_haggis_'s review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Atmospheric and intriguing. The world building was really compelling and it was hard to put down! I found Olivia a little unlikeable at first but she definitely grew on me and I really liked the other characters. It was really lovely having a main character who communicated entirely in sign language and I thought V E Schwab did a good job in making you feel Olivia's frustration at people not listening to her/taking her seriously/silencing her.
The thing that stops me rating this 4 stars is that although the world building and mood are gripping, the climax is very fast and abrupt (only about 20 pages in total).
The story about Olivia finding out who she is and what she can do is really intriguing but told at the cost of the parallel plot - the family secrets, death and the wall. I think it feels a bit underwhelming and the plot potential & villain never quite fully realised.
Having said that, Schwab really trusts her reader and doesn't spell everything out - she gives us hints and things to ponder -
All in all, a really quick read with plenty of spook. 13 yr old me would have adored it.
The thing that stops me rating this 4 stars is that although the world building and mood are gripping, the climax is very fast and abrupt (only about 20 pages in total)
Spoiler
and the fight is too easily won/just not engrossing enoughThe story about Olivia finding out who she is and what she can do is really intriguing but told at the cost of the parallel plot - the family secrets, death and the wall. I think it feels a bit underwhelming and the plot potential & villain never quite fully realised.
Having said that, Schwab really trusts her reader and doesn't spell everything out - she gives us hints and things to ponder -
Spoiler
perhaps that's why Matthew dies - although it' tragic and feels like it was all for nothing, it points to bigger questions of death and meaning.All in all, a really quick read with plenty of spook. 13 yr old me would have adored it.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body horror and Murder
Minor: Ableism and Suicide
cr_ashe's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
relaxing
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
The way everything tied together was phenomenal. It feels like coraline but more grown up and with more at risk. Beautiful writing wrapped itself around a story that felt brand new in a familiar way. The narrator being mute was an interesting way to tell the story, and it helps the readers feel her frustration at every new turn.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Minor: Body horror
repetitive mention of ghouls, such as rotting/decaying ghosts.excellent_potato's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body horror
Minor: Suicide
charlottx's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
I wasn’t too fond of our protagonist in the beginning but I greatly enjoyed all of the side characters/ villains! I look forward to reading more of Schwabs works and hopefully I can find some that have more horror elements as that’s what I thought I was missing in this book!
Loved Matthew <3
Loved Matthew <3
Content Warnings
Minor: Abandonment, Body horror, Suicide attempt, Medical content, Violence, Death, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Child death, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide
jennyg1234's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Another surprise. I didn’t think I would like it as much as I did. Ending was … not climatic, but I wasn’t mad.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror and Blood
luxxltyd's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Death of parent, and Grief
Moderate: Body horror and Child death
Minor: Abandonment
singalana's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
I accidentally picked two very similar books to read at the same time: this and the audiobook In the Shadow of Spindrift House by Mira Grant. Both have young protagonists trying to figure out the mystery of a weird house. The main character of this story is a girl called Olivia - a girl with no voice. At the beginning of the story she lives in an orphanage, and the only thing she has from her family is her mother’s journal. She receives a letter from her uncle, inviting her to return to their family home - a house called Gallant. When Olivia arrives at the house, she realises there is much she doesn’t know about her family and the house.
The book has an interesting layout: spread throughout the book are illustrations and pages from her mother's journal. And the cover design and the end sheets are absolutely gorgeous. The content, however… I don’t know whether I was somehow distracted or if the writing style was not for me, but I noticed that I had to constantly reread pages and parts of the text because I realised my mind had just drifted and I hadn’t internalized anything I had read.
The reading experience felt heavy, I didn’t much care for the main character and the plot raised a lot of questions.
Spoiler
I didn’t feel too connected to the characters, and somehow the mystery of the house was not explored enough for my taste. I didn’t understand the logic behind the plot: why were the Priors so determined to guard the secret? Why was the big bad dying? What would have happened if all of the Priors were to disappear? And my biggest pet peeve of them all: the main character falls into a trap that causes the death of another character. I don’t like this trope at all.
Content Warnings
Minor: Ableism, Death of parent, Death, Blood, Child death, Animal death, Body horror, Injury/Injury detail, and Grief
yrlaevelyn's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
2.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Blood, Body horror, Mental illness, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Death of parent, Abandonment, and Ableism
Minor: Suicide and Murder
diana_raquel's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
"Home is a choice."
Talk about impulse buying! I was browsing the shelves of a bookshop when I noticed this book! I have read other books by V.E. Schwab but didn't know what to expect from this book. But it was a pleasant surprise, mainly because I actually liked a story with horror elements. Usually, horror isn't something that I tend to gravitate toward, but I really liked this book. Maybe because the horror elements are mixed with other elements that I like, such as mystery elements and a darker tone. The characters are well-developed and well-written. The story has good pacing and is well structured. I also liked the fact that the illustrations themselves are also part of the story and not only accessories, a means to show the scenes. To tell the truth, I think that V.E. Schwab was the potential to become a must-read author to me since I really liked every book that I read by her.
Talk about impulse buying! I was browsing the shelves of a bookshop when I noticed this book! I have read other books by V.E. Schwab but didn't know what to expect from this book. But it was a pleasant surprise, mainly because I actually liked a story with horror elements. Usually, horror isn't something that I tend to gravitate toward, but I really liked this book. Maybe because the horror elements are mixed with other elements that I like, such as mystery elements and a darker tone. The characters are well-developed and well-written. The story has good pacing and is well structured. I also liked the fact that the illustrations themselves are also part of the story and not only accessories, a means to show the scenes. To tell the truth, I think that V.E. Schwab was the potential to become a must-read author to me since I really liked every book that I read by her.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Animal death, Death of parent, Grief, Blood, Emotional abuse, Ableism, Child abuse, Death, Confinement, and Terminal illness
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Suicide, Pregnancy, Bullying, Body horror, and Violence
casmith512's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, and Body horror
Minor: Suicide