"Transporting us to a Manila of dark romance and ghosts, Clarissa Gonzalez's Celestina's House is a gothic that reminds us how the past is never wholly escapable, never quiet. Rich and sweeping and literally haunting."
Andrew PyperBestselling Author of The Residence and The Demonologist
"It's amazing. I call it my "unicorn" ms because it is just so beautifully written. I have to pinch myself every time I read it to make sure I'm not dreaming."
Julia KimAcquiring Editor
"Celestina’s House is steeped in ghosts and memories that haunt three generations of a family. Celestina fearlessly confronts her own demons, and malas, along with devastating family secrets. She struggles with a family history of silence against the backdrop of a country with many silences. This is a skilfully written and searingly honest story that you will not forget."
Kim EchlinAward-Winning Author of Speak, Silence
"4.5! A beautifully dark debut with a lush setting, intriguing characters that are a mix of unlikeable and likeable, and amazing food descriptions 😂 I loved every second of this novel, and it kind of reminded me of Mexican Gothic, but make it a family drama/literary gothic mashup. Definitely a book to watch out for!"
ReadingMariaBook Reviewer
"A finely wrought and richly textured intergenerational saga that weaves a family’s history and stories into a deeply felt meditation on love, grief, and loss and their triumphs and devastations in moments both haunting and magical. Celestina’s House is a rare, beautiful, and moving narrative of a young woman’s search for love, truth and self amid obstacles, trials and impossible odds. What it means to love and lose and love again. It will carve a place for paradoxes of eros and memory in every reader’s heart and mind as the protagonists romp, inveigle and battle against a backdrop of ghosts and myths and day-to-day survival. A ravishing and astonishing achievement for debut novelist Clarissa Trinidad Gonzalez."
Patria RiveraAuthor of Puti/White, finalist, Trillium Poetry Book Award, and co-editor, Magdaragat: An Anthology of Filipino-Canadian Writing 2024
"First-time author Clarissa Gonzalez's novel Celestina's House is a remarkable achievement in storytelling and will likely be the best debut novel you'll read all year. Celestina's House is an epic tale rich in character and circumstance. It crosses generations to celebrate the young and the old while ancestors peek through the thin veil that divides the living from the dead. Celestina's House is also a ghost story, the kind Catherine may have whispered into Heathcliff's ear while picnicking along the moors. Celestina's House is a glorious, fulfilling read. Gonzalez has written a beautiful and engaging page-turner, but one that will have you lingering on every word."
Thom ErnstAuthor of Wild Boy of Waubamik, Film Critic, Writer, Former Host/Producer Saturday Night at the Movies
“Clarissa Trinidad Gonzalez’s writing embodies a uniquely Filipino style of storytelling that seamlessly combines the real with the surreal. This is a rich, dark, and singular story of haunted love and incurable loss you won’t soon forget.”
Cindy FazziAuthor of Multo and My MacArthur
“In Celestina’s House, Gonzalez has created an ornately detailed, decadent, and erotic world inhabited by a fascinating array of characters, both despicable and heroic, a world that needs to be visited and savoured. The Philippines are such an integral part of our culture, and yet few of us reflect on this complex, captivating, and oftentimes contradictory country. I certainly hope we get many more novels set in Gonzalez’s homeland, and elsewhere, from this immensely talented writer.”
Aga MaksimowskaAuthor of Giant (Pedlar Press)
"...part family drama, part love story, part love letter to the Philippines and its culture. But I really felt the emotions of Celestina as she faces up to her various challenges (and the ending really got me!). The writing particularly sang off the page when the author is describing the places where this is set - I honestly now feel like I've visited the Philippines without ever having been there. And I loved the little magical/supernatural touches. A great debut novel, and thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the ARC."
Hannah WReviewer, GoodReads
"This was such a well done novel, I enjoyed the use of ghosts and that it dealt with three generations. The characters were everything that I was hoping for and enjoyed the overall feel of them in this story. Clarissa Trinidad Gonzalez has a great writing style and enjoyed what I read."
Kathryn M.Reviewer, NetGalley
"...One of the best parts of this book is how well the author created the setting and ambiance. The pace of the story is slow, but it's worth staying with it. It's a family drama with well-developed and interesting characters, and it has a bit of a gothic sense to it. I also thought the supernatural aspects of the plot were well done. It's a brilliant debut novel."
Karla JRReviewer, GoodReads
"An exquisitely dark debut, rich in atmosphere and complex characters blending both charm and flaws. The vivid descriptions of food are tantalizing. Every moment of this novel captivated me. It evoked echoes of 'Mexican Gothic', but with a unique blend of family drama and literary gothic. Certainly, a book worth keeping an eye on!"
Christina N.Reviewer, NetGalley
"A mesmerizing debut story that drew me in and kept me turning the pages late into the night. Ghosts haunting three generations, exquisitely written characters. A book I will be recommending a new author to follow."
Abby S.Reviewer, NetGalley