A review by burningupasun
This House is Haunted by John Boyne

4.0

This was a surprisingly good read! I say suprisingly, because I often don't enjoy books written by men, especially when the main character is a woman. This was pretty well done in that regard. It's one of those books where half the scary factor is the way people of the time treat the character going through the scary things. Because she's a woman, they all doubt her, talk about her being "hysterical," and do the same for all the women in the position before her. It was well done, as was the gothic atmosphere and the actual spooky ghost parts, as well.

I only knocked it a point for a few things I noticed. Mainly the hint of racism present a couple times. (The woman who is the main ghost is from "Spain" and everyone mentions her "dark skin" multiple times. She's considered crazy and no one ever expresses much sympathy for her.) I also wasn't a fan of part of the end:

Spoiler

When Isabella dies and the main character, who frankly never tried to get to know her at all, goes "oh well, she was damaged and probably would never have gotten better, alas she died, better go coddle her brother some more." She was like THIRTEEN YEARS OLD, oy vey.

But those were mostly minor things in the long run and it's definitely a good read if you're looking for something spooky and gothic for Halloween.