Book Cover

Shall we never, never get rid of this Past?

# Review

The story surrounds the occupants of a gloomy New England mansion, brother and sister Clifford and Hepzibah Pyncheon, distant family member Phoebe, and a boarding guest Holgrave. Each of the characters are distinct, with their own personalities and quirks. The story covers the background of the characters and the house, including the dark history of the family.

This is what I envision a New England Gothic romantic comedy to be, with eccentric characters and a pre-destined romance. While it was interesting to read about the social structure of the late-17th century and mid-19th century, overall, this book wasn't my cup of tea. The language is clearly from another period, making for a very slow read, and the plot (except for a few moments) is fairly non-dramatic and benign (by modern standards).

# Conclusion

It's an interesting premise but the book did not age well.

# Overall rating: 6.6

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