Catherine House

Catherine House by Elisabeth Thomas is an engaging dark academia novel about a college that cares so much about the sanctity of its students’ education that tuition, room, board - even clothes, toiletries, and alcohol - are free. What’s more, they ensure the students are free from distraction by not allowing them to leave campus, send or receive communications, or have access to personal entertainment like radio, tv, iPods, etc. for the three years it takes to complete the curriculum.

If that sounds ominous, it is.

Catherine House - the novel - follows Ines Murillo who feels the only hope she has to escape her past is to grab the opportunity to attend Catherine House.

Catherine House - the college -  has mixed reputation in the world. Without fail, its graduates are top business leaders, creatives, presidents, highly successful no matter their field - but there are also rumors of experiments taken too far and missing student who were never seen again.

While taking advantage of the feeling of belonging and having friends - even approaching caring about other people, a new feeling for Ines - she also finds herself curious about the darker side of the college even though it may land her in the Tower - a solitary room where students are sent to reflect and recharge away from their regular coursework and contacts (yes - its basically the hole, as they call it in prison, according to the tv shows I watch.)

Catherine House is an ambitious novel, and, for me, it didn’t always live up to that ambition, though there are a few moments of dread.

I especially like the coded language that makes everything sound positive and to the students’ benefit; it was laugh out loud (though darkly) funny at times and, tbh, is probably the real prep they give students for corporate life than anything else. Besides that, the language overall was pleasing; I like Thomas’ writing style, and I will definitely read whatever she has coming next.

I listened to the audiobook along with the ebook (thanks to my local library through Libby), and it was beautifully narrated by Inés del Castillo, who brought the first person narrative to life, and her rendition of the chanting made me feel like I, too, mess being indoctrinated into the cult of Catherine House.

Support your favorite indie bookstore (and me) by using my link to order the audiobook from https://libro.fm/referral?rf_code=lfm60355 OR if you prefer using your eyes to read, support your favorite indie (and give us both 20% off if it’s your first purchase) by using my link at https://refer.bookshop.org/candidanorwood.