The Woman in the Wallpaper

by Lora Jones

Are some patterns destined to be repeated?

Paris, 1788. After the death of their beloved father, Sofi and Lara accept work at the Oberst company, renowned for producing beautifully intricate wallpaper. But they soon notice a peculiar pattern in the the same woman featured over and over again, the late wife of the owner, who died in mysterious circumstances and whose tragically short life is memorialised in the paper.

As Sofi's political fervour grows, Lara attracts the interest of the factory owner's son Josef. But there is something uncannily familiar about their interactions. Is Lara paranoid, or is her life at the factory mirroring the scenes illustrated on the wallpaper that lines her bedchamber?

Meanwhile Josef's new wife, Hortense, hates her life in Paris. Young, spoiled and aristocratic, she feels herself above the world of the factory. But she too becomes obsessed with the woman whose life is illustrated on the walls of her new home. With the mobs growing ever more violent, is she in danger of meeting the same untimely fate as the last Mrs Oberst?

Soon the lives of Sofi, Lara and Hortense collide in ways they couldn't have imagined. And as the fire of Revolution burns across France, can these three women escape a destiny that seems pre-ordained?

Genres: Historical Fiction, Mystery, Gothic, Historical, Fiction, France, 18th Century

480 pages, Hardcover

First published February 4, 2025

About the author

Lora Jones is based in North Wales, UK. She is the author of THE MAGICIAN'S WIFE - a series of impossible mystery novels set in and around the world of stage magic.

Lora also hosts a popular podcast of the same name with her husband Barry, a professional magician.

Go to Lora's website to join her Readers' Club, and receive a free novella, plus original monthly short stories, all set in the world of THE MAGICIAN'S WIFE.

Reviews

[Ceecee · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 rounded up

3.5 rounded up

Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité. Vive la Révolution …From the fall of the Bastille to the executions, France will never be the same. In Paris, October 1793, the revolution is in full flow and Madame Guillotine is busy…. Backtrack to Marseilles in 1788, the year before it starts, where we meet Sofie Thibault who loves to draw much to her mother’s ire. Their life is hard especially when rent rises and the cost of food increases as a frightening scale. When her beloved father is killed, Sofie, her sister Lara and their mother make for Paris where employment is available at the Oberst factory and with the owners family. Here they manufacture wallpaper that every noble family seeks to hang in their chateaux. It’s a mysterious place and even more mysterious is that every print run is said to contain pictures of the late Madame Justine Oberst who dies in peculiar and suspicious circumstances.

Meanwhile at the Palace of Versailles, Hortense du Pommier lives a life of luxury compared to most although even Hortense can see the grandeur and splendour of the palace created by the Sun King Louis XIV is definitely waning. Hortense’s parents are desperately seeking a husband for her, perhaps that have found one in young Josef Oberst, son of the factory owner to whom the Thibault sisters have grown close. How will the worlds of aristocratic Hortense and the increasingly politically aware Sofie collide as the grip of the Ancien Regime breaks down? Fires are beginning to blaze throughout France as Sofie, Lara and Hortense tell their stories. How will they fare as revolution strikes?

I love the history of France especially these turbulent times and the premise of the novel is a fascinating one. The settings are excellent with the wallpaper factory providing real scope for the author to explore and build a good story around. It’s a good mixture of a gothic, ghostly story with the deepening mystery of Justine mixed with actual historical events over which the characters have no control, combined with their own actions some of which are despicable. There are moments of shock and tension when events spiral out of control and when secrets emerge.

The author depicts the descending chaos of France clearly and well with the suffering and poverty of those and the bottom of the system versus a life of haughty excess via the characters who are very well portrayed. The incendiary atmosphere and encroaching danger is tangible with the storytelling growing darker and darker, all infused with gothic elements.

There’s no doubt that this is a powerful debut which is well written but in my opinion it’s too long and the fine detail means that some of the strands of the storytelling which should pop in full technicolour get somewhat lost. I do enjoy it but with this reservation hence the 3.5 rating which I have rounded up.

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Little Brown Book Group for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.

[theliterateleprechaun · Rating 4 out of 5]

Are some patterns destined to be repeated?

This is a fascinating story with a unique plot and plenty to think about!

Author Lora Jones wants readers to consider that the past isn’t really that foreign - that history repeats itself with few drastic changes. Her particular setting to showcase this concept of historic recurrence is Paris in 1793. By taking readers back to the events of the French Revolution and examining the heart of the conflict, the fight for change and the results, she offers us a mirror with which to view our present and our future.

To showcase her driving concept, she introduces us to three women from different sections of society and highlights their plight before, during and after the revolution. Sofi, a wallpaper factory worker; Lara, Sophie’s sister and a lady’s maid; and Hortense, an aristocrat, enlighten readers about the lack of real change and opportunity for women. Poverty is as much an issue then as it is now, harvest failures are still happening, food prices are soaring post-Covid and widespread social unrest still drives people to protest.

I loved Sofi’s thread and the chance to enter the Toile de Jouy factory. I was intrigued by Sofi’s claim that the scenes in the wallpaper bore a striking similarity to someone she knew and mirrored a history to which she soon became privy.

This was an original, entertaining and fantastic historical debut. It needs to be on your radar. Please check out the author’s page to see her contribution to fostering change.

I was gifted this copy by Union Square & Co and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley and Union Square Publishing for access to this title. I am auto-approved by the publisher. All opinions expressed are my own.


France, 1780s- As revolution swirls through France, sisters Sofi and Lara find their life in beautiful Marseilles upended when their father dies in a tragic accident and along with their grieving mother, they must leave the only city they have ever known. Settling in a small village near Paris, the three women are employed to work in a factory. Lara and Sofi soon became intrigued by some of the local gossip surrounding their masters which leads them very close to danger. Meanwhile, Hortense, the youngest daughter of a noble French family has lived a very privileged life. When her father weds her to the son of the factory owner, the three women's lives collide in the most tragic of ways.

The chapters alternate between the three aforementioned characters. The story starts slowly and it is jarring when Hortense is introduced because it isn't clear until much later in the story the role that she will play. Word of caution, Hortense's point of view is so hard to read because she's such a selfish person! However, the last 1/3 of the book had me on the edge of my seat and for that, I placed it in the 3-star range.


Publication Date 04/02/25
Goodreads Review 12/02/25

[Nina The Wandering Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

“And then I see the wallpaper. And the breath is snatched from my throat. The room’s single curving wall is covered with it. From floor to ceiling. Shrouded in a pattern printed in violet covered ink. As I move my candle, I see that small vignetted scenes cover the paper’s surface. Sprigs of foliage, curly cues and birds weaving between them. I realize for the first time that this is what the wallpaper must look like when viewed in its entirety. It is as though, while each individual scene captures a single moment of the life, this wall captures the whole of one. The whole of a woman’s life. I see her there in the print with her sweep of light hair, her delicate animated countenance. She stares back at me again and again, inhabiting every last image. A curious shiver thrills my skin. No more than one or two scenes at a time are visible in the candle’s flicker, the rest dissolving to black where the light can not reach. And yet, it is odd how when the glowing wick passes upon each one, the woman in that pattern seems to pause, mid gesture knowing she is being observed.”

Based on the slightly unsettling book cover, I went into this story hoping for more creepy wallpaper. While this is considered a gothic historical fiction set during the French Revolution, it is not a horror novel (I knew this going in, but I still hoped there'd be a ghost for some reason. haha. I'm always hoping for ghosts). Nevertheless, I still ended up loving this book. I loved that the story is told from three women's points of view--and women's perspectives during the French Revolution, or any revolution for that matter, is important to me as a reader.

This book had drama, heartbreak, mystery, tension, familial secrets, and quite a few twists towards the last quarter of the book! I'm so glad I ventured out of my usual thriller/horror/suspense comfort zone and gave this book a go!

[Shaylah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! Lora Jones' "The Woman in the Wallpaper" is full of gothic intrigue and historical depth, weaving together themes of love, loss, obsession, and the inexorable pull of destiny. Set against the charged backdrop of pre-Revolutionary Paris, this novel is both a richly atmospheric period piece and a riveting psychological mystery.

The characters are exquisitely drawn, each with unique struggles and desires. Sofi's fiery political passion, Lara's quiet unraveling, and Hortense's aristocratic discontent all converge in a story that is as unpredictable as it is haunting. Their lives are forever changed by one man, Josef Oberst, whose mother died when he was a child. Since then, he has forever obsessed over his memories of her within the artistic designs of the family's intricate wallpaper.

But this isn't any ordinary wallpaper. The mysterious wallpaper, with its intricate patterns and ghostly echoes of the past, becomes almost a character in itself, drawing the women into its enigmatic spell.

Sisters Sofi and Lara are incredible artists who find their way to Oberst's wallpaper factory after the death of their father for work and housing. Both take an interest in Josef. He sees so many similarities to his mother in Lara that he can't stay away from her and has plans to propose, but his father has grander plans in store for his wealthy son that don't involve someone on their staff. While villagers and workers live on scraps - rich, spoiled, rude, and rotten, Hortense enters the picture as Josef's betrothed. Forced to marry but in love with Lara, he brings her into the home as his new wife's lady's maid, where things take a turn for the worse.

Jones's writing is so immersive, painting vivid scenes of the Oberst factory, the streets of Paris on the brink of revolution, and the ominous interiors of the Oberst home. The novel masterfully balances historical detail with suspense, keeping readers gripped until the final, heart-stopping twist.

Thank you, #NetGalley, #LoraJones, and UnionSquareCo, for the ARC in exchange for my honest review of #TheWomanintheWallpaper.

[Helen · Rating 4 out of 5]

The French Revolution is a fascinating subject and I’ve read several novels set during that period. The Woman in the Wallpaper, Lora Jones’ debut novel, is another and is written from the unusual perspective of two sisters working at a wallpaper factory in northern France.

Sofi and Lara Thibault are the daughters of a stonemason who dies suddenly under tragic circumstances early in the book. In need of work to support themselves, the sisters and their mother move to Jouy-en-Jouvant, a town near Paris, where all three have been offered employment at the Oberst factory. The factory produces wallpaper with a unique design featuring a woman thought to be the late Mrs Oberst, who died several years ago and may or may not have been murdered. As they settle into their new jobs, both girls are drawn to Josef Oberst, the heir to the factory, but Josef is soon to be a married man, with an aristocratic young wife due to arrive from Versailles.

With political turmoil brewing in France, Sofi finds herself caught up with the revolutionaries and longs to play a part in shaping her country’s future. Lara, however, has other things to worry about – like the resemblance between herself and Mrs Oberst and the way incidents from her own life seem to be replicated in the pictures on the factory wallpaper. Meanwhile, Josef’s new wife, Hortense, discovers that as a member of the aristocracy she could be in the most danger of them all as the revolution picks up pace.

I enjoyed The Woman in the Wallpaper, although I wish authors would stop writing in present tense! I’ve never read a book set in a wallpaper factory before and it was fascinating to read about the process of making the paper and preparing the coloured pigments, as well as the work carried out in the printhouse, where the designs are carved onto the wooden blocks which are then coated with ink and pressed onto the paper. The parts of the novel dealing with the French Revolution are also interesting. Some of the key events, such as the storming of the Bastille and the arrival of the guillotine, are included, but the main focus is on the role of women and how the Revolution seemed unlikely to bring about the level of change they were hoping for.

The novel is narrated by both of the Thibault sisters and at first, even though the name of the narrator is given at the start of each chapter, I found myself forgetting which one I was reading about as their voices felt very similar. Later in the book, as their stories began to diverge, the two became easier to distinguish and this wasn’t a problem anymore. Lara is the gentler, quieter, more mature sister but Sofi, the impetuous younger sister, was my favourite. However, there’s also a third narrator – Hortense, Josef’s selfish, entitled wife from Versailles. Hortense makes no attempt to adapt to the changes in society or to endear herself to the people of Jouy; in one memorable scene, she deliberately hosts an elaborate birthday party for her pet dog, knowing that peasants are starving and workers are protesting. I thought perhaps I would warm to her as the book went on, but that didn’t happen – I found her cruel and heartless right to the end.

As for the central mystery surrounding the images in the wallpaper and their connection with Lara’s life, I found it easy to guess what was really going on, but it was still quite unsettling! This is an impressive first novel and I hope Lora Jones will be writing more.

[MaryannC Victorian Dreamer · Rating 4 out of 5]

A gothic tale of mystery and tragedy set in Paris, 1789 right before the French Revolution where 2 sisters Lara and Sofi find work in the famed Oberst wallpaper company after their father is killed in a freak accident. The days are long and the sisters toil in hot and stifling conditions along with their mother to make the wallpaper prints, but the toil is made lighter when the sisters meet handsome Josef Oberst son of the reclusive factory owner who befriends them. As the girls become accustomed to their work they begin to notice that the wallpaper details images of a woman who resembles the late wife of the factory owner who died under mysterious circumstances. But Lara begins to notice that not only does the wallpaper have images of the dead woman, but the wallpaper holds images of herself as she notices it more and more and she feels there some connection between them. As Josef and Lara spend more time together he increasingly becomes attracted to Lara, a fact that Sofi resents because she is harboring a crush herself for Josef. But, Josef's father has plans for his son to marry someone of nobility and arranges his marriage to Hortense, a petulant, spoiled daughter of an aristocrat, but the storm of the Revolution is brewing and the aristocracy's days are numbered as they meet the guillotine and the people are demanding change. I was enthralled by this read I couldn't put it down, I needed to know the outcome of Sofi, Lara's and Josef's lives, a very gripping read.
Thank you to author Lora jones and NetGalley for providing a copy of this in exchange for an honest review.

[ThatBookish_deviant · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5/5

“The shadow of death makes actors of us all.”

One of my favorite books of the year! The audiobook narration is brilliant and enhanced the experience dramatically. Such an incredible debut from Lora Jones, I can’t wait to see what she does next!

[Jo_Scho_Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Paris, 1789. After the recent death of their father, sisters Lara and Sofi are starting work at The Oberst Factory. The factory is renowned for crafting exquisite wallpaper for the very wealthy and most fashionable.

Soon after their arrival the girls form a friendship with Josef Oberst, heir to the factory. Josef is a loner, distant from his father and his mother long dead. His unpleasant aristocratic wife Hortense, also brings him no joy so he looks to the sisters for comfort. They enjoy his company but change is afoot, the Revolution is imminent and Sofi is becoming drawn to the increasing political fervour. And then there are the mysterious images in the wallpaper, which look decidedly like Lara…

This was an intriguing piece of historical fiction, I confess to not knowing much about the French Revolution so this story both educated and fascinated me, with talk of guillotines, suspicion and subterfuge. The tale is told from three viewpoints; Lara, Sofi and Hortense. And whilst a truly despicable character, Hortense was still my favourite. Spoilt, selfish and unpleasant - but her devotion to her darling Pépin suggests that she wasn’t entirely bad. The Woman in the Wallpaper is a big read, but the plot so interesting and well crafted that it didn’t feel like that to me at all. I part listened to this and the narration was superb, the hours flew by so immersed was I in these dark times.

A well researched and hugely atmospheric story which documents a memorable part of French history.

[Kate O'Shea · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5/4

The Woman in the Wallpaper is a historical fiction novel set against the backdrop of the French Revolution, a particularly turbulent time in European history.

Sofi and Lara Thibault are sisters whose lives change after a tragedy. They find themselves at the home of the Oberst family who are the owners of a wallpaper factory. Lara is, at first, given a job within the factory but having caught the eye of the owner's son and following Josef's marriage, she is employed as the lady's maid to Josef's wife - an aristocrat who is about as happy to be married off to a factory owner as Josef is to have her.

However all their lives are turned upside down with the coming of the revolution.

Lora Jones must have trawled through a ton of research to give this novel an authentic feel. She freely admits that she has fiddled with some parts in order to fit her narrative but for those of us who are not scholars of this time it certainly hung together well.

Lara and Sofi are well-rounded characters and even the dreadful aristocrat wife, Hortense has her softer moments.

Nobody is quite what they seem in this novel and all are changed by the revolutionary fever that swept the country.

It did take me a little time to get into the narrative as there is some magical realism thrown in throughout. However, ultimately I enjoyed the whole book and the end was satisfying.

Thankyou to Netgalley and Little, Brown for the advance review copy.

[Bella Azam · Rating 3 out of 5]

I will admit that when I saw the title, I was intrigued by the Woman in the wallpaper, reminded me of Yellow Wallpaper of the story on a woman on descent of madness post partum depression. With the gothic themes, historical fiction and story about women, I expected to like this one but sadly I dont. The story talked about two sisters working in a factory in France where the histories of the town and the magnificence attraction of the woman in the wallpaper that repeatedly appeared throughout the design, watching & staring. The woman is the late wife to the factory owner. The story is interesting in the beginning as we learned more about the plights & struggles of the two sisters and there is also the wife of the factory owner's son that is kinda hard bearing & pompous. But the plot deterred & meanderingly slow at times letting me unable to fully immerse in the whole story.

I end up skimming most of the words as the sentences felt too redundant just to highlight certain things when it could be more direct & precise. This could also due to me not having the mental capacity to process this writing as i dont feel it up to my style which impacted my reading a lot.

thank you to Definitely Books for the review copy in exchange for an honest review

[Claire Talbot · Rating 4 out of 5]

Engrossing. It was difficult to stop reading this story of two sisters - Lara and Sofi. When their father is killed by a reckless prank by village noblemen, the two sisters and their mother travel to Jouy to find employment and a cottage at a wallpaper factory in France. Almost immediately, Lara discovers she bears a striking resemblance to the former wife of the factory owner, and discovers the woman's likeness is the inspiration for the bucolic designs depicting French country life in the wallpaper. When the young master of the house begins to take notice of Lara, friction starts to grow between the two sisters. However, the Senior Mister Oberst has decided that his son must marry a troubled young aristocrat that lives at Versailles, named Hortense. The chapters are written from the perspective of these three women - Lara, Sofi, and Hortense. When Sofi begins to become drawn into the women's movement of the French Revolution, and the Senior Mr. Oberst dies and leaves the business to his newly married son, you know a bad reckoning is coming. Of course, not everything is as it seems - a good story.

[Trina Dixon · Rating 4 out of 5]

A deeply intense multi perspective novel that follows 3 women in 18th Century France.
Sofia and Lara are sisters but are very different both in looks and their outlook on life. Sofia is incensed by the actions of the aristocracy as she blames them for her Fathers death. Lara is a calming influence on her normally but when she becomes lady's maid to the insufferable Hortense, wife of factory owner Josef, she finds her loyalty divided.
And all the time Lara is haunted by the strange images she sees in the wallpaper in her room.
This is a powerful debut novel giving an insight into the French Revolution and the difference in the classes and the consequences of this.

[Kimblyj · Rating 1 out of 5]

Started okay...ended horribly. The entire last half of the book had such an icky tone to it.

[Ma'ayan · Rating 1 out of 5]

tell me again why I enjoy reading?

[Sal · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a gothic style historical fiction and enjoyed it thoroughly. 2 sisters arrive at a wallpaper factory in Paris. The year is 1789. The two sisters form a friendship with Josef Oberst heir to the factory who lost his mother when he was just 11 years old. Whilst Sofi becomes increasingly involved with the revolution Lara finds herself as Josefs new brides lady maid.

Lara finds herself and her life mirrored within the ever changing wallpaper in her room. Lara becomes increasingly concerned that she is in danger and will have her life cut short like the late Mrs Oberst.

I did find this to be a slow starter but I persevered and I am so glad I did. This is a perfect example of historical fiction with a gothic twist. I look forward to reading more by this author and I definitely think they may become an auto buy author for me especially if they continue with the historical fiction genre

[Lesley 129 · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book became more frustrating as it went on (and on). All the narrative voices sound the same and tend towards the same habits of a) describing the look on their own faces b) randomly using French phrases, when presumably they are talking in French to each other the whole time c) put off taking any positive action until suddenly announcing that it was too late to do anything. The over simplification of the historical period was jarring and the plotting convoluted, especially towards the end when the characters all started explaining things at great length in order to tie things up with a ribbon on top.

The only way this book surprised me was that I actually finished it.

[Alannah Clarke · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Woman in the Wallpaper by Lora Jones is a novel rich in gothic atmosphere and unsettling imagery, with a premise that draws clear inspiration from classic psychological horror. Jones sets the stage with haunting prose and a slow-burning tension that builds gradually, creating a sense of unease that lingers throughout the book.

However, while the atmosphere is compelling, the story itself doesn’t quite deliver on its early promise. The characters, particularly the protagonist, felt underdeveloped, making it hard to become fully invested in their journey. Plot-wise, the pacing drags in places, and several twists felt predictable rather than shocking.

That said, Jones shows real promise in her writing style and thematic exploration. The book delves into ideas of identity, madness, and entrapment with some finesse, and fans of eerie, ambiguous narratives may find more to enjoy. Overall, The Woman in the Wallpaper is a decent read, but for me, it lacked the emotional or narrative impact to be truly memorable.

[Jenny · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow that took me on a ride I didnt expect. well done!

[The Bookish Elf · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Woman in the Wallpaper by Lora Jones is a captivating blend of historical fiction and mystery, set against the tumultuous backdrop of Paris in 1788. Through a meticulously woven narrative, Jones takes readers on a journey through the lives of three women—Sofi, Lara, and Hortense—whose fates intertwine amidst the brewing storm of the French Revolution. The novel’s clever use of symbolism, particularly through the enigmatic wallpaper, and its haunting exploration of destiny and free will, make this book a thought-provoking read.

Plot Overview

The story opens with sisters Sofi and Lara, who, after their father's death, find work at the Oberst wallpaper factory. As they settle into their new roles, they discover a peculiar pattern in the wallpaper—the repeated image of the factory owner’s late wife, whose mysterious death continues to cast a shadow. As political tensions rise, Sofi becomes involved in revolutionary activities while Lara’s relationship with Josef, the owner's son, takes a sinister turn. Meanwhile, Josef’s new wife, Hortense, struggles to adjust to her new life, increasingly drawn into the mystery of the wallpaper. The novel crescendos as the women’s lives converge, and the flames of revolution threaten to consume them all.

Character Analysis
Sofi

Sofi is a character brimming with passion and idealism. Her involvement in revolutionary activities adds a palpable tension to the narrative, highlighting the intersection of personal and political struggles. She is the novel’s moral compass, yet her idealism sometimes blinds her to immediate dangers.

Lara

Lara’s arc is perhaps the most intriguing. Her sense of paranoia and the gradual unraveling of reality around her is deftly handled by Jones. The connection between Lara’s life and the wallpaper’s story creates a psychological labyrinth for the reader, blending elements of gothic mystery with historical fiction.

Hortense

Hortense, the young aristocratic wife, brings a fresh perspective to the story. Her initial disdain for the working-class world of the factory evolves into a deep, unsettling obsession. Her character reflects the broader societal divisions of the time, and her descent into the mystery of the wallpaper adds layers of suspense to the plot.

Writing Style

Lora Jones writes with an elegance that suits the historical setting while maintaining an accessible and engaging tone. Her descriptive prose vividly paints the streets of Paris, the detailed designs of the wallpaper, and the nuanced emotions of her characters. The novel’s pacing is well-balanced, allowing moments of quiet reflection amid the growing chaos of revolution.

Themes
Destiny vs. Free Will

One of the novel’s central themes is the conflict between destiny and free will. The wallpaper, with its repetitive imagery, acts as a symbol of fate, suggesting that the characters are trapped in a preordained cycle. Jones masterfully plays with this motif, leaving readers questioning how much control the characters truly have over their fates.

Revolution and Change

Set on the eve of the French Revolution, the novel explores the desire for change on both a personal and societal level. Sofi’s revolutionary spirit mirrors the broader upheaval in France, and each character’s journey reflects the chaos and unpredictability of a world on the brink of transformation.

Critique

While The Woman in the Wallpaper is a remarkable novel, it is not without its flaws. At times, the heavy symbolism of the wallpaper feels overused, leading to a sense of predictability in the plot. Some readers might find the pacing slow, particularly in the middle chapters where character introspection takes precedence over plot development. However, these are minor quibbles in an otherwise beautifully constructed narrative.

Conclusion

The Woman in the Wallpaper is a rich and immersive read that will appeal to fans of historical fiction and mystery alike. With strong, well-developed characters and a plot that delicately balances reality and the supernatural, Lora Jones delivers a story that lingers long after the final page. Despite a few pacing issues, the novel’s atmospheric setting and intricate storytelling make it a highly recommended read.

[Catherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading The Woman in the Wallpaper by Lora Jones was a beautiful experience taking me back to my first loves of gothic and historical fiction.

[Pippa Elliott · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love a clever book, and this is a ‘clever’ book.
What do I mean by clever?
One example in 'The Woman in Wallpaper' is that the supernatural is hinted at. But what the author does so achingly well is to produce an explanation that is completely believable and utterly poignant. But I cant say more without spoilers, so you will need to read the book to find out what I mean.
The book opens with a female character on a tumbrel (I had to look the word up. A tumbrel is a 2-wheeled wagon used in the French revolution to take victims to the guillotine). We aren’t told who the character is or why she is about to be executed.
The story is then told by three different women; the two sisters, Sofi and Lara, and an aristocratic wife, Hortense. When the sisters' father is killed in a terrible accident, Sofi and Lara must make new lives working as employees in a factory which makes toile de jouy wallpaper. Lara becomes lady’s maid to the haughty Hortense, and to her confusion she finds her life seems to be repeating the scenes portrayed in the paper lining the walls of her bedchamber.
As I read on apace, to find out who was in the tumbrel, the three women’s lives intertwine…with fatal consequences.
This is a lush story of love and loss, of petty jealousies and grand principles, played out in the context of the French Revolution.
There is a highly unusual account, used to great effect, of a beheading, in which the character continues to think for several seconds afterwards. This is believable within the novel, and I was intrigued to read in the author’s notes, that scientists have long been intrigued by how long the brain functions after decapitation. One courageous man even agreed to blink for as long as he could afterwards – and managed 15 blinks…but I digress…
Moving, clever, and uplifting despite some grisly events, this was a great read.

“…only now I understood…why he praised her so, lavished her with attention and love….He was not favouring her, but making her feel wanted.” [Sofi, reflecting on how her father treated Lara.]

[Dan Bassett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Paris, the year is 1789.
The Oberst Factory, a behemoth of industry responsible for crafting the finest, most exquisitely designed wallpaper for the most fashionable, and therefore enviable households in France, it is a place of such great value, yet also heady with mystery…
Most enigmatic is the woman who appears in each of its distinctive prints, rumours have circulated for many years her likeness is that of the late Mrs Oberst, who died in circumstances most peculiar, indeed.
When sisters Lara and Sofi find themselves inside the factory ready to work, they soon form a friendship, a bond if you will, with Joseph Oberst, the motherless heir to the factory which now finds itself grafting its very essence into the sisters to the point that neither of them can ever seem to separate themselves from it.
Whilst Sofi’s political fervour burns brighter than a bonfire, Lara is disturbed by the uncanny and hypnotic way her life appears to be running parallel with that of what appears on the wallpaper…
Meanwhile Hortense, Josef’s spoiled and cloistered aristocratic wife, is unnerved by such scenes that line the walls of her new gilded cage, or home as she should be thinking of it, yet as unrest swells on her very doorstep which seems ever-growing in its violent nature, is Hortense in danger of meeting the same untimely and unexpected end as the last Mrs Oberst?
Revolution is blazing across France, and unknown to Sofi, Lara and Hortense, their lives will collide in unimaginable and irrevocable ways.
Are some patterns destined to be repeated?
A spellbinding, mesmerising, hauntingly beautiful read, The Woman in the Wallpaper is a masterpiece of a debut that deserves a place on every bookshelf.

[Julie Rothenfluh · Rating 2 out of 5]

Maybe 2.75! With the French Revolution as a backdrop, this is a story of 2 sisters: Sofi, never happy, and Lara, always the good girl; what happens to their lives after their father’s untimely death; and how their lives intersect with the events unfolding between 1788 and 1793. The final lesson I got out of it seems to be that even bad people deserve a break! I didn’t buy it; I didn’t buy Sofi’s character - clueless; or the whole Oberst family drama. Was Lara crazy or was there really something going on with the wallpaper?! And Guillaume was a throw-away character, sadly. And don’t think I missed the Wilhelm/Guillaume thing! 😁 At 470 pages, this could easily have been edited to 350!

[Anu · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5/5

there was so much going on that I couldn't connect to the characters. Too much French, not enough evil women.

[Kelly Apro · Rating 2 out of 5]

Would say 2.5 stars! With promising characters that just didn’t develop until everything was too late.

[Daphne Sharpe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Two sisters, Lara and Sofie Thibault and Hortense, a young woman from Versailles, are the central female characters in this fascinating debut novel.
Set amongst the events leading to the French Revolution in 1789, Lara and Sofie work at the Oberst factory in Jouy , this makes the famous material, in this novel it is wallpaper, a very expensive product for the grand houses of Paris and the Palace of Versailles.
Toile de Jouy is comprised of small vignettes, pictures of pastoral scenes, usually idealised images of happy, healthy country folk, or love scenes using period figures. When Lara observes these images closely in her work, she notices they echo her own life events, and she also bears a stunning resemblance to the central character Justine, the deceased wife of the Oberst factory owner.
Sofie is the more radically minded and politically aware of the sisters, so when food riots and workers unrest reach Jouy, she and other workers go to Paris to witness the storming of the Bastille, the symbolic start of the Terror, which eventually culminates in the introduction of Madame Guillotine.
Hortense is a spoilt young woman from the Palace of Versailles, her haughty manner has not endeared her to the many suitors her father has introduced to her, so when Josef Oberst agrees to marry her, she reluctantly agrees, his family are trade, and so below her station!
When they both move to Jouy, the lives of these three women collide in spectacular ways that bring events in Paris and Jouy to a stunningly and desperately sad conclusion.
Not your normal happy ever after story. This is a Gothic, almost supernatural romance, filled with suspense, emotional heartbreak, with an underlying theme of mental health issues. There is a wonderful blend of historical facts and fiction. The saying of walls have ears, should now be updated to walls have eyes?
I found the medical question of how long a body could remain lucid after decapitation to be most interesting, this supposedly happened after the execution of Mary, Queen of Scots, her lips were observed moving for several minutes after her death.
A five star novel. Lengthy but so well researched, and not interrupting the flow of the narrative. A really enjoyable story, with wonderful twists and turns
I look forward to future novels from this author.
My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers, Little, Brown Book Group UK, for my ARC, freely given in exchange for my honest review. I will leave reviews to Goodreads and Amazon UK upon publication..

[Janet · Rating 5 out of 5]

I saw this book keep popping up on X and it quickly got added to my list of must reads. I was very lucky to have received a beautiful hardback proof copy from Little Brown group which was an absolute joy to read.

The story dates back to 1789 where we meet Sofi and Lara, teenage sisters living a difficult life of poverty with their parents. After a heartbreaking accident they move to Paris to take up menial work in the flourishing Oberst wallpaper factory. The Obersts have their own personal tragedy in their past. The son and heir to the factory, Josef, bonds very quickly with Lara.

On the other side of the coin is the rich, spoiled, Hortense. Living in the palace with her aristocratic parents and her ridiculously pampered pooch. I’ll bet she was so much fun to write!

I was completely absorbed by this book. Following Lara and Sofi and hoping their lives would get easier. And hoping Hortense would be taken down a peg or ten.

The book is narrated by the three main female characters and we find just how nasty and conniving Hortense can be.

There is one scene in particular which is going to stay with me for some time. You will know which when you reach it!

It is a long book but it doesn’t feel drawn out at all and I would happily have read more.

I will definitely read more from this author.

[Jane Armstrong · Rating 5 out of 5]

The French Revolution is one of the most fascinating periods of history for me. So much more than the execution of a king, this book brings to life the background of the unrest and also the fall out of the violence. Three incredibly strong female heroines take the lead in this book, each have their own viewpoint and each let us into their lives one by one. I warmed to each of them, yes, even the spoilt Hortense, there was so much more to her character. Lora uses short chapters to capture perfectly the fast paced story and how things change in the blink of an eye. Right from the start I fell in love with this book, it made me cry, it made me slam it down in anger when I realised what disaster was unravelling and it broke my heart in many pieces. The ending was perfect. The whole novel was. I couldn’t believe this was a debut as it was incredibly well written, sympathetic to all characters. Beautiful.

[Rebecca Taylor · Rating 3 out of 5]

(Hardcover) This was a long book with not a whole lot going on. I found myself skipping and I did a lot of Googling of vocabulary. I understood the "patterns repeat in life and in wallpaper" theme, but the actual scenes where she is face-to-face with the wallpaper and all kinds of weird things were happening, I didn't get it! Were they real? Was she imagining it? I just understand what was happening. It did get more exciting towards then end when things started happening, but it just took a long time to get there.