This one is hard for me to review. I enjoyed the author's other book, The Ballerinas, so I was excited to be given an ARC of The Ingenue. I am torn with this one.

It's definitely not a suspense, in any way. This is a very slow read and that doesn't change throughout. I was waiting for a pace change or for the suspense part to show up, but it never did. The ending was slow and long as well.

Saskia is a hard character to connect with or feel anything for. Even knowing her situation, I still had a hard time with her character.

The story itself is good. The dynamics of being pushed by your parents, the pressures of being "special , and the expectations of future achievements can be a lot for anyone, especially a child. Enter in a predator who can see the struggle...and wham....life-altering events follow.

I think the author does well showcasing Saskia's life, and how her "love" for Patrick was much more damaging than even she knew. There is family drama and psychological fallout while Saskia relives her past and deals with the present consequences. I thought this part was good.

Overall though, the pace was just off and the lack of connection with Saskia herself made this a hard one for me. If you have had your eye on this one, I would still recommend you snag it and give it a go. There are plenty of readers who have enjoyed this one. It just wasn't for me.

I sincerely appreciate the publisher and NetGalley for the review copy.

I had been really enjoying this story, as much as a person can with the heavy TWs it has (seriously, please look them up before you read). The back compares it to My Dark Vanessa, which, if you’ve read that before, tells you everything you need to know. I was hooked and appalled and completely invested.

Had to borrow this one as it didn’t downloaded correctly$ But I don’t regret it. This maybe a new obsession! I love the characters, plot, etc.

"The Ingenue" by Rachel Kapelke-Dale? Wow, this book is a gem. It's got this amazing blend of talent, ambition, and messy relationships all wrapped up in one gripping story. Kapelke-Dale nails it with her beautiful writing and deep dive into what makes us tick.

The characters? Super relatable. Each one has their quirks and flaws, making them feel like real people. The protagonist's journey is so inspiring. She goes through so much and still comes out stronger—total hero vibes.

The pacing is spot on. There’s just the right amount of suspense to keep you hooked, but it's really the human spirit and the dream-chasing that hits home.

If you're after a book that sticks with you long after you’ve finished, "The Ingenue" is the one. It’s a fantastic, thought-provoking read that you won’t be able to put down.

The Ingenue by Rachel Kepelke-Dale has a very interesting structure. Each chapter begins with a brief feminist retelling of a fairy tale. Then the reader gets the past story of Saskia Kreis, a musical prodigy who is working through some childhood trauma. Lastly, we get Saskia’s current storyline where she’s dealing with her mother’s death, and facing her past relationships.

I found this book kind of “icky.” The subject matter is not one I love reading about. The adult characters in the second part of each chapter all seem awful.

However, I did get some satisfaction in how the end of the story wraps up the relationships and gives Saskia closure on her past childhood trauma.

There is alot going on in this “book within a book.” Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for the advanced e-copy of this book.

Inheritance Dispute, Prodigy’s Past

The Ingenue by Rachel Kapelke-Dale is a gripping thriller that delves into the complexities of talent, ambition, and family dynamics. With its evocative prose and dual timeline structure, it offers a compelling read for those interested in psychological dramas and suspenseful narratives. While it has garnered mixed reviews, its exploration of timely themes and emotional depth make it a noteworthy addition to contemporary fiction.

The Ingenue by Rachel Kapelke-Dale. Pub Date: December 6, 2022. Rating: 2 stars. In this dark and disturbing narrative, the reader is taken on a journey where Saskia is forced to confront her troubled past that involved a love affair with an older man. Trigger warnings in this novel include sexual abuse, rape and child exploitation. This book reminded me of My Dark Vanessa, but I think the execution of this particular novel was less than that one. I can appreciate the author wanting to shed light on tough and delicate issues, but I was not invested in this story at all. Thanks to #netgalley and #stmartinspress for this e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

Saskia, a piano prodigy, gave up her piano career. This caused a rift with her mother. When her mother dies, Saskia returns to the Elf House to deal with the estate. To Saskia's surprise, the Elf House would be inherited by a man Saskia would rather not deal with.

Why did her mother leave the Elf House to someone other than Saskia or her father? As Saskia discovers answers to this mystery her story and why she gave up the piano playing is revealed. The revelations are shocking.

i know this was meant to be atmospheric and haunting and i can't fault the writing but it really dragged for me. there weren't enough bones to the story to carry that much flesh & fat. again, i enjoyed the writing style so maybe it's me and i just don't enjoy slow-burn stories.

I was very invested in this story. The main character, Saskia, has a dark journey that I couldn't look away from. It covers the topic of how things that happen to us in our childhood years can impact our adult years.

This book shows us an in-depth look into mother-daughter relationships, the expectations of talent, the lies we tell ourselves, and what happens when the things that once made you special are taken from you. An emotional one for sure.

Wow, this was a dark, twisted read. At first, I was confused. I thought there was a mystery and an inappropriate relationship. But for the first 30% of the story, it's about a house and a legacy. It's about the shocking truth of avoiding tough conversations about illnesses and death and realizing your mother has given away the one thing she always promised would be yours.

Finally, midway through the book, the story picks up. It's a tough topic, consent and rape, grooming and child exploitation. But I was encouraged by the rage, the disgust and the recognizing in yourself just how young you were when it all started. For allowing yourself to realize how much you were still just a child.

I liked the twists and was shocked when I got near the end. I have to admit, the ending was such a nice balm on my angry, rage-filled heart.

My favorite part were the re-written fairy tales that started every chapter. I loved her mother's twist on the classics.

A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

Loved this book! Deep, dark, and startling in unexpected ways. The former child music prodigy returns home to settle her mother's estate. As her memories from past and present blend, secrets and twists emerge.

“The Ingenue” follows Saskia Kreis, a former piano prodigy, who returns to Milwaukee after her mother’s death, to find her inheritance, the Elf House, bequeathed to a man from her past.

Saskia’s emotional journey is the heart of the narrative. Her character is layered, and her evolution throughout the book is compelling and believable. The secondary characters are equally fleshed out, contributing to the story’s depth and Saskia’s development.

Kapelke-Dale’s prose is sharp and evocative, with a rhythm that mirrors the musical themes of the novel. The narrative’s flow is smooth, making use of flashbacks that enrich the story without disrupting the pace.

“The Ingenue” is a dark contemporary fairy tale that pulses with desire, longing, and uncertainty. It hums with the energy of its characters and builds to a climax as it explores the expectations of talent and the consequences of revenge.

Ok, here’s the thing.

I tried really hard with this one. I really did. Unfortunately, it did not work for me. It would be rude and a disservice to rate this as I know several others really enjoyed it.

It is not for me and I had to DNF (did not finish) for reading reasons. I could not connect with the plot of the characters at all. I did not and could not force myself to read it as I picked it up and put it down several times, but could not get into the book.

I appreciate the opportunity, but it is not going to be one I will recommend going forward.

Thank you again for my gifted copy.

Sorry to say I DNFed this book at 25%. I tried to read it too soon after My Dark Vanessa and the #metoo theme was strong. It's very well-written and gripping, but I needed something lighter subject matter. I recommend to readers who enjoy darker suspense novels, My Dark Vanessa, and if you like Megan Abbott's books.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an early copy in exchange for my honest review.

This book was incredibly well-written and I loved the character dynamics. The plot kept me reading all the way through. This was a great read.

Thank you NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Rachel Kapelke-Dale for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review! I hate to say that I couldn’t get into this one… I recommend it still though because it seems really interesting!

This book was slow, and heavy. A lot of darker topics are discussed; this definitely qualifies as "literary fiction," which isn't really my jam. However, it WAS well written. 3 stars.

Starting a bit slow, The Ingenue (published 12/22) is a dark but well-developed story, covering two intertwined timelines of the late 1990s/early 2000s and early 2020. In the earlier timeline, appearing first in each chapter, Saskia is a teenager in Milwaukee, playing piano as a child prodigy. In the later timeline, ending each chapter, Saskia has returned to Wisconsin from NYC after her mother’s sudden death, where she finds the house she grew up in, which she expected to inherit, has been left instead to Patrick, the man she had a secret sexual relationship with as a teenager. Prior to both timelines, each chapter begins with an excerpt from Saskia’s mother’s reimagined fairy tales which she wrote with feminist main characters and published to much acclaim. There were many interwoven themes that kept my focused attention while listening to the audiobook, narrated beautifully by Stephanie Willis. I did not see the ending coming and thought it was unexpectedly bright and hopeful for a novel with such dark themes.
Many thanks to St Martin's Press and NetGalley for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest opinion.