Our main characters name is Andromeda, Andi for short and she is a new practicing debtera. A debtera is a exorcist and she has left her childhood home to find a patronage so she wont have to have a license in the future to work more exorcism jobs. She gets to the home of a white man who is heir to a chocolate empire. She meets the head house keeper and the rest of the staff and she learns the rules. She has to abide by a 10PM curfew which she immediately breaks the first night and regrets it instantly.

I ended up giving this book a 5 out of 5 stars because it was very creepy and so atmospheric. I felt transported to this hell hole and the characters felt so real. I was annoyed by the constant back and forth between Magnus and Andi with should they be together or not. I wish there were more of the country setting included. It briefly mentions that Ethiopia allowed slavery and that basically it. It doesn't mention town names or history. The word colonizer is used towards Magnus.

A reimagining of Jane Eyre with magic and a sassy heroine?? I was hooked with the blurb - unfortunately I don't feel that it delivered quite up to what I expected... It was probably a mistake for me to attempt to read a retelling of a classic that I love, but it seemed like there would be enough differences that I would be able to accept the framework without feeling like I was looking for a retelling (hello Pride, Prejudice and Zombies).

Unfortunately, something about this one just didn't resonate with me. I felt like there wasn't enough explanation of the magic and the amulets and world- building, and it rushed into the relationship between the characters and the creepy bits too quickly. Overall the whole thing felt rushed and didn't develop as I wanted it to... Still, it's an excellent concept and I give Blackwood tremendous props for audacious creativity!

Thanks to NetGalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

If you're looking for a quick, compelling read, you will likely enjoy this book. There isn't a whole lot of complexity to it and it's fairly predictable, but it's still engaging enough to make you want to keep reading.

Andromeda is a debtera, or an exorcist, who is trained to eliminate manifestations from houses. She is hired by Magnus Rochester to expel the Evil Eye that has been plaguing his house since his father was in charge. Andromeda is the eleventh debtera that he has hired. There are several rules that everyone in the house is required to follow, including staying in your room after 10 p.m. and not making eye contact with Mr. Rochester unless you are wearing an amulet. As Andromeda moves into the house to begin cleansing the manifestations, she realizes that she has encountered something far more sinister than she is used to and that she is in over her head.

What I liked:
-- I liked that it was a retelling of Jane Eyre, or a loose one. For me, I enjoyed noting the similarities between the novels and the creative liberties the author took.
-- I liked the concept of the manifestations and The Evil Eye. While a little predictable, instead of a mad woman in the attic, there is a hyena that comes out at night and preys on any individual who has made eye contact with Mr. Rochester. I don't want to spoil the only real twist in the book, but I liked the role of the hyena.

What I didn't like:
-- The romance. It was a little insta-lovey, and it just didn't feel genuine or real. It felt very childish. Andromeda was either complaining about their relationship or pining over it. It took up more of the story than I thought it should have.
-- The plot was not very complex. The story is very plot driven, but there just wasn't a lot of subplots to track.
-- Every other relationship felt basic and not completely fleshed out. I felt like the author could have done so much more with the relationships between Jember and Andromeda and Jember and Saba. I didn't feel anything towards any of the characters because their back stories and relationships just seemed so surface to me.

Overall, an easy and quick read, but not one of my favorites.

I really loved the concept behind this book - and would have loved some more information on the magic, amulets,etc. Overall, this was an easy read which was nice. I wanted to love this book - but it felt choppy and disjointed. I felt like scenes were missing or just didn’t make sense at all. As for the relationship between the main characters, it made absolutely no sense to me. I just truly did not believe their relationship at all and couldn’t believe it would develop like that.

What made me interested in this book was a unique take on an old story. An Ethiopian inspired retelling of Jane Eyre where our heroine is a debtera, an exorcist, on her last chance of survival after her guardian kicks her out of the house before her training is complete. Her only hope to maintain a career as a debtera without proper certification is obtain patronage to prove that she is skilled in her job. Andromeda takes a job to cleanse a house for the quirky Magnus Rochester that ten previous debtera have not been able to complete.

Let’s start with the plot, while I do not feel as if there was much Jane Eyre inspiration past the creepy mansion, I found the story very unique. There were some creepy moments that had me on the edge of my seat, specifically that first experience with the Manifestations in the mansion. I wish there were more moments like this throughout the book because that was when the story shined. While I thought the story was interesting, I wish there was slightly more explanation for the different aspects of this world, and more of a lead up to the reveal of the Evil Eye in the middle of the book.

Even though I did wish for some more explanations, I felt that the magic system was very well-developed and had a clear purpose. I also really enjoyed the different characters in the book, and how the author decided to take them out of the stereotypical gender roles. My favorite parts were the interactions between Andromeda and her adoptive father and seeing the growth between the two as the story progressed. If you are looking for a unique book with an interesting plot line and enjoyable characters, this book is for you.

This was a solid story that I am excited for people to experience.

I would have liked the writing and world building to be a bit tighter but omg idc i loved the setting and the magic system. It was so fascinating and original and unlike anything I have read before

I have not read Jane Eyre but I read a summary of i.t. before starting WTWK so I could see the comparisons and derivations whilst reading the WTWK. The world-building and concept of debteras was super intriguing, as well as how they're connected to the main character Andromeda. Andromeda is our protagonist who is an exorcist or a debtera, and is on her way to exorcise the Evil Eye off the home of Magnus Rochester. Magnus was a very compelling character -- at times I found him overbearing and immature, but there were many moments between him and Andromeda that I truly enjoyed. As well as the character of Saba who is an endearing side character. I wish the climax hadn't been as fast, but I think it ends well for a standalone. Overall, I really enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more from this author.

Within These Wicked Walls turned out to be a love story I didn’t expect. It had so many twists and turns but it all tied together perfectly for me. The cover is what drew me in initially, but I was pulled all the way in by the end of the first page. There were some moments where the characters were insufferable, but that was the point, and I loved them even more in the end for their quirks. If you’re a reader who likes a little fantasy with their love, this is an amazing read. #WithinTheseWickedWalls

I've never read Jane Eyre and now this is two books in less than six months that's either a retelling or inspired by? This is lovely and Gothic with a wonderful Ethiopia-inspired setting and I want to read this again already. Thank you very much to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the ARC!

This is debut novel brings a different fantastical element to the table: the idea of the debtera, a person who cleanses the sins from a house. The debtera who is the main character in this book has many emotional issues to overcome as she cleanses the home of a young, wealthy chocolatier under the influence of the Evil Eye. This is a solid first effort.

Fun YA retelling of Jane Eyre. Ideal for teens and young readers who like romance. Personally I did not like this book , but that is the me and not the book,

Within These Wicked Walls has left me speechless. I finished it last week and I still cannot formulate words to articulate how amazing this book was. The character arcs and the setting felt so real and like people I've known my entire life. The writing was top notch and honestly I'm surprised more aren't talking about this epic book.

This was a fast-paced, creepy book that I enjoyed quite a lot.
The thing with this book that harms it, for me, was the insta-love. The worst part of that is that Magnus and Andromeda have amazing chemistry. Their romance just felt like it happened all of a sudden after some witty banter. The physical chemistry is almost non-existence, and it felt like it came completely out of the blue. The romance issue alone affected the reading for me. This took a star away, despite how much I wanted to love the book. If insta-love is your thing, you may really and truly enjoy this.
There is a healthy level of resolution to this tale, that left me feeling satisfied and pleased. This really was a fantastic book, and I am very glad I got to read it.
Full review October 25th, 2021.

Andromeda has been trained by her mentor Jember to be a debtera, an exorcist who cleanses households of the Evil Eye. When she turns 19, Jember abruptly ends her training forcing her to live on the streets with no way to earn her debtera license. Without a license, she must find a Patron, preferably one who is rich and well-connected. She is hired by a handsome young heir named Magnus Rochester who is cursed by the Evil Eye. Andi gradually begins “cleansing” the house of the manifestations but the servants continue to disappear. Andi begins to fall in love with Magnus and feels desperate to rid him of the curse. She devises a plan but there are many risks and not everyone will make it out alive. This was a great story and a bit spooky at times. The characters were well developed and I liked that a few of them were given a chance to redeem themselves. I did feel that there were a few things that were not explained well enough. The actual curse itself is only briefly discussed and I don't really understand why it was created in the first place. I would have preferred some more background into the relationship of Magnus' parents and a bit more background for Jember. I especially liked the character of Saba and the bond she shares with the other characters. Andi is a likable character and you can't help but root for her to succeed. This story is a loosely-based retelling of Jane Eyre. It has a gothic, horror aspect to it. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Firstly I have to say a huge shout out to Saba. What a character!

To be completely honest I'm a little saddened I didn't love this book, I liked it and really liked it in some places but it fell short in a few places for total immersive enjoyment.

The biggest shortcoming for me was the relationship between Andi and Magnus, I didn't 'feel' the instalove (but then I don't like instalove). To be totally honest Magnus was written in some areas as world wise and old beyond his years, then acted like a petulant child who'd had his toys taken away in other areas. But his spoiled brattiness was also sometimes fun. Andi was too 'god fearing' for my tastes, but then that is exactly that, my preference to not want to read it. It was like she was saying it's okay to love someone who'll emotionally abuse you and with her mentor Jember to physically abuse you. Toxic to the core and absolutely not okay. But she's also resilient, she has two sides, strong yet unsure.

But this story does have substance, it has sticky glue that holds you firm and oh again re Saba, loved that woman! Couldn't stand Peggy, but I love characters I dislike and Jember, well, read the book, he's a right marmite character that grows on you! Same goes for Kelela.

The gothic horror, was very well done, a house that bleeds, a house that's going to swallow you whole, chilling manifestions that keep you behind locked doors after 10pm, another area where it's gripping and keeps you gripped.

All in all a solid 3.5 star rating, bordering on 4 in a lot of areas, hence happy to say a 4 star read, well worth it even if you're not fans of Jane Eyre, which I am not :)

I really enjoyed this book, I loved the Jane Eyre retelling it was giving. Loved the Ethiopian-inspired fantasy world building. Loved the diversity and representation it carried, overall a pretty amazing read! 4.5/5!!

Within These Wicked Walls follows Andromeda, a debtera, an exorcist hired to cleanse homes from Manifestations of the Evil Eye. Hired by a young heir, Mangus Rochester, to cleanse his haunted castle, Andromeda is swept into horrifying Manifestations, an unexpected romance and the looming threat of death at every corner.

This book is marketed as a Ethiopian-inspired Jane Eyre retelling, but it broken my cardinal sin of retelling: mentioned Jane Eyre, the book. The parallels in the book are really well constructed, just enough without being too much, so mentioning Jane Eyre in chapter 15 broke the illusion for me. Especially given that the Mr. Rochester and his home, Thornfield, are taken directly from Jane Eyre by name. The passage brought up by the appearance of the book could have been introduced another way.

This book lacked world building. What we get of the magic system is phenomenal. Manifestations of the Evil Eye, only forced away by carefully constructed silver amulets? INCREDIBLE. There are enough context clues to guess this is Ethiopia (Ethiopia inspired points that way), in the desert for sure. But beyond that, everything else felt up in the air. Talk of horse drawn coaches and dowries suggests 19th century (in line with Jane Eyre) but the dialogue feels incredible modernized. Kelela’s ever changing hair color (pink/blue) feels very modern. A mix because it’s a fantasy and anything goes? I couldn’t tell. The Ethiopian history this book was inspired by was implied throughout the book, but never fully explained. It could have benefited from that being introduced more solidly, especially because it isn’t such common place knowledge (which is unfortunate because it’s incredibly interesting). I was craving more than what I go from a world that could have been constructed into something more than it was.

Time continuity was a struggle. One chapter opened by referencing a conversation an hour ago, but several pages later into connected dialogue, it was a day ago. Another chapter writes in present tense but then time jumps a full day two paragraphs later with no separation. “She can sleep in my room tonight…I would take her to the city as soon as she was ready,” to they’re at the stable sentences later, no break. For once in a book, I wanted filler so that time jumps weren’t so sudden. It feels like days pass in events only to find out it’s been weeks and months.

Andromeda as a character is really hard to like. Sold by her parents, stolen from those who bought her and raised by an abusive mentor, she clearly has trauma that needs to be dealt with. Being raised to be street smart, raised with devout faith in God, yet so willing to give it all up for a cursed boy who led her on, a boy she barely knows? There was such an opportunity to make Andromeda a strong, independent lead character, even within a romance, despite her stunted childhood and instead she seemed like a whiny little girl who desperately needed to be hugged by a parental figure. The same for Magnus. Understandably living with unimaginable burden like the curse is hard, but he felt whiny and immature, completely out of touch with the privileged his money allowed him, cursed or not. There was definitely a solid character lurking below the surface, but it was never fully manifested. They both lacked character development throughout. Their romance was toxic and abrupt, to say the least. And then felt stilted. Will they, won’t they, will they, won’t they. As a Jane Eyre retelling, I knew it wouldn’t be an easy path but the path they took was absolutely unbearable.

I was so excited for the Gothic-romance this book promised and I was so disappointed not to get it.

Within These Wicked Walls is a brilliantly written gothic, fairy tale that indulges its readers with an intricate magic system, a heart-stopping romance, and suspenseful storyline. Although I dived into this book for the Jane Eyre-esque aesthetic, I have thoroughly loved it for it stood out on its own. That conclusion was totally satisfying.

Well that was fun.

I thoroughly enjoyed this fantasy retelling of Jane Eyre. It’s no secret that retellings of classics are high on my list of favorite tropes, and this one did not disappoint. I especially loved the softer, more emotional spin on the Rochester character. Magnus kept the soul of Edward Rochester alive while changing many of the things that made him kind of icky. Andromeda is a kick butt protagonist too... so much to love here!

I hate that I didn't love this. Because the framework is exactly what I should love. Jane Eyre inspired (I don't think calling it a retelling is accurate), a small window into a different culture, beautiful setting, interesting magic system, a heroine who actually kinda looks like me for a change - it's all there in theory, but the execution didn't convince me all the way through.

The beginning was very strong in my opinion; I loved that we were thrown into the story and the action right away. That worked. That worked very well. The same is true for the ending. It made me emotional, it had supense, it left me reasonably satisfied (though I gotta say, maybe a further glimpse into the protagonists' future or idea of a future would have been nice).

But the entire middle part didn't. I believe most of it had to do with our protagonists relationship. Insta-love just doesn't work for me in most cases, and this one is no exception. It's extra frustrating however, because I do! like them together, I just don't see much reason for them! to want that just yet. When they're beginning to speak of love, all I can think is "Ya'll haven't even known each other long enough to have figured out each other's favorite colors". Not to say that random trivial knowledge about the other person is the absolute indicator of love, but, you know? What foundation do these two have at that point?
There was such disparity between some of those incredibly tender moments on page and the reality of the lack of development outside them.

I also didn't really have time to develop attachment to anyone in the side cast of the castle (except Saba), which is a shame because whenever someone used to vanish/die I had to literally remind myself who that even was. No one gets more page time than absolutely necessary to establish that they are there, but then ... why are they even there? Just as plot devices to establish what the curse does? That alone doesn't really do it for me.

I liked the writing well enough, but had some issues with the dialogue. Some of it seemed strangely disconnected and I don't think that had anything to do with Magnus' scatterbrained tendencies.

All in all, I would still recommend this book for the mystery, the setting, the POC cast and the magic, especially if insta-love doesn't bother you.


**Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this early in exchange for an honest review.