Final Rating:
Date of Completion: 21/03/2025
Published by: Bolinda audio
ISBN: 9781038669094
‘Inheritance’ is yet another book that started with a lot of promise but ultimately drowned my interest in a sea of tedious details.
Cover:
Writing:
Storyline:
Main character(s):
Secondary characters:
Romance:
Narration & Audio:
I was initially impressed by the ominous prologue, which features the murder of a bride in her wedding clothes and sets the stage for what could have been a captivating thriller/horror story. Sadly, the excessive and mundane details about the main character’s life made the storyline painfully slow, and I quickly became bored. The haunted manor also fell flat for me as the eerie incidents were downplayed and normalised to the point where they failed to create lasting tension. Even the ending was unsatisfying, as just when the story finally seemed like it was about to gain momentum, it abruptly ended on a cliffhanger!
Finding something just means looking in the right place
Like the storyline, the main character, Sonya, initially seemed interesting since she avoided many clichés. However, I struggled to care about her character as the story progressed since her conflicts felt overly simplistic and dull. The secondary characters fared no better, and they failed to leave a lasting impression beyond the support they gave Sonya. Even the male lead was unmemorable, with no defined personality or notable contribution to the storyline. Their romance also felt rushed and awkward, adding little to the story.
Planning a wedding equalled insanity.
Brittany Pressley’s narration was undoubtedly the highlight. Her nuanced performance, complete with character voices and accents, truly boosted the listening experience. I also had no issues with the casual, easy-to-follow writing style, and I loved how the manor was painted in vivid detail.
Discussion Questions (Contains spoilers!):
Q: How would you react if you received Sonya’s inheritance?
I would have a bittersweet reaction as I would grieve the loss of the relative who died but would also be over the moon about inheriting such a grand estate and trust! To me, Sonya’s reaction did not quite capture this complexity. Her reservations about the life-altering opportunity and fresh start the inheritance offered were baffling, especially considering her situation at the time. Also, while the manor’s remote location would give me some concerns, moving in with family or friends easily solves this issue.
Q: What is the creepiest thing you have experienced in a house?
I haven’t experienced anything beyond typical house sounds like a door slamming shut from the wind or the stairs of an old house creaking when no one is around. Nothing truly eerie or unsettling has happened to me.
It has to be the DJing ghost! It may not be for everyone, but I’m the type of person who starts singing a song if there’s a musical reference in the conversation, so I enjoyed the fun and whimsical touch the ghost added to the story.
Q: Do you have any similar recommendations?
I recently read Don’t Tell Me How to Die by Marshall Karp, which has a similar structure to this book. As a result, I had the same struggles with both books, but those who enjoyed this should enjoy that one as well.
Do you agree or disagree with anything mentioned above? Let us know in the comments below.
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