Book Review: "Catherine House" by Elisabeth Thomas
“Catherine House” by Elisabeth Thomas
Synopsis: Catherine House is a school of higher learning like no other. Hidden deep in the woods of rural Pennsylvania, this crucible of reformist liberal arts study with its experimental curriculum, wildly selective admissions policy, and formidable endowment, has produced some of the world's best minds: prize-winning authors, artists, inventors, Supreme Court justices, presidents. For those lucky few selected, tuition, room, and board are free. But acceptance comes with a price. Students are required to give the House three years--summers included--completely removed from the outside world. Family, friends, television, music, even their clothing must be left behind. In return, the school promises a future of sublime power and prestige, and that its graduates can become anything or anyone they desire.
Among this year's incoming class is Ines Murillo, who expects to trade blurry nights of parties, cruel friends, and dangerous men for rigorous intellectual discipline--only to discover an environment of sanctioned revelry. Even the school's enigmatic director, Viktòria, encourages the students to explore, to expand their minds, to find themselves within the formidable iron gates of Catherine. For Ines, it is the closest thing to a home she's ever had. But the House's strange protocols soon make this refuge, with its worn velvet and weathered leather, feel increasingly like a gilded prison. And when tragedy strikes, Ines begins to suspect that the school--in all its shabby splendor, hallowed history, advanced theories, and controlled decadence--might be hiding a dangerous agenda within the secretive, tightly knit group of students selected to study its most promising and mysterious curriculum.
Combining the haunting sophistication and dusky, atmospheric style of Sarah Waters with the unsettling isolation of Kazuo Ishiguro's Never Let Me Go, Catherine House is a devious, deliciously steamy, and suspenseful page-turner with shocking twists and sharp edges that is sure to leave readers breathless.—Custom House
Rating (out of 5): 3.75
Review: As I’ve definitely explored on here before, I am a sucker for a built-in creepy atmosphere. I love a haunted house, a secluded home in the woods, or in this case, a cloistered school in rural Pennsylvania where students have no outside contact.
From the beginning of the novel, we know that Ines is struggling with some deep, dark secrets and an unhappy past. She is apathetic in a way that belies her inner turmoil and anxiety. Promiscuous, and often intoxicated, she falters through her early days at Catherine in a haze. Though she develops friendships with her (deeply odd) roommate and an eclectic group of peers, there is always an element of the outsider to her.
Catherine House is performing experimental materials research with a mysterious compound called Plasm. Students are hypnotized with it as they dedicate themselves to the institution, and Ines initially resists the mind control. Though she stands apart from the crowd, her advisors and the head of school take a deep and mysterious interest in her.
This novel succeeds in creating a convincing and compelling world, but falters a bit in its semi-surreal descriptions. The odd and stilted interactions of characters are obviously a stylistic choice, but they fail to succeed fully and pulled me from the narrative a bit. The ending (mild spoiler ahead) has a Martha Marcy May Marlene quality to it, and your reaction to it will likely depend on how neatly you need a narrative to be tied up. However, Elisabeth Thomas is a compelling and interesting new voice, and I’m very excited for what she comes up with next.
TL;DR: An impressive neo-Gothic debut from a promising young author. Though it falters in parts, it is definitely worth reading for the atmospheric tension and semi-surreal quality of the narrative.
If you liked this; try:
“The Secret History” by Donna Tartt (Bookshop | Kindle)
“Never Let Me Go” by Kazuo Ishiguro (Bookshop | Kindle)
“Fingersmith” by Sarah Waters (Bookshop | Kindle)
If you click on one of the links in this article and make a purchase, She’s Full of Lit may receive a small commission. It doesn’t add anything to your price — we promise! Thanks so much for your support.
