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The Den
A luminous, hypnotic story of youth, sex, and power that tells of two young women who find themselves ostracized from the same small New England community for the same reasons--though they are separated by 150 years.
Henrietta and Jane are fifteen and twelve, growing up in a farmhouse on the outskirts of town. Their mother is a painter, lost in her art, their father a cook who's raised them on magical tales about their land. When Henrietta becomes obsessed with a boy from town, Jane takes to trailing the young couple, spying on their trysts--until one night, Henrietta vanishes into the woods. Elspeth and Claire are sisters separated by an ocean--Elspeth's pregnancy at seventeen meant she was quickly married and sent to America to avoid certain shame. But when she begins ingratiating herself to the town's wealthy mill owner, a series of wrenching and violent events unfold, culminating in her disappearance. As Jane and Claire search in their own times for their missing sisters, they each come across a strange story about a family that is transformed into coyotes. But what does this myth mean? Are their sisters dead, destroyed by men and lust? Or, are they alive and thriving beyond the watchful eyes of their same small town? With echoes of The Scarlet Letter, Abi Maxwell gives us a transporting, layered tale of two women, living generations apart yet connected by place and longing, and condemned for the very same desires.
Henrietta and Jane are fifteen and twelve, growing up in a farmhouse on the outskirts of town. Their mother is a painter, lost in her art, their father a cook who's raised them on magical tales about their land. When Henrietta becomes obsessed with a boy from town, Jane takes to trailing the young couple, spying on their trysts--until one night, Henrietta vanishes into the woods. Elspeth and Claire are sisters separated by an ocean--Elspeth's pregnancy at seventeen meant she was quickly married and sent to America to avoid certain shame. But when she begins ingratiating herself to the town's wealthy mill owner, a series of wrenching and violent events unfold, culminating in her disappearance. As Jane and Claire search in their own times for their missing sisters, they each come across a strange story about a family that is transformed into coyotes. But what does this myth mean? Are their sisters dead, destroyed by men and lust? Or, are they alive and thriving beyond the watchful eyes of their same small town? With echoes of The Scarlet Letter, Abi Maxwell gives us a transporting, layered tale of two women, living generations apart yet connected by place and longing, and condemned for the very same desires.
288 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 14, 2019
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3151 people want to read
About the author
Abi Maxwell
5 books59 followersABI MAXWELL is the author of the novels Lake People and The Den. After graduating from the writing program at the University of Montana, she spent many years working in public libraries, and she now works as a high school librarian. She is a dedicated advocate for the rights of transgender youth in her state and frequently testifies in front of the legislature on their behalf.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 87 reviews
March 30, 2019
This book is about two different women and their families; both living on the same farm in New Hampshire, but one during the 1850s and the other around 150 years later.
The first story is told by 12-year-old Jane, younger sister to Henrietta. It’s a coming-of-age story and her sister Henrietta is becoming quite promiscuous in her teen years at age fifteen. The girls are left alone often as their parents are busy. Henrietta takes interest in a local boy named Kaus and then a married doctor. She seems wild and oblivious to rules. Jane, like any younger sister, has an interest in everything Henrietta is doing, but doesn’t always agree with her behavior. She's a few years behind Henrietta and really has no interest in being reckless, but she’s still very curious and quite of a nuisance to her sister. When Henrietta shows up missing, everyone questions what happened to her and frantically, they attempt to find her. Henrietta’s parents are angry, but it’s Jane who’s deeply saddened and affected by her absence. Where did Henrietta disappear to?
In the second story, we meet Elspeth, who’s living in the mid-19th century. After becoming pregnant, she’s forced to quickly marry and leave her home country in Scotland. Her husband–who’s already in America–tells her it’ll be a better, ‘richer’ life for them in America. After relocating to New Hampshire with her husband, she moves on to have more children, but she’s very bored and longs for home. She misses her family–mainly her sister Claire. She keeps in touch with Claire by sending letters to her. Because she can’t afford books yet, she develops an interest in writing romance stories instead. As she writes her fantasies, she wonders what it would be like to be one of these characters she writes about. This eventually catches up with her as she carelessly immerses herself into a dangerous predicament with her husband’s boss.
The stories alternate between Jane and Henrietta to Elspeth and Claire. As Jane and Claire attempt to find out what’s happened to their sisters, both discover an old myth about a family who had been transformed into coyotes. How are their sisters connected to this story? As you keep reading, you’ll discover some interesting links between these two families and their outcomes. I love books like this that fit together like a puzzle, and there are many different pieces between the two stories.
I enjoyed both narratives, but found the beginning a tad boring for my tastes and I had to push myself to keep reading it. I’m glad I did, because it wasn’t long after that the pacing picked up–the layers started coming together, everything unfolded, and I was enthralled. Once you start putting the clues together, it’s hard to stop until the end, and what an ending it was. All I could do was sit and process everything for some time afterward. This book was never predictable–I found it interesting, captivating, unique, suspenseful and even shocking at times. It was quite a refreshing read.
Some of the themes in this book include coming of age, family, love, independence, motherhood, isolation, and forgiveness, but the stories are ultimately about power over women, how women are punished for their behaviors, and in turn how their predicaments and choices affect others, their futures, and the futures of their families.
I won this book as a giveaway on Goodreads and would like to thank Goodreads, the publisher and the author for sharing this book with me.
4.5****
Hardcover: 288 pages
Publisher: Knopf (May 14, 2019)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 052565528X
ISBN-13: 978-0525655282
You can also find this review @ https://readrantrockandroll.com/2018/...
The first story is told by 12-year-old Jane, younger sister to Henrietta. It’s a coming-of-age story and her sister Henrietta is becoming quite promiscuous in her teen years at age fifteen. The girls are left alone often as their parents are busy. Henrietta takes interest in a local boy named Kaus and then a married doctor. She seems wild and oblivious to rules. Jane, like any younger sister, has an interest in everything Henrietta is doing, but doesn’t always agree with her behavior. She's a few years behind Henrietta and really has no interest in being reckless, but she’s still very curious and quite of a nuisance to her sister. When Henrietta shows up missing, everyone questions what happened to her and frantically, they attempt to find her. Henrietta’s parents are angry, but it’s Jane who’s deeply saddened and affected by her absence. Where did Henrietta disappear to?
In the second story, we meet Elspeth, who’s living in the mid-19th century. After becoming pregnant, she’s forced to quickly marry and leave her home country in Scotland. Her husband–who’s already in America–tells her it’ll be a better, ‘richer’ life for them in America. After relocating to New Hampshire with her husband, she moves on to have more children, but she’s very bored and longs for home. She misses her family–mainly her sister Claire. She keeps in touch with Claire by sending letters to her. Because she can’t afford books yet, she develops an interest in writing romance stories instead. As she writes her fantasies, she wonders what it would be like to be one of these characters she writes about. This eventually catches up with her as she carelessly immerses herself into a dangerous predicament with her husband’s boss.
The stories alternate between Jane and Henrietta to Elspeth and Claire. As Jane and Claire attempt to find out what’s happened to their sisters, both discover an old myth about a family who had been transformed into coyotes. How are their sisters connected to this story? As you keep reading, you’ll discover some interesting links between these two families and their outcomes. I love books like this that fit together like a puzzle, and there are many different pieces between the two stories.
I enjoyed both narratives, but found the beginning a tad boring for my tastes and I had to push myself to keep reading it. I’m glad I did, because it wasn’t long after that the pacing picked up–the layers started coming together, everything unfolded, and I was enthralled. Once you start putting the clues together, it’s hard to stop until the end, and what an ending it was. All I could do was sit and process everything for some time afterward. This book was never predictable–I found it interesting, captivating, unique, suspenseful and even shocking at times. It was quite a refreshing read.
Some of the themes in this book include coming of age, family, love, independence, motherhood, isolation, and forgiveness, but the stories are ultimately about power over women, how women are punished for their behaviors, and in turn how their predicaments and choices affect others, their futures, and the futures of their families.
I won this book as a giveaway on Goodreads and would like to thank Goodreads, the publisher and the author for sharing this book with me.
4.5****
Hardcover: 288 pages
Publisher: Knopf (May 14, 2019)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 052565528X
ISBN-13: 978-0525655282
You can also find this review @ https://readrantrockandroll.com/2018/...
June 16, 2019
2.5 stars
On the plus side Maxwell writes elegant prose and the opening section told by 12 year old Jane about her 15 year old sister, Henrietta, is atmospheric if deeply familiar, as 'wild child' Henrietta is contrasted to 'good' Jane, and finally disappears .
But Jane and Henrietta are then left behind as we switch back in time to a pseudo- Scarlet Letter nineteenth century tale which has unsurprising connections to the first story. Then we flip forward again... and this inability to stay with a single story and single PoV diluted much of my interest - especially as the 'message' is one we've seen many, many, many times before - that it's hard for girls/young women to escape patriarchy's judgements and pressures.
It sometimes feels like contemporary authors are just not that well read as they reproduce the same stories over and over again: the schematic 'good' and 'bad' sisters, burgeoning but frowned upon youthful sexuality, an Atonement-style mistake and guilt - and writers like Sylvia Plath nailed the stifling, airless 'Bell Jar' of patriarchy's gendered expectations way back in the 1950s and 1960s - is there really nothing new to say seventy years later, or no novel way to say it? I hope Maxwell can break out of all these fictional clichés for her next book: 2.5 stars for the measured prose.
On the plus side Maxwell writes elegant prose and the opening section told by 12 year old Jane about her 15 year old sister, Henrietta, is atmospheric if deeply familiar, as 'wild child' Henrietta is contrasted to 'good' Jane, and finally disappears .
But Jane and Henrietta are then left behind as we switch back in time to a pseudo- Scarlet Letter nineteenth century tale which has unsurprising connections to the first story. Then we flip forward again... and this inability to stay with a single story and single PoV diluted much of my interest - especially as the 'message' is one we've seen many, many, many times before - that it's hard for girls/young women to escape patriarchy's judgements and pressures.
It sometimes feels like contemporary authors are just not that well read as they reproduce the same stories over and over again: the schematic 'good' and 'bad' sisters, burgeoning but frowned upon youthful sexuality, an Atonement-style mistake and guilt - and writers like Sylvia Plath nailed the stifling, airless 'Bell Jar' of patriarchy's gendered expectations way back in the 1950s and 1960s - is there really nothing new to say seventy years later, or no novel way to say it? I hope Maxwell can break out of all these fictional clichés for her next book: 2.5 stars for the measured prose.
November 6, 2018
Abi Maxwell has written a lush and luminous gem of a novel: heartbreaking in some moments, heartwarming in others, and always rich with wonder and surprise. The Den is a book with depth and mystery and soul.
May 8, 2019
Haunting and very readable. The ending is not what I expected, and that is a good thing.
May 5, 2019
Lovely writing, good character development, easy to follow time shifts. Looking forward to meeting and hearing her at Booktopia.
May 10, 2019
Booktopia 2019. Thank you to the publisher for an early copy. I finished this just in time for Booktopia…..solid writing....haunting with elements of magical realism.
March 29, 2019
This can fairly be described as a feminist book as it looks at the commonality and connection between two different stories set 150 years apart that have the same themes of disappearance and escape deriving from oppressive rules and attitudes that mirror each other across time and space. The contemporary story begins with the first person narration of Jane who is looking back when she was 12 years old in the 1990's and documents the events surrounding the disappearance of her then 15 year old sister, Henrietta.
Set in a rural location outside a small New Hampshire town this coming of age story will one night see Henrietta vanish into the nearby woods never to be seen again. This act of disappearance strangely resonates with the haunting local legend of "Cold Thursday" when an entire family in the same area also vanished being seemingly replaced by coyotes which not were native to the region. The book then takes up this strange story as we are told of how Elspeth was forced to marry after becoming pregnant and then had to leave her native Scotland leaving behind her sister, Claire.
The stories alternate between Jane and Henrietta followed by Elspeth and Claire. Two women who need to disappear and two women who are left behind to try to come to terms and make sense of their loss. What factors have forced Henrietta and Elspeth to take such dramatic action and what will eventually become of them? There is also the theme of returning to a community that they needed to leave and whether attitudes to young independently minded women have really changed over the last 150 or so years. But above all else there is the bond of is sisterhood which can not be broken.
This is a heartfelt, thought provoking and hypnotic novel which I'm sure will fully engage the reader.
Set in a rural location outside a small New Hampshire town this coming of age story will one night see Henrietta vanish into the nearby woods never to be seen again. This act of disappearance strangely resonates with the haunting local legend of "Cold Thursday" when an entire family in the same area also vanished being seemingly replaced by coyotes which not were native to the region. The book then takes up this strange story as we are told of how Elspeth was forced to marry after becoming pregnant and then had to leave her native Scotland leaving behind her sister, Claire.
The stories alternate between Jane and Henrietta followed by Elspeth and Claire. Two women who need to disappear and two women who are left behind to try to come to terms and make sense of their loss. What factors have forced Henrietta and Elspeth to take such dramatic action and what will eventually become of them? There is also the theme of returning to a community that they needed to leave and whether attitudes to young independently minded women have really changed over the last 150 or so years. But above all else there is the bond of is sisterhood which can not be broken.
This is a heartfelt, thought provoking and hypnotic novel which I'm sure will fully engage the reader.
May 27, 2019
A den is variously described in dictionaries as 'a lair for a wild animal' and 'a place where people secretly plan'.
In the context of the titular den, this dwelling is the first home to Elspeth and Thomas Ross on their arrival in America. Elspeth has been cast out for the crime of getting pregnant and daring to enjoy sex, so the way in which the family can save face is dispacthing her to the New World leaving sister Clare behind.
150 years later, its ruins stand for something completely different, a cautionary tale of wilderness versus civility, society versus the natural order of things. Here, another girl, Henrietta, hides her plans to escape the small town where she has been labelled both 'difficult' and 'not a follower of rules'. Another girl who is outcast for stepping outside the rigid structure which society has cast her in and another sister left clueless as to her sibling's vanishing.
''She had changed,she knew,had become reticent in their bed,fear of another baby overpowering cell.But as she tucked the medicine into her purse an image of the abandon she'd once experienced with her husband had passed quickly through her mind. Elspeth understood that what she had previously felt in bed was not what she had been taught to feel:that she did not simply endure:that since childhood she had wanted.''
The gap in time between the two stories illustrates how far we have yet to come, the punishment handed down to women(and young girls) for daring to be themsleves. The entitlement that men still claim over female bodies and their processes still outrages and yet defines us. How many men have we slept with, how many children have we born, do we know their fathers, and so on, an interminable link of century spanning narratives with no end in sight.
''Just harmless excitement,she knew that ,but she also knew better than that. She knew she was a woman@she knew what behaviours would and would not be tolerated.''
But in 'The Den' , the love of sisters creates a beautiful reckoning and imagining of their true selves. These girls, centuries apart are bound by forces deeper than familial love. One sister,Clare, believes hers,Elspeth, has gone off to a better life and left her behind, never once imagining the life she has gone to is incredibly lonely and isolated.
The other, Jane, believes that Henrietta has transformed into a coyote, she has shape shifted out of her female straitjacket and into the wilderness as did the family who occupied the den so many years ago.
The myth of the den has grown up from the local myth that the Ross family were killed/eaten/transformed on the night of Cold Friday, where the temperatures dipped so low that people died. No remains were ever found but a family of 5 coyotes appeared that night leading to local thinking that this was the Ross'. The ease with which this tale was accepted accentuates the primeval thinking of a small minded town, echoed late in Henrietta's tale where her parents take steps to ensure their daughter is not touched by the same fate for the crime of being 'wanton'.
I absolutely loved the lyrcial, literate way in which Abi Maxwell writes, it is intense, poetic and profoundly moving. The way that these sisters never give up on each other despite all that they have been through, is amazing. She splits the book into 5 parts, the first 4 explores the singular narrative of each sister pre and post disappearance whilst the last part neatly dovetails both storylines.
It is a beautiful book, exquisitely written that brings to mind the books of Ami McKay and I absolutely loved it. It's a book that tugs at your heart and mind, the characters of Jane,Henrietta and Elspeth and Clare will linger long after the book has ended. Absolutely superb and highly recommended.
In the context of the titular den, this dwelling is the first home to Elspeth and Thomas Ross on their arrival in America. Elspeth has been cast out for the crime of getting pregnant and daring to enjoy sex, so the way in which the family can save face is dispacthing her to the New World leaving sister Clare behind.
150 years later, its ruins stand for something completely different, a cautionary tale of wilderness versus civility, society versus the natural order of things. Here, another girl, Henrietta, hides her plans to escape the small town where she has been labelled both 'difficult' and 'not a follower of rules'. Another girl who is outcast for stepping outside the rigid structure which society has cast her in and another sister left clueless as to her sibling's vanishing.
''She had changed,she knew,had become reticent in their bed,fear of another baby overpowering cell.But as she tucked the medicine into her purse an image of the abandon she'd once experienced with her husband had passed quickly through her mind. Elspeth understood that what she had previously felt in bed was not what she had been taught to feel:that she did not simply endure:that since childhood she had wanted.''
The gap in time between the two stories illustrates how far we have yet to come, the punishment handed down to women(and young girls) for daring to be themsleves. The entitlement that men still claim over female bodies and their processes still outrages and yet defines us. How many men have we slept with, how many children have we born, do we know their fathers, and so on, an interminable link of century spanning narratives with no end in sight.
''Just harmless excitement,she knew that ,but she also knew better than that. She knew she was a woman@she knew what behaviours would and would not be tolerated.''
But in 'The Den' , the love of sisters creates a beautiful reckoning and imagining of their true selves. These girls, centuries apart are bound by forces deeper than familial love. One sister,Clare, believes hers,Elspeth, has gone off to a better life and left her behind, never once imagining the life she has gone to is incredibly lonely and isolated.
The other, Jane, believes that Henrietta has transformed into a coyote, she has shape shifted out of her female straitjacket and into the wilderness as did the family who occupied the den so many years ago.
The myth of the den has grown up from the local myth that the Ross family were killed/eaten/transformed on the night of Cold Friday, where the temperatures dipped so low that people died. No remains were ever found but a family of 5 coyotes appeared that night leading to local thinking that this was the Ross'. The ease with which this tale was accepted accentuates the primeval thinking of a small minded town, echoed late in Henrietta's tale where her parents take steps to ensure their daughter is not touched by the same fate for the crime of being 'wanton'.
I absolutely loved the lyrcial, literate way in which Abi Maxwell writes, it is intense, poetic and profoundly moving. The way that these sisters never give up on each other despite all that they have been through, is amazing. She splits the book into 5 parts, the first 4 explores the singular narrative of each sister pre and post disappearance whilst the last part neatly dovetails both storylines.
It is a beautiful book, exquisitely written that brings to mind the books of Ami McKay and I absolutely loved it. It's a book that tugs at your heart and mind, the characters of Jane,Henrietta and Elspeth and Clare will linger long after the book has ended. Absolutely superb and highly recommended.
September 20, 2021
3 1/2 Sterne
May 21, 2019
The Den by Abi Maxwell is set in New Hampshire and follows two families who live on the same farm but 150 years apart.
It starts with Jane, who is Henrietta’s younger sister. Henrietta is a bit of a wild child at 15. She meets Kaus and Jane follows them on their trysts and watches them and as any younger sister, she is partly in awe and partly judgemental.
Henrietta goes missing and Jane is distraught…..she searches the Den as she recalls the story her father told her of another family, many years ago that disappeared leaving just coyotes behind……
The story also tells of a family from 150 years before. Elspeth, who, unmarried, got pregnant and was forced to leave Scotland for America where her new husband believes life will be better…
But, bored and lonely, she misses her sister Claire, she befriends an older man, a neighbour and after a horrible, violent altercation with her husbands boss…she, and her son, run to him for help…and they disappear…
Both stories seem to mirror each other from Jane and Henrietta to Elspeth and Claire. As both Jane and Claire try to find out just what happened to their sisters, the same story of a family who turned into coyotes links them both….
Will Jane find Henrietta? Where did Claire go……? What happened to the missing family from the old story……did they turn into coyotes?
I felt this totally captivating tale is about family and love and coming of age, but also just how badly women suffered (and suffer) for their choices not being what was expected of them, the isolation and despair this caused and the consequences for those closest to them. An emotional, haunting family drama by Abi Maxwell and I can thoroughly recommend it.
Thank you to Anne Cater and Random Things Tours for the opportunity to participate in this blog tour and for the promotional materials and a free copy of the book in exchange for my honest, unbiased review.
It starts with Jane, who is Henrietta’s younger sister. Henrietta is a bit of a wild child at 15. She meets Kaus and Jane follows them on their trysts and watches them and as any younger sister, she is partly in awe and partly judgemental.
Henrietta goes missing and Jane is distraught…..she searches the Den as she recalls the story her father told her of another family, many years ago that disappeared leaving just coyotes behind……
The story also tells of a family from 150 years before. Elspeth, who, unmarried, got pregnant and was forced to leave Scotland for America where her new husband believes life will be better…
But, bored and lonely, she misses her sister Claire, she befriends an older man, a neighbour and after a horrible, violent altercation with her husbands boss…she, and her son, run to him for help…and they disappear…
Both stories seem to mirror each other from Jane and Henrietta to Elspeth and Claire. As both Jane and Claire try to find out just what happened to their sisters, the same story of a family who turned into coyotes links them both….
Will Jane find Henrietta? Where did Claire go……? What happened to the missing family from the old story……did they turn into coyotes?
I felt this totally captivating tale is about family and love and coming of age, but also just how badly women suffered (and suffer) for their choices not being what was expected of them, the isolation and despair this caused and the consequences for those closest to them. An emotional, haunting family drama by Abi Maxwell and I can thoroughly recommend it.
Thank you to Anne Cater and Random Things Tours for the opportunity to participate in this blog tour and for the promotional materials and a free copy of the book in exchange for my honest, unbiased review.
May 26, 2019
I’m a big fan of historical mysteries especially when they are done over two timelines so the blurb for The Den appealed to me instantly. I was not disappointed as The Den is a very thought provoking, atmospheric book that made for a very intriguing read.
The present day story follows Jane as she tries to investigate her sisters strange disappearance in the wood, while 150 years ago Elsbeth is trying to investigate her own sister Clara’s disappearance in similar circumstances. The chapters are told from the point of view of each of the four women which makes for fascinating reading. Through these chapters we learn more about the four woman, their lives and their reasons for staying or going.
The author does a great job in creating a really creepy and atmospheric read which slowly helps build up the mystery in the book, making the book incredibly absorbing. The connection between the two timelines is gradually revealed after many strange theories have been explored. I didn’t know which way the story was going and I loved going on the twisty journey with Jane trying to discover what was going on.
This is the author’s debut novel and I’m excited to see what she comes up with next. I think this would make a great book club read as there is lots to discuss.
Huge thanks to Anne Cater for inviting me onto the blog tour and to Phoebe from Tinder Press for my copy of this book.
The present day story follows Jane as she tries to investigate her sisters strange disappearance in the wood, while 150 years ago Elsbeth is trying to investigate her own sister Clara’s disappearance in similar circumstances. The chapters are told from the point of view of each of the four women which makes for fascinating reading. Through these chapters we learn more about the four woman, their lives and their reasons for staying or going.
The author does a great job in creating a really creepy and atmospheric read which slowly helps build up the mystery in the book, making the book incredibly absorbing. The connection between the two timelines is gradually revealed after many strange theories have been explored. I didn’t know which way the story was going and I loved going on the twisty journey with Jane trying to discover what was going on.
This is the author’s debut novel and I’m excited to see what she comes up with next. I think this would make a great book club read as there is lots to discuss.
Huge thanks to Anne Cater for inviting me onto the blog tour and to Phoebe from Tinder Press for my copy of this book.
June 8, 2019
I was prepared to like this book a lot. After all I love the author. But in fact, this story made me think for a long time after I finished it, about: how much things change yet how much they stay the same, what the definition of a "good" girl is, how there are always some good men and some difficult women, whether we, as women or as couples of whatever sort, get to decide if we want to have children, and about what our siblings mean/do for us or not.
When a book makes me ponder for a long time after i have read it I know it is a great book.
When a book makes me ponder for a long time after i have read it I know it is a great book.
May 15, 2019
I literally finished this book 1 hour before Abi Maxwell had her book launch at Gibson's Bookstore in Concord NH. I really enjoyed the story and the characters especially Henrietta. Very atmospheric and haunting. Highly recommend this book.
March 26, 2019
I fell immediately into this coming of age story from page 1. We first meet Jane and her sister Henrietta. Two teens left to fend for themselves as their mother is fully occupied in her art and her father is working as a chef. They adventure out into the woods by their house to the den. Their secret place where they dream as teen girls do. Henrietta meets Kaus and falls in love. Jane follows the couple and views their intimacy. Henrietta finds she is pregnant and runs away to build a life for herself and her baby.
We also meet sisters Elspeth and Claire 150 years earlier who live in Scotland. Elspeth becomes pregnant as well and is forced to leave for America with her husband. They build their life on the same property as Jane and Henrietta's family. Tragedy hits Elspeth's family. Her sister Claire begins to worry when she doesn't receive letters from her sister and sets out to find her.
A legend is created and 150 years later it is told. tale weaves its way throughout both sets of sisters' lives and is told in all their voices so beautifully.
Thank you to First to Read for this advanced copy. I cannot wait to meet Abi Maxwell in May!
We also meet sisters Elspeth and Claire 150 years earlier who live in Scotland. Elspeth becomes pregnant as well and is forced to leave for America with her husband. They build their life on the same property as Jane and Henrietta's family. Tragedy hits Elspeth's family. Her sister Claire begins to worry when she doesn't receive letters from her sister and sets out to find her.
A legend is created and 150 years later it is told. tale weaves its way throughout both sets of sisters' lives and is told in all their voices so beautifully.
Thank you to First to Read for this advanced copy. I cannot wait to meet Abi Maxwell in May!
January 9, 2020
I won this book in a giveaway.
Abi Maxwell has a way with words. She drew me right into the story, and themes of sexuality and shame and patriarchy and coming of age and sisterhood are handled so well. I loved the weaving of two different timelines, and how Henrietta and Elspeth's stories mirrored each other in so many ways. I also loved the symbolism of the coyotes. I look forward to reading more from this author.
Abi Maxwell has a way with words. She drew me right into the story, and themes of sexuality and shame and patriarchy and coming of age and sisterhood are handled so well. I loved the weaving of two different timelines, and how Henrietta and Elspeth's stories mirrored each other in so many ways. I also loved the symbolism of the coyotes. I look forward to reading more from this author.
July 30, 2019
Two parallel timelines running alongside each other. This book gets a little confusing and in a few places is a little slapdash. However, the premise behind the story is really interesting. This book is very slow to start but will become immersive once you get going.
June 10, 2019
Review to come
April 9, 2019
I gave this one a three-star rating because the idea for the story was good, and for the most part, the execution of the story worked. The primary story is one of Jane and Harriet, but the secondary story of Elspeth and her family could have been a different book of its own. I feel like the secondary story of the family from the 1800s is played up more than is needed. I think their entire story could have been summed up with fewer chapters than we were given. Especially as I got to the end of the book I felt that the extended descriptions of the Scottish family were not necessary. The plots of the stories were good, and relating them with flashbacks and similar stories is always an interesting idea, but this one could have been executed a lot better.
December 24, 2021
I finished the book in one sitting! This creatively crafted novel was inspired by a story that appeared in a book written in the 1850s! I was totally keen to learn what happened to all the characters -- past and present. I couldn't put it down.
October 9, 2021
Buchtitel: Der Schatten meiner Schwester
Autorin: Abi Maxwell
Verlag: btb
ISBN: 9783442718566
Ausgabe: Taschenbuch
Erscheinungsdatum: 13.09.2021
Inhalt:
"Henrietta ist eine lebenshungrige junge Frau, die auf einer Farm in den Wäldern New Hampshires aufwächst. Elspeth ist 150 Jahre früher, Mitte des 19. Jahrhunderts, aus Schottland an ebendiesen Ort gekommen. Und doch verbindet die beiden mehr als dieser Zufall. Beide geraten in Konflikt mit den Moralvorstellungen ihrer Zeit. Beide verschwinden aus dem Leben ihrer Familie. Und beide hinterlassen eine schmerzliche Lücke im Leben ihrer jüngeren Schwestern. Diese versuchen zu verstehen, was mit ihrem Geschwister geschehen ist. Denn tief in ihrem Inneren wissen sie, dass sie selbst nicht ganz frei von Schuld sind."
Meinung:
Zuerst möchte ich mich beim Bloggerportal, dem Verlag und bei der Autorin für dieses Rezensionsexemplar bedanken!
Fangen wir einmal mit dem Cover an. Dieses hat mir schon vor dem Lesen des Buches sehr gefallen. Ich finde das Motiv absolut passend gewählt, genauso wie die Farbtöne, in denen das Design gehalten ist.
Nun komme ich aber auch schon zum Inhalt. Vorneweg muss ich sagen, dass mich allein der Klappentext bereits magisch angezogen hatte. Auch der Text selbst hat mich definitiv alles Andere als enttäuscht. Tatsächlich war beim Lesen von meiner Seite alles an Gefühlsregungen dabei. Von Wut bis hin zu Trauer aus Mitgefühl habe ich quasi alles durchlaufen. Für mich war es also eine regelrechte Achterbahn der Gefühle. Die Autorin hat meines Erachtens nach auch die perfekte Balance zwischen Spannung und etwas ruhigeren Elementen gefunden, wodurch das Buch bis zum Schluss durchaus spannend blieb. Generell finde ich, dass die Atmosphäre einer solchen Geschichte wirklich toll eingefangen wurde und dadurch, dass solche Stories früher leider alltäglich waren, wirkte das Buch auch äußerst realistisch und authentisch.
Die Protagonisten waren dadurch auch sehr authentisch. Sie hatten einerseits ihre Ecken und Kanten, als auch ihre Guten Seiten, aber andererseits war ihr Verhalten für damalige Verhältnisse alles Andere als untypisch. Allein deswegen konnte ich mich in die handelnden Personen sehr gut hineinversetzen. Dass deren Hintergrundgeschichten nach und nach aufgedeckt wurden, hat dieses Gefühl nur noch verstärkt. Vor allem die Geschichten von Henriette und Jane ging mir sehr nahe.
Was ich auch durchaus angenehm fand, war der Schreibstil. Dieser war zwar durchaus anspruchsvoll, aber für die Geschichte passend. Vor allem war das Buch geschmückt mit Details und teilweise überaus bildlichen Beschreibungen, wodurch man sich einzelne Szenerien sehr gut vor dem inneren Auge vorstellen konnte. Außerdem fand ich die Aufteilung in drei Teile gut durchdacht, genauso wie die Perspektivenwechsel zwischen den vier Mädchen. Dadurch konnte man sich sehr gut in jede einzelne von ihnen hineinversetzen und ihre Handlungen nachvollziehen.
Fazit:
Alles in allem ist es ein absolut tolles Buch, welches ich einfach nur jedem ans Herz legen würde. Jedoch ist es auch kein Buch für schwache Nerven!
Autorin: Abi Maxwell
Verlag: btb
ISBN: 9783442718566
Ausgabe: Taschenbuch
Erscheinungsdatum: 13.09.2021
Inhalt:
"Henrietta ist eine lebenshungrige junge Frau, die auf einer Farm in den Wäldern New Hampshires aufwächst. Elspeth ist 150 Jahre früher, Mitte des 19. Jahrhunderts, aus Schottland an ebendiesen Ort gekommen. Und doch verbindet die beiden mehr als dieser Zufall. Beide geraten in Konflikt mit den Moralvorstellungen ihrer Zeit. Beide verschwinden aus dem Leben ihrer Familie. Und beide hinterlassen eine schmerzliche Lücke im Leben ihrer jüngeren Schwestern. Diese versuchen zu verstehen, was mit ihrem Geschwister geschehen ist. Denn tief in ihrem Inneren wissen sie, dass sie selbst nicht ganz frei von Schuld sind."
Meinung:
Zuerst möchte ich mich beim Bloggerportal, dem Verlag und bei der Autorin für dieses Rezensionsexemplar bedanken!
Fangen wir einmal mit dem Cover an. Dieses hat mir schon vor dem Lesen des Buches sehr gefallen. Ich finde das Motiv absolut passend gewählt, genauso wie die Farbtöne, in denen das Design gehalten ist.
Nun komme ich aber auch schon zum Inhalt. Vorneweg muss ich sagen, dass mich allein der Klappentext bereits magisch angezogen hatte. Auch der Text selbst hat mich definitiv alles Andere als enttäuscht. Tatsächlich war beim Lesen von meiner Seite alles an Gefühlsregungen dabei. Von Wut bis hin zu Trauer aus Mitgefühl habe ich quasi alles durchlaufen. Für mich war es also eine regelrechte Achterbahn der Gefühle. Die Autorin hat meines Erachtens nach auch die perfekte Balance zwischen Spannung und etwas ruhigeren Elementen gefunden, wodurch das Buch bis zum Schluss durchaus spannend blieb. Generell finde ich, dass die Atmosphäre einer solchen Geschichte wirklich toll eingefangen wurde und dadurch, dass solche Stories früher leider alltäglich waren, wirkte das Buch auch äußerst realistisch und authentisch.
Die Protagonisten waren dadurch auch sehr authentisch. Sie hatten einerseits ihre Ecken und Kanten, als auch ihre Guten Seiten, aber andererseits war ihr Verhalten für damalige Verhältnisse alles Andere als untypisch. Allein deswegen konnte ich mich in die handelnden Personen sehr gut hineinversetzen. Dass deren Hintergrundgeschichten nach und nach aufgedeckt wurden, hat dieses Gefühl nur noch verstärkt. Vor allem die Geschichten von Henriette und Jane ging mir sehr nahe.
Was ich auch durchaus angenehm fand, war der Schreibstil. Dieser war zwar durchaus anspruchsvoll, aber für die Geschichte passend. Vor allem war das Buch geschmückt mit Details und teilweise überaus bildlichen Beschreibungen, wodurch man sich einzelne Szenerien sehr gut vor dem inneren Auge vorstellen konnte. Außerdem fand ich die Aufteilung in drei Teile gut durchdacht, genauso wie die Perspektivenwechsel zwischen den vier Mädchen. Dadurch konnte man sich sehr gut in jede einzelne von ihnen hineinversetzen und ihre Handlungen nachvollziehen.
Fazit:
Alles in allem ist es ein absolut tolles Buch, welches ich einfach nur jedem ans Herz legen würde. Jedoch ist es auch kein Buch für schwache Nerven!
January 9, 2021
Elements of this story are are rich, gorgeous and evocative. Beautifully written as a love letter to landscape and sisterhood. But the book also contains ideas which - for me - are seeds that haven’t quite come into fruition. I mostly enjoyed the reading, but on reflection I think some of the elements crammed into this story detract from the core narrative.
4 narratives over 2 timelines. The story of sisters Henrietta and Jane, in the modern era, and the story of Elspeth and her sister Claire, during the 19th century.
Jane’s story, written in the first person, is powerful and vivid. As the younger, Jane watches her older sister blossoming into young adulthood and pulling away from her over the course of a summer. This is a tender and well realised thread.
By contrast, Elspeth and Claire’s narrative, all in the third person, just doesn’t feel as strong. I’m sure it’s well researched, but there’s a lack of depth to the characters which created a nagging sense of anachronism. I didn’t trust their speech or actions, which broke the flow and pulled me out of the story. I don’t think this thread was needed. It opened a story which lacked depth and richness and ultimately didn’t go anywhere.
Whilst the mystery of Elspeth’s story is relevant to the characters in the book, it doesn’t feel necessary to me, the reader. I think I can see what the author was aiming for, and I can understand why the author spent time imagining this narrative - and even needed to write it. But that’s problematic. I shouldn’t be seeing the author motivations from within the story. As a storyteller, her inclusion of these thoughts make the narrative flabby and heavy handed. I wish an editor had advised her to keep some distance and maintain the mystery of Elspeth. Claire and the ‘well well mountain island’ story could have been entirely omitted without losing anything, in my opinion.
I would have liked Jane and Henrietta to have centre stage. Had the story been theirs alone, I could have rated this book higher.
4 narratives over 2 timelines. The story of sisters Henrietta and Jane, in the modern era, and the story of Elspeth and her sister Claire, during the 19th century.
Jane’s story, written in the first person, is powerful and vivid. As the younger, Jane watches her older sister blossoming into young adulthood and pulling away from her over the course of a summer. This is a tender and well realised thread.
By contrast, Elspeth and Claire’s narrative, all in the third person, just doesn’t feel as strong. I’m sure it’s well researched, but there’s a lack of depth to the characters which created a nagging sense of anachronism. I didn’t trust their speech or actions, which broke the flow and pulled me out of the story. I don’t think this thread was needed. It opened a story which lacked depth and richness and ultimately didn’t go anywhere.
Whilst the mystery of Elspeth’s story is relevant to the characters in the book, it doesn’t feel necessary to me, the reader. I think I can see what the author was aiming for, and I can understand why the author spent time imagining this narrative - and even needed to write it. But that’s problematic. I shouldn’t be seeing the author motivations from within the story. As a storyteller, her inclusion of these thoughts make the narrative flabby and heavy handed. I wish an editor had advised her to keep some distance and maintain the mystery of Elspeth. Claire and the ‘well well mountain island’ story could have been entirely omitted without losing anything, in my opinion.
I would have liked Jane and Henrietta to have centre stage. Had the story been theirs alone, I could have rated this book higher.
September 15, 2022
Never judge a book by its cover!
Leider nur zwei Sterne. Das düster und nachdenklich wirkende Cover hat mich direkt angesprochen und der Klappentext hat mich dann auch überzeugt, den Roman zu lesen. Erst startet die Geschichte wahnsinnig spannend und deutet auf eine unerwartete, schreckliche Wende hin (deshalb +1 Stern) doch nach etwa einem guten Drittel lässt der Plot leider extrem nach. Während ab da alles in eine Richtung lief, die mir leider gar nicht gefiel, wurde auch der Schreibstil zunehmend langweiliger. Das Ende - wenn es denn eines sein soll - hat mich leider zusätzlich gelangweilt. Irgendwie hab ich das Gefühl ein gutes Buch begonnen, und ein völlig anderes beendet zu haben.
Leider nur zwei Sterne. Das düster und nachdenklich wirkende Cover hat mich direkt angesprochen und der Klappentext hat mich dann auch überzeugt, den Roman zu lesen. Erst startet die Geschichte wahnsinnig spannend und deutet auf eine unerwartete, schreckliche Wende hin (deshalb +1 Stern) doch nach etwa einem guten Drittel lässt der Plot leider extrem nach. Während ab da alles in eine Richtung lief, die mir leider gar nicht gefiel, wurde auch der Schreibstil zunehmend langweiliger. Das Ende - wenn es denn eines sein soll - hat mich leider zusätzlich gelangweilt. Irgendwie hab ich das Gefühl ein gutes Buch begonnen, und ein völlig anderes beendet zu haben.
February 27, 2021
An interesting story that mixes mystery, suspense and terror of two teen aged women at a rural town, Middlewood, in New Hampshire. The title of the book, ‘The Den’, is a foundation of a century old house left, that of Elspeth and family, Scotland immigrant. The immediate neighbor, a town historian, Mr. Josiah bartlett, is the house now where Henrietta and her family live. The Elspeth family vanishes under mysterious circumstances leaving a legend of wolf (coyote). Henrietta, the teen age daughter of the current occupant is also to vanish carrying her own baggage (Kaus from Laos, boyfriend). What events transpired, in both cases, and further plights of the affected are narrated by their respective, younger sisters – Claire of Elspeth and Jane of Henrietta.
Not sure, what the author’s reason is, outside of the wolf (coyote) legend, trying to tie a century old resident with one at the present residing. If the purpose is to show that past circles the present and when in trouble escape but not be dead, as Jane would think. There is little parallel and can be stretched to only a handful of incidents. Elspeth and Henrietta, adventures of both cover thousands of miles from to their residence. Although many a reason culminates in both their vanishing, one of the common theme centers around ‘killing’. Both were afflicted with similar sexual proclivities. Both acted forthright on the consequences that is to follow of their own follies.
There are questions that remain unanswered though. What made Henrietta search under the closet and how can someone not better guard treasure as Dr. Hennessey is portrayed? How much of Henrietta’s audacity rests on her self-absorbed painter mother’s callousness? Henrietta takes a resident caretaker job way out in the State of Maine and no one from the owner side ever comes to check on her or the property’s state! How far can she lie, despite having a social security number? How to characterize Elspeth’s role in the mill owner, Mr. Smith’s fate? Does she carry a partial or a full responsibility? Does the coyote fable represent Elspeth’s resentment of town people’s savage wolf killing frenzy, translating to a persecution of people, as well? Did the author wish to counterbalance the dreamer Elspeth, with a redeemer in the form of her second son, her closest? So it’s true – John Smith is a common Scottish name!
In praise of the writing, the plots are well layered and unravel in stages. For that type of revelation, the role of the respective sisters is appropriately vested. What the impression one gets on which a chapter ends, may not be what’s later on revealed. It turns out Henrietta didn’t vanish just on the loot she had obtained, as how the first chapter ends. The author has done an excellent job in extracting few scenes that may move you greatly, as near the end. Henrietta fumbling at the book signing, finally asking the book be signed in name of ‘Jane’ and immediately flees, disoriented! Throughout the story, some of the characters struggle with self-doubt, self-incrimination and suffer own guilt. Accordingly, the book title befits, ‘Crime and Punishment’!
Not sure, what the author’s reason is, outside of the wolf (coyote) legend, trying to tie a century old resident with one at the present residing. If the purpose is to show that past circles the present and when in trouble escape but not be dead, as Jane would think. There is little parallel and can be stretched to only a handful of incidents. Elspeth and Henrietta, adventures of both cover thousands of miles from to their residence. Although many a reason culminates in both their vanishing, one of the common theme centers around ‘killing’. Both were afflicted with similar sexual proclivities. Both acted forthright on the consequences that is to follow of their own follies.
There are questions that remain unanswered though. What made Henrietta search under the closet and how can someone not better guard treasure as Dr. Hennessey is portrayed? How much of Henrietta’s audacity rests on her self-absorbed painter mother’s callousness? Henrietta takes a resident caretaker job way out in the State of Maine and no one from the owner side ever comes to check on her or the property’s state! How far can she lie, despite having a social security number? How to characterize Elspeth’s role in the mill owner, Mr. Smith’s fate? Does she carry a partial or a full responsibility? Does the coyote fable represent Elspeth’s resentment of town people’s savage wolf killing frenzy, translating to a persecution of people, as well? Did the author wish to counterbalance the dreamer Elspeth, with a redeemer in the form of her second son, her closest? So it’s true – John Smith is a common Scottish name!
In praise of the writing, the plots are well layered and unravel in stages. For that type of revelation, the role of the respective sisters is appropriately vested. What the impression one gets on which a chapter ends, may not be what’s later on revealed. It turns out Henrietta didn’t vanish just on the loot she had obtained, as how the first chapter ends. The author has done an excellent job in extracting few scenes that may move you greatly, as near the end. Henrietta fumbling at the book signing, finally asking the book be signed in name of ‘Jane’ and immediately flees, disoriented! Throughout the story, some of the characters struggle with self-doubt, self-incrimination and suffer own guilt. Accordingly, the book title befits, ‘Crime and Punishment’!
October 12, 2020
A touching coming of age novel about two women cast out by the same community though separated by a hundred years. “A hypnotic story of youth, sex and power”. Set in a small New England town the story centres around two women and their disappearances as they are both cast out from the same small village for wanting more from their lives. Henrietta and Jane are growing up in a farmhouse on the outskirts of town when Henrietta falls for Kaus a petty criminal and an outsider her sister Jane spies on the couple. Then one night Henrietta vanishes into the woods. In another era, Elspeth and Claire are sisters who are separated by an ocean as seventeen year old Elspeth's pregnancy meant that she was quickly married and sent away to America having to leave her Scottish village and her sister behind. Elspeth receives the unwanted attention of the local mill owner which leads to a series of “wrenching and violent events” which result in her disappearance.
Jane and Claire both search for their missing sisters in their own time period and they both uncover the strange legend of ‘Cold Thursday’, and of a family “apparently transformed into coyotes”. As the story unfolds we discover what this myth really means and learn that Henrietta’s father was in thrall to the legends and folklore of their corner of New England where they lived. Are the sisters who disappeared dead at the hands of the men who desired them or did Henrietta and Elspeth manage to escape the small town communities and make new lives for themselves.
A wonderfully written novel, you can not help but be moved by the women’s plight and the narrative has a haunting quality to it. The story and the characters stayed with me long after I had finished the novel. I didn’t find this an easy read, the storyline did not flow and was a bit slow paced in places but I was so captivated by the characters that I stuck with it and I am glad that I did. The sisters in particular are lovely, well defined characters that are likeable and relatable. The “beautiful and dangerous” landscapes of the New England forests are well described by the author who really makes this setting come alive, which made me feel immersed in this novel from beginning to end
Jane and Claire both search for their missing sisters in their own time period and they both uncover the strange legend of ‘Cold Thursday’, and of a family “apparently transformed into coyotes”. As the story unfolds we discover what this myth really means and learn that Henrietta’s father was in thrall to the legends and folklore of their corner of New England where they lived. Are the sisters who disappeared dead at the hands of the men who desired them or did Henrietta and Elspeth manage to escape the small town communities and make new lives for themselves.
A wonderfully written novel, you can not help but be moved by the women’s plight and the narrative has a haunting quality to it. The story and the characters stayed with me long after I had finished the novel. I didn’t find this an easy read, the storyline did not flow and was a bit slow paced in places but I was so captivated by the characters that I stuck with it and I am glad that I did. The sisters in particular are lovely, well defined characters that are likeable and relatable. The “beautiful and dangerous” landscapes of the New England forests are well described by the author who really makes this setting come alive, which made me feel immersed in this novel from beginning to end
May 28, 2019
At the beginning of the book and during the first few chapters the story of Henrietta is narrated by her younger sister Jane. I must admit it was a great intro and paved the way for the rest of the story.
She paints a picture of her older sister Henrietta, the Lolita.The precocious teenager who is discovering her power over both boys and men. Henrietta treats her sister with disdain, well actually everyone, with that special brand of teenage disdain.
Although the women have a lot in common there are certain differences. Henrietta's story is a coming-of-age one, whereas when the reader meets Elspeth she has already overcome those stages in her life. The two of them share the fact they were both pregnant as teenagers. Elspeth is sent overseas under a cloud of scandal and Henrietta just disappears one day.
In a way it is an example of the time periods that lay between them. How the woman in the 1850s has less choice and more obstacles in her way than the teenager in the more modern era. On the other side of the lives of these women are the sisters. Jane and Claire, who have been left behind by Elspeth and Henrietta.
Whilst the reader learns what the disappearance means to the sister left holding up the rest of the family and the impact it has on those left behind, they are also eager for Henrietta and Elspeth to be safe and independent.
It's historical fiction, and it is also women's fiction. A story that speaks of oppression, rape, manipulation and also of strength, perseverance and a strong will to survive. At the same time it also takes a look at the often complex relationships between sisters. How discord and disagreements doesn't negate the bond between them. Women are the glue that keeps families together, and yet they are also the weapon that has the capability to destroy them.
I really enjoyed the read. I especially enjoyed the voice of Jane and the relationship between her and Henrietta. It was realistic in its assessment of the complexity that exists between two women bound by blood.
*I received a courtesy copy*
She paints a picture of her older sister Henrietta, the Lolita.The precocious teenager who is discovering her power over both boys and men. Henrietta treats her sister with disdain, well actually everyone, with that special brand of teenage disdain.
Although the women have a lot in common there are certain differences. Henrietta's story is a coming-of-age one, whereas when the reader meets Elspeth she has already overcome those stages in her life. The two of them share the fact they were both pregnant as teenagers. Elspeth is sent overseas under a cloud of scandal and Henrietta just disappears one day.
In a way it is an example of the time periods that lay between them. How the woman in the 1850s has less choice and more obstacles in her way than the teenager in the more modern era. On the other side of the lives of these women are the sisters. Jane and Claire, who have been left behind by Elspeth and Henrietta.
Whilst the reader learns what the disappearance means to the sister left holding up the rest of the family and the impact it has on those left behind, they are also eager for Henrietta and Elspeth to be safe and independent.
It's historical fiction, and it is also women's fiction. A story that speaks of oppression, rape, manipulation and also of strength, perseverance and a strong will to survive. At the same time it also takes a look at the often complex relationships between sisters. How discord and disagreements doesn't negate the bond between them. Women are the glue that keeps families together, and yet they are also the weapon that has the capability to destroy them.
I really enjoyed the read. I especially enjoyed the voice of Jane and the relationship between her and Henrietta. It was realistic in its assessment of the complexity that exists between two women bound by blood.
*I received a courtesy copy*
July 10, 2019
Haunting and atmospheric, The Den by Abi Maxwell tells the story of Jane and her older sister, Henrietta and the aftermath of Henrietta’s sudden disappearance. Alongside this on an alternate timeline separated by 150 years is the tale of sisters Elspeth and Claire. Elspeth like Henrietta disappeared too, under similar circumstances, and the telling of each disappearance run alongside each other. Elspeth becomes pregnant and is forced to leave for America with her husband. They build their life on the same property as Jane and Henrietta’s family. Set in a rural location outside a small New Hampshire town both sets of sisters are linked together by the local myth of “Cold Thursday” when an entire family in the same area also vanished being seemingly replaced by coyotes which not were native to the region at that time. This folklore tale weaves it’s way through both stories and links the tales of the disappearing sisters.
The faultless prose is rich in beautiful history and vintage romance, The Den is an evocative and poignant coming of age story that shows how attitudes towards women and social norms regarding women and sex really haven’t changed in 150 years. Although a slow-burner, The Den is expertly plotted and Abi Maxwell has clearly well researched this era as she paints an iconic picture of New England in the 19th century; social standing, money, social engagements, family secrets and courtship, all playing a prevalent role.
The characterisation is strong, each individual multi-dimensional and varied. I kept changing my mind over which characters I liked and which I disliked. Abi Maxwell has written some very complex characters in this book and I found myself switching back and forth between who I believed in and who I empathised with. Told in alternating chapters, just enough information is given by the author to hold the readers attention and keep them on their toes, so whilst the story takes longer to unfurl The Den is difficult to tear away from.
This engaging, entertaining and inspiring story is a must read for fans of Historical Fiction.
The faultless prose is rich in beautiful history and vintage romance, The Den is an evocative and poignant coming of age story that shows how attitudes towards women and social norms regarding women and sex really haven’t changed in 150 years. Although a slow-burner, The Den is expertly plotted and Abi Maxwell has clearly well researched this era as she paints an iconic picture of New England in the 19th century; social standing, money, social engagements, family secrets and courtship, all playing a prevalent role.
The characterisation is strong, each individual multi-dimensional and varied. I kept changing my mind over which characters I liked and which I disliked. Abi Maxwell has written some very complex characters in this book and I found myself switching back and forth between who I believed in and who I empathised with. Told in alternating chapters, just enough information is given by the author to hold the readers attention and keep them on their toes, so whilst the story takes longer to unfurl The Den is difficult to tear away from.
This engaging, entertaining and inspiring story is a must read for fans of Historical Fiction.
April 13, 2019
We all grow up with myths. Myths about place. Myths about history. Myths about family. Growing up is, in part, about the sifting process that takes us from a world of myth to one of truth.
Abi Maxwell’s The Den tells the story of two pairs of sisters, separated by one and a half centuries, but who are inextricably linked by myth. Located in a small New Hampshire town surrounded by wilderness, both pairs of sisters are separated by one’s decision to leave – a decision forced by what their small towns will and will not accept from a young woman.
Told in alternating points of view – eventually getting around to all four – the story focuses on the more recent pair of sisters, Jane and Henrietta. Jane, the younger of the two, is haunted by her sister’s abrupt disappearance, her role in the false accusation of Henrietta’s lover, and the story that has been recorded about a family who once dwelled in the same spot.
As Jane comes into her own, she begins to realize that in order to have real peace about the place she calls home, she’ll need to look directly into the myths she’s believed and sort out once and for all, fact from fiction. In doing this, she may find better truths than what she had expected.
Maxwell’s book should appeal to those who enjoy the themes of sisters, lore and nature. What started slow for me, came together as an enjoyable read in the end.
***
I was provided an advanced readers copy of The Den by Penguin Random House’s First to Read program in exchange for an honest review. The Den will be available to all readers on May 14, 2019.
More book reviews at www.literatureandleisure.com.
Abi Maxwell’s The Den tells the story of two pairs of sisters, separated by one and a half centuries, but who are inextricably linked by myth. Located in a small New Hampshire town surrounded by wilderness, both pairs of sisters are separated by one’s decision to leave – a decision forced by what their small towns will and will not accept from a young woman.
Told in alternating points of view – eventually getting around to all four – the story focuses on the more recent pair of sisters, Jane and Henrietta. Jane, the younger of the two, is haunted by her sister’s abrupt disappearance, her role in the false accusation of Henrietta’s lover, and the story that has been recorded about a family who once dwelled in the same spot.
As Jane comes into her own, she begins to realize that in order to have real peace about the place she calls home, she’ll need to look directly into the myths she’s believed and sort out once and for all, fact from fiction. In doing this, she may find better truths than what she had expected.
Maxwell’s book should appeal to those who enjoy the themes of sisters, lore and nature. What started slow for me, came together as an enjoyable read in the end.
***
I was provided an advanced readers copy of The Den by Penguin Random House’s First to Read program in exchange for an honest review. The Den will be available to all readers on May 14, 2019.
More book reviews at www.literatureandleisure.com.
January 8, 2020
I'm always impressed when an author can intertwine storylines over a wide time gap and make them feel truly connected. This book did that with particular care and I really appreciated the obvious care and attention that went into it. The stories were compelling, the pacing was deliberate, and the writing was incredibly lush. Seriously, the way this book was written was really beautiful. The language and the... artistic detachment in the writing style? It felt like watching something through a pane of foggy glass. I don't know exactly how to describe it, but it's a gorgeous book.
But generally I value the characters in a story more than the writing style and this cast of characters just never really clicked with me. I really like Elspeth's story and her timeline, but the majority of the book was about Henrietta and Jane and... neither of them made much sense to me? Henrietta's motivations were spelled out a bit more clearly towards the end of the book, but her attitude and personality throughout most of it was just so abrasive and unpleasant and unsympathetic. And Jane was so enigmatic and weirdly opaque? Like, we were inside her head, but I never really understood what she was thinking. Her emotions seemed unpredictable and I just never really got ahold of her point of view.
The coyote story that binds the two timelines was really interesting in a poignant fable kind of way and the actually story was intriguing. It's a beautifully written book too, but if you're a character driven reader like I am, this might not be the book for you. It's good, just not really for me.
But generally I value the characters in a story more than the writing style and this cast of characters just never really clicked with me. I really like Elspeth's story and her timeline, but the majority of the book was about Henrietta and Jane and... neither of them made much sense to me? Henrietta's motivations were spelled out a bit more clearly towards the end of the book, but her attitude and personality throughout most of it was just so abrasive and unpleasant and unsympathetic. And Jane was so enigmatic and weirdly opaque? Like, we were inside her head, but I never really understood what she was thinking. Her emotions seemed unpredictable and I just never really got ahold of her point of view.
The coyote story that binds the two timelines was really interesting in a poignant fable kind of way and the actually story was intriguing. It's a beautifully written book too, but if you're a character driven reader like I am, this might not be the book for you. It's good, just not really for me.
April 18, 2019
Review originally at DegenerateReads here - https://degeneratereads.wordpress.com...
Disclaimer: I received this eARC via Penguin's "First to Read" program in exchange for an honest review.
CW: Rape, Abortion
I wasn't sure what to expect when starting this, but I am pleasantly surprised with what I found. And don't let the shorter length of this fool you, it still packs a hell of a punch.
This story follows two sets of sisters—one pair in the 1990s, and the other in the mid-1800s. Although the story does include each of the four sisters perspectives, it focuses on Jane and Henrietta primarily. I feel that Jane is meant to be the "protagonist" though, as her perspective is the only one of the four told in first person, whereas the other three perspectives are in third person.
The fates of these two pairs of sisters is impressively woven. With every new chapter, you think you understand what happened to Henrietta and Elspeth in each of their respective timelines, but then another layer is added to their stories. Because of this, I would say this definitely has a literary mystery aspect, in addition to being historical fiction.
I think saying this has "echoes of The Scarlet Letter" is accurate, but it is a very faint "echo". The tone of this is very somber, and in much the same way as The Scarlet Letter, so in that respect I do see the comparison.
If you've read and liked this—and particularly Jane's character—I recommend We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson.
Disclaimer: I received this eARC via Penguin's "First to Read" program in exchange for an honest review.
CW: Rape, Abortion
I wasn't sure what to expect when starting this, but I am pleasantly surprised with what I found. And don't let the shorter length of this fool you, it still packs a hell of a punch.
This story follows two sets of sisters—one pair in the 1990s, and the other in the mid-1800s. Although the story does include each of the four sisters perspectives, it focuses on Jane and Henrietta primarily. I feel that Jane is meant to be the "protagonist" though, as her perspective is the only one of the four told in first person, whereas the other three perspectives are in third person.
The fates of these two pairs of sisters is impressively woven. With every new chapter, you think you understand what happened to Henrietta and Elspeth in each of their respective timelines, but then another layer is added to their stories. Because of this, I would say this definitely has a literary mystery aspect, in addition to being historical fiction.
I think saying this has "echoes of The Scarlet Letter" is accurate, but it is a very faint "echo". The tone of this is very somber, and in much the same way as The Scarlet Letter, so in that respect I do see the comparison.
If you've read and liked this—and particularly Jane's character—I recommend We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson.
May 15, 2019
While this wasn’t exactly what I expected, it was still an enjoyable read. I was immediately drawn into the atmospheric setting. I remember reading a quote somewhere once about the exceptionally short time an author has to grab a reader’s attention (I tried to find it to include here but I have no idea who said it or where I saw it!) My point is, this author succeeded in hooking me in from the very first page.
I always enjoy stories that bounce between two time periods; I love seeing how an author can link these two eras together. Maxwell did a good job of showing how the present can mirror the past, and kept me suitably intrigued by both timelines. There was a clear difference between the two, particularly in the dialogue, but also thematic similarities.
As I mentioned, this book wasn’t wholly what I expected it to be. I think I was expecting more of an emphasis on the supernatural elements – the myth surrounding Cold Friday and the coyotes. Instead, this was much more of a feminist story; I was surprised by the book’s focus on the treatment of women throughout history and society’s expectations of female roles and behaviour. I did, however, appreciate the ambiguity that the coyote subplot provided; it made for a very interesting reading experience.
I would recommend this book to fans of historical fiction, feminist literature and small-town American settings!
I always enjoy stories that bounce between two time periods; I love seeing how an author can link these two eras together. Maxwell did a good job of showing how the present can mirror the past, and kept me suitably intrigued by both timelines. There was a clear difference between the two, particularly in the dialogue, but also thematic similarities.
As I mentioned, this book wasn’t wholly what I expected it to be. I think I was expecting more of an emphasis on the supernatural elements – the myth surrounding Cold Friday and the coyotes. Instead, this was much more of a feminist story; I was surprised by the book’s focus on the treatment of women throughout history and society’s expectations of female roles and behaviour. I did, however, appreciate the ambiguity that the coyote subplot provided; it made for a very interesting reading experience.
I would recommend this book to fans of historical fiction, feminist literature and small-town American settings!
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