Haunting Violet Book Review

Author: Alyxandra Harvey. Release date: 2011. Publisher:  Walker Childrens. ISBN: 9780802798398.

Annotation: Sixteen-year-old Violet Willoughby has spent her life assisting her mother, a fraudulent spiritual medium, in tricking wealthy widowers and grieving mothers out of their gold and silver. After arriving in the lavish country manner of Rosefield, home to the powerful Lord Jasper, Violet begins to see the ghosts of the recently departed, including that of Rowena, a girl her age who mysteriously drown a year earlier.

Personal thoughts: I’ve never read one of Alyxandra Harvey’s books before, but after finishing Haunting Violet, I think I can safely call myself a fan! Harvey lists Jane Eyre and Pride and Prejudice as amongst her favorite novels, and their influence is clearly felt in Haunting Violet. I am also very fond of the Regency and Victorian eras, and really enjoyed how well she portrayed life in Victorian England. The characters, setting and plot were all well-developed in Haunting Violet, and the story was expertly paced. I look forward to picking up Harvey’s next novel, and highly recommend this one to fellow Austen/Bronte enthusiasts!

Plot summary: Sixteen-year-old Violet Willoughby has spent her life assisting her mother, Celeste, a fraudulent spiritual medium, in tricking wealthy widowers and grieving mothers out of their gold and silver. Life in Victorian England for a former housemaid left expecting a child after an affair with her wealthy employer was not easy for Mary Morgan. After Violet’s birth, Mary adopted the pseudonym Celeste Willoughby, posing as a grieving widow with the ability to speak with the dead. Now “Mrs. Willoughby” and Violet live a life of fraud: pickpocketing, scamming and conning the wealthy into paying them for any solace after the death of a loved one. Violet hates tricking people. Her only consolation is in the comfort of her friend Colin: her mother’s longtime assistant who has grown up alongside Violet and helps Mrs. Willoughby perform her “séances”. One summer, the family is invited to Rosefield, a lavish country estate owned by the very wealthy and powerful Lord Jasper. If they can pull it off, the grand séance they will perform at Rosefield will ensure their place in society, as many members of Lord Jasper’s esteemed acquaintance have been invited especially for the event. Upon arriving at the scene of their next scam, however, Violet makes a startling discovery: she has begun to see the spirits of the deceased, not in the fraudulent way her mother claims to, but for real. Unsure of what to do with her newfound power, Violet is faced with the stubborn and troubled ghost of Rowena Wentworth, a fifteen-year-old girl and former neighbor of Lord Jasper’s who mysteriously drowned the previous year. Rowena seems intent on Violet discovering the truth about her death, but as Violet learns more and more about the secrets floating through the halls of Rosefield, she also discovers that her own life may be in danger.

Review:  This charming novel from veteran author, Alyxandra Harvey, is certain to delight both fans of historical fiction, particularly the Victorian era, and ghost stories alike. The main plot of the story is simple: Violet must help the ghost of the murdered Rowena to reveal who killed her, resulting in an always popular whodunit mystery. Below the surface, however, there is quite a bit more to Haunting Violet than just figuring out who the bad guy is. The relationship between Violet and her con-artist mother plays an important role in the story. Life for women of low social status in Victorian society was grim at best, and the reader can almost sympathize with the devious ways of Mrs. Willoughby, a former housemaid, who wants a better place in the world. The abuse enacted upon Violet by her mother is one of the more thought-provoking aspects of the book, particularly since one can imagine that similar circumstances between parents who live dishonest lives and their children occur on a daily basis in today’s society as well. In actuality, the novel provides just as much of a social commentary on the Victorian era as it does a ghost story, making it an interesting read for teens who are not as familiar with this period in time. Overall, Haunting Violet is an entertaining and well-paced ghost-story that readers of all ages can easily enjoy.

Genre: Mystery/Historical Fiction

Reading level: Grade 7+

Similar titles: The Poisoned House by Michael Ford, Wrapped by Jennifer Bradbury, Darker Still by Leanna Renee Hieber.   

Themes:  Psychic abilities, spiritualism, ghosts, fraud/dishonesty, Victorian era, class warfare, mother/daughter relationships.

Awards/Reviews:  Positive reviews from Publishers Weekly and Kirkus.  

Series Information: N/A

Discussion questions: 

-  Why do you think Violet disliked tricking her mother’s clients so much?

-  Do you think that, in helping her mother to perform “séances,” Violet was just as guilty as Mrs. Willoughby in tricking people? Why or why not?

- Why do you think Violet wanted to keep her psychic abilities secret from her mother?

- Were you surprised by the ending of the novel? Why or why not?

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Darker Still: A Novel of Magic Most Foul Book Review

 Author: Leanna Renee Hieber. Release date: 2011. Publisher:  Sourcebooks Fire. ISBN: 9781402260520.

Annotation:  Seventeen-year-old Natalie Stewart’s father works at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in 1880s New York City. When a strange new painting is brought to the museum, one that is rumored to be haunted, Natalie is captivated by the handsome, young Lord Denbury depicted on the canvas. Soon Natalie discovers that the rumors of the piece being alive are true, and that the painting is actually a prison, one that is holding Lord Denbury hostage.

Personal thoughts:  This novel was so full of things I loved that it almost seemed that Leanna Renee Hieber wrote it just for me! History, mythology, curses, romance, and the intriguing idea of someone being trapped in a painting…how could I not enjoy Darker Still? I was especially impressed with Hieber creating a leading lady with a very real disability. Natalie’s being mute played a role in the plot, but I also liked how Hieber took care to point out throughout the novel that she was a normal teenage girl despite the fact that she had to communicate via sign language. Overall, I really loved this novel and would highly recommend it to both teen and adult readers. I’m looking forward to the next installment in the series!  

Plot summary: At a young age, Natalie Stewart witnessed the death of her mother in a tragic accident and found herself unable to speak from then on. Now seventeen-years-old, Natalie’s existence is one of longing; yearning to live a normal life, have friends, and fall in love. The year is 1880, and Natalie’s father works for the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. One day, Natalie and her father meet Mrs. Evelyn Northe, a wealthy and kind woman with an interest in spiritualism. Mrs. Northe, like Natalie, is fluent in sign language and the two become fast friends. Mrs. Northe informs Natalie and her father that a painting with a curious history has come into her possession. It seems that late Lord Denbury, the attractive, young man depicted on the canvas, is rumored to haunt the piece. Upon seeing the painting, Natalie is immediately captivated by Lord Denbury’s magnetic blue eyes and handsome features. Soon, however, Natalie realizes that there is more to her infatuation than just a love for brushstroke on canvas. Small changes in the painting catch her eye, and it seems that Lord Denbury is calling to her, begging her to reach out and touch the canvas. When she does, Natalie falls into a strange world, one inside the painting that has become a prison for the handsome Lord. It seems that an evil spell has trapped Lord Denbury’s soul, while his body acts as a vessel for a sinister spirit in the outside world. Will Natalie find a way to reverse the curse and save the man she finds herself falling for?

Review:  Author Leanna Renee Hieber describes herself as a “gateway drug” for young readers into the literature of the 19^th century, and her latest novel, Darker Still, proves to be an intoxicating plunge into Victorian New York City. Almost from the first page, the reader is immediately as enraptured in the story as the heroine, the mute Natalie Stewart, is with the mysterious depiction of Lord Denbury. The novel is full of many things: romance, mysticism, mythology, religion, mystery, and horror. The intricate world of the painting and exactly how Natalie and Lord Denbury fit into it keep the reader guessing as the plot unfolds. The result is a thoroughly enjoyable story that pays homage to such classics as Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes. The author’s passion for the Victorian era is evident in her detailed and loving portrayal of gas lamp light streets, gowns, carriages, and corsets. The first in a new series, Darker Still makes for an excellent start to something original and entertaining for teen and adult readers who are fans of gothic novels, mystery and romance.

Genre: Historical Fiction/Mystery

Reading level: Grade 8+

Similar titles: Entwined by Heather Dixon, Dearly, Departed by Lia Habel, The Poisoned House by Michael Ford, Wrapped by Jennifer Bradbury.

Themes:  Curses, art, Victorian era, New York City, mythology, spiritualism, grief, demons.

Awards/Reviews:  Positive review from Kirkus and Booklist.

Series Information: First installment in Magic Most Foul series.

Discussion questions: 

- Why do you think Natalie was unable to speak after her mother’s death?

- Do you think it is common for people to assume that those who cannot hear or speak are “dumb” as Maggie’s friends assumed about Natalie?

- Can you name all of the cultures/mythologies that were described as being involved in Lord Denbury’s curse?

- What do you think “the Whisper” was?

- What would you like to see happen next in Natalie and Lord Denbury’s story?