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kingsteph's review
challenging
dark
informative
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Colonisation, and Classism
Moderate: Animal death, Body horror, Emotional abuse, Racism, Suicide, Car accident, and Death of parent
shadow_cat94's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
This book is focused on the generational trauma and displacement caused from colonization in Vietnam shown through a single family and the house they're rebuilding over a summer.
The main character, Jade, is struggling with feelings of abandonment by her estranged father and coming out to her family as bisexual. These manifest in fights with her father and a new potential friend, Florence, at every opportunity. Her sister, Lily, is forced to be the peacekeeper as she wants to have her father back in not only her life, but everyone's life again.
I found the flash stories written from the house's POV endearing. The story overall felt like it fell flat in the ending for me. I didn't like the final interaction between Jade and Ba, it left a bad taste in my mouth. The way the sisters never talked it out or talked anything out, yet had this perfect relationship prior to going into that house seemed off to me as well. I loved the mom. She was written consistently enough and often enough that I was satisfied with her part in the ending,it didn'tfeel like a deus ex machina.
The main character, Jade, is struggling with feelings of abandonment by her estranged father and coming out to her family as bisexual. These manifest in fights with her father and a new potential friend, Florence, at every opportunity. Her sister, Lily, is forced to be the peacekeeper as she wants to have her father back in not only her life, but everyone's life again.
I found the flash stories written from the house's POV endearing. The story overall felt like it fell flat in the ending for me. I didn't like the final interaction between Jade and Ba, it left a bad taste in my mouth. The way the sisters never talked it out or talked anything out, yet had this perfect relationship prior to going into that house seemed off to me as well. I loved the mom. She was written consistently enough and often enough that I was satisfied with her part in the ending,
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Suicide, Death of parent, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Physical abuse, Blood, Medical content, Toxic friendship, Colonisation, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Sexual content, Car accident, Abandonment, and Alcohol
There is a death by burning in this story along with other types of deaths. They're not in graphic detail, but you are "present" with the MC when it happens for the most part.unremi's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Full review on Goodreads @Brenna TeKippe!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcoholism, Cursing, Suicide, Violence, Vomit, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder, and Colonisation
lunitareads's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-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
5.0
At its core, the story reminds us of the remnants of French colonization in Vietnam. The house, a relic of colonial power, symbolizes how the past keeps its grip on the present through haunted rooms & the cultural scars left behind. Jade feels the pressure of this history as she struggles with her identity. She doesn't feel "Vietnamese enough" when she's in Vietnam & doesn't feel "American enough" when she's in the U.S. Not only is she grasping that identity dilemma, but also about her sexuality. It's like being stuck between worlds, much like the spirits in the house.
Body parts serve as interludes, keeping suspense. Food plays a magical role; it's not just about meals but links to her culture. Traditional Vietnamese dishes carry warmth and a strange fear, reflecting the spirit's hunger and the hunger for belonging that Jade herself feels. Ugh... but you smell, at times, the rot and feel the parasites crawl.
This book is perfect if you love ghost stories with deep meaning, creepy, eerie atmospheres, and the idea of belonging to more than one world.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Emotional abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Violence, Grief, Abandonment, and Colonisation
Moderate: Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Xenophobia, Blood, Gaslighting, and Classism
Minor: Suicide, Car accident, Fire/Fire injury, and Alcohol
alavenderlibrary's review
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
This book is for the first & second generation children, oldest born daughters, daughters with complicated relationships with their fathers, burntout overachievers, and anyone who has ever questioned the validity of their identity. Whether that be race, sexuality, or anything else for that matter.
Jade is a Vietnamese American girl who just wants to escape the shame that has followed her around since even before her father left. All she has to do is survive five weeks in the French colonial house her Ba is restoring— playing the happy, helpful daughter—and he'll give her the money she needs to cover what her college scholarship won't.
But the house is alive. And it eats, it thrums, and infects, and Jade is begining to realize that something—someone doesn't want her to leave. And that if she isn't careful, she won't want to leave either.
I really loved this book! It was hard for me to get into at first, since I don't particularly like first person perspective that much, but the story and it's elements drew me in so well. Bugs and rotting food play a huge part in the horror of this story, especially the idea of parasites—which I wasn't expecting but really enjoyed the inclusion.
I also appreciated the focus on colonialism and it's effects, told through the haunting and anthropomorphism of the house, Nhà Hoa. Part of the book is focused on the dead French matriarch, who hated the Vietnamese people and is a ma đói: hungry ghost. But as Jade learns more through the memories of another Vietnamese girl who died there, the house is ultimately the one in control and wants to be full of people forever, no matter how it happens.
I did find a lot of similarities between Jade and myself, so I connected a lot more with this book and that's why it was such a great read for me. The only reason it doesn't quite get 5 stars for me is because I really did not like that writing style of first person and her inner monologues for majority of the book. But the author's prose and story really made up for it.
Jade is a Vietnamese American girl who just wants to escape the shame that has followed her around since even before her father left. All she has to do is survive five weeks in the French colonial house her Ba is restoring— playing the happy, helpful daughter—and he'll give her the money she needs to cover what her college scholarship won't.
But the house is alive. And it eats, it thrums, and infects, and Jade is begining to realize that something—someone doesn't want her to leave. And that if she isn't careful, she won't want to leave either.
I really loved this book! It was hard for me to get into at first, since I don't particularly like first person perspective that much, but the story and it's elements drew me in so well. Bugs and rotting food play a huge part in the horror of this story, especially the idea of parasites—which I wasn't expecting but really enjoyed the inclusion.
I also appreciated the focus on colonialism and it's effects, told through the haunting and anthropomorphism of the house, Nhà Hoa. Part of the book is focused on the dead French matriarch, who hated the Vietnamese people and is a ma đói: hungry ghost. But as Jade learns more through the memories of another Vietnamese girl who died there, the house is ultimately the one in control and wants to be full of people forever, no matter how it happens.
I did find a lot of similarities between Jade and myself, so I connected a lot more with this book and that's why it was such a great read for me. The only reason it doesn't quite get 5 stars for me is because I really did not like that writing style of first person and her inner monologues for majority of the book. But the author's prose and story really made up for it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Emotional abuse, Gore, Xenophobia, Blood, Abandonment, and Colonisation
Moderate: Genocide, Homophobia, Death of parent, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Alcoholism, Suicide, and Violence
ferdireads's review
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
well...what to say abt this one...? *sigh*
the plot was very slow to build, and a lot of situations kept getting hashed out but never resolved. the issues jade started with never get resolved or discussed, so there's no satisfaction there. at one point of the story, it felt like the plot was starting to deviate from what was intended and it just felt really odd. a lot of scenes also felt very out of place, and like a mishmash of ideas. so much was just not clicking; adding onto that the slow pace and buildup, the book starts to disinterest you halfway through.
trang thanh tran did an amazing job with the gothic horror elements of the story, and using bugs/spiders and other creepy crawlers, and parasites, to push the horror aspects was absolutely genius. even if you're someone who isn't squeamish or afraid of these things, reading certain scenes will absolutely make you dry-heave a little and cringe is disgust and fear. im already horribly afraid of all those things, so you can guess how i felt lol.
either way, it was a good gothic horror that utilizes vietnamese cultural elements perfectly, but a lot of it falls flat very fast and jade's poor character development definitely doesn't make things any better. the ending also felt pretty unsatisfying :/. idk if this was the author's debut novel, but it certainly felt like it was.
(one thing im very glad abt tho is that jade is bisexual :') there's very little bi rep out there, so it's very nice to see it)
the plot was very slow to build, and a lot of situations kept getting hashed out but never resolved. the issues jade started with never get resolved or discussed, so there's no satisfaction there. at one point of the story, it felt like the plot was starting to deviate from what was intended and it just felt really odd. a lot of scenes also felt very out of place, and like a mishmash of ideas. so much was just not clicking; adding onto that the slow pace and buildup, the book starts to disinterest you halfway through.
trang thanh tran did an amazing job with the gothic horror elements of the story, and using bugs/spiders and other creepy crawlers, and parasites, to push the horror aspects was absolutely genius. even if you're someone who isn't squeamish or afraid of these things, reading certain scenes will absolutely make you dry-heave a little and cringe is disgust and fear. im already horribly afraid of all those things, so you can guess how i felt lol.
either way, it was a good gothic horror that utilizes vietnamese cultural elements perfectly, but a lot of it falls flat very fast and jade's poor character development definitely doesn't make things any better. the ending also felt pretty unsatisfying :/. idk if this was the author's debut novel, but it certainly felt like it was.
(one thing im very glad abt tho is that jade is bisexual :') there's very little bi rep out there, so it's very nice to see it)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Racism, Suicide, Violence, Suicide attempt, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, and Colonisation
Minor: Alcoholism and Car accident
elysianbud's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This made me cry several times. The characters are complicated people which I loved, especially the depths of Jade and her father.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Biphobia, Body horror, Death, Gore, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Colonisation, and Injury/Injury detail
guessgreenleaf's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, and Colonisation
Minor: Alcoholism, Suicide, Violence, Grief, Car accident, and Murder
honeybeewitched87's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-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
3.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cursing, Death, Racism, Suicide, Violence, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Cultural appropriation, Gaslighting, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Bullying and Fire/Fire injury
awesome_archaeology's review against another edition
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Described as one of the most anticipated must read books of 2023, She Is a Haunting is emotionally beautiful, thought provoking, and spell-binding. The imagery and plot combine to be subtly frightening in some scenes and outright horrifying in others. I would highly recommend this book to fans of The Shining by Stephen King, The Troop by Nick Cutter, and Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia. I would also recommend that readers sleep with their lights on after reading it.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Homophobia, Racism, Suicide, Death of parent, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Car accident