Katherine Harbour's Blog - Posts Tagged "desert-fantasy"

Within These Wicked Walls
Set in Ethiopia, I believe, at the turn-of-the century, this story has an intriguing Beauty and the Beast theme. The teen protagonist, Andromeda, is a debtera, an exorcist, who is trying to make a name for herself by accepting a dangerous job at a haunted mansion in the desert. The son of a wealthy and broken family, Magnus, has been cursed by the Evil Eye, which has resulted in a gruesome curse that has been killing servants in the mansion.
The most poignant relationship for me was between Andromeda and her foster father, Jumber, a curmudgeonly and powerful debtera injured by a job gone bad. He's a terrible and complicated parent, which is why Andromeda is drawn into saving the innocent Magnus.
The horror elements are fabulously dark. I loved the flawed father/daughter relationship. The romance is sweet, but blood-stained by Magnus's curse. I also loved the refreshingly original setting. A Bronte-esque fairy tale with a fiery heroine.