Review of Hattie Vavaseur
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Kristy Khem
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- Latest Review: Hattie Vavaseur by M. Rebecca Wildsmith
Review of Hattie Vavaseur
[Following is a volunteer review of "Hattie Vavaseur" by M. Rebecca Wildsmith.]
Mystery and romance dangerously dance with the supernatural in M. Rebecca Wildsmith’s book, Hattie Vavaseur. Set in the 1900s, readers will first encounter Ms. Vavaseur as she’s whisked off by her chauffeur to a strange mansion in a town called Market Foolsbury. Hattie soon realizes that she has no idea why she is going there or who she’s going to visit.
Embarrassed by her bout of forgetfulness, the elderly woman tries to hide her confusion, but it is only made worse when she meets the mysterious and capricious master of the mansion - a man who she doesn’t even recognize. However, she can’t deny that she feels drawn to him. She begrudgingly befriends an eccentric character in her quest to regain her memory; a vivacious occultist named Vamelda. Together, they also try to solve the murder of a salesman. Ultimately, Hattie must find the missing truths of her past and present while conquering enemies she didn’t know she had.
One of this book’s best features is its cohort of quirky and memorable characters. Vamelda’s fondness for using honeyed sobriquets, her whimsical appearance, and her love for drama made her one of my favorite characters. Some of her clients painted humorous pictures in my mind because of their gullible nature. Ever the refined Englishwoman, Hattie’s prim demeanor is contrasted only by her odd revulsion to the color pink and her newfound fascination with crystal balls. These quirks made Hattie likable and interesting. Besides Vamelda and Hattie, other characters in the story are equally unique. The villains are frightful, but they add necessary darkness to thicken the plot. Additionally, the romance doesn’t overshadow the suspense.
It was difficult to put down this book. The narrative contains plot twists and smaller mysteries inside of the subplots. Who is the master of the mansion? Why does Hattie hate pink? Why have all of the mirrors been hidden? The unpredictable elements didn’t stop until the book ended, which made it an absolute page-turner. Moreover, I liked that the author was able to evoke a myriad of emotions, such as fondness, fear, surprise, relief, and suspicion.
It was a joy to immerse myself in this mystery story. The Victorian-era language and articulate descriptions of 19th-century things (sprawling estates, grand libraries, gas lamps, and boater hats) undoubtedly added to my reading pleasure. The inclusion of telegrams and letters was a nice touch because they complemented the era too. I also have no major complaints about this book's editing.
I award Hattie Vavaseur 4 out of 4 stars. I couldn’t find any faults with the characters, plot, or the language used. I wholeheartedly recommend this book to young adult and adult readers who like historical mysteries with a dash of mysticism. People who are fascinated by the occult may also enjoy this book.
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Hattie Vavaseur
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes
Mystery and romance dangerously dance with the supernatural in M. Rebecca Wildsmith’s book, Hattie Vavaseur. Set in the 1900s, readers will first encounter Ms. Vavaseur as she’s whisked off by her chauffeur to a strange mansion in a town called Market Foolsbury. Hattie soon realizes that she has no idea why she is going there or who she’s going to visit.
Embarrassed by her bout of forgetfulness, the elderly woman tries to hide her confusion, but it is only made worse when she meets the mysterious and capricious master of the mansion - a man who she doesn’t even recognize. However, she can’t deny that she feels drawn to him. She begrudgingly befriends an eccentric character in her quest to regain her memory; a vivacious occultist named Vamelda. Together, they also try to solve the murder of a salesman. Ultimately, Hattie must find the missing truths of her past and present while conquering enemies she didn’t know she had.
One of this book’s best features is its cohort of quirky and memorable characters. Vamelda’s fondness for using honeyed sobriquets, her whimsical appearance, and her love for drama made her one of my favorite characters. Some of her clients painted humorous pictures in my mind because of their gullible nature. Ever the refined Englishwoman, Hattie’s prim demeanor is contrasted only by her odd revulsion to the color pink and her newfound fascination with crystal balls. These quirks made Hattie likable and interesting. Besides Vamelda and Hattie, other characters in the story are equally unique. The villains are frightful, but they add necessary darkness to thicken the plot. Additionally, the romance doesn’t overshadow the suspense.
It was difficult to put down this book. The narrative contains plot twists and smaller mysteries inside of the subplots. Who is the master of the mansion? Why does Hattie hate pink? Why have all of the mirrors been hidden? The unpredictable elements didn’t stop until the book ended, which made it an absolute page-turner. Moreover, I liked that the author was able to evoke a myriad of emotions, such as fondness, fear, surprise, relief, and suspicion.
It was a joy to immerse myself in this mystery story. The Victorian-era language and articulate descriptions of 19th-century things (sprawling estates, grand libraries, gas lamps, and boater hats) undoubtedly added to my reading pleasure. The inclusion of telegrams and letters was a nice touch because they complemented the era too. I also have no major complaints about this book's editing.
I award Hattie Vavaseur 4 out of 4 stars. I couldn’t find any faults with the characters, plot, or the language used. I wholeheartedly recommend this book to young adult and adult readers who like historical mysteries with a dash of mysticism. People who are fascinated by the occult may also enjoy this book.
******
Hattie Vavaseur
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes
Latest Review: Hattie Vavaseur by M. Rebecca Wildsmith
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ELSETH MAEVE
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Your review is very interesting. I am bound to think that the story is also interesting. There also seems a lot of mystery that Hattie still has to solve. I would also love to catch up on this story.
Latest Review: Man Mission by Eytan Uliel
