Virginia Feito’s Victorian Psycho delivers a unique blend of gothic horror and dark comedy, centering on Winifred Notty, a governess with a macabre imagination and a penchant for mischief. From the moment she steps into Ensor House, Winifred’s presence disrupts the dreary monotony of the Pounds family, and her sardonic wit quickly becomes the novel’s greatest strength.
Winifred is undeniably engaging—her sharp humor and twisted sense of amusement breathe life into the bleak, claustrophobic setting. However, while her antics keep the pages turning, the overall story doesn’t quite match her energy. The plot unfolds in a slow, measured way, building toward an unsettling climax that, while effective, may not fully satisfy readers looking for deeper psychological complexity or stronger narrative momentum.
Feito’s writing is stylish and clever, capturing the eerie atmosphere of Ensor House with a modern edge. Victorian Psycho doesn’t reinvent the gothic governess trope, but it does inject a delicious dose of wickedness into it. For readers who enjoy biting wit wrapped in creeping dread, this novel offers an entertaining, if somewhat uneven, ride.
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