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nrogers_1030's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Graphic: Cancer, Fire/Fire injury, Miscarriage, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, and Mental illness
Moderate: Suicide, Medical content, and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Child death and Domestic abuse
sunshinestark's review
4.0
Graphic: Miscarriage, Confinement, Death, Cancer, Grief, Mental illness, Terminal illness, Child death, Death of parent, Infidelity, Murder, and Suicide attempt
bookishcookiemonster's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
0.5
For a book that is supposed to be in the horror/thriller genres it is SO SLOW and barely has any actual action or horror in it.
The plot meanders. There are so many scenes that don't add to the main story.
There were so many times I wanted to put it down but it just has so much POTENTIAL. I kept hoping it would pick up the pace and become exciting but it never does.
I'm upset because I really, really wanted to like this book. It could have been so scary and exciting. There were moments, especially with the
A plot that had the potential to be so good, but was the most boring horror novel I've ever read.
Graphic: Vomit, Violence, Fire/Fire injury, Death of parent, Misogyny, Self harm, Blood, Torture, Mental illness, Injury/Injury detail, Infidelity, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Suicide attempt, Cancer, Confinement, Kidnapping, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic friendship, Miscarriage, Chronic illness, Car accident, Animal death, Death, Domestic abuse, Grief, Gun violence, Murder, and Child death
raen99's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Medical content, Miscarriage, and Grief
Moderate: Death of parent, Child death, Drug use, Addiction, and Cancer
danaslitlist's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
Let's start with the positive aspects, for which there are many which may be surprising giving my low rating.
From the beginning of Beneath the Stairs I was hoping for a honest and true horror thriller. The overall premise sounded very much like something that would be a great fit for me: a desolate house in the middle of the woods, childhood friendships fading over time until a crisis demands a reunion, an unsolved mystery regarding the house's dark history, and more. And boy did Jennifer Fawcett deliver. I made notes as I read; one detailing how much I admired her decision to incorporate additional character's backstories to detail the history and secrets of the Octagon House such as Mrs. Jansen as well as Bill. I noted how well the flashbacks improved the reading experience and painted great parallels between Clare back then and Clare now.
The tension throughout is also very effective and there were many times were the hair on the back of my neck stood up or I felt a tingle run through my body. The moments we're in the Octagon House itself are some of the most chilling and intriguing sections. In my opinion this speaks volumes to Jennifer Fawcett's ability as a thriller writer to create such a realistic atmosphere that even someone who might be skeptical of the supernatural would feel as if there was a real threat. Even if you were to remove the haunting atmosphere there is a sense of foreboding and dread woven into the more mundane aspects of the character's lives.
Now, onto the reason behind why this book is not rated higher despite the fact that I enjoyed so much of it.
The last twenty or so pages really felt like the author wasn't sure what she wanted to do with the story she had so far written out or alternatively, that she had an idea of what she wanted and was going to do what she needed to in order to get that ending. There are also several story lines that are introduced that were not given a proper conclusion to. Not even the resolution for the main subject felt good enough. It didn't feel solid enough in the decision to make the story a supernatural horror. I'm not one who particularly enjoys ambiguous endings to supernatural stories especially when so much of the plot revolves around the characters discovering what the truth is. There was too much left up to the reader to decide, but also contradicted what Clare (our main character) had previously stated, and left me feeling confused. While I believe there is a happy medium where an author can leave some questions unanswered or allow for a reader's interpretation, I don't think that it worked here. And ultimately it ruined the ending of the book for me enough that I felt frustrated that I had invested as much time as I had into the story.
This is such a conflicting review, and happens to be the longest I've written in recent memory, because I was having such a great time reading Beneath the Stairs! But ultimately it was that the last four percent of a novel ruined all the build up and suspense for me. If you don't mind being left with unanswered questions or an ambiguous ending, I would say most definitely pick up this book. If you're looking for a fast paced story with great atmosphere, I recommend it.
I think Jennifer Fawcett has a bright future as a thriller author, this just wasn't for me and unfortunately I think I'm going to be bitter about the conclusion for quite some time.
Graphic: Mental illness, Miscarriage, Suicide attempt, and Murder
Moderate: Cancer, Death of parent, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Drug use, Sexual content, and Alcohol
fungivibes's review against another edition
2.0
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Suicide attempt, Drug abuse, Miscarriage, and Ableism
Moderate: Cancer
jerusha's review against another edition
3.5
Moderate: Child death, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Physical abuse, Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders, Cancer, Chronic illness, Medical content, Mental illness, Confinement, and Death of parent
dalmavatai's review
1.0
Graphic: Death, Chronic illness, Death of parent, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Cancer, Child death, and Murder
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts
ohhthehorrors's review against another edition
3.0
Graphic: Child death, Blood, Cancer, Mental illness, Pregnancy, Self harm, Suicide, Toxic friendship, Death, Infidelity, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Miscarriage, Murder, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt
savvyrosereads's review against another edition
4.0
Rating: 4/5 stars
Beneath The Stairs is a horror/mystery centered on Clare, a young woman who returns home when her childhood best friend attempts suicide in the local haunted house—a place that played an important role in their adolescence and is now threatening the lives and minds of more than one person…including Clare herself.
Let me start by saying this book is GENUINELY creepy. I’m not usually scared by books, but I kept finding myself reading this one late at night and needing to turn the lights on. Overall, I loved the vibe and love when a horror novel can actually live up to its promise of eeriness, so even if that was all this book had to offer (it’s not) I’d be impressed.
In terms of the plot, I found it a little too straightforward in parts and would have liked a bit more mystery/surprise in the ending. But I was pulled in by the characters and found the story (particularly the history of the house and flashbacks to past timelines) gripping for the most part. It also gave me Haunting of Hill House vibes (both the novella and the show) that I REALLY appreciated. In short, a super solid debut you should check out—I’ll be eagerly anticipating whatever Fawcett does next!
Recommended for anyone, but especially those who like: horror literature; ghost stories; Haunting of Hill House.
CW: Suicide/self-harm; mental illness; death of a parent; pregnancy/miscarriage; death of a child; violence; murder; abandonment.
Graphic: Mental illness, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, Self harm, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Child death, Confinement, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Murder, and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Abandonment, Cancer, Terminal illness, and Violence