Within These Wicked Walls is a standalone Ethiopian historical fantasy retelling of Jane Eyre, where the protagonist, Andromeda, is hired to exorcise a manor house of the Evil Eye. However, she soon discovers that both the house and its young master, Magnus Rochester, are not what they seem, and the house staff keep disappearing. Andi is an engaging protagonist with equal parts spunk and humility, a vast improvement on her classic literary archetype. The prose is engaging and perfectly balances deep character moments with necessary worldbuilding. While Magnus didn’t appeal to me personally as a viable love interest, other readers may find his interactions with Andi to be romantic.

I have not read Jane Eyre (yet!) so I can't comment on how close of a retelling Within These Wicked Walls was. However, it did make for an spooky, atmospheric read, filled with curses, exorcism, and evil. Within These Wicked Walls is primarily a horror story, but there is a strong romance element to balance it out - while I wish it had taken a bit longer to develop, the banter was excellent. I can't wait to read whatever Lauren Blackwood writes next!

DNF @ 40%

This is a case of "It's not you, it's me" type of book DNF-ing scenario.

Within These Wicked Walls is an Ethiopian-inspired gothic horror retelling of Jane Eyre. This premise alone was more than enough to capture my interest as Jane Eyre is one of my most loved classic novels. I also don't read a ton of horror fiction (as I am a scared-y cat when it comes to anything horror), so this was definitely a step out of my comfort zone, but the Jane Eyre retelling was just too hard to ignore.

Aside from the minor details that stemmed from the original story, there wasn't a whole lot of Jane Eyre-esque stuff into this novel. And the horror themes I expected (considering this is just YA) did not really shocked or scared me at all. Everything just felt one note to me, and I was just really having a hard time connecting to the main characters and their weird and very childish antics.

However, the magic system and mix of fantasy and contemporary world-building in this book had a lot of potential that I could have appreciated even more if it was explored better. Even though this one did not work out for me, I'm sure there are other readers that may appreciate this book more than I did.

I would still like to thank St. Martin's Press and Wednesday Books for sending me an e-ARC copy of this book

I will read any and every book that bills itself as a Jane Eyre retelling and I really enjoyed this one. Atmospheric and dreamy, truly horrific at times, and populated by fantastic characters (Magnus!). Highly recommended.

DNF @ 20%

Was really intrigued by the premise, but couldn't really get into the vibe of the story or the characters. The magic seemed cool though! I think the issue I had with this book was purely personal, starting to realize books set solely in a house aren't really my things :(

I'm always here for a Jane Eyre based romance and was happy to read this one. This is of course an Ethopian based retelling but I still think the author did a good job. Will be happy to read more books by the author. Highly recommend.

I didn't realize that this was going to be a Jane Eyre retelling, and you should have seen my excitement when I figured it out! I enjoyed the setting, the romance, and the characters - I knew what was going to happen, of course, but that didn't impede any excitement. Kudos to Blackwood for an interesting spin of a much-loved classic!

Absolutely loved the gothic vibes and the protagonist. However, I didn't like the rest of the characters and, sadly, the wordbuilding lacked due to too much focus on an underwhelming romance, which still had some good banter sometimes. The writing style was good, the plot seemed amazing, but the execution wasn't as good because, as I said, the romance was the main thing and that kind of ruined the story for me, even though I do love reading about love relationships. I'm still interested in this author's other books in the future! My favorite thing about this book are the descriptions related to the house and how alive it felt, as if it were a character too! SO GOOD!

Despite mentioning some good things I enjoyed, I can't give more than 2 stars. This book promised a lot, but didn't deliver everything.

This was quite an interesting retelling of Jane Eyre. The characters were well developed and the suspense built as the story went on, and it definitely held my attention. The only thing I didn't like was that there were a lot of magical elements that weren't really explained - like how they worked and what they could/couldn't do ect. I found myself confused by things on a couple of occasions because of this.

I love a good remix of classics, especially when they feature characters of color. I was not familiar with Ethiopian culture, so I appreciated how clear the worldbuilding was. Andromeda’s character was phenomenal — there are so many aspects that fuel her personality and I loved how the book revealed them. I did find Magnus to fall a bit flat in comparison her, though. The romance did feel a bit like insta-love but was later fleshed out. I would recommend this book.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC!

I should preface this review by saying that Within These Wicked Walls is supposedly a Jane Eyre retelling, which I haven't read yet, so I cannot compare the two. With that being said, I somewhat enjoyed the reading experience. The first ten chapters were very promising, but the pacing got more uncertain towards the middle, which definitely lost my attention and interest. One of the biggest issues I had with this book was the insta-love, hot-and-cold relationship between Andi and Magnus, whom I detested compared to how much I liked Andromeda. I think she was a beautifully complex character, while Magnus was pretty average.

I loved the Ethiopian settings and, though there wasn't much world-building, I enjoyed learning about the lore of WTWW. I particularly liked the horror aspects of the novel, and the descriptions of what takes place in the castle at night. Again, the horror got a little intense (I should probably say confusing) towards the end, but it was pretty solid it the beginning. Overall, it's an impressive debut, but it's not a story I would intentionally reread.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with an ARC of this book! All opinions are my own.

Just one of those, not for me books. I abandoned it at one point and took it back up because I needed to review this for NetGalley. Had I not needed to write a review, it would have been a DNF.

Maybe I am critical because I truly adore Jane Eyre. We're talking top 5 here. So why do we keep repackaging it and trying to re-sell it when no one comes even close to a true adaptation? This takes place in a house and the YA main interest is named Rochester. THATS IT! It was an attempt to be fantastical and creative and I could just not find it within myself to care or be interested in it.

If I find it pedantic and boring, my kids will too. Hard pass on this one.

Thanks to NetGalley for a free digital copy to read and review.

As an unlicensed debtera, cleaning the Thorne Manor from the Evil Eye could be a breakthrough in helping Andromeda establish a career as an exorcist. This Ethiopian-inspired retelling of Jane Eyre features a young woman who has nothing much in the world except her own skills and determination. Since I’m not entirely sure of the original tale, I recognised some of Jane Eyre‘s elements in Within These Wicked Walls.

The dire situation at this gothic-like mansion soon worsened as servants started disappearing. The curse within Magnus and the manifestation of the Evil Eye would consume the household if nothing was to be done. Lauren Blackwood created a creepy atmosphere as the manor is filled up with dark possessions in different corners and rooms.

As the story progresses, Andromeda slowly found her footing as a debtera. She reacted quickly to dangerous situations by keeping her wits close to her. Although afraid of the evil that roams the halls, Andromeda was determined to purify Thorne Manor and save Magnus.

For the romantic development between Andromeda and Magnus, it was a little too quick for me. However, I still enjoyed their banters. Magnus was often oblivious about his surroundings but Andromeda found him attractive. I wasn’t too attached to any of the characters so this didn’t affect me too much.

While Andromeda falls in love and cleanses the castle from spirits, she has problems with her mentor and only father-like figure. To say the least, it’s awkward and complicated and rocky. Throughout the whole book, Andromeda reflected upon her childhood with Jember. The knowledge she had about cleansing and being a debtera was all from Jember. The dynamic between Jember and Andromeda was pretty interesting since they felt distant but close at the same time.

I don’t often read books in the horror genre, since it’s out of my comfort zone, but I’m glad I picked up Within These Wicked Walls. It reminds me of Mexican Gothic which I read not long ago. They had pretty similar vibes.

Unfortunately, I couldn't connect with this book. The writing style wasn't bad and I appreciated the unique point of view, but the pacing lagged and I couldn't seem to connect with any of the characters.

Disclaimer: I received this e-arc from the publisher and then went and bought my own copy. Thanks! All opinions are my own.

Book: Within These Wicked Walls

Author: Lauren Blackwood

Book Series: Standalone

Rating: 5/5

Diversity: Ethiopian MC and characters, Disabled side character

Recommended For...: young adult readers, fantasy, retelling, Jane Eyre retelling, horror, gothic, paranormal

Publication Date: October 19, 2021

Genre: YA Fantasy Retelling

Recommended Age: 16+ (hunger, religion, gore, violence, slight sexual content, alcohol consumption, romance, depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation, emotional child abuse, slight physical child abuse, bullying mentioned, child sex trafficking mentioned briefly, death, parental death, generational trauma)

Explanation of CWs: Hunger and poverty is shown and discussed in the book. Religion is a huge part of the book and God is mentioned frequently. There is lots of gore and violence. There is some slight sexual content and romance. Alcohol consumption between older teens and adults is shown. Depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation are shown. There are some brief mentions of emotional child abuse and some very slight physical child abuse. There is one incident of bullying mentioned that resulted in injury. There are a couple of mentions of child sex trafficking via a child at the age of 5 being sold to a brothel (she is rescued before anything happens don’t worry). There is lots of death in the book as well as parental death mentioned and shown. The book is also a huge allegory of generational trauma, showing that the trauma of one generation impacts the other and it’s up to the younger to come to terms with it in order to be free of the literal demons.

Publisher: Wednesday Books

Pages: 326

Synopsis: Andromeda is a debtera—an exorcist hired to cleanse households of the Evil Eye. When a handsome young heir named Magnus Rochester reaches out to hire her, Andromeda quickly realizes this is a job like no other, with horrifying manifestations at every turn, and that Magnus is hiding far more than she has been trained for. Death is the most likely outcome if she stays, but leaving Magnus to live out his curse alone isn’t an option. Evil may roam the castle’s halls, but so does a burning desire.

Review: I absolutely loved this book so much! It took me so long to read because I wanted to slowly devour it. The book is a Jane Eyre retelling with Ethiopian inspired fantasy and Ethiopian characters. The book also has ghosts, which makes it perfect for Halloween. The book also openly discusses menstrual cycles and it can be read as a huge allegory for generational trauma. It shows two types of generational trauma, one that Jember inflicts on Andromeda and one that Magnus’ father inflicts on him. One is from literal trauma and the other is from greed/perception of others and how it will impact themselves. I will say that I did cry while reading this book and that I was absolutely blown away with how well done this book was and it’s an amazing debut read that needs more attention. The characters are well developed, the world building is rich and wonderful, and the plot will keep you hanging in there until the last page.

The only issue I had with the book is that some of the pacing was a bit wonky in the middle, it felt slowed down and a bit out of place, but other than that this will be a book that will stay with me.

Verdict: I highly recommend this one!

WOW this was not what I was expecting and that is not a bad thing! This was good and creepy as all get out! I didn't realize it was a Jane Eyre retelling and I think that made it even better when I recognized it. Everyone needs to read this!!

Overall, I REALLY enjoyed this. I loved the chemistry and dialogue between Andromeda and Magnus. I loved the whole premise really. I do think the ending was a bit rushed, and while I loved the two of them together, the constant back and forth of Andromeda's emotions started to wear on me.
This could just be a "me" thing, but I noticed a lot of repetitiveness and that kind of bothered me. But again, overall, I did really enjoy this and I'm so glad I finally got around to reading it. Definitely recommend.

A haunted house, a haunted boy, a girl defying being haunted by her circumstances, and an inescapable air of near-death desperation...

This Ethiopian-inspired reimagining of Jane Eyre is gritty and dark, but hopeful. The protagonist, Andi, is kicked out of her house by her mentor-slash-adopted-father. Jember, the father-figure, is cruel and neglectful, but he also taught her everything she knows about being a ‘debtera’ –the ancient work of eliminating curses and evil spirits. Andi doesn’t have any skills besides the ones Jember taught her, so that’s the work she looks for on her own. (I loved that the work is so physical, so hands-on with tools and metal and she's really got to work to get it right. Seeing a young woman training in that potentially-seen-as-masculine form of technical skill, and excelling at it through sheer will and practice was awesome.)

As the story unfolds, we learn that Jember was abusive towards Andi for their entire relationship. We also learn that he lost his leg while fighting an evil spirit. As a result, he walks with a limp, uses a peg leg, and deals with chronic pain every day –something I can relate to, and something Andi has patience and compassion for. It’s completely normalized in her life, which was so comforting to read.

Mostly, Within These Wicked Walls is a powerful read because a Black girl is both central to the story, and telling her story with conviction. Andi has been homeless, and lives on survival instinct. She’s seen the worst in people; she’s been beaten and scarred and starved. But she finds love, and leans into it. She decides to help, tries to understand, and forgives where she can. Readers will gain a unique, powerful perspective and compassion from seeing the world through Andi’s eyes. There’s a striking determination about the way she keeps moving forward, and in the way she allows herself to fall in love.

This book is the perfect Halloween read, the most striking cover, and is filled with unforgettable scenes. Within These Wicked Walls is Black Girl Magic at its finest, in every way, shape and form. I will cherish it forever, and recommend it just as long.

My first note on the plot is that this book is advertised as a retelling of Jane Eyre, which frankly I did not see at all. It’d be better to say that this book is inspired by Jane Eyre. But other than that quibble with the marketing, I have no complaints about the plot. The book was extremely compelling and I had a hard time putting it down, especially near the end of the book. My heart was literally thumping in my ears as I tried to anticipate what would happen. I even teared up at some of the emotional scenes. It was an incredible story from start to finish.

The protagonist, Andromedia, was an excellent guide through this story. She’s relatable, snarky, and tough. She also has excellent chemistry with her love interest. Perhaps my favorite thing about this book is how complex every character is, from the smallest side character to Andromedia’s main supporting cast. There are problematic elements but redeeming qualities with each one, which was so much fun to explore.

This book is set in Ethiopia, which is a country I’ll honestly admit that I know nothing about. But I felt an intimate connection to the world the author created through her descriptions. The culture is well developed as is the magic system created for this story. I enjoyed the magic and it had the right about of detail so I felt like I understood how the system worked without being weighed down with descriptions.

Within These Wicked Walls is Lauren Blackwood’s debut novel. I highly recommend it for fans of Down Comes The Night and other dark YA Fantasy novels. While the book is marketed as a retelling of Jane Eyre, fans of Charlotte Bronte likely wouldn’t find more than very general inspirations from the source material. However, the book has an engaging plot and well-developed characters and setting.

*eARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

I did not expect to love this book as much as I did. I sat down to read it and then could not put it down!

While the romance did feel a little rushed and sudden, I can forgive it because there were so many other great parts. Also, I've never read Jane Eyre so I'm not sure how true this is to the original.

It is an easy read and very enjoyable. I fully recommend this one!