I've just finished this book, and I thoroughly enjoyed it, especially all the twists that were revealed near to the end. Great characters, and not all were likeable! It's thought-provoking that one event and one decision can have far-reaching consequences. Thank you, NetGalley, for this reading opportunity, which I was delighted to read after reading One Puzzling Afternoon by the same author.

Reviewed on Amazon and Goodreads.

I got to this later than I’’d hoped and I loved it! It’s a great winter read as it is really dark and atmospheric.

Gillian Larking's mother died in childbirth and her father has remarried and lives abroad with his wife and their young son. Gillian is rather a lonely girl who doesn't really fit in but then a new girl, Violet Claybourne, starts at the echool and shares Gillian's room. They immediately become best friends and Gillian is delighted to be invited to spend the Christmas holidays with Violet and her family at their country estate, Thornleigh. Gillian is soon captivated by Violet's two older sisters Emmeline and Laura. However a tragic event on Boxing Day changes all their lives forever. I loved Emily Critchley's debut novel immensely so was delighted to be able to read an ARC of her latest book. It certainly didn't disappoint, Set mostly in 1938, it was quite sad and also dark with family secrets and lies being exposed. I loved it and look forward to reading Emily's next book.

Following her mother’s death and her father’s remarriage Gillian Larking is sent to boarding school. An unassuming girl she is pleased when outgoing Violet Claybourne is allocated as her roommate and they are soon best of friends. With Christmas approaching Violet is invited to stay at Thornleigh Hall with Violet and her family. Told from Gillian’s POV, and in multiple timelines, although largely in 1938 when most of the action happens. This is a well written, slow burn read with a really good cast of characters, although I can’t say there are many nice ones!

Briefly, Gillian is awed by the family and their slightly run down home and is desperate to be accepted by Violets two older sisters Laura and Emmeline. When Gillian goes out with the older sisters one day Violet stays behind and a shocking event takes place that has terrible repercussions for everyone.

This is dark and really quite disturbing tale. Gillian has clearly missed the love and closeness of a family and sees the Claybourne’s as a surrogate family; but it’s heart rending to see how she put her perceived needs before her friendship with Violet. Violet has always been a bit different and her family seem to tolerate her funny little ways, today I feel she would have been diagnosed as being neurodiverse. My heart broke for Violet, repeatedly, I just wanted to give her a massive hug. A truly heartbreaking and shocking story and one I found compulsive reading. Fantastic book.

This is a hard review to write. Some of the writing in this book is truly wonderful and I enjoyed the descriptions of characters and place. In addition, I loved Emily Critchley's first novel - A Puzzling Afternoon and so was excited to read this gothic tale which is a favourite genre of mine.

It moves along at a good pace and is a compelling enough story but at the end I was left feeling unsure about my feelings for the main characters. Overall I felt nobody came out of it well and I'm afraid none of them, other than Violet were very likeable. You don't have to like characters for it to be a good story but usually there is something that as a reader you can connect with. I found it hard to do that with this novel.

I'm sure there are other readers who will love it and this certainly wouldn't stop me reading more books by this author.

I really enjoyed this book. I felt as though it moved at a good pace and was well written. It was definitely a bit darker than the books I normally read and quite sad. However I would highly recommend it.

Full of surprises!

Gillian Larking is used to blending in and going unnoticed and expects to do exactly the same when she goes to boarding school; then she meets Violet Claybourne. Sharing a room, the two girls are thrown together and a firm friendship blossoms. Then Violet invites her to spend Christmas with her family at Thornleigh Hall and opens up a world that Gillian never thought she would be part of. Violet's older sisters dazzle her, but following a dreadful incident Gillian realises that perhaps these aren't the people she should be emulating.

I loved this one; there's so much going on! Beginning in the thirties, it covers several decades and provides a lot of food for though and, it has to be said, a few shocks and surprises along the way! It's definitely a warning to be careful what you wish for. If you like your reads a bit on the darker side, then this is one I recommend. For me, 4.5*.

My thanks to the publisher for my copy via NetGalley; this is - as always - my honest, original and unbiased review.

This is such a good book. Set mostly in 1938, Gillian is living a dreary life at boarding school until Violet Claybourne turns up. Violet is a free spirit, the youngest of three daughters, sent to school to try to make her a bit more “normal”. She doesn’t fit in, having some difficulty in meeting societal expectations and relying on her “undoings” to help her - these days they’d be viewed as compulsive behaviour and some neurodivergence I would think.
Violet invites Gillian to her home for Christmas and this unleashes a truly awful chain of events relating to Gillian’s longing to fit in with the older Claybourne sisters which utterly destroys everyone, one way or another. As a reader, you watch these events unfold with horror
The characters are portrayed well, although none of them except Violet seem very likeable. This is a novel which asks questions about what it means to fit in with others, and what you might be prepared to sacrifice to do so.
I enjoyed The last book by this author, One Puzzling Afternoon, but think this is a step-up.
Highly recommended. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

Having enjoyed reading Emily’s debut novel I was pleased to have the opportunity to read a digital proof ahead of publication.

A much darker story than I originally anticipated, well written , gripping, full of secrets and flawed characters. A fascinating ending too.

When Gillian meets her roommate Violet Claybourne at boarding school they hit it off straight away, both are seen as a little strange and don't have many friends so are glad to have found each other. Violet is from a wealthy family and when Gillian is invited to stay with them for the Christmas holidays she's excited and nervous. Laura and Emmeline are Violet's impossibly glamorous older sisters and when they take to Gillian, it seems life couldn't get much better for her as an only child who's always wanted a closer family. But a shock accident and the fallout from that will last decades and show Gillian who the Claybourne's really are.

This is a beautifully written and poignant story, I finished this in no time, highly recommended!

4.2 Stars
One Liner: The second half is stronger; impactful

1938, Old England
Gillian Larkin doesn’t mind being unnoticed but it sure feels good to make friends with the new roommate at school. Violet Claybourne is lively, spirited, and an enigma. When she invites Gillian to her home, Thornleigh Hall, for Christmas, Gillian is overjoyed. She sees it as a chance to meet Violet’s older sisters, Emmi and Laura.
However, her stay in their home changes her life in many ways. An accident on the extensive grounds brings forth some truths and betrayals. Gillian needs to make some decisions, that have long-lasting effects. What happened all those years ago?
The story comes in Gillian’s first-person POV.

My Thoughts:
I was curious when a book with the name Violet in the title chose to present the story from Gillian’s POV. However, soon, I realized why it was done. Gillian is the right narrator even if she is a pathetic friend.
The book begins in 1999 and quickly goes to 1938 where the majority of the events take place. There are a couple of time jumps afterward and complete the circle by ending the story in 1999. Having a single narrator for all of it works the best. No distractions or confusion.
Initially, I thought I might like the narrator but in less than a few pages, I changed my opinion. There was a short scene that established her character and the next events solidified it. It was a little clue left for readers to guess. I like that!
Despite seeing the others from one POV, we get a clear understanding of who they are. The characterization was great (even if I didn’t particularly like a certain move towards the end. Some people are inherently selfish and evil. There’s no need to create a reason to psychoanalyze their actions.)
It has quite a few themes like friendship, toxic relationships, selfishness, cowardliness, need for approval, class differences, etc. A few triggers too but nothing graphic.
The dark vibes were subtle but effective. The Hall and the estate added to the atmosphere and tension. In fact, the war backdrop kept the entire book in a sense of uncertainty. As we entered the second half, it felt like a key being tightened to its last point.
However, the pacing in the first half was very slow. While it does set the stage and establish the characters, readers might feel bored or tired of anticipating the ‘incident’. Once it happened, the story picked up pace and sustained a steady momentum. I couldn’t stop reading after that.
The writing was compelling. It was hard to not feel a jumble of emotions as the characters made decisions that showed their true colors. I wanted to hug poor Violet so many times!
The ending made it a worthy read; satisfying in many ways. I did want a short epilogue from Violet’s POV. It would have been icing on the cake.

To summarize, The Undoing of Violet Claybourne is a dark read with flawed yet well-etched characters. It will make you feel many things, so pick up the book when you want to think about the shadow side of human nature.
Thank you, NetGalley and Bonnier Books UK (Zaffre), for eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

The year is 1938 and war is looming throughout Europe. After the death of her mother and her father’s subsequent remarriage, Gillian Larkin finds herself at boarding school, not really feeling that she fits in. This all changes when Violet Claybourne joins the school and invites her to spend Christmas with her family at Thornleigh Hall. Never having experienced anything like this, Gillian is bewitched by Violet’s older sisters Laura and Emmeline, desperate to be accepted as part of their ‘crowd’. She soon realises, however, that maybe the high life isn’t quite what she imagined when she witnesses things that threaten to change her life forever…

One of my favourite books of last year was One Puzzling Afternoon by Emily Critchley so I was thrilled to find that she had written another – The Undoing of Violet Claybourne. From the very first chapter, I was drawn into Gillian’s world as we meet the character briefly as an adult before we are transported back in time to 1938 and her life as a schoolgirl. I instantly felt sympathy for Gillian, a young girl unwanted by her family, and to all intents and purposes, alone in the world. Violet was a breath of fresh air and exactly what Gillian needed but it is not long before we become aware of her personality quirks and begin to fear for what is to come.

I purposely refrained from reading too much about this book before starting it and I am so glad that I made this decision. The plot moves in unexpected ways and this kept me gripped right until the end – I managed to read it in one day, something I haven’t done for a long time!

Emily Critchley has successfully managed to immerse us in the world of the middle and upper classes where appearances are everything and secrets are plentiful. There are shocking moments where you genuinely can’t believe what is happening but make you desperate to keep reading to find out the outcome.

If you enjoyed One Puzzling Afternoon, you are going to love this. Another triumph for the author.

I am a bit unsure what to write for this review. I loved Violet and Gilly and thought that they were great characters, but found the story ,although compelling, all just a bit too sad. It paints an interesting picture of privileged families of that time and the lives they led.

5*

I adored this book. I feel like it has changed me as a person.

Gillian Larking is a quiet, lonely girl, until she meets Violet Claybourne and is invited to stay with the Claybournes for Christmas. What happens over the course of those few days changes the girls forever.

I loved this book, and I adored all of the characters. Emily Critchley's writing is deeply perceptive and emotive and I felt totally absorbed into the world of Gillian and the Claybourne sisters. One aspect that I particularly loved was the way that the split timeline provided shattering foreshadowing. I truly did not expect the many horrifying twists and turns that just made this book so interesting and rewarding to read.

I only have amazing things to say about this book, except for the fact that I felt uncomfortable with the finale. However, I'm sure many will find it a fantastic ending and this did not alter my experience of the story at all.

This was a truly excellent read.

Thank you to Bonnier Books and NetGalley for providing an advance reading copy in exchange for an honest review.

The undoing of violet claybourne is wonderfully dark and incredibly sad. It paints a sinister picture of how a privileged life is not always as it seems.
Set in 1938, it's a book of 2 halves. The first part is a fairly tame and leisurely story of 2 girls at boarding school. Don't do what I nearly did and give up here.
As soon as Gillian goes to stay at Thornleigh for the Christmas holidays, things get dark. I won't give any spoilers, but as Gilly is taken under the wings of Violet's older sisters, that's when the story really begins. Secrets, shame, sex, drinking..it's all there. So evocative of a different time, when women had no voice or power and social expectations trumped feelings of love.
I hope you'll love Violet and Gilly as much as I did. Add this to your Christmas wish list.

Most of the events in this book are set in 1938. Gilly is a quiet, lonely girl who just wants to fit in at her girls school; her father had 're-married after her mother's death and wants to concentrate on his new family, so when the seemingly adventurous Violet Claybourne becomes her room-mate, they quickly from a bond.

Violet comes from a rather glamourous family who live in a crumbling manor, and Gilly is delighted to be invited there for the Christmas holidays. She looks up to Violet's older sisters, Laura and Emmeline, and is desperate to be accepted by them. After a shocking event takes place during her stay, she has to make a choice that will alter all of their lives.

I found it very compelling, and couldn't put it down, though I can't say I actually enjoyed it; I found it desperately sad, and just ached for Violet. After finishing, I felt it was all rather sordid. The writing was good, and really sucked me in after a slow start.

*Many thanks to Netgally and the publishers for a review copy in exchange for an honest opinion.*

From the premise. I was completely intrigued by this book. A tale of Gillian, an only child who’s mother died during childbirth and who has been sent to boarding school in England whilst her father lives in Egypt with his new family. Enter Violet Clayboune, the youngest of three sisters who has been sent to Heathcomb school and quickly befriends Gillian. Violet has everything Gillian wants, sisters, loving parents and a big house. She’s thrilled to be invited there for Christmas, but is everything as it seems? It’s a tale of secrets, ambition and betrayal and whilst I liked the novel, I didn’t love it as the first half in particular was very slow placed. However stick with it and it does redeem itself. Thank you to NetGalley, Bonnier Books UK and the author for the chance to review.

I loved this book and was completely enthralled in it. It is beautifully written and has plenty of twists to keep you hooked til the end.

Started to read this book and thought "oh not another boarding school book" but luckily that phase of the book did not last long.

An only child from a one parent family who worked and lived abroad, always wanted siblings or even friends after being bought up by an aunt. Boarding school and then to be invited to spend Christmas with her room mate at a country estate seemed like all Gilly's wishes had come true.

That is when this book really steps up the pace and takes you into a journey full of lies, deceit, murder and family secrets that are second to none.

This carry's on throughout the book right until the last page.

Thank you Netgalley for letting me read this book

I LOVED "The Undoing of Violet Claybourne" by Emily Critchley (big fan of "One Puzzling Afternoon" too). It started off a bit Enid Blyton style, 2 girls at boarding school although Violet was a little quirky with her rituals. Things just got better and better from then on. The faded grandeur of the Claybourne's stately home, the fascinating older sisters and the excitement of not having to spend Christmas with the main character's elderly aunt. However, things go quickly wrong and the older sisters turn on Violet (and others) and use them as scape goats. There are some sad moments, some moments that make you cross and some moments when justice is served. A really well thought out, crafted and delivered book.