Laura Purcell

Hmm. Like The Silent Companions by the same author, this gothic potboiler is all style and no substance. The intriguing plot - an actress sells her soul for her art by taking on the cursed pocket watch of her mentor - is let down by weak characters and a preachy, two-faced narrator.

I initially likened whiny Jenny to Kitty Peck, the eponymous heroine of the Victorian music hall series by Kate Griffin - and Jenny is even misnamed Kitty at one point - but the theatre setting is where the similarities end, unfortunately. By the final chapters - and this is a relatively short book - I was praying that Melpomene/Mephistopheles would take out the snotty little dresser too. She is mortally offended by everybody's behaviour while simultaneously profiting from the failings of others, often pitting the bitter wife against the mistress or the cheating husband against his wife. And all for the sake of her family - the brothers and sisters left in her care when both her father and eldest brother abandoned her and her mother died in childbirth - yet she climbs onto her high horse when abortion is mentioned. Methinks somebody's parents could have done with curtailing their offspring, Jenny dear. Of course, she gets a happy (and thoroughly respectable) ending, saving an illegitimate child into the bargain. Honestly, the only characters I liked were doomed Lillith and her dog Eurydice (who thankfully escaped without harm, along with the theatre cats).

The deaths were suitably gothic and gruesome and I did like the murky, smutty atmosphere of the theatre, but I'm still not sure when the action is supposed to take place. Somewhere between 1882 and 1901, yet one character is described as wearing a Dolly Varden dress, popular ten to twenty years earlier. The era doesn't really matter but I was thrown off by the vague 'Victorian' quality of the story and the anachronistic dialogue of the characters.

A solid three star penny dreadful lacking a likeable leading lady and a solid supporting cast.… (mehr)

The Silent Companions by Laura Purcell


So, I admit sadly this author has gone unnoticed by me. Where have I been? I originally picked it up because it was a buddy read for my reading group and I am so glad I did. My only problem is I am not sure how to word this review without giving too much away. I originally borrowed it from my local library, and I read it in three days. I was so wrapped up in the characters and the story, I actually found myself craving more about the world after finishing it. After that, I just knew I had to own it and make it part of my permanent collection so now it is in my eBook collection. In all honesty I am so surprised this was such a quick read for me because I often find that I cannot connect with period pieces but this one will stay with me long after the last page and let me just say the ending is a creepy one.

If you like thrillers, period pieces (this one is set in the Victorian era), mystery, supernatural stories, or just good books in general, I couldn't recommend this book more. I would tell you what it's about... but I don't want to. I want you to go out and actually read it. I had no idea what to expect when reading this book, and I think it added to my reading experience. So, go read this, and I hope you have as good a time as I did. Please comment below if you loved it as much as I did.

… (mehr)