Fyneshade by Kate Griffin was a mixed bag for me.
Shortly after the death of her grandmère – a woman wise in the ways of herbs and spells – Marta is packed off to be the governess of a 10 year old girl in an ancient, grand and isolated house in the north of England.
What she finds when she arrives is very different from her ambitious visions of a rich (available) widower and a child who would be her charge only until she got said widower into the marriage bed. But as Marta begins to learn the secrets of Fyneshade, new ambitions appear well within reach.
Gorgeously written, I was engaged in this Gothic tale as it unfolded, mostly waiting for the protagonist to get her comeuppance. The characters are skillfully drawn, even those with minor roles are brought to life. But there wasn’t one I could root for and certainly not Marta. Maybe I’m too conventional, but I want to like my heroines! The ending seemed rushed too – after all the great build up, it was all a bit too pat. I read in the Author’s Notes at the end, that the book is a homage to the classic The Turn of the Screw, and perhaps if I knew the plot of that novel I would have appreciated the story more. But this seems an excessive demand on your average reader! Would I read more Kate Griffin? Possibly. The writing deserves a second chance.
Find Fyneshade here.