Scary and really rather sinister sums it up. Jacob Barbary is a very influential man and his house holds power over the whole of Bern. After the death of his wife, he kept his daughter Beatrice very, very close doing everything with her and keeping her for himself. As such, after his brutal murder Beatrice is very insecure as she meets his friends and is convinced that the whole of society is talking about her and that she is seen as an anomaly. Out of this arises a slight mystery. Why does Beatrice not recognize the painter who used to live in the house with them and play and paint the young Beatrice? As the story takes us back in time and picks up on the life of Johann the painter, the social life of the house and the world of Jacob, we start to realize that maybe there is something a little more sinister about her father than Beatriz ever thought. As she unravels events from the past can Beatrice right the wrongs of her father and his friends and as Beatrice takes things into her own hands, is she more like her father than she would like to think?

Set in 17th century Switzerland, The House of Barbary is a macabre tale of secrets, revenge, and death.

After the murder of her father, Beatrice Barbary finds herself bereft of his protection and is dragged away from her scientific studies into a world of political scheming fraught with danger.

Whilst her father’s killer has seemingly been caught, Beatrice begins to question what really happened. Pulling away from her maid and mother figure, Imerla, Beatrice begins to uncover her father’s sinister secrets and the Order of Eve.

Beatrice becomes gradually more brutal and mistrusting as she takes revenge on those closest to her father.

This is a disturbing and carefully crafted tale, evocative of Bluebeard as intended. However, the political structure of Bern and its various roles and labels takes a while to get used to, and the ending, whilst apt, is slightly abrupt.

The book opens claiming that the tale will be a fairytale… for the most part. This is the best possible introduction I could give to this gruesome, grotesque but utterly gripping new book from Isabelle Schuler.

I will admit, it took be more than a few pages to get into this book, but once I was into it, I literally could not put it down. Schuler takes time walking the reader through the setting and culture of her story with great care.

The narrative follows two storylines, one of when the protagonist, Beatrice, is a child and one of when she is a young woman. The novel begins with Beatrice reeling from the death of her beloved father. We follow Beatrice as she uncovers the truth that efface the lies she has been told her whole life. This tale is one of revenge, political intrigue, and admittedly, some violence.

I truly felt like this tale was so original - I have never read anything quite like it. With retellings of mythology, folklore and fairytales being such a popular genre at the moment, it could be a very easy trap to fall into to write a tale that some could call derivative. I can decidedly say that Schuler is in absolutely no danger of that. The narrative had so many twists and turns which Schuler masterfully controls to the point at which I sat in silence for ten minutes after having finished it, just to try and process what I had just read.

The one slight downfall to this book was that I did feel that certain plot points were not as explained or explored as they could have been - the mysterious Order of St. Eve would be an example. This did not hinder my enjoyment of it, but certainly left me with questions that I would rather have had answered. I also would have enjoyed getting to know some of the characters better… but I suppose I am really saying that I would like this book to be longer.

All in all I really enjoyed this book and loved the haunting presence of the barbaric nature of the original fairy tales.

Many thanks to Bloomsbury Publishing, Raven Books, Isabelle Schuler and Netgally for the free ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The House of Barbary will be published on the 13th of March 2025

This novel unfolds in a world of intrigue, betrayal, and hidden truths. While the pacing may initially feel slow as the author takes time to establish the characters and their complex relationships, the investment pays off as the plot gradually picks up momentum.

Beatrice Barbary's journey of self-discovery is compelling as slowly but surely she finds her independence from her maid's protection. The exploration of her relationship with her father and the Order of St. Eve is particularly intriguing.

The novel's setting, a city on the brink of chaos, adds a sense of urgency and tension to the narrative, waeving together political intrigue, personal betrayal, and supernatural elements to create a richly textured world.

While the slow start might deter some readers, those who persevere will be rewarded with a gripping tale of secrets and revenge.

A naive young woman investigates her father's murder and uncovers a tangled web of deceit amongst the top tiers of local government in 1600s Bern. An interesting premise and pacy plot, with a clever use of a fairytale, but the writing is clunky and lots of things aren't explained such as the point of the Order and finding a true Eve. Not one for me.

Set in the 17th century Bern, and inspired by a fairy tale and containing a few real life people as characters and using a few historical events (such as the Peasants’ Revolt) in the very back drop of this, The House of Barbary follows Beatrice Barbary. She discovers an order and is faced with dilemmas, challenging decisions and risks.
Beatrice is somewhat based on the amazing scientist Maria Sibylla Merian - initially, Beatrice’s fondness of science was what drew me into this story, then the mystery/thriller, secret society, political and revenge themes and subthemes.
I found the setting to be fresh and less commonly explored, and I appreciate the author’s extensive research.
Plot 3
Characterisation 3.5
Prose 3
Themes 3.5
Mood 3.5
Enjoyment 3