Common Sense Media Review
By Carrie R. Wheadon
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Wonderfully macabre, not too dark Blue beard retelling.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 13+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
What's the Story?
In THE HOUSE SAPHIR, Mallory is giving an illegal nighttime tour of the dilapidated House Saphir, the place where Monsieur Le Bleu murdered his first wife, when many things go horribly wrong. Two of the customers are undercover police and one is the sole heir of the Saphir estate, Count Armand Saphir, Le Bleu's handsome great-great-grandson. And while Armand stops Mallory from being arrested for trespassing, they must flee from a vengeful Voirloup monster in the attic. The next day, Armand makes Mallory an offer: accompany him to his vineyard estate 40 miles away and vanquish the ghost of LeBleu once and for all, and she'll have money aplenty for a new life for her and her sister Anais. Mallory accepts the offer without thinking—boy, does she need the money as life as a swindler and a fraud isn't stable. But there's one problem: Mallory may be able to see ghosts, but she can't do anything about them.
Is It Any Good?
The legend of Bluebeard, that cruel wife-murderer, gets a magical reboot that works on many levels, some of them surprisingly romantic, but it could have been edgier. It's clear that Mallory and her sister are both frauds with sticky fingers, and this is played for some laughs, but their deeper psychology isn't explored. Neither is Armand's, who seems more hapless and helpless than a well-educated Count should be. It should be obvious to Armand that Mallory is so very bad at exorcising ghosts. It should be clear earlier on as to why Mallory has lost her magic and whether it's possible to get it back. Because the main characters lack this deeper layer, when the comic relief comes in the form of a traveling troupe of magicians, they don't seem as quirky and delightful as they might be, even though one of them is a shapeshifting bear.
The best parts of The House Saphir are the gabbing and often inebriated ghost wives and the mysteriousness of the haunting. Where is the ghost of Le Bleu now? In the shadows? Under the floorboards? Also, the monsters straight out of French folklore are wonderfully strange and macabre. The romance isn't bad either, between two opposites. Armand's such a gentle soul and Mallory prefers to picnic in graveyards. But again, sweet romance adds perhaps too many light moments in a story that, because of its sinister roots, begs to be a more dark and delicious retelling.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about Mallory's gifts in The House Saphir. She's upset with her lack of magical abilities, but how does her curiosity and courage help her overcome these losses?
Mallory and her sister Anais are both thieves and swindlers. Does their untrustworthiness make them unlikeable characters, or do they redeem themselves to become more likeable?
What did you know about the story of Blackbeard before you read this story? Do you prefer the princess fairy tales or the darker ones like this one?
Author Marissa Meyer has written many books that reimagine fairy tales and has previously stated that she always wanted to write about Bluebeard. What myths, folktales, and fairy tales fascinate you? Why?
Book Details
- Author :
- Genre : Fantasy
- Topics : Family Stories ( Siblings ) , Fantasy ( Fairy Tales , Ghosts , Monsters )
- Character Strengths : Courage , Curiosity
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Feiwel & Friends
- Publication date : November 4, 2025
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 14 - 18
- Number of pages : 432
- Available on : Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Last updated : November 17, 2025
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