Scan barcode
le_d_green30's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
willow_axolotl376's review against another edition
4.0
oh how lovely this book was. I love reading dystopian books, its interesting to think how things could go so wrong in the future.
The Death House is about children who have a defective gene. the get blood tests as they grow up and if the gene shows up they get hurled off to the death house. when a new shipment of people arrive at the death house it brings some special people who change everything for Toby :) loved it!
The Death House is about children who have a defective gene. the get blood tests as they grow up and if the gene shows up they get hurled off to the death house. when a new shipment of people arrive at the death house it brings some special people who change everything for Toby :) loved it!
sadboiebony's review against another edition
3.0
Story was ok, I am intrigued by the world built in the book but feel the story didn’t focus enough on it, but maybe that’s why I was intrigued by the world. The ending was a bit lack lustre though and I could see it coming.
danieller96's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
reflective
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
4.0
amberjackonski's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death and Terminal illness
olivia_b2509's review against another edition
dark
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
patchworkbunny's review against another edition
4.0
Sarah does an amazing job of capturing the male teenage voice. The fact that Toby isn’t a particularly likable character to me, proves this point. I can sympathise with his situation though, and slowly his better qualities comes through. He’s a good big brother to the younger boys in his dorm, even if somewhat grudgingly.
Little of their classes in included in the story, for the main they are inconsequential for them; they’re not going to use their lessons learned after all. However one key thing they are reading in class, which can hardly be coincidental, is Lord of the Flies. In the house, the kids are mostly left to themselves and they form their own social hierarchy. Those who show weakness (first signs of illness) are shunned by the group.
There was one thing which distracted me a little. The way the defectiveness is introduced made me think it wasn’t logical. A genetic defect that’s only becomes detectable after time, not at birth and the need to isolate them from society just didn’t make sense to me. What would make their families just give them up like that? However, enough is suggested near the end that explains it enough for me. I just wish my brain hadn’t got attached to that particular niggle.
It’s not really about the outside world at all. There are little hints, like the change in climate, and the flashbacks to how Toby came to be in the Death House. We know there are other houses like it around the country. But the children have been separated from the greater world, and this story is about them. It’s insular and intimate, but with a sense of dread pervading. Is there hope? Or are they right to just accept their fate?
I liked that is wasn’t about the children fighting the system or being unlikely saviours for mankind, as we so often see. I do think it’s one you’re going to want to discuss afterwards, there is so much not told, but enough to make assumptions. Have we all made the same ones?
Review copy provided by publisher.
Little of their classes in included in the story, for the main they are inconsequential for them; they’re not going to use their lessons learned after all. However one key thing they are reading in class, which can hardly be coincidental, is Lord of the Flies. In the house, the kids are mostly left to themselves and they form their own social hierarchy. Those who show weakness (first signs of illness) are shunned by the group.
There was one thing which distracted me a little. The way the defectiveness is introduced made me think it wasn’t logical. A genetic defect that’s only becomes detectable after time, not at birth and the need to isolate them from society just didn’t make sense to me. What would make their families just give them up like that? However, enough is suggested near the end that explains it enough for me. I just wish my brain hadn’t got attached to that particular niggle.
It’s not really about the outside world at all. There are little hints, like the change in climate, and the flashbacks to how Toby came to be in the Death House. We know there are other houses like it around the country. But the children have been separated from the greater world, and this story is about them. It’s insular and intimate, but with a sense of dread pervading. Is there hope? Or are they right to just accept their fate?
I liked that is wasn’t about the children fighting the system or being unlikely saviours for mankind, as we so often see. I do think it’s one you’re going to want to discuss afterwards, there is so much not told, but enough to make assumptions. Have we all made the same ones?
Review copy provided by publisher.
bluestarfish's review against another edition
3.0
Somewhere in the near future some sort of disease is almost eradicated but the population are still tested and the Defectives found are whisked away to an island so live in isolation. Toby is one of the older young people in the Death House carving out his way of coping among many. I found the massive anti-religion drive very distracting as that's not my fight, but the description of first love was rather sweet. It definitely was a page-turner but there was something about it too that dropped the stars, so to speak. Still trying to figure out what that was.
ai__'s review against another edition
3.0
Interesting enough for me to finish it but really childish at times (even thought the main characters are supposed to be teenagers) and with extremely predictable plot twists.
gabyshedwick's review against another edition
4.0
4.5/5
Exactly what I needed, fast paced, really likeable narrator, absolutely devoured it
Exactly what I needed, fast paced, really likeable narrator, absolutely devoured it