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glitterdeww's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Emily Carroll's talents are on vivid display in this full length graphic novel. Fantastic and bloody imagery overlaps the mundane life of Abby, a quiet woman in a small town, as she becomes enveloped in the mystery of her husband's late wife. There is a depth of suspense and quiet throughout this novel that builds slowly and powerfully. Abby's imagination and suspicion collide within the gloriously illustrated pages, and like Carroll's short stories, the reader is brought to a climactic and abrupt ending.
PLOT: 4.5
PLOT: 4.5
CHAR: 4
CRAFT: 5
ENGMT: 4
SPARK: 4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Gore, Death, and Death of parent
Moderate: Emotional abuse and Suicide
gen_wolfhailstorm's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
A thoroughly haunting and captivating story, that delivered peak eery atmosphere through the entity of the tale. I was genuinely frightened multiple times and had to stop reading, especially at night time.
The story was much more complex than I expected, but for the most part I think it carrier through it's themes and general plot exploration really well. Where it falls down for me was the ending; the plot twist was shocking and left me with so many questions, but then the ending just confused me. I didn't really understand what had happened. I feel like this is how I felt back in the day when I had read Carroll's Through the woods short story collection, but generally speaking, A guest in the house had a more satisfying layout.
Abby was a very non-assuming protagonist but her inner world was rich and whimsical. I loved the scenes of her imaginary knight and how she wanted to be in spirit, but it was interwoven with this dark and sinister entity and environment that I began to wonder if that was coming from Abby herself.
Carroll really had me second guessing characters and although I'm left perplexed by those last few pages, I enjoyed the beauty of the details of the art and the story overall.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Suicidal thoughts, Death of parent, Violence, Death, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Suicide, Body horror, Blood, Murder, and Grief
xabbeylongx's review
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Spoilers Ahead:
Once again, Carroll has blown me away with her book. The illustrations, perfect, and the storyline, even more perfect!
We follow Abby as she is with her new husband, a dentist, left widowed from his previous marriage, and his child from that marriage, Crystal. They all live together, and Sheila, the ex-wife, had supposedly died from cancer. However, when she starts being haunted by ‘Sheila’, and is told that she was actually murdered by him, she starts to feel a little weird, like everything is not as it seems.
And when she lets someone into the house to look after Crystal, after an accident with her husband that leaves him dead, when she finds out that someone is not who they say they are, everything kicks off.
Honestly, my explanation does not do the story justice at all. It’s one of the best, most intriguing and most chilling books I’ve ever read.
The ending was so ambiguous. There were so many theories, and it’s one of the only books, thus far, that I’ve had to look up because I have no idea how it ends. One part of me thinks that it’s a bit of copout, the ending not being clear, but the other, more correct part of me loves the ambiguity. The reader is free to make up their own theories as to how the story ends. Personally, I don’t know what to think, and I like there not being a typically ‘correct’ ending to it, it makes it a very unique book, even though I know a lot of people didn’t like how it ended. I, having personally thought about it a bit more since I last read the book, think it’s insanely impressive to write and illustrate a novel like that. And it’s queer, which makes it all the better!
The only thing is I didn't bond with the characters too much, and I thought Abby was quite bland, but I think that also helps with the story, so I'm not too mad about it. And the less said about Abby's husband the better, because he is an awful man, and I think he deserved what happened to him.
The only thing is I didn't bond with the characters too much, and I thought Abby was quite bland, but I think that also helps with the story, so I'm not too mad about it. And the less said about Abby's husband the better, because he is an awful man, and I think he deserved what happened to him.
One of my favourite reviews ever: “Girls be like ‘I’m fighting demons’ and the demons be homosexuality”.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Gaslighting, Cancer, Death of parent, Blood, Death, Violence, and Emotional abuse
broughtbybrokenminds's review
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
No one draws drippy gooey body horror quite like Emily Carroll! The use of pops of color throughout the book as the fantastical seeps into Abby’s everyday life has a mesmerizing effect that draws the reader deep into the story. I loved the suburban gothic vibes that embraced depicting the horror of a mundane existence in equal part with the supernatural horror. Experiencing life through Abby’s perspective as a woman who feels uncomfortable in her own body and like a guest in her own home, fuels the creeping dread that unfolds as her obsession with the ghost of her husband’s first wife grows. This was a fascinating mystery that will leave you questioning what was real and what was imaginary, with gorgeous artwork that will stick with you long after you close the last page.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death, and Murder
Moderate: Gaslighting and Toxic relationship
Minor: Suicide and Cancer
flamesocks's review against another edition
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Death, Cursing, Murder, and Toxic relationship
foxclcves's review
dark
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Blood, and Gore
Moderate: Dysphoria, Sexual content, Death, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, and Death of parent
Minor: Murder, Misogyny, Injury/Injury detail, Pregnancy, Self harm, Violence, Alcohol, and Gaslighting
bookishvampire's review
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Very beautiful book with an interesting story!
Content Warnings
Minor: Death
catspajamas15's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Emily Carroll can do no wrong. Her art is unparalleled and hauntingly beautiful. Her story may not make sense to some, but you can still get lost in the illustrations and come to your own conclusions. I will always support this author.
Content Warnings
Minor: Emotional abuse, Murder, Self harm, Grief, Alcohol, Suicidal thoughts, Car accident, Death, Blood, Body horror, Cancer, and Death of parent
galaxsea's review
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
What if you told a modern version of Bluebeard about a deeply closeted woman in a haunted lakehouse? Or didn't? A Guest in the House is a masterpiece in its own right. Beautiful, compelling art. Masterful control of tension. Horror and fantasy and the mundane all swirled together until they can't be untangled.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, and Murder
Moderate: Suicide
violerwolf's review
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Gorgeous art style, gorgeous writing, absolutely do not understand the ending and I don’t think I ever will. And I think I have to be okay with that.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Grief, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Death of parent, Toxic relationship, Body horror, Suicide, Sexual content, Murder, Gaslighting, and Death