"What's done is done and can't be undone." It is really hard to start this review. First of all - READ THIS BOOK. It's fantastic. But don't read it unless you like gothic horror tales wrapped in beautiful words that you will re-read again and again. This novella deserves to be digested in its own rhythms. I'm a fan of this author's work, but truly think this gem is my favorite. Like fine bitter chocolate, it sneaks up on you with lyrical imagery that breaks your heart before plunging a knife into it. This is an erotic tale that keeps you on the edge of discomfort. Some encounters sweet with discovery and others not so much as corruption soaks into nearly every facet of their lives, unwrapped within each Act as a rose with rotten petals until the final mystery is exposed with truth. As Mercy's mother said, "There is no creature so blinkered by truth than one driven by lust..."
Lady Mercy Dove is young, beautiful and wealthy. We learn early on that she navigates night terrors and an unrecognized form of madness we realize only by navigating her POV, as the world sees only what she wants it to. Her lady's maid, Birdie, is loyal. Their friendship felt like a desperate shadow one sees from the corner of the eye. The twist at the end truly caught me off guard and I'm still, two days later, still unnerved by it. My only complaint is that I wish this was a full length novel. I highly recommend this book and am giving it a well earned five stars.
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About the author
Becky Wright is the gothic horror go to author without a doubt.
The Final Act of Mercy Dove is told in a style that emphasizes the grotesque, mysterious, and the desolation of the mind. Becky Wright is the gothic horror go to author without a doubt. The story unfolds as a play with acts instead of chapters. Opening night! I’m all comfy in bed with the bedside lamp on low, a carafe and a full glass of wine at the bedside. The doors are locked and checked twice. The curtain is rising. “The crow watched from the window ledge. The end was coming.” And still, I read, unable to close the book. I’m not a horror reader; but this book grabbed me and I couldn’t seem to put it down or get it out of my head long after I closed the book. I knew something bad was going to happen; my brain was in overdrive waiting for the axe to fall or the murder of crows to crow. Either way, it made me all shivery. I was caught completely unawares in this psychological web of what is real and what is not... Wright created a living hell of horror that I could feel long after I closed the book. I can’t say that I loved The Final Act of Mercy Dove; but I couldn’t put it down either. It is a disturbing and beautifully written story that begs to be read and reread again and again.
Top reviews from the United States
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- Reviewed in the United States on November 29, 2020
"What's done is done and can't be undone." It is really hard to start this review. First of all - READ THIS BOOK. It's fantastic. But don't read it unless you like gothic horror tales wrapped in beautiful words that you will re-read again and again. This novella deserves to be digested in its own rhythms. I'm a fan of this author's work, but truly think this gem is my favorite. Like fine bitter chocolate, it sneaks up on you with lyrical imagery that breaks your heart before plunging a knife into it. This is an erotic tale that keeps you on the edge of discomfort. Some encounters sweet with discovery and others not so much as corruption soaks into nearly every facet of their lives, unwrapped within each Act as a rose with rotten petals until the final mystery is exposed with truth. As Mercy's mother said, "There is no creature so blinkered by truth than one driven by lust..."
Lady Mercy Dove is young, beautiful and wealthy. We learn early on that she navigates night terrors and an unrecognized form of madness we realize only by navigating her POV, as the world sees only what she wants it to. Her lady's maid, Birdie, is loyal. Their friendship felt like a desperate shadow one sees from the corner of the eye. The twist at the end truly caught me off guard and I'm still, two days later, still unnerved by it. My only complaint is that I wish this was a full length novel. I highly recommend this book and am giving it a well earned five stars.
Images in this review
- Reviewed in the United States on July 9, 2021
The Final Act of Mercy Dove is told in a style that emphasizes the grotesque, mysterious, and the desolation of the mind. Becky Wright is the gothic horror go to author without a doubt. The story unfolds as a play with acts instead of chapters.
Becky Wright is the gothic horror go to author without a doubt.
Reviewed in the United States on July 9, 2021
Opening night! I’m all comfy in bed with the bedside lamp on low, a carafe and a full glass of wine at the bedside. The doors are locked and checked twice. The curtain is rising.
“The crow watched from the window ledge.
The end was coming.” And still, I read, unable to close the book.
I’m not a horror reader; but this book grabbed me and I couldn’t seem to put it down or get it out of my head long after I closed the book. I knew something bad was going to happen; my brain was in overdrive waiting for the axe to fall or the murder of crows to crow. Either way, it made me all shivery. I was caught completely unawares in this psychological web of what is real and what is not...
Wright created a living hell of horror that I could feel long after I closed the book. I can’t say that I loved The Final Act of Mercy Dove; but I couldn’t put it down either. It is a disturbing and beautifully written story that begs to be read and reread again and again.
Images in this review
- Reviewed in the United States on February 14, 2021
- Reviewed in the United States on September 21, 2022
- Reviewed in the United States on November 28, 2020
- Reviewed in the United States on March 12, 2021
I read this in one go and it really lived up to my expectations. Becky Wright has created some beautiful magic here, even with the dark subject matter. Her writing is lovely and lyrical which pairs surprisingly well with this gothic horror of a story. There’s a strong erotic element, as well. I loved the ending and highly recommend this one!
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Top reviews from other countries
- Julia BlakeReviewed in the United Kingdom on November 18, 2020
A rich and satisfying Victorian Gothic read
