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mark5327's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
The September House gave me a story which I've read before, but in a super readable manner. It wasn't until the big showdown at the end where I lost any momentum at all and that's just because I don't love action sequences. If you love ghost stories with likeable protagonists and an unsettling sense of atmosphere based on the accumulation of regular haunting events, you could do far worse than The September House.
Graphic: Alcoholism, Body horror, Bullying, Child death, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, and Murder
Moderate: Child abuse and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
theagcdas's review
3.5
Graphic: Child death, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Violence, Blood, Dementia, and Murder
nataliepithers's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
The pacing was off for me, with a good beginning hook, that slowed to a crawl before a white-water rafting escalation of suspense and terror for the final quarter!
I’m still not sure what to make of the ending. I think this book will keep me pondering and musing for some time. What really was “real”? What was metaphor?
The book was very original, the characters vivid. A good read, just wished the slower quarter to half had been edited down a little to pick up the pace.
Graphic: Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Torture, Violence, and Murder
frances_frances's review
- 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
5.0
Overall really enjoyed this book but was a bit disappointed by the very end, satisfied me enough to give it 5 stars
- Margaret was a really interesting character and narrator, I liked how we slowly learn the horrific realities of her marriage, felt realistic to how a DV survivor would tell their story
- Interesting how Margaret handles the horror of her home in the same way she handled the horror of her marriage
- The writing was really sharp and hooked me right away
- Felt like a fresh, original take on haunted house stories
- Didn't like the ending after the climax, felt way too neat and tidy, way mushier than it should have been, tone totally out of place compared to the rest of the book
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Physical abuse, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, and Vomit
Minor: Mental illness, Self harm, Grief, and Murder
magikorbert's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Violence, Death of parent, and Murder
Moderate: Mental illness
Minor: Suicide and Forced institutionalization
mjanehastings's review
4.25
Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Violence, Blood, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail
christracy776'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
5.0
Graphic: Addiction, Bullying, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Violence, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Gaslighting
stachelray's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Alcoholism, Body horror, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, and Blood
selendrea'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? Yes
4.25
Orlando does a brilliant job bringing the main character, Margaret, to life. She is motivated, funny, tired, and so incredibly loving. She simultaneously feels like a realistic person, but also one who is difficult to fully understand, which is purposeful. As we fall deeper and deeper into Margaret's story, her characterization and reasons behind her behavior become illuminated, and the pacing of these reveals felt perfectly spaced out.
I also want to commend Orlando on balancing horrifying elements with such refreshing use of dark humor. There were several moments in this book that made me chuckle out loud and receive a glance from my husband on the couch. I genuinely had a dream inspired by a scene in this book, that's how strongly the imagery impacted me.
The only thing that detracted from this novel for me was a lack of subtlety. I believe Orlando could have folded in the allegory between
Nonetheless, I think The September House is an incredibly fun and successful novel. If you enjoy traditional haunted house stories with a psychological twist, you won't regret giving this one a chance!
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body horror, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Blood, Murder, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Mental illness, Misogyny, Toxic relationship, Fire/Fire injury, and Gaslighting
nolipsburton's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Violence, and Blood