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Content snapshot
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Violence
Some
A house fire with deaths; some violence in the family history
Language
Barely any
Mild language; Gothic literary prose
Sexual Content
Barely any
Brief references to sexuality in the family history
Substance Use
None
No significant substance use
Emotional Intensity
A lot
Gothic atmosphere; themes of twins, identity, madness, and buried family secrets
What this book is about
Famous novelist Vida Winter summons young biographer Margaret Lea to hear her true life story for the first time. The tale that emerges involves twins, madness, fire, and a family secret buried for decades. Setterfield's Gothic debut is an unapologetically old-fashioned mystery that pays homage to the Brontës and Wilkie Collins.
Notes for sensitive readers
Reader-flagged moments and themes that may affect your experience.
Madness and psychological instability in characters
Family fire and deaths
Dark secrets and deception at the novel's core
Reader Verification
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