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Ever since they were first introduced to a little-known gothic romance novel called Moira, Adelle and Connie have shared a deep love of the story and its characters. When a mysterious stranger tells them he knows a spell that can transport them into the world of the book, they jump at the chance, even though they strongly doubt it will work.
Suddenly, the friends find themselves thrust into the story among characters they’ve obsessed with for years. But nothing is how they remember it. Instead of lavish balls and star-crossed love affairs, there are vacant homes and tales of unspeakable horrors. Gangs of vigilantes ride penny farthings in the empty streets, and a sea monster lurks in Boston Harbor.
If the girls hope to escape this nightmare with their lives, they’ll have to join forces with a group of unlikely side characters and find a way to rewrite the story’s wrongs.
If I had known this book contained tentacled monsters and other hideous monstrosities, I probably wouldn’t have read it. Instead, like so many other unsuspecting readers, I was drawn to the premise of two modern girls entering the world of their favorite book. The blurb promised “unspeakable horrors” and “something dark,” so I expected to find a gothic thriller and maybe a serial killer on the prowl — something definitely rooted in a historical setting with elements of magical realism. Instead, The Book of Living Secrets enters the category of Lovecraftian horror. As such, it will take a specific audience to fully appreciate this book for what it is.
However, the story brings up the interesting concept that there is more to the tale than what you see on the page. It twists the viewpoint of the story so the side characters and other situations that are not relevant to the main character’s story really shine.
Overall, this horror book is certainly bizarre, but it definitely isn’t boring. It succeeds in mashing magical realism with gothic, Victorian, post-apocalyptic elements. Whether that has the making of an intriguing read or a macabre concept, I will leave you, the reader, to decide.
Rated: Moderate. Profanity includes one variation of strong language, one use of moderate language, 17 uses of mild language, and around 15 uses of the name of Deity. Violence includes a cult group sacrificing sedated humans to a monster in the sea. Another monster “absorbs” humans and wears their anguished faces on its body. A character is swallowed and regurgitated by a sea monster. Two characters endure emotional and physical bullying. A character is stabbed with shears and loses a lot of blood. The story also features elements of the esoteric and occult with mentions of tarot cards and star charts. Characters receive a palm reading, discuss their belief in demons, and participate in the spell that transports them into the fictional world of Moira. Couples, including two female characters, kiss.
