Friday, March 8, 2024

The Death of Jane Lawrence by Caitlin Starling

 

Reviewed by Christy

            During our January snow days, I was suddenly struck with the desire to read a gothic book. The Death of Jane Lawrence had been on my mental back burner for quite some time (I couldn't get that gorgeous cover out of my head), and since it was available on Libby, I decided to snatch it up. Jane is a very practical woman who is good with numbers. After doing the necessary calculations, she creates a short list of suitable husbands-to-be with Dr. Augustine Lawrence at the top. Augustine is reluctant to marry anyone; however, he cannot deny the spark between them. He accepts the proposal with both parties agreeing to keep the arrangement strictly business. Less messy that way. Augustine's one stipulation is that Jane must never visit his crumbling ancestral home Lindridge Hall, while he will sleep there every night.

            I really enjoyed the first third of the novel, as the pace was enjoyably slow yet still felt like it was building to something intriguing. My interest waned in the middle but I still held hope for a climactic ending. I'm sorry to say it built to not much of anything, with the final third becoming a bit of a slog. It was a disappointment as I really liked both characters and didn't even mind their instant love. I also enjoyed Starling's writing for the most part. Without giving too much away, the reasons for all the strange occurrences felt under developed. At one point, I remember thinking, "Oh. Okay, I guess this is happening now." I just felt like, in the end, a lot of things were being thrown at the reader and none of it was sticking for me.

            I did find the conclusion to be interesting and satisfying, and it helped save the book the tiniest bit in my eyes. But overall, I was very underwhelmed, and I am still on the hunt for a great gothic read – even though our snow days won't be back for quite some time.

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