Elisabeth Thomas

A very slow, sensual kind of novel that is part dark-academia and part mystery, although I use the word "mystery" very loosely. The synopsis of "Catherine House" seems to offer a real thrill-ride of a book, but in reality there is a quite of bit of repetition and drowsiness in the writing and story that makes everything kind of drag. It's not all bad; in fact, at times it's a pretty novel, and I think Thomas has a gift for writing some really sparse yet lush scenes, and I'm interested in what she writes next. But the plot just doesn't deliver. It's an endless loop of the main character, Ines, reflecting on her past, almost failing classes, sleeping, and wandering the grounds of her new school. Paired with an anticlimactic final act, "Catherine House" ultimately is just missing that "pizazz" element that makes the story stand out.
(edit: I think the word I was looking for is low-stakes. There were just no consequences or anything at risk for Ines for most of the novel. Her lack of enthusiasm and desire for a future left me less invested in her story arc.)… (altro)