Within These Wicked Walls is marketed as a retelling of Jane Eyre and although some elements such as the haunted gothic house and the reclusive house owner were common in both books, it was not the case. Within These Wicked Walls is unique on its own without being compared to Jane Eyre.

Blackwood created a chilling atmosphere with likable and complex characters. Although I found Andromeda and Magnus' romance to be insta-love, I enjoyed their witty banter back and forth. Some characters had no purpose other than to further the plot but that did not deter me from enjoying the book.

Overall, it was a solid debut filled with an interesting magic system. Perfect for when you're in the mood for a spooky read!

Within These Wicked Walls takes the classic Gothic haunted house story and adds a little twist. A good twist. Lauren Blackwood has created an interesting and gripping story.

I received a copy of this book for an honest review.

This book follows Andromeda as she is hired to exorcise an old mansion for a man named Magnus. There were so many layers to this story and the characters were created wonderfully! I enjoyed this story SO MUCH! This is a must-read for Fantasy and thriller readers!

Within These Wicked Walls is a story of a debtera journey to her own patronage through working with a very infected House. I love th e blend of religion with that of the mystical as most debteras are connected and/or may work for the Church, but their job is to remove manifestations or haunted beings.

I, like I'm sure most people, absolutely fell in love with Magnus. He's quirky and different while being honest and vulnerable at the same time. Lauren did an AMAZING job at developing this character throughout the story. I know that I'm supposed to like Andromeda, but she didn't progress like I wanted her to. I was very grateful for the epilogue to let me know she's more on track to get there.

However, the actual story felt a bit remedial and repetitive. This is probably in part to my frustrations with Andromeda and partly because the ending was very clear by chapter 5. Overall, it's a great story, and I would recommend it to others.

Thank you #Netgalley for the advanced copy. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This is marketed as an Ethiopian-inspired Jane Eyre retelling. I didn’t find there to be much related to Jane Eyre, aside from maybe the setting, some names and it having a heroine.

I started it in October and it was the perfect read for around Halloween. The atmosphere and writing was perfect for this timeframe.

I really enjoyed the beginning, but as it went on I felt disengaged and disinterested in the story. I liked the fast paced, quick chapters but also found it hard to connect to the characters.

Overall, this was a bit of a miss for me. That’s not to say it won’t be a hit for others, but that was just my personal experience.

A magical and creepy retelling of Jane Eyre. I loved the world and magic system, and the strong protagonist. I highly recommend this book.

Set against a Victorian-era backdrop, we first meet Andromeda the debtera, which basically means she’s an exorcist. Life on the street has taught her valuable lessons, like how to fight demons, how to survive, and how love is a weakness she can’t afford to have. Magnus is the complete opposite of Andromeda. He’s a rich kid who can basically get anything he wants—and is used to being waited on hand and foot. But it’s not all sunshine and roses for him. His house is haunted by dozens of manifestations, and everyone who’s tried to get rid of them has either left in defeat or died.

You can expect a lot of pining. And trust me when I say, I couldn’t be happier. I love those moments where the tension between two characters is palpable, especially when it’s clear they want to touch each other but don’t, either due to social etiquette or fear of rejection. There is something decidedly not vanilla about Magnus and Andromeda’s relationship. This is more like subtext to the subtext, but somewhere between Magnus’ teasing and Andromeda’s defiance, you can tell their dynamic has the potential to be very interesting. If this sounds at all enjoyable to you, I’m begging you to please pick this book up.

But more than anything, I came here for the elements of horror, and they did not disappoint. The worldbuilding is fantastically intricate. As a debtera, Andromeda must carve out amulets to vanquish the evil spirits. The descriptions of this process alone are fascinating, and it’s not even the most exciting part about everything going on. Every variation of the Evil Eye is unique, and each manifestation presents itself differently. Some are relatively benign (if not downright annoying), while others have killed without prejudice and have no intention of stopping unless by force. I couldn’t help imagining how this would make a fantastic horror movie. Not only are the manifestations themselves cinematic, but with a strong Black lead and a diverse cast, plus the historical element and the swoon-worthy romance, you literally cannot go wrong here.

I’ve read a lot of incredible books this year, and I’ve loved all of them in different ways. I don’t like playing favorites, but I will if it means you’ll give this book a chance: Within These Wicked Walls is the best book I’ve read this year, and I need everyone to pick it up.

Too insta-lovey for me, but not bad. I enjoyed the story even though I was completely confused by the world. AT first, I just thought that the world building could have been a bit better (all we know is that there is this crazy desert all around), but then Prague exists(??)

It had some serious Elizabeth and Nathaniel from [book:Sorcery of Thorns|42201395] vibe.

This was one of my fall favorites. Horrorlicious! Just spectacularly done with super creepy vibe while still keeping the story flowing. Looking forward to more from this author!

If you are a fan of Jane Eyre retellings with a dark twist, this is certainly the read for you. Action-packed and extraordinarily unsettling, this is a novel that really spooked me and kept me riveted from start to finish.

I enjoyed this story. While I am not familiar with many Jane Eyre stories, this take on the situation was very good and kept me entertained the whole way through.

I felt like there was a lot of hype for this book. I kept seeing it everywhere and on lists of best new books of 2021 but for me, it fell a bit flat. The story is good and interesting enough to continue reading but it wasn't a mind blowing read. The premise is what pulled me in and the beautiful cover art. Events kept things interesting but some parts were slow. There wasn't a lot of detail to describe people or places. I found myself having a hard time imagining scenes as they played out. Andromeda is the main character and I was intrigued by her and her backstory. For being a debtera, I just assumed there would be more cleansing and such going on. I wish there had been more. The romance felt kind of forced, like there wasn't enough people so they just threw these two people together. Magnus seemed like a brat and I didn't root for him the entire time. Overall, a read that hasn't changed my life in any significant way

Between a 2.5 and 3 star read.

*Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher*

Such a fun retelling of Jane Eyre! The style of writing was simply addicting, and Andi was a fantastic MC to follow. Even though it was a retelling, it felt super original.

I think it is a stretch to market this as a fantasy retelling of "Jane Eyre", but I get it (main character has an abusive, or at least very unloving, childhood, odd things happening at the house of her employment, and she falls in love with her employer whose last name is also Rochester). Characters were memorable and well developed, the plot was interesting and creepy, and overall it was a well written debut novel.

More inspired by Jane Eyre than a Jane Eyre retelling, this book grabbed me from the beginning and made it hard to put down!

Our main character, Andromeda, was an excellent lead. I loved her determination and drive, her survival skills, her optimism, and how she searched for love still even though she’d been denied it most of her life. That being said, I do think the romance was too much insta-love for me, but after I got over that and accepted that they were in love, it was a cute romance. I don’t think the romantic interest got enough development (his obliviousness to what was going on is never really addressed), but I did appreciate the complexity in Andromeda’s relationship with her father-figure, and the development that Jember was given.

The spookiness was just the right amount for me—I could read this book at night but it still made me want to keep the lights on. However, I think the world and magic needed a bit more explanation. I kept thinking certain things would get explained later but then they never were, and I was left thinking it was a plot hole.

Overall, a good story with a few great characters, but I would’ve appreciated some more world-building and less insta-love.

3.5 rounded up to 4

Thank you so much, NetGalley, St Martin's Press and Wednesday Books, for the chance to read and review this book in exchange of an honest review,

TW: abuse, blood

Andromeda is a debtera, an exorcist hired to cleanse and free households from the Evil Eye. Only she's unlicensed, since her mentor threw her out before she could earn the license and now she's looking for a Patron, a rich individual who could support and vouch for her. Magnus Rochester should be the perfect Patron and when he reaches out to hire her she accepts right away. The house is peculiar and filled with manifestations, people are disappearing and Andromeda finds herself involved in something huge. But leaving Magnus to face his curse alone isn't an option, mostly because she starts to feel something for him...

I loved reading this Ethiopian-ispired remix of Jane Eyre! It's Lauren Blackwood's debut and the story is brilliant and truly magical! The story is told by a witty and smart main character, Andromeda, who is fantastic, complex and well written in her desires, dreams and hopes. Magnus is eccentric and very peculiar, with his past and secrets and I really liked him, with his sarcasm and voice. The relationship between Andromeda and Magnus is really well written and it was so good reading about it, reading how it grows and develops and how Andromeda starts to like, know and understand him and Magnus does the same with her.

I was really impressed by the magic system, so intricate and peculiar and it was intriguing reading about all the kinds of manifestations and the amulets, the power and the magic and how, every time, Andromeda faced them and cleansed the house, even though it was sometimes dangerous and how she decided to stay and save everyone because she couldn't leave Magnus alone to face everything.
I'm not much a romance fan, but this book was truly splendid and I loved every single part of it. I liked how everything was so well balanced, the romance, the magic system, the characterization and the growing relationship between characters.
The writing style is also very good and I felt captured since the beginning. I love Jane Eyre and this remix impressed me because it was really original and Andromeda's voice is unforgettable, witty, smart and really rounded.

In conclusion, I totally recommend this book, it's brilliant, well written and absolutely original!

Lauren Blackwood’s Within These Wicked Walls is a beautifully gothic subversion of Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre. In many ways, Lockwood’s Andromeda is put into situations that are the inversion of Bronte’s Jane. And, yet, she ends up in the same place. Andromeda is employed by Mr. Rochester at Thornfield as an exorcist, just like her remote, abusive mentor. Once she begins working, her relationship with Magnus Rochester goes from combative to intimate the more they spend time together and encounter the manifestations of evil in the house. Being that both characters were terribly awkward and neglected in some way, their courtship unfurls like a tentative slow dance between pubescent teens.

Lockwood’s language expresses every aspect of their relationship with the same care and exactitude as she does the moments of horror and sorrow that occur in the house. Her writing, more than anything outside of the names associated with Thornfield is the most reminiscent of Bronte. The tone, the imagery, the word choices all harken back to the true Romantics.

“Knowing him was like encountering the beauty of a snake: feared and misunderstood, through no fault of his own. Slender almost delicate looking, but with undeniable strength beneath the surface. Frightened, hiding, and lashing out in turns.”

The way Andromeda sees Magnus is the best example of Lockwood’s ability to romanticize. Magnus cries. He’s betrothed. He’s almost everything a modern reader would find unattractive in a male lead, but he does not come off as less than while reading. He’s just tragic, and Andromeda intends to save him. The novel’s language supports their power exchange.

“A wedding. I couldn’t even imagine it. I never really wanted to. Men seemed to need periodic babysitting, but woman came already fully capable unless they were unable to work or wanted children. But I was working and could defend myself.”

Lockwood deftly elevates the role of woman while not negating the role of man or demonizing Rochester’s vulnerabilities. She gives Andromeda license to be strong and capable and her Rochester license to be weak and needy without making either of them unattractive because of their role. It’s genius, and she does it all in fewer pages than seems possible. This one is definitely a must read, and one that teachers and scholars should pay close attention. I expect it to be a part of conversations for many years to come.

Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for giving me a advanced copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

Gothic, spooky, romantic, magical, and satisfying. These are just some of the words I'm using to describe WITHIN THESE WICKED WALLS. This YA fantasy is a retelling of Jane Eyre, that while being quite different from the Bronte story plot-wise, manages to perfectly encapsulate the tone and energy of it. And for that, it is the strongest Jane Eyre retelling I've read yet.

Andi, a debtera, has been hired to cleanse the home of Magnus Rochester from the Evil Eye. Yet, when she gets there, she realizes that she's in over her head. Between the house's haunts and Magnus himself, there's lot for Andi to figure out.

There is a line in this book that Magnus says to Andi that had me YELLING, no joke. I won't spoil it here, but IYKYK.

Overall, I think is a YA fantasy that is so different from so much that is out there right now. It'll be a hit for horror fans, fantasy fans, romance fans, and fans of Jane Eyre. If you call into one of these categories (or more), you'll want to pick up this book!

What didn't this book have? Romance, horror, suspense, supernatural, and. coming of age; this was one of the most original and creative retellings of Jane Eyre I have ever read! This book was genuinely creepy, legitimately romantic, and stunningly descriptive. Lauren Blackwood is a boon to the YA genre.

I learned about this book from a publisher PR crowd cast and I’m so glad I picked it up. The magical and dark retelling of Jane Eyre is genius as two opposites fight a curse that threatens everyone they love. Will a young debtera apprentice be able to save them all?

Andromeda’s strength is phenomenal as she wades through a sea of sinister secrets, prejudices, and terrifying monsters to find love where she least expected it. Her lonely life and need for a job have led her to get rid of the Evil Eye living inside Magnus Rochester. Her education was not complete as a debtera before her mentor Jember abandoned her and she soon realizes she is in over her head. But she has enough hope and optimism to make her new plan work…even if it kills her.

The story is a wonderful and gripping infusion of fantasy, horror, and romance all wrapped up into one as people disappear one by one in a household filled with fear and menace.

The suspense is intense and the characters are intriguing as I waited with bated breath to find out who would survive and who would meet their painful and terrifying end.

Thank you to Ms. Blackwood for giving me the opportunity to read this book with no expectation of a positive review.