An exploration of domestic derangement, as sinister as Daphne Du Maurier’s classic Rebecca, that plumbs the depths of sibling rivalry with wit and menace.
Oh, to be a Beloved—one of those lucky people for whom nothing ever goes wrong. Everything falls into their laps without effort: happiness, beauty, good fortune, allure.
Betty Stash is not a Beloved—but her little sister, the delightful Gloria, is. She’s the one with the golden curls and sunny disposition and captivating smile, the one whose best friend used to be Betty’s, the one whose husband should have been Betty’s. And then, to everyone’s surprise, Gloria inherits the family manse—a vast, gorgeous pile of ancient stone, imposing timbers, and lush gardens—that was never meant to be hers.
Losing what Betty considers her rightful inheritance is the final indignity. As she single-mindedly pursues her plan to see the estate returned to her in all its glory, her determined and increasingly unhinged behavior—aided by poisonous mushrooms, talking walls, and a phantom dog—escalates to the point of no return. The Beloveds will have you wondering if there’s a length to which an envious sister won’t go. ~taken from Goodreads
Oh, to be a Beloved—one of those lucky people for whom nothing ever goes wrong. Everything falls into their laps without effort: happiness, beauty, good fortune, allure.
Betty Stash is not a Beloved—but her little sister, the delightful Gloria, is. She’s the one with the golden curls and sunny disposition and captivating smile, the one whose best friend used to be Betty’s, the one whose husband should have been Betty’s. And then, to everyone’s surprise, Gloria inherits the family manse—a vast, gorgeous pile of ancient stone, imposing timbers, and lush gardens—that was never meant to be hers.
Losing what Betty considers her rightful inheritance is the final indignity. As she single-mindedly pursues her plan to see the estate returned to her in all its glory, her determined and increasingly unhinged behavior—aided by poisonous mushrooms, talking walls, and a phantom dog—escalates to the point of no return. The Beloveds will have you wondering if there’s a length to which an envious sister won’t go. ~taken from Goodreads
This book... I am all one for a dark, twisted thriller. Betty is a character I thought I would really like. I will admit I had high hopes for this book. It was a premise I hadn't seen before and it seemed interesting. I was wrong.
This book is slow moving from the get-go and gets even slower in the second half. All of Betty's hatred for her sister, both past and present, are presented to the reader in the first half and primarily takes place in her thoughts and memories. As Betty drinks more and more,her thoughts get even more bizarre and evil. She goes from a selfish, scorned sister to a truly evil human being- all over a house she believes is alive and wants to have as her own.
There are very good parts to this novel that I really did enjoy. The way the author writes about Betty's time working in the art gallery had a melodic, magical element to it. Descriptions of the house and the grounds surrounding it were descriptive and enjoyable. The author does have some fine writing skills.
The biggest problem I had with "The Beloveds" was the complete lack of closure at the end. I got no satisfaction for finishing this long, mostly boring read. The book just ends and left me wondering "what just happened", and I mean this literally. Nothing at all happens. It left me wondering if there a sequel. If there is a sequel do I really want to read it? I felt like I had wasted my time with a story that the author didn't finish writing.
This is a book I could have really liked, had the author, in my opinion, spent more time on story development and completion. It was a 2 star read for me.
Thanks to Netgalley and Gallery, Threshold, Pocket Books for allowing me the opportunity to read and give my honest review.
"The Beloveds" is due to be released here in the U.S. on April 3, 2018.
Happy Reading!
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