I was so excited to read this book after it was described as "A suspenseful, feminist Gothic coming-of-age tale with shades of Patricia Highsmith, Rebecca, and Atonement, pitched against the sun-soaked backdrop of a summer holiday on the French Riviera."
The setting is great, but for me the young female character endured so much abuse and neglect, I found I couldn't keep reading it.

I unfortunately made the decision to DNF this title. It was too slow for my liking and I couldn't ever read more than a page at a time without forcing myself to.

(I will not be posting any review to Goodreads, Amazon, B&N, etc...)

Many thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Phoebe Wynne for the opportunity to read an advanced copy.

This is well-written, but I really disliked the plot, and felt like the description was misleading. Ruby and two other adolescent girls are thrown together at her parent's French chateau one summer when Ruby's parents have friends come to stay. The description says that the girls are "treated as playthings or abandoned". Quite the understatement. Yes, the mothers neglect them in their self-obsessed, entitled, alcoholic fogs, but the fathers sexually abuse two of the girls. Yuck.

Several wealthy British families come together for the summer at the French Riviera in 1985. Some of the adults are longtime friends from college and they have many secrets and much animosity among them which comes out in very nasty ways. The trouble begins with a mysterious car accident which causes grievances with the locals as well as between the friends staying at the château. These tourists only become more and more annoying and hated as they abuse alcohol and generally act like spoiled snobs. But the more sinister abuse occurs towards the four adolescent daughters who are at the mercy of their horrible parents. For instance, when one of the girls has a birthday, her mother comments “It’s so tiresome to have to bother with a birthday during the holidays rather than the school dealing with it”. Nothing about this story can end well and the vacation does indeed come to a violent conclusion. Interspersed with the story occurring in 1985 is a side story around one of the young girls returning to the château as an adult in 2010, which seemed to be a totally unnecessary addition to the book.
Overall, I thought this was a very unpleasant and horrible book. I’m not sure what the author’s objectives were except maybe to demonstrate that some parents can be extremely selfish and clueless about protecting their children no matter how rich and important. The adults’ absolutely horrific behaviors are very disturbing and unbelievable for most readers. In spite of this, I was drawn into the story wanting to see how it ended and hoping for a satisfying conclusion. But no matter if there was some revenge, nothing could make the resolution OK.
Warning: this book contains violence and sexual abuse involving children.
Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC.

Way better than what I was actually expecting… I loved how in went back in time and told the story of what actually happened instead of trying to give it a modern day feel. Very impressed!

Meh. Confusing, annoying characters, too many hints dropped w/o explanation. Did not/could not finish. I love the cover art, and the premise - may pick up again when the list shortens.

P.S. Thanks to #Netgalley for the ARC.

“The Ruins”
By: Phoebe Wynne

Secrets and Lies Lead to Ruin

The Chateau des Sètes, an aristocratic family estate set along France’s Cote d’Azur, for years a happy summer retreat for the Ashby family and their host of close friends turns into the site of revelation, heartache and tragedy in Phoebe Wynne’s novel, “The Ruins.”

The title of the novel, “The Ruins,” rather than describing the decay of the ancient manor is a metaphor for the lives shattered during one summer when several young girls learn the facts of life in ways no children should. “…You’re quite beautiful enough for a harem, you know...”

Wynne’s novel is not for the faint-of-heart. “Ruins” is a story of abuse—verbal, physical, emotional and sexual. It's a horror story and the boogie men and women don't wear masks. They are ghouls of the worst sort, the kind that laugh and smile and tease and sometimes try to please.

“Lovely dress, Rubes . . . fits you perfectly. Been admiring you from afar, lovely girl.” He touched his finger across Ruby’s thigh, and it seemed to burn her skin. Prickling with horror, she didn’t look at him…”

Although the terms pedophilia nor pederasty are ever used outright in this book, be prepared because ultimately they will be a repeated focus both in the narrative and dramatic arcs. “…Oh, the burden of daughters, and you can’t even deflower them yourselves! Don’t you think fathers should be the ones to do the honors—wasn’t that the way in ancient Greece…?”

“…Yes”—Angus’s heavy features seemed to tighten—“awarding and promoting an incompetent swine, just to get rid of you. But whatever happened to cause your early retirement, Harley? Was it . . . fiddling with the boys?...”

These are just samples of the ghastly conversations and worse situations that pre-pubescent girls were exposed to in “The Ruins.” This novel deftly describes how abuses of these type permanently shatter the lives of those affected.

=====================///=======================

The Book Maven’s Journal—Reviews for Word Connoisseurs

REVIEWER: J.Hunt
STAR RATING ⭐️⭐️⭐️

“The Ruins”
Author: Phoebe Wynne
Genre: General Fiction (Adult)
Publication Date: 04 July 2022
Publisher: St. Martin's Press

With Sincerest Appreciation to NetGalley, Author Phoebe Wynne and HQ, Publisher St. Martin's Press for Providing this Advance Reader’s Copy for Review.

The sins of the fathers are visited upon their daughters in this harrowing novel. The tension builds like the heat of a summer day as the inevitable unfolds in the absence of decency. The trauma visited upon the families resonates throughout the years -- even in characters who were not at the scene of the crime.

I do want to issue a content/trigger warning regarding the CSA in the novel.

**This ARC was provided by the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for a fair and unbiased review**

I am just not sure what to say about this book. I think hate is too strong a word, but I REALLY did not like it. The description posted on NetGalley does not really reflect the contents of this book. To say that the adults ignored the girls is an understatement. Although it was the mothers who ignored them, the fathers could not keep their hands off them. Each of the adult characters is horrible in their own special way and while the girls are certainly sympathetic creatures, they are not really likable either. And while the description tries to portray this as the widow revisiting the Château it is really only a tiny part of the book - and the resolution at the end is totally unsatisfactory. It is difficult to provide a meaningful review or feedback without adding spoilers. I think this book may find an audience but I anticipate most will be disappointed trying to reconcile their expectations with the actual story. There must be some way to advise readers of the disturbing aspects of this book. I received an ARC from the publisher through NetGalley and appreciate the opportunity to read this book.

Family dynamics…friends…vacations…this book was sent to me by Netgalley for review…just not my choice for a great read…others might enjoy the dynamics of the characters.

This was a book that made me uneasy, the kind of book you want to put down but can't. It gives you that uneasy feeling as you go, knowing disaster is around the corner, wanting to avoid it but instead running into it head first. Told in turns by Ruby in 1985, a twelve year old, and Mrs. Cosgrove in 2010 with characters you really dislike but so well written that you keep going. Not a light read, a story that covers some distasteful topics but still a book worth reading.
#TheRuins#NetGalley

Sorry, not my cup of tea.
Did not finish d/t maintaining my mental health.
No reflection on the author or publisher.

How can a book with so many dark secrets be so boring? And yet, it was. Endless dinner table scenes where the characters refer to all their terrible deeds, past and planned, and then nothing happens.

Really wish I had known about the sexual assault beforehand. I like Phoebe Wynne a lot, Madam was great, but this didn't do it for me.

It's a good one, but it's not my type of book. I was expecting to like because I liked the synopsis but it didn't affect me.

I would like to thank NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for eARC in return for an honest review.

Unfortunately, I was very disappointed. The description of this book is fairly misleading. Yes, it features a loss of childhood but in such a way I couldn't see anyone surviving.

The luxury of French Riviera was overshadowed by my dislike for all the characters. The timelines felt all wrong, more like the 50's than 1985. Male entitlement, mental illness, sexual abuse, it was a very tough read. I was a few chapters in before clicked over to the last chapters to see how it ended since it was highlighted in the description. Not a surprising conclusion but not really a satisfactory one.

It misses the subtly of Atonement where the location is really a part of the story, the characters more connected and the setting/era better portrayed.

I'm trying to figure out how to write a review for this one.
The summary had me intrigued, but the book didn't seem to match the description.
The majority of the book is set in supposed 1985 - but it feels more like it's set it 1920s and F. Scott Fitzgerald or Hemingway should arrive on scene at any moment.
Then there are bits set in 2010 which also feels off and not appropriate with the story.
This book has some serious child molestation (and more) so that should be noted for future readers.
I think there is attempt to make this all feel like a greek tragedy, but it falls shorts.
I only kept reading the attempt to find redeeming qualities and there just weren't any.


All in all, this one will be hard to recommend.

Will the past come back to haunt you! Absolutely. This was a well written, disturbing book. It certainly didn't end the way I thought it would.

This engrossing, coming-of-age-story is set in the Ashby family Chateau located on the French Riviera over the course of the summer of 1985. The Ashby family epitomize the upper-class arrogance of travelling Brits abroad. Toby Ashby refers to the villagers as “peasants’, and explains, “The British abroad bring a great deal to their economy. They need us. They certainly need me.”

This book is a psychological suspense in the gothic vein filled with gin-soaked, pompous, entitled (and titled), spoiled adults who ignore and abuse the children; failing to protect them or show appropriate affection.
Ruby Ashby is the only child of barrister Toby, and multiple-committee’d, fragile, changeable mother, Rhoda. She is on the cusp of adolescence, experiencing her first crush and changing body. Her father is mostly absent, and her mother worries mostly about her appearance and manners; constantly commenting on what Ruby eats and how her clothes are getting tight.

At first, Ruby comes across as jealous, judgmental, and condescending as she is informed that two girls will be spending their summer at the Chateau. However, it is only a matter of time before you realize that Ruby has never experienced closeness with anyone and is unaware of how to interact with her peers. She is lonely and alone Through Ruby’s eyes, we experience the inexplicable debauchery and lecherous actions of the adults as they drink, fight, and paw at Ruby and one of the other girls.

The backdrop to Ruby’s story is a car accident caused by two of their guests. Toby Ashby’s experience as a barrister brings him in close contact with the officials and “peasants” of the village. This plus the residents’ behavior, start a visible rift—visible to all but the British adults—that will eventually affect their stay at the chateau.

As the summer heats up, so does the story, and possibly your blood pressure. The behavior of the adults towards the girls affected me. Two of the male characters take every opportunity to accost the girls: pulling them onto their laps, feeling them up, calling them names, and speaking in inuendo. At a dinner in St. Tropez, Harley (the worst of the two) states, “Oh the burdens of daughters, and you can’t even deflower them yourselves! Don’t you think fathers should be the ones to do the honors”.

As I read this book, I found myself wondering, how will this end? Is anyone going to break? And if so, whom will it be? I was caught up in worrying about Ruby, the inexplicable adults, and the growing suspense as it built up to a storm.

I would like to thank NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read and review this riveting book.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for a digital copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

OOOOOF. I really think this book needs to come with a warning about some of the topics, not in a censorship way but in a trigger-warning way. I was really interested in the story based on the description, but what was written seemed to veer off course from the summary. The sexual abuse, the neglect, the rampant alcoholism, the nearly Stockholm Syndrome situation that transpires...it was a lot. I kept having to double check that the 1980s was considered the "early" timeline, because everything felt much earlier in the century. It felt very 1920s or 1950s in the 80s timeline, and very 60s or 70s in the 2010 timeline. This was a tough read to finish, because of the content and what happens in the conclusion. I was left pretty disturbed after I finished, and I kept replaying the climax/conclusion over and over in my head, not because I was savoring it. Rather, I was trying to wrap my head around writing such a climax/conclusion and how disturbed I was by the content. I can't say I would recommend this book because it's...a lot.