A novel to be read for the writing. Layered and poetic.

• Book: Clarissa’s Warning
• Location: Fuerteventura
• Author: Isobel Blackthorn

Review Author: lillypip

Clarissa’s Warning follows Claire Bennet, a middle-income bank teller from Colchester who’s struck the lottery and thrust into sudden wealth, on her journey to restore her dream home – a ruined mansion on Fuerteventura, one of Spain’s Canary Islands. Claire’s aunt, the titular Clarissa, sees omens in her stars but Claire waves her off, having no patience for such frivolity.

Straight from the outset, I was enraptured with the beautiful imagery, lush descriptions, and engaging, believable, and likeable characters. But primarily the writing, which is simply gorgeous. The descriptions of place are outstanding and vivid, from the ruin and its mutable weather to the picturesque vistas, the towns with their quaint cafés full of food I could nearly taste, the beaches and lighthouses, and the scenic overlooks fit to give me vertigo, every step took me on a photographic tour. And woven throughout, a colourful tapestry of Fuerteventura’s history – and how past colonialism mirrors the modern influx of tourists and Claire’s own emigration. History, local culture, and fiction dance elegantly across every page. Author Isobel Blackthorne’s personal and professional life experiences – in England and the Canary Islands amongst other places – shine through in her work.

The characters come alive in their details, as Claire builds a connection to her dead mother through her favourite music (Scottish band Cocteau Twins), tries to make inroads with locals, or remains oblivious to a budding romance.

Clarissa’s Warning is a classic ghost story where the mystery unrolls slowly, leaving the reader guessing until the end. There’s a centuries-old haunting, hedged gossip, local legends, and vengeful spirits. When the climax does come, it’s page-turning and satisfying.

This is a novel to be read for the writing. It is layered and poetic and I loved it. I’ll be snapping up more of Isobel Blackthorn’s work.

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