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Lucy Crisp and the Vanishing House
After moving to a seemingly quaint and quiet new town, Lucy faces a new reality in which fairies exist, weather can be bottled and witches hold grudges.
It has been a year since Lucy Crisp graduated from high school and she still hasn't found her calling. That is, until she discovers an exclusive arts college called Ladywyck Lodge. On a whim, she applies and is thrilled to be accepted into their program. Lucy moves to Esther Wren, the charming little town where it's based, and stays in the house her father buys as an investment: a magnificent building built by a sea captain in 1876. The house has history and personality --perhaps too much personality. . .
Strange things start happening: Lucy hears voices and footsteps in empty rooms. She sees people and things that should not be there. Furniture disappears and elaborate desserts appear. What's worse is that the strange events are not restricted to her house. Lucy begins to understand that the town and its inhabitants are hiding many secrets, and Ladywyck is at the heart. As the eerie happenings escalate, Lucy fears she is being threatened -- but she is determined not to let fairy potions, spells and talk of witchcraft scare her away.
It has been a year since Lucy Crisp graduated from high school and she still hasn't found her calling. That is, until she discovers an exclusive arts college called Ladywyck Lodge. On a whim, she applies and is thrilled to be accepted into their program. Lucy moves to Esther Wren, the charming little town where it's based, and stays in the house her father buys as an investment: a magnificent building built by a sea captain in 1876. The house has history and personality --perhaps too much personality. . .
Strange things start happening: Lucy hears voices and footsteps in empty rooms. She sees people and things that should not be there. Furniture disappears and elaborate desserts appear. What's worse is that the strange events are not restricted to her house. Lucy begins to understand that the town and its inhabitants are hiding many secrets, and Ladywyck is at the heart. As the eerie happenings escalate, Lucy fears she is being threatened -- but she is determined not to let fairy potions, spells and talk of witchcraft scare her away.
224 pages, Hardcover
First published April 14, 2020
21 people are currently reading
1709 people want to read
About the author
Janet Hill
20 books38 followersJanet Hill is an artist and writer living in Stratford, Ontario, Canada. She is the author and illustrator of Miss Moon: Wise Words from a Dog Governess, Miss Mink: Life Lessons for a Cat Countess, and Lucy Crisp and the Vanishing House.
Currently her list of interests include but is not limited to the following:
Tornadoes, haunted houses, quicksand, pirates, witches, Lana del Rey, lady villains (preferably ones that wear monocles), dollhouses, dogs and cats, Christine McConnell, fashion and interior design between 1920-1979, Laurel Canyon, Slim Aarons, historic hotels, lairs (particularly ones located in dormant volcanoes), ESP, sea monsters, non fiction books, vintage cars, Old Hollywood, Wes Anderson movies, The Manson family, John Waters, and understanding why her husband owns over thirty books about Bob Dylan.
Currently her list of interests include but is not limited to the following:
Tornadoes, haunted houses, quicksand, pirates, witches, Lana del Rey, lady villains (preferably ones that wear monocles), dollhouses, dogs and cats, Christine McConnell, fashion and interior design between 1920-1979, Laurel Canyon, Slim Aarons, historic hotels, lairs (particularly ones located in dormant volcanoes), ESP, sea monsters, non fiction books, vintage cars, Old Hollywood, Wes Anderson movies, The Manson family, John Waters, and understanding why her husband owns over thirty books about Bob Dylan.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 91 reviews
April 29, 2020
Synopsis
When Lucy Crisp takes a job at the local florist after graduating high school, she decides to apply to attend Ladywyck Lodge, an exclusive arts school. She's thrilled when she's accepted, and her father buys a surprisingly cheap house in Esther Wren, a small town just outside New York City. She moves into the house a few months before classes are to begin, but she quickly realizes that this is no ordinary house. As Lucy investigates, she discovers that her neighbours are not ordinary either, and the school that she's been accepted into is definitely not an ordinary arts school...
Plot
This is a delightfully whimsical story. It starts off a little slow, but once Lucy has moved into her new home and the strange events begin to occur, I had a hard time putting this down!
The illustrations are absolutely stunning, and they match perfectly with what is being told in the story. They all have a similar tone and feel, and they helped to paint a picture (quite literally) of the beautiful and quaint little town, the house, and the people in it.
The story is at its heart a mystery, and it has several surprising twists and turns along the way. I would say that the conclusion is quite satisfactory! However, I wish the story had been longer. I wanted to dig deeper into the world of Ladywyck Lodge, and while I understand that this is intended to be the first in a series, it was hard to put the book down when I'd finished it. I would have settled for fewer illustrations if it meant the novel itself could have been longer!
Characters
The story is written in third person, and a lot of emphasis is placed on setting and language. Written in a way that's reminiscent of writing that you see in novels from the fifties, this style does disconnect the readers from fully engaging with and understanding the characters. Because we don't get a sense of who the characters really are, there's a little more telling than showing. For instance "Lucy was surprised" is more commonly seen than showing her surprise through her actions or words. Because of the natural disconnect between the protagonist and the reader, I would have appreciated if the author had included a bit more backstory to get a better sense of who Lucy is. Why does she make the decisions she makes?
Setting & Language
The setting and language are the two major appeal elements for this novel (aside from the gorgeous illustrations and general beauty of the book--from the chapter headings to the font selection). Esther Wren (which isn't a real place--I checked!) is such a gorgeous setting, a dynamic town with eccentricities that make the place so three dimensional and engaging. Hill does a fantastic job of worldbuilding, and little details added to my experience of the book--like a brief mention of "Sweet Alice" the swan that lives under the bridge. The book reads a little like a fairy tale, which includes a spattering of dark parts (like you would expect in an actual fairy tale), but they're presented in a way that's lighthearted in tone.
I recommend this book for anyone wanting to get lost a piece of art. This book is whimsical and delightful from cover to cover.
* Thank you to Tundra Books for the arc to review! *
This review appeared first on https://powerlibrarian.wordpress.com/
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My 2020 Reading Challenge
When Lucy Crisp takes a job at the local florist after graduating high school, she decides to apply to attend Ladywyck Lodge, an exclusive arts school. She's thrilled when she's accepted, and her father buys a surprisingly cheap house in Esther Wren, a small town just outside New York City. She moves into the house a few months before classes are to begin, but she quickly realizes that this is no ordinary house. As Lucy investigates, she discovers that her neighbours are not ordinary either, and the school that she's been accepted into is definitely not an ordinary arts school...
Plot
This is a delightfully whimsical story. It starts off a little slow, but once Lucy has moved into her new home and the strange events begin to occur, I had a hard time putting this down!
The illustrations are absolutely stunning, and they match perfectly with what is being told in the story. They all have a similar tone and feel, and they helped to paint a picture (quite literally) of the beautiful and quaint little town, the house, and the people in it.
The story is at its heart a mystery, and it has several surprising twists and turns along the way. I would say that the conclusion is quite satisfactory! However, I wish the story had been longer. I wanted to dig deeper into the world of Ladywyck Lodge, and while I understand that this is intended to be the first in a series, it was hard to put the book down when I'd finished it. I would have settled for fewer illustrations if it meant the novel itself could have been longer!
Characters
The story is written in third person, and a lot of emphasis is placed on setting and language. Written in a way that's reminiscent of writing that you see in novels from the fifties, this style does disconnect the readers from fully engaging with and understanding the characters. Because we don't get a sense of who the characters really are, there's a little more telling than showing. For instance "Lucy was surprised" is more commonly seen than showing her surprise through her actions or words. Because of the natural disconnect between the protagonist and the reader, I would have appreciated if the author had included a bit more backstory to get a better sense of who Lucy is. Why does she make the decisions she makes?
Setting & Language
The setting and language are the two major appeal elements for this novel (aside from the gorgeous illustrations and general beauty of the book--from the chapter headings to the font selection). Esther Wren (which isn't a real place--I checked!) is such a gorgeous setting, a dynamic town with eccentricities that make the place so three dimensional and engaging. Hill does a fantastic job of worldbuilding, and little details added to my experience of the book--like a brief mention of "Sweet Alice" the swan that lives under the bridge. The book reads a little like a fairy tale, which includes a spattering of dark parts (like you would expect in an actual fairy tale), but they're presented in a way that's lighthearted in tone.
I recommend this book for anyone wanting to get lost a piece of art. This book is whimsical and delightful from cover to cover.
* Thank you to Tundra Books for the arc to review! *
This review appeared first on https://powerlibrarian.wordpress.com/
Instagram | Blog | Website | Twitter
My 2020 Reading Challenge
December 27, 2021
"Something is going on in the house," Lucy said meekly.
"Something is going on in the house?" Her father repeated her words, only louder and deeper. "What does that mean?"
"Strange things have been appearing: an ugly chair, weird food, then footsteps, and a man ----"
"A man?" His face flushed with concern.
"Then a butler and a maid."
"What? What are you talking about?"
"I know it sounds crazy, but it's true."
"Have you taken something?" he said as he stepped inside her room and looked around. "Drugs? Mushrooms? Have you been binge-watching Downton Abbey again?"
After her acceptance to the prestigious and rather mysterious Ladywyck Lodge, young Lucy's father buys her a house in the small town where the school is located. (I know, I know - but this is fiction, after all.) Only . . . it turns out that Lucy's new old house ishaunted supernaturally challenged. Tacky furniture appears out of nowhere, someone's left a literally tasteless cake on her kitchen table, weird men show up wondering why dinner is late. (Wait a minute . . . this sounds like my life. Well, the weird men, anyway.) And, the one occurrence that made the hair stand up on my arms - Lucy comes downstairs one morning to find that a portrait she banished to the attic is suddenly hanging above the mantle once more. Then one day, she returns home to find her house completely . . . gone. (Not a spoiler since that part's in the title!)
Can Lucy figure out the mystery of her now-you-see-it-now-you-don't domicile?
I'm guessing this won't be a five-star read for most people, but the quirkiness is strong with this one - just my kind of thing. The story is illustrated with the author's own paintings, which are mesmerizing - lush and gorgeous with creepy undertones.
I want to go to Ladywyck Lodge, dammit! I want to sample all the desserts in this book (the ones that have flavor, anyway.)
Sigh. I guess I'll just have to resort to some Sara Lee, and my imagination.
"Something is going on in the house?" Her father repeated her words, only louder and deeper. "What does that mean?"
"Strange things have been appearing: an ugly chair, weird food, then footsteps, and a man ----"
"A man?" His face flushed with concern.
"Then a butler and a maid."
"What? What are you talking about?"
"I know it sounds crazy, but it's true."
"Have you taken something?" he said as he stepped inside her room and looked around. "Drugs? Mushrooms? Have you been binge-watching Downton Abbey again?"
After her acceptance to the prestigious and rather mysterious Ladywyck Lodge, young Lucy's father buys her a house in the small town where the school is located. (I know, I know - but this is fiction, after all.) Only . . . it turns out that Lucy's new old house is
Can Lucy figure out the mystery of her now-you-see-it-now-you-don't domicile?
I'm guessing this won't be a five-star read for most people, but the quirkiness is strong with this one - just my kind of thing. The story is illustrated with the author's own paintings, which are mesmerizing - lush and gorgeous with creepy undertones.
I want to go to Ladywyck Lodge, dammit! I want to sample all the desserts in this book (the ones that have flavor, anyway.)
Sigh. I guess I'll just have to resort to some Sara Lee, and my imagination.
April 28, 2022
I would rate the story 3.5 stars rounded down, but I'm going to round up because of the GORGEOUS illustrations.
Recommended by Sarah Addison Allen on her Facebook page.
Recommended by Sarah Addison Allen on her Facebook page.
February 12, 2023
I have been following Janet Hill’s career for years (she is my favorite artist), and I read the first four chapters of this book on her blog before she decided to finish this story and publish it. And I’m so glad she did! It is a quirky tale about a young woman who enrolls at a unique college in upstate New York where the students major in things like floristry and fairy hunting. Lucy signs up for the floristry program, and moves into a Victorian home that her and her dad bought for a steal. Or so they thought. Lucy soon learns that this house has a history and a mind of its own, and she is going to have to figure how to deal with it (or move). This story is populated with all sorts of colorful (and magical) characters, and the book is also filled with 52 full color paintings in the author’s signature style - elegant, whimsical, and slightly off kilter. It has inspired me to jump back into my own quirky writing project, and for that, I will be forever grateful. If you love books that spark your creative imagination, this one is for you.
October 15, 2020
Lucy moves from New York City to a charming small town called Esther Wren to attend the exclusive art college, Ladywyck Lodge. She stays in a 19th century home purchased by her father on her own for the first time in her life. Lucy quickly learns that the house has a history as strange things begin to happen more and more frequently. She hears voices and footsteps in empty rooms and sees people and things that should not be there. Furniture disappears and fancy desserts appear. The strange events aren't limited to her new home and Lucy begins to suspect that the town and its inhabitants are hiding something, and that Ladywyck seems to be at the center of the mystery.
Janet Hill's whimsical debut novel is an intriguing mystery with just a touch of creepiness and suspense (suitable for 12+ with ghosts and teenage witches)and beautiful illustrations that make this book completely magical.
Janet Hill's whimsical debut novel is an intriguing mystery with just a touch of creepiness and suspense (suitable for 12+ with ghosts and teenage witches)and beautiful illustrations that make this book completely magical.
March 1, 2020
I received an advance reader’s copy of this book from Penguin Random House. This is a middle-readers book, appropriate for ages 12 and up. As a 12 year old I would have loved this book. As an adult I love it even more. The artwork is stunning and the story is wonderful. Some of the artwork pages are blank in this copy so I will probably buy another copy of the book when it comes out so I can see the fully finished product. The author and illustrator, Janet Hill, is also an artist. I hope she writes more books!!
November 16, 2022
I’m giving this YA book four stars for originality and for the plentiful and evocative illustrations (no surprise there; the author is a professional artist/illustrator). But there were areas that could be improved.
Lucy Crisp is a New Yorker of about twenty whose gap year between high school and college threatens to expand to take over her life. She’s already in year two and has held down a variety of jobs for increasingly brief intervals. Hired as a seasonal worker in a florist’s shop, she learns about Ladywyck Lodge, the source of some roses supplied to the shop that last for months; Ladywyck turns out to be some sort of educational institution, and she decides on a whim to apply to its floral artistry program.
Lucy and her father travel to Esther Wren, the upstate New York village where Ladywyck Lodge is located. Her father, a food writer, decides to buy as an investment an old house there for Lucy to live in. Lucy moves in several months before the term is supposed to begin, and right away things get weird. Furnishings in the house come and go, as do flavorless foodstuffs. The neighbors behave oddly. The house seems haunted and Lucy doesn’t quite know how to cope. People affiliated with Ladywyck Lodge and scattered townspeople step in to help, but their notion of help seems eccentric and ineffectual. Lucy is clear that witchcraft is involved, and certainly there’s magic afoot, little of it entirely benevolent.
I realize this is a YA title and as much about the images as the text, but there was a slightness to it that detracted a bit from my enjoyment. Characters are given physical descriptions as they appear but before the reader knows whether they will be meaningful players in the story or simply cameos, so the descriptions rolled off my back and I struggled to identify the characters when they appeared again. Lucy’s directionlessness made her tough for me to identify with; I like a heroine to have a ruling passion. Her dilemma of the title was resolved with far too much ease and too little personal hazard: she was collateral damage in other people’s conflict rather than the center of that conflict. It’s clear that a series is intended by the open-ended finish and the characters with under-explored potential. This felt like an introduction to a fascinating world more than a fully rounded story.
Subjectivity alert: I also have a perennial distaste for stories about writers/artists/actors finding their way to their calling. There are so many other more interesting callings! Odor judge, snake milker, paper towel sniffer, online dating ghostwriter. Writing a story/making a movie about one’s own art always feels self-serving to me. Nevertheless, I thoroughly enjoyed the world being evoked here and would cheerfully read more.
This story is clean and no people or animals were permanently harmed.
Lucy Crisp is a New Yorker of about twenty whose gap year between high school and college threatens to expand to take over her life. She’s already in year two and has held down a variety of jobs for increasingly brief intervals. Hired as a seasonal worker in a florist’s shop, she learns about Ladywyck Lodge, the source of some roses supplied to the shop that last for months; Ladywyck turns out to be some sort of educational institution, and she decides on a whim to apply to its floral artistry program.
Lucy and her father travel to Esther Wren, the upstate New York village where Ladywyck Lodge is located. Her father, a food writer, decides to buy as an investment an old house there for Lucy to live in. Lucy moves in several months before the term is supposed to begin, and right away things get weird. Furnishings in the house come and go, as do flavorless foodstuffs. The neighbors behave oddly. The house seems haunted and Lucy doesn’t quite know how to cope. People affiliated with Ladywyck Lodge and scattered townspeople step in to help, but their notion of help seems eccentric and ineffectual. Lucy is clear that witchcraft is involved, and certainly there’s magic afoot, little of it entirely benevolent.
I realize this is a YA title and as much about the images as the text, but there was a slightness to it that detracted a bit from my enjoyment. Characters are given physical descriptions as they appear but before the reader knows whether they will be meaningful players in the story or simply cameos, so the descriptions rolled off my back and I struggled to identify the characters when they appeared again. Lucy’s directionlessness made her tough for me to identify with; I like a heroine to have a ruling passion. Her dilemma of the title was resolved with far too much ease and too little personal hazard: she was collateral damage in other people’s conflict rather than the center of that conflict. It’s clear that a series is intended by the open-ended finish and the characters with under-explored potential. This felt like an introduction to a fascinating world more than a fully rounded story.
Subjectivity alert: I also have a perennial distaste for stories about writers/artists/actors finding their way to their calling. There are so many other more interesting callings! Odor judge, snake milker, paper towel sniffer, online dating ghostwriter. Writing a story/making a movie about one’s own art always feels self-serving to me. Nevertheless, I thoroughly enjoyed the world being evoked here and would cheerfully read more.
This story is clean and no people or animals were permanently harmed.
July 21, 2020
*** 2.25 Stars ***
As much as I wanted to like to this book, I couldn't. I went into it with high expectation and that kind of ruined my experience.
We follow the story of Lucy Crisp, a girl who has not figured out what she wants to do in life yet, so she moves to a small town (filled with mystery and magic) in hopes of studying how to become a florist at a mysterious college. A house catches her eyes and her father immediately buys it for her, but problems arise as they discover the house is either 'haunted' or simply 'enchanted'.
I really loved the illustrations in this book. They were colorful and they added personality to it.
The concept of the book sounds so appealing, but as I started reading it, I realized it lacks originality. Then it got really boring with unneccessary conversations and history added here and there. It just did not catch my interest.
I really wanted to like this book but it just was not for me.
It had good writing style. But the plot and the characters were just unoriginal and quite boring imo.
I'm still willing to read more books of Janet Hill as this was her first novel.
As much as I wanted to like to this book, I couldn't. I went into it with high expectation and that kind of ruined my experience.
We follow the story of Lucy Crisp, a girl who has not figured out what she wants to do in life yet, so she moves to a small town (filled with mystery and magic) in hopes of studying how to become a florist at a mysterious college. A house catches her eyes and her father immediately buys it for her, but problems arise as they discover the house is either 'haunted' or simply 'enchanted'.
I really loved the illustrations in this book. They were colorful and they added personality to it.
The concept of the book sounds so appealing, but as I started reading it, I realized it lacks originality. Then it got really boring with unneccessary conversations and history added here and there. It just did not catch my interest.
I really wanted to like this book but it just was not for me.
It had good writing style. But the plot and the characters were just unoriginal and quite boring imo.
I'm still willing to read more books of Janet Hill as this was her first novel.
Read
November 1, 2020While reading Janet Hill’s debut young adult novel Lucy Crisp and the Vanishing House, I was thinking ahead to writing this review, and the words that kept coming to mind were elegant and whimsical. Then I finished the book and looked at the author bio. Here is the second sentence of that bio: “Her work is both elegant and whimsical, and her painting style evokes a sense of nostalgia, mystery, and humor.” So that covers what I wanted to say about the mood and feel of this book: elegant and whimsical.
The mood of Lucy Crisp and the Vanishing House establishes itself even before beginning the first chapter. The book is on heavy, fine paper and includes numerous paintings, including the one on the cover. For me, those evoked a Nancy Drew vibe, and the first several pages synced up with that. Hill, a prolific artist, has written and illustrated two picture books, and the opening scenes have a storybook feel that combines a nostalgic tone with contemporary details such as Twitter and cell phones.
But what about the plot? Lucy Crisp lives in New York with her father, a food writer. She cannot afford a place of her own as she works odd jobs while trying to figure out what she wants to do with her life. Then she begins working for a florist and seems to have an affinity for arranging flowers.
Lucy’s employer encourages her to check out the floral program at Ladywick Lodge in the upstate New York village of Esther Wren. When Lucy and her father drive up to check things out, they are charmed by the town’s quaintness: “All the while, snow continued to fall, melting on the windshield and leaving Lucy with the feeling of being comforted somehow, as though she was looking into a gently shaken snow globe.”
Lucy’s father buys an old house for his daughter to live in while pursuing her education, with the hope that she will find some housemates to share expenses. The house’s character appeals to Lucy with its “wedding-cake white on top of a blanket of freshly fallen snow that resembled icing sugar … She imagined it as a beautiful woman wearing an unflattering dress.”
The neighbors are quirky. All right, I’ll skip ahead. Some of them are witches. The house regularly redecorates itself, and Lucy sometimes glimpses other people in various rooms. The neighbors assure her that the town is strange, but there is no cause for worry. Because readers have been lulled by the town’s charm along with Lucy, we empathize with her growing uneasiness.
When Lucy visits Ladywick Lodge to find out more about their floral program, she learns more details about the village of Esther Wren, and its inhabitants. Lucy discovers that Esther Wren is steeped in the lore of witches, fairies, and magic. Although somewhat unnerved, Lucy has no real options but to stick around and see what happens. Then upon returning home one day after visiting her father in New York, Lucy discovers that her house has disappeared.
That’s all I’ll share about the plot. At this point, you’re either in or out, right?
The experience of reading Lucy Crisp and the Vanishing House is affected by the Janet Hill paintings that appear once or twice in each chapter. These illustrations are bright and colorful but also disturbing, much like the town of Esther Wren. Hill’s paintings show scenes and characters from the book, but the ones I found most captivating were the renderings of the paintings mentioned in the book. There is something eerie about seeing the paintings that are described in the text along with paintings based on the narrative. We are left to wonder if these portraits are the actual portraits or paintings of the portraits. Are we seeing what we imagined, or are we seeing someone else’s vision of what we imagined?
The appeal of Lucy Crisp and the Vanishing House for me is in these layers of seeing, knowing, and imagining. The magic and supernatural elements are not particularly frightening, but they are freaky. As the magic slowly unfolds and Lucy follows each thread, readers have no choice but to follow along with the surprises just to see where it all will end.
So, what do readers get when they pick up Lucy Crisp and the Vanishing House ? It is an intriguing story with captivating pictures handsomely packaged in a fancy edition. All in all, Lucy Crisp and the Vanishing House is, yes, elegant and whimsical but also seasoned with non-horror creepiness.
Note: Because of my work with the 2020 Cybils Awards in young adult literature, for the next couple of months I will review but not rate works of young adult literature in an attempt to keep the judging process as opaque as possible.
This review appears on my What's Not Wrong? blog in slightly different form.
The mood of Lucy Crisp and the Vanishing House establishes itself even before beginning the first chapter. The book is on heavy, fine paper and includes numerous paintings, including the one on the cover. For me, those evoked a Nancy Drew vibe, and the first several pages synced up with that. Hill, a prolific artist, has written and illustrated two picture books, and the opening scenes have a storybook feel that combines a nostalgic tone with contemporary details such as Twitter and cell phones.
But what about the plot? Lucy Crisp lives in New York with her father, a food writer. She cannot afford a place of her own as she works odd jobs while trying to figure out what she wants to do with her life. Then she begins working for a florist and seems to have an affinity for arranging flowers.
Lucy’s employer encourages her to check out the floral program at Ladywick Lodge in the upstate New York village of Esther Wren. When Lucy and her father drive up to check things out, they are charmed by the town’s quaintness: “All the while, snow continued to fall, melting on the windshield and leaving Lucy with the feeling of being comforted somehow, as though she was looking into a gently shaken snow globe.”
Lucy’s father buys an old house for his daughter to live in while pursuing her education, with the hope that she will find some housemates to share expenses. The house’s character appeals to Lucy with its “wedding-cake white on top of a blanket of freshly fallen snow that resembled icing sugar … She imagined it as a beautiful woman wearing an unflattering dress.”
The neighbors are quirky. All right, I’ll skip ahead. Some of them are witches. The house regularly redecorates itself, and Lucy sometimes glimpses other people in various rooms. The neighbors assure her that the town is strange, but there is no cause for worry. Because readers have been lulled by the town’s charm along with Lucy, we empathize with her growing uneasiness.
When Lucy visits Ladywick Lodge to find out more about their floral program, she learns more details about the village of Esther Wren, and its inhabitants. Lucy discovers that Esther Wren is steeped in the lore of witches, fairies, and magic. Although somewhat unnerved, Lucy has no real options but to stick around and see what happens. Then upon returning home one day after visiting her father in New York, Lucy discovers that her house has disappeared.
That’s all I’ll share about the plot. At this point, you’re either in or out, right?
The experience of reading Lucy Crisp and the Vanishing House is affected by the Janet Hill paintings that appear once or twice in each chapter. These illustrations are bright and colorful but also disturbing, much like the town of Esther Wren. Hill’s paintings show scenes and characters from the book, but the ones I found most captivating were the renderings of the paintings mentioned in the book. There is something eerie about seeing the paintings that are described in the text along with paintings based on the narrative. We are left to wonder if these portraits are the actual portraits or paintings of the portraits. Are we seeing what we imagined, or are we seeing someone else’s vision of what we imagined?
The appeal of Lucy Crisp and the Vanishing House for me is in these layers of seeing, knowing, and imagining. The magic and supernatural elements are not particularly frightening, but they are freaky. As the magic slowly unfolds and Lucy follows each thread, readers have no choice but to follow along with the surprises just to see where it all will end.
So, what do readers get when they pick up Lucy Crisp and the Vanishing House ? It is an intriguing story with captivating pictures handsomely packaged in a fancy edition. All in all, Lucy Crisp and the Vanishing House is, yes, elegant and whimsical but also seasoned with non-horror creepiness.
Note: Because of my work with the 2020 Cybils Awards in young adult literature, for the next couple of months I will review but not rate works of young adult literature in an attempt to keep the judging process as opaque as possible.
This review appears on my What's Not Wrong? blog in slightly different form.
August 25, 2020
Well, this is one of the most charming, delightful books I have ever had the pleasure of reading! It was so good that I limited myself to a chapter or two a sitting so I could savour it for longer. This may be a middle-grade novel but I was wholly enchanted by this story of witches, spells, and enchantments. I would happily read an entire series based in this lovely magical town and mysterious school. I feel like there are so many stories to tell! The whimsical illustrations were slightly odd and completely perfect. This is a book I want to hug and pet like a kitten. I think I'll have to purchase my own copy and return this one to the library from whence it came before I can't bear to part from it.
August 7, 2021
I absolutely loved the quirky illustrations, but the story fell short for me. Even whimsical stories for younger readers need to have an internal common sense, and this one was just too disjointed and unsatisfying.
October 20, 2025
Positively delightful! Exactly as I hoped. I am such a fan of Janet Hill’s art.
October 7, 2020
I don't read YA stuff very often and I originally bought this book for the illustrations but it turned out to be quite weird and quite wonderful and just the tonic I needed.
October 8, 2023
I love Janet Hill's art and I've been a big fan for years. I discovered she had a picture book about dogs, which I bought for my Aunt (Hi Aunt Kristy!), and I thought that was cute so I decided to give this book a try. Plus, the cover reminded me of a Nancy Drew novel so how could I resist?
I adore the subject matter of this book - witches, whimsy etc. - and the characters and plot were good as well. My main issue with this book is its brevity. I'm assuming it was short because this was her first novel or perhaps it was intended for a younger audience. Janet Hill created a unique take on witches but it all felt really rushed. There were so many interesting characters but none of them felt fully flushed out. I feel like this could have been amazing had it been written as a 400-some page novel for adults.
I would recommend this book as a quick, light read with delightful illustrations, and as a way to support this amazing artist.
https://bookshop.org/a/93510/97817704...
I adore the subject matter of this book - witches, whimsy etc. - and the characters and plot were good as well. My main issue with this book is its brevity. I'm assuming it was short because this was her first novel or perhaps it was intended for a younger audience. Janet Hill created a unique take on witches but it all felt really rushed. There were so many interesting characters but none of them felt fully flushed out. I feel like this could have been amazing had it been written as a 400-some page novel for adults.
I would recommend this book as a quick, light read with delightful illustrations, and as a way to support this amazing artist.
https://bookshop.org/a/93510/97817704...
June 26, 2020
Story: 2 stars. Illustrations: 5 stars!
December 9, 2021
This supernatural story is lacking in atmosphere, plot, and character growth.
January 9, 2023
This was my very first read of 2023 and what a wonderful way to kick off this year’s reading journey! Janet Hill is one of my favorite artists and that’s how I found this book, but had I stumbled across it in the wild, I would have still grabbed it up just based on the title and cover alone. It is 100% my vibe!
The story is about a girl named Lucy (obvi) and the mysterious house she moves into after being accepted to an unusual school in a quirky little town. It’s not long before strange and unexplainable things start happening in the house, and when Lucy reaches out to other members of the community, she finds they are equally as strange as her new home.
I will start by saying I would buy this book for the artwork alone. Again, I love Janet Hill’s art anyway, but how often do books for grown ups get illustrations?? WHY should art be limited to children’s books? I demand more books with pictures for adults! It made turning every page feel so exhilarating in a way I’ve not felt since reading books as a child. I could gush all day about the art, but I’ll move on.
The story itself checks all my boxes. Quirky characters - check! Odd little town - check! Set in New England - bonus check! Lush descriptions - check! Magical realism - check! Little stories within the story - check! It truly has everything I want. Beautiful scenery, pops of magic, a little spooky, a little kooky.. It’s exactly the kind of story I’m always searching for. It reminds me a lot of Sarah Addison Allen books which I LOVE!
Yes, this story may not be a masterpiece of classic literature or a highly complex best-selling thriller, and I’m glad! It doesn’t need to be. It’s perfect as is to me. I don’t have any critique of the storyline because any small areas the writing might have lacked were made up for ten-fold with everything it delivered. Some people want more plot and less description and get annoyed when pages are fluffed up with fanciful descriptive writing - Not me! No complaints here. Give me all the descriptions. Tell me what the air smelled like and what the dress looked like and what the cake tasted like. Paint the picture, set the mood, that’s how you get lost in a story!
[ Edit - Adding my only complaint here. I wish we would have seen more of Lucy’s time at Ladywick Lodge. I know it’s called “the Vanishing House” but I did expect more of the story to take place within the school. The glimpses of it we got were fun and interesting and make me yearn for a second installment. Fingers crossed! I did love that the website mentioned in the book is a real working link that leads to a page giving a little more detail about the school, such a fun bonus feature! But yes, that was my only gripe, I kept waiting to get to the school and it never fully developed. Anyway - back to my raving! ]
Reading the book gives the exact same feeling as pouring over Janet’s art. It’s the type of fictional world where you want to live. I really hope she writes more stories, I would devour every one of them. I picked up my copy of Lucy Crisp at the library, but it’s one that I must own. I want to admire it sitting on my bookshelf and crack it open once in a while to revisit the gorgeous atmosphere. It’s also the sort of book that makes a lovely gift, I can think of a handful of loved ones who would appreciate it.
I highly recommend this to anyone familiar with Janet Hill’s art, lovers of surrealism, those who favor magical realism over high fantasy, fans of Sarah Addison Allen’s books, and people who need a little escape from the real world, which is most of us.
The story is about a girl named Lucy (obvi) and the mysterious house she moves into after being accepted to an unusual school in a quirky little town. It’s not long before strange and unexplainable things start happening in the house, and when Lucy reaches out to other members of the community, she finds they are equally as strange as her new home.
I will start by saying I would buy this book for the artwork alone. Again, I love Janet Hill’s art anyway, but how often do books for grown ups get illustrations?? WHY should art be limited to children’s books? I demand more books with pictures for adults! It made turning every page feel so exhilarating in a way I’ve not felt since reading books as a child. I could gush all day about the art, but I’ll move on.
The story itself checks all my boxes. Quirky characters - check! Odd little town - check! Set in New England - bonus check! Lush descriptions - check! Magical realism - check! Little stories within the story - check! It truly has everything I want. Beautiful scenery, pops of magic, a little spooky, a little kooky.. It’s exactly the kind of story I’m always searching for. It reminds me a lot of Sarah Addison Allen books which I LOVE!
Yes, this story may not be a masterpiece of classic literature or a highly complex best-selling thriller, and I’m glad! It doesn’t need to be. It’s perfect as is to me. I don’t have any critique of the storyline because any small areas the writing might have lacked were made up for ten-fold with everything it delivered. Some people want more plot and less description and get annoyed when pages are fluffed up with fanciful descriptive writing - Not me! No complaints here. Give me all the descriptions. Tell me what the air smelled like and what the dress looked like and what the cake tasted like. Paint the picture, set the mood, that’s how you get lost in a story!
[ Edit - Adding my only complaint here. I wish we would have seen more of Lucy’s time at Ladywick Lodge. I know it’s called “the Vanishing House” but I did expect more of the story to take place within the school. The glimpses of it we got were fun and interesting and make me yearn for a second installment. Fingers crossed! I did love that the website mentioned in the book is a real working link that leads to a page giving a little more detail about the school, such a fun bonus feature! But yes, that was my only gripe, I kept waiting to get to the school and it never fully developed. Anyway - back to my raving! ]
Reading the book gives the exact same feeling as pouring over Janet’s art. It’s the type of fictional world where you want to live. I really hope she writes more stories, I would devour every one of them. I picked up my copy of Lucy Crisp at the library, but it’s one that I must own. I want to admire it sitting on my bookshelf and crack it open once in a while to revisit the gorgeous atmosphere. It’s also the sort of book that makes a lovely gift, I can think of a handful of loved ones who would appreciate it.
I highly recommend this to anyone familiar with Janet Hill’s art, lovers of surrealism, those who favor magical realism over high fantasy, fans of Sarah Addison Allen’s books, and people who need a little escape from the real world, which is most of us.
October 16, 2020
The book is about a girl named Lucy Crisp who lives in New York with her father. She has never had any interest in any university programs and she is on her second gap year, until she starts a part-time job at a floral shop. Here she discovers her love for flowers and nature and she gets the idea to become a florist and maybe open her own shop some day. One day a package of beautiful roses come in from a place called Ladywyck Lodge in Ester Wren. The owner of the shop tells her that Ladywyck has the most amazing roses that never die, even if you don’t water them and that they have a 1 year floral assembly university program, so she signs up and they accept her. Her father is a bit unhappy with the decision to become a florist but he is ready to support any drive for anything that she has. Her and her father find a beautiful Victorian house for a cheap price in Ester Wren, as her house and a investment. Strange things seem to happened in her house, strange people appear out of nowhere and not so delectable cakes somehow make their way to her table. As she lives through all these experiences she realizes that magic isn’t unfamiliar thing to this town. The have good and bad witches, along with enchanted items you can buy, everyone knows about the witches, but only some believe in them. After she visits her dad back in New York, to get a break from the magic, she comes back to gong her house has disappeared and news vans are crowding the streets. She struggles to find an answer to all her problems, and yet she finds an answers where she least expects it.
I loved this book!!! From the enticing details to the beautiful illustrations this book was one of the best books I’ve ever read. The author makes you not just understand but feel everything, from the smell of smoke on a magical jacket to the feeling of being in small bakery filled with sweet smells! This book transported me into a land of magic and serenity!! I didn’t want to put the book down EVER! I would definitely suggest this book to anyone who looks for a whimsical, sweet and unique book ❤️
I loved this book!!! From the enticing details to the beautiful illustrations this book was one of the best books I’ve ever read. The author makes you not just understand but feel everything, from the smell of smoke on a magical jacket to the feeling of being in small bakery filled with sweet smells! This book transported me into a land of magic and serenity!! I didn’t want to put the book down EVER! I would definitely suggest this book to anyone who looks for a whimsical, sweet and unique book ❤️
August 10, 2020
I received this book as a Goodreads Giveaway. When I entered the giveaway, I did not realized that this was a YA book. I liked it, and the illustrations which were done by the author were a lovely touch. While reading it, I couldn’t help but think my younger self would have loved it!
April 15, 2023
This book was so whimsical and magical, charming and cozy as hell! Not to mention the artwork!!! Perfect book for spring. I loved it
March 5, 2024
I recently discovered this artist and when I was drooling over her website I found that she had also written a book. A very fun short book with absolutely stunning illustrations.
October 7, 2021
simple whimsy and gentle enchantment.
June 30, 2023
This book is a perfect mix between fantasy and mystery. It has an astonishing blend of oil paintings throughout the novel that help bring it to life!
This has quickly became on of my favorite books and a five-star read!
This has quickly became on of my favorite books and a five-star read!
September 29, 2024
**3.5 Stars**
October 4, 2020
This is a lovely book to look at. The illustrations are directly from the text. The story is very slow and quiet. The 3rd person narration distances you from what is happening to Lucy. It is a good middle grade read with witches and a little bit of mystery. It is just a very odd little book.
June 9, 2021
The very first thing that stuck me when I started reading this was the beautiful illustrations through out the book. The author, Janet Hill, painted them herself and it was such a unique thing to add. And they add and enhance to the whimsical nature of the story as it progresses. Plus it gives us a peak into the authors mind as they created the story.
Lucy Crisp, a young girl just trying to figure out what she wants to do with her life is our main character. And while it seems that her dad is sort of okay with her trying to just figure out what she wants, the other half of the time he seems frustrated she hasn't settled down or found something already. I think this is a topic that so many of us can relate to. She is naturally inquisitive and seems to have a natural talent for creating flower bouquets. Which is what gets the story going.
Lucy moves into a 'haunted' house to attend a very mysterious arts college to create flower bouquets. That is when things start to happen. Like really really weird spooky things happen. Her neighbors on the one side seem kind and nice, a mother and daughter with ties to her house. And on the other side a family of witches? This is just the start of the weird.
She meets a bunch of colorful characters as she moves into a the house her dad purchases for her to live in and and gets ready for the semester starts. The weird sisters next door, the away with the fairies lady she meets at the school mixer and fellow students Scarlett and Daniel. There are so many things that I love about this story. The description and language for one. She doesn't hold back. And with as whimsical as this story is, she needs that descriptive language.
I had high hopes for this book, but was disappointed with how confusing and jumpy the plot felt. I thought that this was going to focus more on her time in the program and at school but it actually takes place the summer before the semester starts. The story seems to jump from one scene to the next. The transitions don't seem to really be there at all. Plus there seem to be a lot of suspense built up with no solid resolutions.
I enjoyed some parts of it but as a whole it left me feeling frustrated.
Lucy Crisp, a young girl just trying to figure out what she wants to do with her life is our main character. And while it seems that her dad is sort of okay with her trying to just figure out what she wants, the other half of the time he seems frustrated she hasn't settled down or found something already. I think this is a topic that so many of us can relate to. She is naturally inquisitive and seems to have a natural talent for creating flower bouquets. Which is what gets the story going.
Lucy moves into a 'haunted' house to attend a very mysterious arts college to create flower bouquets. That is when things start to happen. Like really really weird spooky things happen. Her neighbors on the one side seem kind and nice, a mother and daughter with ties to her house. And on the other side a family of witches? This is just the start of the weird.
She meets a bunch of colorful characters as she moves into a the house her dad purchases for her to live in and and gets ready for the semester starts. The weird sisters next door, the away with the fairies lady she meets at the school mixer and fellow students Scarlett and Daniel. There are so many things that I love about this story. The description and language for one. She doesn't hold back. And with as whimsical as this story is, she needs that descriptive language.
I had high hopes for this book, but was disappointed with how confusing and jumpy the plot felt. I thought that this was going to focus more on her time in the program and at school but it actually takes place the summer before the semester starts. The story seems to jump from one scene to the next. The transitions don't seem to really be there at all. Plus there seem to be a lot of suspense built up with no solid resolutions.
I enjoyed some parts of it but as a whole it left me feeling frustrated.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 8, 2020
A magical and sometimes dark story about Lucy Crisp and the charming yet odd town called Esther Wren she moves too. The best part about this book is the beautiful illustrations every so many pages. The author is the artist and clearly very talented since she also wrote a great story. I love reading picture books often times just for the illustrations so to have an adult version was very enjoyable.
June 22, 2020
Beautiful to read and look at!
May 3, 2020
Thank you to Penguin Random House for the reading copy of this book. What makes this title so unique is the absolutely beautiful artwork scattered throughout. The plot was interesting with a good twist at the end but it kind of meandered its way along - I would have liked some more interaction perhaps with neighbours or history or other magical events. The whole story felt distanced to me - it didn't draw me in, I think because the characters were a bit flat. Perhaps this is more to do with the reading level (intended for younger teens I believe?) I do hope that there is a sequel planned with stories about those interesting attic finds! Perhaps the best way I can sum this up is a Muggle version of Harry Potter. I gave it a 4 rather than a 3 for the lovely art.
July 20, 2020
A very magical and creative book! I appreciated the simple but beautifully descriptive writing style and all the whimsical elements. I think I would have loved this book so much as a teenager during Dangerous Angels by Francesca Lia Block phase. There is something similarly scrumptious and fun about it, overly quirky and cute, like a Gilmore Girls episode but better. There was also a feel of an Are You Afraid of the Dark episode I really liked. Wonderful illustrative paintings throughout added a lot to the whimsical-ness. I loved the plot twists and the reveals in the end. The only thing I thought that could maybe been improved was that certain things could be a little more fleshed out? Specifically Daniel’s storyline and Helva. Other than that, it was really enjoyable!
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