Audio Review: The Monstrous Kind by Lydia Gregovic

I received this book via the publisher Listening Library, Delacorte Press. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of this review.

The Monstrous Kind by Lydia Gregovic
Narrator: Fran Burgoyne
Published by Listening Library, Delacorte Press on 2024-09-03
Age Range: 15+
Length: 386 pages
Length: 13 hours and 6 minutes
Listening Speed: 2x
Reviewing Advanced Listening Copy, eARC from the publisher Listening Library, Delacorte Press
Rating:

An atmospheric, haunting, romantasy inspired by Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility, set in Regency era England about two sisters fighting to hold on to their manor while deadly monsters prowl along its perimeters—perfect for fans of House of Salt and Sorrows and Anatomy: A Love Story.

Merrick Darling’s life as daughter of the Manor Lord of Sussex is better than most. Unlike the commoners, she is immune to the toxic fog that encroached on England generations earlier. She will never become a Phantom—one of the monstrous creatures that stalk her province’s borders—and as long as the fires burn to hold them back, her safety is ensured. She wants for nothing, yet she will never inherit her family’s Manor. She must marry smartly or live at the kindness of her elder sister, Essie.

Everything is turned on its head, though, when Merrick’s father dies suddenly. Torn from her New London society life of ball gowns and parties, Merrick must travel back to her childhood home, the Darling estate of Norland House, and what she finds there is bewildering. Once strong and capable, Essie is withdrawn and frightened—and with good cause. A recent string of attacks along the province’s borders has turned their formerly bucolic countryside into a terrifying and unpredictable landscape. The fog is closing in and the fires aren’t holding, which makes Merrick and Essie vulnerable in more ways than one. Because the Phantoms are far from the only monsters in Merrick’s world, and the other eleven Manor Lords are always watching for weakness.

Revealing her and her sister’s current state to the rest of the Manors is out of the question, but when Essie goes missing, it’s clear that Merrick needs help. Only, who can she trust when everyone seems to be scheming, and when all she holds true feels like it’s slipping right out of her grasp?

The Monstrous Kind by Lydia Gregovic is a haunting fantasy heavily inspired by Jane Austen. While other authors have attempted to do this in the past (see Pride and Prejudice and Zombies), Gregovic has done something beautiful and otherworldly. Merrick Darling is the daughter of the Lord of Sussex which affords her immunity to the toxic fog that is slowly taking over England. While she wants for nothing, she is not set to inherit the manor and so must marry well if she wishes to remain safe. When word reaches her of her father’s untimely death, Merrick must return home, but what she finds will haunt her.

Merrick is an interesting character. Her entire life she has wanted to take care of the manor and surrounding lands. She wants the responsibility that her father will not give her. So after the death of her mother, she leaves for New London to find a husband. Returning home was never an option, but with her father’s death and her sister acting strangely, it is up to Merrick to figure out what is going on for the sake of all who live on her family’s lands.

I loved how Gregovic explored several of Austen’s main plot points: sisterly relationships, romance, the not-so-subtle condemnation of high society. This is all interwoven with the horrors that are occurring. The toxic fog is as much a character as the human ones. Its presence is ominous and births Phantoms, those who succumb to the fog and are zombie-like in nature. Where did the fog come from, how do they stop it, and why is it now attacking? All of these are questions Merrick must face and find answers too.

Overall, I really enjoyed The Monstrous Kind. Its deep plot and Merrick herself were enough to keep me entertained and guessing right to the very end. If you are a fan of gothic fantasy or Austen, I highly recommend it.

Audiobook Note: I received an eALC of this one as well as an eARC. I enjoy following along as I listen so this was perk for me. The narrator for this one is new to me, but she is fantastic. Her subtle inflections and tone add to the mystery of the story. If you are a fan of audio, I highly recommend this one.

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