I enjoyed this book and will definitely be picking up the second book soon. I enjoyed the storyline.

A dark gothic novel of young women battling a world that thinks they're crazy. Roos has had Ruth with her for as long as she can remember, but no one else can see her. Roos's mother has used this to make money from people having her daughter connect to the spirit world and communicate for them during seances. After a few incidents, when Agnes Knoop offers to pay for Roos to be her companion, her mother only hesitates to ask for more money.

After arriving to the estate Roos quickly realizes that things are not okay, and also, that Agnes can see the people too. A lot of manipulation from Agnes's sister-in-law leads them to make a terrible choice, and the eventual death of Agnes. Throughout the book, we receive notes from the doctor that is trying to determine whether or not Roos is insane. The book has a sad ending, but is still hopeful.

Gothic novels are my favorite, and boy, did this one deliver! The author’s writing style draws you in and makes it hard to put the story down. I loved the historical setting as well as the themes of seances, old crumbling mansions, ghosts, etc. This book was like nothing I’ve ever read before. I enjoyed it so much that I immediately read her new book called Blood on Her Tongue, which was also excellent. I would highly recommend this book to any horror lovers.

This might be my first English book written by a Dutch author. And I loved that when reading this! I loved recognising the stories that inspired van Veen to write this story, because they are stories that I grew up with.

It was a good gothic story. The (very much) creepy elements were all there, but because the writing made it feel a bit more distanced, these elements had a lesser impact. Same goes for the romance. The characterisation of Roos and Agnes was a bit too surface level for me to actually care.

A truly satisfying Gothic horror novel. The story is engaging, the characters are well developed, and the atmosphere is wonderfully disturbing. I would have rated this five stars except I felt the end became a little overstuffed Gothic tropes; however, it's a great read and Johanna van Veen is a writer I will be reading again.

My Darling Dreadful Thing was a spellbinding gothic horror tale. It was the perfect mix of mystery, horror and familial trauma. I look forward to reading more by this author.

This is one of my favorite books of all time. The writing was beautiful. I loved the concept and plot. It kept me on the edge of my seat. Read it in one sitting. I’ll read anything by this author.

ARC Provided by Netgalley in exchange of an honest review.

This book certainly took a while for me to get to but I genuinely think it was worth the wait. The author created such a chilling and eerie atmosphere within the first few pages that I couldn't help but be sucked into the world before me. I really enjoyed a lot of this book, and while certain parts felt a little slow or dragged out, it didn't detract much from my over all enjoyment. I would love to read more from this author and more stories like this..

I really enjoyed reading this one. While I understand other critiques of the pacing, the slow-burn/yearning actually was a plus for me. It really built upon the suspense and made the stakes higher in my mind. The eerie atmosphere was very well written, but I can't quite put my finger on why this didn't fully live up to it's premise.

WHOAAAA MY GOODNESS.

My Darling Dreadful Thing was such a dark, wild and vivid ride. Roos had a dark and dreadful beginning - abuse, starvation and even Sexual Assault with her "mama" turning blind eye to any and everything that earned her some money. Roos meets Agnes, a widow, thanks to her mama's greed of bringing in the "wealthy" clients to exploit her Roos and the grief of others.

Now, the more we got into this story, and the true depths of despair Roos has been through, broke my heart. Understanding her relationship with Ruth and then what came next with Agnes and whatever her true intent was. Finding out the truth about Agnes and her path, Peter Quill and just everything that was revealed during this doctor patient conversation that led to the Trial of Roos Beckman.


This book makes you question: Are spirit companions real? Or has Roos been unwell all this time?

I loved this one! thought it was a very inventive concept, loved the imagery and horror elements, definitely made me incredibly uneasy at times. the writing was gorgeous but it was a bit too much of a slow burn for me unfortunately. I think if I had read it at a time where that was the vibe I was looking for, I would've liked it more, so it's nothing against the book itself! 3.5 for me, rounded up to 4!

A gothic tale that explores every facet of love, the gritty underbelly of it and the wholesome part we allow the world to see. Hauntingly raw, the kind of read that leaves you breathless and wanting more, even when your heart is breaking for the characters. Creepy isn't nearly a strong enough word to describe the old school gothic eeriness that encompasses this story. I don't think anyone aside from van Veen could describe deceased, decaying characters in such an elegant manner.

Van Veen's writing is atmospheric and evocative, creating a palpable sense of unease. The characters are complex and compelling, each harboring their own hidden agendas. The plot twists and turns kept me guessing until the very end, and I found myself completely engrossed in the unfolding mystery.

This was a such a fantastic read! I loved it from the very beginning. The author did a fantastic job of pulling the reader in and immersing them into the story.

This book pulled me into the complexities of both the paranormal and the mind. I spent the whole book jumping back and forth trying to decide what was real and what was an illusion. It was sad, dark, and bittersweet all rolled into one. It touched something in me, while also filling me with unease. A very interesting read.

These was a fantastic horror story. It’s rare that a bleak story can be so captivating for me since I mostly enjoy HEA. There were so many twists and horrendous plot lines that kept me riveted until the end.

Great book! It had all the fears of growing up. Make a choice. Turn the page or close the book. Enter the darkness if you wish!

I really liked this book, not as much as I thought I would but it was still enjoyable and dark and I'd recommend it to readers wanting darker books

Give me a creepy gothic tale involving women and I will make it my whole entire life. Such a tragic, queerly beautiful book.

This book was utterly haunting. At times I was so wound up in the tension that formed between Roos and Agnes that I was surprised by all the turns the novel took. I loved the atmosphere of the crumbling estate, it very much so reminded me of Crimson Peak!