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The Ancestor
From the New York Times, USA Today, and internationally bestselling author of the Angelology series comes a bewitching gothic novel of suspense that plunges readers into a world of dark family secrets, the mysteries of human genetics, and the burden of family inheritance.
It feels like a fairy tale when Alberta ”Bert” Monte receives a letter addressed to “Countess Alberta Montebianco” at her Hudson Valley, New York, home that claims she’s inherited a noble title, money, and a castle in Italy. While Bert is more than a little skeptical, the mystery of her aristocratic family’s past, and the chance to escape her stressful life for a luxury holiday in Italy, is too good to pass up.
At first, her inheritance seems like a dream come true: a champagne-drenched trip on a private jet to Turin, Italy; lawyers with lists of artwork and jewels bequeathed to Bert; a helicopter ride to an ancestral castle nestled in the Italian Alps below Mont Blanc; a portrait gallery of ancestors Bert never knew existed; and a cellar of expensive vintage wine for Bert to drink.
But her ancestry has a dark side, and Bert soon learns that her family history is particularly complicated. As Bert begins to unravel the Montebianco secrets, she begins to realize her true inheritance lies not in a legacy of ancestral treasures, but in her very genes.
375 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 7, 2020
408 people are currently reading
16685 people want to read
About the author
Danielle Trussoni
23 books1,538 followersDanielle Trussoni is the author of The Puzzle Box (October 8, 2024), The Puzzle Master, The Ancestor, Angelology, The Fortress and Falling Through The Earth. Danielle is an internationally best-selling author whose work has been translated into over 30 languages.
Please get in touch with Danielle by writing her at danielle@danielletrussoni.com
Please get in touch with Danielle by writing her at danielle@danielletrussoni.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,003 reviews
March 23, 2021
2.5 stars
When she gets a notification of a mysterious inheritance...she's understandably confused, and intrigued.
Turns out, she's the only living heir of a noble title, vast fortune and a castle in Italy. A castle!!
At first it seems too good to be true, but the more she researches, the more she realizes that it's the truth.
And so, she packs up her belongings and heads out to find (quite literally) her fortune.
But when she gets there...she realizes that there's something amiss.
There's something strange, otherworldy about this isolated castle. And there's someone in the castle with all the secrets...
So.
This one started around 4-stars for me but the story only went downhill.
It definitely had a lot of intrigue set up but at the same time, it just took soooooooo long to get there.
I wanted the story to MOVE and instead, it innnnnnched.
I did quite like the setting and I feel like the author did a great job bringing us into the cold, isolated castle.
I love the aesthetic of it, even thought I would NEVER be able to survive that alone...then again...maybe I could. All this COVID practice and all (ha!).
(Non-spoilery here but...0I also felt like the ending was the deciding factor in my rating.
The more I think about it, the more I realize that there were SO many different directions that could have been taken...and the one that was chosen by the author was just so far down on the list.
It frustrated me.
With thanks to Danielle Trussoni and William Morrow books for sending me a free copy in exchange for an honest review
YouTube | Blog | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | Snapchat @miranda_reads
Alberta "Bert" Monte has lived her entire life in the States. She's never truly been poor but at the same time, life is often a struggle for her.
Every family has its secrets but nothing reveals the truth like DNA.
When she gets a notification of a mysterious inheritance...she's understandably confused, and intrigued.
Turns out, she's the only living heir of a noble title, vast fortune and a castle in Italy. A castle!!
At first it seems too good to be true, but the more she researches, the more she realizes that it's the truth.
And so, she packs up her belongings and heads out to find (quite literally) her fortune.
But when she gets there...she realizes that there's something amiss.
There's something strange, otherworldy about this isolated castle. And there's someone in the castle with all the secrets...
So.
This one started around 4-stars for me but the story only went downhill.
It definitely had a lot of intrigue set up but at the same time, it just took soooooooo long to get there.
I wanted the story to MOVE and instead, it innnnnnched.
I did quite like the setting and I feel like the author did a great job bringing us into the cold, isolated castle.
I love the aesthetic of it, even thought I would NEVER be able to survive that alone...then again...maybe I could. All this COVID practice and all (ha!).
(Non-spoilery here but...0I also felt like the ending was the deciding factor in my rating.
The more I think about it, the more I realize that there were SO many different directions that could have been taken...and the one that was chosen by the author was just so far down on the list.
It frustrated me.
With thanks to Danielle Trussoni and William Morrow books for sending me a free copy in exchange for an honest review
YouTube | Blog | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | Snapchat @miranda_reads
April 23, 2020
NOW AVAILABLE!!!
this. this a thousand times.
i used to read a lot of monsterporn because it was so much fun to review, and one of the things that always struck me was how agreeable the human participants always were, how easily they adapted to the situations in which they found themselves; able to go from zero to "i am having sex with two gargoyles" without asking any of the sensible, albethey mood-killing, questions one ought to consider before accepting a foreign object (so VERY foreign) into oneself.
while this book is not monsterporn , there's a similar breezy detachment to its heroine, a sort of nonchalance in her decision-making, and her attitude of sitting back and letting events occur as though she's a spectator rather than a participant in all of it might take readers who aren't used to such a laissez-faire gal a minute to adjust.
in order to appreciate this book, which is a perfect rainy-day suspense-fun read, you need to accept that this character operates as a leaf on the breeze, passive and incurious, taking whatever comes her way obligingly.
it's very this
"Okay."
it's all very on brand for traditional gothic lit*—the submissive female who asks zero questions before throwing herself fully into the abyss, in this case jumping on a on a private plane bound for a foreign country the very same day she receives a letter in a language she cannot read telling her about the inheritance of a family she never knew about, and never mind she doesn't have a passport, all will be arranged for her by trust-us strangers and then she's up in the middle of nowhere in an italian castle in the mountains with no way to contact anyone back home and huh, where did my husband go and hmm, has it been a week already up here in isolation and boy, where does the time go?
if you can get on board with that, you will enjoy this—it's a fun book that cleaves pretty closely to the "where you thought it was going" path for a time before abruptly spiking your punch with lsd and taking you...somewhere else, completely off the rails but in the best possible way.
3.5 rounded up because whaaaaaaaaat??
* and not that newfangled victorian gothic you kids are all about these days, with all the wuthering and the stubborn little governesses.
come to my blog!
The thought crossed my mind that I should have been a bit more wary before climbing into a helicopter and flying to God knows where without an escape route.
this. this a thousand times.
i used to read a lot of monsterporn because it was so much fun to review, and one of the things that always struck me was how agreeable the human participants always were, how easily they adapted to the situations in which they found themselves; able to go from zero to "i am having sex with two gargoyles" without asking any of the sensible, albethey mood-killing, questions one ought to consider before accepting a foreign object (so VERY foreign) into oneself.
while this book is not monsterporn , there's a similar breezy detachment to its heroine, a sort of nonchalance in her decision-making, and her attitude of sitting back and letting events occur as though she's a spectator rather than a participant in all of it might take readers who aren't used to such a laissez-faire gal a minute to adjust.
in order to appreciate this book, which is a perfect rainy-day suspense-fun read, you need to accept that this character operates as a leaf on the breeze, passive and incurious, taking whatever comes her way obligingly.
it's very this
"Okay."
it's all very on brand for traditional gothic lit*—the submissive female who asks zero questions before throwing herself fully into the abyss, in this case jumping on a on a private plane bound for a foreign country the very same day she receives a letter in a language she cannot read telling her about the inheritance of a family she never knew about, and never mind she doesn't have a passport, all will be arranged for her by trust-us strangers and then she's up in the middle of nowhere in an italian castle in the mountains with no way to contact anyone back home and huh, where did my husband go and hmm, has it been a week already up here in isolation and boy, where does the time go?
if you can get on board with that, you will enjoy this—it's a fun book that cleaves pretty closely to the "where you thought it was going" path for a time before abruptly spiking your punch with lsd and taking you...somewhere else, completely off the rails but in the best possible way.
3.5 rounded up because whaaaaaaaaat??
* and not that newfangled victorian gothic you kids are all about these days, with all the wuthering and the stubborn little governesses.
come to my blog!
October 7, 2024
**2.5-stars rounded up**
When Alberta Monte receives a letter telling her that she is the sole heir to a large fortune, including a gothic castle in Italy, she thinks it must be some sort of hoax.
Upon further investigation however, she discovers it is true. Why her parents would keep such a thing secret from her, she cannot imagine.
Before she knows it, she and her estranged husband, Luca, are being whisked away on a private plane to Turin. There Bert will meet with the attorneys for the Estate to discuss the full parameters of her inheritance.
Once there, Bert and Luca are taken by the enchanting atmosphere of the city. They seem to be on the brink of a reconciliation, when a brief quarrel finds them separated again.
The next day, Luca is nowhere to be found. He must have left the city, but Bert has no time to figure it out, she is on her way to the mysterious castle to meet her Grandfather's sister-in-law, Dolores, who is very much alive.
Dolores wants to meet her and teach her more about her family history. Considering she knows next to nothing about her ancestors, she is willing to give it a go.
Arriving at the castle, Bert is hesitant to stay. It is so remote, with little to no contact with the outside world. At this point, I'm already screaming at Bert not to go.
Add to this the horrifying legends she has heard about creatures living in the surrounding mountains, and you have a perfect mix for an uncomfortable family holiday.
Hard pass.
Unsurprisingly, once there a strange set of events unfold that find Bert scared for her life.
Will she ever leave the castle of Montebianco? Will her dark family secrets be the end of her? Will she ever see Luca again?
All of this had me hooked. Not to mention, Trussoni's writing is compelling. I was flipping through the pages so fast, anxiously anticipating the truth behind the Montebianco family.
There were twists along the way, with a dark intensity that kept me engaged. Then there was a turn in the story unlike any I have ever read before...
And I got to say, my interest sort of fell of a cliff with it. My reason is not so much the content, but it felt like the whole tone of the novel shifted.
Prior to this event, the book is an intriguing tale of gothic suspense with deeply held family secrets. Post-event it meanders into a textbook-style cultural anthropology field experiment.
Obviously, this is 100% my opinion and you may read it and not feel that way at all.
If the premise sounds interesting, if you need a way to escape from life for a while, you should definitely check it out and decide for yourself.
Plus, aren't you curious about what the plot twist is...
Overall, very unique with some great gothic atmosphere. I look forward to hearing other reader's thoughts on this one.
Thank you so much to the author, Danielle Trussoni, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I appreciate the opportunity!
When Alberta Monte receives a letter telling her that she is the sole heir to a large fortune, including a gothic castle in Italy, she thinks it must be some sort of hoax.
Upon further investigation however, she discovers it is true. Why her parents would keep such a thing secret from her, she cannot imagine.
Before she knows it, she and her estranged husband, Luca, are being whisked away on a private plane to Turin. There Bert will meet with the attorneys for the Estate to discuss the full parameters of her inheritance.
Once there, Bert and Luca are taken by the enchanting atmosphere of the city. They seem to be on the brink of a reconciliation, when a brief quarrel finds them separated again.
The next day, Luca is nowhere to be found. He must have left the city, but Bert has no time to figure it out, she is on her way to the mysterious castle to meet her Grandfather's sister-in-law, Dolores, who is very much alive.
Dolores wants to meet her and teach her more about her family history. Considering she knows next to nothing about her ancestors, she is willing to give it a go.
Arriving at the castle, Bert is hesitant to stay. It is so remote, with little to no contact with the outside world. At this point, I'm already screaming at Bert not to go.
Add to this the horrifying legends she has heard about creatures living in the surrounding mountains, and you have a perfect mix for an uncomfortable family holiday.
Hard pass.
Unsurprisingly, once there a strange set of events unfold that find Bert scared for her life.
Will she ever leave the castle of Montebianco? Will her dark family secrets be the end of her? Will she ever see Luca again?
All of this had me hooked. Not to mention, Trussoni's writing is compelling. I was flipping through the pages so fast, anxiously anticipating the truth behind the Montebianco family.
There were twists along the way, with a dark intensity that kept me engaged. Then there was a turn in the story unlike any I have ever read before...
And I got to say, my interest sort of fell of a cliff with it. My reason is not so much the content, but it felt like the whole tone of the novel shifted.
Prior to this event, the book is an intriguing tale of gothic suspense with deeply held family secrets. Post-event it meanders into a textbook-style cultural anthropology field experiment.
Obviously, this is 100% my opinion and you may read it and not feel that way at all.
If the premise sounds interesting, if you need a way to escape from life for a while, you should definitely check it out and decide for yourself.
Plus, aren't you curious about what the plot twist is...
Overall, very unique with some great gothic atmosphere. I look forward to hearing other reader's thoughts on this one.
Thank you so much to the author, Danielle Trussoni, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I appreciate the opportunity!
October 8, 2021
Don't bother. I don't know where I found this, but it has no chills, no thrills and a ludicrous story. The main character is a woman who I first felt some sympathy towards in the beginning as she laments her broken marriage and many miscarriages. She reconnects with her husband in a romantic night in Italy, but then runs away from him. He goes back to the U.S. She doesn't think about him at all until a month passes. A month! So much for true love.
I thought this was going to be a Gothic horror show set in a moldering castle in the Italian Alps. Alas, it was only a horror show. It is silly, poorly written and convoluted. The story leads to an improbable and bizarre conclusion.
I thought this was going to be a Gothic horror show set in a moldering castle in the Italian Alps. Alas, it was only a horror show. It is silly, poorly written and convoluted. The story leads to an improbable and bizarre conclusion.
April 11, 2020
I debated between four and five stars for this book, and I landed on five because it’s so refreshingly original and hard to categorize. I also think the storytelling is brilliant, so five it is.
Alberta “Bert” Monte receives a letter addressed to “Countess Alberta Montebianco.” She lives in New York, and this title comes as quite the surprise.
The kicker? She’s inherited the title, along with a castle in Italy. Bert isn’t fully buying into it, but she is interested in a holiday in Italy.
The trip starts out in luxurious and idyllic fashion. She’s offered champagne and a private jet, along with lists of jewels and art. Finally, she’s taken via helicopter to her castle in the Alps.
It’s never that simple, is it? Bert learns her family has a dark and secretive past.
The Ancestor is unlike any other book I’ve read. The gothic elements and atmosphere made my skin prickle, they were executed so eerily. The writing is beautiful, never a spare word. I was completely wrapped up in this story, and I LOVED Bert.
There’s a twist here that shifts towards horror. It took me by surprise, and I think the author wrote it well. Overall, those looking for a well-written, creepy, original book with a gothic setting, definitely don’t miss this one!
I received a gifted copy. All opinions are my own.
Alberta “Bert” Monte receives a letter addressed to “Countess Alberta Montebianco.” She lives in New York, and this title comes as quite the surprise.
The kicker? She’s inherited the title, along with a castle in Italy. Bert isn’t fully buying into it, but she is interested in a holiday in Italy.
The trip starts out in luxurious and idyllic fashion. She’s offered champagne and a private jet, along with lists of jewels and art. Finally, she’s taken via helicopter to her castle in the Alps.
It’s never that simple, is it? Bert learns her family has a dark and secretive past.
The Ancestor is unlike any other book I’ve read. The gothic elements and atmosphere made my skin prickle, they were executed so eerily. The writing is beautiful, never a spare word. I was completely wrapped up in this story, and I LOVED Bert.
There’s a twist here that shifts towards horror. It took me by surprise, and I think the author wrote it well. Overall, those looking for a well-written, creepy, original book with a gothic setting, definitely don’t miss this one!
I received a gifted copy. All opinions are my own.
May 7, 2020
How would you feel if you some up one morning knowing who you are, but by afternoon you are no longer that person. That's the scenario Bertie is confronted with when a letter arrives telling her she is the last person left of an ancient bloodline. A Countess, and a wealthy one to boot, with a castle in the Swiss Alps. Soon she is whisked away in a private jet, taken to the castle to meet an aunt by marriage, whom is not in the best of health and quite elderly. What she finds their is beyond belief, riches yes, but dark family secrets that many have endevored to keep hidden.
I love books like this, secrets but also a descriptive tour of the castle. Old houses, secrets, gothic toned and the importance of heredity, DNA. Myths and legends surround this family and the castle. What Bertie finds and what she loses is the story. What she takes away will define her future life.
A very different, imaginative story that just fit the mood I found myself in. Indulgent, incredulous, a story to sink into, take you to another place.
I love books like this, secrets but also a descriptive tour of the castle. Old houses, secrets, gothic toned and the importance of heredity, DNA. Myths and legends surround this family and the castle. What Bertie finds and what she loses is the story. What she takes away will define her future life.
A very different, imaginative story that just fit the mood I found myself in. Indulgent, incredulous, a story to sink into, take you to another place.
June 16, 2020
Fantastic!
Who are our ancestors?
Where do we fit in the family tree, and where do our traits come from?
We have all asked ourselves these questions at some point or another and would be happy to find just a few answers along those lines. In Danielle Trussoni's THE ANCESTOR, the main character wasn't really in search of these answers, but her ancestors tracked her down and presented her with the gift of the past. Her own family legacy.
We all want to believe that we come from hearty, healthy, and smart stock, but what if we didn't? What if something went wrong somewhere along the path of random connections and processes that make us unique, fit, and adapt to life in this world? Would you want to know about it? Would you want to rear a family if you knew that you were the carrier of unfavorable genes, capable to produce a monster?
This is what Bert, short for Alberta, Monte has to decide when she is presented with the papers declaring her the only heir left to the fortunes of the famous House of Montebianco in the Italian Alps. Residing in NY, separated from her husband for the past 6 months, life going ok for Bert but not great. Perhaps it was a premonition, or just a random happenstance when she finds out about her ancestors in Italy, but her life is about to change forever as she embarks to travel deep into her ancestors' history, family secrets, and mysterious gene pool.
Once in Italy, Bert finds herself enraptured by the beauty of the Italian valleys, cafes, and restaurants. Simultaneously, the House of Montebianco, a fortress up on Monte Blanc, only reachable by helicopter, seems cold and stark. How did this family live here? How is it, that she is the one inheriting real estate, paintings, sums of money, treasures, servants, and so forth if she had no idea this is where her ancestors came from. Here, her new identity will undergo a mysterious transformation. Here, her name is Alberta Isabelle Eleanor Vittoria Montebianco, and diaries, murder, and entrapment will teach her who she really is.
This book is seriously fantastic. I was wholly enthralled by this story. If you are a fan of Alma Katsu's writing or something with dark, gothic and creepy undertones than THIS IS IT! This should be your next read. I can't even put into words how captivating THE ANCESTOR is, but there is a secret that hides within the walls of the House of Montebianco and it is far fetched, yet amazingly creepy.
Told in first person and interspersed with diary entries of her family of long past, the tale of this family unfolds with a vexing, dark vibe. Some parts are real page-turners and you just want to read one more before bed and reaching a good stopping point. The truth is, the story takes a good while to unfold and I kept wondering what genre of tale am I reading here? Is it historical fiction? Ist it mystery or fantasy? Well, I am still not sure, as Bert's geneology test turns from factual and normal and then reaches realms of plausible if we could bend time and history.
There was a moment when I didn't want to "know" what the dreaded answer to all of it was because I was afraid that the story would deflate like a balloon. Once the cat was out of the bag, how would you go from there? Well, Trussoni did an amazing job at keeping the pace and tension while the plot diverged into the territory of the fantastical and I am so grateful for it.
The entire journey of this novel was fascinating. From the atmosphere and setting to the creepy tales of the family members. Undoubtedly, political motivation, power, and betrayals played a role in the history of this powerful family, but in truth, genes could not be controlled in the Middle Ages, and the discovery of family secrets would have meant the death of the Montebiancos....or their ancestors, hidden, behind the name.
I could reread this book RIGHT NOW. It was so good and goes down as one of my absolute favorites for this year. Both the audiobook and the physical copy with its gorgeous beveled edges I love, would make an amazing reading choice or gift for someone.
Enjoy. And if you read it, let me know what you think. I loved it!
More of my reviews here:
Through Novel Time & Distance
Who are our ancestors?
Where do we fit in the family tree, and where do our traits come from?
We have all asked ourselves these questions at some point or another and would be happy to find just a few answers along those lines. In Danielle Trussoni's THE ANCESTOR, the main character wasn't really in search of these answers, but her ancestors tracked her down and presented her with the gift of the past. Her own family legacy.
We all want to believe that we come from hearty, healthy, and smart stock, but what if we didn't? What if something went wrong somewhere along the path of random connections and processes that make us unique, fit, and adapt to life in this world? Would you want to know about it? Would you want to rear a family if you knew that you were the carrier of unfavorable genes, capable to produce a monster?
This is what Bert, short for Alberta, Monte has to decide when she is presented with the papers declaring her the only heir left to the fortunes of the famous House of Montebianco in the Italian Alps. Residing in NY, separated from her husband for the past 6 months, life going ok for Bert but not great. Perhaps it was a premonition, or just a random happenstance when she finds out about her ancestors in Italy, but her life is about to change forever as she embarks to travel deep into her ancestors' history, family secrets, and mysterious gene pool.
Once in Italy, Bert finds herself enraptured by the beauty of the Italian valleys, cafes, and restaurants. Simultaneously, the House of Montebianco, a fortress up on Monte Blanc, only reachable by helicopter, seems cold and stark. How did this family live here? How is it, that she is the one inheriting real estate, paintings, sums of money, treasures, servants, and so forth if she had no idea this is where her ancestors came from. Here, her new identity will undergo a mysterious transformation. Here, her name is Alberta Isabelle Eleanor Vittoria Montebianco, and diaries, murder, and entrapment will teach her who she really is.
This book is seriously fantastic. I was wholly enthralled by this story. If you are a fan of Alma Katsu's writing or something with dark, gothic and creepy undertones than THIS IS IT! This should be your next read. I can't even put into words how captivating THE ANCESTOR is, but there is a secret that hides within the walls of the House of Montebianco and it is far fetched, yet amazingly creepy.
Told in first person and interspersed with diary entries of her family of long past, the tale of this family unfolds with a vexing, dark vibe. Some parts are real page-turners and you just want to read one more before bed and reaching a good stopping point. The truth is, the story takes a good while to unfold and I kept wondering what genre of tale am I reading here? Is it historical fiction? Ist it mystery or fantasy? Well, I am still not sure, as Bert's geneology test turns from factual and normal and then reaches realms of plausible if we could bend time and history.
There was a moment when I didn't want to "know" what the dreaded answer to all of it was because I was afraid that the story would deflate like a balloon. Once the cat was out of the bag, how would you go from there? Well, Trussoni did an amazing job at keeping the pace and tension while the plot diverged into the territory of the fantastical and I am so grateful for it.
The entire journey of this novel was fascinating. From the atmosphere and setting to the creepy tales of the family members. Undoubtedly, political motivation, power, and betrayals played a role in the history of this powerful family, but in truth, genes could not be controlled in the Middle Ages, and the discovery of family secrets would have meant the death of the Montebiancos....or their ancestors, hidden, behind the name.
I could reread this book RIGHT NOW. It was so good and goes down as one of my absolute favorites for this year. Both the audiobook and the physical copy with its gorgeous beveled edges I love, would make an amazing reading choice or gift for someone.
Enjoy. And if you read it, let me know what you think. I loved it!
More of my reviews here:
Through Novel Time & Distance
November 9, 2020
Honestly, where do I even start?
This book begins with an interesting premise. Young woman in the middle of a quarter-life crisis receives a weird package completely in Italian telling her she is - SURPRISE- actually an Italian noble and the last surviving heir to the house of Montebianco. She gets whisked off by a family lawyer to visit her new estate, and according to the book jacket summary, there are lots of dark family secrets to uncover. WHOO. FUN MYSTERY TIMES.
***There are spoilers after this point.***
I WISH this book went where you think it's gonna go. But... It doesn't.
Let's start out with Bert's situation at the beginning of the novel. After suffering a tragic series of miscarriages and eventually coming to the conclusion that she will never have a child, she decides to separate from her husband because grief, I guess. Bert as a character is beyond annoying. Listen, I know that tragedy puts a strain on people and their relationships, but the fact that she decides to leave Luca starts to give you the impression that she's never committed herself to anything other than trying to have a child. We don't have any parents to tether her to, she's divorcing Luca, and hell, I don't even remember if we ever find out what she did for work before galivanting off to Italy. As a character, the only things I know about her are that she wants a kid and that she thinks absolutely nothing through. To evidence this, Bert invites Luca to Italy with him to see the estate even though they're getting a divorce, they have a whirlwind reconciliation, and then they get in a fight that's supposed to be bad but isn't actually and Luca packs his backs to head back to the U.S.
Let's talk about the premise of the book for a second. While I'm all about a sad backstory and dark family secrets in the Italian Alps, I am not about the idea that a noble household would seek out the American descendent just to bring them to the estate and then literally hold them hostage. That's right, Bert is apparently held hostage at her Italian castle in some remote location to the point that when she tries to run away, she is shot in the leg by one of the staff members.
Also, while she is being held hostage, someone is poisoned right in front of her, she realizes they're dying, and she literally does nothing???
Let's circle back to Luca for a second. When Bert is unable to escape the castle on her own, she sneaks her way to the one functioning phone in the whole place to call the one number she has memorized: Luca's bar. Then we completely forget that she ever called him for help. What feels like eons later, the groundskeeper apparently finds Luca and his dad frozen in the mountainside. Just poof. Dead. Surprise? Is Bert sad about it? Sure. For about two seconds. Why did this character even exist, honestly? We see so little of him, and the fact that the only way we know him is as Bert's soon-to-be-ex-husband makes you invest virtually no emotional energy in him. He only seems to exist to deal with things that Bert is too incapable of managing on her own, and he literally dies for it.
A large part of the story also hinges on these journal entries written by a woman named Eleanor, who is a few generations back in Bert's family tree. The focus of these entries is her daughter, Vita, whom she describes as an irredeemable, disfigured, feral monster. How motherly! Anyway, these journals are SUCH A WASTE OF TIME. Because guess what. We meet Vita. And she is relatively normal, can hold conversations just fine, and is even a master manipulator. So we get these exaggerated journal entries that just creates confusion, and then we get pretty much no resolution or reasoning for why they even exist.
Now time for the twisty twist (I told you there were spoilers, and I meant it)! This book went from sorta interesting gothic horror to mind-numbingly stupid pseudoscience shit show in about two seconds flat when we learn that Bert is actually a descendant of the secret yeti/Neanderthal tribe living in the mountains. Oh yeah, you read that right. The best part? She goes to live with this tribe for a while, learns their language, tries to get them to trust her, and then one of the women in the tribe dies giving birth but the baby lives, so apparently this is Bert's destiny and she just... takes the child. Like... Negotiates with the baby's father for her to just take it and go live in Paris, where the baby never gets to leave the house except at night because she looks weird and never gets to go to school or the store or the playground or have any quality of life.
Anyway. Here are a list of questions I have that never got answered.
• Why does this book sell itself as a spooky gothic book when it is literally just about a secret yeti tribe?
• Why does the plot make such a big fuss about hiding Vita away and how that was traumatic for her only for Bert to finally be given a child that’s from this tribe of deformed yeti people and do the exact same thing to her?
• Why is Bert so obsessed with having a child at the expense of literally everything and everyone else?
• Why was the idea of the tribe whole-ass kidnapping children just like… glossed over?
• If the purpose of the estate is to protect the tribe/its lineage at this point, why isn’t anyone else in the estate’s household brought in to help this be successful? Why import a clueless American?
• Again, why was Bert more concerned with having a child than with her ability to provide that child with a normal life? Seems selfish, I don’t know.
• Why does Bert feel she has any right to dictate how the tribe lives, especially when she skips right off to the estates Paris property to live with her stolen daughter? Shit is bananas. “You must commit no crimes or else I’ll deny you medical supplies.” For real? Could it be any more tone-deaf?
• How could Danielle Trussoni put in so much work to write a critical but historically accurate account of how white men took advantage and influenced indigenous tribes only to make her protagonist literally do exactly that?
Overall, this book is filled with paper-thin characters, plot holes galore, white savior complexes, ableist bullshit, and precisely zero purpose. No one grows. No one changes. No one experiences radical development. Bert gets a baby just so she can fulfill her motherly purpose in life even if it just perpetuates trauma on the child for no apparent reason. Oh, and she has a weird toe and saw ancestor ghosts once, I guess.
Digital ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This book begins with an interesting premise. Young woman in the middle of a quarter-life crisis receives a weird package completely in Italian telling her she is - SURPRISE- actually an Italian noble and the last surviving heir to the house of Montebianco. She gets whisked off by a family lawyer to visit her new estate, and according to the book jacket summary, there are lots of dark family secrets to uncover. WHOO. FUN MYSTERY TIMES.
***There are spoilers after this point.***
I WISH this book went where you think it's gonna go. But... It doesn't.
Let's start out with Bert's situation at the beginning of the novel. After suffering a tragic series of miscarriages and eventually coming to the conclusion that she will never have a child, she decides to separate from her husband because grief, I guess. Bert as a character is beyond annoying. Listen, I know that tragedy puts a strain on people and their relationships, but the fact that she decides to leave Luca starts to give you the impression that she's never committed herself to anything other than trying to have a child. We don't have any parents to tether her to, she's divorcing Luca, and hell, I don't even remember if we ever find out what she did for work before galivanting off to Italy. As a character, the only things I know about her are that she wants a kid and that she thinks absolutely nothing through. To evidence this, Bert invites Luca to Italy with him to see the estate even though they're getting a divorce, they have a whirlwind reconciliation, and then they get in a fight that's supposed to be bad but isn't actually and Luca packs his backs to head back to the U.S.
Let's talk about the premise of the book for a second. While I'm all about a sad backstory and dark family secrets in the Italian Alps, I am not about the idea that a noble household would seek out the American descendent just to bring them to the estate and then literally hold them hostage. That's right, Bert is apparently held hostage at her Italian castle in some remote location to the point that when she tries to run away, she is shot in the leg by one of the staff members.
Also, while she is being held hostage, someone is poisoned right in front of her, she realizes they're dying, and she literally does nothing???
Let's circle back to Luca for a second. When Bert is unable to escape the castle on her own, she sneaks her way to the one functioning phone in the whole place to call the one number she has memorized: Luca's bar. Then we completely forget that she ever called him for help. What feels like eons later, the groundskeeper apparently finds Luca and his dad frozen in the mountainside. Just poof. Dead. Surprise? Is Bert sad about it? Sure. For about two seconds. Why did this character even exist, honestly? We see so little of him, and the fact that the only way we know him is as Bert's soon-to-be-ex-husband makes you invest virtually no emotional energy in him. He only seems to exist to deal with things that Bert is too incapable of managing on her own, and he literally dies for it.
A large part of the story also hinges on these journal entries written by a woman named Eleanor, who is a few generations back in Bert's family tree. The focus of these entries is her daughter, Vita, whom she describes as an irredeemable, disfigured, feral monster. How motherly! Anyway, these journals are SUCH A WASTE OF TIME. Because guess what. We meet Vita. And she is relatively normal, can hold conversations just fine, and is even a master manipulator. So we get these exaggerated journal entries that just creates confusion, and then we get pretty much no resolution or reasoning for why they even exist.
Now time for the twisty twist (I told you there were spoilers, and I meant it)! This book went from sorta interesting gothic horror to mind-numbingly stupid pseudoscience shit show in about two seconds flat when we learn that Bert is actually a descendant of the secret yeti/Neanderthal tribe living in the mountains. Oh yeah, you read that right. The best part? She goes to live with this tribe for a while, learns their language, tries to get them to trust her, and then one of the women in the tribe dies giving birth but the baby lives, so apparently this is Bert's destiny and she just... takes the child. Like... Negotiates with the baby's father for her to just take it and go live in Paris, where the baby never gets to leave the house except at night because she looks weird and never gets to go to school or the store or the playground or have any quality of life.
Anyway. Here are a list of questions I have that never got answered.
• Why does this book sell itself as a spooky gothic book when it is literally just about a secret yeti tribe?
• Why does the plot make such a big fuss about hiding Vita away and how that was traumatic for her only for Bert to finally be given a child that’s from this tribe of deformed yeti people and do the exact same thing to her?
• Why is Bert so obsessed with having a child at the expense of literally everything and everyone else?
• Why was the idea of the tribe whole-ass kidnapping children just like… glossed over?
• If the purpose of the estate is to protect the tribe/its lineage at this point, why isn’t anyone else in the estate’s household brought in to help this be successful? Why import a clueless American?
• Again, why was Bert more concerned with having a child than with her ability to provide that child with a normal life? Seems selfish, I don’t know.
• Why does Bert feel she has any right to dictate how the tribe lives, especially when she skips right off to the estates Paris property to live with her stolen daughter? Shit is bananas. “You must commit no crimes or else I’ll deny you medical supplies.” For real? Could it be any more tone-deaf?
• How could Danielle Trussoni put in so much work to write a critical but historically accurate account of how white men took advantage and influenced indigenous tribes only to make her protagonist literally do exactly that?
Overall, this book is filled with paper-thin characters, plot holes galore, white savior complexes, ableist bullshit, and precisely zero purpose. No one grows. No one changes. No one experiences radical development. Bert gets a baby just so she can fulfill her motherly purpose in life even if it just perpetuates trauma on the child for no apparent reason. Oh, and she has a weird toe and saw ancestor ghosts once, I guess.
Digital ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
April 29, 2020
I received this book for free free as part of an Instagram tour (TLC Book Tours specifically) I did to promote the book.
Wow. This was one of the most fascinating novels I have read in a long time.
First off, I love that the book description does not give away too much. You get to discover the truth about Bert’s family on your own.
It’s really hard to describe this book because it is so unique and I don’t want to spoil anything. There’s some gothic suspense, but also some family tragedy. Then underneath that there is the element of genetics. It just makes an intriguing combination.
The book is also so beautifully written and encapsulates the creepy gothic vibe perfectly. The author is an amazing storyteller.
Lastly, the book has some wonderful descriptions of books and reading. One of the characters states, “These books are like living creatures to me. Caring for them takes a great deal of time. I repair damaged spines…No one ever thinks that books need tenderness, but they do, quite a lot, in fact” (pg. 117). At another point the main character states, “Stories became a place of respite, a refuge from the thoughts that swirled through my mind like acid in a stomach. I clung to these books with the same obsessive need that I had felt for the genepy, reading them with an addictive greed…Had it not been for my time in bed, I might never have come to love books as I had, or developed the desire to write about my own tragic life” (pg 226).
Overall, this is a book you have to read for yourself. I know there will be some people who read it and won’t like it and that’s totally okay. But others will just devour it. It’s a very different book so the only way to know is to read it for yourself.
Wow. This was one of the most fascinating novels I have read in a long time.
First off, I love that the book description does not give away too much. You get to discover the truth about Bert’s family on your own.
It’s really hard to describe this book because it is so unique and I don’t want to spoil anything. There’s some gothic suspense, but also some family tragedy. Then underneath that there is the element of genetics. It just makes an intriguing combination.
The book is also so beautifully written and encapsulates the creepy gothic vibe perfectly. The author is an amazing storyteller.
Lastly, the book has some wonderful descriptions of books and reading. One of the characters states, “These books are like living creatures to me. Caring for them takes a great deal of time. I repair damaged spines…No one ever thinks that books need tenderness, but they do, quite a lot, in fact” (pg. 117). At another point the main character states, “Stories became a place of respite, a refuge from the thoughts that swirled through my mind like acid in a stomach. I clung to these books with the same obsessive need that I had felt for the genepy, reading them with an addictive greed…Had it not been for my time in bed, I might never have come to love books as I had, or developed the desire to write about my own tragic life” (pg 226).
Overall, this is a book you have to read for yourself. I know there will be some people who read it and won’t like it and that’s totally okay. But others will just devour it. It’s a very different book so the only way to know is to read it for yourself.
April 16, 2020
Favorite Quotes:
Listen to me, child. I saw it. The beast came for me on the mountain pass like a ghost with its white hair and devilish blue eyes. Its teeth were sharp as razors. But worst of all, it was so like us. Monstrous and yet so human. The legends were true.
… inheritance is a trickster. One generation may hide its genetic treasures, while the next will put them fully on display.
Leopold had described the village as a seed pressed into a rocky furrow, and it seemed exactly that: a furtive garden in a fold of stone.
How strange it felt, to sit there so openly, my feet exposed. A lifetime of hiding them had made me self-conscious to the point of neurosis. But there was no reason to hide my feet from these people.
My Review:
The Ancestor was a bracing and chilling tale of an epic legacy of dark secrets and unknown wealth hidden in the ice and snow. While not my typical read, I was quickly pulled into an oddly captivating vortex of unnerving and itchy intrigue. It was easy to follow, highly creative, monstrously eerie, and the most distressing part was that it was conceivably plausible. Despite feeling edgy, unsettled, and nibbling on my cuticles - I was enslaved by my curiosity and unable to put my Kindle down.
The narrative was richly textured, cunningly conceived, and maddeningly paced. I was engrossed and conflicted while I cycled between feeling appalled and entranced. To illustrate Ms. Trussoni’s exceptional word voodoo, I was mentally frostbitten by her descriptive depictions of the harsh Alpine weather that entrenched the beset characters while in reality, I was barefoot, clad in shorts, and comfortably lounging with an open window and ceiling fan on a balmy day in the tropics. She has mad skills.
Listen to me, child. I saw it. The beast came for me on the mountain pass like a ghost with its white hair and devilish blue eyes. Its teeth were sharp as razors. But worst of all, it was so like us. Monstrous and yet so human. The legends were true.
… inheritance is a trickster. One generation may hide its genetic treasures, while the next will put them fully on display.
Leopold had described the village as a seed pressed into a rocky furrow, and it seemed exactly that: a furtive garden in a fold of stone.
How strange it felt, to sit there so openly, my feet exposed. A lifetime of hiding them had made me self-conscious to the point of neurosis. But there was no reason to hide my feet from these people.
My Review:
The Ancestor was a bracing and chilling tale of an epic legacy of dark secrets and unknown wealth hidden in the ice and snow. While not my typical read, I was quickly pulled into an oddly captivating vortex of unnerving and itchy intrigue. It was easy to follow, highly creative, monstrously eerie, and the most distressing part was that it was conceivably plausible. Despite feeling edgy, unsettled, and nibbling on my cuticles - I was enslaved by my curiosity and unable to put my Kindle down.
The narrative was richly textured, cunningly conceived, and maddeningly paced. I was engrossed and conflicted while I cycled between feeling appalled and entranced. To illustrate Ms. Trussoni’s exceptional word voodoo, I was mentally frostbitten by her descriptive depictions of the harsh Alpine weather that entrenched the beset characters while in reality, I was barefoot, clad in shorts, and comfortably lounging with an open window and ceiling fan on a balmy day in the tropics. She has mad skills.
December 26, 2019
Ouch. My forehead still hurts after face palms I've done while reading this book. It is said to be a horror novel but suddenly, after major spooky mysteries are revealed it suddenly loose all its dark traits and turns into bright adventure in the wild/teary story about motherhood. The whole book feels like the author struggled to keep control over the story which in the end made it incredibly messy. I could live with major mood shift but simply can't stand this lack of information consistency that feels like author was forgetting what she wrote immediately after putting a dot at the end of the sentence. As a result you will read about illiterate man that can speak two languages, 3 boys and a girl suddenly becoming 3 girls and a boy just a page later, main character thinking about "mythical" creature while staring at the photo of it, the fog that will swallow up a helicopter in few seconds but won't obscure the view of the stars, main character spotting a silhouette and not being sure if it's human or animal and a second later being absolutely sure it was a woman etc etc. Probably I'm too detail oriented but this small things annoy me and break the immersion.
I'm not a fan of the way author writes either. There are pieces of information that are suggesting that the novel was well researched but they are inserted in the worst moments. Example - one of the character is getting injured and she is dealing with excruciating pain, the moment is really tense, the relief is about to come in this herbal medicine, you are clutching your book feeling it with a character aaaaaand... this is the moment to inform you that the herb in the medicine has a different name in french than in english, it can be found in some of the medications available today and it has slightly hallucinogenic effects, of course not the one available in the drug store but this one has this effect. So it's wormwood you know? Ok, back to screaming in pain.
When it comes to the main character, Bert Monte, she was written in a very annoying way too. She sees a silhouette in the garden? So terrifying, so mysterious, I must run away! Scary picture of the beast in the book? Panic attack, run! I'm having a conversation with someone that could explain everything to me? I'll ask about meaningless stuff because I'm curious but I don't want the mystery to be revealed to quickly to me. Deformation of the body as a sign that you are a mythic monster? I don't even have a sarcastic comment for that. It's just plain wrong.
Avoid.
I'm not a fan of the way author writes either. There are pieces of information that are suggesting that the novel was well researched but they are inserted in the worst moments. Example - one of the character is getting injured and she is dealing with excruciating pain, the moment is really tense, the relief is about to come in this herbal medicine, you are clutching your book feeling it with a character aaaaaand... this is the moment to inform you that the herb in the medicine has a different name in french than in english, it can be found in some of the medications available today and it has slightly hallucinogenic effects, of course not the one available in the drug store but this one has this effect. So it's wormwood you know? Ok, back to screaming in pain.
When it comes to the main character, Bert Monte, she was written in a very annoying way too. She sees a silhouette in the garden? So terrifying, so mysterious, I must run away! Scary picture of the beast in the book? Panic attack, run! I'm having a conversation with someone that could explain everything to me? I'll ask about meaningless stuff because I'm curious but I don't want the mystery to be revealed to quickly to me. Deformation of the body as a sign that you are a mythic monster? I don't even have a sarcastic comment for that. It's just plain wrong.
Avoid.
February 4, 2020
A young woman at a crossroads in her life is informed, out of the blue, that she is the last remaining member of an old, wealthy European noble house. In order to inherit, however, she must fly out to the family estate high in the Alps. There, she finds she's a virtual prisoner in an isolated old castle, as she tries to piece together her family's strange history.
While this may sound a bit redolent of Gothic thrillers like Dracula, that's where the similarity ends. Trussoni takes us to new places in this book, places that only she can. The Ancestor proves Trussoni is not only a great writer, but she's a daring one as well.
While this may sound a bit redolent of Gothic thrillers like Dracula, that's where the similarity ends. Trussoni takes us to new places in this book, places that only she can. The Ancestor proves Trussoni is not only a great writer, but she's a daring one as well.
April 16, 2021
The Ancestor is a book about family secrets, yes! my favorite, that takes some wild and unexpected turns. Just when you think it’s going to be one thing (a straight-up gothic tale perhaps?) it turns out to be something else entirely and I LOVED that. I enjoyed the foray into the strange and unexpected and that it bravely went the last place I would’ve expected it to go!
Alberta “Bert” is separated from her husband Luca when the story begins. She’s grieving the loss of her relationship and several miscarriages when she receives a letter from someone in Italy stating she’s inherited an estate in the wilds of Italy. Apparently, she is the last living relation and the legal folks are going to fly her out so she can become the mistress of a castle. Oh, and also become a Countess! She and Luca (the husband who wants to reconcile) fly out to see what’s what.
This is a slower-paced tale filled with rich detail and history and other things that I can’t mention without spilling too much and it begins very much like a typical gothic creep-fest with a heroine who doesn’t stop to question too much. She goes with the flow. I mean, if I were struggling with everything and then suddenly told I was a Countess of a secluded castle I might hop on a plane and keep my pesky questions to myself too. Let them give it all to me officially and in writing, before I mess it all up with my annoying questions in case they change their mind! Anyhow, she kind of continues this behavior as the book goes along (especially when it comes to Luca) but this is usually the case in a slow burn. You find out the information slowly and that’s just how it is and likely how it should be.
As the story continues, ominous details are doled out slowly. There are rumors of a goat and child-eating beast living near the secluded castle - amongst other things. She is also not alone in the castle. At times, it gave me some little Castle Freak vibes and I love that movie and its reboot even though I know I probably shouldn’t but you gotta love what you love, right? The creepy atmosphere of that castle, the sounds, the sights, the unknown hanging over everything, it was just all so perfectly done.
I can clearly see why this book has mixed reviews. Somewhere past the midway point, it turns into something else, and that something else was certainly something else 😳😹. I grew up reading and watching some of the most twisted kind of things so nothing here upset me but know that the roads taken here may not be for everyone. There are some very disturbing things in these here pages and the very end might leave you a wee bit melancholy (yeah I’m being annoyingly vague on purpose). Be prepared for that going in and for some terrible behavior from some tormented people and you’ll be okay. Probably. Just don’t yell at me if you’re not because I am sensitive, haha.
I enjoyed it very much and recommend it if you’re looking for something that just might surprise you.
Alberta “Bert” is separated from her husband Luca when the story begins. She’s grieving the loss of her relationship and several miscarriages when she receives a letter from someone in Italy stating she’s inherited an estate in the wilds of Italy. Apparently, she is the last living relation and the legal folks are going to fly her out so she can become the mistress of a castle. Oh, and also become a Countess! She and Luca (the husband who wants to reconcile) fly out to see what’s what.
This is a slower-paced tale filled with rich detail and history and other things that I can’t mention without spilling too much and it begins very much like a typical gothic creep-fest with a heroine who doesn’t stop to question too much. She goes with the flow. I mean, if I were struggling with everything and then suddenly told I was a Countess of a secluded castle I might hop on a plane and keep my pesky questions to myself too. Let them give it all to me officially and in writing, before I mess it all up with my annoying questions in case they change their mind! Anyhow, she kind of continues this behavior as the book goes along (especially when it comes to Luca) but this is usually the case in a slow burn. You find out the information slowly and that’s just how it is and likely how it should be.
As the story continues, ominous details are doled out slowly. There are rumors of a goat and child-eating beast living near the secluded castle - amongst other things. She is also not alone in the castle. At times, it gave me some little Castle Freak vibes and I love that movie and its reboot even though I know I probably shouldn’t but you gotta love what you love, right? The creepy atmosphere of that castle, the sounds, the sights, the unknown hanging over everything, it was just all so perfectly done.
I can clearly see why this book has mixed reviews. Somewhere past the midway point, it turns into something else, and that something else was certainly something else 😳😹. I grew up reading and watching some of the most twisted kind of things so nothing here upset me but know that the roads taken here may not be for everyone. There are some very disturbing things in these here pages and the very end might leave you a wee bit melancholy (yeah I’m being annoyingly vague on purpose). Be prepared for that going in and for some terrible behavior from some tormented people and you’ll be okay. Probably. Just don’t yell at me if you’re not because I am sensitive, haha.
I enjoyed it very much and recommend it if you’re looking for something that just might surprise you.
July 2, 2020
(4.5) Thank you for the gifted review copy Danielle Trussoni and William Morrow, in exchange for an honest review!
I feel like we get a little bit of everything in THE ANCESTOR! There's some mystery, hints of romance, and, oh yeah - creepy old ladies living remotely in a castle, with a dash of evolution! Sounds weird, but oh my god was it amazing! I actually learned quite a bit about genealogy and homo sapiens, and all that pre-human life jazz. It was really cool exploring Bert's family history, and seeing where she came from. Who doesn't want to know this information?
Alberta is such a fascinating character. The way she handles herself with all the information overload is phenomenal. I mean, a free trip to Italy is fancy, but going completely off-grid is another thing! I wouldn't be able to do that, and would never consider it personally! She handled everything well, and is such a strong character. It's not easy being the only one who can uncover your family secrets, and the horrifying past that's a part of you in every way possible.
It's a mixture of horror, gothic, sci-fi, mystery, and family drama, oddly! Maybe we can throw in some historical fiction, because why not!? THE ANCESTOR literally defies genre classification, because it's just that amazing, with so much elements packed in. I loved every second of it, and I don't usually read horror/sci-fi novels - so you know this one is good!
THE ANCESTOR is so haunting, yet addictive in a great way! Such a quick read and a page-turner, you won't be able to put this down! If you're in the mood for something different, then pick this one up ASAP!
I feel like we get a little bit of everything in THE ANCESTOR! There's some mystery, hints of romance, and, oh yeah - creepy old ladies living remotely in a castle, with a dash of evolution! Sounds weird, but oh my god was it amazing! I actually learned quite a bit about genealogy and homo sapiens, and all that pre-human life jazz. It was really cool exploring Bert's family history, and seeing where she came from. Who doesn't want to know this information?
Alberta is such a fascinating character. The way she handles herself with all the information overload is phenomenal. I mean, a free trip to Italy is fancy, but going completely off-grid is another thing! I wouldn't be able to do that, and would never consider it personally! She handled everything well, and is such a strong character. It's not easy being the only one who can uncover your family secrets, and the horrifying past that's a part of you in every way possible.
It's a mixture of horror, gothic, sci-fi, mystery, and family drama, oddly! Maybe we can throw in some historical fiction, because why not!? THE ANCESTOR literally defies genre classification, because it's just that amazing, with so much elements packed in. I loved every second of it, and I don't usually read horror/sci-fi novels - so you know this one is good!
THE ANCESTOR is so haunting, yet addictive in a great way! Such a quick read and a page-turner, you won't be able to put this down! If you're in the mood for something different, then pick this one up ASAP!
April 23, 2020
I won this as a goodreads giveaway. Thank you William Morrow for the book.
This book was brilliant. And if you love cryptozoology, like I do, get it now.
This story was full of twists and turns that made it even more compelling. Try and finish in one sitting.
This book was brilliant. And if you love cryptozoology, like I do, get it now.
This story was full of twists and turns that made it even more compelling. Try and finish in one sitting.
July 10, 2020
4.5!
Review originally published at Cemetery Dance:
https://www.cemeterydance.com/extras/...
I have never wanted to live in the pages of a horror novel as much as I did while reading The Ancestor. Alberta Montebianco lives a stressful, emotionally complicated lifestyle in New York. With almost magical timing, a letter shows up addressed to her but with a new title in front of her name— “Countess.” As it turns out, Alberta discovers that she is possibly the sole, living heir to a noble title, and a castle in Turin, Italy.
The perfect set-up for a compelling story! I felt like I was reading the source material for an old black-and-white movie starring a classic Hollywood, silver screen beauty. All of the chapters with Trussoni’s bewildered protagonist as she explores her new digs in Italy are life-giving, fairytale-esque magic! I loved all the detailed, descriptive language of the castle and decor.
Bear rugs. Fireplaces in all the rooms. Chandeliers. A whole library in a turret with rounded walls and bookshelves everywhere. Secret rooms, strange servants and even a mysterious person dwelling in a private room. There was an excitement building in me as I realized that at some point in the story, there would be so many remarkable revelations. It’s a dream-like reading experience I would wish on anyone who might want to imagine what it would feel like to live vicariously through a modern-day woman turned countess.
This is where readers of this review might begin to question the validity of the publisher’s marketing strategy in genre labeling this book as horror. It all sounds a little bit fanciful and even romantic.
But, oh-ho, horror fans! Remember, my job is to share my reading experience with you while preserving your own reading discoveries. I don’t want to allude to anything that would potentially spoil some of the amazing plot details that await you on this journey. Just know this: it would be almost impossible to imagine, at the start of this book, where it ultimately ends up. Horror fans, you’re in for a treat.
Review originally published at Cemetery Dance:
https://www.cemeterydance.com/extras/...
I have never wanted to live in the pages of a horror novel as much as I did while reading The Ancestor. Alberta Montebianco lives a stressful, emotionally complicated lifestyle in New York. With almost magical timing, a letter shows up addressed to her but with a new title in front of her name— “Countess.” As it turns out, Alberta discovers that she is possibly the sole, living heir to a noble title, and a castle in Turin, Italy.
The perfect set-up for a compelling story! I felt like I was reading the source material for an old black-and-white movie starring a classic Hollywood, silver screen beauty. All of the chapters with Trussoni’s bewildered protagonist as she explores her new digs in Italy are life-giving, fairytale-esque magic! I loved all the detailed, descriptive language of the castle and decor.
Bear rugs. Fireplaces in all the rooms. Chandeliers. A whole library in a turret with rounded walls and bookshelves everywhere. Secret rooms, strange servants and even a mysterious person dwelling in a private room. There was an excitement building in me as I realized that at some point in the story, there would be so many remarkable revelations. It’s a dream-like reading experience I would wish on anyone who might want to imagine what it would feel like to live vicariously through a modern-day woman turned countess.
This is where readers of this review might begin to question the validity of the publisher’s marketing strategy in genre labeling this book as horror. It all sounds a little bit fanciful and even romantic.
But, oh-ho, horror fans! Remember, my job is to share my reading experience with you while preserving your own reading discoveries. I don’t want to allude to anything that would potentially spoil some of the amazing plot details that await you on this journey. Just know this: it would be almost impossible to imagine, at the start of this book, where it ultimately ends up. Horror fans, you’re in for a treat.
December 26, 2019
I am all for a horror novel that doesn't play by the rules, but with THE ANCESTOR I couldn't tell what the book actually was. It shifted and then shifted again and then it was over and I wasn't sure what had just happened.
At the beginning, the book feels like it's in a rush to get to the good parts, which leaves you somewhat baffled by the time we get to our primary setting of a Norther Italian castle cut off almost entirely from the outside world. It's not quite clear how our protagonist, Alberta, has got there. We can say what happened in the plot, but Alberta spends these early sections just letting things happen, not bothering to question, and it left me frustrated. Ah yes, totally normal to find that your husband has left the hotel already and just assume without speaking to him or trying to speak to him that he has returned home to another country without you--and without a passport. (Honestly almost everything about the husband's plot makes absolutely no sense at all, you cannot impose any reality on it.)
Once we get to the meat of the book it's easier to worry less about how little sense things make because we're in a gothic world now where everything has its own set of rules. Still, it felt like I was batted from one plot point to the next, and I couldn't ever figure out where we were headed and not in a good way. Trussoni is a good enough writer that I just threw up my hands and went with it, but I had hoped to have something more to show for it by the end.
At the beginning, the book feels like it's in a rush to get to the good parts, which leaves you somewhat baffled by the time we get to our primary setting of a Norther Italian castle cut off almost entirely from the outside world. It's not quite clear how our protagonist, Alberta, has got there. We can say what happened in the plot, but Alberta spends these early sections just letting things happen, not bothering to question, and it left me frustrated. Ah yes, totally normal to find that your husband has left the hotel already and just assume without speaking to him or trying to speak to him that he has returned home to another country without you--and without a passport. (Honestly almost everything about the husband's plot makes absolutely no sense at all, you cannot impose any reality on it.)
Once we get to the meat of the book it's easier to worry less about how little sense things make because we're in a gothic world now where everything has its own set of rules. Still, it felt like I was batted from one plot point to the next, and I couldn't ever figure out where we were headed and not in a good way. Trussoni is a good enough writer that I just threw up my hands and went with it, but I had hoped to have something more to show for it by the end.
July 18, 2021
This really wasn't my cup of tea...
It started off as a perfect Gothic novel, maybe too perfect for a good while, which then took a completely off the charts left turn into a direction I really don't like much reading about. It seriously feels like the author lost control over the story after the twist and it went all over the place. There are also a few inconsistencies that bothered me- like everybody in Italy speaking American English, in an Alpine region where an accent mixed with French is spoken. Even great grandparents from a century ago writing their journals in American English. Every trace of Italian was erased in a story set there. I understand some ancestors are British and most of the time stuck in a remote castle, but surely not all of them...
In any case and even without that bothersome detail, it wasn't the horror novel I expected. Sorry, not mine.
It started off as a perfect Gothic novel, maybe too perfect for a good while, which then took a completely off the charts left turn into a direction I really don't like much reading about. It seriously feels like the author lost control over the story after the twist and it went all over the place. There are also a few inconsistencies that bothered me- like everybody in Italy speaking American English, in an Alpine region where an accent mixed with French is spoken. Even great grandparents from a century ago writing their journals in American English. Every trace of Italian was erased in a story set there. I understand some ancestors are British and most of the time stuck in a remote castle, but surely not all of them...
In any case and even without that bothersome detail, it wasn't the horror novel I expected. Sorry, not mine.
May 15, 2021
I picked up this book right after reading Devolution by Max Brooks when a colleague recommended this one due to a similar type of premise. I was excited to jump from a pack of Sasquatch terrorizing a commune during a natural disaster to an ancient castle with a Yeti.
From the premise, I was expecting the story to follow certain horror tropes according to my colleague’s spin on it with a Yeti terrorizing a town and a castle. Suffice to say that my expectations were subverted. Instead of the story being straight up horror with mindless monsters, it evolved into a more Gothic novel. I enjoy when science crosses with folklore, and so this book hit all those boxes with some rich historical research sprinkled on top. You can tell the author researched a lot of different subjects for this book quite extensively especially genetics, evolution, conspiracy theories, castles, and lineages. I enjoyed how the title of the novel played on many aspects of the story. I also enjoyed the twists and reveals throughout though the number of these got daunting at times.
There were some things I didn’t like too such as how quickly some things transitioned as well as how the death of an important character was a background event. The explanation of things in the last part of the book just didn’t click with me as well.
All in all, I enjoyed the book and loved the blend of early hominids and evolutionary theories with an intriguing plot and writing style that kept me turning pages. I give this gothic sci-fi book a 4 out of 5 rating.
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From the premise, I was expecting the story to follow certain horror tropes according to my colleague’s spin on it with a Yeti terrorizing a town and a castle. Suffice to say that my expectations were subverted. Instead of the story being straight up horror with mindless monsters, it evolved into a more Gothic novel. I enjoy when science crosses with folklore, and so this book hit all those boxes with some rich historical research sprinkled on top. You can tell the author researched a lot of different subjects for this book quite extensively especially genetics, evolution, conspiracy theories, castles, and lineages. I enjoyed how the title of the novel played on many aspects of the story. I also enjoyed the twists and reveals throughout though the number of these got daunting at times.
There were some things I didn’t like too such as how quickly some things transitioned as well as how the death of an important character was a background event. The explanation of things in the last part of the book just didn’t click with me as well.
All in all, I enjoyed the book and loved the blend of early hominids and evolutionary theories with an intriguing plot and writing style that kept me turning pages. I give this gothic sci-fi book a 4 out of 5 rating.
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January 2, 2020
The Ancestor is a wonderful shape-shifter of a novel. One minute you’ll suppose you’re in a haunted house: think Shirley Jackson. The next, you’re transported into the sort of world Mary Shelley might have created for Frankenstein. Danielle Trussoni is an immensely gifted literary descendant of both storytellers — they are among her ancestors — which is one of the many reasons why I savor her work so very much.
March 29, 2020
I’ve always loved Trussoni’s books and THE ANCESTOR did not disappoint! The perfect blend of gothic horror and biological. If Mary Shelley was a Sasquatch’er, she would have written this! I devoured this book!
February 25, 2022
I had a feeling I’d enjoy this book but I had no idea that I’d love it so much that it would become a contender for my favourite book of the year! It might be classified as a slow burn in true gothic horror fashion but it was absolutely riveting and I never felt like I wanted the pace to pick up, a slow burn was perfect for this story. I was hooked from start to finish and I couldn’t put the book down, I had a deep burning desire to find out how it would turn out. I really couldn’t have loved this book more, it had everything I love in a horror novel and heaps more. I think the perfect way to describe this book is Lovecraftian vibes meets Shirley Jackson and if that doesn’t make you want to pick up this book and devour it then I don’t know what will!
August 3, 2022
Actual rating: 3.5 stars
This was a really interesting book. It was well written and the pacing was perfect. I don't want to say too much about the plot because the mystery and family secrets are fun to unravel. I will say this story takes a turn that you will either love or hate. I really enjoyed it and thought it made the book unique. The first half of the the book had strong gothic vibes but the tone completely changed in the second half. Even though I was fascinated with where the story went, I was hoping for a slightly darker ending I think. Overall, I really liked this book and recommend it to readers who like gothic stories with a twist.
This was a really interesting book. It was well written and the pacing was perfect. I don't want to say too much about the plot because the mystery and family secrets are fun to unravel. I will say this story takes a turn that you will either love or hate. I really enjoyed it and thought it made the book unique. The first half of the the book had strong gothic vibes but the tone completely changed in the second half. Even though I was fascinated with where the story went, I was hoping for a slightly darker ending I think. Overall, I really liked this book and recommend it to readers who like gothic stories with a twist.
January 31, 2022
"You must come to understand your inheritance and take charge of it. Or you will find that your inheritance will take charge of you."
This book was truly a surprise, I thought it was going to be a creepy monster spooky story but we took a turn into complicated familial bonds and unique characters that you won't see coming. It's a beautiful, sad, atmospheric story!
This book was truly a surprise, I thought it was going to be a creepy monster spooky story but we took a turn into complicated familial bonds and unique characters that you won't see coming. It's a beautiful, sad, atmospheric story!
May 23, 2020
Absolutely amazing mystery/horror/syfy novel about an inheritance in a haunting, gothic, richly atmospheric Italian Alps castle. I loved it, from the very first to the last word I was simply captivated. it's been quite some time that I have picked up a book that's had me so enthralled that i did not want to put it down and race through it while also wanting to make the experience last as long as I could at the same time. Very impressive stuff from Trussoni, whom I've never read before. I was so impressed by the prose, pacing, plot and anything else you can cram into this novel that I'm definitely going back to pick up both of her two previous fiction novels. I would encourage anyone to go out and get this no matter what your preferable genre is, and go into this with as little information as possible just as I did. I wouldn't be surprised if this was on some of the best of '20 Goodreads lists. Definitely a new fan.
September 23, 2020
Just imagine for a second that your dreams of being royalty (a princess or a countess) comes true. Then you receive a letter stating you have inherited a castle in Italy and you are a Countess! What would you do?
Well this is the story of Alberta "Bert" Monte who was told she is the new "Countess Alberta Montebianco". She is flown to the Alps of Northern Italy near the city of Turin to see the estate she just inherited via a private jet. She meets with the attorneys and is whisked to her new life as a Countess with a long blood line of royalty. But of course, not all is roses when things start to take a turn and you uncover some strange mysteries surrounding the family and wealth you just inherited.
Trussoni's writing was amazing, in that she is able to set the tone of the story, leading the readers to want to find out what is going to happen next - this is truly her brilliance in this writing. The dark twists and turns really had my attention and I could not and would not stop turning those pages while anxiously anticipating what is going to happen next.
I also admired the characters that Trussoni wrote about with the strange and mysterious family members. The setting and the world building was short of incredible - bringing that gothic, mysterious, isolated, cold, feeling of seclusion, and being trapped. The short chapters and the perfect pacing really added to the enjoyment of this well written and well researched novel that I could stop recommending.
Pick this up for the perfect quarantine read. You will not be disappointed.
Well this is the story of Alberta "Bert" Monte who was told she is the new "Countess Alberta Montebianco". She is flown to the Alps of Northern Italy near the city of Turin to see the estate she just inherited via a private jet. She meets with the attorneys and is whisked to her new life as a Countess with a long blood line of royalty. But of course, not all is roses when things start to take a turn and you uncover some strange mysteries surrounding the family and wealth you just inherited.
Trussoni's writing was amazing, in that she is able to set the tone of the story, leading the readers to want to find out what is going to happen next - this is truly her brilliance in this writing. The dark twists and turns really had my attention and I could not and would not stop turning those pages while anxiously anticipating what is going to happen next.
I also admired the characters that Trussoni wrote about with the strange and mysterious family members. The setting and the world building was short of incredible - bringing that gothic, mysterious, isolated, cold, feeling of seclusion, and being trapped. The short chapters and the perfect pacing really added to the enjoyment of this well written and well researched novel that I could stop recommending.
Pick this up for the perfect quarantine read. You will not be disappointed.
February 16, 2021
I got this book through my public library’s Surprise Me Bundle, which is their version of Pick One for Me. You fill out a form telling them what genre or topic interests you, the format, and the number of items you want up to five. They select them, put them on hold, and notify you via text or e-mail so that you can get them via curbside pickup. It’s so much fun! I’ll definitely participate again. I may not have loved this, but I did enjoy it. I would have overlooked it if I had seen it on my own and would have missed out on an entertaining read.
December 4, 2020
QUICK TAKE: you had me at “gothic novel of suspense that plunges the reader into a world of dark family secrets, the mysteries of human genetics, and the burden of family inheritance.” And I was totally into the first half of THE ANCESTOR. Loved the wish-fulfillment in discovering you’re actually of noble descent and the new owner of a castle. Loved the creepy castle and weird caretakers and strange family history mystery. And just when I thought I had an idea of where this one was going...BAM...total 180 plot twist. Like...I can’t even discuss it, it’s such a massive spoiler. Some of you will love it, others will hate it. You’ll just have to read it to believe it. Personally, I had issues with it and it felt like I was reading two completely different books. So, with that being said, this one is a little more at your own risk, but I’m so curious what others have thought about this one, especially that polarizing twist!
August 10, 2020
4.5 - review to come
October 22, 2021
Espero no leer un despropósito tan grande en los próximos 5000 años.
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