Thank you Celadon Books, #partner, for the advanced copy of The Kingdoms of Savannah in exchange for my honest review.
Publisher: Celadon Books
Published: July 19, 2022
Summary:
Savannah may appear to be “some town out of a fable,” with its vine flowers, turreted mansions, and ghost tours that romanticize the city’s history. But look deeper and you’ll uncover secrets, past and present, that tell a more sinister tale. It’s the story at the heart of George Dawes Green’s chilling new novel, The Kingdoms of Savannah.
It begins quietly on a balmy Southern night as some locals gather at Bo Peep’s, one of the town’s favorite watering holes. Within an hour, however, a man will be murdered and his companion will be “disappeared.” An unlikely detective, Morgana Musgrove, doyenne of Savannah society, is called upon to unravel the mystery of these crimes. Morgana is an imperious, demanding, and conniving woman, whose four grown children are weary of her schemes. But one by one she inveigles them into helping with her investigation, and soon the family uncovers some terrifying truths—truths that will rock Savannah’s power structure to its core.
Moving from the homeless encampments that ring the city to the stately homes of Savannah’s elite, Green’s novel brilliantly depicts the underbelly of a city with a dark history and the strangely mesmerizing dysfunction of a complex family.
My thoughts:
As soon as I started seeing this one all over bookstagram, I knew I had to read it. Between the gorgeous cover that just drips with atmosphere and the fact that it is southern historical fiction with gothic undertones – this just screamed my type of read. It immediately went on my list of most anticipated reads for this month and I absolutely loved it! In fact, it has become one of my favorite reads of the year!!!
I always find that I have the hardest time writing reviews for books that I absolutely love. I don’t know why but that always seems to be the case. I have been trying to write this review since I finished this book days ago and I can’t seem to find the right words to truly captivate my love of this book without giving anything away.
Right from the start, I was pulled into this book. While I did get some Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil vibes (and I should note I’ve only seen the movie, I haven’t read the book yet), this book is unique in its own way, and I could not have loved it more. It is so atmospheric and lyrical in the way the story is told and I loved just how steeped in history it is. I found myself so captivated by this book that I ended up reading it in just two sittings – I really could not walk away from it.
I loved how the author took the real history of Savannah and wove that in around a fictional mystery. It is full of mystery, murder and incredible family drama. The Musgrave family might be dysfunctional, but they are also the quirkiest bunch of characters I’ve seen in a long time. The drama and chaos that they exhibit adds another layer to an already layered story. I loved how they each had a part in unraveling some of the mystery. And while talking about the mystery – I definitely did not see things playing out the way they did – and for someone who reads a ton of mysteries and thrillers, that’s a good thing in my book!
I cannot recommend this book enough. If you are looking for an immersive read, this is it! It’s such a unique story and one that gives you lots of food for thought…I love books like that. And be sure to read the author notes – both at the beginning and the end – it just enhances the story even more! I know I will be thinking about this book for a long time to come and recommending it to everyone!!!
