Reviews tagging 'Animal cruelty'

A Haunting on the Hill by Elizabeth Hand

2 reviews

themelaniewaite's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

The day I sat down to read this, I read through 70 pages. It’s so easy to get into, and while it felt like a slow start getting to know characters - the eerie factor of the story begins very early on. The atmosphere, the loss (and gain?) of time, the black hare that seems to be following the main character Holly.  

Throughout the story there are so many brilliant callbacks and subtle nods to the original novel woven within, it feels like you’re in on the secrets of the house in how it comes back to life again. It is absolutely clear that the author is a fan of the original novel. 

I read this so fast, I could not put this book down. While some of it felt a little slow, and the storytelling shifted through memories of how the characters were connected, to even switching between first (Holly’s perspective) person to third person (for the others’ scenes/perspectives), it all helped in the overall tone of the story. It all paid off with the climactic few chapters, really bringing the house to life and tying into the original story with a warning of what might happen if anyone else dared to underestimate Hill House. 

The moment I found out about this book, I had to have it and I am so, so glad I gave it a chance. It mirrors that eerie, impending horror that has been building under the surface that the original had, the execution and pay-off were totally worth it, and I have been recommending this book to anyone that enjoyed the original story or enjoy a haunted house plot. I couldn’t stop thinking about this book, eager to get back and read more; even now, after finishing it I can’t stop thinking about it. The hares, the shadows, the voices - that ending! It has definitely left an imprint on me like Shirley Jackson’s original novel, and I think that really says something about the love and dedication that went into creating this story. 

A sequel or continuation is never as good as the original - we know this for many examples - but this is a strong follow-up to the Hill House universe. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pandemic/Epidemic, Suicide, Alcohol, Self harm, Blood, Animal cruelty, Addiction, Bullying, Child abuse, Cursing, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gaslighting, Gore, Infidelity, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Pedophilia, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Car accident, Toxic friendship, Physical abuse, Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, Self harm, Addiction, Animal cruelty, Blood, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual content, Murder, Mental illness, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Infidelity, Pedophilia, Pandemic/Epidemic, Gore, Drug use, Death, and Confinement

Minor: Physical abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Child death, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Pandemic/Epidemic, Pedophilia, Religious bigotry, Self harm, Sexual assault, and Suicide

The characters are pretty complex and have reasonably traumatic background - including grooming, accidental death, suicide of a friend.

amandas_bookshelf's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Gore, Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Blood, Alcoholism, Classism, Grief, Drug abuse, and Infidelity

Moderate: Domestic abuse

Minor: Child death