"It has been years since Helen Franklin left England. In Prague, working as a translator, she has found a home of sorts—or, at least, refuge. That changes when her friend Karel discovers a mysterious letter in the library, a strange confession and a curious warning that speaks of Melmoth the Witness, a dark legend found in obscure fairy tales and antique village lore. As such superstition has it, Melmoth travels through the ages, dooming those she persuades to join her to a damnation of timeless, itinerant solitude. To Helen it all seems the stuff of unenlightened fantasy.

But, unaware, as she wanders the cobblestone streets Helen is being watched. And then Karel disappears. . . . "

Acquired via LibraryThing's Early Reviewers program.

Melmoth, a woman in a dark cloak who appears in the shadows and encourages others to join her in her seemingly lost wanderings as she haunts certain other "lost" individuals, is a legend that's been carried on through the ages. Helen Franklin, British but living in Prague for quite some time, catches wind of these haunting tales and can't help but feel that there are eyes watching her. When her friend Karel disappears mysteriously, the tale of Melmoth invades her thoughts more convincingly and she can't shake the feeling that something is amiss.

This story sounds intriguing and mysterious, with many Gothic undertones. I was quite excited to receive an advanced reader's copy, especially with deckled edges and such a beautiful cover. But unfortunately, that's where the fascination ended for me. This novel started out slow and never picked up pace, and sadly, I gave up about one-third of the way through. As with many Gothic tales, it was very atmospheric, yet also very dark and depressing. But I really couldn't connect and found that it dragged relentlessly. The main character of Helen was dull and flat. And the formatting of the book -- not organized in chapters, but rather long descriptive paragraphs that more or less ran together -- was just not conducive to adding to my reading pleasure. While I do think Sarah Perry is mostly gifted in her writing, I think her style bogged itself down in this one. Perhaps I gave up too quickly, and I don't do it often, but when I find myself not looking forward to picking up my book, it's time to move on.

Dropped off in the Little Free Library.

You have found a BookCrossing book! Please take a brief moment to journal your thoughts upon reading this book. Then, if you'd like, re-release the book (to a friend, a stranger, or back out into the wild). That way you can track its travels & its readers throughout the world!