THE NESTING BY C.J. COOKE

1/31/2021

The Nesting is a solid gothic read with supernatural elements that come from Nordic folklore. If you're interested in either of these things then I recommend this unique novel!

Rating: ★★★★
Release Date: September 29, 2020
Genre: Gothic Thriller. Modern Folklore.
Series: None. Complete standalone.
Pages: 400 pages
Format: Paperback. Purchased.

The woods are creeping in on a nanny and two young girls in this chilling modern Gothic thriller.

Architect Tom Faraday is determined to finish the high-concept, environmentally friendly home he’s building in Norway—in the same place where he lost his wife, Aurelia, to suicide. It was their dream house, and he wants to honor her with it.

Lexi Ellis takes a job as his nanny and immediately falls in love with his two young daughters, especially Gaia. But something feels off in the isolated house nestled in the forest along the fjord. Lexi sees mysterious muddy footprints inside the home. Aurelia’s diary appears in Lexi’s room one day. And Gaia keeps telling her about seeing the terrifying Sad Lady. . . .

Soon Lexi suspects that Aurelia didn’t kill herself and that they are all in danger from something far more sinister lurking around them.

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READ MY BOOK REVIEW

My Rating: 3.5-4 Stars
Genre Gothic Thriller | Supernatural Nordic Folktale

The Nesting is a solid gothic read with supernatural elements that come from Nordic folklore. Normally, this isn’t something I would choose to read, and, in all honesty, I didn’t realize that this book was like this prior to purchasing a copy. However, I am glad I took a chance on the book and kept on reading despite it being quite different from what I thought. Now, there were some things that were off-putting to me as a reader (which will be explained below) but for the book as a whole this is a really good read and I never wanted to stop reading. I recommend it based on my overall enjoyment rather than the little nit picky things that stood out and bothered me. On to my review …

First and foremost, this is an atmospheric novel, and the author does a fantastic job in making it feel dark and moody (exactly as the author intended, I believe). This helps us readers get a sense of how the environment is affecting the characters and in turn, sets the stage for the events that are to take place. CJ Cooke was spot on here. Utter PERFECTION. Secondly, the author makes us question many of the characters sanity throughout the novel (from Lexi to Aurelia and later other characters who are slowly revealed to be much different than we originally thought). There were many points in which I wasn’t sure whether the supernatural elements or the characters mental health was propelling the plot (and I won’t say which 😉) so watching everything being slowly revealed was really exciting. Finally, there were some truly terrifying things taking place in the novel and I was getting quite creeped out especially when I was reading in the dark alone. All of this is what make the story a spectacular read.

So, you may be wondering why I’m wavering between a 3 and 4 star rating if the story held so much appeal. I’ll get to that here (fair warning, 𝗧𝗛𝗜𝗦 𝗣𝗔𝗥𝗧 𝗢𝗙 𝗠𝗬 𝗥𝗘𝗩𝗜𝗘𝗪 𝗠𝗔𝗬 𝗖𝗢𝗡𝗧𝗔𝗜𝗡 𝗠𝗜𝗡𝗢𝗥 𝗦𝗣𝗢𝗜𝗟𝗘𝗥𝗦 so proceed with caution) …

Some pieces of the novel were just NOT needed. For example, in the beginning of the book we see Lexi (aka Sophie) make the decision to essentially steal the identity of a woman who’s contemplating a nanny job in Norway. Lexi of course takes the job after copying the other woman’s resume and becomes the nanny under the guise of Sophie. Doesn’t seem like an issue, right? We see deception in books all the time. Well, the reason it was problematic for THIS particular book is because this deception didn’t go anywhere, nor did it have any effect on what was happening in the novel. It seemed like a waste because it wasn’t properly addressed in the book.
Another thing that felt out of place in the novel was the lack of insight as to what was ACTUALLY HAPPENING to Aurelia. I can piece it together with what I know from the folklore that was described in the story) but I can’t quite figure out whether she was truly having a mental break or if she was being haunted because of her husbands issues with his building and the environment (this may not make sense to you unless you read it but just know that this book does take on some environmental issues that drive the plot through folklore). We never get the closure we need for this particular aspect and I wish I knew which is what drove her.

Other than those two things (which are actually big parts of the story) this is a solid read and one I enjoyed immensely as its original and intriguing. This is a haunting novel, one that is bound to stay with its readers long after they finish.

𝗠𝗬 𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚: ⭐⭐⭐⭐