Reviews

My Mother's House by Francesca Momplaisir

readbyashleyd's review against another edition

dark emotional medium-paced

5.0

I had a feeling I’d enjoy this book but I had no idea that I’d love it so much that it would become a contender for my favourite book of the year! It might be classified as a bit of a slow burn but it was absolutely riveting and I never felt like I wanted the pace to pick up, a slow burn was perfect for this story. I was hooked from start to finish and I couldn’t put the book down, I had a deep burning desire to find out how it would turn out. I really couldn’t have loved this book more, it had everything I love in a thriller/horror novel and heaps more and if that doesn’t make you want to pick up this book and devour it then I don’t know what will!

calarco's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense fast-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? It's complicated

4.0

booklvrkat's review against another edition

4.0

I have to admit I picked this story up because of one reason. Part of it is told by the House itself. Yep. Got me. It is different from anything I've read before, I was captured from the very first, and I cheered, yelled, and wept at several points in the story. There are even a couple giggles. It is a tough topic that has been written about, but nonetheless needed to be done. The narrators were great, and the author knows how to write a story. Although I did not give this a pure 5 star, it's definitely a 4.5.

brittyreadsbooks's review against another edition

challenging emotional tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

fixatedonfiction's review against another edition

4.0

A horror like no other I have read. A house committing suicide vs. a man who is just plain evil. A lot of things happen in this book and while it does get confusing, it all slowly ties together. It is super disturbing, so read the CW before diving in. 

spiderfelt's review against another edition

This was too dark for me to push through more than the first few hours. While I know some difficult to tolerate characters go through radical transformation, ultimately redeeming their insufferable traits, I just couldn't wait to get to that point with Lucien. He was too awful for me to share my limited available brain space right now.

remigves's review

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Rape, Pedophilia, Kidnapping, and Incest

Minor: Animal cruelty

zallah's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

black_girl_reading's review against another edition

3.0

My Mother’s House by Francesca Momplaisir was an excellent reminder to me that a book can talk about many issues that I care deeply about, and still be a book that I didn’t particularly like. About a house (a sentient house) that burns itself down in rage and despair at housing a terrible man, the house has a sort of “come to Jesus moment” about the dark secrets living in the basement and it’s own role in passively allowing terrible crimes to take place in it’s lower level (I know). Here’s the good: this book looks at the ways in which women are marginalized in social unrest and migration, this book examines societal indifference to Black women and their suffering, and this book looks at how this suffering comes from traumatized families, from patriarchy, and from structures and systems that capitalize on and also hate the Black female body. But. There is an animate house. Who is aware enough to burn itself down but not aware enough to know what’s happening inside of it’s walls. And also just a house with thoughts and feelings and the ability to communicate with other (inexplicably judgemental) houses and a soul that transcends it’s houseness. I just... Also, overall, I found the writing to be kind of disjointed and indirect at times and super intense at others, and kind of just never really said what it was saying. I found some characterization to be blurry, and all of them I completely developed - I never really knew anyone. I guess with this book I felt that the content was there, but the delivery was not my thing. Thank you @netgalley for the ARC, opinions are my own.

100onbooks's review against another edition

This book is unsettling and I really need something soft after reading it.

Well written, though the conceit of the house at breaking point, in light of all the ugliness, and the gaze that renders the classed Marie-Ange as one of the most sympathetic characters did nothing for me.

Folks on here have said a lot of what I thought so I'll just leave a TW for child abuse, rape, abduction, and animal abuse.