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d0505's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
Graphic: Emotional abuse and Fatphobia
Minor: Fire/Fire injury
apollo0325's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
I’ve read 3 T. Kingfisher books now and I can tell you with full confidence, she is now an instant buy author for me.
Graphic: Body shaming, Fatphobia, Gore, and Blood
Moderate: Body horror, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Racism, Grief, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
Sensitivity to bugs / ladybugs Sensitivity to birds (vultures)eni_iilorak's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Animal death, Child abuse, Cursing, Medical content, Religious bigotry, Abandonment, and Alcohol
Minor: Drug use, Racism, Dementia, Grief, Stalking, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury
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
bookishbutch's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Dementia, Death of parent, and Fire/Fire injury
Content warning for bugs. Lots and Lots of Bugs. Oh, and vultures.leeghlee's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Body horror and Cursing
Moderate: Body shaming, Death, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Physical abuse, Racism, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Child abuse, Mental illness, Sexual content, Medical content, Dementia, and Stalking
bookforthought's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
I discovered Kingfisher's books last year, when I read the amazing Nettle and Bone, and I decided to catch up with a few more of her books: so, enter A House with Good Bones. Right from the beginning, I realised this would be quite different from my previous read and I wasn't really sure what to expect but one thing was certain: that house was well and truly haunted.
I warmed up almost immediately to Sam as a main character. For starters, she's an archeoentomologist, something that immediately set her apart and allowed her to share fascinating tidbits on insects throughout the novel. Sam's quirky and extremely funny, providing a humourous commentary throughout, which somewhat tempered the creep and chills evoked by the book's events. The book is narrated entirely from Sam's POV, and much of it is just her inner monologue so by the end I felt as if I knew her pretty well, even though I couldn't say the same of the other characters.
While recovering from her most recent dig, Sam decides to visit her mother, but immediately realises that something is wrong. Sam's relationship with her mum was another element I really appreciated, since it seemed to be very genuine and based on true love and care for one another. I also enjoyed the sharp contrast this made with the relationship they both had with Sam's grandmother and her (very difficult) character.
All the elements to the story are very carefully laid out, slowly but surely drawing the reader in thanks to the author's masteful storytelling. Still, despite this, something felt missing for me to feel the truly haunting side of this story, the ending leaving me somewhat unsatisfied. I felt as though there were at once too many elements colliding and, at the same time, things were rushed along to reach the conclusion swiftly. The build-up felt definitely far too long compared to the final shenanigans, switching from Sam's sarcastic monologue to pure horror in a very short time, giving the impression of a much-too-fast tonal shift and a serious pacing issue.
Even though this book didn't fully hit the mark for me, it's still a pretty engaging and quick read to get you in the spooky mood this Halloween. I'll definitely be reading more from the author in the future!
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.
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, and Blood
Minor: Fire/Fire injury
samburkhouse's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Body horror, Emotional abuse, and Blood
Moderate: Confinement, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Body shaming, Fatphobia, Racism, Grief, and Fire/Fire injury
vixenreader's review
- 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? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Body horror, Body shaming, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Racism, Torture, Toxic relationship, Blood, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Confinement, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Violence, Xenophobia, Medical content, Grief, Cannibalism, Fire/Fire injury, and Gaslighting
Minor: Vomit and Abandonment
Be warned that this book addresses generational trauma, C-PTSD due to abuse from a parental figure, abuses with the occult, parental neglect, swarms of insects, and one mention of semen in the occult ritual.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