Perfect for fans of The Hazel Wood, this genre-bending page-turner from New York Times bestselling author Madeleine Roux follows two girls who transport themselves into the world of their favourite book only to encounter the sinister alternate reality that awaits them.
No matter how different best friends Adelle and Connie are, one thing they’ve always had in common is their love of a little-known gothic romance novel called Moira. So when the girls are tempted by a mysterious man to enter the world of the book, they hardly suspect it will work. But suddenly they are in the world of Moira, living among characters they’ve obsessed about for years.
Except…all is not how they remembered it. The world has been turned upside down: The lavish balls and star-crossed love affairs are now interlaced with unspeakable horrors. The girls realise that something dark is lurking behind their foray into fiction-and they will have to rewrite their own arcs if they hope to escape this nightmare with their lives.
If that synopsis wasn’t enough, here’s five reasons to add this book to your TBR!
1. The Concept
I’m sure we’ve all dreamed of escaping into the pages of our favourite and Roux brings that dream to life in this book. Interestingly though, this is a far more nightmarish world that our protagonists expected…
2. The Way Roux Twists This Romantic Novel Into A Horrific Nightmare
The way she twists every expectation you have of this Bridgestone like world is excellent and will send shivers down your spine. Instead of ballgowns and love, there are monsters and bizarre occurrences around every corner.
3. It Has A Really Interesting Exploration of Faith and Resistance
Roux unexpectedly delves into the concept of blind faith and the way it enshrines and upholds privilege in this society. The incredibly sinister organisation that dominates the way the world interprets these events is chilling to read about.
4. It’s Sapphic!
Going into this book, I was not aware of the incredibly sweet and gorgeous exploration of identity and sexuality. One of our protagonists is sapphic and just coming to terms through it, while she tries to navigate this very unexpected world.
5. The Ending
Obviously no spoilers here, but that ending is such a cleverly executed one that challenges everything that went before it. Your emotions are upended and it leaves a complex, thought-provoking problem to be solved.
