Title: CATHERINE: A Retelling of Wuthering Heights
Author: ESSIE FOX
ISBN: 9781917764421
Publisher: Orenda Books
Pages: 296
Source: Review copy from the publisher
Blog Tour Organised by Random Things Tours
The greatest tragic love story ever told – but this time, Catherine tells it herself. In Catherine, Essie Fox breathes new life into Wuthering Heights, transforming a gothic masterpiece into a haunting confession of obsession, madness and love that even death cannot end.
With a nature as wild as the moors she loves to roam, Catherine Earnshaw grows up alongside Heathcliff, a foundling her father rescued from the streets of Liverpool. Their fierce, untamed bond deepens as they grow – until Mr Earnshaw’s death leaves Hindley, Catherine’s brutal brother, in control and Heathcliff reduced to servitude.
Desperate to protect him, Catherine turns to Edgar Linton, the handsome heir to Thrushcross Grange. She believes his wealth might free Heathcliff from cruelty – but her choice is fatally misunderstood, and their lives spiral into a storm of passion, jealousy and revenge.
Now, eighteen years later, Catherine rises from her grave to tell her story – and seek redemption.
Official Summary
02 March 2026
Reading this book is very out of character for me and not what you would expect to find on the blog. But Wuthering Heights is a classic I shared with my daughters, and when I was invited to participate in the blog tour, I could not resist. I was very curious to read this retelling. I will say upfront, I loved it.
Catherine is a beautifully atmospheric and emotionally rich retelling of Wuthering Heights that offers a fresh and intimate perspective on one of literature’s most iconic tragic heroines. Telling the story through Catherine’s own voice — quite literally from beyond the grave — gives the novel a haunting, confessional tone that feels original and in keeping with the source material.
What I loved most about this book was how vividly Fox captures Catherine’s wildness and inner turmoil. Catherine Earnshaw is not softened or romanticised; she is impulsive, obsessive, passionate, and often self-destructive. That complexity makes her compelling to read, and seeing her motivations and regrets from her own perspective adds new emotional depth to familiar events. Her bond with Heathcliff remains intense and consuming, and the novel leans fully into the darker, more destructive elements of their relationship rather than trying to make it conventionally romantic.
The gothic atmosphere is wonderfully done. The moors feel alive, the sense of doom hangs heavily over the narrative, and the supernatural framing enhances the emotional stakes rather than distracting from them. Fox’s writing is lush and evocative without becoming overly dense, which makes the book immersive and easy to sink into.
If I had any minor reservations, it’s that readers very familiar with Wuthering Heights may not find huge plot surprises, since the core story remains largely faithful to the original. However, the emotional reinterpretation and character insight more than compensate for that. This is less about changing the story and more about deepening it.
This is a thoughtful, atmospheric, and emotionally deep retelling that honours the original while giving Catherine a powerful voice of her own.
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About The Author
Author bio from the author’s site
Essie was born and raised in Herefordshire and studied English Literature at Sheffield University. Her debut, The Somnambulist, was shortlisted for the National Book Awards and featured on Channel 4’s TV Book Club. The Fascination was a Sunday Times bestseller. Dangerous, a crime mystery featuring Lord Byron’s time in Venice, was also selected as a Times Book of the Month. Essie has lectured at the V&A, the Westminster Library, and National Gallery in London. She also hosts a podcast called Talking the Gothic.
Thank you to Anne Cater from Random Things Tours for inviting me to participate in this blog tour. Every once in a while, I love stepping out of my comfort zone and reading a genre I would normally avoid. And what better way to do that than with a classic retelling? Thank you for visiting the blog and reading my review. Until next time… Happy Reading.
