DNF at 35%. I really wanted to love this title. The premise was incredibly compelling, and the unique narrative style was engaging and fun at first, however, I don't think it fit for a full length novel. A short story, or a novella, would work with this style. It jumps around in time, and was difficult to keep straight.
Personally, I'm a mood reader, and eventually the melancholy tone dominated, and was not what I was expecting or hoping for from this story.
While this title did not work for me, I think it has its merits, and might work for others.

The Infamous Gilberts pulled me into Thornwalk, a crumbling Gothic estate brimming with the elegant decay of a once grand family. The storytelling feels like walking through a dusty mansion yourself: each room reveals a fragment of memory, and each quirky detail, like a dented nursery bar or a faded carpet, echoes a hidden story about the five fatherless Gilbert children. The tone is wry and affectionate, and there’s a kind of bittersweet humor running through every scene that balances the heartache of decline with the tenderness of familial bonds.

The writing style is richly atmospheric without ever feeling overwrought. I loved how the narrator’s invitation to explore Thornwalk made me feel part of the house’s lingering legacy, walking alongside Maximus as generations of love, ambition, and loss whispered from the walls. There’s a delicate tension between comedy and tragedy, melancholy and mischief, that blend made me smile one moment and ache the next.

If I had one thought for a stronger hook, it’d be to strengthen the entry point into each sibling’s story a tad, I found myself wanting to settle in a little more quickly, though once I did, I was entirely captivated by their eccentricities and emotional truths.

Thanks for the advance read. I enjoyed the story and always enjoy a new author. Good luck with the book

I was hooked from start to finish and enjoyed getting into this world. It was everything that I was hoping for in this type of book, and thought the characters were so well written and enjoyed getting into the secrets of this storyline. Angela Tomaski has a great way of telling the story and enjoyed the overall feel of this.

3.5 stars. This book definitely took some getting used to in regard to writing style, but I am glad I kept with the book because I did eventually warm up to the characters.