A review by 0hfortheloveofbooks
Every House Is Haunted by Ian Rogers
5.0
Review 5/23/20: I went into Every House is Haunted knowing I was going to love it again and spoiler alert, I did. The stories were just as well crafted, well written, dark, disturbing, and as beautiful as I remember. I was so excited yet a touch nervous to get to Leaves Brown because I have been singing its praises from the moment I finished it last time but I did have a nagging thought it wasn't going to live up to the monolithic tower of perfection I built it up to be. It definitely did not disappoint this time around. It read almost like a Bradbury short story in its picture perfect descriptions of autumn with the dark undertones and horrific implications yet Rogers' voice is very much his own. Leaves Brown is still my favorite but I was surprised that upon this re-read, I discovered stories I vaguely remembered but didn't recall loving last time as much as I did this time. I read stories in different lights given the current state of affairs, personal and societal. And that is exactly why I re-read books folks! You never know what new gem you're going to uncover. Not to mention, re-reading something dear to you is as cozy as snuggling in a blanket with a hot coffee on a rainy autumn afternoon. But I digress...
One story that made a bigger impact was The Rifts Between Us. This story hit me hard. It packs a very sci-fi punch, which is what I was distracted by the first time, but oh my goodness is it riddled with deep, complex, philosophical, and religious thoughts. I needed this re-read to really be able to wade past the sci-fi (which, do not get me wrong, is very interesting!) and delve deep, deeper still, into the misty gray depths of the human soul.
"They call me a virus. They call me a myth. They call me a terrorist. They call me mass hysteria." This is a quote from the short story, Hunger. Reading it the first time, I enjoyed it as a zombie-esque romp through a post apocalyptic city but reading it this time, it resonated with me a bit more personally. The quote, and the entire story, feels very apropos given everything unfolding with the COVID-19 pandemic.
I really could make a comment on every story in the collection but these short stories stand strongly on their own, I don't need to try and sell them too hard; plus there's 22 so we'd be here for awhile! If it's possible, I loved Every House is Haunted moreso this time than last. So regardless of it being your first time reading or your 21st time reading, pick up the book and savor every word Rogers gives you.
*********
First Review: Do you know early on if a book will be a 5 star read? I usually have an inkling whether or not I'm going to love it. With Every House is Haunted, I knew from the opening line of the first story that I was going to love it. Truthfully, I fell in love with the table of contents but I reserved my judgement until I actually got to the stories. The stories were broken up into five sections - The Vestibule, The Library, The Attic, The Den, and The Cellar. Ian Rogers literally takes the reader on a tour of a haunted house. There were some (many) fantastic stories in this collection. However, every story was at least good; entertaining to say the least. Which is a feat unto itself in a collection of 22 stories.
Cabin D spoke to me as there are plenty of falling down barns and houses in the area of rural Tennessee where I live (and Cabin D was actually set in Tennessee!) Each time I pass one, my eyes are drawn to them, their histories, their secrets, their ghosts.
My favorite story in the entire collection and possibly one of my favorite stories ever, is Leaves Brown. The story itself was creepy yet sweet; a grandfather sharing a dark family secret with his grandson. But what was stellar about this story was the beautiful and intricate imagery. The grandfather talking about fall made me so yearn for that season - “if seasons were a four course meal, fall would be dessert”. I want to quote the entire story. It was absolutely packed with the dreamiest prose. Leaves Brown was haunting and beautiful, nostalgic and bittersweet. I would have purchased the book for that story alone.
Then there were stories like The Cat which was fun and humorous, dark humor but humor nonetheless.
Rogers is truly an adept and brilliant writer; his range of storytelling is so broad and this collection really showcases this. Every House is Haunted is horror at it's finest because it's not just traditional horror, it's moody, it's dark, it's paranormal, it's morbidly beautiful.
“But you don't believe in haunted houses, Daniel. Just haunted people.”
One story that made a bigger impact was The Rifts Between Us. This story hit me hard. It packs a very sci-fi punch, which is what I was distracted by the first time, but oh my goodness is it riddled with deep, complex, philosophical, and religious thoughts. I needed this re-read to really be able to wade past the sci-fi (which, do not get me wrong, is very interesting!) and delve deep, deeper still, into the misty gray depths of the human soul.
"They call me a virus. They call me a myth. They call me a terrorist. They call me mass hysteria." This is a quote from the short story, Hunger. Reading it the first time, I enjoyed it as a zombie-esque romp through a post apocalyptic city but reading it this time, it resonated with me a bit more personally. The quote, and the entire story, feels very apropos given everything unfolding with the COVID-19 pandemic.
I really could make a comment on every story in the collection but these short stories stand strongly on their own, I don't need to try and sell them too hard; plus there's 22 so we'd be here for awhile! If it's possible, I loved Every House is Haunted moreso this time than last. So regardless of it being your first time reading or your 21st time reading, pick up the book and savor every word Rogers gives you.
*********
First Review: Do you know early on if a book will be a 5 star read? I usually have an inkling whether or not I'm going to love it. With Every House is Haunted, I knew from the opening line of the first story that I was going to love it. Truthfully, I fell in love with the table of contents but I reserved my judgement until I actually got to the stories. The stories were broken up into five sections - The Vestibule, The Library, The Attic, The Den, and The Cellar. Ian Rogers literally takes the reader on a tour of a haunted house. There were some (many) fantastic stories in this collection. However, every story was at least good; entertaining to say the least. Which is a feat unto itself in a collection of 22 stories.
Cabin D spoke to me as there are plenty of falling down barns and houses in the area of rural Tennessee where I live (and Cabin D was actually set in Tennessee!) Each time I pass one, my eyes are drawn to them, their histories, their secrets, their ghosts.
My favorite story in the entire collection and possibly one of my favorite stories ever, is Leaves Brown. The story itself was creepy yet sweet; a grandfather sharing a dark family secret with his grandson. But what was stellar about this story was the beautiful and intricate imagery. The grandfather talking about fall made me so yearn for that season - “if seasons were a four course meal, fall would be dessert”. I want to quote the entire story. It was absolutely packed with the dreamiest prose. Leaves Brown was haunting and beautiful, nostalgic and bittersweet. I would have purchased the book for that story alone.
Then there were stories like The Cat which was fun and humorous, dark humor but humor nonetheless.
Rogers is truly an adept and brilliant writer; his range of storytelling is so broad and this collection really showcases this. Every House is Haunted is horror at it's finest because it's not just traditional horror, it's moody, it's dark, it's paranormal, it's morbidly beautiful.
“But you don't believe in haunted houses, Daniel. Just haunted people.”