The Animals at Lockwood Manor

Beautifully written, this novel is a wonderfully satisfying read. Brimming with exquisite detail, relecting the WW2 era perfectly and a masterful depth of evocative prose, this book deserves to be a huge success.

I read The Animals of Lockwood Manor over a few days but trust me, I definitely wanted to read it every waking moment and did not want to put it down! I was utterly engaged and entranced by this dark tale of hidden family secrets set against the backdrop of the second World War and the rich country estate of Lockwood Manor. This book was reminiscent of all the best parts of my favourite classic novels, which I thoroughly enjoyed. For instance; the earnest protagonist is akin to Jane Eyre, the gothic setting and talk of ghosts and madness to Wuthering Heights. I’m not sure whether this is intentional but either way, I enjoyed reading a story which felt familiar but also entirely unique in it’s execution.

The novel is told through the perspectives of two characters; Hetty Cartwright and Lucy Lockwood. I liked both of them equally and enjoyed both their stories as they each offered different points of view and answers to the mysteries plaguing Lockwood Manor. Hetty is a deeply relatable character, we read as she suffers from anxiety and finds ways to overcome it. She is an intelligent woman who has a passion for the museum and it’s diverse collection of animals and is so capable but isn’t taken seriously due to the fact that she is a woman. Lucy on the other hand is a beautiful and rich heiress who is haunted by her past. Lucy suffers from terrible nightmares surrounding a mysterious room, and a lady in white who roams the halls of Lockwood…is she just imagining things?

I believe the writing style was genuinely impressive for a debut novel and there are some truly beautiful passages. Jane Healey creates such a dark and atmospheric tale and her descriptions of the imposing manor as well as the animals themselves creates such an immersive story which is intriguing and engaging. Stuffed animals are strange at the best of times but especially when there’s talk of ghosts, it just adds to the creepiness!

I thoroughly enjoyed how the mystery developed and everything was explained. For me it was pretty much the perfect level of suspense and tension as the truth was slowly revealed to the reader. The whole time you’re left wondering whether Lockwood Manor really is haunted or whether it’s an altogether more human cause. There are a whole host of characters from the egotistical Lord Lockwood, to the stern housekeeper as well as Lord Lockwoods jilted lover, Mary and the household staff who are all hiding their own secrets. All of these characters aid in heightening the tension and sense of foreboding.

As well as the mystery elements, I also enjoyed the budding romance explored within the novel and how the relationship developed in a realistic and touching way. The author doesn’t gloss over the challenges the characters face but finds a way to allow them to find happiness and it was a pleasant change in comparison to the way LGBT characters are often treated in fiction.

Overall, I would definitely recommend The Animals at Lockwood Manor to readers who enjoy the classics as well as dark or gothic mystery novels. This was such a great debut novel and I’m definitely going to be looking out for more of Jane Healeys’ writing in the future, she is definitely an author to watch out for!

Review to be posted on: 24th February 2020