“He was soon borne away by the wave and lost in darkness and distance.” Mary Shelley, Frankenstein
As the nights grow colder and the days shorter, there is nothing better than curling up by the fire with a gothic novel full of eerie characters that will send shivers down your spine. In her latest release, Lost in Darkness, Michelle Griep channels Mary Shelley’s famous novel, Frankenstein, for a prequel-like story that will battle the forces of light and darkness until a champion is declared.
Amelia Balfour has created a successful career as a travel writer; however, just as she receives the opportunity to travel to Cairo, a city she’s always dreamed of visiting, her plans are brought to an abrupt halt after the sudden death of her father. Forced to return to the home she loathes to fulfill her father’s final request, Amelia is reunited with her monstrously-sized younger brother, Colin. Will the revolutionary surgery her father organized truly restore her brother’s appearance, giving him a life outside of the shadows, or will the risk prove more deadly than anyone realized? And, what of Amelia’s ticket to Cairo? Will she make it to her ship in time, or will being home shift her prospects in ways she hadn’t anticipated?
“Everything shook. Her legs. The letter. The tickets to Cairo. In one hand she held her future. In the other, her past. And between lay the present’s ugly decision of who to disappoint—her editor, herself, or the man she’d called Father.” ~ Michelle Griep
Graham Lambert is a surgeon with a reputation to rebuild. After sowing all of his life’s savings into a partnership with the renowned surgeon, Mr Peckwood, Graham is given a peek behind the curtain and begins to wonder if he’s made the right choice. In a never-ending tug-of-war struggle with his heart and a past that continues to haunt him, Graham tries not to make any hasty decisions; however, as he assists with Colin Balfour’s pre-operation treatments, Graham’s reservations continue to grow. Will Graham take action before it’s too late, or will the darkness of his heart continue to cloud the light that is trying to seep in?
“Danger may be real, but fear was a choice.” ~ Michelle Griep
Lost in Darkness is the perfect Fall/Winter novel. Though there is an air of spooky darkness that films the pages, hope and light push through the seams, creating an inward battle that only increases the further into the novel you travel. Pulling on the themes of faith, mistakes, love, loss, and family, Michelle Griep beautifully narrates this haunting tale.
While I applaud the author for her spectacular vocabulary and how she immersed her readers into the time era, I must admit that I had a hard time connecting with the story. Unlike her previous release, The Thief of Blackfriar’s Lane, I did not become as absorbed with this story or characters. Nevertheless, there is still a lot to admire and praise about Lost in Darkness. If you are a fan of gothic novels, you’re going to thoroughly enjoy this story! There is a book for everyone, and this might be the one for you!
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*Thank you, NetGalley and the publisher, for providing me with a pre-release copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are entirely my own!*
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[yasr_multiset setid=0] Ages: 13+
