publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
date of publication: November 1, 2011
format: eGalley
pages: 320
source: Netgalley
Amazon / Goodreads / B&N
From Goodreads:
The Picture of Dorian Gray meets Pride and Prejudice, with a dash of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.
New York City, 1882. Seventeen-year-old Natalie Stewart's latest obsession is a painting of the handsome British Lord Denbury. Something in his striking blue eyes calls to her. As his incredibly life-like gaze seems to follow her, Natalie gets the uneasy feeling that details of the painting keep changing...
Jonathan Denbury's soul is trapped in the gilded painting by dark magic while his possessed body commits unspeakable crimes in the city slums. He must lure Natalie into the painting, for only together can they reverse the curse and free his damaged soul.
What I Thought
Imagine my surprise when I began reading Darker Still and realized that it is an epistolary novel. I absolutely love books written in this style, so immediately my attention was snared. As I worked my way into the book, getting to know Natalie and discovering the intrigues of Victorian-era New York along the way, I became more and more absorbed until I felt as though I was part of the story. Sparks fly, magic is in the air (literally!), and an evil has taken residence in Denbury's body. The events that take place are nothing short of thrilling, terrifying, and exciting.
Usually when I read a novel set in the Victorian-era, the setting is somewhere such as London. I was looking forward to reading this book in part because of its setting in America, which is a novelty to me, having read little that takes place in such a setting. As for the plot, I was immediately sold upon reading the description. There is always a chance that a book won't live up to its description, but I would say that this one delivered and then some! The evil found in this book is so very chilling that you can not help but wonder if everyone will come out unscathed (though I'm not telling!). The level of romance contained is sweet, intense, and impetuous all at once. There is a wonderful variety of characters, though the most-developed character of all is Natalie, since the book is in the form of her diary (this only makes sense, as she would know herself better than anyone). Imagine my surprise to learn that Natalie is mute due to childhood trauma. I simply can not recall any other protagonist with this affliction, though I could be easily forgetting such a one. Seeing how she solved communication issues and reacted to people's reactions to her only served to make her even more interesting. There are other characters I made note of, as well. I couldn't help but become fond of Mrs. Northe and the real Denbury, irritated by Maggie, and disgusted by "Barry" (Denbury's doppelganger/jailor). All of these elements combined into one excellent, spooky novel that left me immediately wanting more.
If you are a fan of books that have a high concentration of magic and/or historical novels, then you should definitely try Darker Still. There is much more to this book than a pretty cover. You can expect great characters, an engrossing plot, and a vivid setting. I am very glad to have read this novel and can not wait for the sequel. Thank you for a great read, Ms. Hieber!
Obligatory legal statement: This eGalley was provided to me free of charge by the publisher via Netgalley. No monetary compensation was received in exchange for this fair and unbiased review.
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