Thank you for joining me today! I am here bringing you a review of a NetGalley book I was granted. I had great hopes for this and am happy to share my thoughts with you today. First things first…am I the only one who thought of Sweeny Todd when I saw the title and cover? I thought of the scene where he sang to Joana through her window. Right…it must just be me!
Well, I suppose I should tell you all what I thought of this book huh? Let’s get to it.
Nightingale 
Author: Amy Lukavics
Published: October 1st, 2018 (First published September 25th, 2018)
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Book Length: 384 Pages
Genre: Science Fiction, Horror
Rating: ♥ ♥
Buy the book: Amazon, Barnes & Noble
**Disclaimer: I received this novel for free via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.**
At seventeen, June Hardie is everything a young woman in 1951 shouldn’t be—independent, rebellious, a dreamer. June longs to travel, to attend college and to write the dark science fiction stories that consume her waking hours. But her parents only care about making June a better young woman. Her mother grooms her to be a perfect little homemaker while her father pushes her to marry his business partner’s domineering son. When June resists, her whole world is shattered—suburbia isn’t the only prison for different women…
June’s parents commit her to Burrow Place Asylum, aka the Institution. With its sickening conditions, terrifying staff and brutal “medical treatments,” the Institution preys on June’s darkest secrets and deepest fears. And she’s not alone. The Institution terrorizes June’s fragile roommate, Eleanor, and the other women locked away within its crumbling walls. Those who dare speak up disappear…or worse. Trapped between a gruesome reality and increasingly sinister hallucinations, June isn’t sure where her nightmares end and real life begins. But she does know one thing: in order to survive, she must destroy the Institution before it finally claims them all.
The first thing that stood out to me about this cover was how the hair meshed with the birdcage. This made me think of a woman that was special but trapped. Guess what…I was right! The teal fading to black edges works well for the ominous look of this novel. Using white font color also helps the title and author’s name stand out. Now, on to the good stuff…
The biggies issue I had with this novel was the fact that I was so confused!
I know that this might have been part of the idea, a way to make the reader feel how the main character was. But…I was so lost for a while, I wanted to just put the book down a few times and that says a lot coming from me. Eventually, near the end, I felt like pieces fell together or at least mostly. I saw many Goodreads reviews that had the same issue with this book, it was so confusing at times that they almost gave up hope, some did.
The story takes place in the 1950s and the setting is accurate, but I did question a few of the historical things. For example, the way June’s family suppressed he dreams, forced her to learn the ways of a homemaker, and even enter into an arranged marriage. Although I know that this was common during those times, it does not wash the nasty taste out that it left. I hated seeing June have such a passion to do something but be forced into some mold she did not fit into. I did enjoy that despite everything she was going through, she tried to be independent. June was incredibly strong. She could go from being put down for not being “perfect” enough and bounce right back to pretending to have an interest in what her mother was teaching her.
I was also a little disappointed by the ending. I am unsure if it was symbolic or June’s mental state finally breaking…but by the end, I was simply glad the novel was over. The ending seemed to fall together too quickly, it felt unnatural…almost forced to come to a close. I love gore, but with a purpose…some of the scenes seemed forced, rushed, as if the author did not know where to take the story next.
Overall, It was a wonderful concept and I did enjoy it, but I think the other issue I had overshadowed the underlying bones of the story.
Would you read this novel? Buy it or borrow it? If you have read it, what did you think? Do you enjoy retellings? What have you been reading lately?
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Thank you for the review. There are not many books that you have reviewed that I have zero interest in reading. I hate being totally confused when reading. A little confused is exciting. But when there is to much confusion I lose interest do to I read to relax I am confused in life I dont want to be with my books.
Great review, I have this on my TBR already and am excited to read it — but I think I will wait a bit because historical fiction with women getting shit ends of the stick I can only read so much of at a time haha
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