The design and UX isn't done, Rob and Abbie, okkurrrr! 😌
kris386's review against another edition
3.0
Graphic: Classism, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Self harm, Violence, Blood, Death, and Racism
Moderate: Alcohol, Bullying, Car accident, Drug use, and Animal death
Minor: Homophobia, Incest, Lesbophobia, Sexual content, Stalking, Animal cruelty, and Deportation
kimveach's review against another edition
- 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
4.0
Moderate: Vomit, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Bullying, Sexual harassment, Toxic relationship, Car accident, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Death of parent, Sexism, Violence, Classism, Grief, Incest, Kidnapping, Stalking, Abandonment, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual content, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pandemic/Epidemic, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, and Toxic friendship
discarded_dust_jacket's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
(On the topic of descriptions, I will say I got a bit annoyed at the sheer number of times we had to be reminded that the protagonists are like REALLY ugly, but, that’s not a super big deal I guess.)
Secondly, I just thought the premise was really interesting. I love stories that center around houses, and a creepy, almost-sentient, potentially cursed house? I’m all in.
What didn’t necessarily work for me: often I find that when I’m reading fantasy/fantasy-adjacent YA stories, I have to remind myself over and over “these are children,” because they’ll be like, crime bosses and speak like adults (*cough* six of crows *cough*), but this story I had the opposite experience: for some reason, I kept having to remind myself “this isn’t YA; these are adults” again and again.
I think it was the plot elements. An impoverished, smart-mouthed, scrappy young criminal that has to do what it takes to raise their sibling on account of dead/absent parents reads very YA to me. (And I feel like Opal speaks a lot like a teenager too.) It was just something that took me out of the story every time I was reminded “oh that’s right, they’re meant to be in their mid-late 20s!”
Overall, if I was rating the like, first 60-70% of the book, I’d give it a solid 4.25/4.5 stars. The pacing was admittedly really slow, but idk, I liked it (especially the slow-burn romance with the broody man alone in his old house; that’s my kryptonite).
But the last quarter of the book I’d probably only rate like a 2.75/3. The part that was meant to be the most thrilling/climactic moment seemed to stretch on for way longer than it needed to and I just kept thinking “is it really not over YET?” which was disappointing.
The big reveal is sort of just one long info-dump, but at the same time I also see WHY it was done that way given how everyone’s different partly-correct versions of the truth get peppered throughout the story. It was like at the end the actual truth had to be laid out in a similar manner. But it still felt a bit… idk, lazily tacked on?
So… mixed feelings! Lol.
Graphic: Alcohol, Blood, Car accident, Death, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, and Mental illness
Moderate: Chronic illness, Stalking, and Vomit
Minor: Incest, Self harm, and Slavery
gondorgirl's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Moderate: Alcohol, Blood, Car accident, Chronic illness, Classism, Cursing, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Stalking, Violence, Bullying, Vomit, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail
jadehusdanhicks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Opal has always been gravitated towards the house and after winding up working there we see so much change and develop for better and for much worse. I can’t say much without spoiling this but this is one of those must read books which I can just tell is going to pop off!
Graphic: Gaslighting, Stalking, Vomit, Violence, Alcohol, Animal death, Medical content, Abandonment, Alcoholism, Car accident, Classism, Death, Medical trauma, Panic attacks/disorders, Police brutality, Blood, Death of parent, and Grief
fivecatsinacoat's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
I cannot adequately put into words how much I loved this book. It's filled with complicated and detailed characters whose actions sometimes really make it hard to root for them, but you can't help loving (many) of them anyway.
It would be so easy to lean too far into the cheesy aspects of a House that's somehow alive and monsters made of mist, but Harrow's talent instead creates an intricate world that's the perfect amount of gothic with a sprinkling of light horror and fantasy. I find myself thinking about it in the days since I finished. I want to get lost in the House and fall asleep on the lawn listening to the starlings sing.
I also listened to the audio version and Natalie Naudus really does an amazing job. Her pacing and acting is so perfect that you really feel as if you're in Eden. I wouls listen to anything she narrates!
Fyi: the cat does not die.
Graphic: Abandonment, Grief, Blood, Car accident, Classism, Death, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Police brutality, Racism, Stalking, and Violence
Moderate: Lesbophobia, Vomit, and Incest
Minor: Slavery and Toxic relationship