This review contains spoilers.
Monsters, mystery and mayhem run rampant in “The House Saphir.”
In her latest book, author Marissa Meyer makes an epic return to young adult fantasy retellings. The novel hit shelves last November and takes place in the same universe as Meyer’s previous duology, “Gilded” and “Cursed.”
Best known for her hit series “The Lunar Chronicles,” Meyer has long been regarded as the queen of classic fantasy retellings in the young adult literature space, with adaptations of stories such as “Cinderella” and “Rumpelstiltskin” under her publishing belt. Although Meyer took a brief break from fairytale adaptations to work on other genres, “The House Saphir” marks her return to her signature complex worldbuilding and harrowing fantasy plots.
With a budding romance and monsters inspired by French folklore, “The House Saphir” is a tale of the gothic canonical “Bluebeard” turned romantasy murder mystery. The novel follows protagonist Mallory Fontaine, a self-proclaimed expert on the infamous Count Bastien Saphir, also known as Monsieur Le Bleu, who murdered three of his wives a century ago.
After the death of their mother, Mallory and her sister Anaïs have made a living conning tourists and conducting “haunted” tours of the Saphir mansion. After one of her routine tours is crashed by undercover investigators cracking down on the family business and a narrow escape from a voirloup attack, Mallory makes the unexpected acquaintance of Armand Saphir, the heir and great-great-grandson of Count Bastien.
His offer to pay Mallory a large sum of money in exchange for ridding his ancestral home of Le Bleu’s ghost seems like the perfect solution to the sisters’ financial trouble until a real murder takes place in the House Saphir and Mallory suspects the killer is mortal.
Meyer has never shied away from the boundaries of genre, and “The House Saphir” is no exception. Throughout the world of Lysraux, the author deftly weaves between the boundaries of fantasy, romance and mystery.
While Mallory’s investigation remains at the heart of the novel, her story is also one of self-discovery and vulnerability. As Mallory struggles to maintain the illusion of her and her sister’s exorcism abilities, mingling with murdered wives and mythical monsters along the way, she also learns to give in to her emotions. Her character arc throughout the narrative is well-developed alongside the rest of the plot.
“The House Saphir,” though initially slow to action, is fueled by mounting stakes, engaging fight sequences and intriguing twists. What propels the story forward most is Meyer’s intimate familiarity with the world she’s crafted. Meyer doesn’t just recycle the universe of her “Gilded” duology; she expands upon the gothic fairytale setting in a way that honors its roots in French folklore and demonstrates a deeply researched cultural foundation. The narrative voice is a smooth blend of contemporary tone and historically inspired language, sprinkled with well-placed humor.
With an irresistible mystery, compelling characters and expansive plot, “The House Saphir” is sure to be a fun read for fairytale fans and new fantasy readers alike.
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