Reviews with content warning for Forced institutionalization - House of Leaves

This book is a mind fuck and a half. It's a feeling of discovering it with one of the characters, while being there while it's edited. It's questioning what has or hasn't been influenced by what characters. It's the feeling of *everything* (including you, somehow) influencing the book.
It's a bit of a slow start, and can feel like you're reading an essay instead of a book. Yet every time it gets tedious (or even exciting), Johnny Truant interjects with his (quite frankly disturbing) tales, leaving you questioning what is real or fake or both. The story that Zampano is fascinating and thought provoking, sometimes leaving you praying for the characters or what they represent.
If you are interested in a challenging read, then prepare to be challenged.
It has a bit of triggering content at times, so be warned.
Not suitable for people under 18, I think.

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hedsek's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

So many thoughts, so little energy. Maybe I'll return here at some point.

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greatdistractions's review against another edition

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challenging dark mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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fl0ralaura's review against another edition

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challenging dark tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

This book, in form alone, is wildly inventive and imaginative. When I heard it took the author 10 years to write, I believed it instantly because this is so much detail and so many hidden clues and puzzles between these pages. I love “weird books”, books that play with form, and books that riff off the familiar. I was shocked by how touching I would find aspects of the story especially Karen.

That being said, this book is disturbing and creepy. The first half in particular caused related nightmares of unheimlich architecture. The Minotaur story, especially as it relates to themes of fatherhood and shame were particularly moving.

My one real critique is that in parts of the second half it drags a bit and I, at times, found Truant’s purple prose boring.

Content Warnings