What would you trade for the power to protect those you love? Violeta bargains with gods and monsters in Lyndall Clipstone’s debut YA novel, Lakesedge. Described as a “lush gothic fantasy,” Lakesedge comes out tomorrow, September 28.
Violeta Graceling just wants to protect her younger brother Arien from the shadows that haunt his dreams, but the inky tendrils that spill from his palms are no figment of his imagination. Rowan Sylvanan, the young lord of Lakesedge, has a darkness of his own—and he thinks Arien’s shadows might be part of the solution he’s been seeking. It seems unwise to accept an invitation from the Monster of Lakesedge, so called because he is rumored to have drowned his own family, but Violet and Arien aren’t given much of a choice. Lakesedge isn’t just haunted by the tragic death of Rowan’s family, however; the lake itself is cursed with a shadowy corruption that threatens to spread and destroy the land. While Arien studies alchemy with the hope of performing a ritual to mend the Corruption, Violeta finds herself falling for the young man she once thought a monster. But even as she feels drawn toward Rowan, Violeta is pulled toward another voice that calls out to her—the voice of the Lord Under, god of the dead. Violeta, Arien, and Rowan may not be strong enough to stop the Corruption without the Lord Under’s help. But is Violeta prepared to pay his price?
Lakesedge follows the very Gothic tradition of drawing the title of the book from its spooky setting—in this case, the ancestral estate of the Lords Sylvanan, the name of which also serves as a constant reminder of the string of family tragedies that occurred at the nearby lake. When Violet arrives at the estate, she is entranced by its decaying decadence, alternately finding it beautiful and terrifying. Rowan enacts his grief and guilt on the house by keeping the rooms his family members lived in locked up and allowing the estate to fall into disrepair. Despite its foreboding name and appearance, Violeta eventually comes to think of Lakesedge as home—the first true home she’s had since being orphaned as a young child. And yes, she does spend a fair amount of time running around the ruined manor in her nightgown.
The novel also explores a theme common to the subgenre of Gothic romance: falling in love with a monster. Violeta is first introduced to Rowan Sylvanan as the Monster of Lakesedge—a vicious and power-hungry young man who murdered his family in cold blood. Though Rowan gruffly insists that all the rumors about him are true, Violeta is quick to realize he’s not a monster of the murderous kind—at least not in the way that the other villagers think. Wracked by guilt for his past actions, Rowan believes in his own monstrosity almost as much as the villagers do. And as the Corruption from the lake spreads not just through his land but through his own body, Rowan is in danger of turning into a more literal sort of monster if the others can’t successfully complete the mending ritual. But Violeta sees both Rowan’s monstrosity and his humanity, and loves him anyway. She was never much of one to be afraid of monsters.
There are quite a few other Gothic elements in Lakesedge, including bargains with supernatural beings, a trip to the underworld, and a heavy focus on death. But I can’t get into any of these too deeply without revealing major spoilers, so you’ll just have to read it for yourself! You can find the book on shelves tomorrow at your favorite local retailer, or preorder it now online and support The Gothic Library in the process using this Bookshop.org affiliate link. Once you’ve read it, come back and let me know your thoughts in the comments!