lvdani's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.0
sam_bizar_wilcox's review against another edition
3.0
Delightfully eerie, Kehlmann's slim novella provides enough ambient chills to satisfy a discomforting afternoon alone. I am constantly reminded, however, of a book I haven't yet read (Danielewski's House of Leaves). The sort of deja-vu-eque quality to this book isn't entirely a flaw. Certainly, part of the dread is the sense that one might have been here before, yet unable to place exactly why. The splintering marriage at the novella's center is perhaps where things fall apart (which, spoiler, things do) thereby following a little too close to others' leads. If I seem vague here, it is to keep the novella's secrets secret, but suffice it to say a simple text message around midway through the book allows what had otherwise been a unique story (if sharing the same DNA as some other postmodern horror novels) to morph a more familiar one. Kehlmann's book is a tight scare nonetheless, a creepy offspring of Lovecraft and Shirley Jackson.
whatsunnyisreading's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
anetq's review against another edition
3.0
En uhyggelig historie om at blive fanget og fortone sig til et spøgelse i et flot arkitekttegnet hus i bjergene. Eller i et ægteskab.
(Helt fin til afvaskning af den sidste genstridige stuk)
(Helt fin til afvaskning af den sidste genstridige stuk)
l_walkes's review against another edition
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
mikaylawithlove's review against another edition
4.0
A novella that was incredibly concise, unnerving, and twisty. I can understand how the "journal-entry" style of writing really didn't work for some readers, but I personally felt it was necessary to help the reader know the unnamed narrator better. I thought the ending was a but predictable, but enjoyed the rest of the plot. I was especially disturbed by the scenes involving the baby monitor (as I have a newborn and spend a lot of my free time staring at a monitor screen). Kehlmann shows amazing control over language in this work, and as a former creative writing student I really appreciated that as well. Overall, I would recommend!
writing_inthemountains's review against another edition
weirdoland... if u are free but stuck in an office, it will suffice, if you're at home wanting to order a pizza and have some fun, watch netflix, skip this book.
tvil's review against another edition
4.0
Short and sweet. I read this because of the upcoming film adaptation, which intrigued me because it seems inspired by [b:House of Leaves|24800|House of Leaves|Mark Z. Danielewski|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1403889034l/24800._SX50_.jpg|856555]. The novella didn't really give that impression, though, although of course both works are about Lovecraftian houses with non-euclidean geometry.