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The House of Barbary
'If you crossed The Miniaturist with Promising Young Woman, you'd get The House of Barbary . . . a blazing feminist roar of a novel' Naomi Kelsey
Beatrice has been lied to her whole life.
Beatrice Barbary has been raised to believe that while education will set her mind free, there are some questions better left unanswered.
Her life is in disarray.
But when her father, one of the most powerful men in Bern, is brutally murdered in their own home, she is left reeling, unprotected and vulnerable.
Her future uncertain.
Plunging head first into the mysteries surrounding her father and her own upbringing, Beatrice discovers The Order of St. Eve and the violent secrets they have been hiding her entire life.
It's time for her to take control.
Will she be able to right the wrongs of her father, or will the Order silence her first?
Set in a city at breaking point, Beatrice's story toes the dangerously thin line between retribution and revenge, and the choice we must make when confronted by evil.
Readers love The House of Barbary:
'I literally could not put it down'
'Gripping from the start'
'A macabre tale of secrets, revenge and death'
'I truly felt this tale was so original - I have never felt anything quite like it'
'An incredibly well-written tale from Isabelle Schuler'
Beatrice has been lied to her whole life.
Beatrice Barbary has been raised to believe that while education will set her mind free, there are some questions better left unanswered.
Her life is in disarray.
But when her father, one of the most powerful men in Bern, is brutally murdered in their own home, she is left reeling, unprotected and vulnerable.
Her future uncertain.
Plunging head first into the mysteries surrounding her father and her own upbringing, Beatrice discovers The Order of St. Eve and the violent secrets they have been hiding her entire life.
It's time for her to take control.
Will she be able to right the wrongs of her father, or will the Order silence her first?
Set in a city at breaking point, Beatrice's story toes the dangerously thin line between retribution and revenge, and the choice we must make when confronted by evil.
Readers love The House of Barbary:
'I literally could not put it down'
'Gripping from the start'
'A macabre tale of secrets, revenge and death'
'I truly felt this tale was so original - I have never felt anything quite like it'
'An incredibly well-written tale from Isabelle Schuler'
367 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 13, 2025
4053 people want to read
About the author
Isabelle Schuler
3 books118 followersISABELLE SCHULER is a Swiss-American actress, writer, and former bookseller. Her latest self-penned short film, I Am a Unicorn, is currently playing at festivals in the UK, US, and Europe. She has a BA in journalism, and her screenplay Queen Hereafter was longlisted for the Thousand Films Screenwriting Competition in 2019 and adapted into her debut novel. She lives in London.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
January 28, 2025
The House of Barbary by Isabelle Schuler
I really tried to like this book… I really, really tried! Unfortunately, I couldn’t bring myself to enjoy reading this.
At the start of the book, I felt it was too slow paced and I just found myself losing interest in the events being depicted. Maybe I wouldn’t have felt like this if we had started the book in medias res, rather than there being a lot of world-building and backstory being packed into the first few chapters. I especially found myself disliking the early chapters surrounding Johann’s POV as (although it does become clear later on) I didn’t see how he fit into the plot and found myself skimming through all the unnecessary detail about his artist training etc. Furthermore, in these early scenes with Johann there was a bit of a weird handling of tenses and I found myself quite often having to go back to think “right are we talking about the present, or is this another flashback/piece of backstory?” One minute we are talking about what Johann is doing in the “present” day (although yes, it is still technically a “flashback”, of sorts), then it switches to telling us how he’d gotten to that moment/what led him there etc. It felt like the author was trying to make time feel fluid and allow us to see inside Johann’s head as he reminisces on moments, yet it came across to me as confusing.
** SPOILERS FROM THIS POINT FORWARD ** My main issue in this book surrounded the characterisation of our main characters, namely Beatrice. I have read lots of books where the POV focuses on the killer and delves into their psychological make-up and usually really enjoy these types of books. However, I just couldn’t get along with Beatrice as a character and this ruined the entire reading experience for me. The author appeared to make an attempt at making Beatrice relatable and perhaps was intending for the audience to almost justify her behaviour by making us feel sorry for her or by trying to highlight her childhood trauma. I just didn’t buy it, unfortunately. Beatrice to me just came across as a spoiled child having a deadly temper tantrum and going around slaughtering people to try to make herself feel better. I didn’t feel any of her killings (Ignar being the obvious anomaly here) were in the interest of real “justice”, as she was trying to convince herself, but instead was her selfishly indulging in reckless revenge without any conscience at all. She jumped into murdering people without seeking any real proof and seemed to be willfully ignorant to anything that didn’t suit her biased narrative. If jumping to conclusions was a person, it would be Beatrice. Susanna attempted to talk sense into her- as did Imerla towards the end- and I really hoped it would ring true, but instead of listening Beatrice acted like a total brat, threw her toys out the pram and continued being a narcissistic, entitled psycho. It’s very hard to enjoy a book when you spend the entire time hating the main character and rolling your eyes at everything they say/do. If this was the author’s intention, well then they nailed it and I clearly just missed it!
I appreciate that the author (in the Historical Notes at the end) explained her inspiration for Beatrice and seemed to say that she wanted to highlight the effects of childhood trauma on a young person, yet I felt this made it worse. There are so many children out there that experience trauma on the same level Beatrice has, and yet they do not go on to become psychotic killers with no remorse. Of course, it does happen, but I just couldn’t get behind this reasoning. I wholeheartedly accept that Beatrice’s father is very much to blame for her becoming the person she did (and Imerla too, to a certain extent; yet she can be forgiven easier as she was not in a position of power to really question the authority of Jakob, but her silence was the same as condoning it), but Beatrice also had to be held accountable for choosing the path on which she went down following her father’s death. Perhaps it was a psychotic break, yet there was no real insinuation towards this and I just felt we, as readers, were meant to condone Beatrice’s actions, but I just couldn’t. I was actually relieved when Beatrice was attacked by the bears at the end, and felt no sadness towards this.
I want to mention Albrecht’s character briefly, and what he represented within the book. Firstly, ewwww to the fact they even suggested to marry a young girl (a literal teenager, if that) to a man 12 years older than her, but I appreciate this was included more for dramatic effect rather than the author suggesting this was a correct way for society to behave. I thought Albrecht’s character offered a good discussion point though; a lot of women have encountered at some point in their lives a man who has pretended to be their friend and a safe space when really they harbour ulterior motives by which they wish to trick the woman into a relationship by providing this false “friendship” narrative. Then, of course, when this didn’t work and Beatrice rejected him again, his true nature came out and his fury was unleashed. If men actually respected women and treated them with genuine kindness rather than deception, they would likely get a much better response than by doing what Albrecht did.
Lastly, I want to mention that I could have cheered at the end when Johann grew a backbone and finally (far too late, if you ask me) decided to do what was right. Of course his character had their own flaws; he, like Imerla, was spineless and complicit in the Order’s killings by way of his silence, but he did make up for it in the end by showing real care towards Beatrice and trying to get her the help she desperately needed (even if that through betraying her, I still found him to have done the right thing). He, over everyone else in the book, acted in the interest of true justice rather than mindless vengeance. It was a shame he paid the highest price for his bravery in the end.
The Order caused such harm, not just to the “Eve’s” they slaughtered throughout the years, but to every single person who came into contact with them and that was evident throughout. I found this to be a really horrific thing to read about and loved the later chapters from Johann’s POV after he discovers the basement. The way his raw emotions and mental battle were explored was well-written and enjoyable to watch unfold. I also enjoyed the way the author slowly drip-fed the information to us through Beatrice’s discoveries and kept the suspense building throughout. Yet, I did find the information confusing at points because it was shown to us through the biased eyes of Beatrice. Again, if this was the author’s intention and I have missed this, then I will absolutely accept that.
Overall I rated this 2 out of 5 stars. There were some good points, and I did like the author’s writing style (mostly, as said previously, in the later chapters from Johann’s POV) yet I just didn’t enjoy the plot as much as I’d hoped and despised the main character. I would be interested to pick up a different book from this author and see whether it was just this specific book I couldn’t get behind as I can see she’s got some really positive reviews on her other novel (Queen Hereafter). Thank you to Netgalley and Isabelle Schuler for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I really tried to like this book… I really, really tried! Unfortunately, I couldn’t bring myself to enjoy reading this.
At the start of the book, I felt it was too slow paced and I just found myself losing interest in the events being depicted. Maybe I wouldn’t have felt like this if we had started the book in medias res, rather than there being a lot of world-building and backstory being packed into the first few chapters. I especially found myself disliking the early chapters surrounding Johann’s POV as (although it does become clear later on) I didn’t see how he fit into the plot and found myself skimming through all the unnecessary detail about his artist training etc. Furthermore, in these early scenes with Johann there was a bit of a weird handling of tenses and I found myself quite often having to go back to think “right are we talking about the present, or is this another flashback/piece of backstory?” One minute we are talking about what Johann is doing in the “present” day (although yes, it is still technically a “flashback”, of sorts), then it switches to telling us how he’d gotten to that moment/what led him there etc. It felt like the author was trying to make time feel fluid and allow us to see inside Johann’s head as he reminisces on moments, yet it came across to me as confusing.
** SPOILERS FROM THIS POINT FORWARD ** My main issue in this book surrounded the characterisation of our main characters, namely Beatrice. I have read lots of books where the POV focuses on the killer and delves into their psychological make-up and usually really enjoy these types of books. However, I just couldn’t get along with Beatrice as a character and this ruined the entire reading experience for me. The author appeared to make an attempt at making Beatrice relatable and perhaps was intending for the audience to almost justify her behaviour by making us feel sorry for her or by trying to highlight her childhood trauma. I just didn’t buy it, unfortunately. Beatrice to me just came across as a spoiled child having a deadly temper tantrum and going around slaughtering people to try to make herself feel better. I didn’t feel any of her killings (Ignar being the obvious anomaly here) were in the interest of real “justice”, as she was trying to convince herself, but instead was her selfishly indulging in reckless revenge without any conscience at all. She jumped into murdering people without seeking any real proof and seemed to be willfully ignorant to anything that didn’t suit her biased narrative. If jumping to conclusions was a person, it would be Beatrice. Susanna attempted to talk sense into her- as did Imerla towards the end- and I really hoped it would ring true, but instead of listening Beatrice acted like a total brat, threw her toys out the pram and continued being a narcissistic, entitled psycho. It’s very hard to enjoy a book when you spend the entire time hating the main character and rolling your eyes at everything they say/do. If this was the author’s intention, well then they nailed it and I clearly just missed it!
I appreciate that the author (in the Historical Notes at the end) explained her inspiration for Beatrice and seemed to say that she wanted to highlight the effects of childhood trauma on a young person, yet I felt this made it worse. There are so many children out there that experience trauma on the same level Beatrice has, and yet they do not go on to become psychotic killers with no remorse. Of course, it does happen, but I just couldn’t get behind this reasoning. I wholeheartedly accept that Beatrice’s father is very much to blame for her becoming the person she did (and Imerla too, to a certain extent; yet she can be forgiven easier as she was not in a position of power to really question the authority of Jakob, but her silence was the same as condoning it), but Beatrice also had to be held accountable for choosing the path on which she went down following her father’s death. Perhaps it was a psychotic break, yet there was no real insinuation towards this and I just felt we, as readers, were meant to condone Beatrice’s actions, but I just couldn’t. I was actually relieved when Beatrice was attacked by the bears at the end, and felt no sadness towards this.
I want to mention Albrecht’s character briefly, and what he represented within the book. Firstly, ewwww to the fact they even suggested to marry a young girl (a literal teenager, if that) to a man 12 years older than her, but I appreciate this was included more for dramatic effect rather than the author suggesting this was a correct way for society to behave. I thought Albrecht’s character offered a good discussion point though; a lot of women have encountered at some point in their lives a man who has pretended to be their friend and a safe space when really they harbour ulterior motives by which they wish to trick the woman into a relationship by providing this false “friendship” narrative. Then, of course, when this didn’t work and Beatrice rejected him again, his true nature came out and his fury was unleashed. If men actually respected women and treated them with genuine kindness rather than deception, they would likely get a much better response than by doing what Albrecht did.
Lastly, I want to mention that I could have cheered at the end when Johann grew a backbone and finally (far too late, if you ask me) decided to do what was right. Of course his character had their own flaws; he, like Imerla, was spineless and complicit in the Order’s killings by way of his silence, but he did make up for it in the end by showing real care towards Beatrice and trying to get her the help she desperately needed (even if that through betraying her, I still found him to have done the right thing). He, over everyone else in the book, acted in the interest of true justice rather than mindless vengeance. It was a shame he paid the highest price for his bravery in the end.
The Order caused such harm, not just to the “Eve’s” they slaughtered throughout the years, but to every single person who came into contact with them and that was evident throughout. I found this to be a really horrific thing to read about and loved the later chapters from Johann’s POV after he discovers the basement. The way his raw emotions and mental battle were explored was well-written and enjoyable to watch unfold. I also enjoyed the way the author slowly drip-fed the information to us through Beatrice’s discoveries and kept the suspense building throughout. Yet, I did find the information confusing at points because it was shown to us through the biased eyes of Beatrice. Again, if this was the author’s intention and I have missed this, then I will absolutely accept that.
Overall I rated this 2 out of 5 stars. There were some good points, and I did like the author’s writing style (mostly, as said previously, in the later chapters from Johann’s POV) yet I just didn’t enjoy the plot as much as I’d hoped and despised the main character. I would be interested to pick up a different book from this author and see whether it was just this specific book I couldn’t get behind as I can see she’s got some really positive reviews on her other novel (Queen Hereafter). Thank you to Netgalley and Isabelle Schuler for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
July 8, 2025
What a wild ride. Would have given five stars for the incredible second half of this book, but couldn’t do it in the end because of how much the first half dragged on. Spent the first 50-100 pages just confused and slightly bored, couldn’t get a grip on any of the characters and couldn’t see the shape it was going to take, which made it tough and chewy at the beginning. But eventually the book found its rhythm and then spiralled so incredibly towards the conclusion that it more than made up for it. The last 50 pages or so were so masterfully done, when the house of cards that had slowly and carefully been built came crashing down and crumbled. My stupid romantic heart wishes there could have been a happier resolution, that Beatrice and Johann could find reconciliation and move on from the violence of their past, but I guess it was never going to be that book. Once I could make out the shape of the story, I loved the Bluebeard connections and the two perspectives from which we uncovered the full extent of the barbarity. I have a feeling this book might haunt me for a good while, the coldness, the violent beauty. And I can’t wait to see what Isabelle Schuler writes next!
November 2, 2025
This book was pitched a feminist story of vengeance based on the fairytale Bluebeard. The premise and concept were so cool but the execution of this idea seemed to fall short.
I think it was a bit half baked with the story not fully fleshed out and resolved. The writing style felt a bit childish and basic at times. There were definite pacing issues with the story, not helped by the dual timeline and perspective aspect of the story. Although I enjoyed both plot lines and watching them converge as you put the puzzle pieces together, I got confused at times and was left with a lot of questions.
I don’t like writing negative reviews but this left me confused, frustrated and a bit disappointed. It was good but needed more. Maybe I just didn’t like the author’s writing style? I’m not sure 💔
I think it was a bit half baked with the story not fully fleshed out and resolved. The writing style felt a bit childish and basic at times. There were definite pacing issues with the story, not helped by the dual timeline and perspective aspect of the story. Although I enjoyed both plot lines and watching them converge as you put the puzzle pieces together, I got confused at times and was left with a lot of questions.
I don’t like writing negative reviews but this left me confused, frustrated and a bit disappointed. It was good but needed more. Maybe I just didn’t like the author’s writing style? I’m not sure 💔
Want to read
November 19, 2024been waiting for a sophomore novel announcement ever since Queen Hereafter made my top books of 2024!
April 7, 2025
Fictional book about murder and intrigue in Berne in the 1600s.
March 13, 2025
Thank you NetGalley and Bloomsbury Publishing for this eCopy to review
“The House of Barbary” by Isabelle Schuler is a gripping historical novel that I thoroughly enjoyed.
Set in 17th century Bern, Switzerland, the story follows Beatrice Barbary, a young woman whose life is turned upside down after the brutal murder of her father, a powerful city official. Determined to uncover the truth behind his death, Beatrice delves into the mysteries surrounding her family and the enigmatic Order of St. Eve. Her journey is filled with suspense, danger, and unexpected revelations.
The narrative alternates between Beatrice’s perspective and that of Johann Schor, a painter living in the Barbary household in the spring of 1639. Through Johann’s eyes, we learn more about the dark secrets of the Order of St. Eve and the atrocities committed in its name. The dual timelines add depth and complexity to the story, making it a truly engaging read.
What I loved most about this book was the rich historical detail and the vivid portrayal of 17th century Bern. Schuler’s writing is beautifully descriptive, bringing the setting and characters to life. The plot is full of twists and turns, keeping me on the edge of my seat until the very end.
The characters are well-developed and relatable. Beatrice’s determination and courage in the face of adversity are truly inspiring, while Johann’s introspective nature adds an interesting dimension to the story. The interplay between the two timelines is masterfully handled, creating a seamless and captivating narrative.
In conclusion, “The House of Barbary” is a compelling and atmospheric historical novel that I highly recommend to anyone who enjoys a good mystery and richly detailed historical fiction. Isabelle Schuler has crafted a memorable story that will stay with you long after you’ve turned the last page.
“The House of Barbary” by Isabelle Schuler is a gripping historical novel that I thoroughly enjoyed.
Set in 17th century Bern, Switzerland, the story follows Beatrice Barbary, a young woman whose life is turned upside down after the brutal murder of her father, a powerful city official. Determined to uncover the truth behind his death, Beatrice delves into the mysteries surrounding her family and the enigmatic Order of St. Eve. Her journey is filled with suspense, danger, and unexpected revelations.
The narrative alternates between Beatrice’s perspective and that of Johann Schor, a painter living in the Barbary household in the spring of 1639. Through Johann’s eyes, we learn more about the dark secrets of the Order of St. Eve and the atrocities committed in its name. The dual timelines add depth and complexity to the story, making it a truly engaging read.
What I loved most about this book was the rich historical detail and the vivid portrayal of 17th century Bern. Schuler’s writing is beautifully descriptive, bringing the setting and characters to life. The plot is full of twists and turns, keeping me on the edge of my seat until the very end.
The characters are well-developed and relatable. Beatrice’s determination and courage in the face of adversity are truly inspiring, while Johann’s introspective nature adds an interesting dimension to the story. The interplay between the two timelines is masterfully handled, creating a seamless and captivating narrative.
In conclusion, “The House of Barbary” is a compelling and atmospheric historical novel that I highly recommend to anyone who enjoys a good mystery and richly detailed historical fiction. Isabelle Schuler has crafted a memorable story that will stay with you long after you’ve turned the last page.
February 21, 2025
The House of Barbary is a fierce, feminist retelling of the French Folklore, Bluebeard.
We follow Beatrice Barbary in seventeenth-century Switzerland as she embarks on life following the death of her father in 1653. Beatrice has lived a secluded life, hidden away from the public eye, convinced she faced derision and encouraged to pursue her macabre hobby of dissection. Her monotonous life is in disarray, however, when her father, a powerful Bern official, is brutally murdered in their own home. Everything she has ever known is dismantled after discovering she has been lied to her whole life. Left, reeling, unprotected, and vulnerable, Beatrice is determined to investigate the truth behind her father’s gruesome end. She plunges into the mysteries and deceits, discovering the enigmatic group called The Order of St Eve, which have committed underground atrocities. Alongside Beatrice’s search for truth, we meet Johann Schor, a painter living in the Barbary Household, in 1639. Beatrice is just 8 years old when Johann has been commissioned by Beatrice’s father, and through Johann we find out more about The Order of St Eve as he begins to suspect that not all is content with Jakob and his close unscrupulous associates.
After years of researching seventeenth-century Bern, Isabelle has created a story that is historically adjacent to the period and place. She has intertwined fact and fiction to bring us this Early Modern historical fiction of mystery and vengeance.
3.75
We follow Beatrice Barbary in seventeenth-century Switzerland as she embarks on life following the death of her father in 1653. Beatrice has lived a secluded life, hidden away from the public eye, convinced she faced derision and encouraged to pursue her macabre hobby of dissection. Her monotonous life is in disarray, however, when her father, a powerful Bern official, is brutally murdered in their own home. Everything she has ever known is dismantled after discovering she has been lied to her whole life. Left, reeling, unprotected, and vulnerable, Beatrice is determined to investigate the truth behind her father’s gruesome end. She plunges into the mysteries and deceits, discovering the enigmatic group called The Order of St Eve, which have committed underground atrocities. Alongside Beatrice’s search for truth, we meet Johann Schor, a painter living in the Barbary Household, in 1639. Beatrice is just 8 years old when Johann has been commissioned by Beatrice’s father, and through Johann we find out more about The Order of St Eve as he begins to suspect that not all is content with Jakob and his close unscrupulous associates.
After years of researching seventeenth-century Bern, Isabelle has created a story that is historically adjacent to the period and place. She has intertwined fact and fiction to bring us this Early Modern historical fiction of mystery and vengeance.
3.75
June 21, 2025
An entertaining enough story which is well told, but it feels a bit light in terms of describing the environment of Bern. This is a shame because there are hints but no more. It was difficult to get a sense of place from reading this.
The bigger issue is the characterisation. There is a quote on the front of the copy I read that said; "A blazing feminist roar of a novel". If only. Every single male character bar one is depicted as shifty, psychotic, evil, spineless or dissolute. So the bar is not set high for the female protagonist, Beatrice. It would have been more satisfying if she had had to overcome something a bit more challenging. The female characters aren't much better. It feels too much like a bunch of caricatures all vying with each other. Beatrice definitely develops as a person through the novel but it is still not convincing (I'm trying not to give any spoilers!)
Absolutely not a terrible novel but I can't help feeling it could have been so much better.
The bigger issue is the characterisation. There is a quote on the front of the copy I read that said; "A blazing feminist roar of a novel". If only. Every single male character bar one is depicted as shifty, psychotic, evil, spineless or dissolute. So the bar is not set high for the female protagonist, Beatrice. It would have been more satisfying if she had had to overcome something a bit more challenging. The female characters aren't much better. It feels too much like a bunch of caricatures all vying with each other. Beatrice definitely develops as a person through the novel but it is still not convincing (I'm trying not to give any spoilers!)
Absolutely not a terrible novel but I can't help feeling it could have been so much better.
April 7, 2025
What a disappointing ending! It ruined everything and felt like the author didn't know how to finish the book. And can a book be called "feminist" if the woman who seeks revenge for wronged women ends up like that? The ending gave lame "revenge is bad!!!" (and water is wet) vibes.
Which is a shame because I had enjoyed it so far. Though slow-paced, the story had caught my interest. There were indeed some feminist themes such as the unrealistic expectation men place on women and the way powerful men tend to abuse their power and protect each other.
Beatrice was a flawed, but interesting protagonist. I felt like she was believable as an abused child. The feeling of inadequacy, the anger at having been limited, belittled, the simmering rage deep down...
Too bad I can't bring myself to recommend it.
Which is a shame because I had enjoyed it so far. Though slow-paced, the story had caught my interest. There were indeed some feminist themes such as the unrealistic expectation men place on women and the way powerful men tend to abuse their power and protect each other.
Beatrice was a flawed, but interesting protagonist. I felt like she was believable as an abused child. The feeling of inadequacy, the anger at having been limited, belittled, the simmering rage deep down...
Too bad I can't bring myself to recommend it.
December 10, 2025
3 1/2 stars
A sheltered daughter in 17th century Bern must navigate life after her father is murdered. The more she digs into her father's past the closer she gets to danger and uncovering a secret society worked to hide. Beatrice goes boldly into a society where her sheltered upbringing and not knowing who to trust would have hindered her progress but it is that lack of a traditional female upbringing that makes her fearless. I wish more had been made of why she was convinced everyone was afraid of her. It was an interesting cross between historical fiction and horror. My thanks to the publisher for the advance copy.
A sheltered daughter in 17th century Bern must navigate life after her father is murdered. The more she digs into her father's past the closer she gets to danger and uncovering a secret society worked to hide. Beatrice goes boldly into a society where her sheltered upbringing and not knowing who to trust would have hindered her progress but it is that lack of a traditional female upbringing that makes her fearless. I wish more had been made of why she was convinced everyone was afraid of her. It was an interesting cross between historical fiction and horror. My thanks to the publisher for the advance copy.
March 18, 2025
Bea is an educated young woman who knows nothing of how to run a household, but much about natural science. When her father is killed, Bea is set into conflict with the Order of Eve and in order to discover the truth her life is placed in danger.
I really loved Schuler's previous book, Lady Macbethad, but I found this one rather harder going. It's a little too macabre for me!
I really loved Schuler's previous book, Lady Macbethad, but I found this one rather harder going. It's a little too macabre for me!
May 1, 2025
A started so I'll finish book.A sort of fairy tale based on Perrault's 17thc Bluebeard and sort of a revenge tragedy so popular in the 17th century also with political intrigue, stabbings,poisonings,plots ,secrets, with some Hamlet angst thrown for good measure for what a uni lecturer once described as a good night at the theatre 17thc style.Did it work? Not exactly. Would I recommend this ? No.
March 18, 2025
Set in 1600's Berne, Switzerland and with a large cast of characters House of Barbary is a slow burning historical whodunit that starts with a murder and gets darker and darker as the pace picks up. Full of political intrigue, personal battles and some truly horrible characters it is terrifyingly, heart-thumpingly good!
April 1, 2025
3.5 rounded up.
June 27, 2025
Loved the idea, but both main characters are quite weak (in their will and behaviour), which sometimes hinders the plot.
May 14, 2025
Schuler has spent years researching seventeenth-century Bern, resulting in a story that is historically vivid in period and place. The story is full of rich historical detail and the portrayal is interesting and unique to what I’ve read before.
The narrative alternates between Beatrice’s perspective and that of Johann Schor, a painter living in the Barbary household in the spring of 1639.
I’m happy to admit I didn’t know the tale of Bluebeard before reading The House of Barbary (I assumed maybe pirates?) but this didn’t detract from my reading of the story. The tale is actually fairly gruesome, as was this book in parts. I found the descriptions of murder and the resulting gore difficult, personally.
I think what added to the difficulty was the characterisation of the main two protagonists, Beatrice and Johann the painter. Beatrice is cold, driven by feelings and experiences she doesn’t understand and it’s hard to have sympathy for her, even as she feels she is righting the wrongs of her past. Johann is just a bit weak, doesn’t really do anything of note apart from put up with stuff and then run away.
I understand that Schuler wanted to explore the effect serious trauma can have on people, but I felt the revengeful ‘feminist’ crusade fell flat for me. I wasn’t sure whether Beatrice’s actions felt feminist or justified in their intention - or just confused and naive.
Thank you so much to @bloomsburypublishing and the author for a #gifted advanced copy of The House of Barbary, which is out now!
The narrative alternates between Beatrice’s perspective and that of Johann Schor, a painter living in the Barbary household in the spring of 1639.
I’m happy to admit I didn’t know the tale of Bluebeard before reading The House of Barbary (I assumed maybe pirates?) but this didn’t detract from my reading of the story. The tale is actually fairly gruesome, as was this book in parts. I found the descriptions of murder and the resulting gore difficult, personally.
I think what added to the difficulty was the characterisation of the main two protagonists, Beatrice and Johann the painter. Beatrice is cold, driven by feelings and experiences she doesn’t understand and it’s hard to have sympathy for her, even as she feels she is righting the wrongs of her past. Johann is just a bit weak, doesn’t really do anything of note apart from put up with stuff and then run away.
I understand that Schuler wanted to explore the effect serious trauma can have on people, but I felt the revengeful ‘feminist’ crusade fell flat for me. I wasn’t sure whether Beatrice’s actions felt feminist or justified in their intention - or just confused and naive.
Thank you so much to @bloomsburypublishing and the author for a #gifted advanced copy of The House of Barbary, which is out now!
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews