As someone who works in the sphere of libraries/museums/archives, I was thrilled to find a book set within the famous Cloisters. Hays delivers a fast-paced, yet detailed look at a complicated, problematic group of scholars in a gothic setting. While I didn't always find the plot entirely believable, the story was so engrossing that my disbelief was suspended.

I'm a sucker for academic novels and this one--with a unique take on the academic setting--was right up my alley. One of the things that often detract from a dark academic novel for me is when the writer doesn't know what academic life is like; typically these novels are set in or around a university and too-often the writer doesn't really know what the actual life of an academic entails. In this novel, the academic side drifts away from university life and into art museums and curation. I can't tell you--because I don't know--if the presentation of life-long art academics is accurate here, but for me that was part of the draw. This was a setting I don't know much about and, hence, couldn't constantly critique.

I would have felt more comfortable if our protagonist Ann and her (fr)enemy Rachel were a little older; sometimes I felt like the likelihood of two young women right out of their undergrad work was a stretch for the responsibility they were given (especially Rachel). And the end wrapped up a bit too quickly and tidily. But overall I enjoyed getting lost in this gothic yet urban setting and discovering the academic and personal secrets of these characters.

I really, really wanted to like this book more than I did. It had all the ingredients of an interesting story: dark academia, tarot, mystery, a little romance. However, it just didn’t quite come together for me. I felt that it just seemed to drag on in some places, and it didn’t really keep my interest.

I always love me some dark academia, and although this is no ‘Secret History’ (I mean what is?) I still really enjoyed this NYC set story. The Cloisters, a museum with ties to the Met, and specializing in Medieval artifacts, is the perfect eerie setting, and the study at the center of this novel, is of divination, herbalism and historical tarot cards. Secrets are in abundance, a fish is most definitely out of water, and motives are endlessly questionable. Twisty, atmospheric and lots of fun.

I was going to give this one two stars, but I realized that that rating was based on the fact that I had high expectations for this one based on Jenna Bush's comments. I kept expecting a huge twist, but the ending didn't deliver for me.

I found the beginning to be intriguing, but it really stalled in the middle. I ended up giving up around 50%.

Ann is thrilled to be offered a summer internship in New York as she desperately wants to escape Walla Walla Washington and the aftermath after her father’s untimely death. When she arrives, she finds that she is not longer needed at the Met, but is transferred to a sister museum: The Cloisters. There she meets some researchers who are searching for ancient Tarot cards and researching the early history of Divination. Darkly atmospheric, with quirky characters and vivid descriptions of the museum and surrounding gardens, dark secrets are revealed and death seems to be everywhere. Is it really the power of the Tarot?

A powerful and fascinating mystery that keeps you turning the pages. The atmosphere is pitch perfect and the mystery compelling. A great debut.

3.5 stars

This book has so much potential, but unfortunately it didn’t quite take it all the way.

I loved the writing style; Hays did a fantastic job weaving a lusciously atmospheric setting. I felt like I was at the Cloisters, walking through the stacks, galleries and gardens. The writing kept me interested in continuing with the story in places where the plot was lacking.

Which brings me to the negatives: unfortunately, the plot was mostly predictable and formulaic. I was surprised by one of the final twists, but overall everything was very expected and lacking depth.

The characters tried to be complex, but again, the formulaic approach detracted from their depth. Ann also felt like such a caricature of a naive, small town girl that it was distracting.

In addition, the pacing was a bit start and stop; the first two thirds of the book kept me hooked by the atmosphere alone, but the plot was definitely slow moving until the final third, when everything happened pretty much all at once.

Overall, I had a fun time with The Cloisters, but wish it had a level of plot and character depth to match the writing. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the complimentary eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I saw most of what was going to happen from the very first few pages, but there was one good twist at the end that I did not see coming. Makes me want to go visit the Cloisters!

I loved this book. I adored this book. It really is like it was written with me in mind. So many of my favorite things combined to make this a magical read.
✨The Cloisters museum of medieval art which has been on my bucket list of places to go for years. Anyone up for a road trip?
✨Art as a major component of the novel.
✨a mystery that revolves around the mystical art of tarot.
✨And a murder set in the world of art and academia.
Add to this a compelling plot (yes I could see where it was going but I didn’t mind).
A great surprise element (every great thriller needs one).
Characters you love and characters you hate.
And atmosphere galore.
Book heaven? I think yes.

I'm not traditionally an art history girlie but there was something about this one that intrigued me from the jump. You immediately know that there is something off right away but you don't figure out what until later on. This had me hooked and then suddenly there is a murder!!!!!!!!! Sign me up. I'd read it again.

Ann Stilwell, escaping from Walla Walla, Washington, arrives in New York City, expecting one stimulating summer experience at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, and doesn't quite get the experience she expected. When she is reassigned to the MET Cloister, the thriller takes off.
The story, from beginning to end, was suspenseful and intimidating. The complexities of the plot kept you on an exciting edge. The characters' lives were all intertwined in such a clever manner.
The question of free will versus predetermination is thoroughly examined. The readers are drawn into this discussion and it it a difficult one to figure out. It is a dark tale and such a fascinating one. The pacing was just right. Well done!

This was touted as capital Dark Academia and I was left disappointed by that, I think. The pseudo (maybe? maybe not?) magical aspects were so heavy-handed that it detracted from the plot for me. And the first half dragged so much I struggled not to DNF it. I was satisfied with the ending, but it didn't quite scratch that DA itch for me. It would be great for fans of Mona Awad (Bunny) or Rachel Yoder (Nightbitch) - as long as they don't go into it with preconcieved notions like I did.

When Ann Stilwell arrives in New York City, she expects to spend her summer working as a curatorial associate at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Instead, she finds herself assigned to The Cloisters, a gothic museum and garden renowned for its medieval art collection and its group of enigmatic researchers studying the history of divination.

The writing was very atmospheric, I could feel that I was at an old stand-alone museum studying Tarot Cards. What a fun premise. There are several twists, and they unfold slowly but they are fun, nonetheless. This is definitely a dark, gothic novel, that is not to be missed if you enjoy dark academia.

I was given a copy of this for review from Atria Books and Netgalley and my opinion is my own.

An enjoyable book for those who love NYC, art, and tarot cards. This book has been a hit at the library and will recommend it to others.

I don’t need tarot cards to let me know that Katy Hays has a big future in writing, even if it goes off the rails a bit.

When Ann arrives in New York City, ready for her summer internship at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, she is dismayed that the job no longer exists. Instead she is sent to The Cloisters, a museum that is part of the Met to work there. I had never heard of The Cloisters and spent an entire afternoon online, learning about this medieval museum and garden. I hope to visit there someday.

But back to Hays’s debut novel. The story start rather slowly, not much happening before page 183. It does pick up as the curator, Patrick, and his assistant, Rachel, are obsessed with locating a missing tarot card from a 15-century deck that will seal their careers. They believe that finding that lost card, that is undeniably located somewhere in the museum, will set history on its ear.

Readers who don’t much about academia and its dark side, I think, will find that aspect of the novel compelling. There are a lot of secrets that haunt the museum, but nothing earth-shattering.

Undoubtedly, this book is well written, but it lacks depth. The setting, the museum and its gardens, provide a creepy aesthetic, but the characters are shallow. “The Cloisters” receives 3 out of 5 stars in Julie’s world.

This book seemed to come out of nowhere for me, but as soon as I read the description, I knew I needed to read it! Murder + sketchy coworkers + secret tarot cards = a win win win!

In all seriousness, this book was a great little piece of dark academia. It took me right back to my Kansas City Art School days! I felt like I was back studying Renaissance art in the Cloisters (the one in the Nelson Atkinson Museum, not The Met). I immediately loved this book because of that.

As I read this book, I had no idea where it was going to go. I was hoping it would be a bit like The Cartographers by Peng Shepherd, but this one was a little less in the fantasy world. I loved the secret acquisition of the tarot cards and would have loved that to have been the main plot and climax, with the story centered around that. Instead, it became more about Ann and Rachel’s dependent relationship and how crazy pants Rachel was. It kind of felt like 2 different books to be honest.

All that said, I did really enjoy this book and I felt like I was sitting in the Cloisters in the middle of a New York summer! I’m giving it 4/5 ⭐️s!

I did receive a digital copy of this book on NetGalley from @atriabooks in exchange for my honest review. I also snagged this one in my Book of the Month box before I read it!

THE CLOISTERS (Susp-Ann Stillwell-NYC-Contemp)
Katy Hays – Standalone
Atria Books, Nov. 1, 2022 – 320 pp.
RATING: Okay/C

First Sentence: Death always visited me in August.

Ann Stillwell has been desperate to leave Walla Walla, Washington. When the opportunity arises to be a summer intern at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, she is thrilled. When she arrives, she learns things have changed and she ends up being an assistant curator at the magnificent satellite museum The Cloisters, which specializes in European medieval art and architecture, with a focus on the Romanesque and Gothic periods, all things Ann loves. Soon she learns that her boss and co-worker are fascinated by the occult, particularly Tarot Cards, and the gardener is willing to break the law. But it’s death, both past, and present, that alters everything.
The Cloisters has a fascinating history and is a particularly wonderful museum that should be visited. The author does an excellent job of bringing the museum to life and capturing the work that goes on behind the scenes of the museums. And that was truly the best part of the book. Second to that, was the information on the history of Tarot cards, especially very old sets, and how they were made. Unfortunately, that is not enough to make a good book.
As a mystery, the book fails badly. None of the characters are particularly likable. They are all superficial and highly predictable, as is the plot. The book just goes on, and on, and on. Nothing really happens until about two-thirds of the way through, by which time one doesn’t particularly care. To use the excuse of Fate/Change without any regard for morality is weak in the extreme. It is also false logic.
THE CLOISTERS is an interesting book for those who love art and museums, but that’s about it, and it’s not enough to make a compelling read. The mystery aspect is poorly done and the characters are not interesting enough to want to see again. This is a book where the setting eclipsed the story.

Suspense and spine tingling chills…
Many thanks to Atria and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.