About the book…
*Title: Wormwood Abbey
*Author: Christina Baehr
*Genre: Cozy historical fantasy (with dragons and a touch of romance)
*Series: Book #1 of the 5-book series The Secrets of Ormdale
*Recommend for: Ages 13/14 & up
My Personal Rating
📖Synopsis
As a Victorian clergyman’s daughter, Edith Worms has seen everything — until a mythical salamander tumbles out of the fireplace into her lap.When a letter arrives from estranged relatives, Edith is swept away to a crumbling gothic Abbey in the wilds of Yorkshire. Wormwood Abbey isn't just full of curious beasts and ancient family secrets: there’s also a tall, dark, and entirely too handsome neighbour who is strangely reluctant for her to leave.
An unexpected bond with her prickly cousin Gwendolyn gives Edith a reason to stay in this strange world — especially when it turns out that Edith herself may have a role in guarding her family's legacy.
But not all of the mysteries of Ormdale are small enough to fit in her lap...and some of them have teeth.
💭My Thoughts
This was just delightful.
First, the writing style was lovely. Lovely. And the characters were spectacular. I absolutely loved Edith and her family. Both the writing style and Edith as a character instantly reminded me of The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion by Beth Brower, and that is truly a lofty comparison. Edith's thought processes, internal monologue, and wit were just so delightful, and it was perfect that it was in her first-person POV throughout the book. There was also just something about the rest of the Worms family that I enjoyed seeing so much. Each character was excellently developed (my favorite thing to see in books!) and they were all such a joy to spend time with. I greatly look forward to seeing them again as I continue the series.
Now, the dragons. I do not want to say too much due to spoilers, but I will say that as someone who...isn't the biggest enjoyer of fantasy, some of those elements were a little iffy to me at first. However, the writing style and the characters absolutely won me over, despite this book being in the fantasy genre. I'm coming to realize that I can sometimes handle fantasy, as long as it is not epic fantasy or high fantasy. Wormwood Abbey is cozy fantasy, and I believe that's more my cup of tea 😉
I loved the fact that Edith is a writer. And a secret writer of mystery books at that! A few observations and notes she made were quite funny and relatable to me as a writer, and that aspect of the story was just so much fun. Also, the many literary references! That is an element in books that I always adore...and yet another one that brought to mind The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion. Edith is frequently mentioning or referencing characters and situations from classic books such as Jane Eyre and Pride and Prejudice, and I'm so here for that!
Something else I noticed and enjoyed was the family dynamic in this book. The Worms family is so fun, and I just loved that they were so close and how much they cared about each other, because that's not something that is overly common in books. Often the family of the character (s) in a book is broken, uncaring, or nonexistent. But in this book, while Edith's family is not perfect, they are present and whole and loving and fun. I loved seeing that so much!
To sum up, this book is clean, fun, humorous, cozy but adventurous, delightfully written and full of lovely, memorable characters...and dragons. I feel like those who enjoy the Chronicles of Narnia may also like aspects of this book, and it would probably be a good start for someone who is just beginning to read fantasy. It was a quick read, but I enjoyed it very much and am incredibly excited to continue the series!
Some favorite quotes...
"Let me be frank with you: I am generally suspicious of eligible men. My attachment to the single life is profound. I have found that the best course is to start off with new acquaintances by adopting a forbidding expression. It is a simple matter to put off young men in this way. One can always thaw a little later once the risk has been properly assessed."
"As we returned down the staircase, a tall young man moved noiselessly out of the shadows at the end of the hall. I am well-bred enough not to stare at a new acquaintance (even when they have just materialized from a tapestry), but the same could not be said for this gentleman. Under his dark gaze, I began to wonder if I had better go back upstairs and wash my face after all. Perhaps there was a particularly distracting coal smut on my nose."
"That laugh had been the same one I'd heard at the dinner table when Father made his joke about the entail in Pride and Prejudice. Which meant that firstly, Drake was an absolute beast. And secondly, he knew his Austen. And that was a paradox I could not fathom."
"In the end, he spoke first. 'We heard you singing.' 'I was lost', I replied simply. As if it was the most natural thing in the world to sing when one is lost in the woods. He nodded, as if it seemed so to him, too."
My favorite of all 😍
"'Oh. No. I don't like gothic novels.' Then for the first time in my memory he smiled a full, slow smile. 'I much prefer Jane Austen.'"
⚠️Broad content notes
No real magic content; Danger & grief; a child is kidnapped; discovering a dead body; mentions of deaths; mentions of miscarriages; human sacrifices & serpent worship in artwork; A few "God knows", "for God's sake", and "thank God"s; "God help me" said once, but didn't seem flippant; no other language stronger than "idiot" and the phrase "could go hang"; a comment about "not making an attempt on Edith's virtue."
❤️ Read for...
-Victorian England backdrop
-Gothic atmosphere, mystery & secrets
-Dragons
-Quaint, witty writing in first person POV
-Literary references
-Fun family dynamic
-Very light hint of a sweet future romance
-Some elements of historical Christianity
Bookishly yours,
Lottie M.
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