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    The Undoing of Violet Claybourne: A Novel
    The Undoing of Violet Claybourne: A Novel
    The Undoing of Violet Claybourne: A Novel
    Audiobook12 hours

    The Undoing of Violet Claybourne: A Novel

    Written by Emily Critchley

    Narrated by Nathalie Buscombe

    4/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    "Artful, gothic-tinged … an immersive, chilling treat for suspense fans."—Publishers Weekly

     

    For fans of Sarah Penner and The Foundling comes a slow-burn gothic mystery following Gillian, a young girl enthralled by the enigmatic Claybourne sisters, their house at Thornleigh Hall, and the tragedy that binds them together for good.

     

    To become a Claybourne girl, she'll have to betray one first.

     

    1938. Gillian Larking, lonely and away at boarding school, is used to going unnoticed. But then she meets Violet Claybourne, her vibrant roommate who takes Gilly under her wing. Violet is unlike anyone Gilly has ever met, and she regales Gilly with tales of her grand family estate and her two elegant sisters. Gilly is soon entranced by stories of the Claybournes, so when Violet invites Gilly to meet her family at Thornleigh Hall, she can't believe her luck.

     

    But Gilly soon finds that behind the grand façade of Thornleigh Hall, darkness lurks.

     

    Dazzled by the crumbling manor and Violet's enigmatic sisters, Gilly settles into the estate. But when a horrible accident strikes on the grounds, she is ensnared in a web of the sisters' making, forced to make a choice that will change the course of her life forever. Because the Claybourne girls know how to keep secrets, even at the cost of one of their own.

     

    With ensnaring prose and layers of friendship, privilege, mental health, and more, The Undoing of Violet Claybourne is a poignant book club read with characters you won't soon forget.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherRecorded Books, Inc.
    Release dateMar 4, 2025
    ISBN9798895940983
    The Undoing of Violet Claybourne: A Novel
    Author

    Emily Critchley

    EMILY CRITCHLEY grew up in Essex and now lives in Hertfordshire where she works as a librarian. She has a first class BA in Creative Writing from London Metropolitan University and an MA with distinction in Creative Writing from Birkbeck University of London. Her YA debut Notes on my Family was nominated for the Carnegie, long listed for the Branford Boase, and book of the week in the Sunday Times, and her middle grade novel The Bear who Sailed the Ocean on an Iceberg was published in October 2021, both by independent publisher Everything With Words in the UK. One Puzzling Afternoon is her US debut.

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    Reviews for The Undoing of Violet Claybourne

    4/5

    17 ratings3 reviews

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    • 5/5

      Mar 6, 2025

      The Undoing of Violet Claybourne is Emily Critchley's new novel.

      I always look at the cover of a book before I turn the first pages. I really liked this cover, it has a distinct Gothic feel to it. The images and the colours and tones used beckoned to me.

      The first part is set in 1938. Gillian Larking attends a girl's boarding school in England. Gillian is quite lonely and unhappy at the school. She’s unsure when the new girl, Violet Claybourne, is to be her roommate. Violet is a bit different, but the two end up quite happy together. Gillian is thrilled to be asked to spend the Christmas holidays with Violet's family. She can’t wait to meet her mother, father and two sisters.

      And this is where the good stuff starts. A crumbling manor, an atmosphere that is confusing, and a family that’s not as Gillian had imagined. Still though, she’d be very happy to be part of the family.

      Emily Greeley does a fantastic job with what came next. Her plotting is excellent! Lots of twists and turns. And her characters? Oh my gosh, I can’t even….! And just when I thought we were finished we’re brought into current day and that was such a surprise turn as well! Kudos to you Emily Critchley!

      This is my first read of Emily Critchley, and it certainly won’t be the last.
    • 4/5

      Jan 20, 2025

      Psychological studies can be manipulative, they can be terrorizing, they can haunt and do much worse. The undoing of Violet Claybourne shared all these qualities wrapped within an often told tale. One young woman yearns to be recognized, to become more, to be admitted to that special society that is out of reach. Another born to that certain societal class just wants to be left to let out all the inner feelings she is denied while she also searches to be recognized and remembered.

      Winter, 1938 marks the divide of the lives of the inhabitants and one guest of Thornleigh Hall. Told from a current POV, the reminisces of the past and the glimpses into the patterns and mysteries that make up this story are remarkable in the expectation that this is the way it is supposed to be,”Nos contra mundane, us against the world.” Until it isn’t. The ultimate realization that the past does not forget our destruction whether it to be self or others and our ultimate justification of our actions so we may “carry on.”

      Well and strongly plotted and written - many thanks to Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley for a copy.
    • 5/5

      Jan 2, 2025

      What a fabulous book to start the New Year with. I read and enjoyed the author's previous book, One Puzzling Afternoon, so I purchased this book as soon as it was available. I'm not sure how widely available it is yet in North America, but it's worth the read.

      A gripping , compelling novel. In 1938, Gillian Larking is a teen sent off to boarding school, Heathcomb.There, her room-mate is Violet Claybourne. Gillian is a lonely girl, having been sent away by her father after he remarried and had another child. Violet is a lovely girl, but troubled by obsessive compulsive thoughts and actions. The two become friends and Gillian is invited to Violet's home for Christmas, Thornleigh Hall.

      Gillian is dazzled by the family, and Violet's older sisters , Emmeline and Laura. But the family is not quite what Gillian thought. After a tragic accident, things quickly spiral out of control. The characters are well drawn, though not necessarily likeable . A tense , fascinating read in which a family's ambitions overwhelm their better impulses.

      Highly recommended!