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4.08 AVERAGE
4.08 AVERAGE
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
inspiring
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
emotional
fast-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:
Yes
Woah! Revenge...yearning...betrayal... this was a ride. It was fantastic- atmospheric and fast-paced.
I did get lost in the story just a bit, feeling confused by some of the higher powers. But it grabs you and pulls you into such a beautiful and haunting world. The writing was enchanting but easily digestible. And the illustrations!! They brought a lot to the story, both in their ability to show complex descriptions or hammer down on an emotional scene. I would highly recommend to fantasy-lovers.
I did get lost in the story just a bit, feeling confused by some of the higher powers. But it grabs you and pulls you into such a beautiful and haunting world. The writing was enchanting but easily digestible. And the illustrations!! They brought a lot to the story, both in their ability to show complex descriptions or hammer down on an emotional scene. I would highly recommend to fantasy-lovers.
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:
Yes
dark
emotional
Thank you Harper Voyager for the free audiobook! I was so excited to read this and I'm happy to say I was not let down! Jeanne Syquia did such a good job with the narration that I felt like I was transported into the world. (Although given the world, I don't think I would survive it half as well as Alma did).
If I had a nickel for the number of books I read this weekend that featured sacrificing part of their body for a bond with a monster, I would have two nickels. Which isn't a lot, so if you have any recommendations, I would love to hear them because this unlocked something in me.
The twists and turns in this kept on coming until the last page. If you like books about terrible fathers, not-so-imaginary friends, revenge, gods that take over your body, and an ending that will make you sob, then you should definitely check this out. If you don't like those things, I don't know what to tell you.
My only complaint is that it is a standalone. And I love standalones, but I also could spend an entire series in this world and still not get enough of it.
If I had a nickel for the number of books I read this weekend that featured sacrificing part of their body for a bond with a monster, I would have two nickels. Which isn't a lot, so if you have any recommendations, I would love to hear them because this unlocked something in me.
The twists and turns in this kept on coming until the last page. If you like books about terrible fathers, not-so-imaginary friends, revenge, gods that take over your body, and an ending that will make you sob, then you should definitely check this out. If you don't like those things, I don't know what to tell you.
My only complaint is that it is a standalone. And I love standalones, but I also could spend an entire series in this world and still not get enough of it.
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I really had to adjust my expectations very quickly with this one. When I picked up House of the Beast, I was anticipating a dark and gritty story of a morally ambiguous character fueled by revenge with the favor of a god on her side. While I will say this book leans into the violence and gore, it wasn’t as dark as I anticipated. Rather than a descent into ruthless destruction, we see Alma’s journey towards embracing honor over vengeance.
At the beginning, Alma is buried under an all-consuming darkness and bitterness that has festered within her under her father’s tutelage. And it has been exasperated by the eldritch being tethered to her. After her mother’s death, Aster and his encouragement of revenge have been the sole driving force of her life. Incredibly isolated, she has been encased in an echo chamber with a callous beast who showers her in affection. It is only once the pilgrimage begins and she is no longer trapped within the walls of House Avera that she begins to see other choices for her life. She starts to befriend those around her despite the possessiveness of her god. She actively chooses to show mercy and kindness towards her opponents rather than continue to sow needless violence.
House of the Beast is really a touching and hard-won story about a girl embracing the light after living in a world of darkness. It’s about Alma resisting the influences she was raised under, and standing within her principles despite the heartbreak and sacrifice that mars her path.
A lot of my issues with this book stem from the pacing. We open up with Alma at the age of 11, and the narration is very reflective of that age. Starting off an adult book with 70 pages of a first-person narration from a child really kills the vibe. I felt like I was reading a middle grade novel for a while there. Once we finally get to present day Alma, we have to sit through another two hundred pages of pre-pilgrimage formalities. We do see a few flashbacks to moments in her training, but I would have rather seen more of those moments than the laborious steps leading up to the pilgrimage.
Their entry into the Umbral Plane was where things really started cooking and I wish it had happened way earlier. We finally got the dark gothic influences we were promised. A copy of their real world, the Umbral Plane houses terrors and rising gods. Those of week mind and faith find themselves driven mad and transformed into these monsters. What I loved the most from this world was all the creatures Michelle crafted. The brain worms were epic, and the mimic that acted like a weeping angel gave me goosebumps. Even the Tinker’s Things added some light steampunk elements to the story which I loved. I wish we had gotten to spend more time in the Umbral Plane because it felt rushed, leading the actual hunt for the star felt uneventful.
Also, the illustrations are supposed to be a major draw of this book, but I felt like most of them were unnecessary. They were more like random doodles and I would have rather seen ones that contributed to visualizing the creatures and scenes.
Overall, I think the core of this story was very strong despite having to rearrange my expectations. I do wish the plot wasn’t so top-heavy and we got to see more of the pilgrimage. Also, I personally wouldn’t associate this book with romance. I found the relationship between Alma and Aster to transcend something merely romantic. They truly mirrored each other and their bond was incredibly complex. Seeing their paths divulge was core to the message of the book.
At the beginning, Alma is buried under an all-consuming darkness and bitterness that has festered within her under her father’s tutelage. And it has been exasperated by the eldritch being tethered to her. After her mother’s death, Aster and his encouragement of revenge have been the sole driving force of her life. Incredibly isolated, she has been encased in an echo chamber with a callous beast who showers her in affection. It is only once the pilgrimage begins and she is no longer trapped within the walls of House Avera that she begins to see other choices for her life. She starts to befriend those around her despite the possessiveness of her god. She actively chooses to show mercy and kindness towards her opponents rather than continue to sow needless violence.
House of the Beast is really a touching and hard-won story about a girl embracing the light after living in a world of darkness. It’s about Alma resisting the influences she was raised under, and standing within her principles despite the heartbreak and sacrifice that mars her path.
A lot of my issues with this book stem from the pacing. We open up with Alma at the age of 11, and the narration is very reflective of that age. Starting off an adult book with 70 pages of a first-person narration from a child really kills the vibe. I felt like I was reading a middle grade novel for a while there. Once we finally get to present day Alma, we have to sit through another two hundred pages of pre-pilgrimage formalities. We do see a few flashbacks to moments in her training, but I would have rather seen more of those moments than the laborious steps leading up to the pilgrimage.
Their entry into the Umbral Plane was where things really started cooking and I wish it had happened way earlier. We finally got the dark gothic influences we were promised. A copy of their real world, the Umbral Plane houses terrors and rising gods. Those of week mind and faith find themselves driven mad and transformed into these monsters. What I loved the most from this world was all the creatures Michelle crafted. The brain worms were epic, and the mimic that acted like a weeping angel gave me goosebumps. Even the Tinker’s Things added some light steampunk elements to the story which I loved. I wish we had gotten to spend more time in the Umbral Plane because it felt rushed, leading the actual hunt for the star felt uneventful.
Also, the illustrations are supposed to be a major draw of this book, but I felt like most of them were unnecessary. They were more like random doodles and I would have rather seen ones that contributed to visualizing the creatures and scenes.
Overall, I think the core of this story was very strong despite having to rearrange my expectations. I do wish the plot wasn’t so top-heavy and we got to see more of the pilgrimage. Also, I personally wouldn’t associate this book with romance. I found the relationship between Alma and Aster to transcend something merely romantic. They truly mirrored each other and their bond was incredibly complex. Seeing their paths divulge was core to the message of the book.
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
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:
Yes
This book had me shedding tears at 4:00am! I absolutely loved it.
House of the Beast is a captivating story following a lonely young girl through early adulthood and her imaginary friend who turns out to be not so imagined! The characters really bring the plot alive as each are uniquely their own and multi-dimensional. I thought the world-building was unique and enjoyed the religious system that plays a large role in the book. There are four core gods that this land worships and an otherworld where the barrier between gods and humans thins.
Alma carries so much resentment and anger towards her father and the family that shunned her. Those feelings fuel her desire to compete against her cousin and father for the high title of First Hand of the Beast. This competition brings bloodshed, strategy, and monsters. However, as she grows, Alma starts to really lean into empathy and forgiveness. She begins to understand that a larger plot is developing. There's deception and bribery at play and not everyone is who they seem. You'll also find themes of power, resilience, revenge, and love within these pages.
House of the Beast definitely feels familiar, like a fantasy dystopian novel you may have read before (Fullmetal Alchemist meets the trials of The Hunger Games). Michelle Wong creates something unique through her characters and all the creatures that lurk in the darkness. It's so incredibly difficult to write this review spoiler free! There are a few different plot points, twists, and unraveling that I'd love to talk about.
I think the only critique I have for this book is the pacing. It felt a bit slow for me personally, but I know this is totally subjective and all depends on the reader. As soon as I felt a bit disconnected, the next chapter would quickly take me back into the story. Just know, this book is much more about the journey than the destination!
Overall, I enjoyed House of the Beast! I think this is a strong debut novel and I can't wait to see what else Michelle may write in the future!
Thank you Harper Voyager and NetGalley for gifting me an ARC.
House of the Beast is a captivating story following a lonely young girl through early adulthood and her imaginary friend who turns out to be not so imagined! The characters really bring the plot alive as each are uniquely their own and multi-dimensional. I thought the world-building was unique and enjoyed the religious system that plays a large role in the book. There are four core gods that this land worships and an otherworld where the barrier between gods and humans thins.
Alma carries so much resentment and anger towards her father and the family that shunned her. Those feelings fuel her desire to compete against her cousin and father for the high title of First Hand of the Beast. This competition brings bloodshed, strategy, and monsters. However, as she grows, Alma starts to really lean into empathy and forgiveness. She begins to understand that a larger plot is developing. There's deception and bribery at play and not everyone is who they seem. You'll also find themes of power, resilience, revenge, and love within these pages.
House of the Beast definitely feels familiar, like a fantasy dystopian novel you may have read before (Fullmetal Alchemist meets the trials of The Hunger Games). Michelle Wong creates something unique through her characters and all the creatures that lurk in the darkness. It's so incredibly difficult to write this review spoiler free! There are a few different plot points, twists, and unraveling that I'd love to talk about.
I think the only critique I have for this book is the pacing. It felt a bit slow for me personally, but I know this is totally subjective and all depends on the reader. As soon as I felt a bit disconnected, the next chapter would quickly take me back into the story. Just know, this book is much more about the journey than the destination!
Overall, I enjoyed House of the Beast! I think this is a strong debut novel and I can't wait to see what else Michelle may write in the future!
Thank you Harper Voyager and NetGalley for gifting me an ARC.
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
N/A
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I like the drawing throughout the story
I like Aster but I feel like in the end he’s going to be the villain and do something bad to Avera
His own son he disgusts me.
I would have tired to find a way to kill him if I was his wife.
Overall a good story still like aster but sad he didn’t make it. Saw the betrayal coming. I’m glad she got a family/friends somewhat in the end. She finally got to meet her brother goes to shows you not all darkness is bad not all shadows mean you harm. When you’re too focus on one aspect of your life, feeling or person you lose sight of the bigger picture. Aster and Alma could have had a different life and path had they knew that.
It was sad to read Aster story. I understand him a little more and dislike people sometimes.
I enjoyed this story
There’s action, friendship, hatred, war, loss and a sort of awaking in this story.
I like the drawing throughout the story
Alma is the main character; she has had a hard life all she wants to do is turn it around for her mother.
In the end she learns to trust herself and to stand on her own 2 feet. I’m glad she got a family/friends somewhat in the end.
Aster was my favorite. He has also had a hard life from an earlier age.
Alma’s father disgusted me throughout the whole book. Just when I didn’t think he could do anything worse BAM! I was proven wrong.
My other favorite character was Six. I enjoyed him and hopefully he has more of a role in the next book.
I enjoyed reading about the trails they had Alma go through. Her strength and stubbornness got to shine.
I could sometimes see the hateful anger expression on their faces; when Alma proves time and time again she is not a force to be messed with or taken lightly.
It goes to shows you not all darkness is bad not all shadows mean you harm. When you’re too focus on one aspect of your life, feeling or person you lose sight of the bigger picture. Aster and Alma could have had a different life and path had they knew that.
It was sad to read Aster story. I understand him a little more and dislike people sometimes.
Michelle Wong did a good job with this story. It is not your normal now of day sweet love story.
The faint of heart should think twice for reading it.
I was giving this book in
#nerdfam #michellewong
dark
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy
House of the Beast by Michelle Wong is a first person-POV Gothic fantasy. Alma is the illegitimate daughter of the brother of the First Hand to the Dread Beast, but has been raised away from her father. When Alma’s mother gets ill, for the first time in her life, Alma contacts her father to see if there is a way to save her mother. Instead of doing so, her father whisks her away to his home and makes her a servant to the Beast, which involves her losing one of her arms as a way to create a bond between her and the Beast and to wear a metal arm to replace it. Alma’s new residence is far from a home and her father’s family doesn’t accept her as one of her own, but Aster, a boy only she can see, is her main companion and has plans for her.
I would not call this a Romantasy. The marketing has been calling it a love story and even that feels like a bit of a stretch to me because there isn't that much romance happening on the page and there is very little love between Alma and most of the other characters in ways that actually drive the plot. Alma’s desire for revenge against her father for his actions and inactions are a much bigger motivation for what is happening on page. Yes, Aster is present, but he’s not present in a way that translates to Romantasy to me because the story never felt like Alma and his story; it felt like Alma’s story and a hard requirement for me on Romantasy is that the story belongs to all people who are in the relationship.
The illustrations are absolutely gorgeous. Michelle Wong did the Legend of Korra comics and this uses a similar anime-style though the backgrounds are kept fairly minimal. Most pictures are of objects important to the scene or one or two characters, usually Alma or Aster. There aren't any full page spreads like might be found in some Middle Grade as the art is more to enhance the text and be a special treat rather than push the story and reader through the text.
I was happy to see Alma have a relationship with Sevelie, her distant cousin who is engaged to another distant cousin, Kaim. It would have been easy for Sevelie to hate Alma because Alma stands in the way of Kain being the next First Hand as well as the fact that Sevelie eventually develops a deep attraction to Alma's father that Alma doesn't understand nor support for several reasons. Instead, the two strike up a sort of kinship, the one of only two relationships within her father's side of the family that Alma can really claim is not antagonistic and I want to see more female friendships in fantasy even if they are messy.
Content warning for depictions of child death
I would recommend this to fans of Gothic fantasy and readers of Gothic fantasy who don't want a strong focus on romance
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes