This book was recommended to me by another reading friend. I was happy I took her recommendation. The twists and turns in this novel kept me on my toes. I couldn't not put it down. And the ending…whoa…the ending!
Originally posted on my blog Nonstop Reader.
The Cloisters is the dark academic fantasy debut from author Katy Hays. Released 1st Nov 2022 by Simon & Schuster on their Atria imprint, it's 320 pages and is available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats. Paperback format due out from the same publisher in July 2023. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats. It's especially handy in this case for finding character and historical artist/artwork names quickly in the text.
This was definitely one of the "it" books for 2022, and it is a compelling and interestingly complex story. Real places and actual historical events provide the scaffolding for a story of fantasy, conspiracy, and paranormal inescapable dark fate. The whole narrative has a distinctly edgy Gothic vibe and readers will find themselves tensing up for jump scares which mostly don't materialize.
The character driven narrative is meticulously and lushly imagined, and more impatient readers (who aren't art history nerds already) will want to bring copious amounts of patience, or resign themselves to slogging through the minutiae including botany, art history, tarot, and the intrigues inherent to medieval and renaissance court life.
The unabridged audiobook version has a run time of 10 hours and 16 minutes and is well narrated by Emily Tremaine. She has a neutral East Coast US accent and is easy to listen to. There are some slight difficulties with the broad range of non-US accents of some of the academic characters, but overall, she does a good job with both male and female characters of a variety of ages. Sound and production quality are high throughout the recording.
Four stars, for readers who enjoy labyrinthine stories.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
Book Summary:
Ann Stilwell has always had big goals for herself, and she's not going to let the world hold her back – no matter how hard it tries. She's just moved to New York City for a summer job at the Met, and while things didn't go as planned – she's still there.
In a strange series of events, Ann is now working for a section of the Met called The Cloisters. However, her new career and interest will quickly turn deadly, as there is more than meets the eye. Will she solve the arcane puzzle before it's too late, or will she become yet another victim?
My Review:
I wanted to like The Cloisters. Everything about this book sounded perfect – debut novel with gothic vibes and a secret society, plus magical elements? Yes, please! Unfortunately, I didn't quite get what I was hoping for.
Instead of a thrilling read, I got more of a dull slog. This book was a struggle to finish, and I hate saying that. The intrigue was there, but that's not all. There are so many unnecessary details, all of which make the book feel...almost pretentious? And that's coming from somebody who majored in art history, so you know I normally love those details. It was more the tone than what was contained.
All things said and done; The Cloisters wasn't a bad read. It just wasn't what I had hoped it would be. If you go into it expecting more academia with a dash of mystery and thrills, I think you'll find yourself much happier.
Highlights:
Debut novel
Dark Academia
Gothic vibes
Secret society
Trigger Warnings:
Family death
Fatmisia
Car accident
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