Spitting Gold

Reviews

A clever, atmospheric and sparkling Gothic debut with compelling characters and brilliant prose. Reminded me of Sarah Waters. Carmella Lowkis's confident debut twirls the reader into high society (and low) in a 19th century Paris deliciously recognisable in its modernity. Boasting a twisty plot, seances, sly humour, ghosts, a long con, and lesbians, the heart of the book is the affecting and frustrating relationship between two sisters. I devoured it. Twisty, compelling and oh-so-cleverly written, this tale of creepy séances, aristocrats and sisterhood has the same dark glamour as the 19th century Paris it evokes. A tale of two sisters filled with spooky spirits, queer love, and high suspense In this engrossing story about whether or not vengeful spirits exist – and whether mediums can control them or not – Lowkis cleverly keeps a lot of ambiguity and space for doubt even in first-person. We are kept guessing at who is being deceived and who is deceiving in this brilliantly twisty mystery. A magnificent debut ... Lowkis skillfully orchestrates the contentious relationship between Sylvie and Charlotte, each of whom resort to subterfuges and schemes, and pulls off a series of surprising twists that completely change the shape of the story. It’s an auspicious first outing from a writer to watch. This atmospheric tale has twists, schemes, and surprises that will keep the reader guessing until the last page A compelling and atmospheric story of sisterhood and female agency, Spitting Gold is an evocative gothic tale where nothing is quite what it seems. Set in rain soaked 19th century Paris, Spitting Gold is tale of two sisters and a perfectly paced gothic heist. This world of spiritualist hucksters and scheming aristocrats is brilliantly evoked, and it's a story told with real heart. Set in nineteenth-century Paris, with the violence of the revolution in living memory, this is a wonderfully vivid and compelling gothic book. It is a real page turner, plunging you into the atmosphere of the time, and throwing up confusion as to who is deceiving who, after two sisters decide to go in for one last money-making hoax. Séances, sisterhood and dark secrets abound . . . Expand reviews