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ury949's review against another edition
5.0
I just finished the book and it was really good. Really. This story gripped my gut; it was scary from the beginning; I felt Malcom's fear, frustration, and confusion.
True it's a little over the top and maybe unnecessarily complicated, but I love it for what it is: a story about ghosts. The descriptions of things - and there are some far out things here - invoked all my senses; it was effortless to visualize everything, feel chills, burns, smell smoke, taste iron, and even hear the house; it made me want to make them real. Nothing is dwelled upon any more than it needs to be, the book is short and moves along fairly well, though sometimes hard to follow. Somehow everything was very vivid, creepy, jarring, comforting - let's just say I was really into it.
The story starts out normal enough, but then the reader gets tossed back and forth between reality and ghostliness. At points I was as convinced as Malcom of his haunting, and at others, I felt like there were rational explanations for everything that was happening. I love the line about Malcom thinking, for a moment, that he had wrote the letters. Second guessing; changing realities - all done really well in this book.
True it's a little over the top and maybe unnecessarily complicated, but I love it for what it is: a story about ghosts. The descriptions of things - and there are some far out things here - invoked all my senses; it was effortless to visualize everything, feel chills, burns, smell smoke, taste iron, and even hear the house; it made me want to make them real. Nothing is dwelled upon any more than it needs to be, the book is short and moves along fairly well, though sometimes hard to follow. Somehow everything was very vivid, creepy, jarring, comforting - let's just say I was really into it.
The story starts out normal enough, but then the reader gets tossed back and forth between reality and ghostliness. At points I was as convinced as Malcom of his haunting, and at others, I felt like there were rational explanations for everything that was happening. I love the line about Malcom thinking, for a moment, that he had wrote the letters. Second guessing; changing realities - all done really well in this book.
nandakandabooks's review against another edition
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
treehuggeranonymous's review against another edition
2.0
This book left me with more questions than answers. It kinda seems like it focused on the least interesting person in the story and the least interesting thing that happened to the other characters. A story about Ironhide would have been more interesting
heykellyjensen's review against another edition
A fun creepy novella about monsters, ghosts, and madness.
jeninmotion's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
readbyryan's review against another edition
4.0
This is a delightfully weird novella. The basic premise is that a man moves into a house and starts getting letters from the original owner telling him that the owner will be home at "the end of the sentence."
I read this book based on the NPR Book Concierge 2014. It was a well written, fast read at only 100+ pages. The beginning was very strong and interesting. It was spooky and weird (not scary) and kind of delightful. As the story unravels it gets complicated and really, really weird. I'm not sure I could even describe it if I wanted to.
Overall, this was a fun, light read for something totally different. I wouldn't recommend this to everyone. I would recommend this to anyone interested in horror, fantasy or whole likes weird things.
I read this book based on the NPR Book Concierge 2014. It was a well written, fast read at only 100+ pages. The beginning was very strong and interesting. It was spooky and weird (not scary) and kind of delightful. As the story unravels it gets complicated and really, really weird. I'm not sure I could even describe it if I wanted to.
Overall, this was a fun, light read for something totally different. I wouldn't recommend this to everyone. I would recommend this to anyone interested in horror, fantasy or whole likes weird things.
sunday's review against another edition
3.0
Solid little horror story. I wish it had been longer, actually, as I found the protagonist's quick acceptance of the weirdness of his haunted house jarring. Was a little uncomfortable with the notes used for the main character's son, Loved the elements of folklore, the shoe-ing of this monstrous being, the horse-woman, the wearing away of iron. Some really striking imagery in this small book.
Spoiler
who, while young, expresses a desire to be a princess, and dies (truly by accident) soon after. There is a beautiful and fitting redemptive note that makes use of his child's tiara.amandaakerman's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
archergal's review against another edition
4.0
I found this book through the NPR best sf/fantasy list. I thought from the description that it might be right up my alley. And I was right! It was genuinely creepy through the first part. Though I agree with another reviewer that it lost a little at the end, I still enjoyed it.
I have a few other books from that NPR list to check out now too.
I have a few other books from that NPR list to check out now too.
bookishgalaxies's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
slow-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0