The Manor of Dreams

By: Christina Li

Narrated by: Catherine Ho

“A true modern classic. The Manor of Dreams is beautiful, eerie, and woven with enough intrigue to hold all who enter captive. Christina Li remains unmatched in breathing characters to life—and the hauntings thereafter.” —Chloe Gong, New York Times bestselling author of Immortal Longings

Mexican Gothic meets The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo in Christina Li’s haunting novel about the secrets that lie in wait in the crumbling mansion of a former Hollywood starlet, and the intertwined fates of the two Chinese American families fighting to inherit it.

Vivian Yin is dead. The first Chinese actress to win an Oscar, the trailblazing ingénue rose to fame in the eighties, only to disappear from the spotlight at the height of her career to live out the rest of her life as a recluse.

Now her remaining family members are gathered for the reading of her will, and her daughters expect to inherit their childhood home: Vivian’s grand, sprawling, Southern California garden estate. But due to a last-minute change to the will, the house is passed on to another family instead—one that has suddenly returned after decades of estrangement.

In hopes of staking their claim, both families move into the mansion. As Vivian’s daughters race to piece together what happened in the last weeks of their mother’s life, disturbing visions and bizarre behaviors start to take hold of everyone in the house, forcing them to realize they are being haunted by something far more sinister and vengeful than their regrets. After so many years of silence, will the families finally confront the painful truth behind the house’s origins and the last, tragic summer they spent there—or will they cling to their secrets until it’s too late?

Told in dual timelines, spanning three generations, and brimming with romance, betrayal, ambition, and sacrifice, The Manor of Dreams is a thrilling family gothic that examines the true cost of the American Dream—and what happens when the roots we set down in this country turn to rot.

Critic reviews

"Catherine Ho’s narration explores the aftermath of the death of Vivian, a famous, reclusive Chinese actress. Vivian’s daughters stake their claim on their inheritance against lesser-known family members as shocking last-minute changes to the will are revealed. Eerie events unfold in the mansion everyone is fighting over, and Ho's tone builds suspense, mirroring a growing sense of dread. Underlying ambition, betrayal, and regrets are heightened by Ho’s expressive performance. Her delivery immerses listeners in the estate’s secrets, making the supernatural elements feel tangible. The atmosphere of loss and longing is ever present, pulling listeners deeper into the family’s past and the chilling secret that binds them."

Eerily Well-Written!

The Manor of Dreams was so well-written, creating a most eerie picture of one disturbed house and generations of family dysfunction. It was very interesting hearing from the perspectives of all the characters in the novel. Parts of the plot were predictable and the book will be a trigger warning for some, which is why I gave it four stars. The audiobook was well-narrated! I would certainly read another novel by Christina Li!

the beginning interested me

I thought the beginning was cool. It quickly captured my attention and made me look for the book itself to read along. I do like some of the narrators' Mandarin phrases. In the end, I finished the book reading instead of listening to it at the same time.
It was a good book to try in my opinion.

Great haunting/love story mix

Overall, it was a great read! It feels like it would be an excellent mini series. 4/5 because some of the characters and storylines deserved more time and depth to bloom.
Love the word choices and the eerie nature of the haunting plot!

Nothing

It was slow with a dull ending. It wasn’t exciting at all. Also not enough information in back story of the house. I don’t recommend.