Novellas were never my thing as a reader. Or at least I didn’t think they were. Fortunately, I chose to ignore that niggling at the back of my mind and forged ahead. Since then, I’ve read a handful or more novellas that were absolutely and I might not have discovered had I let my prejudice affect my decisions. This is one such novella. Following up her 2015 release Coral Nocturne, new-on-the-scene author Elisabeth Grace Foley gives her readers what I’d assume is another (I’ve yet to read her debut), charming coming-of-age story.
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Our heroine is Dorothy, a young girl living in the Roaring 20s, which isn’t ideal for her. You see, Dorothy’s father is a strict kind of man who believes the pleasures of the time are evil. But something in Dorothy wishes to break free and… dance. She loves everything about dancing. Alas with a father who keeps a strict eye on her, she’s unable to follow her passion. That is until a friend introduces her to a secret speakeasy that is held at a lost lake house. It’s here that Dorothy thrives… but is the secrecy really
worth her dangerous night’s out?
Lost Lake House, by Elisabeth Grace Foley | Novella Review
Loosely, this is a re-telling of The Twelve Dancing Princesses. Being unfamiliar with the legend of the fable, I don’t know how
well this story resembles its inspiration however this already earned itself good will with two of its primary fixtures being all about “Rissi catnip.” The first being its setting (the 20s are my recent period fix jam) and fairytale which is a childhood fixation that I’ve yet to grow out of.
Aside from saying this is charming, I don’t feel able to say much more. Why? Because of the novella length, discussing the pros in-depth isn’t fair. One must attempt to build up some kind of mystery for potential readers (or I do hope to make that part of my task, dear readers) which is precisely why I’ll sum this fascinating fable up simply. A shortened length in no way hampers this sweetheart of a fairytale. It’s not what one expects when thinking “fairytale,” but it boasts compelling characters made more so with the shifting perspectives and the sense of setting was like continuous motion of Roaring 20s jazz, happiness and spot-on visual cues.
If you like sweet and simple stories, snag a copy of Elisabeth’s charming Lost Lake House. Fans of unique fairytales will be swept away.
About the Novella:
Author: Elisabeth Grace Foley
Publisher: Second Sentence Press
Source: Author provided Publication Date: 2016
Find the Review elsewhere: Goodreads ǀ WordPress
Find the Book Elsewhere: Goodreads
Series: Historical Fairytales, novella #2
Genre: Fiction; Historical, Novella
Rating: 4 out of 5
Sincere thanks to the author, Elisabeth for providing a complimentary e-copy of this book for reviewing purposes.
I've really been looking forward to this story! I liked "Corral Nocturne" very much indeed — I definitely recommend it!
Thanks so much for the recommendation, Rachel. I'm excited to read Elisabeth's first re-telling novella too. And if you enjoyed it, you're certain to find this one equally sweet. :)