.
Roos Beckman appears to be a powerful spiritual medium, easily subverting critics and holding steadfast believers bewitched with her preternatural gifts during staged séances held at her mother’s house. Roos has her Ruth, a spirit companion whom she permits frequent bodily possessions to deliver the expected theatrics during these sessions. Roos’ Mama exploits her child’s “madness” for capital gain by hosting these séances to prey on grief, financially consuming the most severely afflicted individuals with mortally wounded and agonized souls. Living in the Netherlands during the 1950’s, Roos should have some level of independence and have access to a few promising avenues for her future as a young woman, but her Mama has isolated and controlled her so totally, she is instead half starved, both physically and mentally, with no regular food or knowledge of the world. Agnes Knoop is a wealthy widow who first appears as a potential patron Mama is trying to impress, but during the séance where Roos pretends to channel Agnes’ dead husband with Ruth’s help, things go far beyond what was initially planned. Agnes offers to outright buy Roos, and disgustingly, Mama sells her daughter. As fearful as Roos is to leave, she’s also hopeful and suspicious that Agnes can see and feel much more than she’s admitting to.
When Roos and Ruth arrive at the Rozentuin with Agnes, Thomas Knoop is already dead, and there is a mysterious, intractable illness plaguing Willemijn Knoop, swiftly ushering the last living member of the Knoop family tree to a premature grave. Roos and Ruth are finally happy and starting to allow themselves to feel happier things in life, but they can’t escape a creeping feeling there is something sinister a foot at the Rozentuin, one that Agnes is fearful of acknowledging at all and Willemijn delights in provoking. This is a propulsive page turner since the author does such an excellent job at crawling under the reader’s skin using tantalizing clues and grotesque incidents around the house. Her writing is dissonantly lyrical and darkly atmospheric, which effectively conveys a peculiarly unsettling tone throughout the book. Roos and Agnes’ relationship is one sapphic love story that seems damned from the very beginning, but it is so lovely and gentle and true, even death will have trouble holding them apart. For her love of Agnes, Roos is desperately trying to fix what may be wrong, but the harder she tries, the deeper she digs into dark, derelict spaces she doesn’t belong, and before long, reality is cracking, time is running out, and death will come knocking to be let inside…Echoing Poe, Van Veen buries the reader in some archly disturbing truths, but she tunnels even deeper into the reader’s psyche by deftly conducting a postmortem examination on something we are all dying to possess but fearful to keep---love. I can’t give enough praise for this book, and as a hopeless romantic, I need some time to stitch back together my own bleeding heart and mourn for Roos and Agnes. Read this book. It’s horrifying but also tragically, queerly beautiful.
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the ARC and the opportunity to share what I think! All opinions are my own. Publication date was May 14th!
Roos Beckman appears to be a powerful spiritual medium, easily subverting critics and holding steadfast believers bewitched with her preternatural gifts during staged séances held at her mother’s house. Roos has her Ruth, a spirit companion whom she permits frequent bodily possessions to deliver the expected theatrics during these sessions. Roos’ Mama exploits her child’s “madness” for capital gain by hosting these séances to prey on grief, financially consuming the most severely afflicted individuals with mortally wounded and agonized souls. Living in the Netherlands during the 1950’s, Roos should have some level of independence and have access to a few promising avenues for her future as a young woman, but her Mama has isolated and controlled her so totally, she is instead half starved, both physically and mentally, with no regular food or knowledge of the world. Agnes Knoop is a wealthy widow who first appears as a potential patron Mama is trying to impress, but during the séance where Roos pretends to channel Agnes’ dead husband with Ruth’s help, things go far beyond what was initially planned. Agnes offers to outright buy Roos, and disgustingly, Mama sells her daughter. As fearful as Roos is to leave, she’s also hopeful and suspicious that Agnes can see and feel much more than she’s admitting to.
When Roos and Ruth arrive at the Rozentuin with Agnes, Thomas Knoop is already dead, and there is a mysterious, intractable illness plaguing Willemijn Knoop, swiftly ushering the last living member of the Knoop family tree to a premature grave. Roos and Ruth are finally happy and starting to allow themselves to feel happier things in life, but they can’t escape a creeping feeling there is something sinister a foot at the Rozentuin, one that Agnes is fearful of acknowledging at all and Willemijn delights in provoking. This is a propulsive page turner since the author does such an excellent job at crawling under the reader’s skin using tantalizing clues and grotesque incidents around the house. Her writing is dissonantly lyrical and darkly atmospheric, which effectively conveys a peculiarly unsettling tone throughout the book. Roos and Agnes’ relationship is one sapphic love story that seems damned from the very beginning, but it is so lovely and gentle and true, even death will have trouble holding them apart. For her love of Agnes, Roos is desperately trying to fix what may be wrong, but the harder she tries, the deeper she digs into dark, derelict spaces she doesn’t belong, and before long, reality is cracking, time is running out, and death will come knocking to be let inside…Echoing Poe, Van Veen buries the reader in some archly disturbing truths, but she tunnels even deeper into the reader’s psyche by deftly conducting a postmortem examination on something we are all dying to possess but fearful to keep---love. I can’t give enough praise for this book, and as a hopeless romantic, I need some time to stitch back together my own bleeding heart and mourn for Roos and Agnes. Read this book. It’s horrifying but also tragically, queerly beautiful.
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the ARC and the opportunity to share what I think! All opinions are my own. Publication date was May 14th!
April 24, 2025
‘There’s a reason the word ‘haunting’ is rarely used in a positive way. To never be free of someone, well, that’s not always a comfort.’
If you’re in the mood for a spine chilling gothic tale that entwines spectral apparitions with a sapphic twist, Johanna van Veen’s My Darling Dreadful Thing is your next must read. Set in the eerie backdrop of post World War II Netherlands, the story follows Roos Beckman, a young woman with a ghostly companion named Ruth, who’s been dead for centuries. Their peculiar bond takes a turn when the affluent widow Agnes Knoop enters the scene, leading Roos into a labyrinth of love, secrets, and supernatural occurrences.
Van Veen masterfully crafts a narrative that’s both haunting and heartfelt. The novel delves deep into themes of trauma, coping, and the human psyche, all while maintaining a gripping, atmospheric tension. The prose is lush and evocative, painting vivid images that linger long after the final page. For those who appreciate a blend of horror and romance, this book offers a unique experience that’s both unsettling and captivating.
The novel doesn’t shy away from dark and sensitive topics, including abuse and mental illness. It’s a testament to van Veen’s skill that these themes are handled with nuance and depth, adding layers to the already complex characters.
My Darling Dreadful Thing is a beautifully grotesque exploration of love and loss, wrapped in a gothic horror package. It’s a book that will haunt your thoughts and stir your emotions, making it a standout in contemporary gothic fiction.
My Highest Recommendation.
‘……there’s something missing from my life, something dreadful, something darling.’
If you’re in the mood for a spine chilling gothic tale that entwines spectral apparitions with a sapphic twist, Johanna van Veen’s My Darling Dreadful Thing is your next must read. Set in the eerie backdrop of post World War II Netherlands, the story follows Roos Beckman, a young woman with a ghostly companion named Ruth, who’s been dead for centuries. Their peculiar bond takes a turn when the affluent widow Agnes Knoop enters the scene, leading Roos into a labyrinth of love, secrets, and supernatural occurrences.
Van Veen masterfully crafts a narrative that’s both haunting and heartfelt. The novel delves deep into themes of trauma, coping, and the human psyche, all while maintaining a gripping, atmospheric tension. The prose is lush and evocative, painting vivid images that linger long after the final page. For those who appreciate a blend of horror and romance, this book offers a unique experience that’s both unsettling and captivating.
The novel doesn’t shy away from dark and sensitive topics, including abuse and mental illness. It’s a testament to van Veen’s skill that these themes are handled with nuance and depth, adding layers to the already complex characters.
My Darling Dreadful Thing is a beautifully grotesque exploration of love and loss, wrapped in a gothic horror package. It’s a book that will haunt your thoughts and stir your emotions, making it a standout in contemporary gothic fiction.
My Highest Recommendation.
‘……there’s something missing from my life, something dreadful, something darling.’
October 14, 2025
a sad sapphic, haunting gothic horror macabre!!
This was the perfect read for October 🕯️🥀
This was the perfect read for October 🕯️🥀
January 1, 2025
Crimson Peak but make it worse, unfortunately.
First of all, I think this is a debut novel with debut novel problems, not a totally bad book. If the premise sounds interesting to you, I’d actually say give it a shot! This was fully not my taste and I think that may have skewed my opinion; I wasn’t expecting the thriller/mystery angle to take over. I was expecting more of the horror / sapphic love story vibe, but if you're looking more for the former, you may really enjoy this book.
As for things I liked about this, the beginning was awesome. The descriptions of the spirits genuinely creeped me out, I loved the graverobbing scene, and I wanted to love it as a whole. But I didn’t, and I think that’s because this feels half-researched and half-finished to me.
Although you can tell there was some research done, and I appreciate that, a lot of the time it felt like very surface-level research to excuse using these things as plot devices rather than an actual investment in portraying something. Especially with the wishy-washy is she / isn’t she sanity stuff with Roos by the end.
My big problem with this book was that after 20%, I felt like the writing fell off and was almost the way I draft my own creative writing: as big, uninspired blocks of ‘here’s what needs to happen’ without imagery, without characterization, without any depth beyond the surface, because you just need to get it out on the page before you go back and edit the crap out of it. It’s like a chunky outline of what the rest of the book was supposed to be, and while it’s not necessarily bad, it isn’t particularly nuanced.
We’re told what our protagonist feels, we have an idea of the trauma that makes her so desperate to please and afraid of abandonment, but at the same time, most of her actions somehow feel like they’re coming out of nowhere. Like we should be seeing tons more buildup to Roos’ reactions, or spend more time with her before she just starts spouting off “here’s what I wanted, here’s what I was afraid of, here’s XYZ, I did this to keep her loving me”. Okay, yes, that’s all fine and good, but how did we get to the point of you being so obsessed with her that you would do it? Where are all these scenes??
We skip past weeks and months at a time with the briefest of descriptions, such as an explanation of how Roos has become healthier over time from a diet that doesn’t consist of starvation, and absolutely no insight as to what’s happening with the characters or Roos’ mindset during that time. Just her physical changes. Because Roos doesn’t really get any character building after the first 20%, all these missing bits seem as though they should have been considered integral, and perhaps as though they were cut to make the whole thing seem more “Gothic” and “mysterious”, which (if it’s the case at all) was an extremely bad choice. It takes all the emotional depth away from this novel and makes the sex and romance scenes incredibly jarring. It isn’t that I find Roos’ actions out of place for someone with her trauma, it’s that we don’t get to see why and how she changes and attaches, we’re just meant to accept it all at face value and skip over it to leave space for the big dramatic horror sequences. The end result is a "missing chapters" vibe, which is probably not what the author was going for.
Another thing I find interesting is the repeated claims that this is a love story. Our first introduction to this assertion is in the author’s note at the beginning that mentions possible triggers and directs you to the Q&A at the end for more information about her efforts to treat issues such as mental illness and homophobia through history with the accuracy and respect they deserve—this is all great! Except for this part:
I would, and will, heavily challenge that idea. I absolutely do not see this as a love story in any way, shape, or form, and I have a ton of questions for anyone who does, the first of which being “why?” and “how?” (This isn’t me knocking this view, it’s legitimate curiosity as to what other people are picking up on that I’m possibly missing! My sardonicism does take time off every now and then lol.)
First of all, I have absolutely no idea who the author means when they’re talking about this “love story”—Agnes and Roos, or Ruth and Roos? Roos and her relationship with herself?? I really couldn’t say, because zero love or romance exists between any pairing. There’s only trauma, impulse, and mental illness. The sex is so boring and dispassionate, there’s so little connection between the characters that the sex actually feels awkward to read, and the feelings these people experience for each other really don’t appear to be anything beyond the severe stress of their lives and their trauma bonding them together. I can’t say I understood why that sex scene between Agnes and Roos even happened—the interest they had in each other seemed entirely transactional until the author began to insist on this “love” aspect and Roos suddenly being torn between Agnes and Ruth, which brings me right back to the point about all the stuff it felt like we skipped. There’s just something missing here that I can’t put my finger on!
Second, everything about the beginning of this book implies that Roos and Ruth should end up together, but in practice, we see very little of them—calling someone darling and my love all the time isn’t really the same as an actual love story or buildup, especially when it’s just Ruth doing it, and Ruth barely gets screen time after the first 20%. The 'love' aspect between Roos and Ruth that's promised by the synopsis comes in at about 95% and I wish it had been the whole book.
I also was not expecting the incest (it took me far too long to realize this was Crimson Peak and so this was a natural step for the plot lmao), and I felt like the story could have gone without it. It sort of came out of nowhere, and while I don’t have a problem with including this subject matter, I think it needs to be handled a bit better than this. This book got real weird real fast at the end in ways it didn’t need to, and unfortunately, the latter 80% was not as fun or solidly laid out as the beginning. The whole way this book handled sex was sort of strange, and while I'm not necessarily knocking the book for including this theme, I am getting really tired of historical lesbian fiction in which one or both has sexual trauma from a man, and I don’t think this book handled it especially well. Just once, I would like to read historical lesbian fiction that does not include misery and rape.
Final gripe was that the language was a little over-stylized at times, very His Girl Friday. The book does comment on Roos having outdated stilted speech, but everyone sort of talks like they're in a drama flick, not just her.
Overall, this just didn’t come together the way I wanted it to. Another halfway-there shelf addition.
First of all, I think this is a debut novel with debut novel problems, not a totally bad book. If the premise sounds interesting to you, I’d actually say give it a shot! This was fully not my taste and I think that may have skewed my opinion; I wasn’t expecting the thriller/mystery angle to take over. I was expecting more of the horror / sapphic love story vibe, but if you're looking more for the former, you may really enjoy this book.
As for things I liked about this, the beginning was awesome. The descriptions of the spirits genuinely creeped me out, I loved the graverobbing scene, and I wanted to love it as a whole. But I didn’t, and I think that’s because this feels half-researched and half-finished to me.
Although you can tell there was some research done, and I appreciate that, a lot of the time it felt like very surface-level research to excuse using these things as plot devices rather than an actual investment in portraying something. Especially with the wishy-washy is she / isn’t she sanity stuff with Roos by the end.
My big problem with this book was that after 20%, I felt like the writing fell off and was almost the way I draft my own creative writing: as big, uninspired blocks of ‘here’s what needs to happen’ without imagery, without characterization, without any depth beyond the surface, because you just need to get it out on the page before you go back and edit the crap out of it. It’s like a chunky outline of what the rest of the book was supposed to be, and while it’s not necessarily bad, it isn’t particularly nuanced.
We’re told what our protagonist feels, we have an idea of the trauma that makes her so desperate to please and afraid of abandonment, but at the same time, most of her actions somehow feel like they’re coming out of nowhere. Like we should be seeing tons more buildup to Roos’ reactions, or spend more time with her before she just starts spouting off “here’s what I wanted, here’s what I was afraid of, here’s XYZ, I did this to keep her loving me”. Okay, yes, that’s all fine and good, but how did we get to the point of you being so obsessed with her that you would do it? Where are all these scenes??
We skip past weeks and months at a time with the briefest of descriptions, such as an explanation of how Roos has become healthier over time from a diet that doesn’t consist of starvation, and absolutely no insight as to what’s happening with the characters or Roos’ mindset during that time. Just her physical changes. Because Roos doesn’t really get any character building after the first 20%, all these missing bits seem as though they should have been considered integral, and perhaps as though they were cut to make the whole thing seem more “Gothic” and “mysterious”, which (if it’s the case at all) was an extremely bad choice. It takes all the emotional depth away from this novel and makes the sex and romance scenes incredibly jarring. It isn’t that I find Roos’ actions out of place for someone with her trauma, it’s that we don’t get to see why and how she changes and attaches, we’re just meant to accept it all at face value and skip over it to leave space for the big dramatic horror sequences. The end result is a "missing chapters" vibe, which is probably not what the author was going for.
Another thing I find interesting is the repeated claims that this is a love story. Our first introduction to this assertion is in the author’s note at the beginning that mentions possible triggers and directs you to the Q&A at the end for more information about her efforts to treat issues such as mental illness and homophobia through history with the accuracy and respect they deserve—this is all great! Except for this part:
These are dark themes indeed. I hope they will not deter you from reading this novel for two simple reasons:
[…] 2. If you strip down My Darling Dreadful Thing until nothing remains but its essence, you will not find a horrific secret at its very heart. You will find, instead, a love story.
I would, and will, heavily challenge that idea. I absolutely do not see this as a love story in any way, shape, or form, and I have a ton of questions for anyone who does, the first of which being “why?” and “how?” (This isn’t me knocking this view, it’s legitimate curiosity as to what other people are picking up on that I’m possibly missing! My sardonicism does take time off every now and then lol.)
First of all, I have absolutely no idea who the author means when they’re talking about this “love story”—Agnes and Roos, or Ruth and Roos? Roos and her relationship with herself?? I really couldn’t say, because zero love or romance exists between any pairing. There’s only trauma, impulse, and mental illness. The sex is so boring and dispassionate, there’s so little connection between the characters that the sex actually feels awkward to read, and the feelings these people experience for each other really don’t appear to be anything beyond the severe stress of their lives and their trauma bonding them together. I can’t say I understood why that sex scene between Agnes and Roos even happened—the interest they had in each other seemed entirely transactional until the author began to insist on this “love” aspect and Roos suddenly being torn between Agnes and Ruth, which brings me right back to the point about all the stuff it felt like we skipped. There’s just something missing here that I can’t put my finger on!
Second, everything about the beginning of this book implies that Roos and Ruth should end up together, but in practice, we see very little of them—calling someone darling and my love all the time isn’t really the same as an actual love story or buildup, especially when it’s just Ruth doing it, and Ruth barely gets screen time after the first 20%. The 'love' aspect between Roos and Ruth that's promised by the synopsis comes in at about 95% and I wish it had been the whole book.
I also was not expecting the incest (it took me far too long to realize this was Crimson Peak and so this was a natural step for the plot lmao), and I felt like the story could have gone without it. It sort of came out of nowhere, and while I don’t have a problem with including this subject matter, I think it needs to be handled a bit better than this. This book got real weird real fast at the end in ways it didn’t need to, and unfortunately, the latter 80% was not as fun or solidly laid out as the beginning. The whole way this book handled sex was sort of strange, and while I'm not necessarily knocking the book for including this theme, I am getting really tired of historical lesbian fiction in which one or both has sexual trauma from a man, and I don’t think this book handled it especially well. Just once, I would like to read historical lesbian fiction that does not include misery and rape.
Final gripe was that the language was a little over-stylized at times, very His Girl Friday. The book does comment on Roos having outdated stilted speech, but everyone sort of talks like they're in a drama flick, not just her.
Overall, this just didn’t come together the way I wanted it to. Another halfway-there shelf addition.
July 18, 2024
”It’s a dangerous thing, to try and give someone everything. One day, you might find you’ve given away things you should’ve kept. Some parts of us must remain inviolate if we are to survive as a person.”
this was such a unique story, a queer horror that revolves around two women: Roos and Agnes. Roos has a spirit companion named Ruth who has been with her through all the hard times. when Ruth has a chance to leave her abusive situation by way of Agnes, they start to connect and eventually fall for one another. i really enjoyed the added aspect of the interviews interwoven between Roos’ past and the present— where she’s being investigated as a suspect for Angnes’ death. there’s a lot of mention on whether both women were in a proper state of mind and if the ghosts that inhabited their bodies were just a figment of their imagination. i lived for the dreadful tone and dark atmosphere too.
once again, im here bc of the cover🥀
this was such a unique story, a queer horror that revolves around two women: Roos and Agnes. Roos has a spirit companion named Ruth who has been with her through all the hard times. when Ruth has a chance to leave her abusive situation by way of Agnes, they start to connect and eventually fall for one another. i really enjoyed the added aspect of the interviews interwoven between Roos’ past and the present— where she’s being investigated as a suspect for Angnes’ death. there’s a lot of mention on whether both women were in a proper state of mind and if the ghosts that inhabited their bodies were just a figment of their imagination. i lived for the dreadful tone and dark atmosphere too.
Read
December 26, 2024Source of book: NetGalley (thank you)
Relevant disclaimers: None
Please note: This review may not be reproduced or quoted, in whole or in part, without explicit consent from the author.
And remember: I am not here to judge your drag, I mean your book. Books are art and art is subjective. These are just my personal thoughts. They are not meant to be taken as broader commentary on the general quality of the work. Believe me, I have not enjoyed many an excellent book, and my individual lack of enjoyment has not made any of those books less excellent or (more relevantly) less successful.
*******************************************
This was an extremely engaging slice of sapphic gothic horror. I should say straight off, it had to do some uphill work with me, simply because of the séance/possession theme. Affinity, despite being kind of horrible, is one of my favourite books and lives pretty much rent free in the “lesbian spiritualists” part of my brain. Thankfully, though, My Darling Dreadful Thing is very much its own thing. I mean, for a start, it’s set the Netherlands in the 1950s (rather than Victorian England) and it’s also doing very different things with both its, err lesbians and its spiritualism. Which is to say, while both books definitely lean heavily into themes of trauma and mental health, Affinity is very much about the dangers of believing in things—including love—when you know you shouldn’t. And MDDT is more interested in asking but what if you did.
In any case, as I’ve said, MDDT takes place in the aftermath of the second world war. Its heroine, Roos, is an orphan who works as a medium under the control of a woman who positions herself as Roos’ mother but in is neither biologically related to Roos nor does she take the role of a caretaker. She’s cruel, exploitative and greedy. Needless to say, the seances she holds are shams, playing on the grief and vulnerability of the attendees. What isn’t a sham, however, is that Roos does, indeed, have a spirit companion—though, not one that allows her to speak with other spirits. Ruth is a no-longer-quite-human remnant of long dead woman, her body preserved in a bog, her spirit left restless from her untimely death. Roos has long believed she’s the only person to be possessed in this way, but then Agnes Knoop—rich, and recently widowed—comes to one of the seances and seems to see right through all of Roos’ tricks. Roos is expecting to be exposed as a fraud, but instead Agnes essentially buys her Valjean and Cosette style, and whisks away to her husband’s family estate, the Rozentuin, to act as her companion. This is because Agnes too has a spirit companion, who Roos can also see.
And, look, things just somehow get even more gothic from there. We have a crumbling mansion. A family with a dark history. A recently deceased husband. A sister dying of TB. Agnes herself, so beautiful and mysterious and haunted. Oh, and of course, a framing device whereby the whole book has been put together from interviews a psychologist conducted with Roos, in order to try and discern if she’s sufficiently compos mentis to stand trial for the murder of Agnes Knoop.
As you can probably tell just from my attempt at a summary, MDDT is a book that wears its gothic heart (bleeding) on its sleeve. I caught so many nods, echoes and references, to Jane Eyre, to Turn of the Screw (very explicitly), to Sarah Waters and Affinity, to Rebecca, to Camilla, to the work of Shirley Jackson, among others, that it’s kind of extra impressive that MDDT never loses sight of its own identity. But it doesn’t. I won’t say you don’t see exactly what’s coming, shambling towards you like the malignant remains of someone’s recently deceased husband, but that just adds to the sense of dread and doomed inevitability. I also think that MDDT has a specificity to it that stops from tumbling into a big melting pot of gothic vibes. For example, Agnes Knoop is Indo, her mother’s side of her family originally coming from Indonesia (the Dutch East Indies). And, while the book is generally more focused on people over places, it does nevertheless have a really resonant sense of place and time that permeates the whole story—whether that’s the descriptions of the Rozentuin, with its army of rotting plaster saints, to the lingering effects of Dutch colonialism, to the still-present shadow of the second world war, or even the fact that I think there were a fair few bog bodies discovered (unearthed?) in the Netherlands. Speaking of which, I absolutely loved the portrayal of the spirits. They were, indeed, both darling and dreadful – eerie, beautiful, intriguing, inhuman, and yet just human enough.
Also, as you can probably see from this little quote, the writing is exquisite, even just in the throwaway lines like this “The water had swallowed him whole and lay still as a silver salver.” MDDT is, across the board, almost shockingly assured for a debut. I will say, that if I had to nitpick (not that I do have to nitpick, I just … do nitpick), for me the only area where it falters is a slightly unevenness in the pacing. What has been a confidently comfortable and enticingly creepy slow burn becomes oddly rushed towards the conclusion, with the result that some of the final sequences don’t land quite as well as they potentially could. I also wish some of the overlapping inequities of the Roos and Agnes relationship had been teased out a tiny bit more. Roos has no money of her own and, as far as I can tell, Agnes doesn’t pay her any sort of salary so she’s wholly dependent on Agnes (just as she was wholly dependent on her ‘mother’.). Meanwhile, of course, Agnes isn’t white in a predominantly white world, and is carrying her own trauma, both from that and from her previous marriage. I do think there are more than a few indications that the love they share, while assuredly real, isn’t precisely healthy:
But I also felt some of this complex dimensionality faded away once they’d sexed each other up—though this could have been as much to do with the awkward rush of the final sections of the book than the portrayal of the relationship itself. Given, however, that Agnes essentially demands of Roos the same betrayal her husband demanded of her (albeit in very different circumstances), I do think there could have been opportunity to draw out the dark and messy parallels here.
In any case, MDDT is a gorgeous and impressive debut. So much so that the first thing I did after finishing it was request the author’s next book on NG.
Relevant disclaimers: None
Please note: This review may not be reproduced or quoted, in whole or in part, without explicit consent from the author.
And remember: I am not here to judge your drag, I mean your book. Books are art and art is subjective. These are just my personal thoughts. They are not meant to be taken as broader commentary on the general quality of the work. Believe me, I have not enjoyed many an excellent book, and my individual lack of enjoyment has not made any of those books less excellent or (more relevantly) less successful.
*******************************************
This was an extremely engaging slice of sapphic gothic horror. I should say straight off, it had to do some uphill work with me, simply because of the séance/possession theme. Affinity, despite being kind of horrible, is one of my favourite books and lives pretty much rent free in the “lesbian spiritualists” part of my brain. Thankfully, though, My Darling Dreadful Thing is very much its own thing. I mean, for a start, it’s set the Netherlands in the 1950s (rather than Victorian England) and it’s also doing very different things with both its, err lesbians and its spiritualism. Which is to say, while both books definitely lean heavily into themes of trauma and mental health, Affinity is very much about the dangers of believing in things—including love—when you know you shouldn’t. And MDDT is more interested in asking but what if you did.
In any case, as I’ve said, MDDT takes place in the aftermath of the second world war. Its heroine, Roos, is an orphan who works as a medium under the control of a woman who positions herself as Roos’ mother but in is neither biologically related to Roos nor does she take the role of a caretaker. She’s cruel, exploitative and greedy. Needless to say, the seances she holds are shams, playing on the grief and vulnerability of the attendees. What isn’t a sham, however, is that Roos does, indeed, have a spirit companion—though, not one that allows her to speak with other spirits. Ruth is a no-longer-quite-human remnant of long dead woman, her body preserved in a bog, her spirit left restless from her untimely death. Roos has long believed she’s the only person to be possessed in this way, but then Agnes Knoop—rich, and recently widowed—comes to one of the seances and seems to see right through all of Roos’ tricks. Roos is expecting to be exposed as a fraud, but instead Agnes essentially buys her Valjean and Cosette style, and whisks away to her husband’s family estate, the Rozentuin, to act as her companion. This is because Agnes too has a spirit companion, who Roos can also see.
And, look, things just somehow get even more gothic from there. We have a crumbling mansion. A family with a dark history. A recently deceased husband. A sister dying of TB. Agnes herself, so beautiful and mysterious and haunted. Oh, and of course, a framing device whereby the whole book has been put together from interviews a psychologist conducted with Roos, in order to try and discern if she’s sufficiently compos mentis to stand trial for the murder of Agnes Knoop.
As you can probably tell just from my attempt at a summary, MDDT is a book that wears its gothic heart (bleeding) on its sleeve. I caught so many nods, echoes and references, to Jane Eyre, to Turn of the Screw (very explicitly), to Sarah Waters and Affinity, to Rebecca, to Camilla, to the work of Shirley Jackson, among others, that it’s kind of extra impressive that MDDT never loses sight of its own identity. But it doesn’t. I won’t say you don’t see exactly what’s coming, shambling towards you like the malignant remains of someone’s recently deceased husband, but that just adds to the sense of dread and doomed inevitability. I also think that MDDT has a specificity to it that stops from tumbling into a big melting pot of gothic vibes. For example, Agnes Knoop is Indo, her mother’s side of her family originally coming from Indonesia (the Dutch East Indies). And, while the book is generally more focused on people over places, it does nevertheless have a really resonant sense of place and time that permeates the whole story—whether that’s the descriptions of the Rozentuin, with its army of rotting plaster saints, to the lingering effects of Dutch colonialism, to the still-present shadow of the second world war, or even the fact that I think there were a fair few bog bodies discovered (unearthed?) in the Netherlands. Speaking of which, I absolutely loved the portrayal of the spirits. They were, indeed, both darling and dreadful – eerie, beautiful, intriguing, inhuman, and yet just human enough.
“Roos,” she whispers. Her breath smells like pennies. “You need never be alone again now, Roos. You have named me and let me drink from you. We are wedded to each other now, you and I. You’re my helpmeet and yokemate, and I am yours. I shall keep you safe.”
Also, as you can probably see from this little quote, the writing is exquisite, even just in the throwaway lines like this “The water had swallowed him whole and lay still as a silver salver.” MDDT is, across the board, almost shockingly assured for a debut. I will say, that if I had to nitpick (not that I do have to nitpick, I just … do nitpick), for me the only area where it falters is a slightly unevenness in the pacing. What has been a confidently comfortable and enticingly creepy slow burn becomes oddly rushed towards the conclusion, with the result that some of the final sequences don’t land quite as well as they potentially could. I also wish some of the overlapping inequities of the Roos and Agnes relationship had been teased out a tiny bit more. Roos has no money of her own and, as far as I can tell, Agnes doesn’t pay her any sort of salary so she’s wholly dependent on Agnes (just as she was wholly dependent on her ‘mother’.). Meanwhile, of course, Agnes isn’t white in a predominantly white world, and is carrying her own trauma, both from that and from her previous marriage. I do think there are more than a few indications that the love they share, while assuredly real, isn’t precisely healthy:
I readily admit it: in a way, I had already come to love her, and that love could never be quite free from need. I wish it were not so, but you must understand that, as a child, I only had Ruth to teach me love, and hers, though deep and fierce, was also a possessive love. What I felt for Agnes was right and true, yes, but it was not selfless.
Perhaps love never is.
But I also felt some of this complex dimensionality faded away once they’d sexed each other up—though this could have been as much to do with the awkward rush of the final sections of the book than the portrayal of the relationship itself. Given, however, that Agnes essentially demands of Roos the same betrayal her husband demanded of her (albeit in very different circumstances), I do think there could have been opportunity to draw out the dark and messy parallels here.
In any case, MDDT is a gorgeous and impressive debut. So much so that the first thing I did after finishing it was request the author’s next book on NG.
September 28, 2024
“Must love be about suffering?”
..
My Darling Dreadful Thing by Johanna van Veen 🪦🥀
..
I listened to the audiobook and I feel like the best way to really convince readers how vivid the imagery was for me while I was listening, is to just show you. So I made this collage.
🪦🥀💀🖤
.
-Horror
-Gothic
-Romance
-Sapphic yearning & love
-Occultism
-Suspense
-Mystery
-Netherlands
..
A dark, creepy, haunting tale of a young woman who is deeply connected to the spirit world. She lives with a woman she calls mother who exploits her natural gifts. A widow frees her from this bondage and the two women live together in the ancestral estate called Rozentuin—but they are never alone…🪦🥀🖤💀
..
I LOVED THIS AUDIOBOOK, and this story, and Johanna van Veen is a new favorite. Highly recommend! It’s a perfectly balanced blend of scary, gruesome, romantic, and suspenseful.
..
My Darling Dreadful Thing by Johanna van Veen 🪦🥀
..
I listened to the audiobook and I feel like the best way to really convince readers how vivid the imagery was for me while I was listening, is to just show you. So I made this collage.
🪦🥀💀🖤
.
-Horror
-Gothic
-Romance
-Sapphic yearning & love
-Occultism
-Suspense
-Mystery
-Netherlands
..
A dark, creepy, haunting tale of a young woman who is deeply connected to the spirit world. She lives with a woman she calls mother who exploits her natural gifts. A widow frees her from this bondage and the two women live together in the ancestral estate called Rozentuin—but they are never alone…🪦🥀🖤💀
..
I LOVED THIS AUDIOBOOK, and this story, and Johanna van Veen is a new favorite. Highly recommend! It’s a perfectly balanced blend of scary, gruesome, romantic, and suspenseful.
February 1, 2026
absolute perfection. gay perfection.
April 29, 2024
The premise of this was so interesting. I find myself super intrigued up until 30% and then everything seems to drag on and on forever. The pacing was not good..
Even when she moved into the house, nothing eventful really happened. In fact, throughout the whole book, nothing happened. You have mentioned here and there, but otherwise, nothing. Then the last 20%, you think something interesting or crazy gonna happen. Nope, nada. It was so anticlimactic and disappointing… even to the end..
But, thank you for the available arc, NetGalley!
Even when she moved into the house, nothing eventful really happened. In fact, throughout the whole book, nothing happened. You have mentioned here and there, but otherwise, nothing. Then the last 20%, you think something interesting or crazy gonna happen. Nope, nada. It was so anticlimactic and disappointing… even to the end..
But, thank you for the available arc, NetGalley!
April 4, 2024
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐ ½
Genre: Horror + LGBTQ
This is a novel that incorporates elements of horror, gothic, and queer literature into its narrative. Roos Beckman is the main character in this tale, and she is in possession of a unique ability from the beginning. While her age in the story is not explicitly mentioned, she is mature enough and knows what she is doing. Her mother makes good use of this ability by forcing Roos to attend all the gatherings where people want to make contact with the deceased. Roos acts as the medium at these gatherings.
A number of significant characters, such as Ruth, who is a spirit that has been around for centuries and travels with the main character, are responsible for altering the course of the story and moving the plot forward. Agnes, a wealthy young widow, develops feelings for Roos and eventually asks her to move in with her in her manor.
The novel has such an eerie atmosphere, be it the setting or the séances. They all contributed to making it such a haunting story. I think the book is well-written, and the author has the ability to make the situations very intriguing.
I enjoyed reading it and recommend it to fans of the horror genre, especially the supernatural one. I just wish the characters were more developed. Although the main character is multifaceted, I really wish the book invested more in making the reader understand more about Roos by telling us her background story. I wouldn’t say I was a big fan of the queer love story here, but I think it was effective overall. Just be sure to check the trigger warnings before you decide to read the book since it has many disturbing themes.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of this book.
Genre: Horror + LGBTQ
This is a novel that incorporates elements of horror, gothic, and queer literature into its narrative. Roos Beckman is the main character in this tale, and she is in possession of a unique ability from the beginning. While her age in the story is not explicitly mentioned, she is mature enough and knows what she is doing. Her mother makes good use of this ability by forcing Roos to attend all the gatherings where people want to make contact with the deceased. Roos acts as the medium at these gatherings.
A number of significant characters, such as Ruth, who is a spirit that has been around for centuries and travels with the main character, are responsible for altering the course of the story and moving the plot forward. Agnes, a wealthy young widow, develops feelings for Roos and eventually asks her to move in with her in her manor.
The novel has such an eerie atmosphere, be it the setting or the séances. They all contributed to making it such a haunting story. I think the book is well-written, and the author has the ability to make the situations very intriguing.
I enjoyed reading it and recommend it to fans of the horror genre, especially the supernatural one. I just wish the characters were more developed. Although the main character is multifaceted, I really wish the book invested more in making the reader understand more about Roos by telling us her background story. I wouldn’t say I was a big fan of the queer love story here, but I think it was effective overall. Just be sure to check the trigger warnings before you decide to read the book since it has many disturbing themes.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of this book.
March 20, 2025
The story’s pacing was a bit slow for my liking.
I ended up bored.
“All this love, all this yearning, it has to mean something.”
I ended up bored.
“All this love, all this yearning, it has to mean something.”
March 12, 2025
This was interesting...in the end, I'm left to wonder whose reality is the real one, the protagonist's inner world or our saner, outer world. Do we believe her, or do we believe that she believes what she says is real?
I didn't care for the journey it took to get to this point, but now that I'm here, every time I think of this book, I'll ponder this question. I'll also ask how much of it is meant as a metaphor or allegory, and whether I'd personally like to have the comfort of a dreadful, needful thing (certainly would not call it darling).
Rounding up to 4.
I didn't care for the journey it took to get to this point, but now that I'm here, every time I think of this book, I'll ponder this question. I'll also ask how much of it is meant as a metaphor or allegory, and whether I'd personally like to have the comfort of a dreadful, needful thing (certainly would not call it darling).
Rounding up to 4.
October 18, 2024
TW: racism, SA (off-page), self-harm, abuse, gaslighting
this book is intense in a lot of ways, but I love a good obsession story, and throw in the, dare I say, immaculate, gothic vibes with writing that flows well, sprinkle in some exploration of trauma, & have a perfect ending? of course it's 5 stars.
I loved the way the author goes back and forth with the conversations with the doctor & then flashes back to how things progressed after you find out a new piece of information that's so crucial to the storyline but delivered in such a nonchalant way that contributed to the impact.
this author is brilliant and I can't wait to read her next release!
this book is intense in a lot of ways, but I love a good obsession story, and throw in the, dare I say, immaculate, gothic vibes with writing that flows well, sprinkle in some exploration of trauma, & have a perfect ending? of course it's 5 stars.
I loved the way the author goes back and forth with the conversations with the doctor & then flashes back to how things progressed after you find out a new piece of information that's so crucial to the storyline but delivered in such a nonchalant way that contributed to the impact.
this author is brilliant and I can't wait to read her next release!
January 20, 2025
4⭐️s
Talk about never getting a moment to yourself. If I had a ghost bound to me that exhibited this level of separation anxiety and cock-blockery, I’d be popping those ghost vanishing pills like candy.
In all seriousness though, this book was very good.
Themes…
Love persists, even in the darkest of human conditions. And ghost clingers; this was about that too.
Character Work…
Strong work. Decent depth was achieved in a relatively small timeframe. Roos and Agnes showed growth and weren’t static in their arc. Ruth was, but she’s dead. Honestly, what do you expect? All in all, these characters were memorable, charmingly flawed and generally root-worthy.
Prose…
Hard to believe this is a debut. Van Veen shows maturity in her writing, and demonstrates strength in the gothic tone she sets through language.
Pace…
I don’t usually love gothic horror because they usually move with such molasses energy, but this story fascinated me. That’s not to say it was a barn-burner, because this definitely takes its time, but it never felt like a belabored pace to me.
Talk about never getting a moment to yourself. If I had a ghost bound to me that exhibited this level of separation anxiety and cock-blockery, I’d be popping those ghost vanishing pills like candy.
In all seriousness though, this book was very good.
Themes…
Love persists, even in the darkest of human conditions. And ghost clingers; this was about that too.
Character Work…
Strong work. Decent depth was achieved in a relatively small timeframe. Roos and Agnes showed growth and weren’t static in their arc. Ruth was, but she’s dead. Honestly, what do you expect? All in all, these characters were memorable, charmingly flawed and generally root-worthy.
Prose…
Hard to believe this is a debut. Van Veen shows maturity in her writing, and demonstrates strength in the gothic tone she sets through language.
Pace…
I don’t usually love gothic horror because they usually move with such molasses energy, but this story fascinated me. That’s not to say it was a barn-burner, because this definitely takes its time, but it never felt like a belabored pace to me.
March 3, 2024
Thank you to Poised Pen Press and Netgalley @Netgalley for the e-arc. All thoughts are my own.
Unofficial Summary:
Roos has a spirit companion only she can see, that is until a wealthy young widow attends a séance and asks Roos to come live with her. Turns our Agness Knoop also has a spirit companion. The manor they live in is unsettling, but the attraction between Roos and Agness is palpable.
So how does someone end up dead? And is a spirit the culprit? Doctor Montague is determined to find out.
Review:
This is one of my favorite gothic books in a long time. Usually, gothic books tend to be so slow paced that I get a little bored in the process despite loving them, but that was not the case here. The pacing on this book was wonderful and carried on with a nice clip that held my interest throughout and propelled me through the pages nicely. Roos was a fascinating character and I love how we got to know her and really see her character grow over the course of the book. Though I do think that more could have happened with her, and she did do some things I found disappointing, I still really enjoyed her as a character. The side characters were also fun and really added depth to the story. Mrs. Knoop’s sister-in-law was quite the character and sure did like to stir the pot. The sapphic element was light, and left to the reader, but I enjoyed how it was done. It felt very true to the time. I also appreciated the inclusion of the doctor’s sessions with Roos. It was a fun way to unravel what had happened with Mrs. K.
This was a wonderfully written gothic tale and I couldn’t believe it was a debut. It was fantastic.
Unofficial Summary:
Roos has a spirit companion only she can see, that is until a wealthy young widow attends a séance and asks Roos to come live with her. Turns our Agness Knoop also has a spirit companion. The manor they live in is unsettling, but the attraction between Roos and Agness is palpable.
So how does someone end up dead? And is a spirit the culprit? Doctor Montague is determined to find out.
Review:
This is one of my favorite gothic books in a long time. Usually, gothic books tend to be so slow paced that I get a little bored in the process despite loving them, but that was not the case here. The pacing on this book was wonderful and carried on with a nice clip that held my interest throughout and propelled me through the pages nicely. Roos was a fascinating character and I love how we got to know her and really see her character grow over the course of the book. Though I do think that more could have happened with her, and she did do some things I found disappointing, I still really enjoyed her as a character. The side characters were also fun and really added depth to the story. Mrs. Knoop’s sister-in-law was quite the character and sure did like to stir the pot. The sapphic element was light, and left to the reader, but I enjoyed how it was done. It felt very true to the time. I also appreciated the inclusion of the doctor’s sessions with Roos. It was a fun way to unravel what had happened with Mrs. K.
This was a wonderfully written gothic tale and I couldn’t believe it was a debut. It was fantastic.
June 4, 2024
This was an enjoyable read, perfectly spooky with all the classic elements of a good gothic read: naive girl is whisked away to crumbling estate by mysterious and attractive love interest (but this time, the love is sapphic), love interest starts acting withdrawn and secretive, and innocent protagonist stumbles on big, shocking secret.
Yet somehow, this one didn't manage to fully blow me away. Maybe precisely because it had all the elements of a classic gothic read: the whole thing felt a bit predictable. The big scandalous secret (which I won't reveal because spoilers) was a trope that felt tired and overdone within this genre.
The themes of racism and colonialism were what made this different and interesting, especially as a Dutch person who rarely reads about this part of our past in a fiction setting like this, but they were not integrated enough for it to make sense for the story. It could have worked so well as the main point of tension in this story, the cause for the power imbalance in the relationship between Agnes and Thomas. In a way, it was, but the implications of a rich, powerful man marrying an immigrant from a former Dutch colony in a time where racism was still very prevalent and normalised should have been much larger than was touched upon now.
Overall, a nice gothic read, but not one I think I would return to in the future.
Yet somehow, this one didn't manage to fully blow me away. Maybe precisely because it had all the elements of a classic gothic read: the whole thing felt a bit predictable. The big scandalous secret (which I won't reveal because spoilers) was a trope that felt tired and overdone within this genre.
The themes of racism and colonialism were what made this different and interesting, especially as a Dutch person who rarely reads about this part of our past in a fiction setting like this, but they were not integrated enough for it to make sense for the story. It could have worked so well as the main point of tension in this story, the cause for the power imbalance in the relationship between Agnes and Thomas. In a way, it was, but the implications of a rich, powerful man marrying an immigrant from a former Dutch colony in a time where racism was still very prevalent and normalised should have been much larger than was touched upon now.
Overall, a nice gothic read, but not one I think I would return to in the future.
November 21, 2024
I was originally going to give this 4 stars but I couldn’t really think of anything I didn’t like about this book. It was just a great read! I haven’t read a book so smoothly in a while.
I loved the vibes of this book, gothic horror is always pleasing for me. I’m also a big fan of books that leave it up to the reader to decide if the main character is telling the truth or is delusional (I hope that makes sense).
Yeah I basically have nothing bad to say, 10’s across the board!
I loved the vibes of this book, gothic horror is always pleasing for me. I’m also a big fan of books that leave it up to the reader to decide if the main character is telling the truth or is delusional (I hope that makes sense).
Yeah I basically have nothing bad to say, 10’s across the board!
January 23, 2024
This book is wonderfully creative!! I love the LGBT+ inclusivity, the dark ambiance, supernatural elements, and characters that you learn about bit by bit. The premise keeps you guessing as you try to figure out motives for actions taken. I love the relationship between the two protagonists. My lesbian heart wishes they could have connected earlier in the story, but it made the small touches/interactions all the more sweet. I highly recommend this book and can’t wait for the next from this author!
December 16, 2024
"It's a dangerous thing, to try and give someone everything. One day, you might find you've given away things you should've kept."
This was one of the most beautifully haunting books I've read in quite a while and has easily, instantly found its way onto the 'best books of 2024' list in my mind. My Darling Dreadful Thing is precisely what I want from a gothic horror novel: dark, romantic, claustrophobic, and downright chilling. Scenes of horrific imagery and even worse traumas take place against an immersive and poetic backdrop filled with forbidden love, and I adored it. It broke my heart more than once. I can't wait to read more of Johanna's works. ♥
“. . . there’s something missing from my life, something dreadful, something darling.”
✨ Representation: sapphic romance, queer MC, Indonesian and bi/pan love interest
✨ Content warnings for:
———
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April 3, 2024
My Darling Dreadful Thing is an extremely touching gothic tale about two women who find each other and bond through their connections with their spirit companions. This story was heartbreaking and lovely and terrifying wrapped in a beautiful little package. The main theme discussion the spiritual connection vs mental illness, and how I/we can't see it, it can't be real. Can it?
This story was wonderfully written, the characters and the world crafting was exquisite. I can not say enough good things about My Darling Dreadful Thing. It is a must read if you don't mind some very vivid descriptions of the dead. 5 stars 👻✨✨✨✨🌟
This story was wonderfully written, the characters and the world crafting was exquisite. I can not say enough good things about My Darling Dreadful Thing. It is a must read if you don't mind some very vivid descriptions of the dead. 5 stars 👻✨✨✨✨🌟
November 1, 2024
⭐️4/5
A beautifully creepy gothic story with a mix of romance, mystery, and supernatural chills. Roos the main character, can see her ghostly friend Ruth, a secret her mother has used for years for her own benefits! But everything changes when Roos meets Agnes, a rich widow with a haunting mansion!!
The story is filled with a rich atmospheric setting!! (Oh the audiobook is also amazing)! The characters feel real and layered! This was the first gothic horror book I ever read, and it was truly so good! I recommend it to anyone who loves spooky books!👻🖤
A beautifully creepy gothic story with a mix of romance, mystery, and supernatural chills. Roos the main character, can see her ghostly friend Ruth, a secret her mother has used for years for her own benefits! But everything changes when Roos meets Agnes, a rich widow with a haunting mansion!!
The story is filled with a rich atmospheric setting!! (Oh the audiobook is also amazing)! The characters feel real and layered! This was the first gothic horror book I ever read, and it was truly so good! I recommend it to anyone who loves spooky books!👻🖤
July 21, 2024
Should have DNF’d when the ghost drank the main characters period blood from the bath water in the first few chapters.
May 8, 2025
A Gothic horror love story at its finest. This takes a different look at a typical gothic haunting story and makes it quite unique. Roos is bound to a spirit she has named Ruth. Her mother uses this to her advantage financially by forcing Roos to participate in seances. During one of these seances a widow by the name of Agnes participates and is quite drawn to Roos. Agnes offers to take her away from the abusive life she has currently with her mother and live with her in a rundown manor.
Fast-forward to present day and a murder has occurred. Roos is currently under the care of a doctor who is trying to determine if she is mentally stable to stand trial. At the root of it is her relationship with Ruth. Is it an actual haunting physically she is experiencing or is it a haunting mentally within Roos’ mind? This certainly gives the reader lots to think about to determine what they believe is the root of Roos haunting.
The author does an excellent job delving into the relationship between Agnes and Roos as well as Roos and Ruth. Usually, I’m not someone who looks at cover art, but the cover on this book stood out and really helped me visualize Ruth. I’m not sure if that was the intention or not but I liked it.
Going into the novel I had assumed this would be your typical haunting story. It is far from that and I’m glad that I gave this book a chance. If you like atmospheric, gothic horror novels, this unique book may be for you.
4.5
Fast-forward to present day and a murder has occurred. Roos is currently under the care of a doctor who is trying to determine if she is mentally stable to stand trial. At the root of it is her relationship with Ruth. Is it an actual haunting physically she is experiencing or is it a haunting mentally within Roos’ mind? This certainly gives the reader lots to think about to determine what they believe is the root of Roos haunting.
The author does an excellent job delving into the relationship between Agnes and Roos as well as Roos and Ruth. Usually, I’m not someone who looks at cover art, but the cover on this book stood out and really helped me visualize Ruth. I’m not sure if that was the intention or not but I liked it.
Going into the novel I had assumed this would be your typical haunting story. It is far from that and I’m glad that I gave this book a chance. If you like atmospheric, gothic horror novels, this unique book may be for you.
4.5
August 16, 2024
Read this if you're a lesbian in love with Cate Blanchett and Michelle Yeoh.
TW but this would have been at the front center of tumblr posts had it come out in 2013. The emo girls would have taken the selfh*** conversations and reblog them to death
TW but this would have been at the front center of tumblr posts had it come out in 2013. The emo girls would have taken the selfh*** conversations and reblog them to death
December 3, 2024
Hauntingly beautiful and creepily unsettling!
My Darling Dreadful Thing is a must read gothic/psychological thriller novel of 2024!
This book has been on my TBR for a long time, and am so glad that I waited to listen to the audiobook. I highly recommend this format, as Jess Nesling perfectly captures the macabre nature of this bizarre plot.
Roos Beckman is horribly abused by mama. She is starved and forced to participate in seances, where her spirit companion Ruth helps trick patrons into believing they have made contact with the spirits of loved ones.
Roos’ life is upended one day when mama sells her to Agnes, a wealthy widow who wishes her to accompany her to a crumbling estate.
When someone is found dead at the estate, Roos must stand trial for murder. Dr. Montague is tasked with determining whether she is fit to stand trial.
Did Roos commit murder?
What a dark and disturbing story! My head was spinning trying to figure out what is real and what is imagined through mental illness. The truth is that I’m still unsure about the answer! However, this book is original, captivating, and the perfect blend of gothic horror and psychological thriller. Oozing with creepy atmosphere, My Darling Dreadful Thing is not to be missed!
4.5/5 stars rounded up
Trigger warnings: abuse, rape, incest
My Darling Dreadful Thing is a must read gothic/psychological thriller novel of 2024!
This book has been on my TBR for a long time, and am so glad that I waited to listen to the audiobook. I highly recommend this format, as Jess Nesling perfectly captures the macabre nature of this bizarre plot.
Roos Beckman is horribly abused by mama. She is starved and forced to participate in seances, where her spirit companion Ruth helps trick patrons into believing they have made contact with the spirits of loved ones.
Roos’ life is upended one day when mama sells her to Agnes, a wealthy widow who wishes her to accompany her to a crumbling estate.
When someone is found dead at the estate, Roos must stand trial for murder. Dr. Montague is tasked with determining whether she is fit to stand trial.
Did Roos commit murder?
What a dark and disturbing story! My head was spinning trying to figure out what is real and what is imagined through mental illness. The truth is that I’m still unsure about the answer! However, this book is original, captivating, and the perfect blend of gothic horror and psychological thriller. Oozing with creepy atmosphere, My Darling Dreadful Thing is not to be missed!
4.5/5 stars rounded up
Trigger warnings: abuse, rape, incest
February 25, 2024
Filled with disgusting displays of intimacy, casual cannibalism, and a queer love story, one might think My Dreadful Darling would be a more exciting read.
Now don't get me wrong, I think this book is well written. The author displays great skill in setting a tone and making that tone flip your stomach. Unfortunately, I found this book a bit of a slog to read.
Roos is, as one might guess, an unusual girl. Her manner of speech is said to be out dated for the time and she's described to act. Well. Ill-adjusted. I think this is written well, Roos and her darling Ruth speak and act alike. Considering one of them is a hundreds-year-old mummified corpse, the duo certainly have an off-putting flair to them. The issue is, other characters, even the supposedly more well adjusted, seem to speak and act in ways that could only be to serve the reader.
I get the feeling the author was afraid to let the reader float in uncertainty. The book is written as Roos telling her doctor the events of her life leading up to the book's Main Event. I feel like that decision led to a lot of actions being over-explained either by Roos or by characters explicitly telling Roos. There's honestly an egregious amount of telling versus showing in this book and I feel that is what made it so hard to get through.
At no point in this story did I wonder 'Oh gosh, what could possibly happen next?' Because I had already been told. We are told very early into the book what to expect from its ending and I'm really not sure why the author made this decision. There is very little guesswork needed to put the story together. Other story beats are introduced, sure, but they are introduced in such a way that any questions you could have about them are almost immediately answered, or could be easily assumed.
I wanted to like this book. There are many reasons to like this book! The style is eerie and beautiful, the setting is interesting, the cast is even more interesting! I just think that the author went about it in... Not the wrong way, but I definitely think there was a better way. As much potential as this book has, I'm really not sure if I'd recommend it or not.
If you enjoy themes of queerness in horror, off-putting levels of intimacy, slow-burn horror, or just really liked the movie Crimson Peak; you might just like this book.
Now don't get me wrong, I think this book is well written. The author displays great skill in setting a tone and making that tone flip your stomach. Unfortunately, I found this book a bit of a slog to read.
Roos is, as one might guess, an unusual girl. Her manner of speech is said to be out dated for the time and she's described to act. Well. Ill-adjusted. I think this is written well, Roos and her darling Ruth speak and act alike. Considering one of them is a hundreds-year-old mummified corpse, the duo certainly have an off-putting flair to them. The issue is, other characters, even the supposedly more well adjusted, seem to speak and act in ways that could only be to serve the reader.
I get the feeling the author was afraid to let the reader float in uncertainty. The book is written as Roos telling her doctor the events of her life leading up to the book's Main Event. I feel like that decision led to a lot of actions being over-explained either by Roos or by characters explicitly telling Roos. There's honestly an egregious amount of telling versus showing in this book and I feel that is what made it so hard to get through.
At no point in this story did I wonder 'Oh gosh, what could possibly happen next?' Because I had already been told. We are told very early into the book what to expect from its ending and I'm really not sure why the author made this decision. There is very little guesswork needed to put the story together. Other story beats are introduced, sure, but they are introduced in such a way that any questions you could have about them are almost immediately answered, or could be easily assumed.
I wanted to like this book. There are many reasons to like this book! The style is eerie and beautiful, the setting is interesting, the cast is even more interesting! I just think that the author went about it in... Not the wrong way, but I definitely think there was a better way. As much potential as this book has, I'm really not sure if I'd recommend it or not.
If you enjoy themes of queerness in horror, off-putting levels of intimacy, slow-burn horror, or just really liked the movie Crimson Peak; you might just like this book.
April 4, 2024
Is it premature to say this is my favorite book of 2024? Probably. But I don't see how another book is going to be able to top this one for me.
A blend of women's fict, sapphic romance, paranormal and psychological horror written into a dark, beautiful, Gothic [debut!! 🤯] novel. My Darling Dreadful Thing is a tragedy at the surface, but a love story at it's bones.
"I can't think right now. If I do, I'll think and feel too much."
We meet FMC Roos as a small child, terrified and abused by "Mama" and forced to perform in fraudulent séances. Ruth, a ghost, is bonded to Roos; her only companion and form of solace.
"I wanted to make her happy more than I wanted anything else."
Eventually Roos is sold to a widow Agnes Knoop. Together they live in the derelict family estate Rozentuin, and find love and understanding in each other. The past doesn't stay buried, and comes to haunt them. Roos must choose between Ruth and Agnes .
"There's a reason the word 'haunting' is rarely used in a positive way. To never be free of someone, well, that's not always a comfort."
I finished reading a few days ago and still haven't gotten this story off of my mind. Heartbreaking, eerie, and unputdownable. I will definitely be buying myself the physical book the moment it is published on May 14th for my home library.
Thank you to SourceBooks, PoisonedPenPress, and NetGalley for the advanced review e-copy. I am leaving an honest review voluntarily.
5⭐
A blend of women's fict, sapphic romance, paranormal and psychological horror written into a dark, beautiful, Gothic [debut!! 🤯] novel. My Darling Dreadful Thing is a tragedy at the surface, but a love story at it's bones.
"I can't think right now. If I do, I'll think and feel too much."
We meet FMC Roos as a small child, terrified and abused by "Mama" and forced to perform in fraudulent séances. Ruth, a ghost, is bonded to Roos; her only companion and form of solace.
"I wanted to make her happy more than I wanted anything else."
Eventually Roos is sold to a widow Agnes Knoop. Together they live in the derelict family estate Rozentuin, and find love and understanding in each other. The past doesn't stay buried, and comes to haunt them. Roos must choose between Ruth and Agnes .
"There's a reason the word 'haunting' is rarely used in a positive way. To never be free of someone, well, that's not always a comfort."
I finished reading a few days ago and still haven't gotten this story off of my mind. Heartbreaking, eerie, and unputdownable. I will definitely be buying myself the physical book the moment it is published on May 14th for my home library.
Thank you to SourceBooks, PoisonedPenPress, and NetGalley for the advanced review e-copy. I am leaving an honest review voluntarily.
5⭐
Read
October 28, 2024Queer Dutch author Johanna van Veen's My Darling Dreadful Thing is a work of gothic heartache. This sapphic horror-tinged drama will rip you apart in more ways than one. The novel follows Roos, a young woman barely out of girlhood, who has been working as a medium at her mother's seances. While her mother is a cruel charlatan, Roos really does have a connection to the spirit world in the form of her ghostly companion, Ruth.
But when Roos meets Agnes—a young widow mourning the loss of her husband—the two form a quick bond and Agnes pays Roos' mother to have Roos as her own companion at her crumbling estate. There, Roos discovers that Agnes has her own spirit companion, as well as a few dark secrets. And between chapters we read doctor/patient transcripts from after the events of the novel, which reveal that Agnes will not last the novel, and Roos is on trial.
The gothic elements of this story are turned up to eleven, with ever single gothic checkbox being ticked, and what makes this a real dramatic masterpiece is the intense, painful longing that Roos and Agnes grow to feel for each other. Their love blossoms through the novel but it is a flower blooming in a murky, ghost-infested place.
My full thoughts: https://booksandbao.com/must-read-sap...
But when Roos meets Agnes—a young widow mourning the loss of her husband—the two form a quick bond and Agnes pays Roos' mother to have Roos as her own companion at her crumbling estate. There, Roos discovers that Agnes has her own spirit companion, as well as a few dark secrets. And between chapters we read doctor/patient transcripts from after the events of the novel, which reveal that Agnes will not last the novel, and Roos is on trial.
The gothic elements of this story are turned up to eleven, with ever single gothic checkbox being ticked, and what makes this a real dramatic masterpiece is the intense, painful longing that Roos and Agnes grow to feel for each other. Their love blossoms through the novel but it is a flower blooming in a murky, ghost-infested place.
My full thoughts: https://booksandbao.com/must-read-sap...
December 10, 2025
oh what the fuck
”We are wedded to each other, you and I. You’re my helpmeet and yokemate, and I am yours. My love for you is as strong as death.”
“Must love be about suffering?”
“How else does one show the strength and sincerity of one’s love if not through suffering and sacrifice?”
”We are wedded to each other, you and I. You’re my helpmeet and yokemate, and I am yours. My love for you is as strong as death.”
“Must love be about suffering?”
“How else does one show the strength and sincerity of one’s love if not through suffering and sacrifice?”
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