Overall, what did you think of All Her Beautiful Deaths? (No spoilers in this topic, please!)
I enjoyed “All Her Beautiful Deaths”. I’d probably rate it 4 stars. I thought the subject matter of Victorian death photographs was fascinating - something I’d never heard of before. The parallel mysteries at the two different time frames was a great way to tell Minnie’s and Hadley’s stories. I also very much appreciated the windows into the art world, something about which I’m not overly familiar. I found the book hard to put down. Conversely, I wasn’t a big fan of Kit and the way his character was handled. I found his secrecy and the how it was handled to be trite. When we do discover the reasoning behind it, however, I was thrilled! I would recommend “Deaths” to others and also would read anything else Rushby writes.
I really enjoyed this book. I didn’t know what to expect and was somewhat skeptical, but the book was much better than I expected. I really enjoyed the dual timeline and found it very interesting overall.
Before I opened the book I pondered the meaning of the title. By the end I realized there were layers of meaning. I enjoyed the book, also. I knew about death portraits and had seen a few online; however, the mysteries behind all this were enlightening. I appreciated the view into the art world as well.
I enjoyed the book very much. When a book flips from past to present I am always more interested in the past. This time the present was more captivating and immersive to me.
I liked the book I was not sure if I would! It was a good mystery that kept me guessing. I liked the outcome finding out why the pictures were taken.
What an incredible read! Allison Rushby has written a beautiful, very haunting story that captivates the reader from its very beginning. This gothic, historical novel is not my usual genre to read and is a first by this author, even though she has written over thirty other books under several different pseudonyms. I was drawn to its subject, Victorian Memorial Photography and the mystery that surrounding its followers.
This narrative is told in two separate historical eras, namely 1865 and present day. In the 1865 era we meet Minnie, a newly hired maid in the Culpepper mansion. She is confronted with a staged death photography scene. Does she leave or stay and continue earn the monies needed for her twin sister medical bills. Present day deals with a young gifted artist, Hadley, daughter of a rather famous artist. She has inherited a photo album containing gothic death pictures from a family friend . One photo in particular features a dead girl and swan, it soon becomes the center of an art world scandal. I found myself suspicious of everyone and questioning their motives and integrity of all of these carefully drawn characters. As the ending drew near, I really did not know what direction the author was heading, hopefully not to the darker side. Thankfully that did not happen, and the author answered the mystery, tied all the loose ends and left this reader feeling good about it. Highly recommend to readers of historical fiction filled with family secrets, unusual circumstances, and a mystery balanced by heart and emotional connection.
I loved All Her Beautiful Deaths, 5 stars. Such an interesting story line, both past and present. The plots were both interesting and were revealed just enough as the book went along that they really kept me involved, both past and present. I did enjoy the present better but the description of the photography process back in the mid 18Q00s was fascinating.
I surprised myself by being utterly captivated by this novel. I knew of Victorian death portraits but this author opened up a whole new concept regarding them. The art installations also showed a depth of artistic information. I was always sad to see Minnie’s portion of the book stop, and the same was true of Harley’s. Sometimes I cheated and stuck with one for two or three segments. I would give this book a 4 or 5. I couldn’t stay away from it.
It was a great read for Me, and I finished the book in 2 days.
This dual timeline novel is just a lovely way to spend some time. While I was concerned that there would be a touch of horror in the book, it ended up more mystery. I had heard of memorial photography and was confused by it. This shows its beauty and meaning while unraveling secrets in a Victorian mansion and affecting the family that lived within it. The present day timeline explores the art world in all it’s cut throat glory. The trepidation felt by Hadley as she works through her grief and prove herself to the very critical sphere of artists. Thank you A. Rushby for this glimpse of a different era and genre.
I enjoyed the book. It was interesting, it kept me guessing. I’m a sucker for dual timelines. However, I wanted to sit Hadley down and have a heart to heart with her for various reasons and it bothered me that I could not!
I enjoyed the book, especially during this season of the year. Gothic mystery is a genre that fits in my wheelhouse. Once I got the relationships and names figured out, the story flowed. Dual timelines can cause confusion, but these were handled well.
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I was surprised how much I liked this book. The title seemed trendy-sounding, like it was built from a familiar kit of parts: the “All the / All Her” opener (All the Missing Girls, All Her Fault, All the Beautiful Lies), plus “beautiful” paired with something dark, plus plural “deaths” in the vein of The 7½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle.
But it had me from page 1. The memento mori photographs are fascinating, and I liked that the book addressed nepo babies with a fresh-ish point of view.
It is a 5 star read for me. The writing was very good and I would definitely say it is a good time to read it as it was creepy and an atmospheric read for spooky season 
The structure of this novel was interesting. The paired twins from different centuries, the cast of characters enmeshed in art or science, and others just out for private gain or private entertainment. ( Adeline, Daisy, Trevor , Artie )
Class privilege and resourcefulness, guilt and grief, fate and sexual identity are subtexts to this gothic romance mystery. I was totally surprised by the truth of the “ beautiful deaths” and the twist to philanthropy.
The non-disclosure agreements were unduly repetitive, as were the transporting visions too drawn out. Most readers caught the future scene of Kit and Hadley pages before. I wanted to know more about Ivo and Marissa, and the three scars on Hadley’s arm.
I found the writing uneven. A beautiful sentence describing Audra: “ She recalibrates, sets her shoulders, adopts a brilliant smile that doesn’t reach her eyes.” And then, “ Still, as much as I want to go back home with him, I can’t. Not after I’ve told him this isn’t happening. I called it. I’ve made my single bed, and now I’ve got to lie in it. At least for a while.”
I would recommend this for a fun Halloween book club read.
I enjoyed the book, but would not put it with my all time favorites. Often, the switching back and forth between two time lines can be confusing, but in this novel it was handled well.
I enjoyed the book for the most part and it was a quick and easy read. I found the subject of installation art to be a little tedious and afforded too much of the book. I didn’t know about Victorian death photography and find it fascinating. For most people of that era, it was possibly the only image they would have as a remembrance, something inconceivable to us today. I preferred the earlier time period’s storyline to Hadley’s mainly because it offered a more interesting mystery line.
I thought this was a solid historical fiction read. I liked learning about Victorian death photographs.
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I enjoyed the book. Both Hadley’s and Minnie’s stories were good. They pulled me in and made me want to know more. I also liked how they resolved the mysteries and tied them together in the end. It made for a satisfying read. I’d give it 4 stars.