(12/7/17) This was so much better on a 2nd read through. I think getting interrupted so often the first time I read it really did impact the flow. This time, it felt much more fluid and the energy of the book really picked up at the 1/2 way mark. The mystery was cohesive and I don't think I can ever get over Watasin's cleverness and imagination.
I loved the subtle humor sprinkled through the climax of the book and Elle's indignation at the events around her. All hell is breaking loose and yet I'm completely tickled and delighted by our heroine, two adjectives I have never used outside of a Watasin novel. This writer just has that effect.
I still think Faedra and Elle together, rather than apart, lend the scenes extra vibrancy and they're such a powerful duo with a great amount of heartfelt passion. I just want to squee about them.
In my second read through, I put this around 4.25 stars. I still am partial to the 2nd novel in this series, "Poison Garden", especially because Faedra and Elle ARE together through that book. For us readers, though, that only means there's better yet to come.
******
This book is just shy of 4 stars...3.9.
Elizabeth Watasin creates another captivating heroine in Elle Black. Instead of a paranormal creature, however, Elle is a woman with sensitive intuition with the ability to move objects with her mind.
Mrs. Black is recruited by, Josefina, an employee of the Sundark hotel to investigate the disappearance of hotel guests. Josefina has gone to the police and to the Special Commission, being turned down by both. Mrs. Black is her last hope.
I found this book to be another imaginative read, this time a world created around a living house. The book isn't too long but, unlike the first Dark Victorian book, I felt that the story was fleshed out enough. Despite its short stature, this is a dense book that you need to pay attention to. There's a lot packed into it.
As I was reading, the pacing seemed on the slower side until the last 1/3rd of the book. I think this was a combination of the author needing to do a lot of setup, when weird things happened they didn't seem to point to each other, and me being interrupted about 20 times while reading it. The book didn't get a build up of intensity until the end. It was more like ominous thing...lull...lull...ominous thing...lull...lull.
What I mean by the weird things happening not pointing to each other is that every strange occurrence that unfolded didn't seem to add up to a conclusion; nothing I could figure out anyway. I had no clue what the mystery behind the house was until the author revealed it.
I was delighted to see a cameo by Helia Skycourt and it also felt like an easter egg bonus that she and Elle could be fast friends (that's what the author seemed to be hinting at, anyway).
I also really enjoyed the coupling of Elle and Faedra. I actually think the story would've been a lot more intriguing if the two could have been together to figure out the mystery than apart. They have a chemistry together. Faedra is the more dominant of the two and gives a certain oomph to the dynamic. I do really appreciate how unapologetic the author is on having two women together. In this story, too, we see more physical intimacy (though not much) between Elle and Faedra that the Dark Victorian series hasn't offered (yet).
I also appreciate how active the author's heroines are in all of her books. I love it!
Even though this book did feel fleshed out there is something about it that gives me a similar impression to the Dark Victorian series in that the first book probably isn't the best to come. I think if the author writes a subsequent book for this character it'll be stronger and I definitely would be interested in reading it.
For the Penny Dread stories, I'd say the Ice Demon is a tighter, more solid read than this one. However, this is a nice introduction to new characters and a descent read in itself, especially if you're a fan of Watasin.
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