The Cloisters is the medieval art collection at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and where fictional protagonist Ann Stilwell begins an internship as a curator assistant. Recent graduate Ann is desperate to begin a new life in vibrant New York City, away from the sadness of her Washington home. A supposedly innocent young woman is soon enveloped in the arcane scholarship required in the gothic surroundings of the Cloisters and the obsessive search for the Ur-tarot card set in which the two other graduate students, Rachel and Patrick, in the Cloisters are involved.

An excellent researcher, Ann discovers much about the Renaissance and pre-Renaissance use of tarot cards and comes to believe that they can predict the future. Detailed passages of the history, symbolism and artwork of the tarot may bog down some readers. Detailed descriptions of the architecture and garden sometimes intrude in the reader's interest in the plot and characters. Certainly author Katy Hays has demonstrated her knowledge; she is an adjunct art professor.

The suspense builds slowly as the three young researchers along with the supervisor of the medieval garden evolve into an academic, ambitious, secretive, loyalty-shifting quartet, suspicious of each other – as they well should be. As Ann's own history is revealed, the reader understands more clearly why she is so obsessed with divination --- has her life been propelled by her own choices or by her fate?

An old, historic NYC museum. A scholar dedicating his life to uncovering the secrets of Renaissance occult and astrology. A summer intern who is no stranger to death. Is it fate that brought her to this moment and all the tragedy around it?

Honestly, I loved this. It has all the components of a deeply captivating and dangerously thrilling story. Dark academia will always be my favourite genre and this story is a great example why. The atmosphere just radiates mystery, the subject material is interesting, the story demands answers of the world around it, and the characters suffer from their own hubris. It ticks all the boxes.

But the only reason this isn't getting 5 stars is because the story feels restrained, as if it's been held back from its full potential. I wanted it to reach just a little bit further, to give just a little bit more, because it's honestly so, so close to being a perfect read. And I think the reason the author chose to be reserved in some areas is because she wanted to the reader to make inferences, but I say go for it. Don't just hope the reader is going to get to a conclusion because you've hinted at it. Make the commitment to showcase everything. I would have enjoyed it so much more if the story had gone all out.

But a really promising debut, regardless! I sincerely hope KH continues to write more stories like this because I would read every one.

Thank you so much for giving me the chance to review The Cloisters! I really appreciate it.

This one had some hits and a lot of misses for me.
The hits...
I loved the unique storyline; it felt very authentic to me with the history, art, and tarot background. I liked the idea of art curators at the Met having these secretive groups and interests. It felt like an exciting world to dive into, and it felt like the author was well researched on what she was writing about.

However, some things stopped it from reaching its full potential...
Overall, it felt very quiet and surface-level. I expected some quietness with this kind of art history storyline, but it never felt like it was pulling me in completely. I wanted to dive deeper, to feel like I was exploring these things with these characters, but they all felt so reserved. There's a very thin line between characters being mysterious and secretive and just writing them to appear that way. I never got connected or attached to any of them, which also meant that I never felt any tension between them.
I think it might have worked if more characters were in the story. From the synopsis, I thought it would be a bigger group she gets involved in, and I think what was missing is a larger character dynamic that adds to the vibrancy of the plot. With such a quiet setting, I think it needed more excitement and layering in other places.
The dialogue also didn't seem to be doing what it wanted; the conversations meant to hint at things later on or give us clues fell very flat and awkward. I wanted them to be more conversational, profound, and revealing about things, but they didn't always do that.
I was also not a huge fan of the end. I think that as a reader, you want to learn things for yourself, but Ann's conversations with some characters at the end of the story took the fun and excitement out of finding things out on my own. It felt like too much explanation, too much lengthy dialogue. It felt like I was being told rather than shown. And I'm just not a massive fan of monologues explaining the reasoning for everything.
I also think what stopped me from connecting to the book was Ann. Her narration felt very cold and lifeless. It didn't have much feeling in it. I knew so much about her, yet I never got to really know her as a person, if that makes sense, mostly because I never knew how she felt. I never felt her excitement or fear come through the pages. Her narration tells us about her past and reveals her thoughts, but we're never shown it in scenes. The emotion in the book stayed level for me the entire time, which I think stopped me from fully loving it.

Overall, I did not love nor hate this book. It might have just fallen flat for me because of what I personally enjoy in a book, so that's always something to keep in mind! Also, I believe it's a debut, and its writing is still very strong. This book's idea and plot were unique, and I loved the atmosphere behind it, so I very much look forward to seeing what this author comes up with in the future!

On the heels of her father's death, Ann Stilwell moves to New York City with hopes of working doe the Met. But, the hands of fate pull her in a different direction: to The Cloisters. The Cloisters is a story of friendship, betrayal, fate, and the dark lust of academia. Kathy Hays weaves together a gripping debut that keeps you wanting to know more!

I thought I was really going to like this book; I had a lot in common with the main character. But this story just never gelled for me. I didn't understand the importance of their research, the magnetism that Rachel seemed to have over everyone, or why Ann cared so much. Nothing truly felt at stake. The Cloisters just didn't come together for me.

The Cloisters by Katy Hays is a dark academia tale, pulsing with guilt and glamour, murder and mystery, and choice and fate.

The arcane nature of this story–researchers trying to uncover a Renaissance secret involving Tarot cards, pulled me into its labyrinth, where danger and suspicion lurked behind every corner. The gothic atmosphere of The Cloisters was the perfect spooky setting that invoked an ancient energy almost as though something from long ago was attempting to be revived. It was hard not to feel the overwhelming effect of the medieval museum, causing a Stendhal syndrome for the characters. The Cloisters museum is the main character in this story as it served as both inspiration and obsession, a place where life and death converged in a disturbing yet beautiful way.

A Tarot storyline is exactly what the dark academia genre was missing. The occult and academic worlds weaved an intoxicating story about free will and destiny. Do we make our own choices or are they made for us? The characters in this story were attempting to study the true purpose of the cards but they learned it was not something that could be proven, only felt or experienced… much to their scholarly chagrin. The more they studied the cards, the deeper into its rabbit hole they were pulled, and the deeper the interior of The Cloisters became, so it was no longer a workplace, but a grotesque fortress of darkness and illumination. The museum forced the characters to confront themselves, an internal journey, like the Tarot. Along the way, each character met aspects of themselves that they would have preferred to stay in the shadows, and once the secret layers were pulled back, they learned just how delicate the weave of choice and fate was.

The gorgeous descriptions of the gilded tarot cards brought to mind the Visconti reproductions found on many shelves today and the rich architecture of the museum was beautifully described. Ruthless scholars, moody settings, seductive shadowy characters, and a centuries old mystery will initiate readers into this esoteric world of dark glamour, Renaissance magic, and academic madness.

I highly recommend The Cloisters for fans of dark academia. You will not be able to put it down. Of course, it’s up to you to decide…or is it?

Thank you to the publisher for providing me with a free arc via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book. I though the plot and story line were definitely different, which I loved. It was a bit slow at first, but once it picked up, it got super good. I loved the twist and turns and definitely loved the ending. I will definitely be recommending this one to my followers!

A very atmospheric mystery stuffed with arcane Medieval art history - a perfectly pitched combo for me.

Ann Stilwell has escaped from Walla Walla, Washington to be a summer intern at The Cloisters in New York where the curator, Patrick, is working on an exhibition about early Renaissance use of tarot cards for divination. Up from the country Ann and rich society girl Rachel are doing the research trying to find the evidence to justify Patrick’s thesis. We know, vaguely, from the prologue that this is a summer that is going to change Ann’s life and that it involves a body in the library, but the novel takes its leisurely time to build up the something-is-out-of-joint tension before we get to the death.

The contrast of rube Ann in her polyester slacks and lustrous Rachel is nicely done, and the reader can absolutely go along with Ann’s infatuation. We also see how Rachel’s patronage helps bring out Ann’s confidence and abilities. Besides the rather sketched in Patrick, the only other character of any note is Leo who works in the garden at the Cloisters who is earthy and sensual in contrast to the young women’s rarified academic focus.

The Cloisters itself is an integral part of the novel - not somewhere I’ve been but somewhere I’m familiar with from both the Magic Tree House book Blizzard of the Blue Moon and Stephen Speilberg’s West Side Story. The author does a wonderful job of creating a behind the scenes vibe for Ann and Rachel as well as making the whole place, especially the gardens, sound enticingly worth a visit.

There is a lot about tarot card reading in here which is not something that particularly interests me. Ann becomes quite an expert in interpreting the cards and reading the future (and there's a whole appendix of her interpretations which I skipped but you might find fascinating), and I liked that her definition of reading the future is more atmospheric and directional than specific, so the plot can be moved on and it adds to the slightly queasy feeling.

I think the author has done a great job of world building and slipping in nuggets of history (yay, Isabella d’Este) but the mystery itself is not particularly mysterious and the revelations, bar one, come with little surprise. I was fine with that balance but you may not be.

Thanks to Atria and Netgalley for the digital review copy.

Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review!

This book sounded absolutely enchanting! I’ve only began to dip my toes into the genre of dark academia, so I have not read the other two novels that are being compared to The Cloisters (Ninth House and The Secret History, although the latter is on my Kindle waiting to be read). I love a good gothic mystery, though. Add in some tarot cards and a spooky museum, and this went straight to the top of my TBR list.

I enjoyed The Cloisters, though the genre did wind up being a little different than I anticipated. Based on the description, I assumed it to be more of a thriller with some magical realism/spiritual elements thrown in. I’d argue the genre actually aligns more with gothic literary fiction and suspense. There is a mystery, but it’s a slow burn and fairly predictable. The novel’s sinister atmosphere truly shines as it builds suspense, showing just how far people will go to reach success. There is a heavy theme of fate versus free will and whether one can truly predict the future, but I wouldn’t say it leans very far into magical realism. So, if that sounds good to you, then do give this a try! If you’re solely looking for fantasy or a quick thriller, you might pick up something else.

This story follows Ann Stilwell, a recent graduate of college who is trying to make a career studying Renaissance art and various languages. Needing to get out of her hometown in Washington, Ann moves to New York City to work as a summer associate at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Unexpectedly, the job falls through, but she is offered a similar position at the Met Cloisters, a gothic museum featuring medieval art. She begins working with a small team of researchers to identify when tarot cards were first used for divination. The longer she works with them, though, the more Ann suspects her team might be hiding things from her. Who amongst them is actually loyal, and what is Ann willing to risk for her work? Many secrets hide in the shadows of the Cloisters.

I loved the rich atmosphere of this novel. Katy Hays flawlessly portrays the setting, with its gothic architecture and gorgeous gardens. I didn’t know much about the real-life Cloisters before reading. I looked the museum up in more detail after finishing the novel, and I was pleasantly surprised at how spot on my mental images of the museum were from the book! Hays transports readers into an ominous world, where nothing feels quite right. I wanted to keep reading, because I was constantly second guessing each character and their motives. It’s easy to see how Ann starts to blur the line between reality and fiction when the place she spends all of her time is so disquieting.

The writing is beautiful and seems to be well-researched. I don’t know too much about the Renaissance era or tarot, but Hays weaves the history into the plot seamlessly. It definitely made me want to read up more on the time period; the reliance on fate and luck back then sounded fascinating. You can tell that the author put a lot of care into the minor details— from the art history to the plot. There is one twist at the end I didn’t expect. In retrospect, it was set up well through the writing; I just hadn’t been paying close enough attention to some of the details in the background.

I think the atmosphere, depth of subject matter, and writing are the highlights of this novel. I enjoyed some other aspects, but not quite as much.

I found the characters to be pretty interesting, while not necessarily likable. Ann’s development is so fascinating. She starts the novel very unsure of herself, longing to be accepted and taken seriously by those around her. Her desires to move away from home and make a name for herself are probably relatable to many college students and graduates. As the story goes on, she becomes more questionable, but her journey held my attention. Leo is an equally intriguing love interest. I could never quite figure out his personality or intentions, but that’s what made me want to keep reading about him! He’s certainly the hot and mysterious bad boy type. I enjoyed the friendship between Rachel and Ann, as well as the tension that sparked between them. Patrick, the last main character, could have been developed a little more, but he reminded me of a couple esteemed professors I’ve encountered over the years.

The one part that almost lost me was the plot. It is engaging for the first 50 or 60% of the novel. There is a major event that happens around then, though, that changes the direction of the story. The plot kind of falls flat following that. There is a good bit of repetition, and I found myself getting bored, because I could already guess how the story was going to end. The last few chapters redeem the book, though. The conclusion moves in the direction I expected, but it also throws a curveball or two into the mix. After finishing, I was left with my thoughts spinning and so much to think about.

The Cloisters is a well-done, suspenseful literary fiction novel. It has strong themes and creates a compelling discussion about how much control we really have over the direction of our lives. I appreciated how it explored the unhealthy competitive nature of academia and how women are often mistreated early in their careers. My main complaint is that the pace dragged at times, with a significant lag in the middle. I’d say it’s worth the read despite that if you are interested in the subject matter. I had fun losing myself and traversing the shadowy hallways with Ann.

3.5 out of 5 stars, rounded up to 4 stars because the atmosphere and writing pulled me in so much.

Ann Stillwell, lonely and with no self confidence, and who recent.y lost her Dad, accepts a summer internship at the Met in Manhattan, only to find herself transferred to The Cloisters. Well versed in languages and the minutiae of the Renaissance period, she slowly finds herself engulfed in the world of Tarot cards, while a slowly developing mystery surrounds her. The resolution of this mystery is at the heart of The Cloisters, an impressive debut from Katy Hays.

I particularly loved how the author brought the locale of the Cloisters to life. The insertion of all the information about the Renaissance, and also Tarot cards, was, in my opinion, skillfully done. I did have a hard time accepting the budding romantic relationship between Ann and Leo, the Cloisters’ gardener, as it seemed a bit contrived. On the other hand, the relationship between Ann and Rachel, her coworker, was quite well done. And what a great ending!

My thanks to Atria Books and to Netgalley for providing an ARC of this well done debut novel.

Any book that is compared to the classic The Secret History grabs my attention.
For a first novel. Hays did a fine job of creating a web of unlikable characters with deeply disturbing motives. The setting in The Cloisters was a perfect backdrop for this sinister group. The added interest of the history of Tarot cards added a mystical layer.
There were a few plot twists and the ending was a bit predictable but overall, I enjoyed it and would recommend.
Thank you to Net Galley for early access.

The Cloisters is a tense, claustrophobic tale of obsession, devotion and secrets. Set in New York’s fabled cloisters, a space for history and reverence, it follows the story of recent graduate Ann on her search for purpose amidst the fabled halls. After a mysterious shift in circumstance, she finds herself working with two enigmatic and complex characters— Rachel and Patrick. At the cloisters, Ann, Rachel and Patrick grow close in the endeavour to find a historic (and powerful) set of tarot cards. From the off I found the premise extremely intriguing. As an avid lover of all things dark academia, the exploration of the history of tarot and its renaissance origins was undoubtedly my favourite part of the novel. It’s obvious how much research the author put into the historical aspects and I loved the intellectual components of the story. If the plot would have developed alongside the academic side, it would have been much stronger, in my opinion.

Despite being extremely excited, I found myself wishing for *more* from the story. Nothing really happened until around the 40% mark, and from then on the plot meanders so slowly I lost all sense of urgency to unravel the mystery. There was so much potential and such beautiful writing, but the plot overall fell flat to me. A shame, as I think every component to a fantastic, tense dark academia novel were ripe for the taking.

One last part that I felt could have been improved on was the romance. I never really bought Leo and Ann’s romance— the chemistry wasn’t really there for me. You know who it was there for, though? Rachel and Ann. The tension and chemistry between them was off the charts. If a relationship had of been developed between those two, it would have made the themes of obsession and lies *so* much stronger.

I’d be keen to read more from this author in the future, as I did love her writing style and ability to write an atmospheric setting. Overall, I’d rate The Cloisters 3/5 stars.

Summer internships are exciting and can really shape and change your life. When Ann Stillwell spends her Summer at the Met Cloisters, she’s hoping for that change. Little did she expect to become impassioned over a deck of tarot cards that may just be able to predict the future. But where does the line between free will and destiny fall? This is the theme throughout the book and you’ll find yourself questioning it as well.

The Met Cloisters caught my attention, coupled with the Tarot cards I knew I had to read this one! The writing was vivid and you certainly were able to “Be” in the scenes. This is definitely an author to follow and keep an eye on moving forward.

Thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for the opportunity to read an advance copy of Katy Hays' The Cloisters.

The Cloisters is a wonderful, fascinating place, and this book is just right in bringing readers the magic of its spirit.

While this book has been marketed for readers who enjoyed The Secret History and Ninth House, I’m going to switch that comparison instead to If We Were Villains and Vita Nostra.
If you love dark academia, a little mystery, and the question of what’s real and what isn’t then you’ll enjoy this book!

Within the first three chapters I was completely hooked. Immediately I felt like I was swamped into this beautiful but destructive world of cutthroat academia.
As a reader I kept getting that feeling that everyone knows something I don’t and it made me turn page after page so I could uncover the secrets of the story. And there were no shortages of secrets and lies throughout the book to keep me coming back for more.

Our main character Ann has secrets in her past yet refuses to delve into them, instead choosing to delve into secrets that go even further back in history, a choice that ultimately decides her narrative.

You see, Ann needs to feel wanted, to feel special, to feel important. But she doesn’t know how to ask for those things nor does she know how to manage that attention when she finally receives it from her coworkers at The Cloisters. And once she gets a taste of what it feels like to not feel irrelevant she grasps onto it with a vise like grip, refusing to see the toxic parts of the relationships around her, even after someone dies.

Honestly, I don’t blame Ann either. Everyone has that natural hunger to succeed, especially to KEEP succeeding once they’ve begun, and I think the author captured that feeling in this book perfectly. Katy Hays did a great job of asking her characters and the readers, ‘What would you be willing to do for success? For great renown? For a new life?’
But my favorite theme of the book was, ‘is it even up to you to decide?’

The tarot storyline brought out the argument of preordained destiny and it was such a unique idea, I thought. The author was smart to include a little chart that explained some of the tarot cards and that was interesting to look into. The entire tarot idea definitely went through a journey of disbelief to believing as the story progressed and I loved that!

And while there were some slightly predictable areas a little bit of academic meandering, the book had a good pace, navigating the line between slow and fast in all the right places.

I’m really grateful to NetGalley and the publishers for the chance to read this ARC and cannot wait to tell everyone about it.

Thank you Atria Books and NetGalley for this eARC!

I was instantly drawn to this book when I read about its setting as the Met’s Cloisters. I was so excited when my request was accepted. Once I started this book I was very quickly drawn in. The characters were multifaceted and dark, all of their motivations shifting and hard to read at times. I really enjoyed all of the descriptions of the Cloisters and the entire museum and archive experience took me back to my art history grad school days. I found this to be a very good debut. I can’t wait to see what Hays writes for her second novel, hopefully more art history related fiction!

The Cloisters is being pitched as The Ninth House meets A Secret History, so dark academia. You’ve got a cool setting (the Cloisters at the Met in NYC), occultism (a mysterious tarot set), and characters who you can’t trust. However, the whole story just falls flat. I kept reading hoping the action would pick up, but they just didn’t. I ultimately didn’t care about the characters, and the few twists weren’t even that shocking. Overall, this one was just meh.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The description of this story, along with the locale, drew me to select this book. A small-town college graduate looking for a change. She is offered a summer position in New York City which she hopes will open doors to further academic opportunities to ultimately escape her small town and her painful feelings of loss. This all lays the foundation for an exploration of the beauty and mystery that is The Cloisters. The setting provides the opportunity to delve into the history of Tarot, and its roots in medieval and renaissance art and culture. Appropriately, the theme of fate versus free will is threaded through the story.

The author provides a good sense of the environment and uses intricate language to spin her tale. Personally, I didn’t feel drawn to the characters, but that may have been by design. The weaving of the story was, I believe, like the descriptions the author uses to describe the tapestries and artwork in The Cloisters. Overall the book was satisfying and kept my attention.

A copy of The Cloisters: A Novel by Katy Hays was provided to me by NetGalley and Atria Books for an honest review.

Thank you so much to the publisher for sending me a copy of this in exchange for an honest review,

First off this book is compared to the secret history and I think that’s definitely accurate. with the dark academia and the charismatic curator of the cloisters and you know the murder of course. I couldn’t put this down, I really enjoyed Ann’s character development and the ending took me completely by suprise. Highly reccomend this for all the dark academia lovers out there.

Thank you to both #NetGalley and Atria Books for providing me an advance copy of Katy Hays’s debut novel, The Cloisters, in exchange for an honest review.

#TheCloisters is ultimately a protracted love letter to the museum referenced in the novel’s eponymous title. Part mystery, part faux literary fiction, the reader would do well to ignore the book blurb and delve in with an open mindset. Readers seeking an adrenaline rush should opt for an airport novel, as this one is a slow, bordering on tedious, burn—a burn whose flames do not fully unfurl until the bittersweet end.

It pains me to award a mediocre rating to a novel that is both so well-written and well-researched, and contains such breathtaking imagery. However, I was not surprised to learn that the novel was an abandoned pet project, and it is not difficult to imagine the material as a novella or short story. There is certainly an intriguing plotline here and enough meat to spur the reader on until roughly the halfway mark. That is where the struggle begins and the reader realizes there is no further mysticism or magic, but only repetition.

It also does not help that the characters are not likeable or that the story is predictable. Yet, I believe there are a niche group of readers—particularly, ones who are fascinated by art and art history—who will enjoy the story. The story also lends itself to burgeoning writers and scholars of literature.

Personally, it did not strike a chord for me until the final chapter. I did not care for any of the characters, and especially despised the protagonist’s personality. Although I love the city, am a dilettante of linguistics, and dabble in tarot cards, this hodgepodge of my predilections was not enough to overcome the fact that the story failed to deliver the mystery novel promised by the book blurb.

On a positive note, I did enjoy the vivid descriptions, the haunted ending, the suspenseful passages, and the tarot card chart insert, which feels like a memento you purchase in a museum giftshop at the end of your visit. Due to the aforementioned, I look forward to reading the next novel the author publishes.

A solid 3.5 stars.