Saturday, June 27, 2020

Review: The Silk House

Title: The Silk House
Author: Kayte Nunn
Publisher: 30th June 2020 by Hachette Australia
Pages: 384 pages
How I Read It: ARC book
Genre: historical fiction
My Rating: 4 cups

Synopsis:
Weaving. Healing. Haunting. The spellbinding story of a mysterious boarding school sheltering a centuries-old secret by the bestselling author of THE BOTANIST'S DAUGHTER.
Australian history teacher Thea Rust arrives at an exclusive boarding school in the British countryside only to find that she is to look after the first intake of girls in its 150-year history. She is to stay with them in Silk House, a building with a long and troubled past, where the shadows hide more mysteries than she could ever imagine.
In the late 1700s, Rowan Caswell leaves her village to work in the home of an English silk merchant. She is thrust into a new and dangerous world where her talent for herbs and healing soon attracts attention.
In London, Mary-Louise Stephenson lives amid the clatter of the weaving trade and dreams of becoming a silk designer, a job that is the domain of men. Arriving in the market town of Oxleigh, she brings with her a length of fabric woven with a pattern of deadly plants that will have far-reaching consequences for all who dwell in the silk house.
Intoxicating, haunting and inspired by the author's background, THE SILK HOUSE is the exceptional new gothic mystery by Kayte Nunn.
My Thoughts

‘Now about Silk House: it’s been through more hands and incarnations than almost any other building in the high street, I believe.’

The Silk House is an extremely well written tale. After reading and thoroughly enjoying Kayte’s other two books - The Botanist's Daughter & The Forgotten Letters of Esther Durrant - I eagerly anticipated her latest offering. Kayte explains that her interest in topics such as medicinal and poisonous plants (especially when paired with suspicions of witchcraft) and  fabric weaving could come together to form a powerful story. She was right. 

The Silk House, being a dual narrative, offers on the one hand a rich gothic tale of the past and on the other, a present day haunting ghost story. If you are a lover of old houses with a dark mysterious past, then this is most certainly the book for you. From the time of its construction and first inhabitants in the 1700s, to the tale of today being a boarding dormitory for young girls, there is much to tell. The two stories work well together and revolve around three young women. 

In the past the main character is Rowan, employed as a maid at Silk House. Her knowledge of herbal tinctures may get her into trouble and accused of witchcraft. There is also  Mary-Louise, a talented artist who applies her creativity to silk design but finds it challenging to be accepted in a male dominated trade. In the present day there is Thea who has come from Australia to take up a position in an exclusive boarding school in the English countryside. Residing in ‘Silk House’ and curious about its history, she begins to research the history of the building after some strange occurrences. 

I particularly appreciated the strong female characters, especially Rowan and enjoyed learning about the silk industry and herbal lore of the time. The house holds a secret and over the years this continues to manifest through unusual events until Thea (present day) feels compelled to resolve this centuries old mystery. 

This was an enjoyable read even though I am not of gothic inclinations. Kayte is a quality writer and I was invested to find out if Mary-Louise could succeed with her ambitions; if Rowan could avoid the title of ‘witch’; and, if Thea could unravel why this house wanted to let go of all its secrets. 

‘Do you think you might perhaps be confusing tradition with history? One can evolve, you know.’




This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.

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