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In London in the 1920s, Jan Challard leads a respectable life, dates a respectable man. But it all seems dull. It’s only the hope of a dashing and a bit dangerous “Gentleman Unknown” that gives her life a bit of excitement. Jan has seen him in dreams, in a picture, almost in flashes, but he doesn’t truly appear in her life.
In the English countryside in 1779, Juliana Clare is the pampered youngest daughter of the late Lord Chidleigh, enjoying a fine life at a large estate. At 17, adulthood is just around the corner, and there are hints of marriage in her near future. She has family and friends she cares about, but Juliana feels a lack of … something … in her predictable life. Then her oldest brother, the newest lord of the manor, comes home after being away for several years, and he indicates he understands her longings. Juliana and Lucian talk of some of the unusual things he’s seen and been involved with, and he works with her secretly to encourage her spirit to “wander.”
At times, Juliana is shocked to find herself seeing people she doesn’t know, in strange dress, on the estate, and her brother seems to be longing for one particular young woman she sees several times. It’s disturbing and unnerving for Juliana but also exciting, relieving the boredom of endless days shut up in her country house, occasionally going to other country houses, being potentially promised to marry someone in another country house.
Tragedy brings it all to a head, however, and difficult choices must be made that will affect the course of Juliana’s, Lucian’s and even Jan’s lives.
Still She Wished for Company is a book originally published in 1924 and recently treated to a new release. It’s described as gothic, a ghost story, and it is, but even as it was appropriately atmospheric and slightly paranormal, it all fell slightly flat for me. I never felt it went where it could have gone; it just tiptoed around and then came back from potentially more interesting territory. It all made sense and came together; I had just imagined it would be more.
Rated: Mild, for about 10 instances of mild language, some mild violence, and brief references to some unsavory behaviors in secret societies.
*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
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