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christine_renaud's review against another edition
dark
medium-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
2.25
Very slow first half followed by second half events that seemed sudden and unmotivated
greyreads's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-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? Yes
3.5
unboxedjack's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
jenhurst's review against another edition
2.0
I’m not sure if my issue was the translation or the actual story. I did not like the writing and could not connect with the characters at all. so I just found myself not caring. Their was a blurb saying I’d be scared of elevators after and I was just left feeling lukewarm and thinking these people need a more creative name than cookie for their dog.
I’m also not sure why they made an aside that western cultures are more inclined to by home overlooking a graveyard. Maybe in Europe, but in Canada the graveyards are on the outskirts of cities so you don’t have to see them. We’ve also got enough stories like poltergeist to make people weary about living on a graveyard. I would avoid a house anywhere near a graveyard at all costs.
I’m also not sure why they made an aside that western cultures are more inclined to by home overlooking a graveyard. Maybe in Europe, but in Canada the graveyards are on the outskirts of cities so you don’t have to see them. We’ve also got enough stories like poltergeist to make people weary about living on a graveyard. I would avoid a house anywhere near a graveyard at all costs.
honnari_hannya's review against another edition
2.0
3.5 stars
As a huge fan of Japanese horror movies, I wanted to delve a little bit more into novels in this genre. This wasn't quite as scary as I wanted it to be—but overall, it did a fairly good job at raising the tension after each escalating incident with the monster in the basement apartment. I do wish we had a little bit more detail as to what, exactly, was the root cause of the haunting aside from just "evil spirits from the graveyard whose rest was disturbed." There is a lot of ambiguity in the nature of the haunting itself, as well—especially when the family ends up trapped inside the apartment building with no way out.
Has to be docked down to 3, because there were just so many stupid choices made. The reactions of the characters felt understated to the point where it became comical, especially since there is a young child involved in this equation. One would think that the parents would have a little more common sense than to repeatedly bring their daughter back to this apartment.
A few interesting plot threads related to the haunting also got dropped—including the spirit of the first wife visiting the husband in a dream, the visitations from the bird, and such. The scariest thing here is probably the creeping sense of dread as the family runs out of food and water, trapped in the heat of their apartment, rather than the actual haunting itself. Effective in that sense, but not exactly the scare I was looking for.
As a huge fan of Japanese horror movies, I wanted to delve a little bit more into novels in this genre. This wasn't quite as scary as I wanted it to be—but overall, it did a fairly good job at raising the tension after each escalating incident with the monster in the basement apartment. I do wish we had a little bit more detail as to what, exactly, was the root cause of the haunting aside from just "evil spirits from the graveyard whose rest was disturbed." There is a lot of ambiguity in the nature of the haunting itself, as well—especially when the family ends up trapped inside the apartment building with no way out.
Has to be docked down to 3, because there were just so many stupid choices made. The reactions of the characters felt understated to the point where it became comical, especially since there is a young child involved in this equation. One would think that the parents would have a little more common sense than to repeatedly bring their daughter back to this apartment.
A few interesting plot threads related to the haunting also got dropped—including the spirit of the first wife visiting the husband in a dream, the visitations from the bird, and such. The scariest thing here is probably the creeping sense of dread as the family runs out of food and water, trapped in the heat of their apartment, rather than the actual haunting itself. Effective in that sense, but not exactly the scare I was looking for.
chelseatm's review against another edition
1.0
I really had high hopes for this book but with the vague ending, confusing plot, and random, unimportant details, it was too disappointing.
Truthfully it was too frustrating and I wouldn't recommend it.
Truthfully it was too frustrating and I wouldn't recommend it.
autocorrecttodemons's review against another edition
dark
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
omskivar's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
kbrsuperstar's review
dark
tense
medium-paced
2.5
A lot of genuinely creepy buildup that does NOT pay off in the end.
shmayjoy's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
3.0
A great book about a family's hopeful move to a thrice-spooky luxury apartment building to pass the time of a long and exhausting move back to your mom's. Some really interesting haunting themes and how quickly the building itself and its not so living inhabitants effect their small community of living victims.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Classism, Animal death, Infidelity, Alcoholism, Blood, Bullying, Death, Grief, Mental illness, and Suicide
Minor: Body horror, Car accident, Child death, Cursing, Injury/Injury detail, Panic attacks/disorders, and Vomit