Hi Gail, Thank you for reading The Briar’s Veil and for sharing such a detailed and thoughtful review. I truly appreciate this kind of honest, critical feedback - it’s incredibly helpful, especially as this was my first (and very experimental) book.
You made a great point about the pacing. I was aiming for a dread-forward, gothic feel inspired by older horror, but I can see now how skipping the gradual tension buildup may have undercut the emotional impact. Your line about being told to feel horror versus actually feeling it really stuck with me - it’s something I’ll be thinking about carefully as I grow as a writer.
Thanks again for taking the time to share your thoughts. Feedback like yours helps me improve.
Thank you for reading The Briar’s Veil and for sharing such a detailed and thoughtful review. I truly appreciate this kind of honest, critical feedback - it’s incredibly helpful, especially as this was my first (and very experimental) book.
You made a great point about the pacing. I was aiming for a dread-forward, gothic feel inspired by older horror, but I can see now how skipping the gradual tension buildup may have undercut the emotional impact. Your line about being told to feel horror versus actually feeling it really stuck with me - it’s something I’ll be thinking about carefully as I grow as a writer.
Thanks again for taking the time to share your thoughts. Feedback like yours helps me improve.
Best,
Jason Bramble