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kotareadsbooks's review against another edition
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
It was good! The last hour of the book was wild. The way author drew parallels between colonialism and parasites was incredible and the imagery to support it was chefs kiss. Loved it!
greentealatte's review against another edition
5.0
4.5/5 stars
It's creepy, it's disturbing, it's poetic, frustrating at times, and deeply sad.
Me, a Vietnamese eldest daughter, who's bisexual, who doesn't smoke, doesn't drink, only a girl who's had a lifetime of bad thoughts, related deeply to this story. I'm a wreck after finishing this book.
Chị tác giả ơi nếu chị có đọc cái review này thì em muốn nói là chị đỉnh lắm luôn á huhuhu thank you for breaking my heart in such a beautiful way.
It's creepy, it's disturbing, it's poetic, frustrating at times, and deeply sad.
Me, a Vietnamese eldest daughter, who's bisexual, who doesn't smoke, doesn't drink, only a girl who's had a lifetime of bad thoughts, related deeply to this story. I'm a wreck after finishing this book.
Chị tác giả ơi nếu chị có đọc cái review này thì em muốn nói là chị đỉnh lắm luôn á huhuhu thank you for breaking my heart in such a beautiful way.
hjevktx's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This book is truly so beautiful. From the writing to the story to the cast of characters, I loved every bit of this book. The way it splits from the house talking to the main character is so intriguing and insightful to read. She is a Haunting left me feeling a little haunted, and that's just what I wanted from this book. It's definitely on my list of favorites now!!
ltheaker's review against another edition
4.0
Super intriguing, creepy, evocative modern horror that will keep your heart pounding at times and also heartbreaking interpersonal connections and relationships. Love this haunted house story with a gay Asian protagonist working through familial strife.
angieinbooks's review against another edition
3.5
I liked a lot of things about this novel: a bisexual, Vietnamese-American main character; a side sapphic romance; a discourse on the impacts of colonialism; set in Vietnam. But this novel is really creepy. I knew that going in--I read it because it was a horror novel. But horror is just not for me, so it's hard for me to rate this when I wasn't compelled to read it on its own merit.
I finished this two days ago and still don't know how to rate it. 3.5 stars?
I finished this two days ago and still don't know how to rate it. 3.5 stars?
ethers_elixirs's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
maryleong's review against another edition
4.0
Having read several haunted house novels in the past few months, the genre feels oversaturated, yet She is a Haunting manages to stand out in a crowded field. What sets this novel apart from so many others is its exploration of colonialism, diaspora, family, and rootlessness.
Set in Đà Lạt, where French colonists built sprawling resorts and holiday homes, this novel is visceral, sun-drenched horror amidst a tropical paradise. If Jade Nguyen can spend five weeks pretending to be a happy family with her estranged father in the colonial mansion he's restoring, he'll pay for her college tuition. The emotional and physical impact of French imperialism is seen through visions and flashbacks, its atrocities embedded into the very foundations of the house and land. Modern-day academic imperialism further reinforces the power imbalance in the form of an American scholar who positions herself as an expert over the lived experience of the Vietnamese.
Likewise, Jade embodies these binaries of simultaneously being too Vietnamese and too American, never quite enough and too much of either to belong fully in either. As in the past, where some Vietnamese who aligned themselves with the French were shunned by their families, there is tension between the diaspora and those who remained. In chasing the ghosts of a family that wants nothing to do with him, Jade's father allows the darkness to consume him. Overall, an incredibly compelling and powerful read with deeply disturbing horror elements.
Set in Đà Lạt, where French colonists built sprawling resorts and holiday homes, this novel is visceral, sun-drenched horror amidst a tropical paradise. If Jade Nguyen can spend five weeks pretending to be a happy family with her estranged father in the colonial mansion he's restoring, he'll pay for her college tuition. The emotional and physical impact of French imperialism is seen through visions and flashbacks, its atrocities embedded into the very foundations of the house and land. Modern-day academic imperialism further reinforces the power imbalance in the form of an American scholar who positions herself as an expert over the lived experience of the Vietnamese.
Likewise, Jade embodies these binaries of simultaneously being too Vietnamese and too American, never quite enough and too much of either to belong fully in either. As in the past, where some Vietnamese who aligned themselves with the French were shunned by their families, there is tension between the diaspora and those who remained. In chasing the ghosts of a family that wants nothing to do with him, Jade's father allows the darkness to consume him. Overall, an incredibly compelling and powerful read with deeply disturbing horror elements.
persypie's review against another edition
2.0
“Rather than an exorcism in this house, there will be a haunting.”
I will first give the kudos deserved for the spooky elements of this novel; some passages were definitely disturbing and in particular, I always love a little creeping insect horror.
Unfortunately, that’s about where my enjoyment ends. I thought the characters and dialogue were cheesy, the protagonist was borderline insufferable, and the sapphic romance was weak at best.
I feel like this book COULD have been great, but it needed a stronger stroke of an editing pen to get it there. This felt very much like a first draft.
I will first give the kudos deserved for the spooky elements of this novel; some passages were definitely disturbing and in particular, I always love a little creeping insect horror.
Unfortunately, that’s about where my enjoyment ends. I thought the characters and dialogue were cheesy, the protagonist was borderline insufferable, and the sapphic romance was weak at best.
I feel like this book COULD have been great, but it needed a stronger stroke of an editing pen to get it there. This felt very much like a first draft.
myxis's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
ariel_0327's review against another edition
3.5
The beginning of this book really was hard to read, but once I got to around page 180/190 I was really hooked and the rest was good.