2.5/5 ⭐️

Thanks to NetGalley and Brigids Gate Press for providing an eARC of Marionette in exchange for this honest review.

Is the horror that women are only ever seen for their bodies or that when a woman finally had power, she is now evil? I don't really know if this story was horrifying to me, other than maybe making some sad, sappy man with a white knight complex the hero.

I want horror to make me feel something strong, but this felt fairly bland. Where is the imagery that makes you really go "what the hell am I reading???".

It was fine, and if you want to read a story about dance, sex, prostitution, and the occult then sure take this for a short ride. It's not a long enough story to really dissuade you from giving it a read, but not strong enough to demand attention.

I really enjoyed Marionette! The premise was intriguing, and the action scenes were especially well done, they kept me completely engaged. Antonia Ward’s writing style worked for me, and the pacing kept things moving without feeling rushed.

I liked the characters a lot, but I found myself wanting to know more about them. I wanted to dig deeper into their thoughts and motivations because they were interesting, and I think that extra depth would have made the story even stronger.

Overall, this was an entertaining read, and I’d recommend it to anyone who enjoys fast-paced thrillers with solid action.

Thanks to NetGalley and Brigids Gate Press for the ARC copy. This has not affected my review at all, which are my own thoughts.

Dancer Cece Dulac and aspiring artist George Dashwood will meet at Paris, when a friend of his takes George to see a dancing spectacle upon his arrival to the city, in which Cece is the start. George becomes infatuated with her immediately. While Cece, needing money and pressured by her friend, accepts taking part in an erotic séance hosted by an enigmatic hypnotist, Monsieur Rossignol, who has been to her spectacles before.
Soon, the séance descends into depravity and George, witness to all this, fears for Cece and vows to rescue her from Rossignol's control. A game of seduction and death starts between them trapping everybody that comes near them for long enough.

So, I can say with confidence that Marionette didn't work for me, and for once, it wasn't because of the erotic aspect of the story😂 Though the sex scenes are so lacking in details, leaving almost everything to the imagination, that I wouldn't fully classify this novella into the erotic genre/subgenre/category.
Doesn't matter, because my main problem was with the character, the main pair, Cece and George, more specifically. Together. Which they shouldn't have been. Where was the chemistry? Where was the tension? Were was the lust and love? 'Cause the book want us to believe there were tons of these elements, and apart from some lust towards the end, there were none. Which is both hilarious and disappointing, since there's a love declaration and all. Well, I didn't believe it. More over, because Cece, back at the séance, had been possessed by a vengeful ghost who was controlling her more and more every time, so it wasn't always Cece with George; therefore, I just couldn't believe these two were in love when they merely knew each other for a few days and their interactions weren't that wholesome nor develop the relationship in any way.
It all felt very artificial to me, which I find sad, because Cece and George were interesting enough on their own, individually. But, the story forces them together from almost the very start, and even though we see a bit more of Cece alone or interacting with other people, we don't see that on George, who is just obsessed with Cece and saving her🙄

And, of course, he would become obsessed with a woman that he just met, and with whom he hasn't even talk yet and, upon seeing her get mistreated by society, wants to save her from the depravity of other men. Even though he gets aroused and eventually releases himself at the sight of Cece's erotic séance (that she acts out with Rosie, a friend of hers). It's true that both her and Rosie are possessed by ghosts and are not in full control of their bodies, and that Rossignol actually wants to hurt Cece, so maybe she needs help. But, still, it felt a bit patronizing and reinforcing the trope of "the damsel in distress". I wouldn't have minded this much if Cece and George have known each other from before all this, or, at least, their relationship had been developed more before he decided to get infatuated and risk it all to help her.
Maybe it's me, that I wouldn't risk even my own life or eternal imprisonment for someone I don't know at all. George and I are just different people, is all😂

Another issue (for me) is the treatment of women characters. All the ones that appear are either whores (and called as such by the other characters) or evil people. Nothing wrong with either, but when the men characters get to be the hero (like George), a patron (like Monseieur Rossignol) or a loyal friend (like George's friend), it makes me stop in my tracks for a while and not enjoy the book as much as I expected.
There's even a part where a character says that (and I'm quoting): "women tend to get categorized as evil when they try to live by their own rules and not following what men dictate" (more or less). That would have been an impactful statement, if it hadn't been said about an actual evil character that didn't mind who she had to sacrifice on her way to getting what she wanted.
Good ideas throughout the story, but poorly executed most of them, sadly.

Overall, I think this novella was promising, is why I read it in the first place both the cover and the synopses called to me; it had potential, it even gave me goosebumps, and, if the characters relationship had been better developed, I'm sure I would have liked it more. Unfortunately, I don't think I can't go around recommending this one. But if you want to try your hand with this erotic horror novella and see how you like it, be my guest

"The idea of having a pretty young woman dancing to one's tune like a puppet on a string is a fantasy for many men, I suppose."

Fast-paced, steamy, and a good supernatural story, I just wish this wasn't a novella but an actual novel. I wanted to know more about these characters, especially Selena and Cece.

»Marionette« is a historic horror novella with and incredible plot.
Not only does it give one an uncanny feeling, but it makes you want to read on as much as possible, hence the vibe is truly strange (in a positive, yet terrifying way). With the historic setting in old Paris, this book has a special flair. Beware, it is rather disturbing in some bits of the novella though.
Thanks to the fluent writing style one can easily immerse in the book's gripping plot.

A horror/erotica novella that seemed right up my alley.
I love the themes explored, including: female rage and men's desire to control women.
The word choice in the dialog between the men said so much about how they viewed the women, and I liked seeing the dichotomy between George and Rossignol.
The ending felt a bit abrupt and I think the story could've benefitted from being a couple of more chapters long.

What a fucked up little novella! 😂 I honestly don't know whether I liked this or not, but I can say it was very interesting. The premise is what intitially pulled me in and the story ended up being something I didn't expect at all. If you don't like body or erotic horror, I wouldn't read this. The mix of blood and sex was a bit much for me personally. My favorite part of this was the Moulin Rouge vibes. I do wish there had been more development between George and Cece, but with a novella this short there isn't much room for that. Thank you Netgalley for the ARC.

4 ⭐️ 2 🌶️

Review:

This was a very short, horror Novela and I actually really liked it. While I do slightly, wish it was longer in order to develop the characters better, and describe certain scenes in greater length, I still found myself enthralled in the story. This is the exact kind of story I expected from this gorgeous cover.

Summary:

Cecile has arrived in Paris, following some notes that her aunt had left for her. But she’s glad to be in the city, because she wants to be adored by the people, and the best way she knows how to do that is to work under Rossignol as a dancer. However, she wasn’t expecting to be surprised by George. He’s different from the other men. Genuine and kind. If only everyone else there was like that too. The more attention she gathers, the more precarious situations she finds herself in. Now she’s been invited to a private party, where Rossignol is putting on an act of allowing spirits to possess the dancers. But the tingling sensation Cecil feels in her bones, tells her that’s not the case. The night goes on and after it’s finished, there’s only one thing she can remember, a name; Selena.

Favorite Quote:

“You men who always think women who want more are evil. All she wants is to live the life that was stolen from her.“

Tropes:
•horror novela
•possession
•revenge
•prostitution

Marionette by Antonia Rachel Ward offers a unique premise that blends psychological tension with mystery, exploring the complexities of control and manipulation. The writing is solid, with a clear atmosphere that pulls readers into its dark and unsettling world. The characters are intriguing, and their complex relationships add layers to the plot, making the narrative engaging in parts.

However, while the concept is strong, the story can sometimes feel slow, with pacing issues that may leave readers waiting too long for the payoff. The character development, though interesting, doesn’t always feel fully fleshed out, and some of the twists feel predictable. Despite these flaws, Marionette offers a thought-provoking story that will appeal to those who enjoy dark psychological thrillers, even if it doesn’t completely reach its potential.

Overall, Marionette is an interesting read with a compelling idea, but it might leave some readers wishing for more depth and faster progression.

𝕥𝕣𝕠𝕡𝕖𝕤/𝕥𝕒𝕘𝕤:

• female rage/revenge
• possessions
• spooky séance
• 1800s Paris
• MMC saves the FMC
• horror erotica
• dancer FMC/artist MMC

❗ sʟɪɢʜᴛ sᴘᴏɪʟᴇʀs ɪɴ ᴛʜɪs ʀᴇᴠɪᴇᴡ ❗

Cece is a dancer who unknowingly partakes in a séance and George, an artist who moved to Paris witnesses something that the crowd thinks is all part of the act.

When Cece commits a horrifying crime while being possessed, George is hypnotized into taking the blame and is apprehended. With the help of his friend he goes into hiding, but when he learns that the spirit that's taking hold of Cece's body is working to complete the spell he tries to find out how to break her free.

→ The main characters were likeable. Cece was a bumpkin who moved to Paris in hopes of getting recognized. George was an artist who promised his father he would focus on his studies, and make a name for himself.

→ Cece was experienced in pleasing men, but she also had this air of innocence and coyness to her. George was a sweet man who only had eyes for Cece and all he wanted to do was paint her like the goddess he thought she was.

→ The antagonists did their part in the readers rooting against them. Although, I do understand why the spirit did what she did. The men in her life wronged her and she wanted revenge. The way she went about it was questionable lol but I get her reasoning. The men that caused all of this can go f*ck themselves 🙂‍↔️

•• This is a novella with 19 chapters, so if you're looking for a short read I would recommend this.

**Also, the possession/whole idea of it 𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘢 reminded me a bit of the plot of The Mummy (1999) where Imhotep tries to resurrect Anck-su-namun. So if you liked that couple/the movie perhaps you'll like this book.**

Thank you Net galley :)

This book is a beautiful horror and so captivating.

The plot was good enough that I read this in one sitting. the

I enjoyed the characters and this was so well written.

I found this to be a quick, easy read, despite the subject matter. I feel like it could be fleshed out more for a full-length novel, but maybe that would be too intense. The concept was neat, and the execution was well done.

3.75⭐
This quick fantasy/horror erotica set in old timey Paris was, well... Interesting.

I'm still dabbling in the horror genre, but this was more enjoyable than I'd expected.

Thank you NetGalley and Brigids Gates Press for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Thank you to Netgalley and Brigids Gate Press for this arc.

There were many aspects of this story that had promise. The plot, while intriguing, could’ve been a lot stronger and details that were simply examined and mentioned didn’t make the impact they should have. One of my key problems was that this story felt rushed and lacked the opportunity to create depth for the characters and the vehicle they were meant to be to further multiple stories throughout the years. A major ick for me was the instant love and connection that George and Cece immediately had within a matter of 2 or 3 days of meeting one another. While fictional, it felt almost painful to read.

The story of possession and how it intermingled with Cece’s past was something I enjoyed. However, it just felt short-lived. Where it could’ve had a chance to be given a few extra paragraphs or sharp lines of more in depth information, we got instead something that overall made the characters appear flat and one dimensional.

A more diabolical end to this story would’ve seemed more fitting. If Cece and Selena became one in her rage, a shared rage, and ended the story with two souls mingling and creating an image for both women to reside into one being. For Cece to defeat Selena who seemingly gained immense power from a feeding of dozens of souls just doesn’t ring genuine even for a fictional novella.

Welcome to Paris George! Where women are gorgeous and the parties are unforgettable.

As soon as George arrives in Paris he is dragged to a theatre and gets mesmerised immediately by Cece.

Cece is an exotic dancer that knows how to manipulate men for her own benefit but this time she agrees to go to a séance with her friend Rose and gets hypnotised, letting a spirit take over, and getting trapped within herself.

So here’s come George, a knight in shining armor, that between sexy times and witnessing someone being unalived, tries to save Cece from her own body.

This is a horror erotica novella with some gothic vibes so expect a lot of bedtime action (or elsewhere action), powered by a supernatural force that has an appetite for blood.

I have to admit I was not expecting to like this little novella as much as I did.

It’s a very easy story to follow with characters that you wont’ forget but somehow I was left with the feeling that 100 pages weren’t enough.

I needed a bit more of Cece and Rose.

I think there was a really good plot within this very short, graphically spicy horror story.

Without giving away anything, the idea of using hypnosis to create room within a body for possession was really interesting to me. Everything revolving around the possession and how it was controlled was something that I hadn't read before and enjoyed thinking about.

I do feel like the ending was rushed and a bit thrown together. And, some of the writing was a little underdeveloped and didn't match the tone of the rest of the book. But, all together, I gave this a solid 3 ⭐️ just for the unique aspects of the storyline.

As always, I would like to thank Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to have an ebook copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Marionette was such a good book. the characters were well-written. Thank you for my early copy of this book.

This should have been a homerun: spooky premise, sexy historical...all good stuff. Had it not been a short story and therefore a fast read, this might have been a DNF for me.

As stated, the premise is interesting. Classic mystical show, add a little ghost possession and some obsessive love-this feels like a recipe for success. Some of it certainly was, there were threads of what the story could have been.

Overall though, the story was predictable, the so-called "erotica" was only racey if you think anything queer-coded is, as the kids say "so extra," and much of it felt very "men writing women."

Thank you to the author for the arc from netgalley. I am a lover of Historical fiction and horror so I was really excited for this. However, it felt more like a low 3. Since it was so short I couldn’t be too critical. It did what it set out to do. I wish there could have been a little more added. Everything felt so rushed and I had guessed the plot twist by like halfway. The writing was ok but this story is kind of forgetful. I wish it would have took a risk or at least showed us the crazy stuff instead of just summarizing it and moving on to the next thing. I’m wondering if the smut was supposed to be the crazy part because it wasn’t all that crazy. Idk it was alright. 🤷🏾‍♀️

Thank you Netgalley, Antonia Racheal Ward and Brigids Gate Press, LLC for the eArc of Marionette.

Marionette is a dark, fast paced, erotic novella set in the Victorian Era. This took me by surprise and I really enjoyed reading it. With fast paced thrillers, it's difficult to get a balance between the plot and character building. Antonia Ward did just that with this novella. The characters were all intriguing and I didn't expect the direction of the narrative. The erotism isn't over done and combined with the horror elements made for a quick read. Also loved the cover artwork.

4 stars