They say March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb. With the winter winds still whipping our faces and the first hints of spring seemingly ages away, there was a bright—or shall we say, green—spot last month: That’s right, we’re talking about St. Patrick’s Day! So in March, we bid farewell to winter with Dorothy Eden’s atmospheric (and Irish!) Whistle for the Crows.
A decidedly retro pick (it was first published in 1962!), Whistle for the Crows is an evocative Gothic romance set against the backdrop of an Irish castle. Did it pass muster with our faithful Retro Readers? Lila foundthe novel witty, creepy, and full of delightful characters, including strong female protagonists, but felt Whistle for the Crows suffered from a fatal lack of romance. Julie noted that Eden was one of her all-time favorite Gothic authors, and although she agreed with Lila that the book could have been steamier, she appreciated that the heroine, Cathleen, “has a backbone and stands up to these intimidating people she finds herself surrounded by,” and gave the title a solid A.
Check out our Retro Reads Goodreads groupto see these reviews, related videos, and our ongoing discussion.
Out with the old, in with the new! We’ve got an exciting announcement about our Retro Reads program: Going forward, rather than monthly picks, we've decided to go bimonthly—we’ll be featuring a new book every other month. Keep an eye out for our next Retro Reads pick, to be announced on May 1!