deepakchecks's review against another edition
4.0
David Mitchell continues to fascinate with his stories.
This fantasy novel involves two siblings who have mastered the art of soul-sapping. Their modus operandi is drawing people who have a special supernatural glow into the Slade House, which is a hidden inner world of sorts, drugging them and sapping their soul. This event happens every 9 years and we follow the story on the fateful day when the siblings lure in their prey. During each subsequent attempts, we get to know more on the background and also get some hints on their weakness as well leading to an interesting finale.
The plot was thrilling and I was engrossed in the tale. A nice story for the fantasy-loving ones.
Lines:
* Mr Moody our scoutmaster told me to get lost, so I did, and it took the snowdonia mountain rescue service 2 days to find my shelter.
* Todd - 'I love hearing you talk'. I actually heard him perfectly well but I love hearing Todd using words 'I', 'love' and 'you' in such close proximity so I ask him, 'Say that again?'
This fantasy novel involves two siblings who have mastered the art of soul-sapping. Their modus operandi is drawing people who have a special supernatural glow into the Slade House, which is a hidden inner world of sorts, drugging them and sapping their soul. This event happens every 9 years and we follow the story on the fateful day when the siblings lure in their prey. During each subsequent attempts, we get to know more on the background and also get some hints on their weakness as well leading to an interesting finale.
The plot was thrilling and I was engrossed in the tale. A nice story for the fantasy-loving ones.
Lines:
* Mr Moody our scoutmaster told me to get lost, so I did, and it took the snowdonia mountain rescue service 2 days to find my shelter.
* Todd - 'I love hearing you talk'. I actually heard him perfectly well but I love hearing Todd using words 'I', 'love' and 'you' in such close proximity so I ask him, 'Say that again?'
the_reviewer's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
rotamariz's review against another edition
3.0
Me ha parecido una novela desigual, con aciertos pero algunos defectos.
El libro consta de cinco "episodios", casi como 5 cuentos que se desarrollan en distintos momentos temporales, a través de los cuales el autor nos va descubriendo la historia de la casa, de sus habitantes, de los individuos que se ven involucrados en su historia. Además cada uno de estos episodios tiene un narrador diferente, lo cual va dando distintas perspectivas al lector.
En este sentido es bastante original. También lo es la trama en sí, algo separada de las clásicas historias de casas embrujadas.
Sin embargo, según se va desvelando "el fondo de la cuestión" aparecen elementos mágicos, oscuros, no presentados previamente que hay que ir entendiendo al vuelo. Me ha parecido algo rebuscado, un poco apresurado para el desenlace.
Tampoco es una historia "de terror", al menos desde mi punto de vista
El libro consta de cinco "episodios", casi como 5 cuentos que se desarrollan en distintos momentos temporales, a través de los cuales el autor nos va descubriendo la historia de la casa, de sus habitantes, de los individuos que se ven involucrados en su historia. Además cada uno de estos episodios tiene un narrador diferente, lo cual va dando distintas perspectivas al lector.
En este sentido es bastante original. También lo es la trama en sí, algo separada de las clásicas historias de casas embrujadas.
Sin embargo, según se va desvelando "el fondo de la cuestión" aparecen elementos mágicos, oscuros, no presentados previamente que hay que ir entendiendo al vuelo. Me ha parecido algo rebuscado, un poco apresurado para el desenlace.
Tampoco es una historia "de terror", al menos desde mi punto de vista
ra042312's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
oddly's review against another edition
5.0
David Mitchell is one author I think everyone should be reading. He is an indescribably good writer, not only because he has interesting ways to say things, but because the things he says are new and interesting themselves. No one is writing books quite like his.
I waited for this book (most impatiently), having read THE RIGHT SORT as Mitchell published it on Twitter (Here's the link in case you're interested: https://twitter.com/SceptreBooks/timelines/488586138048004096). The book does not disappoint.
Haunted house stories are something I hold near and dear, I think there are so many unexplored corners of houses, their psyches, and the interactions with their visitors and owners that can be delved into in new and interesting ways, and there are so many great haunted house books. Obviously, Jackson's [b:The Haunting of Hill House|89717|The Haunting of Hill House |Shirley Jackson|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1327871336s/89717.jpg|3627] tops this list, and probably always will--some houses are just born bad, you know--but here are another few that I think are definitely worth throwing out there (to be discussed more fully at a later date). [b:Burnt Offerings|897717|Burnt Offerings|Robert Marasco|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1297539225s/897717.jpg|882910] is a great out of print haunted house novel that is highly undervalued. Everything from the plot, to the characters, to the writing is innovative and chilling. Highly recommended. I'd also like to put [b:The House Next Door|10616|The House Next Door|Anne Rivers Siddons|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1256664264s/10616.jpg|2886217] on my list. This is an intriguing outsider's perspective on the deterioration of people who live in a house where not all is quite right. Though not technically a house, I'd be remiss to leave off [b:The Shining|762530|The Shining (The Shining, #1)|Stephen King|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1377161001s/762530.jpg|849585], which doesn't need much introduction. Finally, I'll add a newer book, out just earlier this month in fact: [b:Little Sister Death|24998972|Little Sister Death|William Gay|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1438047773s/24998972.jpg|44669089]. This book is a beautiful Southern Gothic, styled in a way only William Gay is capable of, and I think it's worth mentioning (1) because you should read it and (2) because it is a true contemporary of SLADE HOUSE.
Though the books have little in common stylistically, plotwise, or genrewise, they are both haunted house novels at their cores and you can truly see the influences that books like the above, along with so many others, have had on modern writers.
But not to stray too far from the task at hand! Mitchell's newest is quite shorter than most of his books and it burns brightly and quickly. I definitely could have devoured it in one sitting, but I stretched it out over a couple days because I didn't want to leave it, but mostly because the book ends in history on the last Saturday in October 2015, and I do like the synchcronicity of finishing it on that day. This book lives in the same universe as his last novel, [b:The Bone Clocks|20819685|The Bone Clocks|David Mitchell|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1398205538s/20819685.jpg|26959610], so there are hints of that dropped here and there, but nothing that you'll miss if you haven't tackled THE BONE CLOCKS yet.
In classic Mitchell form, the book spans decades and multiple casts of characters, all centering around the mysterious Slade House. Suffice it to say that this book combines the best of high literature with the best of speculative writing and, I can proudly say, horror. Mitchell doesn't claim any specific genre, and no one has really been able to stick him in one, which is refreshing. I hope people read SLADE HOUSE and not only want to take on Mitchell's more difficult literary works, but that they are also not afraid to try Shirley Jackson or William Gay, both extremely brilliant writers who have horror novels--or at least novels with horrific elements.
A beautiful work that bears cherishing and re-reading, this book adds something entirely new to the oeuvre of haunted house novels. Please also note the brilliant and lovely book design by Peter Mendelsund, which is just another great reason to buy this book and add it to your collection!
I waited for this book (most impatiently), having read THE RIGHT SORT as Mitchell published it on Twitter (Here's the link in case you're interested: https://twitter.com/SceptreBooks/timelines/488586138048004096). The book does not disappoint.
Haunted house stories are something I hold near and dear, I think there are so many unexplored corners of houses, their psyches, and the interactions with their visitors and owners that can be delved into in new and interesting ways, and there are so many great haunted house books. Obviously, Jackson's [b:The Haunting of Hill House|89717|The Haunting of Hill House |Shirley Jackson|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1327871336s/89717.jpg|3627] tops this list, and probably always will--some houses are just born bad, you know--but here are another few that I think are definitely worth throwing out there (to be discussed more fully at a later date). [b:Burnt Offerings|897717|Burnt Offerings|Robert Marasco|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1297539225s/897717.jpg|882910] is a great out of print haunted house novel that is highly undervalued. Everything from the plot, to the characters, to the writing is innovative and chilling. Highly recommended. I'd also like to put [b:The House Next Door|10616|The House Next Door|Anne Rivers Siddons|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1256664264s/10616.jpg|2886217] on my list. This is an intriguing outsider's perspective on the deterioration of people who live in a house where not all is quite right. Though not technically a house, I'd be remiss to leave off [b:The Shining|762530|The Shining (The Shining, #1)|Stephen King|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1377161001s/762530.jpg|849585], which doesn't need much introduction. Finally, I'll add a newer book, out just earlier this month in fact: [b:Little Sister Death|24998972|Little Sister Death|William Gay|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1438047773s/24998972.jpg|44669089]. This book is a beautiful Southern Gothic, styled in a way only William Gay is capable of, and I think it's worth mentioning (1) because you should read it and (2) because it is a true contemporary of SLADE HOUSE.
Though the books have little in common stylistically, plotwise, or genrewise, they are both haunted house novels at their cores and you can truly see the influences that books like the above, along with so many others, have had on modern writers.
But not to stray too far from the task at hand! Mitchell's newest is quite shorter than most of his books and it burns brightly and quickly. I definitely could have devoured it in one sitting, but I stretched it out over a couple days because I didn't want to leave it, but mostly because the book ends in history on the last Saturday in October 2015, and I do like the synchcronicity of finishing it on that day. This book lives in the same universe as his last novel, [b:The Bone Clocks|20819685|The Bone Clocks|David Mitchell|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1398205538s/20819685.jpg|26959610], so there are hints of that dropped here and there, but nothing that you'll miss if you haven't tackled THE BONE CLOCKS yet.
In classic Mitchell form, the book spans decades and multiple casts of characters, all centering around the mysterious Slade House. Suffice it to say that this book combines the best of high literature with the best of speculative writing and, I can proudly say, horror. Mitchell doesn't claim any specific genre, and no one has really been able to stick him in one, which is refreshing. I hope people read SLADE HOUSE and not only want to take on Mitchell's more difficult literary works, but that they are also not afraid to try Shirley Jackson or William Gay, both extremely brilliant writers who have horror novels--or at least novels with horrific elements.
A beautiful work that bears cherishing and re-reading, this book adds something entirely new to the oeuvre of haunted house novels. Please also note the brilliant and lovely book design by Peter Mendelsund, which is just another great reason to buy this book and add it to your collection!
sleepykrissy's review against another edition
4.0
A sufficiently creepy read set in an odd world that, at the same time, is remarkably recognizable.
jolynne's review against another edition
3.0
I don't usually read haunted houses but when I do I like them to be good and creepy and this certainly was.
samanthabw's review against another edition
3.0
It was alright, I don’t think it’s a story that will stick if my brain. A lot of the concepts weren’t really explained well, and maybe you have to read the authors other works to get it.
It was very creative, and all the different characters felt very distinct and had their own narration style. I really hated reading the ‘oink oink’ section. The author really missed the mark on insecure teen girl by a lot and it was uncomfortable to read. #justiceforsally
It was very creative, and all the different characters felt very distinct and had their own narration style. I really hated reading the ‘oink oink’ section. The author really missed the mark on insecure teen girl by a lot and it was uncomfortable to read. #justiceforsally