Book: The House of Cursed Daughters by C. J. Cooke
Reviewed by Michelles_Cosy_Booknook
Rating: 5/5
In this incredible book, we follow three very different women's life journey's during three separate periods of history.
France 1307
A young Princess Isabella of France is forced to make a very difficult decision that will have far reaching consequences and will be the birth of a curse that will hold terrible fates for her bloodline, for centuries to come.
Bedlam Asylum, 1865
Lois. A woman with no memory of who she was before she recently woke up within the claustrophobic walls of the infamous and notorious Bedlam Asylum.
France, Modern Day
Emma, is an artist on the cusp of hosting her first exhibition of her work in many years, in a beautiful chateau, with links to Isabella of France. Not long after arriving, Emma starts to suffer terrible nightmares and unsettling, very realistic visions, and strange goings-on.
This was my first C.J. Cooke read and what a way to begin my journey!
The characters and settings are both incredibly well researched and written and as a result really brings everything to life and had me feeling invested from the off. I can't say much more on these points without running the risk of revealing spoilers.
There is a good deal happening within this book, which you would expect from a historical fiction read, that is based upon actual historic record.
The women in this book, including those who had lesser contributing roles, were empowering in their strength, sacrifice and love. They give the reader so much to celebrate, appreciate, mourn and feel humbled by.
The pacing was masterful, the details were clear, plentiful and entirely relevant.
As a result of reading this book, I have a new reading goal - to read the entire back history of C.J. Cooke's works. I also cannot wait for this book to go on general release, so that I can have a physical copy for my shelf, because this absolutely WILL NOT BE the only time I read this.