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3.35 AVERAGE
3.35 AVERAGE
I won an advanced copy through a Goodreads giveaway and read it as my “Something Scary” book from my local library’s Winter Reading Challenge. I don’t usually read something classified as Horror, but do read True Crime and had read the reviews that some of the book didn’t make sense. Feeling fully prepared, I dove in.
John Darnielle’s writing was very good and I found the stories interesting at times, both combined were not enough to make me rate this above 3 stars. Maybe it was because it wasn’t my typical style/genre, or maybe because I felt there was something still missing within the plot themes, Devil House didn’t quite get to great for me.
John Darnielle’s writing was very good and I found the stories interesting at times, both combined were not enough to make me rate this above 3 stars. Maybe it was because it wasn’t my typical style/genre, or maybe because I felt there was something still missing within the plot themes, Devil House didn’t quite get to great for me.
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Diverse cast of characters:
No
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This book was odd, and I'm not sure if it was odd in a good way. The way the book goes about shifting perspectives is disjunctive and finishing it you're left with a feeling of general confusion. I feel like there's no real clear resolution even though there was definitely an attempt to create resolution.
The writing, however, was stunning, and it really was what kept me around. Darnielle has little tidbits of wisdom for me to put in my pocket throughout the book, and I loved that.
The writing, however, was stunning, and it really was what kept me around. Darnielle has little tidbits of wisdom for me to put in my pocket throughout the book, and I loved that.
dark
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
The narration on the audiobook is ... not great. Kinda wish I had read this one.
3.5 I have a lot of mixed feelings about this one, but I ultimately ended up liking it a lot more than I thought I might.
Had I realized who the author was before picking this up from the library, I never would have checked it out at all. I HATED Universal Harvester - it was maybe one of my worst books of last year. I recognize a lot of the things that I hated about it are still present in this book. The shifting plot and points of view, the unreliable narrator, the flowery writing, and the lack of a true cohesive story with a real ending are all present in Devil House, but I think they do more to actually create a fulfilling reading experience in this book. They read more like ruminations around a central theme, which, while technically disconnected, still feel cohesive as a reading experience if not a traditional story structure.
I think a lot of my reasons for actually enjoying Devil House is the fact that I read it via the audiobook, which is actually read by the author and incorporates original music written by him. Being able to let the words flow over me instead of having to concentrate on taking them in deliberately with my eyes gave me more of the surreal experience I think the author was trying to create, so I was able to relax into it and have a better time.
Overall, I don't know that I would really recommend this onne, or if I would pick up another one, but if you're into Otessa Moshfegh, you'd probably like John Darnielle too. They both have that kind of, "what the fuck am I reading? Is any of the ever going to actually mean anything?" kind of thing going on.
Had I realized who the author was before picking this up from the library, I never would have checked it out at all. I HATED Universal Harvester - it was maybe one of my worst books of last year. I recognize a lot of the things that I hated about it are still present in this book. The shifting plot and points of view, the unreliable narrator, the flowery writing, and the lack of a true cohesive story with a real ending are all present in Devil House, but I think they do more to actually create a fulfilling reading experience in this book. They read more like ruminations around a central theme, which, while technically disconnected, still feel cohesive as a reading experience if not a traditional story structure.
I think a lot of my reasons for actually enjoying Devil House is the fact that I read it via the audiobook, which is actually read by the author and incorporates original music written by him. Being able to let the words flow over me instead of having to concentrate on taking them in deliberately with my eyes gave me more of the surreal experience I think the author was trying to create, so I was able to relax into it and have a better time.
Overall, I don't know that I would really recommend this onne, or if I would pick up another one, but if you're into Otessa Moshfegh, you'd probably like John Darnielle too. They both have that kind of, "what the fuck am I reading? Is any of the ever going to actually mean anything?" kind of thing going on.
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I'm not sure what to think of this book. The gripes I had with it in the first sections from author Gage Chandler's perspective (chiefly, that he went on and on about his investigative process) felt justified by the final section. What I thought the book would be about, a true crime writer who immersed himself too deeply into a case, turned out to be the jumping-off point for ethical questions around how we tell stories, who they serve, and what happens to those who are written about. This is a richly plotted and intellectual book that also serves horror. More for me to unpack as I continue to process.
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
It occurred to me about 300 pages in that there wasn’t really a plot, it was just convoluted. By that time I was too far in and just finished it.