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A review by sophiefreeman
The Last House on Needless Street by Catriona Ward
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
An overall enjoyable book, the writing style is surprisingly poetic in places. I thought the quick succession of twists at the end was exciting, but I sort of wish they had been more evenly interspersed throughout the novel to develop them better. More psychological than a horror, I like that the author humanised all the characters and didn't play into outdated tropes about mental illness, instead it seems lovingly researched and portrayed. I also always appreciate a talking cat. Definitely a good book to read in autumn.
Graphic: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Body horror, Child death, Blood, and Death of parent
Minor: Animal cruelty, Suicidal thoughts, and Alcohol