
An exploration of domestic derangement, as sinister as Daphne Du Maurier’s classic Rebecca, that plumbs the depths of sibling rivalry with wit and menace.
Oh, to be a Beloved—one of those lucky people for whom nothing ever goes wrong. Everything falls into their laps without effort: happiness, beauty, good fortune, allure.
Betty Stash is not a Beloved—but her little sister, the delightful Gloria, is. She’s the one with the golden curls and sunny disposition and captivating smile, the one whose best friend used to be Betty’s, the one whose husband should have been Betty’s. And then, to everyone’s surprise, Gloria inherits the family manse—a vast, gorgeous pile of ancient stone, imposing timbers, and lush gardens—that was never meant to be hers.
Losing what Betty considers her rightful inheritance is the final indignity. As she single-mindedly pursues her plan to see the estate returned to her in all its glory, her determined and increasingly unhinged behavior—aided by poisonous mushrooms, talking walls, and a phantom dog—escalates to the point of no return. The Beloveds will have you wondering if there’s a length to which an envious sister won’t go.
This was originally published in 2014.
The tale is told strictly from Betty’s point of view. And this chick is nuttier than a fruitcake! From the beginning to the end, I kept picking my jaw up off the floor!
The more she tries to get what she feels belongs to her, the more it just blows up in her face.
I think the problem I have with the story is there was no real back story to give us a frame of reference for any of the characters odd behavior. We dive right into Crazy Town with page one. And there was quite a bit I could have done with out, the story devolved during the last quarter and left me wondering what the heck I had just read! I didn’t care about any of them. Something was missing.
Netgalley/Gallery April 3, 2018
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