The Cloisters by Katy Hays
The Cloisters
by Katy Hays
Historical | Mystery | Fiction
312 Pages
Released November 2022
Rating: ★★
Goodreads
Content Warnings
This book was arguably one of my most anticipated books of the year - mostly because the description lead me to believe it might be very similar to one of my favorite books of all time. Alas, this was not the case.
This book follows Ann who, in an attempt to avoid an awful event in her past, escapes to NYC for an internship at the MET. But just before she is unceremoniously sent home due to a mix up, she is snatched up by Patrick — who offers her a summer internship at the Cloisters instead. The Cloisters is a lesser-known NY museum that specializes in European medieval art and architecture. During her stay, Ann is pulled into the hunt for an ancient set of tarot cards said to be able to predict the future.
So. Where to begin with this book? To start off with, this was less of a historical hunt for mystical tarot cards as it was a weirdly paced murder mystery. The characters are all unlikeable (Ann particularly more so than her counterparts), and the relationships are baffling and disjointed. This book also promises dark academia but it leans more pretentious academia (have I mentioned I did not like any characters yet?).
I was really hoping for a historical quest a la Da Vinci Code or The Eight but sadly, this book was anything but.
If you’re good with a batch of pretentious characters, a main character who makes questionable choices, a sprinkle of murder mystery and a dash of tarot readings then you may like this one. But if you’re hoping for something bigger or deeper, I suggest looking elsewhere.