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(304 pages)
What a lovely and thoughtful read.
I had no idea what I was in for when I picked it up, which I think made the experience even more delightful. In this review, I'll try to discuss my own reaction to the book without spoiling too much of the experience of going into it blind for you.
Because it's an extremely atmospheric book. It's set in a big, rambling old house with secrets tucked quietly away inside its walls. It's set right after the end of World War 1, at a time when the fighting had ended but the reverberation of pain from so much death was still echoing in the air. It's the story of a young girl who has suffered terrible loss and trauma, using her imagination to cope with her new reality–but the lines become blurred, and one begins to wonder what is real, what is imagined, and whether Henry is beginning to suffer from hallucinations like the ones her mother has developed.
I wish I could delve more into the characters of the story, because I felt they were strong as well, but as I said I don't want to spoil too much. My only real complaint is that some of them were a tad stereotypical, and that one or two of the later plot turns were a little too contrived/convenient for me. I loved the book best when Henry was just wandering around in the house and the adjacent forest, exploring the world. But of course the plot had to come to some sort of climax and denouement, and I think that what Strange chose to do is perfectly fine and does wrap the book up very well.
And with that, I think I'll stop. I definitely recommend The Secret of Nightingale Wood to everyone who is interested. If you read it, let us know your thoughts in the comments down below!
Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this novel from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
What a lovely and thoughtful read.
I had no idea what I was in for when I picked it up, which I think made the experience even more delightful. In this review, I'll try to discuss my own reaction to the book without spoiling too much of the experience of going into it blind for you.
Because it's an extremely atmospheric book. It's set in a big, rambling old house with secrets tucked quietly away inside its walls. It's set right after the end of World War 1, at a time when the fighting had ended but the reverberation of pain from so much death was still echoing in the air. It's the story of a young girl who has suffered terrible loss and trauma, using her imagination to cope with her new reality–but the lines become blurred, and one begins to wonder what is real, what is imagined, and whether Henry is beginning to suffer from hallucinations like the ones her mother has developed.
I wish I could delve more into the characters of the story, because I felt they were strong as well, but as I said I don't want to spoil too much. My only real complaint is that some of them were a tad stereotypical, and that one or two of the later plot turns were a little too contrived/convenient for me. I loved the book best when Henry was just wandering around in the house and the adjacent forest, exploring the world. But of course the plot had to come to some sort of climax and denouement, and I think that what Strange chose to do is perfectly fine and does wrap the book up very well.
And with that, I think I'll stop. I definitely recommend The Secret of Nightingale Wood to everyone who is interested. If you read it, let us know your thoughts in the comments down below!
Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this novel from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
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