ALC Review: The Haunting of Hecate Cavendish by Paula Brackstone
Release Date: 23 July 2024
Rating: 4/5
Narration Rating: 5/5
Publisher Info: St. Martin’s Press (Macmillan)
Narrator: Marisa Calin
Synopsis: New York Times bestselling author Paula Brackston returns with a new, magic-infused series about Hecate Cavendish, an eccentric and feisty young woman who can see ghosts.
England, 1881. Hereford cathedral stands sentinel over the city, keeping its secrets, holding long forgotten souls in its stony embrace. Hecate Cavendish speeds through the cobbled streets on her bicycle, skirts hitched daringly high, heading for her new life as Assistant Librarian. But this is no ordinary collection of books. The cathedral houses an ancient chained library, wisdom guarded for centuries, mysteries and stories locked onto its worn, humble shelves. The most prized artifact, however, is the medieval world map which hangs next to Hecate’s desk. Little does she know how much the curious people and mythical creatures depicted on it will come to mean to her. Nor does she suspect that there are lost souls waiting for her in the haunted cathedral. Some will become her dearest friends. Some will seek her help in finding peace. Others will put her in great peril, and, as she quickly learns, threaten the lives of everyone she loves.
Review
I did not expect to be drawn into this book as much as I was. I requested it solely from the cover and rolled the dice. Imagine a haunted library tale that is equal amounts whimsical, cozy, and dark; you’ll pretty much have the vibe for The Haunting of Hecate Cavendish. If you think librarians are boring nerds who keep their noses stuck in old books and have no sense of adventure, you’ll think again when you finish this book, which I recommend highly for your TBR this spooky season.
THoHC takes place in one of my favorite historical time periods and places, Victorian England in the late 1880’s, when the Industrial Revolution is in full swing and new fangled technology is everywhere—including bicycles. Hecate Cavendish, a woman, has a blessedly progressive father who not only allows her to work in a time when that was a no-no for women, but he actually encourages her scholarship and helps her acquire the position.
Brackston masterfully writes characters. Hecate has the perfect amount of spunk in conjunction with a maturity that feels pretty true to her age. She has a couple of potential romantic interests, but the romance is not the main focus of the book, and it is not explicit at all. Her boss is a bit of a Snape to provide some conflict before the main antagonists show up. Hecate’s found family of ghosts all warm my heart, and the relationships she cultivates among the ghosts of the cathedral is definitely one of my favorite aspects of the book.
I realize one has to suspend quite a bit of disbelief to begin with or a paranormal tale, but the main conflict in the book really kind of left me scratching my head. The magical map dynamic is pretty cool but also pretty gimmicky. I don’t mind so much, though, because the rest of the story structure is solid and the book entertained me more than it didn’t.
Overall, 4 stars out of 5 for this no-spice, haunting historical tale that impressed me from the start. Hecate (pronounced Heck’-uh-tee) Cavendish begins work at a dark, dank library at a cathedral. On her first day, she starts talking to ghosts. In her first week, she starts investigating a supernatural occurrence in the library. By the time the story is over, she’s pretty much saved the world. What a recipe for a fantastic story, and Brackston pulls it off with great execution.
The narrator, Marisa Calin, has a great, smoky/silky voice and sounds a bit like Eva Green. The perfect narration for this book really propelled me through it quickly. The latent narration speed boasts a faster tempo than many books, so I had to throttle it back to 1.6-1.8 from my normal 2-2.5 at times. Though the audio ran a bit longer than I’m used to for a sub-400-page book, I didn’t notice.
My thanks to St. Martin’s Press and Macmillan Audio for the ALC, for which I willingly give my own, honest opinion.
Comments