Reviews with content warning for Infidelity - The Animals at Lockwood Manor

All in all, the book was a lot darker than I expected, it wasn't a terrilble read, it was readable enough but nothing much stood out to me, in terms of writing style or characterization.

The writing style especially felt a little bit flat for me, I found the prose either quite plain or overdone, too much sensational. The narrative was a bit disjointed and slow-moving. At times, it felt like the descriptions dragged on and there was little else under the surface to keep you engaged.

As the story progressed and more and more dark themes were added, it became quite a lot to digest. I think that this darkenss, paired with the really gothic setting and the supernatural undertones, made the story feel at times a little bit "too much", too melodramatic.

I admit that I'm not really keen on taxidermy so maybe it's mostly on me, but I still think that there were really too many details about the animals
that added little to the story. Especially in the final part of the book, there were way too many lists, I counted at least 5, interminable catalogues of animals and objects that really took me out of the reading experience and just annoyed me.

I can appreciate the ending chosen for the main characters but the story
and its characters did not particularly stand out to me, it was just okay. I think I came into it with too high expectations and so I was even more disappointed.

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sarah984's review against another edition

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dark mysterious slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

This was an interesting gothic style novel about a woman who accompanies part of a museum collection to be protected in a manor house during the second world war. This novel is extremely slow and very little actually happens, but the atmosphere was great and the twist regarding the actual nature of what was going on in the house surprised me.

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longlost's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

This book was sold to me as "a ghostly, gothic love story" and you know what. That checks out. Props to the author because at no point in this Decently Long book do I feel like we're not right there in 1939 despite the book being published in 2020. It's super cool to see how some authors can immerse a reader into the past, and considering the 30s were almost 100 years ago at this point it's just incredibly cool to read a book where it feels like you're there in that time.

The narration by both POV characters felt very genuine as women in the late 30s, and the gothic mystery elements were very well done. You do feel the tension as Hetty struggles to understand what is going on with the animals she's been charged to care for, and the strange responses from some of the people at Lockwood. Lucy is a beacon of light in this book; where every other character is dismissive and at times outright cruel, Lucy meets Hetty's concerns with kindness and empathy.

Their romance is also lovely to read; Healey develops their connection in an incredibly heartfelt way, and you find yourself rooting for Hetty and Lucy to reach their happy ending at the book's conclusion.

It's important to note that the book has no shortage of potentially triggering content; there are heavy themes of mental health issues that can be uncomfortable to read about, along with the end stretch of the book revealing a pedophilic relationship in a way that is very jarring and graphic. This is definitely a book to approach cautiously if you're triggered by any of the things listed in the content warnings.

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stormwise's review against another edition

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dark mysterious tense

3.5

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emmathetanner's review against another edition

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dark mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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emmaward55's review against another edition

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dark mysterious tense

Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes

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rorikae's review against another edition

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emotional mysterious medium-paced

Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

'The Animals at Lockwood Manor' by Jane Healey is an intriguing historical fiction novel with a possibly haunted house and a collection of animal specimens at its center.
With World War 2 on the horizon, Hetty is sent along with a collection of mammals from the natural history museum to Lockwood Manor, an estate far enough outside of London to keep the collection safe. But Lockwood Manor is haunted, or so it seems, though it is unclear who may be stalking the halls. Lucy Lockwood, Lord Lockwood’s daughter, is plagued by her mother’s death and strange occurrences around the animal collection have begun to transpire.
There are many things that I think are strong points in ‘The Animals at Lockwood Manor.’ The atmosphere of the possibly haunted estate is palpable, added to by the inclusion of stuffed animals that have been added to its halls. Hetty and Lucy are both complex and fascinating characters who are both dealing with trauma while trying to figure out who they want to be. Healey’s prose is evocative and adds to the atmosphere as we learn more about Lockwood Manor and what has happened in its halls.
I did have a few problems with the story. Though there were hints dropped throughout the story leading up to the reveal of what is actually happening at Lockwood, I found the truth of the situation unsatisfying. This is due in great part to the fact that the villain of the story gets to get away with zero consequences or being held to account for their actions. I also would have liked some further explanation around Lucy's mother as her situation was important to the story but I never felt that it was fleshed out as fully as I would have liked. I also found that the narrative of the story, which switches between first person chapters from Hetty and Lucy's perspective, could be confusing and hard to tell apart at times. Despite these issues, I still think it is a pleasant read with good atmosphere. If you are looking for interesting historical fiction with an original premise and an unsettling atmosphere, ‘The Animals at Lockwood Manor’ is a good choice.

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