"Yours, Constance" by Emily Hayse

Set in the Roaring Twenties and tinged with magic, Your, Constance is an atmospheric treat.  Constance Hanover seeks solace at dazzling, deafening parties for the pain of having lost her sister in a tragic accident.  There, she meets Ella Whittington, sixteen-year-old heiress with her own sad past to haunt her.  Ella befriends Constance despite the latter's tendency to try to mentor, mother, reprimand, counsel, and boss her... all in nice ways, but I did wonder once in a while if Ella wasn't going to get tired of Constance always reminding her to be careful, be cautious, watch out, and so on.  

Actually, Constance reminded me of myself in that respect, as I also tell people those things a lot.  Only difference being that I usually direct those instructions to my children, not a slightly younger friend.

Ella's father died recently, possibly murdered.  Possibly murdered by her brother, in fact.  Her brother has disappeared, leaving Ella in possession of a mighty fortune, and possibly many secrets as well.  Constance watches and waits to see what happens next from the sidelines, gradually coming closer and closer to the truth that is tangled up with the tragedy surrounding Ella.

There are faerie stories woven throughout the book's text, little hints about things that might be going on in the story's background, all of which get deliciously resolved at the end.  There was even one little twist I didn't see coming at all, which I appreciated.

Particularly Good Bits:

A roaring party is one of the safest places to be dead inside.  No one notices (p. 19).

Dreams were things that broke and cut your fingers when they did (p. 44).

"This society worships shallow things as if they can be obtained and held by sheer willpower.  They dance on the edges of precipices, never dreaming their ruin could be inches -- seconds -- away" (p. 141).

Sometimes it takes pain and sorrow to make us see how wonderful the real world is.  But more powerful than pain, I think, is beauty.  It can break our hearts more than sorrow can, because it is more lasting.  After pain and sorrow end, there is still beauty.  I wonder, sometimes, if beauty might be a matter of life and death after all (p. 232-233).

If This was a Movie, I Would Rate It: PG for lots of alcohol use and a smidgeon of non-gory violence.  No smut, no cussing.

This is my 25th book read off my TBR shelves for #TheUnreadShelfProjecto2023.