The Death of Jane Lawrence

The Death of Jane Lawrence

  • Downloads:1680
  • Type:Epub+TxT+PDF+Mobi
  • Create Date:2021-10-18 09:52:19
  • Update Date:2025-09-07
  • Status:finish
  • Author:Caitlin Starling
  • ISBN:1250272580
  • Environment:PC/Android/iPhone/iPad/Kindle

Summary

Practical, unassuming Jane Shoringfield has done the calculations, and decided that the most secure path forward is this: a husband, in a marriage of convenience, who will allow her to remain independent and occupied with meaningful work。 Her first choice, the dashing but reclusive doctor Augustine Lawrence, agrees to her proposal with only one condition: that she must never visit Lindridge Hall, his crumbling family manor outside of town。 Yet on their wedding night, an accident strands her at his door in a pitch-black rainstorm, and she finds him changed。 Gone is the bold, courageous surgeon, and in his place is a terrified, paranoid man—one who cannot tell reality from nightmare, and fears Jane is an apparition, come to haunt him。

By morning, Augustine is himself again, but Jane knows something is deeply wrong at Lindridge Hall, and with the man she has so hastily bound her safety to。 Set in a dark-mirror version of post-war England, Starling crafts a new kind of gothic horror from the bones of the beloved canon。 This Crimson Peak-inspired story assembles, then upends, every expectation set in place by Shirley Jackson and Rebecca, and will leave readers shaken, desperate to begin again as soon as they are finished。

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Reviews

Ally Bryan

4。5

Linda

I wanted to like it since the heroine was a mathematician but when the dark magic started, I decided I had better things to read。

Beth

Thank you to NetGalley and St。 Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read and review this ARC。#NetGalley #StMartinsPress #CaitlinStarlingJane Lawrence is not the sentimental type。 She decides to arrange a marriage of convenience in order to ensure her most secure life。 She does her research and finds an acceptable and willing participant in her plan, shy doctor Augustine Lawrence。 His only condition is that she never visit his dilapidated family home。 You see where I’m going with this?This book Thank you to NetGalley and St。 Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read and review this ARC。#NetGalley #StMartinsPress #CaitlinStarlingJane Lawrence is not the sentimental type。 She decides to arrange a marriage of convenience in order to ensure her most secure life。 She does her research and finds an acceptable and willing participant in her plan, shy doctor Augustine Lawrence。 His only condition is that she never visit his dilapidated family home。 You see where I’m going with this?This book seemed very reminicsent of the movie, Crimson Peak。 There are also wisps of Rebecca。 I enjoyed many aspects of this gothic horror book。 Jane is the most likable character but, surprisingly, I grew to like and respect her。 She was dead set against love but, when she found herself falling for her husband of convenience, she developed a certain misguided sense of nobility。 She was going to save him at the expense of herself, even though the way she went about it was a little unconventional, to say the least。 You can’t help but admire her for her pluckiness。 The atmospheric imagery was delightful。 There were times I felt that I could reach out and brush my hands against the crumbling edifice of Landridge Hall, and my touch would cause a few more tiny bits of it to fall away。 Each ghost was tangible and terrifying。 I love a good ghost story! Despite all the good things happening in this book, it was tough to get into。 There were portions at the beginning and towards the end that really could have used some editing。 Even the most terrifying books can drag a bit。This book will end up as a classic between Rebecca and Jane Eyre。 It’s best enjoyed alone, in the dark, on a rainy night…。good night! 。。。more

Daniela

I have no clue what I just read but I loved every second of it。 This story has as many twists as it has words and I'm so happy that I decided to stick with it - Yes, I almost DNF this book, the first 2-3 chapters are heavy on the romance + marriage by convenience trope which makes sense as the story evolves but it wasn't what I was expecting, at least at the beginning - I'd be surprised if they don't adapt this novel and film a new "The Haunting of XXXXX House"。 Loved it。 I have no clue what I just read but I loved every second of it。 This story has as many twists as it has words and I'm so happy that I decided to stick with it - Yes, I almost DNF this book, the first 2-3 chapters are heavy on the romance + marriage by convenience trope which makes sense as the story evolves but it wasn't what I was expecting, at least at the beginning - I'd be surprised if they don't adapt this novel and film a new "The Haunting of XXXXX House"。 Loved it。 。。。more

Kayle

My least favorite book this year。 A watery, unfocused Crimson Peak fan fiction。

Kate

2/5starsGod this was such a let down。This book tried to be WAY too many things - gothic, paranormal, cult, magic, existential, "Rebecca," "Jane Eyre," "Full Metal Alchemist," all on a bad cocaine trip。 Nothing made sense - the magic wasn't explained, the relationship between the two main characters made no sense (why was she SO dedicated to this man she met a week ago in a marriage of convenience???), everything became so convoluted and confusing it was ridiculous。 This felt both WAY too long (i 2/5starsGod this was such a let down。This book tried to be WAY too many things - gothic, paranormal, cult, magic, existential, "Rebecca," "Jane Eyre," "Full Metal Alchemist," all on a bad cocaine trip。 Nothing made sense - the magic wasn't explained, the relationship between the two main characters made no sense (why was she SO dedicated to this man she met a week ago in a marriage of convenience???), everything became so convoluted and confusing it was ridiculous。 This felt both WAY too long (i stg it had 9 different times that i was like "this HAS to be the end of it") and not long enough because it was trying to do 75 different things。 Also the title is a spoiler???? but also a lie???? what was this book trying to do please someone tell me。Also I was about to give it 2。5 stars and legit had to drop it to 2 cause this entire book took place over 2 weeks and that is the stupidest thing i've ever heard in my fucking life。 。。。more

Halley Hopson

2 stars ⭐️ This was perfectly fine at first but it got so convoluted somewhere in the middle and tried to do way too many things。 It tried to to have so many callbacks to other novels like Rebecca, Jane Eyre, amongst other classics whilst attempting to throw in its own twist + a bad cocaine trip and I don’t think any of it was very successful。 The romance was so insta lovey and bizarre for a feminist woman who was so adamant about not necessarily wanting a traditional marriage, wanted to be hers 2 stars ⭐️ This was perfectly fine at first but it got so convoluted somewhere in the middle and tried to do way too many things。 It tried to to have so many callbacks to other novels like Rebecca, Jane Eyre, amongst other classics whilst attempting to throw in its own twist + a bad cocaine trip and I don’t think any of it was very successful。 The romance was so insta lovey and bizarre for a feminist woman who was so adamant about not necessarily wanting a traditional marriage, wanted to be herself, wanted it to be a business arrangement only to have her falling over him the second time they were around each other。 Also the title is both a huge spoiler and also a lie and I am absolutely baffled。I’m super sad because Caitlin Starling’s first novel is one of my favorite books of all time but this one was not for me。 。。。more

Brad Kirk

3-3。5 stars。This book took what felt like a long time to get through given its length。 I guess I wasn't thoroughly hooked, although it was enjoyable enough。 I liked The Luminous Dead more overall。 This book contains Insta-Love, which I'm never a huge fan of。 Short review but I don't seem to have much to say about this one。 Good, but not great。 3-3。5 stars。This book took what felt like a long time to get through given its length。 I guess I wasn't thoroughly hooked, although it was enjoyable enough。 I liked The Luminous Dead more overall。 This book contains Insta-Love, which I'm never a huge fan of。 Short review but I don't seem to have much to say about this one。 Good, but not great。 。。。more

Alex

the theme of 2021 seems to be disappointing highly anticipated new releases。 The cover is gorgeous AF but the story was very boring for the most part and the romance happened way too fast。 I felt like I was reading a textbook。

Jonathan

I received a copy for free in exchange for an honest review; my thanks to NetGalley and the author! This book was so so very well done。 Starling sucks you into a fictional setting that is eerily similar to an immediate post-WWI era world。 She does an excellent job of pulling you, pulling the rug out from under you, drawing you back in, then yoinking the carpet again, and then。。。and then I cannot say because of spoilers, but man oh man, my jaw was on the floor。 This book is an excellent Gothic Ho I received a copy for free in exchange for an honest review; my thanks to NetGalley and the author! This book was so so very well done。 Starling sucks you into a fictional setting that is eerily similar to an immediate post-WWI era world。 She does an excellent job of pulling you, pulling the rug out from under you, drawing you back in, then yoinking the carpet again, and then。。。and then I cannot say because of spoilers, but man oh man, my jaw was on the floor。 This book is an excellent Gothic Horror tale with romantic elements。 Well done。 。。。more

Ronronia Adramelek

Novela de fantasmas que a ratos consigue dar mucho miedo, pero de alguna forma se enreda en sus propias ganas de describir con detalle y acaba haciéndose pesada。 Más 3,5⭐ que 3。

Hannah

3。5 rounded up - this book was so interesting to me because I went into it thinking it would be a scary story like with the film crimson peak (which it did have moments that freaked me out)。 However, you also get aspects of man's hunger for power ruining everything (much like Frankenstein)。 On top of that I felt like we saw a bit of madness and power hunger coming from our main female protagonist。 It was honestly a whirlwind of a book for me because I went in expecting one thing and got a whole 3。5 rounded up - this book was so interesting to me because I went into it thinking it would be a scary story like with the film crimson peak (which it did have moments that freaked me out)。 However, you also get aspects of man's hunger for power ruining everything (much like Frankenstein)。 On top of that I felt like we saw a bit of madness and power hunger coming from our main female protagonist。 It was honestly a whirlwind of a book for me because I went in expecting one thing and got a whole bunch of other stuff。 。。。more

Елена

4。6/5 ⭐ rounded up to 5/5 ⭐ for GoodReadsMy oh my, what did I just read? Yes, I was expecting a dark Gothic tale, but what I got was so much more than that。The author ambitiously combined more than just a few Gothic/Horror themes/ideas into one book。 There are mild spoilers ahead~~~~This book has an unusual Gothic heroine。 She's a mathematician and she's interested in a marriage of convenience。 She proposes to a doctor, explaining to him that a marriage would be beneficial for both of them。 She' 4。6/5 ⭐ rounded up to 5/5 ⭐ for GoodReadsMy oh my, what did I just read? Yes, I was expecting a dark Gothic tale, but what I got was so much more than that。The author ambitiously combined more than just a few Gothic/Horror themes/ideas into one book。 There are mild spoilers ahead~~~~This book has an unusual Gothic heroine。 She's a mathematician and she's interested in a marriage of convenience。 She proposes to a doctor, explaining to him that a marriage would be beneficial for both of them。 She's determined, confident in her skills and she is ready to learn and adapt。 However, she didn't predict that she'd actually fall in love with doctor Augustine。 And when she tell her that she isn't allowed to spend the night in his ancestral home she wants to know why。 Even though their marriage was one of convenience, she finds herself longing to know more about her husband and to be close to him。 Medical horror, isolation, husband's dark secrets, haunted ancestral home, magic and sorcery are all present in this Gothic novel。 What starts off as a Rebecca-like tale quickly turns into something completely different。 If you want a non-classic take on the well known Gothic story of a maiden who finds herself at the mercy of her stranger of a husband while being isolated in his ancestral home, then this is the book for you! 。。。more

Esmay Rosalyne

Such a strong start, but sadly this got way too convoluted and completely lost me along the way。

Meike

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers。 To view it, click here。 I love a good gothic horror story, but this one left me so confused。。。 It was easy to read, but it failed to give me the spooky vibes I love in this genre。 Jane starts out as a strong and independent character, though the moment she starts falling for Dr。 Lawrence she lost credibility for me。 And as the book progressed she just became more of a mess。 I got really annoyed with the "I need to fix everything" mentality and all the weeping and screaming (oh Lord, the amount of times I had to read th I love a good gothic horror story, but this one left me so confused。。。 It was easy to read, but it failed to give me the spooky vibes I love in this genre。 Jane starts out as a strong and independent character, though the moment she starts falling for Dr。 Lawrence she lost credibility for me。 And as the book progressed she just became more of a mess。 I got really annoyed with the "I need to fix everything" mentality and all the weeping and screaming (oh Lord, the amount of times I had to read the word screamed。。。) And not only Jane became a mess, the story itself did so as well。 Overall it felt like a really cheesy B-movie with all the clichés you can think of (ghosts with bloody eyes, come on)。 Near the end I was so confused that I couldn't really follow the story anymore, nor did I want to。So yeah, this one was not for me。 。。。more

Anita Fajita Pita

This was very meh for me。

Melaneezz

Gothic horror ✔️Old creepy house ✔️Weird stuff happening in the house ✔️New handsome husband is acting weird in house ✔️Nothing happens 🥱Magic 😴Wtf did I just read? 😵‍💫

emily

it’s not really the book’s fault that the ending ends up being a version of one of my very least favorite plot devices, but them’s the breaks。 I did like it pretty well up until the last few chapters。 if you generally like weird gothics, but do not have my specific neuroses about [REDACTED], you should enjoy this。 it’s a (probably unintentional) ripoff of the girl from rawblood, but there are worse things to be。

Jordan

3。5 Stars 。。 was pretty engaged for the first 2/3 of the book; the last 1/3 had me reading a bit slower

Mary

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers。 To view it, click here。 I picked it up based on the cover art being an homage to Victorian hand icons and the promotional material mentioning it being inspired by Crimson Peak。 The early chapters had were promising in setting up a "pragmatic arranged marriage gets complicated when family secrets emerge" (think The Making of a Marchioness) type story。 But reading further, it's not really living up to that potential。 I'm also struck by how while the author clearly loves certain classic motifs like "plucky orphaned heroin I picked it up based on the cover art being an homage to Victorian hand icons and the promotional material mentioning it being inspired by Crimson Peak。 The early chapters had were promising in setting up a "pragmatic arranged marriage gets complicated when family secrets emerge" (think The Making of a Marchioness) type story。 But reading further, it's not really living up to that potential。 I'm also struck by how while the author clearly loves certain classic motifs like "plucky orphaned heroine" and "steampunk setting which references different 19th century societies and historic events," those details feel pretty rote。 They're just there as required elements or seasoning and don't have the impact that you see in stories like Crimson Peak (and mother texts like Frankenstein and Jane Eyre) in commenting on gender roles, sexuality, social power, fears of aging/loss of autonomy, or the impact of the industrial revolution on work and social/religious beliefs。 Hell even the novel/movie which inspired Crimson Peak, Dragonwyk, digs into the Anti-Rent Wars and the Astor Place Riots。 In this situation, I have no clue why there needs to be an 'alternative universe/steampunk' setting when the genre is already pretty good at putting a lens up to the societies depicted in them。 My other big criticism is that Jane is a rote "plucky young orphan" character that I'm starting to suspect is some kind of authorial self-insert/humble brag。 I'm already at the point where it's been mentioned so many times about how Jane is so sensible and pragmatic, I'm about ready to start rooting for the supernatural forces to take her out。 。。。more

Hailey

It was…。 Fine。 I enjoyed the setting and the gothic horror parts of it but I also struggled to really get into the book。 I couldn’t even tell you anything that happened in the middle because I kind of zoned out。 All the talk of magic and how it exists and doesn’t exist and blah blah blah was also kind of confusing。

Kelly Spoer

Well, it did give me some weird dreams。And I do want to start rereading it right after I finished it。 Just don't read this book when it's sunny out。 It's not as fun。 Well, it did give me some weird dreams。And I do want to start rereading it right after I finished it。 Just don't read this book when it's sunny out。 It's not as fun。 。。。more

Beth Loflin

This started out really good。 Loved the story line and then it tanked。 Once Augustine got locked in the crypt, I was done。I loved the idea of a marriage of convenience, creepy haunted house, truths and lies。 The magic in the book took it to a weird place。 I had to re-read sections because it was written weird。 The book was so good for about 150 pages and then fell off。

- ̗̀ saku ̖́-

DNF

christine ♡

3。5? conceptually i LOVED everything about this book, but the execution left me cold

Lauren

3。5 rounded up。 Definitely not perfect, but a very fun gothic horror for spooky season!

Ali

3。5

Hannah

3。5 stars

Tami

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers。 To view it, click here。 I rather liked the Gothic romance and mannered characters, and the setup of a marriage of convenience, and the practical views of a doctor's surgery practice, the awkward moments in a socially constricted world, all good。 The go-off-the-rails portion was where I did want to throw the book at the wall。 It comes back, so I'm not sorry I finished it, but once a very reliable narrator becomes super unreliable for a good portion of the good, it's no fun anymore。 More than just losing my trust, her ch I rather liked the Gothic romance and mannered characters, and the setup of a marriage of convenience, and the practical views of a doctor's surgery practice, the awkward moments in a socially constricted world, all good。 The go-off-the-rails portion was where I did want to throw the book at the wall。 It comes back, so I'm not sorry I finished it, but once a very reliable narrator becomes super unreliable for a good portion of the good, it's no fun anymore。 More than just losing my trust, her character becomes unlikable。 The book is telling us she did a brave thing and risked everything。 I'm seeing it as she's a drugged up, sleep deprived, food deprived woman who is hallucinating, not battling enemies。 If she charged into action without all these "ritual aids", then I'd be happy。 Then she is a brave, practical woman and a good character。 。。。more

Olivia Sayah

3。5