ARC: The Crow Garden by Alison Littlewood

So The Crow Garden isn't a book that I'd usually pick up. The plot looked interesting but I don't very often read historical or horror fiction. But this time I thought, why not, I need to read more out of my comfort zone and I requested it from Book Bridgr. I was very lucky to actually receive a copy of this gorgeous book and it's one I'm glad I picked up even if I realised that the writing maybe isn't to my style.

The Crow Garden focuses on a Doctor Nathaniel Kerner, a young man who has recently left Oxford and is now settling into his new life as a doctor within a Yorkshire asylum. There he meets an interesting woman, one whose husband is desperate to get her home sane, and in his desire to fix her due to his own growing interest, he winds up opening the doors to mesmerism and something strange.



What I Liked

Reading a book set in a Victorian asylum was incredibly interesting on the psychological side of things. Conditions like epilepsy that we don't consider mental illness today, willful women clearly seeming insane and the way treatments were discussed. Though I already knew things had changed, it was interesting to read what they were actually like and in a way that felt realistic.

As well as that the supernatural twists were truly interesting. Once again, it was interesting to read these things in a way that did feel truly Victorian. I had hoped the novel would be creepy when I requested it and I was right.

What I Didn't Like

I've come to the conclusion that I don't enjoy Victorian or even Regency writing. I don't mean novels set during the Victorian or Georgian times, I like quite a few novels set during those time periods. But novels that are written in a similar style I do find difficult to access.

As much as I enjoyed the story of this book, the writing made it easy for me to be distracted and I'll admit to even growing a little bored sometimes.

The thing is that this writing issue really is just personal preference. I can find nothing wrong with the writing, it just wasn't a style that I particularly enjoy and if the story hadn't had been so good, I could have easily put the book down.

Final Thoughts

The Crow Garden is a very interesting read and if you're looking for something truly creepy this Halloween then this just may be the book for you. It's an interesting read and really quite different to anything I've read before.

So if you're looking for something a little different too, maybe pick this book up.

3/5 Stars