Status Updates From Mistress of Mellyn

it's that time of year again - the time of year when I crave something gothic and find myself neck-deep in a dumb romance, wondering why I got myself into this mess

I absolutely loved this book. It was exactly the vibe I was looking for: a classic Gothic story rich with atmosphere, a strong female protagonist, and a cast of colorful characters. I was sad to finish!

"The sea smell was strong but the waves were silent today and the cry of the gulls was more melancholy than ever."

"The weather had been fine and warm for so long that I did not believe it could continue. The autumn mists would soon be with us and I had heard that they and the gales which blew from the southwest were, as Tapperty would say, “something special in these parts.” I could smell the sea and hear the gentle rhythm of the waves. The “voices” were starting up in Mellyn Cove."

THE ATMOSPHERE!!!

"As soon as she had gone the strangeness of the house seemed to envelop me. I was aware of silence—the eerie silence of an ancient house."

"When people consider an ancient house like this, they make themselves believe it could tell some fantastic stories if it could only speak. They think of the generations who have lived and suffered within these walls, and they grow fanciful."

In the mood for Gothic classics - especially with coastal settings. Loving the Jane Eyre/Rebecca vibes.

“There are two courses open to a gentlewoman when she finds herself in penurious circumstances,” my Aunt Adelaide had said. “One is to marry, and the other to find a post in keeping with her gentility.”

“You are going to a strange house, a house full of shadows. You will have to walk warily in that house,"