sydneyjacques's review against another edition
2.0
Read this in one day, and it seems like I do not have the popular opinion when it comes to this book. I didn't hate it by any means, I actually enjoyed it. But I had heard so many reviews saying that this book is a masterpiece and also that it's scary, and those were the two things which drew me to read it. For me, it didn't quite deliver. I thought the formatting of this book was bold and I appreciated it (in that sense, it reminded me of The Book Thief), but it didn't blow me away, and it wasn't in the least scary. I found the style hard to get through for more than the first half. The academic outlook on The Navidson Record put a lot of distance between the characters and me, which kept me from really caring about any of them.
There were ideas here that I found intriguing, especially the parallels between the House and Daedalus' labyrinth.
Another thing worth mentioning is that this book had a lot more adult content than I was expecting, which I'd definitely want to make sure readers are aware of before going into this one.
There were ideas here that I found intriguing, especially the parallels between the House and Daedalus' labyrinth.
Another thing worth mentioning is that this book had a lot more adult content than I was expecting, which I'd definitely want to make sure readers are aware of before going into this one.
lizardlies's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
lightseeker's review against another edition
Needs more attention than I can give it now, will try again another time
flabslacey's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
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? Yes
5.0
cryo_guy's review against another edition
5.0
House of Leaves is an amazing book. I had heard people describe it as a few different things--a satire of academic writing, a love story, a horror story, a postmodern novel--and it seems to me that the book really fulfills all those roles. And there are so many stylistic variances that correspond to each section of the book.
I thought it was enjoyable to read. At times the book reads like poetry, at others dry academic analysis, and at even others like horror. And then, because it changed back and forth so much, I found myself searching for small details hidden in font changes or word choice.
I think, too, it has a lot to say about isolation and obsession. Really, there isn't a corner of the human psyche that the book doesn't approach. It gets a bit tedious at times, but never for long. The all-consumingness of the house and the book and the various ways it was manifested was probably my favorite theme.
Would recommend!
I thought it was enjoyable to read. At times the book reads like poetry, at others dry academic analysis, and at even others like horror. And then, because it changed back and forth so much, I found myself searching for small details hidden in font changes or word choice.
I think, too, it has a lot to say about isolation and obsession. Really, there isn't a corner of the human psyche that the book doesn't approach. It gets a bit tedious at times, but never for long. The all-consumingness of the house and the book and the various ways it was manifested was probably my favorite theme.
Would recommend!
aguywhopatsdogs's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
While I enjoyed the footnotes, multiple authors, and unconventional format at first, it got old. What felt new and exciting at the beginning, felt like a gimmick towards the middle and end. Truant was interesting at first, but the more I read, the less I liked him, and by the end I wanted no part of what he had to say. I also get that the Zampano/Textbook portions are there as critique of that culture, but it's still really, really boring to read, and there's a ton of it. My favorite part was when we're with Navidson and the House . That was engaging, and I was invested in the characters (until a footnote going into one of Johnny Truant's gratuitous sexual escapades ground the story to a halt.)
The "fun" of this book is that it's a labyrinth in itself, and requires the reader to be fully invested in figuring out what is happening. I've heard you get more out of this book the more you put in, but I was left unsatisfied (personally) with what I got out of it. I flipped to the footnotes/appendices, went back and reread sections, "deciphered" (or looked up) a code here and there, but ultimately what I got did not enhance the experience.
This book almost entirely rests on whether or not you're willing to engage on a "meta" level. If that sounds fun to you, I actually think you're going to LOVE this book. It's chock full of that. There are whole websites, forums, and subreddits dedicated to figuring out what is actually going on. A person could spend hours diving into all that, and I'm sure that's a part of why this book is as beloved as it is. I personally wasn't able to connect with it on that level. It's a bit of a bummer, but it is what it is. The first line in this book is "This is not for you," and that was true for me.
The "fun" of this book is that it's a labyrinth in itself, and requires the reader to be fully invested in figuring out what is happening. I've heard you get more out of this book the more you put in, but I was left unsatisfied (personally) with what I got out of it. I flipped to the footnotes/appendices, went back and reread sections, "deciphered" (or looked up) a code here and there, but ultimately what I got did not enhance the experience.
This book almost entirely rests on whether or not you're willing to engage on a "meta" level. If that sounds fun to you, I actually think you're going to LOVE this book. It's chock full of that. There are whole websites, forums, and subreddits dedicated to figuring out what is actually going on. A person could spend hours diving into all that, and I'm sure that's a part of why this book is as beloved as it is. I personally wasn't able to connect with it on that level. It's a bit of a bummer, but it is what it is. The first line in this book is "This is not for you," and that was true for me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Minor: Sexual assault
sarahdiedrich's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
allyyyson's review against another edition
cannot put into words how much i hated this book without even finishing it. hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate