The Manor of Dreams

Vivian Yin was the first Chinese actress to win an Oscar. She lived with her husband Richard and three daughters in a gothic mansion in California. When Vivian dies the daughters expect everything to go to them. However when the will is read they have a surprise, the house goes to another family.

This is the first time reading a book by this author. I was intrigued by the premise especially when the story has gothic vibes, a rambling old house and family secrets.

The story has a supernatural element to it alongside the family drama. I did feel though that the story was more family drama than supernatural.

I was really invested in the story and there was a lot that held my interest. I always enjoy a book which has family secrets and I show more didn't guess some but did others. I also enjoy books which have some supernatural elements and in this case the story had both with the ghostly goings on more present towards the end.

I quite enjoyed the book especially the parts with Vivian and her life as an actress and her marriage to Richard. I did think the story did start off slow but picked up for me when I started reading about Vivian.

I would probably read more by the author in the future. show less

I wonder- did I get a different edition of this book than others did? So many other readers loved it, I am in the minority here!

Muddled
Disorganized
At times confusing
Overly drawn-out descriptions.
Sapphic sexual tension that added nothing to the story.

I don't know why I pushed myself so hard to finish this novel. But finish it I did! If it had been a little worse, I would not have finished it. Kudos to those who loved it! The last few chapters of this book made it somewhat worthwhile.

This book blends horror with family drama, or rather a saga, and so far, the family drama has won out over the horror, but it's as dull as all get out.

This would have been, in my opinion, a better book had the author stuck to the modern-day setting and show more explored what happened to Vivian by searching the possessed house and digging a little deeper to uncover the truth about the husband and the deceased daughter. Dealt less with the past and added more of the horror to it.

Finding out more about Vivian while searching this haunted house would have been ideal. It might also have been better if we hadn't had to learn so much about Vivian and her career and all the minutia that went with it.

*ARC supplied by the publisher Avid Reader Press / Simon & Schuster, the author, and NetGalley. show less

I'd say read this if you're looking for family drama/secrets/minorities in Hollywood stories. Don't read this if you're looking for horror. There are a few bits here and there, particularly at the very end, where some strange things happen, but overall this reminded me of "Not Your China Doll" mixed with Mexican Gothic. I wish we had more of the present day storyline through the middle of the book.

SO deliciously creepy and twisted and good. I want to see this as a Mike Flanagan-directed limited series.