Marionette by Antonia Rachel Ward
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you Netgalley & publisher for the ARC!
This novella, holy wow so much in so little pages! A true erotic horror story. That was captivating, gory, creepy, and psychotic and I loved it.

I think the first thing that must be said about this book is how stunningly beautiful that cover is. Artist Danielle Batsheva did an amazing job creating the portrait of main character Cecile Dulac in a way which reminds me of an illustration in an old book of fairy stories, a theater poster, and a stained-glass window all at once.

This is a short story - just over one hundred pages - with a striking impact. George Dashwood has just arrived in Paris at the turn-of-the-century (that's last century, not this one) to further his artistic ambitions by studying painting and crafting a masterpiece or two of his own. On the night of his arrival, however, his friend Bastian waylays those plans by taking him to a show at the Palais Theatre, and introducing him to its star attraction: Cecile Dulac.

Things quickly get weird and wild as the rich and beautiful people of Paris take part in strange and erotic seances, and George, gentleman that he is, falls immediately in love with Cecile and determines to save her from this strange and dangerous life she's fallen into. Possession, murder, and endless debauchery follow as Cecile weakens under the sway of the unscrupulous man who has hypnotized her. In the end, will George's love and willpower be strong enough to save her... and himself?

This book reminded me very much of the setting of The Phantom of the Opera, only much more erotic and with a hint of the supernatural. There are dancing girls and garter belts, masquerade balls and gilded furniture aplenty. This is, in a way, a bit of a fairy tale, a quick story with archetypal characters and a lesson to be learned in the end - though I'll leave it to you to discover that lesson for yourself.

A fast read (it took me an hour an a half from start to finish) but so well-written that you won't feel cheated on the story, this one will appeal to those who love fractured fairy tales, period pieces, and hints of mesmerism and feminist vengeance.

It was so long ago that I requested this book, I kinda forgot what it was about - hence I did not expect it to be so very spicy. When at first you might seem a bit taken aback by the language used by the male characters, the moment it switches to Cece you notice it is actually her who is in control, and that this is indeed written by a female writer.
It is a novella, so everything is concluded very quickly, but the story still led me into a wonderful world and made me anticipate what was going to happen next. The atmosphere in the book was very gothic and - at moments - absolutely terrifying. I loved it.

DNF

I’m so sorry but I tried and I tried but I just could not get into this book.


NOTE: I was provided an ARC in exchange for an honest review. (Thanks NetGalley & Brigids Gate Press!)

I'm a bit torn with this book. On one hand, Ward is a fantastic writer; for that reason alone, I will continue reading their work. On the other hand, the characters are too underdeveloped (as is their love) to be believable enough for my investment. There were also some weak explanations that left me wondering how so-and-so was even hypnotized in this or that moment. Ultimately, this novella seems like it should have been a novel. The story is there, as is the writing, but the characters definitely needed more time to interact and more development for me to feel a separation of names throughout the story.

This book was a weird mixture of romance horror and dark twisted stories I didn’t drive us but I also feel like it promises a lot in the bibliography but the story kind of felt a little flat in comparison. I didn’t like this book was very short so I could easily read it in one sitting but I felt that it just didn’t draw me an enough I was pushing myself to read and finish the last of this book.

This quick read was an unexpected tale of mysterious spirits and withcraft mixed with a story of seeking freedom for female prostitutes who believe they are stuck and have no free will.
George, a 19 year olf English man is first introduced on his journey go Paris where he hopes to pursue his passion of painting.
Celie is introduced as a dancer and performer who is also a sex worker. It becomes obvious she has done sex work for money since she was a young teen and once her family died, she left her small village in pursuit of bigger and better things - or so she thought.
I think the title of the short story - Marionette - is a clever way of showing Celie as being a puppet manipulated into performing and doing what she is told by her puppet master.
After a mystery performance that leaves her acting strangely and whirlwind tale takes place leading to quick love, murder and a determination in George to free Celie from a spiritual trap.
Apart from the dubious consent, which is something that I don't oppose in books (you read and enjoy what you please) but is something I do not read too often, the story was interesting. I think the content warnings should have been at the start of the book as they're kind of pointless at the end - it is too late by that point to avoid the triggers.
The cover of this book is gorgeous and I can admit that is what drew me in initially.
It was a very quick read at 118 pages and it did not feel rushed at all which is something I notice in other short stories and novellas. The imagery and descriptions were written wonderfully and I enjoyed this a lot.
Thanks so much!

Marionette was an interesting read, if nothing else. It was a very quick, super short read as it is a novella and the premise was there, however the story could have been executed better. Also, while there is sex, it doesn't come through as an erotica. love the idea of human possession through an object belonging to that spirit. I also love that the spirit was a scorned wife & lover set of retribution.
If this had been a longer book aith more information then I might have enjoyed it more.
Ultimately, this book wasn't for me.

I want to thank #Netgalley for letting me read an eArc of #Marionette in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Holy cow! So not even close to what I was expecting. Never have I read a book besides one that sex had such an impact on how things turned out. If you don’t like girl on girl or explicit sex scenes this is not the book for you.
I was able to read pretty fast but have to admit I blushed horribly many times.

Marionette is the story of performance girls who are betwitched by a spirit which makes them do whatever the puppermaster says. This is part erotic fantasy and part horror as things go wrong. An interesting and quick read.

CHECK YOUR TRIGGER WARNINGS!!

Very quick read and even quicker if you're a fan of horror and smut! I did think this was a graphic novel at first based on the cover, but I was surprised to find that it was not the case. Anyways, you will finish this book in one sitting, but it is imperative that you check your trigger warnings first. Some of the situations definitely gave me some icky feelings, but I finished the book in order to provide this review. I did, however, like the setting (who doesn't like Paris? Moulin Rouge, anyone?), the way the story set-up, and the writing style of the author.

TW's include: Dubious Consent, Mutilation, Suicide References, Violence.

Thank you so much to Brigids Gate Press and NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC; it is greatly appreciated.

There are content warnings posted in the back of this novella that I will share at the end of my review. This novella actually starts out quite strong. It definitely feels like more work was put into the first 40% of this compared to the rest. The prologue, even though it was just a few paragraphs, is a perfect opener, and really gives us a taste of the vibes the rest of the novella will bring. There is no dilly dallying, and we jump right into (or onto) the meat of the story.

Unfortunately, I just wasn't into the plotline. It didn't feel original, or compelling. I had no reason to care about any of these characters, which I know can be difficult to achieve in a shorter story. The plot moved at the speed of light, with everything happening within just a few days. I bet the main character had whiplash with how quickly everything occured; what an interesting first impression of Paris !

One of the content warnings is dubious consent, but most of the spicy scenes just flat out have no consent at all. With the ages of the female characters also being quite dubious, the whole thing feels quite icky. All the men expect for the MC, George, seemed to be older men. George is 19, and the main female character, Cecile, comments that he is older than her, so it's possible she isn't even an adult yet. There is also mention of sex work being performed by a child, which had me do a double take.

Overall, this novella had a promising premise, but just included too many things that I personally dislike. I'm never going to be into love at first sight, and I prefer knowing that the characters are adults. There is quite a delicious revenge scene, which really shows off the horror aspect of this novella, but that alone cannot redeem it for me.

CW: References to suicide, violence, mutilation, sex scenes of dubious consent

Marionette Review!

Thank you Brigids Gate Press and Net Galley for this gifted copy, in exchange for an honest review! Marionette comes out August 16, 2022

This was a short and sweet horror/erotic novella. I was very intrigued by the synopsis and I love books in this time period. Marionette was a 3/5 ⭐️ for me. I knew going into this novella that is was going to be unlike anything I’ve ever read. I adored the paranormal aspect of it and the gothic themes. I definitely think this one needed to be longer. I feel like I didn’t get much information about each character, we just jumped right into a fast story. The ending was also so quick! The romance was also extremely unbelievable. I’m sorry, but I love you after 1 day? There were some eyerolls. 😂

Synopsis: Cece is one of the most loved exotic dancers in town. To switch up her act, she decides to be the main attraction at a séance. She thought it was all just acting, but soon she realizes that she is possessed by a malevolent spirit. This spirit is out for revenge.

Trigger warnings-

-Violence

-Mutilation

-Suicide references

-Incredibly dubious consent



Thanks to NetGalley for providing this ARC for free in exchange for an honest review



Things I liked

-The setting- historical Paris, filled with debauchery, whimsy, and just enough paranormal to keep things interesting

-The concept- the idea of seances, blended with a little bit of spiciness and a healthy dose of female revenge



Things I wasn’t sure about

-The characters- I genuinely didn’t care about any of them. The main romance was instant and one sided, and I think the book was too short (about 100 pages) to give any of them a real sense of depth

-The ending- it seems like it just happened? It left me kind of wondering WTF I had just read, not in an intriguing way, just in that it was underwhelming and didn’t make a lot of sense



Overall thoughts

-Marionette was fine. I read it in two sittings and enjoyed myself. I still think that it was just slightly forgettable, which is a shame since the premise was really intriguing. I think that it could have benefitted from being a full-length novel to allow the characters to be more developed and the plot to make more sense. I wouldn’t necessarily recommend it without prompting, but if you are looking for something quick and kind of disturbing, it’s probably worth the read

I wish this book was longer so the characters and plot line could be more developed, which I thought was a little lacking.

It was quick and easy to read but the characters needed more personality !

A short and sexy gem that doesn’t overstay its welcome, Marionette was a delightful little palate cleanser in-between lengthier reads.

This is my second NetGalley selection for review, and though I love (and plan on reviewing) many disparate genres, I clearly did not stray far from my predilection for horror. Although I’d not heard of Antonia Rachel Ward prior to requesting this book, I was passingly familiar with the Ghost Orchid Press imprint which she founded and edits for. With that minor familiarity in place, I figured that my enjoyment of Marionette would be nearly assured. Needless to say, if felt good to be correct!

I also feel it’s important to support small & independent publishers and authors as often as possible. Over the past two years, I have read many an indie offering that was far more enjoyable and/or original than the output coming from established publishing houses. Reviews are an indie author’s lifeblood, and I am happy to do my part in bringing recognition to folks who deserve it.

As with all my reviews, I will attempt to keep spoilers to a minimum. My reasoning for this is two-fold; first, I firmly believe that books of any and all genres are simply more enjoyable when the reader goes in blind, stripped of all preconceived notions and expectations; and second, out of respect for the author, who spent countless hours crafting their tale. Robbing stories of their intended impact, in my opinion, is a considerable disservice to the person who penned them. As such, if it’s not mentioned in the official synopsis, I will do my level best to avoid mentioning it here.

Let’s get the technical aspects out of the way first; Marionette is an erotic supernatural historical thriller (whew…taking a breath) featuring two POV characters, told in third-person past tense, and clocking in around 100 pages (digitally).

Now, we all know that we aren’t supposed to judge a book by its cover…but we are all guilty of doing just that. And, if I am judging Marionette by its artwork (in violation of all known literary laws)…then I am judging it quite worthy indeed! Daniella Batsheva’s artwork is simply gorgeous…full stop. There’s an erotic tarot feel to it that I think fits the subject matter perfectly. No digital manipulation; no photo-realism; just sexy art atop a sexy book

As for the content underneath said cover, one thing that cannot be understated is Antonia Rachel Ward’s prowess at crafting a compelling storyline. She has a clear and concise narrative voice, with flowing prose and vivid descriptors that never quite devolve into the dreaded purple realm. She manages to evoke the feeling of the time period without making readers run for the thesaurus. No small feat, that.

Sumptuous descriptions abound, but word repetition is nonexistent, which helps each location, encounter, and event feel unique. Naturally, this is easier to pull off with a smaller work like this, but it’s still worth noting. In a market where many indie authors revert to the same words ad nauseum, it’s refreshing to read something so consistently “new” from start to finish.

Of course, given Antonia’s pedigree as an editor, none of this should be surprising.

There are two main characters in Marionette; French country girl turned exotic dancer Cecile Dulac and George Dashwood, a young Englishman travelling to Paris for a working holiday. Cecile is definitely the more (ahem) fleshed out of the two. In fact, though I understand their inclusion, George’s chapters are very nearly superfluous. This is Cecile’s story through and through, and she’s an interesting enough character, though the novella’s length prevents us from ever getting overly familiar with her.

It’s the same for the supporting characters, both friend and foe alike. They add flavor to the narrative, and we get the briefest of snippets as to what makes them tick, but that’s about it. As such, Marionette is more a plot/encounter driven narrative than a character driven one.

But what fun those encounters are! The concept of ravenous spirits is nothing new, but that these ghosts hunger for the sins of the flesh instead of death & dismemberment is a welcome break from convention. To mention any more would be to delve into spoiler territory, so I’ll leave it at that.

For those who want/need to know, there is some vaguely non-consensual bumping and grinding happening in Marionette. There are trigger warnings included at the back of the book, one of which is the catch-all warning of “some sex scenes of dubious consent”, but I believe that statement needs to be a little stronger. While the characters do consent to the initial encounters, things escalate in such a way that they cross over into decidedly non-consensual territory. Or, maybe more accurately, unanticipated and never initially specified territory. Considering that this is a work of quasi-erotic fiction, I had no problem with these scenes. But for those who are sensitive to the subject matter, reader discretion is advised.

Maybe it’s because I’m not quite the target demographic, but I found Marionette to be both refreshing and rewarding. True, it doesn’t delve into either the horror or the erotica themes as deeply as it could, but then I believe that was by design. This is, in my estimation, a slightly dark and twisted little riff on the classic fairytales, one that captures the feel while straying into naughtier territory.

In fact, in an era where everyone wants more moRE MORE, I find it comforting that a few authors are perfectly content with a little restraint. For the hardcore smut junkies out there (judgement free zone here, there is NO shame in that game), the options are vast. For folks who want just a little bit of taboo titillation with their transcendent terror, the pickings are a fair bit slimmer. So, kudos to Ms. Ward for taking the path less travelled. Imagination is a powerful thing, and I always admire when an author allows us readers to flex ours from time to time.

Nitpicks are scarce but must still be mentioned.

As commented on earlier, this is a story that plays it safe with both the naughty bits and the spooky bits. While I was fine with this, it appears that much of the interwebs are not. People either wanted more smut and less horror, more horror and less smut, or just more of everything. Given that this is a novella, there were only so many pages that could be filled, and I personally was glad that it focused more on the story than the rest. Your own mileage may vary.

Also, the central romance is also hastily assembled, feeling more tacked on than anything. It certainly does not feel earned. Now, in my admittedly limited experience, those statements seem to describe about 90% of fictional romances out there, both in literature and on celluloid. But it still bears a mention. I get that Marionette takes place in an era when gentlemen were supposed to protect their ladies, but George goes from zero to sixty in that department in no time flat. It’s a tough pill to swallow.

Lastly, the entire affair wraps up just a tad too quickly. I’m all about a book not overstaying its welcome, but I think Marionette could have benefitted from just a few more pages at the end.

Is it a short tale? Undeniably yes. And though I can see Marionette being expanded with relative ease (and I sincerely hope that Antonia does just that), I’m not going to ding the book for being petite. Especially since I was aware of that fact going in. Yes, I like big books and I cannot lie…but I am fond of little books just as much. Each has their place and purpose.

If R rated supernatural adventures are more your speed, or you just need a break from the XXX creature content, I recommend checking out Marionette. It was an enjoyable diversion to be sure!

Novellas tend to be hit or miss for me, because I think they often come across rushed or under-developed. I think establishing the world/environment and/or characters is almost more important than cramming the plot into such a short story.

For me, that's what made this one fall flat. I see the vision, I understand the narrative, and I was definitely interested in the set-up. But unfortunately, it ended up feeling a bit, incomplete, I suppose. While George feels developed, Cece does not, and the last 40% of this novella seemed rushed because it is actually quite a complex plot when it comes down to its details. I could see this being a full-length novel, and honestly I think that would have worked better and appealed to me more, as the twists towards the end of the novel drew me in but were not developed enough. It had parts to it that I enjoyed but overall felt a bit lackluster. Because I was interested in the concept though, I am certainly also interested in checking out Ward's other works, now and in the future.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC!

It was an okayish read for me. As I quite didn’t like it much but at the same time quite didn’t despised it

So this wasn’t bad… but it wasn’t really good either. 2 1/2 stars rounded up. Beware of a few light spoilers…

There were a few things that I thought were interesting, such as the base storyline. How interesting to hypnotize a victim and have a ghost possess her. Throw in some hot sex and it should have been good to go!! But it was all crammed into such a short story that I think things are lacking. The characters were underdeveloped and the sex scenes were just brushed over so quickly. I feel like if you’re going to have a sex scene, then really have one. Let’s hear the raunchy details!! But that’s just me.

It was also a bit bizarrely gory. Not in like a good way either. In like a, what did I just read kind of way. I am game for some gore in a book that’s done well, but this went way too far off the deep end for my tastes.

So I do not recommend this one.

Thanks so much to NetGalley, the publisher, and author for the opportunity to read this for my honest and unbiased opinion.

This was an extremely quick read that fits the theme of novella. Have to say though George's character was super lame. I know it was trying to be somewhat historically accurate with the way women are supposed to behave and such but author's are also able to take artistic liberty and I wish this author had written a stronger female character. Maybe if she had been able to flesh out the book some more.