Eh....

Sometimes classic don't need to be expanded on or history to be rewritten. This is more of a gossipy tale of the Brontes.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the chance to read this book.

This had me confused from the start,and that's probably due to my lack of knowledge of the Bronte's.
Once I'd fully established it was actually our main character who was more confused than me,things fell in to place a bit better.
Whilst it did a good job of fleshing out the stories of some of the characters,the book jumped around a bit too much for my liking.

This is a clever addition to the wealth of books touching on the Bronte legend. Presented alternately as letters and direct experiences, this book will captivate readers who see this story as a mystery to be sold just as much as it is a tribute to a classic tale. I found the writing style a bit overblown at times but I think this was deliberate to demonstrate the different perspectives.

Dark Wuthering Heights is a divisive book. Though much of it is disturbing and shocking for its time, it is a work of art, a Classic, beautifully written. Emma Tennant takes this a step further as she writes about the ghastly and cruel character of Heathcliff and his obsession with his equally obsessed Cathy and how she feels it could have gone.

Part parody, part fiction and part nonfiction (which presumably would be tricky to do!) the story includes the Bronte family members as well as Wuthering Heights characters plus new characters, particularly that of a lawyer who seeks to learn more by locating a burnt manuscript. This takes him down a ghostly twisty turny path as he has encounters which are closer than he would like. He fears he himself is going mad. So does his uncle. I love that the book is partly epistolary and written with various character perspectives including Isabella's views. I have read and re-read all of the Bronte sister books over and over so was ecstatic to see this.

Though parts of the book aren't believable (Branwell's role) or accurate, I enjoyed it purely for its intriguing fiction and perspectives. Much-maligned Heathcliff is definitely a psychological study to be reckoned with! What a great topic to write about.

My sincere thank you to Agora Books and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this fascinating re-publication in exchange for an honest review. It was a fun read!