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kthealey's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
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? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Classism, Child death, Violence, Blood, Child abuse, Toxic relationship, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Gore, Emotional abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, and Grief
Moderate: Drug abuse
Minor: Sexism, Vomit, and Xenophobia
alicroz34's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Favourite line: Jesse has a fear of consequences whose constant presence at the periphery of his consciousness is a sort of tribute to his father.
Well written! The first half or so really had me. Definitely not what I expected despite being warned it's not a horror book - but it's also not really a crime novel either in a way. It more... explores what crime media is without delivering on the crime aspect. The fourth time we were suddenly in the perspective of a peripheral character, later & later in the book, I really became impatient waiting for the answers that never caaaaame. This is the second book in the last year that has some almost fourth-wall-breaking commentary from the author on their own work. In the last few pages of the book, we read his account of a true crime novel that is not routed in fact, that has no momentum, and leaves the reader feeling unsatisfied. So, I know he knows he made that. But I still feel that way.
Well written! The first half or so really had me. Definitely not what I expected despite being warned it's not a horror book - but it's also not really a crime novel either in a way. It more... explores what crime media is without delivering on the crime aspect. The fourth time we were suddenly in the perspective of a peripheral character, later & later in the book, I really became impatient waiting for the answers that never caaaaame. This is the second book in the last year that has some almost fourth-wall-breaking commentary from the author on their own work. In the last few pages of the book, we read his account of a true crime novel that is not routed in fact, that has no momentum, and leaves the reader feeling unsatisfied. So, I know he knows he made that. But I still feel that way.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Murder, Emotional abuse, Violence, Death, Physical abuse, Injury/Injury detail, and Vomit
Moderate: Child abuse
farrahsoa's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Good theme, underwhelming execution.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Violence, and Vomit
Moderate: Death
emc13's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore
Minor: Vomit
cviii's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Child death, Domestic abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Vomit, Blood, Murder, Body horror, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Alcohol, Child abuse, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Violence, Physical abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, and Homophobia
julianship's review against another edition
DNF at 42% of the audiobook. I was hoping this book would solve some of the problems I had with Universal Harvester while retaining the evocative moments I enjoyed, but while the structure feels more cohesive, I just didn't like this book!
The first section is interesting, and Gage Chandler's ominous omniscience is an engaging way to tell a story that is partly about storytelling itself, and the ways that stories change based on who tells them. Not groundbreaking, but something I always enjoy.
But once we get to the segments on the White Witch and Derek, the characters move through the book too smoothly, slipping past each other without real emotional impact beyond violence. There's no relationship meat here, just description after description of location and brutality. Those descriptions are evocative, but they're not enough for me to stick around and see it through.
Also, this book needed to not have, inexplicably, sections in 1st, 2nd, AND 3rd person, which in the right hands could be interesting but here felt heavy-handed. Based on what I've read about the book, it seems the prose gets even more experimental later. Going off the beginning, I'm not sure that's going to be successful.
I really like Darnielle as a lyricist, and I'd like to see what he does in short story formats. But I don't think he has the stamina for longer fiction at this point - and that's fine! He's spent 30 years developing a masterful ability to bring a story to life in about 3-4 minutes. It's the 300 pages that create the issue.
The first section is interesting, and Gage Chandler's ominous omniscience is an engaging way to tell a story that is partly about storytelling itself, and the ways that stories change based on who tells them. Not groundbreaking, but something I always enjoy.
But once we get to the segments on the White Witch and Derek, the characters move through the book too smoothly, slipping past each other without real emotional impact beyond violence. There's no relationship meat here, just description after description of location and brutality. Those descriptions are evocative, but they're not enough for me to stick around and see it through.
Also, this book needed to not have, inexplicably, sections in 1st, 2nd, AND 3rd person, which in the right hands could be interesting but here felt heavy-handed. Based on what I've read about the book, it seems the prose gets even more experimental later. Going off the beginning, I'm not sure that's going to be successful.
I really like Darnielle as a lyricist, and I'd like to see what he does in short story formats. But I don't think he has the stamina for longer fiction at this point - and that's fine! He's spent 30 years developing a masterful ability to bring a story to life in about 3-4 minutes. It's the 300 pages that create the issue.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Gore, Murder, and Vomit
mangofandango's review against another edition
challenging
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
2.75
Well written, but not what I thought it would be. It's not really a haunted house story, which is what I expected going in. It's actually about an author's writing process, and the individual stories of some people involved in the story he's writing. It's very weird! And objectively well done, but I didn't enjoy it. It should be noted that there is a pretty graphic murder/aftermath scene.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Vomit, and Murder
wrensreadingroom's review against another edition
Incredibly dull and keeps jumping between 3 different stories
Content Warnings
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Death, Alcohol, Body horror, Bullying, Cursing, Murder, Vomit, Alcoholism, Blood, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Gore, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Police brutality, and Violence
whatellisreadnext's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘣𝘰𝘥𝘺 𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘴 𝘢 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭 𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘪𝘵? 𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺; 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘳; 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦?
We follow Chandler, a true crime writer, who has just started his latest project, moving into a house that the locals call 'The Devil House'.
I may sound like a broken record if you follow my stories, but the first thing I want to say about this book is that it isn't a haunted house novel, and I'm so glad I knew this going into it initially. This is a study on true crime and how it affects the people left behind.
I personally thought this was brilliant, it was weird and messed up and surprisingly emotional towards the end. It went to so many places I didn't think it would, and I found myself so engrossed in this story even though whilst reading I wasn't entirely sure it had a point, I just enjoyed being in it. And when it came to the ending, I felt full on bamboozled in the best way.
The only reason this didn't get a 5 star rating was because it took a lot of brain power at times and was pretty dense writing wise. It just didn't have that effortless 5 star feeling, but it came pretty damn close. I think if you enjoy all things macabre, you'll definitely enjoy Devil House.
Thanks so much to @scribe_uk for the gifted copy!
We follow Chandler, a true crime writer, who has just started his latest project, moving into a house that the locals call 'The Devil House'.
I may sound like a broken record if you follow my stories, but the first thing I want to say about this book is that it isn't a haunted house novel, and I'm so glad I knew this going into it initially. This is a study on true crime and how it affects the people left behind.
I personally thought this was brilliant, it was weird and messed up and surprisingly emotional towards the end. It went to so many places I didn't think it would, and I found myself so engrossed in this story even though whilst reading I wasn't entirely sure it had a point, I just enjoyed being in it. And when it came to the ending, I felt full on bamboozled in the best way.
The only reason this didn't get a 5 star rating was because it took a lot of brain power at times and was pretty dense writing wise. It just didn't have that effortless 5 star feeling, but it came pretty damn close. I think if you enjoy all things macabre, you'll definitely enjoy Devil House.
Thanks so much to @scribe_uk for the gifted copy!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Vomit, Murder, and Blood
wrestleacademic's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Blood, Toxic friendship, Violence, Child death, Murder, and Addiction
Moderate: Torture, Alcohol, and Alcoholism
Minor: Vomit