Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.57 AVERAGE
3.57 AVERAGE
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
slow-paced
The beginning was slow, it started to pick up and get really interesting but the ending felt flat. It left a lot unanswered which I understand why some of that would happen, but it was almost too much unanswered to make it really enjoyable. I understand that cult leaders are able to make people trust them unquestionably but for some, it seemed like that trust happened way too fast and we weren't given enough detail to understand how or why.
Lucas had like four weeks right? How did Virginia get sucked in so willingly in such a short amount of time with nothing to persuade her other than the ghosts/energy of the house? Echo wasn't around for THAT long. Why didn't Maggie drink with the rest of the group, but instead waited a few weeks after the event? So much build up for that ending is just a let down.
That's why I'm only giving it 2.5... it wasn't terrible and I was enjoying the spookiness of everything but so much build up for how it ended was disappointing and I don't know that I'd really recommend this to anyone.
That's why I'm only giving it 2.5... it wasn't terrible and I was enjoying the spookiness of everything but so much build up for how it ended was disappointing and I don't know that I'd really recommend this to anyone.
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
This was a good ghost story, but at times it seemed to run just a tad long. Still in all, it was an interesting story and makes me want to read more from the author.
You know, this is the second book I've read within the past week which has a summery of "Down on his luck author in a rocky marriage relocates his dysfunctional family to a creepy murder site. Shenanigans follow." Is this a thing, now? A trope?
Whether or not this is a trend or coincidence or a blindingly obvious effect of me using the 'Recommendations' tab on Goodreads, I will say that Within These Walls is the vastly superior of the two I recently read (the other being House of Echoes). Speaking of obvious parallels, I feel it must be said that at least by way of synopsis, Within These Walls seems to pull pretty hard from the horror movie "Sinister". In both, your protagonist is a true crime novelist struggling with a midlife crisis, financial and familial woes. He moves his family to a creepy and isolated new home which was the sight of a gristly murder, to write a novel which will revive the author's stagnant career. But of course, the author doesn't tell the family they're being moved into an infamous murder site, because apparently nobody else in the household thinks to pop the address into zillow or google before moving in. After moving into the new home, as 2 spoopy 4 me stuff begins to slowly happen, the author struggles to maintain and/or repair the bonds with his family while struggling to explain away the ghostly activity around him, obsessively researching for the new book. Both the movie and the book even have their author character gaining a charmingly podunk cop buddy side character to aid in research.
Now...this isn't to say that WtW is a copycat of Sinister. It's not. But hey, there's similarities which I am willing to forgive or at least shrug off because I enjoyed both the movie and this book.
The book opens with Lucas Graham, the above mentioned down on his luck true crime writer, getting a mysterious letter from imprisoned, enigmatic Charlie Manson like cult leader Jeffery Halcomb. Jeff has never spoken openly about his involvement in the ritualistic murders of nine people, and in his letter he offers to give Lucas the exclusive, inside scoop provided Lucas move into the house where the murders took place, and do so within a four week deadline. Before the imprisoned cultist comes into his life, Lucas's life is basically crumbling around his ears: His career is stalled, his wife is cheating on him and his twelve year old daughter has turned into a sullen Hot Topic babybat. To write a book about the murders would be Lucas's shot for redemption, not just as an author but also as a husband and father.
The book is told from three perspectives. Chapters are told by Lucas, set also in present day is the viewpoint of his daughter Virginia. Set in the early 1980s, the third voice belongs to Audra. Audra is one of the cult members and eventual victims of Jeff Halcomb. The book shifts between the three, showing not just Audra's slow descent into the inner workings of the cult along with the progressively creepy events happening to Lucas and his daughter.
The thing which drew me into this book initially, odd as it may sound, was the nostalgia factor. In the earlier parts of the book, Lucas reminisces over the days when he and his wife were goth kids, listening to "Enjoy the Silence" and playing Masquerade. For too many years, I also held on to a pair of difficult to lace up stompy boots, and there's currently an old black leather trenchcoat hidden somewhat shamefully in a closet which now holds clothing in a rainbow array of colors as opposed to my old wardrobe choices of black, black or black. Unlike Lucas, I did actually put my boots on eBay a few years back. True crime books were big back in the 80s and 90s, and I don't think it's off base to think a lot of self avowed creatures of darqueness had an interest them. Further, a lot of Lucas's thoughts early on in the book, about the people he and his wife were back in those more monochromatic days versus the people they've become...about the sense of vertigo which comes from one day discovering you're a parent to a child who's rebelling in the same ways you did. Ania Ahlborn nails it.
Lucas's struggles feel authentic, as he frantically tries to reconcile himself to the way his life has turned out while he obsessively works on the new book. As the action progresses, frightening and disturbing things begin to happen in the house, leading Lucas to wonder if he and his daughter are being targeted by deranged followers of Holcomb, or if there's something more ...sinister... afoot. Interjected with the action taking place in present day are the 'Audra' chapters. Audra gives insight on to how, exactly, a damaged and lonely young woman could be drawn into the thrall of a charismatic and handsome Manson-like figure.
As a counter point to both Lucas's and Audra's separate struggles with the concept of personal identity, there's the character of Lucas's daughter, Virginia (known in the book as Jeanie, Vee and Vivi). While still being enjoyable, the Vee chapters could be a little weak at times. Vee came across as a caricature of a sullen teenager, very cliched. It wasn't that I found her obnoxious, just poorly fleshed out. Writing a modern teenager when you're an adult isn't easy, I imagine, and Vee comes across as "This is how youths talk and act...right?". Also, the Vee chapters were pretty crammed with pop culture references, which could date the book rather swiftly.
Along with my distaste from Vee's two dimensionalness, I had some minor and nitpicky issues with the book. There were some confusing issues with continuity in regards to the time line. People's ages --especially Lucas and Jeffery-- seemed to jump around quite a bit or not make sense within the actions of the book. The timeline of the actions in the past gets messed up. More seriously,
Taken as a whole, the good did out weigh the bad. I enjoyed the book and look forward to checking out what else the author has put out there.
Whether or not this is a trend or coincidence or a blindingly obvious effect of me using the 'Recommendations' tab on Goodreads, I will say that Within These Walls is the vastly superior of the two I recently read (the other being House of Echoes). Speaking of obvious parallels, I feel it must be said that at least by way of synopsis, Within These Walls seems to pull pretty hard from the horror movie "Sinister". In both, your protagonist is a true crime novelist struggling with a midlife crisis, financial and familial woes. He moves his family to a creepy and isolated new home which was the sight of a gristly murder, to write a novel which will revive the author's stagnant career. But of course, the author doesn't tell the family they're being moved into an infamous murder site, because apparently nobody else in the household thinks to pop the address into zillow or google before moving in. After moving into the new home, as 2 spoopy 4 me stuff begins to slowly happen, the author struggles to maintain and/or repair the bonds with his family while struggling to explain away the ghostly activity around him, obsessively researching for the new book. Both the movie and the book even have their author character gaining a charmingly podunk cop buddy side character to aid in research.
Now...this isn't to say that WtW is a copycat of Sinister. It's not. But hey, there's similarities which I am willing to forgive or at least shrug off because I enjoyed both the movie and this book.
The book opens with Lucas Graham, the above mentioned down on his luck true crime writer, getting a mysterious letter from imprisoned, enigmatic Charlie Manson like cult leader Jeffery Halcomb. Jeff has never spoken openly about his involvement in the ritualistic murders of nine people, and in his letter he offers to give Lucas the exclusive, inside scoop provided Lucas move into the house where the murders took place, and do so within a four week deadline. Before the imprisoned cultist comes into his life, Lucas's life is basically crumbling around his ears: His career is stalled, his wife is cheating on him and his twelve year old daughter has turned into a sullen Hot Topic babybat. To write a book about the murders would be Lucas's shot for redemption, not just as an author but also as a husband and father.
The book is told from three perspectives. Chapters are told by Lucas, set also in present day is the viewpoint of his daughter Virginia. Set in the early 1980s, the third voice belongs to Audra. Audra is one of the cult members and eventual victims of Jeff Halcomb. The book shifts between the three, showing not just Audra's slow descent into the inner workings of the cult along with the progressively creepy events happening to Lucas and his daughter.
The thing which drew me into this book initially, odd as it may sound, was the nostalgia factor. In the earlier parts of the book, Lucas reminisces over the days when he and his wife were goth kids, listening to "Enjoy the Silence" and playing Masquerade. For too many years, I also held on to a pair of difficult to lace up stompy boots, and there's currently an old black leather trenchcoat hidden somewhat shamefully in a closet which now holds clothing in a rainbow array of colors as opposed to my old wardrobe choices of black, black or black. Unlike Lucas, I did actually put my boots on eBay a few years back. True crime books were big back in the 80s and 90s, and I don't think it's off base to think a lot of self avowed creatures of darqueness had an interest them. Further, a lot of Lucas's thoughts early on in the book, about the people he and his wife were back in those more monochromatic days versus the people they've become...about the sense of vertigo which comes from one day discovering you're a parent to a child who's rebelling in the same ways you did. Ania Ahlborn nails it.
Lucas's struggles feel authentic, as he frantically tries to reconcile himself to the way his life has turned out while he obsessively works on the new book. As the action progresses, frightening and disturbing things begin to happen in the house, leading Lucas to wonder if he and his daughter are being targeted by deranged followers of Holcomb, or if there's something more ...sinister... afoot. Interjected with the action taking place in present day are the 'Audra' chapters. Audra gives insight on to how, exactly, a damaged and lonely young woman could be drawn into the thrall of a charismatic and handsome Manson-like figure.
As a counter point to both Lucas's and Audra's separate struggles with the concept of personal identity, there's the character of Lucas's daughter, Virginia (known in the book as Jeanie, Vee and Vivi). While still being enjoyable, the Vee chapters could be a little weak at times. Vee came across as a caricature of a sullen teenager, very cliched. It wasn't that I found her obnoxious, just poorly fleshed out. Writing a modern teenager when you're an adult isn't easy, I imagine, and Vee comes across as "This is how youths talk and act...right?". Also, the Vee chapters were pretty crammed with pop culture references, which could date the book rather swiftly.
Along with my distaste from Vee's two dimensionalness, I had some minor and nitpicky issues with the book. There were some confusing issues with continuity in regards to the time line. People's ages --especially Lucas and Jeffery-- seemed to jump around quite a bit or not make sense within the actions of the book. The timeline of the actions in the past gets messed up. More seriously,
Spoiler
while there's resolution at the end, of sorts, nothing is really answered as to who or what Jeffery Holcomb actually was, why he targeted Lucas's family in particular. There were a lot of loose ends left dangling in the breeze.Taken as a whole, the good did out weigh the bad. I enjoyed the book and look forward to checking out what else the author has put out there.
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Was kinda drawn out but overall a good read.
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Within these walls started slow for me... It took me about 3 weeks to get 100 pages deep but once I focused and got further in it was amazing. Just when you think you have it figured out something else happens....
The ending was amazing, and totally worth the effort of getting through the first few chapters.
Will be picking up more books by this author.
The ending was amazing, and totally worth the effort of getting through the first few chapters.
Will be picking up more books by this author.
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
dark
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes