Splendors and Glooms by Laura Amy Schlitz is lauded for its atmospheric storytelling and complex characters, captivating readers with a dark, Victorian-era fantasy. Positive feedback highlights the richly woven plot and intricate details. Some readers, however, find the pacing slow and the narrative occasionally overwhelming. Overall, it’s a mesmerizing, though sometimes dense, gothic tale.

Readers who relish atmospheric historical fiction with a touch of dark fantasy, akin to The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern, will be captivated by Splendors and Glooms. This novel's rich Victorian-era setting and intricate plot appeals to fans of Coraline by Neil Gaiman and His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman.

Splendors and Glooms follows Clara Wintermute, who, after losing her siblings to cholera, becomes enchanted and turned into a puppet by the sinister magician Grisini. Lizzie Rose and Parsefall, Grisini's helpers, uncover his dark past and flee. They are summoned by Cassandra, who seeks to rid herself of the dangerous phoenix-stone. Clara battles Grisini's control to free herself and the others.

Mysterious / Dark / Suspenseful / Fantastical / Emotional

Laura Amy Schlitz

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Fiction

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Study Guide

Before You Read

Explore Splendors and Glooms reviews, reading age recommendations, and essential genre and thematic details before you start reading.

Before You Read Splendors and Glooms | SuperSummary

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Overview

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Splendors and Glooms Summary and Study Guide

Background

Splendors and Glooms Background

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Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Part 1: “Fog”

Prologue-Part 1, Chapter 10

Splendors and Glooms Prologue-Part 1, Chapter 10 Summary & Analysis

Part 1, Chapters 11-19

Splendors and Glooms Part 1, Chapters 11-19 Summary & Analysis

Part 1: “Fog”- Part 2: “Ice”

Part 1, Chapter 20-Part 2, Chapter 30

Splendors and Glooms Part 1, Chapter 20-Part 2, Chapter 30 Summary & Analysis

Part 2: “Ice”

Part 2, Chapters 31-41

Splendors and Glooms Part 2, Chapters 31-41 Summary & Analysis

Part 2, Chapter 42-Epilogue

Splendors and Glooms Part 2, Chapter 42-Epilogue Summary & Analysis

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Character Analysis

Splendors and Glooms Character Analysis

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Themes

Splendors and Glooms Themes

Symbols & Motifs

Splendors and Glooms Symbols & Motifs

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Important Quotes

Splendors and Glooms Important Quotes

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Essay Topics

Splendors and Glooms Essay Topics

Splendors and Glooms

Before You Read

Reviews & Readership

Review Roundup

Who Should Read Splendors and Glooms?

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Book Details