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adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Alma is no stranger to solitude. She was born out of wedlock and her father’s identity has remained a secret. Other members of their village believe this is reason enough to ostracize the two. As long as the two of them have each other, it’s enough.
However, that small comfort is too fragile to endure the tribulations fate has in store for them. When Alma’s mother grows ill and her condition rapidly worsens, Alma becomes desperate. Digging and grasping for any possible solution, she uncovers the identity of her father. He’s a noble lord of House Avera, sworn to the elder god The Dread Beast. He has the resources to provide for the treatment that Alma’s mother will die without. So she writes him a letter begging for his help. He agrees, but now that he knows of his daughter’s existence, he demands that in exchange she come live in the Avera palace and adopt their surname. For her mother’s sake, she agrees, but it’s not enough to save her.
Once there, she must offer herself as a vessel for the Beast through the sacrifice of her arm. If he accepts her offering, she will be able to make use of a prosthetic. By devoting her life and herself to him fully, she may even be lucky enough to hear his voice and instruction. At least, that’s what her father tells her. That’s why it surprises her when she hears him almost immediately, and can even see him in the room. She’s even more surprised to recognize him as her imaginary friend from childhood. He promises to guide her to her revenge.
I knew I was going to love this book before I’d even read halfway through the synopsis. At the very end of the blurb was where I saw the author’s credentials. Although this is a debut novel, Michelle Wong has been telling amazing stories for a while now. Prior projects she’s been a part of include Goosebumps and The Legend of Korra. Both series are near and dear to my heart.
It’s very easy to see the influence of anime on this story. I’m the type of reader who will get a very vivid visual experience when reading a well-written story. This time, those visuals even appeared animated. From the choreography of battle scenes to facial expressions on characters, it’s astoundingly easy to picture the way an animators would portray the narrative. I believe this would have been true even without the included illustrations, which were absolutely lovely. I’m not certain whether those are in both the deluxe and standard editions or only the deluxe. If the latter, the illustrations alone are more than worth upgrading your purchase for.
The worldbuilding is both rich and unique. I found it utterly fascinating, and the characters even more so. Those familiar with my book reviews already know how much I appreciate complicated characters. This story had an abundance of them. Much like the real world, nothing and no one felt truly clear-cut or overly neat. If it ever appeared so, there was always another layer of complexity to uncover. The pacing felt flawless as well. I felt neither bored nor inundated at any point, and each section flowed very naturally to the next.
House of the Beast was another five-star read. I absolutely devoured it, and I’m hungry for more. I will be anxiously awaiting any and all future titles from Michelle Wong.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Gore, Infidelity, Misogyny, Sexism, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Death of parent, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Loveable characters:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Child death, Death, Toxic relationship, Violence, Death of parent, Murder
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship