In this crazy year that has both dragged and flown by, there has been very little that I have been looking forward to entertainment wise but one exception to that is the release of the next instalment of Netflix’ horror anthology series – The Haunting of Bly Manor.

As a group of guests gather the night before a wedding, discussions turn to the subject of haunted houses and one guest, our narrator, comes forward with a “not short” ghost story of her own; The Haunting of Bly Manor.

In essence, young American Dani Clayton (with some personal demons of her own) is hired by Lord Henry Wingrave to be a live-in au pair for his niece and nephew after the devastating loss of both their parents a year earlier, and then the tragic suicide of their previous au pair six months later.

As well as Dani and the ‘perfectly splendid’ children, ten year old Miles (Benjamin Evan Ainsworth) and eight year old Flora (Amelie Bea Smith), Bly Manor is also occupied by the housekeeper Mrs Grose (T’Nia Miller), cook Owen (Rahul Kohli) and green-fingered groundskeeper Jamie (Amelia Eve).

Taking a leaf out of American Horror Story‘s playbook, Bly Manor is a completely separate and singular story but featuring some of the same cast as The Haunting of Hill House.

Victoria Pedretti (Nell Crain) takes the lead as Dani Clayton delivering another solid performance. Henry Thomas (young Hugh Crain) takes on the role of the bereaved and somewhat alcoholic Lord Henry Wingrave, and Oliver Jackson-Cohen’s Peter Quint is a far cry from the damaged drug addict he played in Hill House.

Carla Gugino and Kate Siegel (Olivia and Theodora Crain respectiviely) also return to the fold, albeit in somewhat smaller roles.

Now the question I am sure most of you are asking is…. Is it as good as The Haunting of Hill House? In short, the answer is no. Or at least, not in my opinion.

Although it is on par with Hill House for its sense of atmospheric tension, great character development and impressive cinematography, at its core, Bly Manor is not a story of horror but rather a gothic romance. As a result, this means that it is much more of a slow burn, taking its time to unravel and reveal its story which, on occasion, can be a little convoluted and hard to follow.

Things you expect to be significant are nothing more than filler or playful distractions. Although there is a distinct possibility that that is exactly the point. Sneaky manipulations and red herrings put there to stretch out the intrigue and mystery until the final reveal.

If you are hoping to feel the same level of tension and expectation that had me watching Hill House from behind a cushion, then you will be rather disappointed. Don’t get me wrong, there are a few jump scares and ‘what the F’ moments but they are few and far between.

As I have previously stated this is ultimately a story of love dressed in the guise of a horror story. So grab a blanket, some popcorn and settle in for a cosy autumn night in on the sofa.