This story is a gothic thriller filled with many twists and turns. The story opens with Sylvia Wren, an 80-year-old well-renowned artist living in New Mexico. She has just begun receiving unending correspondence from a journalist claiming to know her true identity and family background. What she is claiming is true. . . . Sylvia is actually Iris Chapel, one of six sisters from a well-known family back in Connecticut.
We then begin to learn the "Chapel" story, the story of a woman (Belinda) who never wanted to marry but was forced into the union. She bore six daughters, Iris being number five. Belinda didn't fare well, she was thought to have mental problems, often screaming in the middle of the night, spending much time by herself, and not being much of a mother to her daughters. When the girls started reaching a dating age and becoming serious with a young man, the mother would warn them of impending tragedy. Only Iris took her seriously . . . . . in the beginning. The first daughter married, and then mysteriously died the next morning. Same with the second one, etc. The curse seemed to be that once they were with a man, they died! There were suspenseful details about each girl, which created interesting dialogue/plot.
In the end, the book brought the reader back to Sylvia/Iris, and how she chose to let the world know about her real life. It is a great story line, with many questions left to the reader's interpretation ~ Were there real ghost in the house? Why were the girls dying - besides the curse? What did the house contribute to the plot?
I received an ARC copy of the book, and all comments and thoughts are my unbiased opinion. Thanks #bookishfirst #TheCherryRobbers #SaraiWalker #HarperCollinsPublishers
We then begin to learn the "Chapel" story, the story of a woman (Belinda) who never wanted to marry but was forced into the union. She bore six daughters, Iris being number five. Belinda didn't fare well, she was thought to have mental problems, often screaming in the middle of the night, spending much time by herself, and not being much of a mother to her daughters. When the girls started reaching a dating age and becoming serious with a young man, the mother would warn them of impending tragedy. Only Iris took her seriously . . . . . in the beginning. The first daughter married, and then mysteriously died the next morning. Same with the second one, etc. The curse seemed to be that once they were with a man, they died! There were suspenseful details about each girl, which created interesting dialogue/plot.
In the end, the book brought the reader back to Sylvia/Iris, and how she chose to let the world know about her real life. It is a great story line, with many questions left to the reader's interpretation ~ Were there real ghost in the house? Why were the girls dying - besides the curse? What did the house contribute to the plot?
I received an ARC copy of the book, and all comments and thoughts are my unbiased opinion. Thanks #bookishfirst #TheCherryRobbers #SaraiWalker #HarperCollinsPublishers