Lyndall Clipstone’s fourth novel, Tenderly, I Am Devoured, emerges like a fever dream from the depths of gothic romantasy, weaving together elements of Saltburn’s hedonistic excess, the folkloric darkness of For the Wolf, and the eerie family secrets reminiscent of House of Hollow. Yet while Clipstone’s atmospheric prose flows like dark honey, the narrative occasionally threatens to drown beneath the weight of its own ambitions.
The story follows eighteen-year-old Lacrimosa “Lark” Arriscane, expelled from her prestigious boarding school following a violent incident, who returns home to discover her family teetering on the edge of financial ruin. Desperate to save her family’s salt-mining legacy, Lark accepts a marriage of convenience to Therion, the chthonic god worshipped by her isolated coastal hometown of Verse. When the betrothal ceremony goes catastrophically wrong, Lark begins vanishing from the mortal realm, forcing her to seek help from the brilliant, arrogant Alastair Felimath—her first heartbreak—and his alluring sister Camille.
The Intoxicating Power of Clipstone’s Prose
Clipstone’s greatest strength lies in her ability to craft prose that reads like incantation. Her writing possesses an almost hypnotic quality, drawing readers into Lark’s increasingly fragmented reality with sentences that ebb and flow like tidal waters. The author’s description of Therion himself exemplifies this poetic sensibility: “He is seafoam and storms and starlight,” she writes, capturing both the divine and the dangerous in a single breath.
The atmospheric world-building proves equally compelling. Verse feels authentically lived-in, a place where ancient traditions blend seamlessly with contemporary concerns about debt and displacement. Clipstone’s portrayal of the Arriscane family’s salt mine—once prosperous, now barren—serves as both literal and metaphorical foundation for the story’s exploration of legacy, sacrifice, and the prices we pay for survival.
The dual timeline structure, alternating between “Now” and “Then,” creates a sense of inexorable fate while gradually revealing the complex web of secrets that bind the characters together. This technique proves particularly effective in building tension around Lark’s deteriorating connection to reality.
Complex Characters Navigating Impossible Choices
Lacrimosa Arriscane emerges as a genuinely compelling protagonist whose journey from powerless victim to agency-claiming young woman feels both earned and authentic. Clipstone expertly captures the particular vulnerability of someone caught between childhood and adulthood, expelled from the life she’d planned and forced to navigate increasingly impossible choices. Lark’s voice carries the weight of someone who has learned that love can be weaponized, making her tentative steps toward trust all the more poignant.
Therion represents perhaps the novel’s most successful creation—a chthonic deity who manages to be simultaneously beautiful and terrifying, protective and possessive. His relationship with Lark raises uncomfortable questions about consent and agency that the novel doesn’t always fully explore, but his presence infuses every scene with otherworldly menace.
The Felimath siblings provide compelling counterpoints to Lark’s isolation. Alastair’s character arc from callous teenage boy to someone grappling with the consequences of his actions feels believable, while Camille’s fierce protectiveness and complex sexuality add depth to what could have been a simple love triangle.
Where Divine Ambition Meets Mortal Limitations
While Clipstone’s atmospheric prowess cannot be questioned, the novel stumbles when attempting to balance its multiple romantic threads and mythological elements. The central relationship between Lark and Therion, while beautifully written, occasionally feels underdeveloped given its importance to the plot. Their connection relies heavily on mystical bonding rather than emotional development, leaving readers to accept their devotion on faith rather than evidence.
The polyamorous elements involving Lark, Alastair, and Camille, while groundbreaking for the genre, sometimes feel more theoretical than lived-in. The bacchanalia sequence, meant to showcase their deepening connection, reads more like atmospheric set-dressing than genuine character development. Clipstone seems more interested in the aesthetic of their relationship than its emotional mechanics.
Hugo’s role as antagonist proves particularly problematic. His motivations, rooted in trauma and revenge, make logical sense, but his late introduction and rapid escalation to villain status feels somewhat rushed. The revelation of his sister’s sacrifice provides emotional weight, but arrives too late to fully justify his actions or generate the sympathy that might have made him a more complex antagonist.
The Perils of Gorgeous Prose
Clipstone’s lyrical style, while undeniably beautiful, occasionally prioritizes atmosphere over clarity. Certain crucial plot points—particularly regarding the nature of Lark’s supernatural heritage and the mechanics of her bond with Therion—become lost in gorgeous but opaque description. The climactic sequences, while visually stunning, sometimes sacrifice narrative coherence for poetic effect.
The pacing suffers from similar issues. Long stretches of atmospheric description alternate with rushed plot developments, creating an uneven reading experience. The middle section, in particular, meanders through Lark’s psychological deterioration without sufficient forward momentum.
Gothic Romance at Its Most Ambitious
Despite these limitations, Tenderly, I Am Devoured succeeds as an ambitious work of gothic romantasy that pushes the boundaries of what the genre can accomplish. Clipstone’s exploration of themes like agency, legacy, and the complex nature of divine love feels genuinely fresh in a market saturated with more conventional fare.
The novel’s treatment of queer sexuality, while not perfect, represents meaningful progress for mainstream romantasy. The relationship between Lark and Camille, in particular, crackles with genuine chemistry and emotional authenticity that elevates the entire narrative.
Clipstone’s world-building, particularly her creation of the chthonic realm and the folklore surrounding the Salt Priests, demonstrates remarkable imagination. The mythology feels both ancient and immediate, grounding the fantastical elements in recognizable human concerns about tradition, progress, and survival.
A Flawed but Fascinating Addition to Gothic Romantasy
Tenderly, I Am Devoured represents both the potential and limitations of contemporary gothic romance. When Clipstone’s various elements align—atmospheric prose, complex characters, and mythological intrigue—the result proves genuinely transportive. Unfortunately, these moments of brilliance are interspersed with sequences that prioritize style over substance.
Readers who appreciate literary romantasy and don’t mind slower pacing will find much to love in Clipstone’s atmospheric approach. Those seeking more traditional romance beats or faster-paced action might find themselves frustrated by the novel’s contemplative nature.
The book works best when read as a meditation on power, agency, and the prices we pay for love rather than a straightforward romance. Clipstone’s exploration of what it means to choose your own fate when forces beyond your control shape your options feels particularly relevant for contemporary readers.
Final Verdict
While Tenderly, I Am Devoured doesn’t quite achieve the transcendent heights its gorgeous prose promises, it offers enough atmospheric beauty and emotional complexity to justify its place among the more ambitious works in contemporary romantasy. Clipstone has crafted a novel that lingers in the mind long after reading, even if the experience itself occasionally feels more like work than pleasure.
For readers willing to surrender to its languid pace and gothic sensibilities, the novel offers genuine rewards. Just be prepared for a story that values atmosphere and emotion over traditional plot mechanics—a choice that will either entrance or frustrate depending on your reading preferences.
Similar Books You Might Enjoy
If Tenderly, I Am Devoured captured your imagination, consider exploring these similar gothic and dark romantasy titles:
- For the Wolf by Hannah Whitten – Dark fairy tale retelling with gothic atmosphere
- House of Hollow by Krystal Sutherland – Eerie contemporary fantasy with family secrets
- The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon – Epic fantasy with dragon mythology
- The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab – Immortality and divine relationships
- Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia – Atmospheric horror with romantic elements
- The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow – Portal fantasy with lyrical prose
- The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid – Complex sexuality and relationships
- Circe by Madeline Miller – Mythological retellings with gorgeous prose
From Lyndall Clipstone’s Bibliography
Tenderly, I Am Devoured marks Clipstone’s fourth published novel, following her acclaimed World at the Lake’s Edge duology (Lakesedge and Forestfall) and Unholy Terrors. Readers who appreciate her atmospheric style and gothic sensibilities will find similar themes of dark magic, family secrets, and transformative love throughout her earlier works.