backshelfbooks's review against another edition
2.0
Mira Grant/Seanan Mcquire is one of my favorite authors, and I usually really like her SFF and horror novellas a lot.
This iteration was less successful for me than the others that I've read by her. I didn't like the Scooby Doo crew element, and I felt it was a little too tongue in cheek. The atmosphere of the creepy house was excellent, but I felt like the creep factor and darker second half of the book didn't quite fit with the tone of the first half.
Overall, not my favorite, but I recommend if you're a novella fiend like me.
This iteration was less successful for me than the others that I've read by her. I didn't like the Scooby Doo crew element, and I felt it was a little too tongue in cheek. The atmosphere of the creepy house was excellent, but I felt like the creep factor and darker second half of the book didn't quite fit with the tone of the first half.
Overall, not my favorite, but I recommend if you're a novella fiend like me.
punkystarshine's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
3.75
I would have read this in one sitting it if weren't for my stupid human body deciding it needed sleep more than it needed to keep reading despite my brain and heart disagreeing. A chilling tale, beautifully written. Mira Grant always delivers when it comes to the haunting call of the ocean. I just wish it was longer, I had more questions I wanted answers to. I wanted more, and I do mean that as a compliment.
frogie's review
4.0
3.75 stars
It took a bit for me to get into this but I eventually got curious. It also had me comparing it a lot to another book to the point where I was wondering if this is meant to be a modern retelling of sorts. The ending was sort of satisfying if a bit lacking for me, but I liked the rather open-ended nature of it.
It took a bit for me to get into this but I eventually got curious. It also had me comparing it a lot to another book
Spoiler
(specifically, The Shadow Over Innsmouth by H. P. Lovecraft)rouge_red's review against another edition
mysterious
medium-paced
3.5
A little short for my liking, especially with quickly we reached our conclusion. But it was H.P. Lovecraft all along with fish people! I did find this haunted house story a bit unique with the various possessions of long gone fish people ancestors, the smell and general menace affecting certain members of the party except the one person. Another thing I liked was how well the author was able to convey the closeness of this group of friends/family. So although this story wasn't expressly scary, the storytelling and atmosphere was great; so why haven't I read any Seanan McGuire before now?
roadtripreader's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
There is a better, deeper, distressing more gothic story trying to get out of this one. Solid 3.8
If you look just beyond the wailing, the watery deaths and the general horror-ness; there is a convoluted theme beneath. Could be the forlorness of time, of dying of being left behind and forgotten. The loss of innocence, children growing up, graduating into uncertain futures and emerging into adulthood. Friendships improving and evolving or straining and breaking. That villages like Port Mercy, like the town of Norton - even houses like Spindrift were once thriving, young, so alive and now even the ghost of them is letting go. Maybe, that's the real horror The Shadow of Spindrift House.
Often times, a horror story is just that - scheduled screams and death and running (too much running) maybe some stabbing and chopping and stumbling or scrambling to get away - a thrill to the senses. Very rarely is it this. A true haunting.
Plot/Storyline: I don't not care for Harlowe, Kevin, Andy and Addison. They do pull at the strings leading to the heart lightly. To my surprise, my feet are firmly planted on the side of the sea and by extension Spindrift House. I know, that's bloody horrifying. I can't help it.
Characters: There are three shadow characters here - earth and it judges us harshly. Time and we mean nothing to it. Maybe a legion of ghosts and Spindrift House is their hero song.
Favorite scene/concept: For all nature's railing against lines and sharp edges and geometry - the number 3is significant. There are three versions of Spindrift's birth. There are 3 things in nature that go against curvature and natural patterns. There are three things dying here - a way of life, a village going under and a house. Even the prose is structured in threes.
Favorite Quote: Spindrift House has had a great deal of time to decide what it wants to be, and what it wants to be is unforgiving. (Harlowe, Nature and Time on the nature of Spindrift's malevolence).
StoryGraph Challenge: 1800 Books by 2025
Challenge Prompt: 150 Horror Books by 2025
If you look just beyond the wailing, the watery deaths and the general horror-ness; there is a convoluted theme beneath. Could be the forlorness of time, of dying of being left behind and forgotten. The loss of innocence, children growing up, graduating into uncertain futures and emerging into adulthood. Friendships improving and evolving or straining and breaking. That villages like Port Mercy, like the town of Norton - even houses like Spindrift were once thriving, young, so alive and now even the ghost of them is letting go. Maybe, that's the real horror The Shadow of Spindrift House.
Often times, a horror story is just that - scheduled screams and death and running (too much running) maybe some stabbing and chopping and stumbling or scrambling to get away - a thrill to the senses. Very rarely is it this. A true haunting.
Plot/Storyline: I don't not care for Harlowe, Kevin, Andy and Addison. They do pull at the strings leading to the heart lightly. To my surprise, my feet are firmly planted on the side of the sea and by extension Spindrift House. I know, that's bloody horrifying. I can't help it.
Characters: There are three shadow characters here - earth and it judges us harshly. Time and we mean nothing to it. Maybe a legion of ghosts and Spindrift House is their hero song.
Favorite scene/concept: For all nature's railing against lines and sharp edges and geometry - the number 3is significant. There are three versions of Spindrift's birth. There are 3 things in nature that go against curvature and natural patterns. There are three things dying here - a way of life, a village going under and a house. Even the prose is structured in threes.
Favorite Quote: Spindrift House has had a great deal of time to decide what it wants to be, and what it wants to be is unforgiving. (Harlowe, Nature and Time on the nature of Spindrift's malevolence).
StoryGraph Challenge: 1800 Books by 2025
Challenge Prompt: 150 Horror Books by 2025
marpesea's review against another edition
4.0
This feels a lot like Meddling Kids, at least at the start. Paranormal mystery solving kids have grown up and our main character, Harlow, is hoping for a big score that will pay for their liability insurance and keep them together. Which is when she busts out with Spindrift House and over a 3 million dollar reward, if they can search the house and find proof of the rightful owner.
Creepy, atmospheric and wonderful— like much of Seanan McGuire’s works. Pro tip, the audio is available via Hoopla which is an ebook platform many libraries offer to their patrons.
Creepy, atmospheric and wonderful— like much of Seanan McGuire’s works. Pro tip, the audio is available via Hoopla which is an ebook platform many libraries offer to their patrons.
nataroni3's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.5
vezreads's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
I had read two books by Mira Grant before and rated both of them 5 stars so when I saw this I didn't read anything about it and just jumped right in... if I had bothered to read the synopsis I might have realised that this is a Scooby Doo retelling and 100% not my thing!
So yeah I didn't really like this one.
The story explores what would happen to a gang like the scooby squad if things took a terrible turn into horror while solving a mystery. I can totally see how that would be a compelling concept for a lot of readers... but I am not one of them.
I liked that the POV character Harlow (aka Velma) was an unreliable narrator as the haunted house gets its claws deeper and deeper into her. And I enjoyed the relationship between her and her foster brother Kevin (100% just Shaggy).
I didn't like much else though and the story didn't exactly have plot holes but it did have a lot of plot ambiguity which I really didn't enjoy
So yeah I didn't really like this one.
The story explores what would happen to a gang like the scooby squad if things took a terrible turn into horror while solving a mystery. I can totally see how that would be a compelling concept for a lot of readers... but I am not one of them.
I liked that the POV character Harlow (aka Velma) was an unreliable narrator as the haunted house gets its claws deeper and deeper into her. And I enjoyed the relationship between her and her foster brother Kevin (100% just Shaggy).
I didn't like much else though and the story didn't exactly have plot holes but it did have a lot of plot ambiguity which I really didn't enjoy
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment, Violence, and Child death
Moderate: Grief
adragoninspace's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death
johnnytomatoseed's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0