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bookforthought's review against another edition
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
2.0
I read this book in full spooky season because the blurb made it sound perfect: gothic atmosphere, a remote estate, secrets, witchcraft... basically spooky gold. And yet, when I finished it, I found myself disappointed and left wanting, although I couldn't really articulate why. I gave myself some time to process (a little longer in truth than I'd planned to be honest), trying to get some clarity but several weeks on I'm still no further in this.
Starting off with the positives, the atmosphere is spot on. The author does a great job with the settings and captures the dark, cold weather particularly well. I could almost feel the cold seeping through the page (and my headphones for the parts I listened to on audiobook). The settings are vivid and the tension is palpable, which is the main reason I didn't abandon this halfway through, because for the rest I was fairly disappointed.
The characters were profoundly unlikeable, and not in a good, interesting way. The main character, a woman trying to leave her past behind as a mysterious event led to her losing her job in London, had all the cards to be an interesting, complex character but ended up being quite flat for me. The rest of the cast is entirely forgettable, and I actually mixed them up pretty frequently aside from the mansion owner, his sister and the MC's neighbour, who came across as very one-dimensional.
Quite a few mysterious happenings occur throughout, which may or may not amount to witchcraft, but I became increasingly frustrated as it felt as though the story wasn't really going anywhere. Eventually, I was just bored and the ending felt completely anticlimactic. Nothing is really explained, a lot of things just fall into the void, and what is implied to have happened would contrast with everything we've read up to that point, making the whole thing even more confusing.
Essentially, this didn't quite have enough plot for my taste, feeling to me more as directionless meandering, but also didn't go deep enough in exploring its characters to read like a character study. Such a shame, because the ideas were clearly there and the writing itself was actually good, but I was left very unsatisfied overall.
I received an advanced review copy of this book for free from the publisher via NetGalley. This did not affect my opinion of the book in any way.
I received an advanced review copy of this book for free from the publisher via NetGalley. This did not affect my opinion of the book in any way.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Car accident, Animal death, and Mental illness
Moderate: Eating disorder
enyltiak's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Incredibly atmospheric, there's a quiet, tranquil beauty of the setting enmeshed throughout the novel. The what and how and why of everything that happens is deeply intriguing and keeps you turning the page, especially as the tension ramps up in the last third of the book, but it all dissolves into... nothing? There's a climactic bang that is followed up by a sense of serenity, followed by an ominous, discordant ending note. Ultimately, there are so many unanswered questions that it feels less mysterious than unsatisfying. The main character is horrible (I do love an unreliable/unlikeable narrator) and she almost herself doesn't seem to understand her motivations, which makes it all that much trickier. I really enjoyed what there was, but it seemed like the end was missing.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Car accident, Blood, Mental illness, and Animal death
Minor: Death, Eating disorder, and Adult/minor relationship
kristenreads's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Car accident, and Animal death
tinyoceankingdoms's review
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
I think this book did the things it did well very well. It had an interesting premise & it was atmospheric. If the main character is meant to repulse the reader intentionally, then that was also something done well, because she is an absolute creep. She made my skin crawl when her inner monologue turned to her thoughts and recollections of interacting with her teenaged students.
As others have mentioned, it doesn’t conclude well. You progress thinking several characters will develop into an interesting part of the plot, only to never hear about them again. A lot of wasted opportunity.
Odd book. Really can’t tell if the dated attitudes to women, mental health & food were intentional to be reflective of the setting, or if the author didn’t feel the need to be thoughtful about these themes. I even double checked to see if Sally Hinchcliffe wasn’t a pen name for a man, that’s how off the vibes in this book are.
As others have mentioned, it doesn’t conclude well. You progress thinking several characters will develop into an interesting part of the plot, only to never hear about them again. A lot of wasted opportunity.
Odd book. Really can’t tell if the dated attitudes to women, mental health & food were intentional to be reflective of the setting, or if the author didn’t feel the need to be thoughtful about these themes. I even double checked to see if Sally Hinchcliffe wasn’t a pen name for a man, that’s how off the vibes in this book are.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Car accident, Animal death, and Mental illness
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship
Minor: Body shaming
piareadss's review
dark
mysterious
fast-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
2.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infidelity, Car accident, Confinement, Death, Mental illness, Misogyny, and Animal death
Moderate: Eating disorder and Gun violence
Minor: Adult/minor relationship
jess_sherlock's review against another edition
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Our protagonist, whose name remains unknown, seeks solace in the serene Scottish countryside after a disturbing incident at a private school. Settling in the isolated Hare House estate, she gradually becomes enmeshed in the lives of the family and their close-knit circle of friends as winter descends. Yet, in true gothic fashion, the story takes an eerie turn as witchcraft, folklore, and local customs intertwine with feelings of paranoia, loneliness, and isolation.
While Hare House possesses all the elements for an intriguing and atmospheric tale, it falls short of expectations. The use of an unreliable narrator is skillful, but the ambiguity occasionally falters. While the leisurely pace of the relatively short book creates an atmospheric build-up, the ending feels suddenly rushed, detracting from its overall impact.
While Hare House possesses all the elements for an intriguing and atmospheric tale, it falls short of expectations. The use of an unreliable narrator is skillful, but the ambiguity occasionally falters. While the leisurely pace of the relatively short book creates an atmospheric build-up, the ending feels suddenly rushed, detracting from its overall impact.
Content Warnings
Minor: Car accident and Animal death
carolined's review
emotional
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
2.0
The author had a good idea and didn't really take it anywhere. Beautifully written but dull and pointless.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal death, Mental illness, Adult/minor relationship, Death of parent, Car accident, and Death
Minor: Cursing, Suicide, Eating disorder, Adult/minor relationship, and Classism
livlostinstereo's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
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? It's complicated
3.0
I found this book in my local library and the premise piqued my interest. Hinchcliffe’s writing is beautiful. Honestly, this woman can turn a phrase with the best of them. Her descriptions of the Scottish countryside and her metaphoric style are all lovely. She creates tension like a pro.
However, the reason I’m giving this a 3 star rating: the resolution of the supernatural/mysterious causes of all the strangeness going on is lacking. The characters aren’t particularly lovable(though I must admit, we all know a Janet), which isn’t an issue, but the resolution doesn’t quite answer any of the questions. I have my theories but I would have loved a more thorough answer to some of the questions presented.
However, the reason I’m giving this a 3 star rating: the resolution of the supernatural/mysterious causes of all the strangeness going on is lacking. The characters aren’t particularly lovable(though I must admit, we all know a Janet), which isn’t an issue, but the resolution doesn’t quite answer any of the questions. I have my theories but I would have loved a more thorough answer to some of the questions presented.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Confinement, Body horror, Car accident, Gun violence, Panic attacks/disorders, and Self harm
Moderate: Mental illness, Death of parent, Grief, Stalking, Physical abuse, and Pedophilia
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Eating disorder, Toxic friendship, and Gaslighting
the_vvitch's review
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
2.0
This book was ruined by the weird sexualized hatred of teenage girls, especially by a grown woman.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Car accident, Death, Adult/minor relationship, and Animal death
madamelacy's review
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Self harm, Eating disorder, Animal death, Grief, and Mental illness
Moderate: Classism, Car accident, and Death of parent
Minor: Adult/minor relationship
The story isn’t resolved at the end so it’s up to the reader to decide what really happened.