“A perfect fusion of gothic romance and a young woman’s rite of passage in the vein of Twilight and Wuthering Heights.”
NO MAJOR SPOILERS
A stay at the real Jamaican Inn during the 1930’s was the inspiration of this Gothic tale by the author. Set in Cornwall, England during the early 19th century the story unfolds and using the proximity of the ocean, the moors, a desolate and uninviting landscape with rocks and cliffs lends a forbidding darkness to the work.
When the protagonist of the story Mary Yellan, a twenty three year old, an innocent, farmed raised with a structured life promises her dying mother to live with her Aunt Patience and husband the journey alone becomes harrowing and forbidding.
The closer she gets to her destination the darker the story becomes and upon arrival finding a dilapidated structure, a tyrant for an Uncle and her once lovely gay Aunt reduced to despair and nervousness she wants more than anything to flee. Of course she doesn’t, Mary has pluck and first must uncover the secrets of Jamaica Inn, expose her uncle and his cohorts and rescue her aunt.
Putting herself in precarious situations is one of the thrilling aspects of the story and any moment the reader expects the heroine to meet a grizzly end.
Many elements are incorporated into this work, it does have some light moments, a splash of romance and is a very captivating entertaining well written work by a truly gifted writer.
Highly recommend.
Reviewed by:
Diana S. Long
Added 10th April 2018