Ann Stilwell wanted nothing more than to leave Walla Walla. After the death of her father and the cloud of grief that surrounds her and the town, she accepts a summer position at The Met in New York. However, on her first day, she’s told her position is no longer available and she will need to leave. Until Patrick, the curator at The Cloisters, comes to her rescue.
There’s a certain type of girl/woman in New York museum/literary circles that seems to always exist. They always seem to have the spotlight on them, everyone knows them, they know all of the key people. They dress in linen and supple leather flat shoes. They always have an air of arrogance and yet, once you are inside their circle, you realize they are lonely people.
That person is Rachel. Rachel quickly takes our girl, our lead, Ann, under her wing and draws her into The Cloisters almost instantly. She takes over Ann’s life. Giving her clothes, taking over any spare time, showing Ann a different sort of life than she ever imagined.
While this book could have just been a fantastic art history mystery, it turns into something darker, something more sinister. Ambition and greed are the true centerpiece of this book. While the tarot cards are the focus of the young women’s paper and research, the truth of everything lies in what they find.
Katy Hays has written a fantastic book, it’s academic, it’s haunting. There are moments of toxic female friendship and moments of true academic and art history. I love every single page. It also probably helped that The Cloisters is my favorite museum in New York.
This is a book written for so many types of people, but I think most especially for fans of The Secret History. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.