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4.07 AVERAGE
4.07 AVERAGE
dark
inspiring
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
dark
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Drug use, Sexual assault, Suicide, Murder
Wow wow wow!
I’m so happy to have been recommended this backlist book to read, as it was like no other I have read before.
Angela, lost her 16yo son Corey, two years ago in her Grandmeres house where she grew up. She is now summoned back to return to make the decision if she should sell the house.
She and her famous client/friend return and strange things begin to happen. Her friend loses her dog and is now convinced the house is not a good house at all.
The story is mostly told from the present pov, but it’s intertwined with what happened in the few weeks of Corey’s death also. Plus Grand Marie’s voice is heard also as she speaks of vodou and evil and good spirits.
I would have given this book 5 stars, however the first part was so long and it dragged. It could have been at least 200 pages shorter.
Read this if you love paranormal stories, voodoo, magic, suspense, death and spirits.
*Note: they did have a reference to a “red sauce” and they called it Gumbo. Please know that is NOT an authentic Gumbo! If you want to know what an authentic Cajun/Creole Gumbo is…please ask me (my family was one of the first French Acadians to settle in south Louisiana) or someone else who is Acadian*
I’m so happy to have been recommended this backlist book to read, as it was like no other I have read before.
Angela, lost her 16yo son Corey, two years ago in her Grandmeres house where she grew up. She is now summoned back to return to make the decision if she should sell the house.
She and her famous client/friend return and strange things begin to happen. Her friend loses her dog and is now convinced the house is not a good house at all.
The story is mostly told from the present pov, but it’s intertwined with what happened in the few weeks of Corey’s death also. Plus Grand Marie’s voice is heard also as she speaks of vodou and evil and good spirits.
I would have given this book 5 stars, however the first part was so long and it dragged. It could have been at least 200 pages shorter.
Read this if you love paranormal stories, voodoo, magic, suspense, death and spirits.
*Note: they did have a reference to a “red sauce” and they called it Gumbo. Please know that is NOT an authentic Gumbo! If you want to know what an authentic Cajun/Creole Gumbo is…please ask me (my family was one of the first French Acadians to settle in south Louisiana) or someone else who is Acadian*
Yes, this could have used some stronger editing. I won’t deny that. But this is the book that should have moved Tananarive Due into the mainstream zeitgeist. Horror is a genre that doesn’t get the critical acclaim it often deserves and that’s only compounded when you are a or POC. 2003 should have been her breakout year, but I’m glad The Reformatory brought more readers her way in 2023. This book casts a spell on you. A family saga, an exploration of grief, and a creeping horror. Loved it.
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
If it had been edited down, maybe included less characters, i would have enjoyed this more but it still was an amazing read. Just drawn out longer than felt necessary.
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death