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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
caitsidhe's review
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? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Hare House is a well-written and characterised Gothic set in the modern day. Our main character is a repressed, haunted woman escaping from a traumatic event. She moves to Hare House and become embroiled in the emotional difficulties of Grant and Cass, who live in the manor house.
I really liked this book. The prose fits the story well and the unnamed narrator is a great gothic protagonist - she resembles the main character in the Turn of The Screw, being an unreliable narrator with a history, repressed sexual desire, and notably a hatred of the blooming sexuality of young women.
The tension in Hare House builds slowly through careful use of atmosphere and horrific events. Cass is a fascinating character and very accurate for a traumatised 17 year old - in equal parts charming, annoying, and disturbing, all of those filtered through the faulty interpretation of the narrator.
The ending is creepy, and it doesn't leave everything nicely wrapped up and explained.
Recommended.
I really liked this book. The prose fits the story well and the unnamed narrator is a great gothic protagonist - she resembles the main character in the Turn of The Screw, being an unreliable narrator with a history, repressed sexual desire, and notably a hatred of the blooming sexuality of young women.
The tension in Hare House builds slowly through careful use of atmosphere and horrific events. Cass is a fascinating character and very accurate for a traumatised 17 year old - in equal parts charming, annoying, and disturbing, all of those filtered through the faulty interpretation of the narrator.
The ending is creepy, and it doesn't leave everything nicely wrapped up and explained.
Recommended.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infidelity, Animal death, Car accident, and Mental illness
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Body shaming, Confinement, Bullying, and Misogyny
Minor: Classism, Cursing, Infertility, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Adult/minor relationship, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Death, and Emotional abuse
saralouisemarsbar's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
2.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body shaming, Car accident, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Grief, and Mental illness
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