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The Misanthrope’s Mansion is a fiction novel about Leah, a young woman trying to start over in a new place that ends up trapped in unbelievable circumstances. Lady Margaret, who fears anyone who lives outside the gates of Endswold has created a self-sustaining world for her and her family. Outsiders are brought in to “join” the family, so the family will grow and continue to thrive on the land. Leah of course is horrified and the story focuses on her trying escape while focusing on her promise to her brother. But she is emotionally torn. She is changing the longer she stays within the gates. She wants her freedom but she is finding both people she cares about and a calming simplicity at Endswold.
I found this novel to be well written and easy to read. There was enough mystery and intrigue to move the novel easily through the pages. Leah was a well-developed and relatable character. The novel’s antagonist, Lady Margaret, was a believable enough force, both fearful and intimidating. The story of the family’s existence is what drew me in and kept me fascinated.
Sawville created an interesting concept for a novel that I wish had been developed more. The novel is less than two hundred pages and its lack of detail held the story back. I would have loved to have seen more of the not only the estate but also some of the outlying characters that were introduced early in the novel but never elaborated on or explored.
I give this novel 3 out of 4 stars. The effects of living a secluded life should have been more embellished. That increase in information would have developed more of the characters and really enriched this novel.
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