The Rose Within (A Gothic Romance) by Sana Pirzada

Genre: gothic, historical fiction
Year Of Publication: 10th May 2016
Publisher: Book Empire
Pages: 314 ( paperback)
My rating: 4/5

“Is it only one’s facial beauty that another is attracted to? Does innate kindness not matter? Will I ever be loved by a beautiful woman? Or will the scar on my face, my ordinary looks and my humble background always obstruct my chances of a fairy-tale ending?”Jonathan Malcolm ( a literary critic , fan of Gothic literature and Byronic heroes ) through unexpected circumstances finds himself at Winter Grange House – a house shrouded in intrigue and mystery hidden far away in the impenetrable English countryside. For him, it is a dream come true.

In the dark and foreboding house lives Selina Selwyn – a beacon of light and angelic beauty in the otherwise dreary and cold surroundings.
Jonathan cannot help but fall in love with her.She is everything he cannot have.
But before he can confess his love to the lady of Winter Grange House he must solve the mystery that keeps him up at night.

There are voices he hears.
A woman he sees in the garden amongst the rose bushes.
Her beauty unparalleled , but her eyes deep black holes of malevolence.

There is talk that the house is haunted.
People in the village whisper of curses and demons.
They say the sins of the Selwyn men have caught up with their descendants and death will be their only escape.

But he will have none of it.
Jonathan Malcolm has found himself in a web of lies and deceit and will do anything to protect the one he loves : Selina Selwyn.
Even if it means going the extra mile and doing things he thought impossible.

Will true love prevail or will all his efforts be in vain?
“To love someone and not be loved in return, that is the greatest tragedy that life can inflict”

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I’m a fan of all the Gothic classics ( Wuthering heights, The Phantom of the opera etc. ) . So naturally I loved reading this book.
Sana Pirzada has marvellously captured the essence of all these Gothic tales and transformed them into a story that is truly hers.

Although this is essentially a romance novel; it does a pretty good job of keeping you mystified at all times. At every plot twist (and there are tons) you’ll keep guessing at what comes next and the outcome will leave you baffled each and every time.

The thing I loved most about “The Rose Within” was the attention given to detail.
Sana Pirzada has done a marvellous job at describing the 1920’s English countryside. Her descriptions are life-like and make you want to go back in time and live along-side the characters.

“The Rose Within” is Sana Pirzada’s first book and is to be made into a musical soon .
I wish her Good Luck in all her endeavors and I’ll definitely be keeping an eye out for anything she publishes in the future.

*I was lucky enough to be able to interview Sana Pirzada – click here to find out more about the inspiration behind the “The Rose Within”.

“There is a universe of surreal beauty,and I see it in your eyes;
Time stops, a fleeting moment becomes eternity,and then a light shines through the skies,
For no emerald, no amber, no ruby emits the splendour your eyes do;
Your delicate lips, your ivory skin, the subtle rosy blush on your cheeks and your graceful physique form a perfect tableau;
You are gentle and divine, otherworldly and one of a kind,
The Almighty’s craftsmanship beggars belief,
If you were to disappear now I would forever be saddled with grief;
Sometimes, you are a princess in a fairy-tale with a magical aura;
Sometimes, a mysterious woman, your thoughts an enigma,
You have a fragile name, and I can only whisper: it is Selina.”
– The Rose Within by Sana Pirzada