Review | Such Pretty Things by Lisa Heathfield

After their mother’s accident, 14-year-old Clara and her little brother Stephen are sent to stay with their aunt and uncle in a remote house in the hills. They have no idea how long Auntie has been waiting for them. But her expectations are soon shattered by the reality of the messy, noisy children – leading to terrifying consequences.

Maybe she even loves us, Clara wonders, as Auntie blows on the backs of her hands before she hangs the towel straight on its rail. Because we’re not strangers exactly, we’re family.

Such Pretty Things is a dark, devastating horror with such lovely writing that I’m almost tempted to overlook its flaws. Clara and Stephen are affected by their mother’s fire accident and their father’s inability to care for them. They meet Auntie and feel a yearning to be loved and cared for, but grief and rebellion also rear their heads. On top of that, there are strange happenings at the house. Why is there a graveyard in the garden? What are the creepy dolls in the house? Where is their uncle? I loved the siblings’ relationship and I just wanted them to be okay.

Meanwhile, Auntie sees the children as the answers to their prayers. She has her own ideas of how they should live in her house but this is more like a fantasy than reality. Clara’s protectiveness towards Stephen clashes with Auntie’s desire for them to follow her rules. The gloomy house is the perfect setting for this story. There’s a looming sense of dread in the air and the tension is palpable.

This isn’t an easy book to read as it deals with child abuse and traumatic losses. I admit I had to stop reading a few times as I felt so badly for the characters. It’s an exploration of how grief manifests and a study of a woman’s descend into madness. I did find the plot unravels towards the end where the line between what’s real and what’s supernatural becomes blurry. The odd things we’ve seen are not explained. I don’t mind vague endings but after the characters have gone through so much, I wish there’s a sense of closure.

Such Pretty Things has commendable, atmospheric writing with a story that unfortunately falters at the end. Don’t read this if you’re in a sad mood!

CW: child abuse, animal deaths, miscarriages

I received a copy from Titan Books and Netgalley for review purposes.

About the author: Lisa Heathfield

Photo by Raimond Klavins