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missmim's review against another edition
3.0
"Julia" is an incredibly well-done modern Gothic in the same vein as Henry James' "The Turn of the Screw" or Shirley Jackson's "The Haunting of Hill House," though not quite so masterful. We see through they eyes of a main character, the fragile Julia Lofting, who at best is an unreliable narrator, and at worst an outright madwoman. Straub crafts an eerie novel about madness, death and the notion of true evil. If you like this kind of story, it's a definite must-read, but good luck finding a copy. I had to get mine through a library in Jersey. If you want to see the movie version, its U.S. title is "The Haunting of Julia" and it stars Mia Farrow as Julia Lofting. The movie definitely takes liberties from the book, but it works. The musical score is incredibly eerie, too.
kvltprincess's review against another edition
3.0
Quick read and enjoyable. A woman who recently lost her daughter in a violent accident tries to start her life anew. Instead she herself plagued by her daughter's death and entwined in the story of another mother and daughter. I really liked the writing in this book; it felt almost claustrophobic in the way the 3rd person was so limited. We follow Julia's story *very* closely, so much that it's hard to tell what is going on outside of her, lending well to the confusion and horror.
bobbyheddy's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
mchllsdl's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
ayocky'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
2.0
Starts off really slow. Builds up slowly for a pretty unsatisfactory climax. I found the plot somewhat predictable. I really despised most of the characters. They are all selfish and annoying. I hate the “the leading female character is having a mental breakdown” trope. Interesting concept though.
claws13's review against another edition
3.0
Yeah I didn't mind this book. It was a little slow for my liking but I did enjoy that it made keep changing my mind as to who was doing what.
curiousherring's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
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? It's complicated
2.5
After the death of her nine year old daughter, Julia leaves her husband, buying an old house which she is soon to call home. Little does she know that within the shadowy confines of her new abode, chilling secrets await, and she is soon immersed deeper into its darkness...
This book blurs the line between reality and the paranormal, prompting you to ponder if the peculiar occurrences stem from Julia's mental state, her allegedly deranged husband, or sinister forces that may truly be at play.
I definitely think this book is of its time, and there's probably a reason it's not as well loved as many other work by Straub. I hated most of the characters, and, well, let's just say that this isn't Straub's finest work at representing women in a positive way.
I enjoyed parts of this book, struggled through others. If you're a fan of classic ghost stories that build suspense with a hauntingly atmospheric pace, then I think this one is for you. However, as much as I enjoyed it, having delved into numerous other ghost tales that have truly left me spooked, I find it hard to rate this one any higher than 2.5 stars.
This book blurs the line between reality and the paranormal, prompting you to ponder if the peculiar occurrences stem from Julia's mental state, her allegedly deranged husband, or sinister forces that may truly be at play.
I definitely think this book is of its time, and there's probably a reason it's not as well loved as many other work by Straub. I hated most of the characters, and, well, let's just say that this isn't Straub's finest work at representing women in a positive way.
I enjoyed parts of this book, struggled through others. If you're a fan of classic ghost stories that build suspense with a hauntingly atmospheric pace, then I think this one is for you. However, as much as I enjoyed it, having delved into numerous other ghost tales that have truly left me spooked, I find it hard to rate this one any higher than 2.5 stars.
doreena's review against another edition
2.0
Disappointing
The characters were so unlivable, it made it impossible to wish any of them a happy ending. I’ve read and enjoyed Straub’s works before, but this was poorly written and poorly paced.
The characters were so unlivable, it made it impossible to wish any of them a happy ending. I’ve read and enjoyed Straub’s works before, but this was poorly written and poorly paced.