This was a fascinating read, absolutely enthralling. Three half sisters are summoned by their father to the house in Cornwall where they used to meet every summer. He has things he wants to tell them.

They have recently met at the funeral of one of their mothers, but relationships are not easy.

Readers become aware that something occurred twenty years before that affected the family dramatically and we spend most of the book piecing that together. The author does a very good job of preventing us from learning the full truth too quickly, at the same time as giving us a picture of how things are now. A mystery in the true sense of the word.

Highly recommended. ( )

THE GOOD:
Very atmospheric and moody. The dual timeline makes for an interesting juxtaposition. The hot summer and the solar eclipse in the 1999 timeline add a simmering undercurrent that crackles. As does the parrot and her semi-spooky repetitions. And a Cornwall setting on the moors is a classic for a gothic novel; the scenery is really a character in itself here.

The story rotates through the points of view of the three sisters, who are all well-developed characters, each with her own "voice" and outlook, which adds a nice depth to the tale.

As with a quintessential gothic, there's a mystery that unravels in a slow burn.

THE BAD:
I wasn't completely shocked by the ultimate reveal. I could have used a little more surprise factor; or something more shocking. That said, there is a fine line between foreshadowing too little or too much; and I'd rather guess in advance than feel like something came out of left field.

CONCLUSION:
Great for fans of spooky mysteries, classic gothic lit, and/or book club fans. Recommended for a fab, absorbing novel. ( )

Set against the backdrop of Cornwall with a cornucopia of characters each with their own complex backgrounds that makes them feel real. Some beautiful prose yet also fairly fast paced which made it engaging ( )

The Birdcage by Eve Chase is a 2022 G.P. Putnam’s Sons publication.

Three half-sisters- Kat, Flora, and Lauren- are reunited at Black Point- their father’s home on the Cornish Cliffs, after their father, a famous artist, summons them with the promise of a big announcement.

It is evidently the first time all three women have visited Black Point since one fateful summer they spent together as teens- the summer their father painted their portrait, which became one of his most famous paintings...

Being back brings back intense memories of that summer- for Lauren especially, as she recalls the way her sisters treated her, being supplanted as her father’s studio assistant by the woman who was supposed to be taking care of the girls, and her close friendship with the daughter of an estate worker.

As these memories draw closer to the surface, a pending sense of doom hangs over them as the women examine their lives now, and how that eventful summer shaped them as adults, while finally coming to terms with a startling truth about their father, and themselves, that will have a long-lasting effect on them all...

I have read a couple of books by this author and loved her style- which has strong Gothic influence in it- so I was really looking forward this, her latest effort.

Unfortunately, this one fell flat. Yes, I’m an outlier- this is an unpopular opinion- but I thought the story was all over the place, and ultimately, I didn’t feel that it came together cohesively at all. It was predictable in many ways, and I saw the big reveal coming a mile off. The atmosphere I was expecting was absent… blah, blah, blah.

No need to pick the book apart, really- it just missed the mark for me. I’m writing these words all too often this year, I'm afraid, and growing weary of writing reviews like this one.

Based on the average ratings for this book, though, it seems as though the problem might be mine- as most people seemed to have enjoyed it far more than I did- so don’t let me dissuade you. Hopefully, you will have better luck with it than I did. ( )

Reunions can be a minefield for exposing dysfunctional family relationships. When Flora, Kat and Lauren gather at the Cornish coast for a visit with their ailing father, they face all the pitfalls of a reunion, in addition to remembering a traumatic event that took place on the evening of a summer eclipse when they were just girls.

Charlie Finch, a famous painter, was also a bit of a philanderer. He enjoyed more than one marriage and at least three daughters - all by different mothers. He blended this family together on summer holidays at Rock Point, the gothic family estate on the coastline of Cornwall.

This is a story full of complicated relationships. During the visit, secrets are brought out in the open, true emotions are revealed and the family confronts the trauma that occurred on the night of the eclipse.

The sense of place is wonderful. An old gothic mansion on the coast of Cornwall with the ocean as a backdrop really set the tone for the story.

The book is a slow burn and everything seems to pick up speed as the reader gets deeper into the story. I’m glad I stayed the course and finished this book because having read the entire story put everything into perspective and the ending was very satisfying.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group - Putnam for allowing me to read and advance copy. I am happy to offer my honest review. ( )