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wandering_not_lost's review
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
I'm not much of a horror reader anymore, but this book did a good job of hooking me in. The book starts out quite slowly, with the protagonist going home, settling in, seeing things wrong, and then very eventually it starts ramping into seeing Creepy Stuff happening. It's a slow build, and several points I thought it was too slow. The protagonist's POV doesn't really help, since she is funny and wry but totally unaware that she is in a Gothic horror novel, if you know what I mean. We spend a lot of time listening to her internal monologue about the possible reasonable reasons that Creepy Things might be happening, when in reality you know right from the start that none of those things are true, and it almost comes across as...wasting the reader's time? But, I continued on on the strength of the characters and wasn't disappointed. Once stuff hit the fan in the last quarter, it was unputdownable and honestly quite emotional.
Moderate: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, and Emotional abuse
witcheep's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Kingfisher is great with writing multidimensional characters with flaws of their own and their interpersonal relationships. That is what shines bright in this book as well. I enjoyed reading about the difficult relationships between the different generations of the same family, and their own ways to deal with mysteries and difficulties. The neighbors offer a good place to compare with the main character's life. A House with Good Bones ponders over some hard themes, such as loss of a family member and grief, doubting one's self-worth and emotionally abusive family relationships. The book, however, offers more hopeful outlooks on the same issues in the form of caring for one's community, forming new friendships and finding new insight into oneself.
The horror elements get increasiongly more creepy, from a slight feeling of something being off up to creeping uneasiness,
"You're a scientist," said Gail, watching me. "I realize that makes this hard for you. I'm telling you, what's happening isn't something you're going to be able to put under a microscope. I'm hoping it'll go away on it's own."
"Does anything ever go away on it's own?" I asked.
"More often than you think. In this case I truly can't be sure. I don't know everything.
"I'm starting to be sure I don't know anything", I muttered.
She smiles. "That's a good place to start."
Moderate: Body horror, Body shaming, Death, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, and Grief
Minor: Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Fire/Fire injury, and Gaslighting
ezwolf's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Graphic: Body shaming, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Fatphobia, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Death of parent
Minor: Animal cruelty, Racism, Dementia, Grief, and Fire/Fire injury
cadence99's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
Graphic: Body horror, Body shaming, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Gore, Violence, Blood, Grief, Cannibalism, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Child abuse, Dementia, and Alcohol
wellreadandhalfdead's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Graphic: Body horror, Body shaming, and Domestic abuse
Moderate: Racism
marsh_mall0w's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Body horror, Emotional abuse, Blood, Cannibalism, Toxic friendship, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Moderate: Death, Domestic abuse, Fatphobia, and Racism
Minor: Cancer, Child abuse, and Stalking
jaedia's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Blood, and Alcohol
Moderate: Body horror, Body shaming, Child abuse, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Fatphobia, Gore, Blood, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
dokushoka's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.75
Moderate: Body shaming, Domestic abuse, Fatphobia, Toxic relationship, and Blood
Minor: Animal cruelty, Cursing, Death, Gore, Cannibalism, and Injury/Injury detail
brewingespresso's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Blood, and Death of parent
blacksphinx's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Blood, and Alcohol
Moderate: Body shaming, Fatphobia, Racism, Cannibalism, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Terminal illness, Dementia, Death of parent, and Fire/Fire injury