The Company: the chilling gothic thriller

Braithwhite and Company is an incredibly successful business that manufactures wallpaper well known for their original designs and almost unnaturally vibrant colours. In 1870, 24 year old Lucy Braithwhite's world comes toppling down when Mr Luckhurst, long-term manager of the business, suddenly dies. Increasingly worried for the inevitability that her sickly brother will have to take control of the business, Lucy is relieved when the able and willing Mr Julian Rivers presents himself as the new manager. However all is not well and suspicions arise with Mr Rivers's intentions along with dark rumours linking the beautiful wallpapers of Braithwhite and Company to madness and death. Lucy must do all she can to protect her family and her legacy.Inspired by the arsenic wallpaper scandal of the late 19th century where colours in the paper could produce fumes in heat that led to arsenic poisoning and, in extreme cases, death, this novel tackles a deeply interesting subject interwoven with familial secrets, betrayal and desperation.Distinctly gothic, the atmosphere essentially oozes from the page and I soared through this book.I enjoyed the build up in tension through Varese's skillful storytelling which was uniquely visual, especially in regards to the wallpaper itself, which made segments read as eerie and claustrophobic and I felt as though I were in Lucy's shoes seeing the paper through her own eyes at points.The language is subtle with an old-fashioned flair which I adored and felt truly transported me as a reader to the setting, making it much more authentic.A dark gothic historical novel, this is one to read when the nights are quiet and in shadows.

Reading the book made me wonder how much the author researched Victorian England because it did read like an American characature and a bit disappointing. It was a creepy book with a creepy main character but otherwise a bit of a meandering story and not very satisfying

When I found out that this book was inspired by the real arsenic wallpaper controversy of the late 19th century, I just had to read it. I had vaguely heard of the controversy but not really read much about it. Turns out that the Victorians used to put arsenic in quite a few things. Toys, household objects and all manner of things such as wallpaper. The use of arsenic in wallpaper colours was the new, big thing. No-one thought of the dangers it could cause.Lucy Braithwaite is the main character who is the heir of the wallpaper company. Braithwhite and Company have closely guarded the secrets of their wallpaper designs and colours for years. People however have been getting ill and so now there are rumours that there might be something linked to the wallpapers.Now enters a strange man enters the mix. The manager of the company and Lucy’s surrogate father has died but he left no succession in place. The stranger, Julian Rivers says he is taking over. He’s worked for the company for years but noone seems to really know what he’s been doing.He is very interested in Lucy and what she expects to happen to the company. Rivers has plans, and seems to want to inflitrate himself into all manner of her life and that of the company. He is strange, creepy and seems to know more than he should. What’s more, he appears in rooms as if by magic, and has a very perculiar manner.This novel enchanted me and made me want to close my eyes so I could see that wallpaper. However, Mr Rivers seemed to loom large making me want to close them again. There is something very special about this novel, alluring, gothic, dramatic and chilling. I did enjoy this even though I am pleased I don’t have wallpaper in the room where I read this.

The blurb and "editors note"promised much but the book delivered very little. None of the characters were more than two dimensional and the build up of "Gothic" terror and impending doom was sadly lacking. Trying not to give spoilers but I suspect that the main character was in fact totally mad and the whole problem was in her head.

Based in a nasty truth (The Victorians LOVED a vivid wallpaper, and yes it was given its deep tones by the use of arsenic, and yes, people died) this novel blends reality with a real feel of a classic Victorian gothic novel.There are secrets, knowledge denied and unspoken, revelations, and fear. Our heroine is, as were most Victorian women, under-estimated and so overlooked.Victorian society was a dark place for those not wealthy; there was no power for the working man, woman or child, and all were subject to the greed and whim of their masters, who used their power to hide their worst excesses and poor treatment of workers, which, in this novel, rather comes back to bite the rich family suddenly at the mercy of an unknown quantity.Darkly twisting, the reader is kept in a constant state of dread right up till the final moments, when we can finally close the book with a sigh of contentment.If after reading this novel you don't want to learn more about the arsenic used to create those vivid greens, and how the scandal finally came to light, I will be amazed.

I found The Company to be very good on atmospheric Gothic dread, but less good on characters with believable motivation.Lucy Braithwhite suffers from lots of nameless horror and fuzzy recollections of horrible happenings, but what actually happened, when and to whom was unclear to me. I think my favourite reading of the story is that all the characters are perfectly happy and normal, except for Lucy who suffers from delusions and paranoia. Then it really is a horror story!Recommended for lovers of Victoriana and atmosphere.

I had no idea what to expect when I started this book, but I was immediately sucked in by the beautiful writing. In the end, I was left with one word: brilliant.It would be impossible to fully describe what was so fantastic about this novel without giving away too much of what allows the book to work so beautifully. Suffice to say, the suspense was built slowly and steadily, with hints and breadcrumbs sprinkled with great pacing. I was never sure exactly where things were going, but possibilities were continually coming to mind in response to the developing story, and the eventual ending was beautifully supported by the entirety of the text.I’m sure it might not appeal to everyone, especially not readers who want pure horror or easily-defined, straightforward storytelling. Don’t get me wrong. It’s an easy read and not overly dense in the language. But it is a gothic novel in the purest sense of the word, and I will be thinking about it for days. I can’t wait to read it again and see what else strikes me on a second reading.

The Company is a captivating book that left me thinking for days. It has so many little hallmark moments of beauty that develop into a greater ghostly, haunting, sinister scene. It’s not all neat and tidy, which is a good thing. There are characters of great tenderness and great evil. A dark story that started with much light. Heartily recommend.