Dragonwyck Book

Some books have a magnetism that prevails over style, consistency in plot or used-to- death narrative formulas. Dragonwyck is one of them.
A mix between the Gothic ambiance of Du Maurier's famous Manderley and Brönte's Byronic Mr. Rochester that works phenomenally for fans of Victorian fiction.

Seyton knows perfectly well what her readers expect when they enter the sinuous darkness of her novels. A fair, gullible farmgirl; a seductive, mysterious nobleman and an impressive mansion, quaint during the day, but gloomy and full of mysterious secrets in the nighttime when ghosts fill the hush of the damp hallways with premonitory whispers of the past.

Even though the outcome of the story is predictable, I basked in the female protagonist's development towards adulthood and the blossoming of her own will. Also, the escalating sense of foreboding was masterly exploited to provide context to the underlying sub-plots: the questioning of the feudal system, the difference between passion and obsession, lust and love, and the psychological dive into the convoluted working of irrational attraction towards dominant individuals who distort reality and manipulate feelings for their selfish purposes.
I won't deny that the brief appearance of Melville and Poe was a guilty pleasure, even though the scenes where they appear might easily be described as more far-fetched than necessary.

All in all, this is the kind of novel that will provide delightful entertainment and have you turning pages till the wee hours of the night. Perfect choice for a light, charming read that will leave you with the sweet taste of reading hours well spent, and wanting for more!