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A review by bickleyhouse
The Last House on Needless Street by Catriona Ward
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Wow. Just wow. I just finished this book, about five minutes ago, and I am almost in shock. This is a book that starts out being one thing and gradually becomes something totally different by the end, and I didn't see that coming at ALL!! About halfway through, I started getting an idea, but even that was pretty far off the mark.
This book starts off being about a guy named Ted. Ted lives alone in a house that he keeps boarded up so the light doesn't get in through the windows. It becomes pretty obvious, pretty quickly that Ted is mentally "challenged," "disturbed," or whatever word you want to use.
Then we get introduced to "Lauren," his daughter, and "Olivia," his cat.
Eventually, it becomes clear that there is something beyond strange going on, here. My head was spinning by the end of the book. Not literally, of course, that would be bad.
And then I read the author's Afterword, which pretty much brought me to tears. I can't really divulge any more, at this point, without serious spoilage, and that would just be wrong. Yes, this is a "horror" book. It is psychological horror at its finest, in my opinion.
But it is oh, so much more than that.
This was my first book by Ms. Ward, and you can be sure I will read more!
I recommend this book for horror lovers, especially psychological horror, but be warned. It is rough and it is VERY disturbing.
This book starts off being about a guy named Ted. Ted lives alone in a house that he keeps boarded up so the light doesn't get in through the windows. It becomes pretty obvious, pretty quickly that Ted is mentally "challenged," "disturbed," or whatever word you want to use.
Then we get introduced to "Lauren," his daughter, and "Olivia," his cat.
Eventually, it becomes clear that there is something beyond strange going on, here. My head was spinning by the end of the book. Not literally, of course, that would be bad.
And then I read the author's Afterword, which pretty much brought me to tears. I can't really divulge any more, at this point, without serious spoilage, and that would just be wrong. Yes, this is a "horror" book. It is psychological horror at its finest, in my opinion.
But it is oh, so much more than that.
This was my first book by Ms. Ward, and you can be sure I will read more!
I recommend this book for horror lovers, especially psychological horror, but be warned. It is rough and it is VERY disturbing.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis