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This Cursed House
Win a free kindle copy of this book!
1 day and 03:36:58
100 copies available
U.S. only
In this Southern gothic horror debut, a young Black woman abandons her life in 1960s Chicago for a position with a mysterious family in New Orleans, only to discover the dark They’re under a curse, and they think she can break it.
In the fall of 1962, twenty-seven-year-old Jemma Barker is desperate to escape her life in Chicago—and the spirits she has always been able to see. When she receives an unexpected job offer from the Duchon family in New Orleans, she accepts, thinking it is her chance to start over.
But Jemma discovers that the Duchon family isn’t what it seems. Light enough to pass as white, the Black family members look down on brown-skinned Jemma. Their tenuous hold on reality extends to all the members of their eccentric clan, from haughty grandmother Honorine to beautiful yet inscrutable cousin Fosette. And soon the shocking truth comes The Duchons are under a curse. And they think Jemma has the power to break it.
As Jemma wrestles with the gift she’s run from all her life, she unravels deeper and more disturbing secrets about the mysterious Duchons. Secrets that stretch back over a century. Secrets that bind her to their fate if she fails.
In the fall of 1962, twenty-seven-year-old Jemma Barker is desperate to escape her life in Chicago—and the spirits she has always been able to see. When she receives an unexpected job offer from the Duchon family in New Orleans, she accepts, thinking it is her chance to start over.
But Jemma discovers that the Duchon family isn’t what it seems. Light enough to pass as white, the Black family members look down on brown-skinned Jemma. Their tenuous hold on reality extends to all the members of their eccentric clan, from haughty grandmother Honorine to beautiful yet inscrutable cousin Fosette. And soon the shocking truth comes The Duchons are under a curse. And they think Jemma has the power to break it.
As Jemma wrestles with the gift she’s run from all her life, she unravels deeper and more disturbing secrets about the mysterious Duchons. Secrets that stretch back over a century. Secrets that bind her to their fate if she fails.
382 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication October 8, 2024
About the author
Del Sandeen
8 books62 followersDel Sandeen lives in northeast Florida, where she works as a copy editor and writes speculative fiction. Her work has appeared in FIYAH: Magazine of Black Speculative Fiction, Nightlight podcast, and Gay Magazine. This Cursed House is her debut novel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 75 reviews
September 13, 2024
Gothic and dripping with atmosphere and tension, This Cursed House delivered a chilling Southern gothic tale about a house, a curse and the Duchon family. I loved the vivid descriptions and the feeling of dread and emotion that this book evoked. The Duchon family have bene cursed and have not left their home for almost 28 years! Can you even imagine? The isolation, the boredom, the lack of outside stimulation, lack of socializing? Being stuck with the same people/family members day after day, week after week, year after year!
Jemma Barker has received a very generous job offer from the Duchon family in New Orleans. Jemma jumps on it. She wants to leave her life in Chicago behind and start over. Upon arriving in New Orleans, Jemma notices people are welcoming until they hear she will be working for the Duchon family. Then they become guarded and cold; often warning her against working for them. The family can't be that bad, can they?????
Upon arrival she learns she has been brought there under false pretenses, and that their ulterior motive is a dark one. They have been cursed and believe that she is the only person who can break the curse. Talk about pressure!
This book is full of secrets, spirits, lies, deception, atmosphere, tension, dread, hope, and anger. This book had a very creepy vibe to it. I loved the setting and the unsettling something-isn't-quite-right vibe which flowed throughout the book. Plus, Jemma can see spirits/haints in the home. She has been able to see spirits her entire life, but it is still unsettling and scary for her.
The characters range from the likeable supporting characters of Dennis and Magdalene to the many unlikeable main characters in the Duchon family. There were also a few characters which I felt sorry for while reading. Imagine being stuck with the same people day after day, week after week, year after year -UGH!
I thought the author did a tremendous job of showing colorism and how the Duchon family, who were light enough to pass as white, looked down on anyone, including Jemma, who had darker skin. Plus, the amount of family secrets this family had was enough to make my head spin. The unraveling of those secrets made for interesting and captivating reading!
This book played out like a movie in my mind. As I mentioned this was a very atmospheric gothic southern tale that was equal parts chilling and tense. There were a few twists and revelations along the way which kept me fully invested in the plot and turning the pages.
*This was a wonderful buddy read with Carolyn! Please read her review as well to see if this book haunted her as it did me!
Thank you to Michael Joseph, Penguin Random House | Michael Joseph and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com 📖
Jemma Barker has received a very generous job offer from the Duchon family in New Orleans. Jemma jumps on it. She wants to leave her life in Chicago behind and start over. Upon arriving in New Orleans, Jemma notices people are welcoming until they hear she will be working for the Duchon family. Then they become guarded and cold; often warning her against working for them. The family can't be that bad, can they?????
Upon arrival she learns she has been brought there under false pretenses, and that their ulterior motive is a dark one. They have been cursed and believe that she is the only person who can break the curse. Talk about pressure!
This book is full of secrets, spirits, lies, deception, atmosphere, tension, dread, hope, and anger. This book had a very creepy vibe to it. I loved the setting and the unsettling something-isn't-quite-right vibe which flowed throughout the book. Plus, Jemma can see spirits/haints in the home. She has been able to see spirits her entire life, but it is still unsettling and scary for her.
The characters range from the likeable supporting characters of Dennis and Magdalene to the many unlikeable main characters in the Duchon family. There were also a few characters which I felt sorry for while reading. Imagine being stuck with the same people day after day, week after week, year after year -UGH!
I thought the author did a tremendous job of showing colorism and how the Duchon family, who were light enough to pass as white, looked down on anyone, including Jemma, who had darker skin. Plus, the amount of family secrets this family had was enough to make my head spin. The unraveling of those secrets made for interesting and captivating reading!
This book played out like a movie in my mind. As I mentioned this was a very atmospheric gothic southern tale that was equal parts chilling and tense. There were a few twists and revelations along the way which kept me fully invested in the plot and turning the pages.
*This was a wonderful buddy read with Carolyn! Please read her review as well to see if this book haunted her as it did me!
Thank you to Michael Joseph, Penguin Random House | Michael Joseph and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com 📖
July 22, 2024
September 1962
Jemma Barker is travelling south from Chicago, it’s a long journey and she’s in train carriage marked ‘Colored’. She’s taking a position as a tutor with the eminent Duchon family in New Orleans, the salary is a generous $300 a week. Almost immediately upon arriving to the suffocating southern humidity she’s warned off the Duchons, why? She makes her way to the large antebellum house which is not as pristine as at first appearance, in fact, it’s neglected. To her surprise the Duchon family are also black, though they are very pale imitations of Jemma‘s dark skin, in fact, they could easily pass for white. The matriarch Honorine is haughty and the granddaughter Fossette is a puzzle and all are evasive about the job that Jemma is hired to do. Will she be able to shake off the ghosts she’s left behind in Chicago or has she travelled to something way more disturbing?
This is a very impressive southern Gothic horror debut novel in a great setting and a time period of change that lends so much scope to the storytelling. It’s got everything that you would want in a story of this kind. It’s ghostly, there’s a strange atmosphere not least created by the Duchons as well as that of the southern USA at this time. There are bizarre and troubling coincidences, there’s isolation, secrets, curses, a horrifying past (well this is the south….) so there are plenty of shocking reveals and then the fear that it evokes.
I really like the female lead in Jemma who certainly is
‘enough’ and although the other characters are very unlikeable for a variety of reasons, the author has portrayed them really well. The timeframe is a really good choice as this is a time of flux and change (or not…) and it creates a sort of bridge to the past.
It’s a good slow burn, it raises strong feelings and emotions, making me feel so angry at the overt racism as well as very sad. It may be a tad long (perhaps in the middle) but that’s my only criticism of a very strong first novel.
Congratulations to Del Sandeen for creating a spooky, ghostly, sinister tale which is very well written. I shall look forward to reading whatever she creates next.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Michael Joseph for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.
Jemma Barker is travelling south from Chicago, it’s a long journey and she’s in train carriage marked ‘Colored’. She’s taking a position as a tutor with the eminent Duchon family in New Orleans, the salary is a generous $300 a week. Almost immediately upon arriving to the suffocating southern humidity she’s warned off the Duchons, why? She makes her way to the large antebellum house which is not as pristine as at first appearance, in fact, it’s neglected. To her surprise the Duchon family are also black, though they are very pale imitations of Jemma‘s dark skin, in fact, they could easily pass for white. The matriarch Honorine is haughty and the granddaughter Fossette is a puzzle and all are evasive about the job that Jemma is hired to do. Will she be able to shake off the ghosts she’s left behind in Chicago or has she travelled to something way more disturbing?
This is a very impressive southern Gothic horror debut novel in a great setting and a time period of change that lends so much scope to the storytelling. It’s got everything that you would want in a story of this kind. It’s ghostly, there’s a strange atmosphere not least created by the Duchons as well as that of the southern USA at this time. There are bizarre and troubling coincidences, there’s isolation, secrets, curses, a horrifying past (well this is the south….) so there are plenty of shocking reveals and then the fear that it evokes.
I really like the female lead in Jemma who certainly is
‘enough’ and although the other characters are very unlikeable for a variety of reasons, the author has portrayed them really well. The timeframe is a really good choice as this is a time of flux and change (or not…) and it creates a sort of bridge to the past.
It’s a good slow burn, it raises strong feelings and emotions, making me feel so angry at the overt racism as well as very sad. It may be a tad long (perhaps in the middle) but that’s my only criticism of a very strong first novel.
Congratulations to Del Sandeen for creating a spooky, ghostly, sinister tale which is very well written. I shall look forward to reading whatever she creates next.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Michael Joseph for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.
June 9, 2024
“Some things are best left buried.”
A debut novel by Del Sandeen
Release: October 2024
From @berkleypub
..
Just finished this morning and I will drop my review on Patreon tomorrow. But I want to make sure the right horror readers pick this one up so here are my hooks & comps:
Read if you enjoy…
👻Southern gothic horror
👻Historical Fiction
👻Ghost stories/Haunted house
👻Family secrets & generational curses
👻Social commentary on racism, colorism, and enslavement through the lens of horror fiction
👻Strong female protagonists
👻Amateur sleuthing
👻BIG books w/ a slow burn (384 pages)
Comps: When the Reckoning Comes by LaTanya McQueen, Kindred by Octavia Butler, The Reformatory by Tananarive Due, and Beloved by Toni Morrison
..
Definitely an impressive debut! A solid 4 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (I feel like it could have been a little leaner & meaner)
A debut novel by Del Sandeen
Release: October 2024
From @berkleypub
..
Just finished this morning and I will drop my review on Patreon tomorrow. But I want to make sure the right horror readers pick this one up so here are my hooks & comps:
Read if you enjoy…
👻Southern gothic horror
👻Historical Fiction
👻Ghost stories/Haunted house
👻Family secrets & generational curses
👻Social commentary on racism, colorism, and enslavement through the lens of horror fiction
👻Strong female protagonists
👻Amateur sleuthing
👻BIG books w/ a slow burn (384 pages)
Comps: When the Reckoning Comes by LaTanya McQueen, Kindred by Octavia Butler, The Reformatory by Tananarive Due, and Beloved by Toni Morrison
..
Definitely an impressive debut! A solid 4 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (I feel like it could have been a little leaner & meaner)
Want to read
September 13, 2024Oh, heck yeah! ARC received. Thank you, Berkley!!
Have you read this synopsis yet!?
No?! Go ahead, I'll wait. Horror debut. Southern Gothic. A young black woman leaving 1960s Chicago for a position with a mysterious family in New Orleans...
Have you read this synopsis yet!?
No?! Go ahead, I'll wait. Horror debut. Southern Gothic. A young black woman leaving 1960s Chicago for a position with a mysterious family in New Orleans...
Want to read
August 10, 2024THIS SOUNDS AMAZING AND I WOULD VERY MUCH LIKE TO BE CONSIDERED THANK YOU
September 6, 2024
Thank you to Michael Joseph and Penguin Random House for an advanced copy of "This Cursed House" in exchange for an honest review!
This was a delicious book if you look at it as a historical gothic novel and not a standard "boo" horror novel. I was strongly impressed by how well traditional gothic elements like familial taboos and crimes of the past were incorporated into the 1960s New Orleans setting (see: I'm a slut for any media at all set in Louisiana). We got all the gothic horror tropes but with twists unique to the time period as "This Cursed House" tackled hard themes like slavery, colorism, family ties, and forgiveness. I would have liked our main girlie Jemma to be, yunno, a little more intuitive and a little less trusting of these fake white people . But other than that, "This Cursed House" was a beautiful, spooky, and very antiracist horror read and I'll definitely be looking out for Del Sandeen's future releases.
This was a delicious book if you look at it as a historical gothic novel and not a standard "boo" horror novel. I was strongly impressed by how well traditional gothic elements like familial taboos and crimes of the past were incorporated into the 1960s New Orleans setting (see: I'm a slut for any media at all set in Louisiana). We got all the gothic horror tropes but with twists unique to the time period as "This Cursed House" tackled hard themes like slavery, colorism, family ties, and forgiveness. I would have liked our main girlie Jemma to be, yunno, a little more intuitive and a little less trusting of these fake white people . But other than that, "This Cursed House" was a beautiful, spooky, and very antiracist horror read and I'll definitely be looking out for Del Sandeen's future releases.
August 29, 2024
This Cursed House is a grippy Southern gothic with horror elements. In 1960s Chicago, Jemma, a young black woman with a special ability to see spirits, escapes her broken life to work for a New Orleans family for a substantial salary to start over.
But when she arrives, she finds out that her ‘position’ is nebulous and that the Duchy family has brought her to their house hoping she can break the family’s curse which doesn’t allow them to leave—and kills someone every year.
The secrets unfold slowly keeping the pages turning as the stunning and shocking—and sinister reveals are made.
It’s hard not to give spoilers as there are so many! But readers will enjoy the rollout of the family history from all the angles and the reveals of the mysterious past as Jemma has to embrace her gift and her past while learning about herself and her own family’s history. Always a fan of a Gothic, I loved the setting of this book, and the time period which is of change in itself.
Lovely writing.
Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for allowing me to read this advanced copy for an unbiased book review
But when she arrives, she finds out that her ‘position’ is nebulous and that the Duchy family has brought her to their house hoping she can break the family’s curse which doesn’t allow them to leave—and kills someone every year.
The secrets unfold slowly keeping the pages turning as the stunning and shocking—and sinister reveals are made.
It’s hard not to give spoilers as there are so many! But readers will enjoy the rollout of the family history from all the angles and the reveals of the mysterious past as Jemma has to embrace her gift and her past while learning about herself and her own family’s history. Always a fan of a Gothic, I loved the setting of this book, and the time period which is of change in itself.
Lovely writing.
Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for allowing me to read this advanced copy for an unbiased book review
August 1, 2024
Loved this one!
It’s perfectly Southern Gothic and positively creepy.
I loved our Main Character, was horrified by her newfound family, and was immediately transported to another place and time.
Now, my family is New Orleans Creole, and this passé blanc family raised way too many memories. I’m not sure of the author’s background, but if she’s not Creole, she certainly knows them!
Loved this history and the mystery of this one!
• ARC via Publisher
It’s perfectly Southern Gothic and positively creepy.
I loved our Main Character, was horrified by her newfound family, and was immediately transported to another place and time.
Now, my family is New Orleans Creole, and this passé blanc family raised way too many memories. I’m not sure of the author’s background, but if she’s not Creole, she certainly knows them!
Loved this history and the mystery of this one!
• ARC via Publisher
April 24, 2024
I’ve become quite the fan of gothic horror so I knew I had to read this. It was really good but I thought it was a little too long (of course that’s personal preference but sometimes I felt that the book was lagging) All in all, great and original story.
Thanks to NetGalley and Berkley for this ARC. This will be out in October!
Thanks to NetGalley and Berkley for this ARC. This will be out in October!
September 29, 2024
Thank you #partner Berkley Pub for my #gifted copies of one of my most anticipated fall reads! It did not disappoint!
This Cursed House is a Southern gothic blend of historical fiction and supernatural horror set in New Orleans in the 1960s. It follows a twenty-seven-year-old Black women named Jemma Barker, who relocates from Chicago to New Orleans upon receiving a job offer from the mysterious Duchon family. But upon arriving, Jemma soon realizes there's something up with the Duchon family, and their secrets may hit closer to home than she can ever imagine.
The Vanishing Half meets The Haunting of Hill House in this spectacular debut novel from Del Sandeen! This Cursed House is a haunting, atmospheric, richly layered novel that blends the supernatural with themes of family, colorism, and long-held secrets. It's beautifully paced, so engaging, and the perfect read to get readers in the mood for the upcoming scary season (especially me, since I'm headed to New Orleans in October)! I can't say too much without giving everything away (go in blind if you can), but if you're reading this review wondering if you should give this one a shot: DO IT!!!
This Cursed House is a Southern gothic blend of historical fiction and supernatural horror set in New Orleans in the 1960s. It follows a twenty-seven-year-old Black women named Jemma Barker, who relocates from Chicago to New Orleans upon receiving a job offer from the mysterious Duchon family. But upon arriving, Jemma soon realizes there's something up with the Duchon family, and their secrets may hit closer to home than she can ever imagine.
The Vanishing Half meets The Haunting of Hill House in this spectacular debut novel from Del Sandeen! This Cursed House is a haunting, atmospheric, richly layered novel that blends the supernatural with themes of family, colorism, and long-held secrets. It's beautifully paced, so engaging, and the perfect read to get readers in the mood for the upcoming scary season (especially me, since I'm headed to New Orleans in October)! I can't say too much without giving everything away (go in blind if you can), but if you're reading this review wondering if you should give this one a shot: DO IT!!!
August 25, 2024
This was an enjoyable read; however, it never quite felt like horror. It used several horror elements, but those elements did not create a sense of dread. Instead, these elements were used to enhance the atmosphere and setting. I wish there could have been more “horror” in this book. But I do understand that it may have felt out of place with the message of the story. There were a few creepy moments, but it’s pretty PG-13.
The characters are well developed and interactions between them kept me engaged. The protagonist, Jemma, is likable and faces challenges from the first few pages. The supporting characters all play a role in the story. Some you will like, others you will hate. Magdalene was one of my favorite supporting characters. Simone was the character I liked the least. She had no redeemable qualities. Most of the Duchon family was irredeemable.
The Duchon family history is complicated and full of secrets. Each chapter takes you down a rabbit hole where more mysteries are revealed. I really enjoyed discovering the Duchon family’s dirty secrets. Be warned, this is a slow burn.
Without diving too deeply into spoilers, the book deals with suicide, racism, the value of one’s self worth, and other heavy themes that kept me reading more. I think for most people, this book is a solid 4 out of 5. However, I prefer my horror novels to be a little bit more macabre. With that said, this was a fun read and great debut novel by Del Sandeen.
3.5 out of 5.
Thank you to GoodReads for letting me read this Advanced Reading Copy in exchange for my opinion.
The characters are well developed and interactions between them kept me engaged. The protagonist, Jemma, is likable and faces challenges from the first few pages. The supporting characters all play a role in the story. Some you will like, others you will hate. Magdalene was one of my favorite supporting characters. Simone was the character I liked the least. She had no redeemable qualities. Most of the Duchon family was irredeemable.
The Duchon family history is complicated and full of secrets. Each chapter takes you down a rabbit hole where more mysteries are revealed. I really enjoyed discovering the Duchon family’s dirty secrets. Be warned, this is a slow burn.
Without diving too deeply into spoilers, the book deals with suicide, racism, the value of one’s self worth, and other heavy themes that kept me reading more. I think for most people, this book is a solid 4 out of 5. However, I prefer my horror novels to be a little bit more macabre. With that said, this was a fun read and great debut novel by Del Sandeen.
3.5 out of 5.
Thank you to GoodReads for letting me read this Advanced Reading Copy in exchange for my opinion.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 22, 2024
Wow, what an amazing debut novel. Gothic novels have always had a history of exploring deeper issues. This one uses the genre perfectly matching the rot and destruction of a curse to the same that is found within the hearts of this awful family. It also plays into themes of what family truly is and how it doesn’t always look how we think it should. The eeriness and build up paired with strategically placed twists was done expertly. This book was heartbreaking and uplifting at the same time especially with its themes of forgiveness. The only area I felt was a little lacking was the atmosphere. I feel that gothic novels are made stronger by the descriptions of the settings and surroundings of the story sometimes taking on a character all their own. I feel like it could have been more present especially when you have the “Southern Gothic” presence to play with. But this is definitely one of my favorite books this year and one that I think will sit with me for a long time.
September 8, 2024
This was such a sad and haunting story about a woman who accepts a position working for a well-to-do but, unbeknownst to her, cursed family. The family believes she can undo the curse placed on their family as our main character has always been able to see and speak to spirits/ghosts. Our main character uncovers family secrets and ghosts of the past, both literally and figuratively.
This was a perfect blend of historical fiction and light horror. This would be a great read for someone who is looking to dip their toes into the horror genre. There were moments of scares/“horror” but it’s more horrific in that parts of this story could very well have happened during this time period. There were great conversations about racism, colorism, and internalized racism. Overall an intriguing and powerful read.
Thank you to Netgalley for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This was a perfect blend of historical fiction and light horror. This would be a great read for someone who is looking to dip their toes into the horror genre. There were moments of scares/“horror” but it’s more horrific in that parts of this story could very well have happened during this time period. There were great conversations about racism, colorism, and internalized racism. Overall an intriguing and powerful read.
Thank you to Netgalley for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
September 24, 2024
I have said it before and I will say it again-this is the year of the debut! I tell ya! Im so shocked that this is Sandeen’s first novel. Thank you @berkleypub for my advanced copy!
This is very much a southern gothic novel. The time period, the setting of New Orleans and the overall vibes really set the mood. You can literally smell the coffee and beignets.
Right off the bat you feel the unease. The horrors in this novel aren’t your typically spooky ghosts, no the horrors here are the real living people. All of the Duchon family are atrocious. At times, I gasped at the horror they inflicted. There is so much here to unpack and the heart heavy topics really affected me. Jemma was so resilient and went through so much. Throughout the entire novel she continued to push through. Sandeen is definitely an author to watch!
This is very much a southern gothic novel. The time period, the setting of New Orleans and the overall vibes really set the mood. You can literally smell the coffee and beignets.
Right off the bat you feel the unease. The horrors in this novel aren’t your typically spooky ghosts, no the horrors here are the real living people. All of the Duchon family are atrocious. At times, I gasped at the horror they inflicted. There is so much here to unpack and the heart heavy topics really affected me. Jemma was so resilient and went through so much. Throughout the entire novel she continued to push through. Sandeen is definitely an author to watch!
August 24, 2024
Jemma Barker, a young black woman, accepts a post in the Duchon House in New Orleans. Its early 60's and there is still racial discrimination. The Matriach of the family Honorine, informs Jemma that she wishes her to break a curse that was placed by her dying daughter Ines. But the members of the family, despite classing themselves as coloured, look down on Jemma because of her colour.
Jemma soon realises there are problems within the house and the family are unpleasant, added to that she can see ghosts of people that have a connection to the house. These all give problems in trying to break the curse.
This is a very powerful debut novel. It's a historical gothic horror. It's sinister and the ghosts add to the creepiness of the house.
Jemma soon realises there are problems within the house and the family are unpleasant, added to that she can see ghosts of people that have a connection to the house. These all give problems in trying to break the curse.
This is a very powerful debut novel. It's a historical gothic horror. It's sinister and the ghosts add to the creepiness of the house.
September 28, 2024
This book opens with Jemma, a young down on her luck Black woman ignoring a ghostly figure in the corner of her eye while on a train from Chicago to New Orleans in 1962 to accept a job in a mysterious family’s house. These strangers and their home hold ancestral secrets and ghosts that will change Jemma’s life forever. This story is dark, creepy, disturbing, and unsettling. The only thing holding me back from giving this one a five star rating is that the beginning was a little slow paced. However, I wouldn’t say it was dragging because I was excited to get back to reading it every night. It just took a while to fully set the southern gothic mood as well as Jenna’s wavering feelings toward the family.
September 9, 2024
Review to come upon release
Want to read
July 19, 2024RTC
Thank you Netgalley and Michael Joseph from Penguin Random House for providing copy of this ebook. I have voluntarily read and reviewed it. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Expecting release date : 24 October 2024
Thank you Netgalley and Michael Joseph from Penguin Random House for providing copy of this ebook. I have voluntarily read and reviewed it. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Expecting release date : 24 October 2024
May 25, 2024
I was provided an ARC by NetGalley.
I’m not sure how I feel about this book.
On one hand, it kept me in suspense and jumping for spooks. I’m usually good at predicting what is about to happen in these types of horror stories and I was only able to guess about half of it, which is great. I really like Jemma and a very few select other characters and I think Del Sandeen did a great job of portraying the racism and societal standards of the time the novel is set in and addressing the long-term effects of slavery and racism of the past and how that impacts future family members, creating generational trauma. She also did a wonderful job of creating a Southern Gothic novel, with ghosts, curses, a haunted plantation, and all. Overall I enjoyed the story.
On the other, I was really frustrated with the Duchon family and why Jemma stayed. Without getting into spoilers it’s hard to describe, but I just felt that Jemma was too strong of a character to be held up by the reasons she stayed. Then once she finds out the truth, after truth, and more truth, it feels at some point that things get too crazy for her not to have told the Duchon family to stuff it. Even if she had stayed to help, it would not have been under the conditions that she had stayed in. For example and a minor spoiler, the grandmother Honorine has some really weird rules about dining together, but she needs Jemma to stay. I know Jemma rebels against this in little ways but it just feels like it wasn’t enough. To understand what I mean you have to read the story. Also, the Duchon family sucks. They are horrible people who get off light in the end, in my opinion. Certain members deserve way worse than what they get.
Overall this was a great read and I don’t have to love everything about a story to have enjoyed the book, and I did enjoy it. I’m just not usually this torn on how I feel, so I would also add that this book has tapped into emotions that stories I read normally don’t tap into. This was a reach for me as horror is not the usual type of novel I enjoy reading, so that might be part of it too. Overall I recommend reading.
I’m not sure how I feel about this book.
On one hand, it kept me in suspense and jumping for spooks. I’m usually good at predicting what is about to happen in these types of horror stories and I was only able to guess about half of it, which is great. I really like Jemma and a very few select other characters and I think Del Sandeen did a great job of portraying the racism and societal standards of the time the novel is set in and addressing the long-term effects of slavery and racism of the past and how that impacts future family members, creating generational trauma. She also did a wonderful job of creating a Southern Gothic novel, with ghosts, curses, a haunted plantation, and all. Overall I enjoyed the story.
On the other, I was really frustrated with the Duchon family and why Jemma stayed. Without getting into spoilers it’s hard to describe, but I just felt that Jemma was too strong of a character to be held up by the reasons she stayed. Then once she finds out the truth, after truth, and more truth, it feels at some point that things get too crazy for her not to have told the Duchon family to stuff it. Even if she had stayed to help, it would not have been under the conditions that she had stayed in. For example and a minor spoiler, the grandmother Honorine has some really weird rules about dining together, but she needs Jemma to stay. I know Jemma rebels against this in little ways but it just feels like it wasn’t enough. To understand what I mean you have to read the story. Also, the Duchon family sucks. They are horrible people who get off light in the end, in my opinion. Certain members deserve way worse than what they get.
Overall this was a great read and I don’t have to love everything about a story to have enjoyed the book, and I did enjoy it. I’m just not usually this torn on how I feel, so I would also add that this book has tapped into emotions that stories I read normally don’t tap into. This was a reach for me as horror is not the usual type of novel I enjoy reading, so that might be part of it too. Overall I recommend reading.
July 28, 2024
Review copy from Netgalley for review consideration
Ever since I read the description of the novel “This Cursed House” by Del Sandeen in library and blog previews, I knew I was dying to read it, and it's one of the best novels I have read in 2024. It starts off with a young woman, Jemma, who gets a letter, in August 1962, telling her that she’s being offered a position with the Duchon family of New Orleans. All the letter says is that she has the ‘qualities’ that the family wants, and that she would get free room and board in addition to pay.
Sandeen immerses the reader into the way New Orleans was in the early 1960s -- the French Quarter, the Treme, and all of the segregation of Jim Crow laws.
This isn't a spoiler, because it's in the description, I think: the house that Jemma has agreed to work at is a plantation. People Jemma meets on her bumpy ride to get to the Duchon place warn her to go back to Chicago, where she has left a relationship in a painful way and where her father has passed on. But without much money to her name, she doesn't have a choice.
For the rest of the novel, I can't give away anything about the Duchon family and what they're hiding. When Jemma finds out, bit by bit, it sickens her to her core. What I *can* say is that there are ghosts everywhere. And that it doesn't take long for Jemma to find out that the real reason she's here is not for her tutoring skills as a teacher, but for something far worse.
One of the things that this novel did a fantastic and excellent job of was highlighting the very complex and intertwined issues of two things: the first is the issue of colourism. For folks who are not aware, one of the things that impacts Black people as well as those who may be multiracial or mixed race, having partial African ancestry, is the notion that the closer to white you are, the better you are. The darker-skinned you are as a Black person, and you'll have lighter-skinned Black people looking down on you, and discriminating against you. When we go back to the early 1700s and 1800s to the very connected histories of Louisiana and Saint Domingue (the name of Haiti prior to the Haitian Revolution), we find that there were classes of people who enforced these white supremacist systems. In Haiti, the mixed-race and usually lighter-skinned people there were known as 'les affranchis.' They carried themselves as if they were white and had all the same rights as their Western-European descended colonizers. In Louisiana, you had a class of 'les gens de couleur libres' or 'free people of colour.' They, too, like their Haitian counterparts believed that the closer to white they were -- the lighter-skinned, or preferably if they could pass for white -- that they were superior in all ways and that they were an elite upper crust of society who believed they could move as freely as the whites did in antebellum New Orleans.
The second thing that this novel does is it introduces readers who don't already know about the extremely complex and painful issue of some of these gens de couleur libres who were enslavers. To put it more bluntly, Black people owning other Black people. And I have to provide one important historical note here: in many, many cases, the only way that a recently emancipated and formerly-enslaved person could free the rest of their family members -- particularly their spouse, parents, children, and other relatives -- was to purchase them from the enslaver who owned them as property, and to become their new owner. So yes, it is true that in some cases when a formerly-enslaved Black person who had purchased or otherwise been granted their freedom sought ways to reunite their families and to free their still-enslaved relations, the only way to do that was to purchase them and become their new enslaver (technically) and to become their new owner.
However, a sidebar to this is the case of Marie Thérèse "Coin-Coin" Metoyer, which I have been studying for years. Marie Thérèse is an important case because she started out her life as an enslaved person and was owned by a white woman. She started a relationship with a white French dude named Pierre Metoyer, and rumours spread around the Cane River region and in New Orleans society that she was a concubine or a prostitute. So Pierre purchased Marie Thérèse from her enslaver, married her, and made the decision to manumit or give her freedom. Of the ten or so children they had, he freed some of them but not all. And when he left property and estates to Marie Thérèse, she eventually purchased enslaved people of African descent and owned them as property with seemingly no issues or ethical objections to how she could do something like that to her own people.
Some historians have suggested that the reason could be that knowing the horrors of slavery herself for her early life, she wanted to spare her children from ever going through the same thing, so she figured "better other people of African descent than us."
Without spoiling anything, all I will say is that family lineage plays a very significant role in Sandeen's novel and that the ways it comes out, particularly with Jemma's experiences throughout the novel, are very staggering and hit hard.
This novel has all of the aspects that readers who can't get enough of haunted house stories will want, and more. It's got all kinds of Southern Gothic creep factors to it, historical ties, and family secrets in spades.
Additionally, this novel seeks to use the form of entertainment to educate people about the realities of chattel slavery while trying to strike a balance between the present-day narrative and Jemma's quest to push back all the way, as hard as she can, on what her family is so desperate to hide, and to shine the light on all of the horrific things that are part of that house.
While some of the narrative felt rushed or repetitive toward the end of the novel, with the protagonist having already stated several things and that unintentionally having the effect of dulling the impact of her otherwise breath-taking revelations, this novel remains one of the best I've read all year. I'm going to pay very close attention to anything Den Sandeen does next!
Ever since I read the description of the novel “This Cursed House” by Del Sandeen in library and blog previews, I knew I was dying to read it, and it's one of the best novels I have read in 2024. It starts off with a young woman, Jemma, who gets a letter, in August 1962, telling her that she’s being offered a position with the Duchon family of New Orleans. All the letter says is that she has the ‘qualities’ that the family wants, and that she would get free room and board in addition to pay.
Sandeen immerses the reader into the way New Orleans was in the early 1960s -- the French Quarter, the Treme, and all of the segregation of Jim Crow laws.
This isn't a spoiler, because it's in the description, I think: the house that Jemma has agreed to work at is a plantation. People Jemma meets on her bumpy ride to get to the Duchon place warn her to go back to Chicago, where she has left a relationship in a painful way and where her father has passed on. But without much money to her name, she doesn't have a choice.
For the rest of the novel, I can't give away anything about the Duchon family and what they're hiding. When Jemma finds out, bit by bit, it sickens her to her core. What I *can* say is that there are ghosts everywhere. And that it doesn't take long for Jemma to find out that the real reason she's here is not for her tutoring skills as a teacher, but for something far worse.
One of the things that this novel did a fantastic and excellent job of was highlighting the very complex and intertwined issues of two things: the first is the issue of colourism. For folks who are not aware, one of the things that impacts Black people as well as those who may be multiracial or mixed race, having partial African ancestry, is the notion that the closer to white you are, the better you are. The darker-skinned you are as a Black person, and you'll have lighter-skinned Black people looking down on you, and discriminating against you. When we go back to the early 1700s and 1800s to the very connected histories of Louisiana and Saint Domingue (the name of Haiti prior to the Haitian Revolution), we find that there were classes of people who enforced these white supremacist systems. In Haiti, the mixed-race and usually lighter-skinned people there were known as 'les affranchis.' They carried themselves as if they were white and had all the same rights as their Western-European descended colonizers. In Louisiana, you had a class of 'les gens de couleur libres' or 'free people of colour.' They, too, like their Haitian counterparts believed that the closer to white they were -- the lighter-skinned, or preferably if they could pass for white -- that they were superior in all ways and that they were an elite upper crust of society who believed they could move as freely as the whites did in antebellum New Orleans.
The second thing that this novel does is it introduces readers who don't already know about the extremely complex and painful issue of some of these gens de couleur libres who were enslavers. To put it more bluntly, Black people owning other Black people. And I have to provide one important historical note here: in many, many cases, the only way that a recently emancipated and formerly-enslaved person could free the rest of their family members -- particularly their spouse, parents, children, and other relatives -- was to purchase them from the enslaver who owned them as property, and to become their new owner. So yes, it is true that in some cases when a formerly-enslaved Black person who had purchased or otherwise been granted their freedom sought ways to reunite their families and to free their still-enslaved relations, the only way to do that was to purchase them and become their new enslaver (technically) and to become their new owner.
However, a sidebar to this is the case of Marie Thérèse "Coin-Coin" Metoyer, which I have been studying for years. Marie Thérèse is an important case because she started out her life as an enslaved person and was owned by a white woman. She started a relationship with a white French dude named Pierre Metoyer, and rumours spread around the Cane River region and in New Orleans society that she was a concubine or a prostitute. So Pierre purchased Marie Thérèse from her enslaver, married her, and made the decision to manumit or give her freedom. Of the ten or so children they had, he freed some of them but not all. And when he left property and estates to Marie Thérèse, she eventually purchased enslaved people of African descent and owned them as property with seemingly no issues or ethical objections to how she could do something like that to her own people.
Some historians have suggested that the reason could be that knowing the horrors of slavery herself for her early life, she wanted to spare her children from ever going through the same thing, so she figured "better other people of African descent than us."
Without spoiling anything, all I will say is that family lineage plays a very significant role in Sandeen's novel and that the ways it comes out, particularly with Jemma's experiences throughout the novel, are very staggering and hit hard.
This novel has all of the aspects that readers who can't get enough of haunted house stories will want, and more. It's got all kinds of Southern Gothic creep factors to it, historical ties, and family secrets in spades.
Additionally, this novel seeks to use the form of entertainment to educate people about the realities of chattel slavery while trying to strike a balance between the present-day narrative and Jemma's quest to push back all the way, as hard as she can, on what her family is so desperate to hide, and to shine the light on all of the horrific things that are part of that house.
While some of the narrative felt rushed or repetitive toward the end of the novel, with the protagonist having already stated several things and that unintentionally having the effect of dulling the impact of her otherwise breath-taking revelations, this novel remains one of the best I've read all year. I'm going to pay very close attention to anything Den Sandeen does next!
May 2, 2024
This was very deep south gothic to me. Highly atmospheric with characters that are deeply entwined in a generational curse of race and trauma. Which creates it's own monsters...Got a little bit scattered in the middle, maybe stretching out the storyline more than needed. Overall it was an enjoyable read. #thiscursedhouse #delsandeen #netgalley #goodreads
September 8, 2024
This Southern Gothic novel set in the 1960s follows Jemma, a Black woman from Chicago, who was offered a job at a mysterious mansion in Louisiana. Hauntings and secrets of the weird family inhabiting the mansion follow. This book frustrated and engaged me in equal measure, and my tagline is that with a better editor and a writer more experienced at their craft, it could have been something very special.
It was refreshing to see a novel examining white supremacy without any named white characters. The story centres a white passing Black family of former enslavers, and their reckoning with their past. Sandeen did a good job of creating a strong sense of place. Haunted house novels rely on atmosphere, especially of the house, but Sandeen primarily excelled at putting the house in its wider Louisiana/New Orleans context. The novel is more mysterious than chilling, I would not read this looking to get spooked. Although I ultimately found the plot unconvincing for reasons to be discussed below, it really kept my attention, and I wanted to come back to it once I put the book down. The world of the rich, very light skinned Black people of Louisiana mesmerised me, inspiring me to find out more about the social history at the heart of this novel.
My main issue is that so much about this novel - the characters, the themes, and the main message of forgiveness and reckoning - fell flat. The reader is told, not shown, far too much. Much of character dialogue is plot dump exposition. Jemma's motivations for staying in the house, her desire to be accepted by the family, is again told to us, not shown, and it is told again, and again, and again. Her character does a 180, as the reader is told her backstory in the first 20% of the book or so, we feel that we are getting to know this woman. Then, a bombshell revelation (which Jemma herself knew, it is new to the reader only) is made, which sets up her driving motivation for the next 250 pages. Why not use the narrative to set up that motivation, which ultimately drives the story and explains Jemma's behaviour? Her motivation does not change, deepen, or get any multifaceted exploration throughout the story, staying flat the entire time. If that's the protagonist, you can imagine how much depth or exploration the secondary characters got. It is a shame, as the contextual setup for Laurence, Magdalene, and Fossette was intriguing, and I wish we learned a bit more about their inner world.
Instead of discussing issues with nuance or providing layers, the author just repeats her main points page after page. Some of it got ridiculous. For example, the reader can figure out the main plot intrigue pretty easily. We are then told what it is through a letter found by the protagonist. Jemma explains the plot point she just discovered to her main ally. Jemma goes on to repeat the main points to the family. One of the characters, who was just told the plot, completely ignores that explanation, prompting Jemma to repeat the plot point again. At this point, the reader has experienced the plot point FIVE times, each explanation taking a good page or two.
This is a bit of a pet peeve, but I really dislike it when a character from a novel focused on two different time periods ends up feeling like our contemporary, rather than someone from the more modern, but STILL HISTORICAL period. Case in point - Claire from Outlander is meant to be a woman from the 1940s, and she always felt like a third wave feminist from the 1990s. Jemma's views are used as a point of contrast for the Duchon family, who are stuck in the past, but, despite some period-appropriate language, there is little to show that she is a woman from the 1960s, rather than a generic 'modern' or 'more modern' person.
More thorough editing would have helped the author to create a more robust structure and avoid ubiquitous repetition. Setting up Jemma's motivation earlier, showing more and telling less, would have really helped to flesh her out. The repetition got particularly bad in the last quarter or so, which prompted me to think that the editorial team ran out of time.
It is a shame because quite a few things about this novel were promising, and ultimately, it fails at the craft, not talent, level. Somewhere between a 2 and a 3 star read for me, rounded up to 3 due to a well-created sense of place, an interesting setting and some intriguing discussions of the social and political context of the story.
Thank you, NetGalley and Michael Joseph, Penguin Random House for an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
It was refreshing to see a novel examining white supremacy without any named white characters. The story centres a white passing Black family of former enslavers, and their reckoning with their past. Sandeen did a good job of creating a strong sense of place. Haunted house novels rely on atmosphere, especially of the house, but Sandeen primarily excelled at putting the house in its wider Louisiana/New Orleans context. The novel is more mysterious than chilling, I would not read this looking to get spooked. Although I ultimately found the plot unconvincing for reasons to be discussed below, it really kept my attention, and I wanted to come back to it once I put the book down. The world of the rich, very light skinned Black people of Louisiana mesmerised me, inspiring me to find out more about the social history at the heart of this novel.
My main issue is that so much about this novel - the characters, the themes, and the main message of forgiveness and reckoning - fell flat. The reader is told, not shown, far too much. Much of character dialogue is plot dump exposition. Jemma's motivations for staying in the house, her desire to be accepted by the family, is again told to us, not shown, and it is told again, and again, and again. Her character does a 180, as the reader is told her backstory in the first 20% of the book or so, we feel that we are getting to know this woman. Then, a bombshell revelation (which Jemma herself knew, it is new to the reader only) is made, which sets up her driving motivation for the next 250 pages. Why not use the narrative to set up that motivation, which ultimately drives the story and explains Jemma's behaviour? Her motivation does not change, deepen, or get any multifaceted exploration throughout the story, staying flat the entire time. If that's the protagonist, you can imagine how much depth or exploration the secondary characters got. It is a shame, as the contextual setup for Laurence, Magdalene, and Fossette was intriguing, and I wish we learned a bit more about their inner world.
Instead of discussing issues with nuance or providing layers, the author just repeats her main points page after page. Some of it got ridiculous. For example, the reader can figure out the main plot intrigue pretty easily. We are then told what it is through a letter found by the protagonist. Jemma explains the plot point she just discovered to her main ally. Jemma goes on to repeat the main points to the family. One of the characters, who was just told the plot, completely ignores that explanation, prompting Jemma to repeat the plot point again. At this point, the reader has experienced the plot point FIVE times, each explanation taking a good page or two.
This is a bit of a pet peeve, but I really dislike it when a character from a novel focused on two different time periods ends up feeling like our contemporary, rather than someone from the more modern, but STILL HISTORICAL period. Case in point - Claire from Outlander is meant to be a woman from the 1940s, and she always felt like a third wave feminist from the 1990s. Jemma's views are used as a point of contrast for the Duchon family, who are stuck in the past, but, despite some period-appropriate language, there is little to show that she is a woman from the 1960s, rather than a generic 'modern' or 'more modern' person.
More thorough editing would have helped the author to create a more robust structure and avoid ubiquitous repetition. Setting up Jemma's motivation earlier, showing more and telling less, would have really helped to flesh her out. The repetition got particularly bad in the last quarter or so, which prompted me to think that the editorial team ran out of time.
It is a shame because quite a few things about this novel were promising, and ultimately, it fails at the craft, not talent, level. Somewhere between a 2 and a 3 star read for me, rounded up to 3 due to a well-created sense of place, an interesting setting and some intriguing discussions of the social and political context of the story.
Thank you, NetGalley and Michael Joseph, Penguin Random House for an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
September 25, 2024
I received an advance galley of this book courtesy of the publisher via NetGalley. All thoughts are my own.
I love a good Southern gothic horror novel. It's been a while since I'd read one, and this definitely hit the spot. Set in the Deep South in the 1960s, this story is full of curses, spirits, and dark family secrets.
The book focuses on 27-year-old Jemma Barker. When the book begins, Jemma's life is coming apart, so when she receives a letter from Honorine Duchon, offering Jemma $300 a month if she moves in with Honorine and her family in New Orleans, Jemma takes her up on the offer. Jemma has no idea who this woman is or how she found her, but she's desperate for money and feels that a change of scenery is exactly what she needs after all she has been through.
From the moment Jemma arrives in New Orleans, everyone she meets warns her to leave rather than stay with the family, and when she arrives at their home, it's abundantly clear that something is off. The family members, who are Black but can pass as white, never leave their house and are all dressed as if it's the 1940s. And where is the child that Jemma assumed she would be tutoring? It's not long before Jemma learns that there is no child, and the family brought her there because they need help with a curse placed on them 28 years ago. A curse that prevents them from leaving their property and claims a family member's life every seven years. Jemma has no idea how the family knows she can see ghosts or why they think she can help break their curse. But as the days pass, Jemma learns dark secrets about this eccentric family - secrets that may threaten her life and her sanity.
The author seamlessly blends elements of horror, suspense, and family drama and does it very well. The Duchon family's complex history, secrets, and the curse that haunts them provide a haunting backdrop for Jemma's journey. Even though I had a few suspicions about some of the characters early on, I loved watching it all come together.
Sandeen's writing is immersive and easily draws readers into 1960s New Orleans. This is still very much a Jim Crow South, and Jemma is exposed to a lot more racism than she experienced in Chicago. It's unsettling and adds an extra layer of danger and frustration to an already tense tale. Not only is there danger in the South, but all of that is amplified further at the Duchon's home with the family's dark secrets. There is a lot of tension and creepiness between these pages.
As far as characters go, this book is filled with several memorable ones. Jemma is a breath of fresh air in a genre that often lacks diverse representation. Not only is she fighting her own secrets, but she's also dealing with the racism of a Jim Crow South and the colorism in the Duchon household. She is strong and driven, and I loved watching her grow. As far as supporting characters go, the Duchon family is the icing on the cake. Honorine and her family are characters you will either love or love to hate. I found myself pitying them one moment and then hating them the next.
I think my only complaint with this one was that I felt the pace was uneven. The author tended to repeat herself a lot - almost as if she didn't trust the reader to remember certain plot points. I also felt like we would get several chapters of intense forward movement, and then things would slow down for a few chapters. I read an advance copy, so maybe some pacing issues were fixed before the final publication. Despite this, I still very much enjoyed the story.
Overall, I found this to be a haunting read that I couldn't put down. It's full of family secrets, curses, and creepy happenings, offering a unique twist on Southern Gothic horror. I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys a blend of the eerie and the mysterious. If you're a fan of ghost stories, this one is a must-add to your Halloween TBR.
I love a good Southern gothic horror novel. It's been a while since I'd read one, and this definitely hit the spot. Set in the Deep South in the 1960s, this story is full of curses, spirits, and dark family secrets.
The book focuses on 27-year-old Jemma Barker. When the book begins, Jemma's life is coming apart, so when she receives a letter from Honorine Duchon, offering Jemma $300 a month if she moves in with Honorine and her family in New Orleans, Jemma takes her up on the offer. Jemma has no idea who this woman is or how she found her, but she's desperate for money and feels that a change of scenery is exactly what she needs after all she has been through.
From the moment Jemma arrives in New Orleans, everyone she meets warns her to leave rather than stay with the family, and when she arrives at their home, it's abundantly clear that something is off. The family members, who are Black but can pass as white, never leave their house and are all dressed as if it's the 1940s. And where is the child that Jemma assumed she would be tutoring? It's not long before Jemma learns that there is no child, and the family brought her there because they need help with a curse placed on them 28 years ago. A curse that prevents them from leaving their property and claims a family member's life every seven years. Jemma has no idea how the family knows she can see ghosts or why they think she can help break their curse. But as the days pass, Jemma learns dark secrets about this eccentric family - secrets that may threaten her life and her sanity.
The author seamlessly blends elements of horror, suspense, and family drama and does it very well. The Duchon family's complex history, secrets, and the curse that haunts them provide a haunting backdrop for Jemma's journey. Even though I had a few suspicions about some of the characters early on, I loved watching it all come together.
Sandeen's writing is immersive and easily draws readers into 1960s New Orleans. This is still very much a Jim Crow South, and Jemma is exposed to a lot more racism than she experienced in Chicago. It's unsettling and adds an extra layer of danger and frustration to an already tense tale. Not only is there danger in the South, but all of that is amplified further at the Duchon's home with the family's dark secrets. There is a lot of tension and creepiness between these pages.
As far as characters go, this book is filled with several memorable ones. Jemma is a breath of fresh air in a genre that often lacks diverse representation. Not only is she fighting her own secrets, but she's also dealing with the racism of a Jim Crow South and the colorism in the Duchon household. She is strong and driven, and I loved watching her grow. As far as supporting characters go, the Duchon family is the icing on the cake. Honorine and her family are characters you will either love or love to hate. I found myself pitying them one moment and then hating them the next.
I think my only complaint with this one was that I felt the pace was uneven. The author tended to repeat herself a lot - almost as if she didn't trust the reader to remember certain plot points. I also felt like we would get several chapters of intense forward movement, and then things would slow down for a few chapters. I read an advance copy, so maybe some pacing issues were fixed before the final publication. Despite this, I still very much enjoyed the story.
Overall, I found this to be a haunting read that I couldn't put down. It's full of family secrets, curses, and creepy happenings, offering a unique twist on Southern Gothic horror. I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys a blend of the eerie and the mysterious. If you're a fan of ghost stories, this one is a must-add to your Halloween TBR.
August 27, 2024
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the digital ARC!
It took me a little while to get into this—at around 30% of the way through, I still wasn't hugely interested and wondered if I should drop it. But then it picked up and kept running with the plot, so I'd definitely recommend sticking around if it's not pulling you in immediately!
The main character, Jemma, is a Black woman from Chicago who gets a work offer from a family in New Orleans. This is the early 1960s, so we're introduced to Jemma on the train. It's made clear to us that Jim Crow laws are still in place—the train puts up a 'coloured' sign on her carriage once they reach a certain point along the journey. Jemma's Blackness, particularly her darker skin tone, is an important factor in this book not just because it limits her in what she can do in segregated Louisiana.
Protests are mentioned throughout the country, signifying the slow change rolling through the USA, and Jemma supports it wholeheartedly. It's important to note that ethnicity and skin colour are very important in this book, particularly amongst the Black community here. Jemma feels relatively comfortable and home in Chicago, whereas she feels very Othered in Louisiana.
The family she's here to work for are a strange bunch - a reclusive family in an old antebellum house miles from anyone else. The people Jemma meets in New Orleans act strange when she mentions working for the Duchons, and it's not long before she realises the Duchons are, in fact, very weird. Upon first meeting them, she thinks they're a white family, but they proclaim to be proudly 'coloured' (an outdated term Jemma takes offence at).
Despite this, throughout the book, the Duchons reveal themselves to be perhaps the worst family ever. They're heavily racist and colourist to Black people, both directly and indirectly, despite their claims to be proud. They're only proud if the Black folk look like them; otherwise, they use some horrible language to describe them. Jemma learns a lot about the Duchons and the house they never seem to leave, and her life is much more entwined with them than she thinks. Not to mention the ghosts of the slaves buried on the property she keeps seeing.
At the heart of it, this is a Southern gothic horror about a haunted house. But it's a much deeper discussion about internalised racism and colourism, classism, the horrors of slavery still ricocheting through time and the repercussions of something even worse than slavery on its own - Black-owned slavery. I spent the book rooting for Jemma to get away from this horrible family because they were honestly just disgusting people.
The saddest part for me was that the only characters I liked (mainly because they showed remorse and a willingness to change) suffered, whereas others, particularly heinous, didn't. Two of the family, Laurence and Fosette, were unlikable in their own ways, but I also felt sorry for them. A curse on the house means they can't leave, so since they were little kids, they've never been able to leave the house and have been stuck with horrible adults. It's understandable how they ended up with awful personalities, too, but they at least have the excuse that they've never been able to explore the world and learn any better.
This was fully worth the read, and I would highly recommend it to anyone else who loves horror!
It took me a little while to get into this—at around 30% of the way through, I still wasn't hugely interested and wondered if I should drop it. But then it picked up and kept running with the plot, so I'd definitely recommend sticking around if it's not pulling you in immediately!
The main character, Jemma, is a Black woman from Chicago who gets a work offer from a family in New Orleans. This is the early 1960s, so we're introduced to Jemma on the train. It's made clear to us that Jim Crow laws are still in place—the train puts up a 'coloured' sign on her carriage once they reach a certain point along the journey. Jemma's Blackness, particularly her darker skin tone, is an important factor in this book not just because it limits her in what she can do in segregated Louisiana.
Protests are mentioned throughout the country, signifying the slow change rolling through the USA, and Jemma supports it wholeheartedly. It's important to note that ethnicity and skin colour are very important in this book, particularly amongst the Black community here. Jemma feels relatively comfortable and home in Chicago, whereas she feels very Othered in Louisiana.
The family she's here to work for are a strange bunch - a reclusive family in an old antebellum house miles from anyone else. The people Jemma meets in New Orleans act strange when she mentions working for the Duchons, and it's not long before she realises the Duchons are, in fact, very weird. Upon first meeting them, she thinks they're a white family, but they proclaim to be proudly 'coloured' (an outdated term Jemma takes offence at).
Despite this, throughout the book, the Duchons reveal themselves to be perhaps the worst family ever. They're heavily racist and colourist to Black people, both directly and indirectly, despite their claims to be proud. They're only proud if the Black folk look like them; otherwise, they use some horrible language to describe them. Jemma learns a lot about the Duchons and the house they never seem to leave, and her life is much more entwined with them than she thinks. Not to mention the ghosts of the slaves buried on the property she keeps seeing.
At the heart of it, this is a Southern gothic horror about a haunted house. But it's a much deeper discussion about internalised racism and colourism, classism, the horrors of slavery still ricocheting through time and the repercussions of something even worse than slavery on its own - Black-owned slavery. I spent the book rooting for Jemma to get away from this horrible family because they were honestly just disgusting people.
The saddest part for me was that the only characters I liked (mainly because they showed remorse and a willingness to change) suffered, whereas others, particularly heinous, didn't. Two of the family, Laurence and Fosette, were unlikable in their own ways, but I also felt sorry for them. A curse on the house means they can't leave, so since they were little kids, they've never been able to leave the house and have been stuck with horrible adults. It's understandable how they ended up with awful personalities, too, but they at least have the excuse that they've never been able to explore the world and learn any better.
This was fully worth the read, and I would highly recommend it to anyone else who loves horror!
Read
August 6, 2024**These are some notes I made as I read in preparation of my Library Journal review. It's not the actual review.
True Southern Gothic family saga that does not shy away from facing issues of racism or colorism. Prejudice within communities as well as from outside.
Overall, a strong debut from an author I look forward to reading more from.
Jemma Barker departs from Chicago for New Orleans. It's 1962 and she has been offered a position with the Duchon Family. She is unprepared for the oppressive summer weather and the blatant racism. After arriving in New Orleans, she receives warnings from two different people about the family and their house. She was so eager to leave her problems behind in Chicago that she forgot to ask questions about the job he accepted.
* a sense of anticipatory dread in the book which increases. It starts as Jemma transitions from the north to the south.
* Theme of how the past can haunt us.
* Freedom in forgiveness.
*Increasing sense of dread and isolation the more time that Jemma spends with the Duchons. The sense of being in another world happens as she moves towards New Orleans on the train as well as when she is dropped off at the gates to the home.
The family seems stuck in the 1930's in both their use of language and dress although they do discuss current events. They rebuff her attempts to get answers to her many questions about the family and the home itself. Jemma's ability to see ghosts may be tied to the reason she was really asked to work for the Duchons.
*She's lulled into a false sense of security as she finds herself fitting into the family. She needed that sense of family belonging. Jemma escaped the rot, the decay, and disease of the Duchon estate/family.
* Necessity of facing the past & of letting go to the pain from the past in order to be free.
*The need to belong somewhere
*Freedom versus having a tie to a family and the identity that comes with it. Both have a price in the end.
*Power of words spoken
*Author does not shy away from discussing colorism & bias towards people with darker skin and curlier hair within the family. Sandeen wrestles with some challenging ideas related to belonging.
*Jemma can't outrun the ghosts or her past. Power of accepting one's self.
As the story progresses, the reader gathers more clues and will be driven, just like Jemma, to learn more. Without forgiveness, they are bound to the place. There is freedom in forgiveness and letting go.
*Acting out of love, not anger.
* Complicated nature of families, fault, and forgiveness.
*The weight of anger and secrets. Hatred is a trap.
True Southern Gothic family saga that does not shy away from facing issues of racism or colorism. Prejudice within communities as well as from outside.
Overall, a strong debut from an author I look forward to reading more from.
Jemma Barker departs from Chicago for New Orleans. It's 1962 and she has been offered a position with the Duchon Family. She is unprepared for the oppressive summer weather and the blatant racism. After arriving in New Orleans, she receives warnings from two different people about the family and their house. She was so eager to leave her problems behind in Chicago that she forgot to ask questions about the job he accepted.
* a sense of anticipatory dread in the book which increases. It starts as Jemma transitions from the north to the south.
* Theme of how the past can haunt us.
* Freedom in forgiveness.
*Increasing sense of dread and isolation the more time that Jemma spends with the Duchons. The sense of being in another world happens as she moves towards New Orleans on the train as well as when she is dropped off at the gates to the home.
The family seems stuck in the 1930's in both their use of language and dress although they do discuss current events. They rebuff her attempts to get answers to her many questions about the family and the home itself. Jemma's ability to see ghosts may be tied to the reason she was really asked to work for the Duchons.
*She's lulled into a false sense of security as she finds herself fitting into the family. She needed that sense of family belonging. Jemma escaped the rot, the decay, and disease of the Duchon estate/family.
* Necessity of facing the past & of letting go to the pain from the past in order to be free.
*The need to belong somewhere
*Freedom versus having a tie to a family and the identity that comes with it. Both have a price in the end.
*Power of words spoken
*Author does not shy away from discussing colorism & bias towards people with darker skin and curlier hair within the family. Sandeen wrestles with some challenging ideas related to belonging.
*Jemma can't outrun the ghosts or her past. Power of accepting one's self.
As the story progresses, the reader gathers more clues and will be driven, just like Jemma, to learn more. Without forgiveness, they are bound to the place. There is freedom in forgiveness and letting go.
*Acting out of love, not anger.
* Complicated nature of families, fault, and forgiveness.
*The weight of anger and secrets. Hatred is a trap.
September 29, 2024
In 1962 Jemma Baker decides to leave Chicago and start a new life somewhere else. She had been happy there working as a teacher and living with the man she loved, But that all changed when he started an affair with another woman who is now pregnant. After losing her job following a suicide attempt, Jemma placed an ad in the paper seeking work as a tutor. Excited to receive an offer of employment from the wealthy Duchon family in Louisiana with a generous salary, she jumped at the chance to escape without asking for details of the job.
Travelling to Louisiana was a bit of a shock for African American Jemma. She had always felt accepted in Chicago, but Jim Crow law is still in force in the south and Jemma encountered segregation for the first time, making her feel unwelcome. Once she arrived at the Duchons’ fading antebellum mansion, she discovered there were in fact no children in the family for her to tutor and it wasn’t exactly clear what she has been hired to do.
In this accomplished debut novel exploring topics of racism, slavery, family and forgiveness, author Del Sandeen has generated a perfect Southern gothic vibe, both chilling and suspenseful. The Duchon family are eerily beautiful and decidedly creepy, dressing in outmoded clothing and never leaving the house and grounds. Ruled over by the matriarch, Honorine, the household consists of her widowed son and daughter, two grandchildren in their twenties and a maid, Agnes who is mute. Calling themselves coloured despite being able to pass as white, they say they are proud of their black heritage, but view darker skinned Jemma as racially inferior.
At first, Jemma thinks the family are just strangely reclusive and don’t want to mix in society. But then she discovers that a number of family members have also died at regular intervals and there is a much more sinister explanation for why they have been trapped in their home for twenty seven years. It’s one that she is now expected to resolve so that they can once again go out into the world.
As the narrator, Jemma is a likeable, well drawn character, both strong and resourceful. Although, it’s not always clear what motivates her to help this strange family when they treat her so poorly, she does discover that she has a strong link to them going back to her birth.
Jemma's ability to see the many ghosts in the house contributes to the eeriness and this aspect could perhaps have been played on more to add to the ethereal atmosphere and tension. The Duchons are portrayed as selfish and insular with their weird behaviour and relationships with each other adding to the unsettling undercurrents in the house.
Ghosts, curses, long hidden secrets, and a horrific and shameful history of slavery all contribute to the atmosphere of this gothic novel. It’s not an intense terror packed horror novel, but rather a slower burn of a sinister tale based on an intriguing premise.
........................................................................................................
This was a buddy read with Debra. You can check out her review here https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
With thanks to Michael Joseph, Penguin Random House for a copy to read. This original review was first published in Mystery & Suspense Magazine https://www.mysteryandsuspense.com/th...
Travelling to Louisiana was a bit of a shock for African American Jemma. She had always felt accepted in Chicago, but Jim Crow law is still in force in the south and Jemma encountered segregation for the first time, making her feel unwelcome. Once she arrived at the Duchons’ fading antebellum mansion, she discovered there were in fact no children in the family for her to tutor and it wasn’t exactly clear what she has been hired to do.
In this accomplished debut novel exploring topics of racism, slavery, family and forgiveness, author Del Sandeen has generated a perfect Southern gothic vibe, both chilling and suspenseful. The Duchon family are eerily beautiful and decidedly creepy, dressing in outmoded clothing and never leaving the house and grounds. Ruled over by the matriarch, Honorine, the household consists of her widowed son and daughter, two grandchildren in their twenties and a maid, Agnes who is mute. Calling themselves coloured despite being able to pass as white, they say they are proud of their black heritage, but view darker skinned Jemma as racially inferior.
At first, Jemma thinks the family are just strangely reclusive and don’t want to mix in society. But then she discovers that a number of family members have also died at regular intervals and there is a much more sinister explanation for why they have been trapped in their home for twenty seven years. It’s one that she is now expected to resolve so that they can once again go out into the world.
As the narrator, Jemma is a likeable, well drawn character, both strong and resourceful. Although, it’s not always clear what motivates her to help this strange family when they treat her so poorly, she does discover that she has a strong link to them going back to her birth.
Jemma's ability to see the many ghosts in the house contributes to the eeriness and this aspect could perhaps have been played on more to add to the ethereal atmosphere and tension. The Duchons are portrayed as selfish and insular with their weird behaviour and relationships with each other adding to the unsettling undercurrents in the house.
Ghosts, curses, long hidden secrets, and a horrific and shameful history of slavery all contribute to the atmosphere of this gothic novel. It’s not an intense terror packed horror novel, but rather a slower burn of a sinister tale based on an intriguing premise.
........................................................................................................
This was a buddy read with Debra. You can check out her review here https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
With thanks to Michael Joseph, Penguin Random House for a copy to read. This original review was first published in Mystery & Suspense Magazine https://www.mysteryandsuspense.com/th...
September 29, 2024
This is a book that really took me by surprise. If you'd have asked me at the start of the year if it was one I would be planning to read, I'd have likely said no, but I was drawn to the blurb, and I am so glad I was too. This book ticked all of my boxes, transporting me to 1960s Louisiana, and a mysterious and reclusive family who intrigued me from the moment we met. Del Sandeen has written a beautifully descriptive, often chilling, gothic mystery that is packed with secrets, and characters whose nefarious and sometimes malicious intent is carefully masked until just the right moment.
From the very beginning of this book I was getting strong The Skeleton Key kind of vibes. The stories may differ, but it is that kind of Southern Gothic chill that was invoked not only by the setting, the locally infamous Duchon mansion, but also by the kind of goosebump inducing vibe that is just the right kind of unsettling. Not all out, in your face, horror, but just that fractious sense of unease and the knowledge that the entire family, even the house itself, maybe, are nursing secrets that will be the key to Jemma surviving her new employment. I like that the author played it that way, introducing the idea of the voodoo and superstition that are inherent in Louisiana culture, but not overwhelming the story with them. They play a part, but they are not the whole story. In fact, the real horror of this story lies in the damage that very real, flesh and blood, characters are willing to inflict upon others, not necessarily in some summoned spirit set on vengeance.
That said, there are some supernatural elements to this story. Jemma has a very particular talent. She is able to hear, to communicate, with the dead, whether she wishes to or not. And it is for this very reason, and one other that remains secret until just the right moment for a reveal, that she is summoned to the Duchon home, albeit under false pretences. And although she would rather turn her back on her talents, it is this that she needs to embrace in order to understand who she really is. I liked Jemma. She was a great character to spend time with. Flawed in many ways, but the more we learn of her past the easier it is to understand. Rather than running away, as she believes she is, in truth she is running to something, although she cannot begin to understand what. She is the perfect blend of strength, vulnerability and determination, even if sometimes she allows herself to appear weak, She has a stubbornness to her and is, I think, someone people will really be able to identify with.
The setting is perfect, allowing us to easily fall into the idea of otherworldliness of Louisiana. But the Duchon mansion, and the history behind it and the families isolation is perfect. A home, and a group of people, trapped in time. They are very real, but so distant from the real world, that it makes Jemma stick out almost like a saw thumb. It is not just the heat of the South she is unprepared for, but that start contrast between a Chicago summer and a Louisiana one is a spot on metaphor for the contracts between Jemma and the Duchon's. I loved the family dynamic - so twisted and sneering, led by Matriarch, Honorine - and, along with her extended family, both children and grandchildren, you have such a contrast of characters, making it so hard to guess any of their motives, or, ultimately to trust them. The things we uncover about them will make you angry, and sad to a degree, but they certainly kept me turning the pages.
This is a brilliant gothic mystery, exploring the subject of racism and slavery, family and revenge, all wrapped up in the perfect package that chilled and intrigued, made me both angry and reflective, but ultimately delivered a small slither of hope, and perhaps,in some ways, reluctant acceptance that there are many leopards who simply cannot change their spots. I'll certaintly be looking out for more by Del Sandeen as she delivered a book which I can most definitely recommend.
From the very beginning of this book I was getting strong The Skeleton Key kind of vibes. The stories may differ, but it is that kind of Southern Gothic chill that was invoked not only by the setting, the locally infamous Duchon mansion, but also by the kind of goosebump inducing vibe that is just the right kind of unsettling. Not all out, in your face, horror, but just that fractious sense of unease and the knowledge that the entire family, even the house itself, maybe, are nursing secrets that will be the key to Jemma surviving her new employment. I like that the author played it that way, introducing the idea of the voodoo and superstition that are inherent in Louisiana culture, but not overwhelming the story with them. They play a part, but they are not the whole story. In fact, the real horror of this story lies in the damage that very real, flesh and blood, characters are willing to inflict upon others, not necessarily in some summoned spirit set on vengeance.
That said, there are some supernatural elements to this story. Jemma has a very particular talent. She is able to hear, to communicate, with the dead, whether she wishes to or not. And it is for this very reason, and one other that remains secret until just the right moment for a reveal, that she is summoned to the Duchon home, albeit under false pretences. And although she would rather turn her back on her talents, it is this that she needs to embrace in order to understand who she really is. I liked Jemma. She was a great character to spend time with. Flawed in many ways, but the more we learn of her past the easier it is to understand. Rather than running away, as she believes she is, in truth she is running to something, although she cannot begin to understand what. She is the perfect blend of strength, vulnerability and determination, even if sometimes she allows herself to appear weak, She has a stubbornness to her and is, I think, someone people will really be able to identify with.
The setting is perfect, allowing us to easily fall into the idea of otherworldliness of Louisiana. But the Duchon mansion, and the history behind it and the families isolation is perfect. A home, and a group of people, trapped in time. They are very real, but so distant from the real world, that it makes Jemma stick out almost like a saw thumb. It is not just the heat of the South she is unprepared for, but that start contrast between a Chicago summer and a Louisiana one is a spot on metaphor for the contracts between Jemma and the Duchon's. I loved the family dynamic - so twisted and sneering, led by Matriarch, Honorine - and, along with her extended family, both children and grandchildren, you have such a contrast of characters, making it so hard to guess any of their motives, or, ultimately to trust them. The things we uncover about them will make you angry, and sad to a degree, but they certainly kept me turning the pages.
This is a brilliant gothic mystery, exploring the subject of racism and slavery, family and revenge, all wrapped up in the perfect package that chilled and intrigued, made me both angry and reflective, but ultimately delivered a small slither of hope, and perhaps,in some ways, reluctant acceptance that there are many leopards who simply cannot change their spots. I'll certaintly be looking out for more by Del Sandeen as she delivered a book which I can most definitely recommend.
July 21, 2024
I can’t remember the last time I finished a book this quickly and man is it going to be the perfect read for spooky season.
‘This Cursed House’ brings us down to New Orleans offering opportunities to Jemma as she accepts a job offer with a reclusive family at their estate but it’s not without its fair share of secrets and as she gets closer to the family, and the skeletons in the closet, she finds more than she’s bargained for and may not make it out alive.
There are so many layers to this and I am very eager to speak with other readers who can better discuss the struggles of race and identity as it relates to those in this book. I am not qualified to do that as a white woman however this is ghost story and to leave out one of the main reasons they became ghosts in the first place would do a disservice to the story itself.
Running from the past was a strong plot point to not only motivate our main character but also those around her as she had to work inward in order to uncover the tragic history of those around her and following her on that journey is one I loved and there were times when I absolutely agreed in letting those who can be so hateful suffer but finding strength in spite of those who wish to see you fail is what makes us stand apart.
Our characters here are so well done and Jemma stands out as someone to root for from the second we meet her. Her relationships, both good and bad, ground her in a way that makes you want to stand at her side and face off what is to come. There is a lot of hate and cruelty amongst some of the other characters we meet and this sort of self loathing that becomes an antagonist all its own.
This is such a great book and perfect for any season but it’s definitely going to work wonders when it comes out in October!
*special thanks to the publishers and netgalley for providing an arc in exchange for a fair and honest review!*
‘This Cursed House’ brings us down to New Orleans offering opportunities to Jemma as she accepts a job offer with a reclusive family at their estate but it’s not without its fair share of secrets and as she gets closer to the family, and the skeletons in the closet, she finds more than she’s bargained for and may not make it out alive.
There are so many layers to this and I am very eager to speak with other readers who can better discuss the struggles of race and identity as it relates to those in this book. I am not qualified to do that as a white woman however this is ghost story and to leave out one of the main reasons they became ghosts in the first place would do a disservice to the story itself.
Running from the past was a strong plot point to not only motivate our main character but also those around her as she had to work inward in order to uncover the tragic history of those around her and following her on that journey is one I loved and there were times when I absolutely agreed in letting those who can be so hateful suffer but finding strength in spite of those who wish to see you fail is what makes us stand apart.
Our characters here are so well done and Jemma stands out as someone to root for from the second we meet her. Her relationships, both good and bad, ground her in a way that makes you want to stand at her side and face off what is to come. There is a lot of hate and cruelty amongst some of the other characters we meet and this sort of self loathing that becomes an antagonist all its own.
This is such a great book and perfect for any season but it’s definitely going to work wonders when it comes out in October!
*special thanks to the publishers and netgalley for providing an arc in exchange for a fair and honest review!*
September 25, 2024
This book literally took my breath away. It had a little bit of everything that encompasses southern gothic. Atmospheric setting where ghosts and spirits swirling around you, plunging the rooms temperature. The unease of the characters mounting with every subtle creak. The smell of smoke lingering in the air.
The book is set during the 1960s, in the south, you better believe there are some race issues that need to be discussed. A family that is light skinned and can pass as white. Getting rid of any relation that is a little bit darker than they are. There is a curse that bounds the Duchon family to their mansion. They are at Jemma's mercy to break the curse that has haunted them for decades. Will they be able to come together and figure out how to escape their bonds?
Jemma has had one intense month. Her boyfriend whom she lives with knocked up another girl. She has been let go from her teaching job and she has nowhere left to go. She has never felt like she has fit in anywhere. Even with her family she has felt like a failure. She craves the love and attention of a family, no matter who the family is. She needs to leave Chicago and have a fresh start. A letter arrives at just the perfect time, allowing her to take a job in New Orleans. She has no idea what she is in for. But what she is met with leaves her mouth hanging open and her mind racing. What will she discover when she goes digging into the Duchon family's past?
I loved this book. I was at the edge of my seat, a chill rolling down my spine. The Duchon family are the definition of nasty. They do not know when or how to stop their disgusting behaviors. I was not surprised that they had a curse set upon them. The why took my breath away. Buckle up you are in for one intense ride. Thank you to Del Sandeen and Berkley Publishing for my gifted copy of this incredible Spooky Season read.
The book is set during the 1960s, in the south, you better believe there are some race issues that need to be discussed. A family that is light skinned and can pass as white. Getting rid of any relation that is a little bit darker than they are. There is a curse that bounds the Duchon family to their mansion. They are at Jemma's mercy to break the curse that has haunted them for decades. Will they be able to come together and figure out how to escape their bonds?
Jemma has had one intense month. Her boyfriend whom she lives with knocked up another girl. She has been let go from her teaching job and she has nowhere left to go. She has never felt like she has fit in anywhere. Even with her family she has felt like a failure. She craves the love and attention of a family, no matter who the family is. She needs to leave Chicago and have a fresh start. A letter arrives at just the perfect time, allowing her to take a job in New Orleans. She has no idea what she is in for. But what she is met with leaves her mouth hanging open and her mind racing. What will she discover when she goes digging into the Duchon family's past?
I loved this book. I was at the edge of my seat, a chill rolling down my spine. The Duchon family are the definition of nasty. They do not know when or how to stop their disgusting behaviors. I was not surprised that they had a curse set upon them. The why took my breath away. Buckle up you are in for one intense ride. Thank you to Del Sandeen and Berkley Publishing for my gifted copy of this incredible Spooky Season read.
September 16, 2024
Initially, this didn't grab my attention, but it picked up later, and I enjoyed it. The story follows Jemma, a Black woman from Chicago who receives a job offer from a family in New Orleans during the early 1960s. As she travels to Louisiana, she encounters segregation and Jim Crow laws, which are central themes of the book.
The narrative also delves into the changing social landscape in the USA, with civil rights protests gaining momentum. The book explores the significance of ethnicity and skin colour, especially within the Black community, and depicts Jemma's feelings of belonging in Chicago compared to being an outsider in Louisiana.
Jemma's employers, the Duchon family, are portrayed as reclusive and peculiar. They claim to be "coloured," but their behaviour reveals their racism towards Black people. As Jemma learns more about the family and the haunted house they inhabit, she encounters the ghosts of the enslaved people buried on the property.
Overall, the book is a Southern gothic horror story that intricately explores complex themes such as internalised racism, colourism, and the enduring impact of slavery. The narrative drew me in as I found myself rooting for Jemma to escape the oppressive environment created by the Duchon family.
A poignant aspect of the book was how the characters who showed remorse and a willingness to change suffered while the more heinous ones did not. Despite their unlikeable behaviour, I felt sympathy for Laurence and Fosette, who have been trapped in the house since childhood due to a curse. I could understand how their circumstances shaped their personalities.
Massive thank you to Netgalley for the Digital ARC version of This Cursed House in exchange for an honest review
The narrative also delves into the changing social landscape in the USA, with civil rights protests gaining momentum. The book explores the significance of ethnicity and skin colour, especially within the Black community, and depicts Jemma's feelings of belonging in Chicago compared to being an outsider in Louisiana.
Jemma's employers, the Duchon family, are portrayed as reclusive and peculiar. They claim to be "coloured," but their behaviour reveals their racism towards Black people. As Jemma learns more about the family and the haunted house they inhabit, she encounters the ghosts of the enslaved people buried on the property.
Overall, the book is a Southern gothic horror story that intricately explores complex themes such as internalised racism, colourism, and the enduring impact of slavery. The narrative drew me in as I found myself rooting for Jemma to escape the oppressive environment created by the Duchon family.
A poignant aspect of the book was how the characters who showed remorse and a willingness to change suffered while the more heinous ones did not. Despite their unlikeable behaviour, I felt sympathy for Laurence and Fosette, who have been trapped in the house since childhood due to a curse. I could understand how their circumstances shaped their personalities.
Massive thank you to Netgalley for the Digital ARC version of This Cursed House in exchange for an honest review
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