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Reviews tagging 'Grief'
The Faceless Old Woman Who Secretly Lives in Your Home by Jeffrey Cranor, Joseph Fink
9 reviews
thechocolatefinger's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
I preferred the parts about modern day with Craig but most of it was her backstory and all about her being a pirate
The ending was good and an interesting story.
The ending was good and an interesting story.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Grief, and Animal cruelty
Moderate: Death of parent
toopunkrockforshul's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Absolutely loved this book! The first two novels where good and very night vale vibes but this one was just absolutely stellar, both in the plot and the execution. The prose was absolutely beautiful, and there were so many good motifs and foreshadowing and pay offs. Also Mara Wilson's narration is fantastic. Wonderful book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Fire/Fire injury, Body horror, Murder, Violence, Gun violence, and Gore
Moderate: Cancer
onemamareads's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Read my full review here: https://onemamassummer.weebly.com/book-reviews/the-faceless-old-woman-who-secretly-lives-in-your-home-a-welcome-to-night-vale-novel
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Gaslighting, Murder, Violence, Toxic relationship, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Torture, Gore, and Death of parent
jqmnew's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol, Gaslighting, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Car accident, Chronic illness, Fire/Fire injury, Mental illness, Emotional abuse, Child death, Death, Murder, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Self harm, Sexual content, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Stalking, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Gore, Grief, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Violence
ippoteq's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
This book really didn't gel for me. I loved the original Welcome to Night Vale novel, and was lukewarm on the It Devours! follow-up, so it doesn't especially surprise me that this book was not really my cup of tea.
Personally, I think its cool that Cranor and Fink and trying to get away from the Night Vale concept as it exists within the podcast. I just wish they could do that entirely instead of partially. This book could have been a standalone novel in its own right without the weird references to keep it in theming with the Night Vale universe, for examplethe country where no-one lives but which produces the best art , since these allusions just take away from the story that is being told.
I didn't particularly enjoy our protagonist either. I'm not sure if it is the way she's written, or the fact that the narrative constantly tries to justify her, but I found her behaviour incredibly frustrating. When she discovers her uncle has been using her, rather than try and reconnect to her father by abandoning that life, and living out her days how he would have wanted, she again decides to trample his memory by going to out to kill again? Why?
If this book had been in no way related to the Night Vale universe, I think I would have enjoyed it more, and it would have given Cranor and Fink more freedom to write something at least a little more serious. I also think that, with the book being set in the 1800s, the language they chose to use felt quite odd. It was very typical American speech patterns and dialogue for the most part, which I get is for ease of reading, but some of the wording choices really pulled me out of the time period.
In all, I did manage to finish the book in a couple of days, but I found myself pretty dissatisfied, both with the ending and also looking at it as a Night Vale novel. I think if you've never listened to Night Vale and could ignore some of the weird references, you could possibly enjoy this book, but it really wasn't for me.
Personally, I think its cool that Cranor and Fink and trying to get away from the Night Vale concept as it exists within the podcast. I just wish they could do that entirely instead of partially. This book could have been a standalone novel in its own right without the weird references to keep it in theming with the Night Vale universe, for example
I didn't particularly enjoy our protagonist either. I'm not sure if it is the way she's written, or the fact that the narrative constantly tries to justify her, but I found her behaviour incredibly frustrating.
If this book had been in no way related to the Night Vale universe, I think I would have enjoyed it more, and it would have given Cranor and Fink more freedom to write something at least a little more serious. I also think that, with the book being set in the 1800s, the language they chose to use felt quite odd. It was very typical American speech patterns and dialogue for the most part, which I get is for ease of reading, but some of the wording choices really pulled me out of the time period.
In all, I did manage to finish the book in a couple of days, but I found myself pretty dissatisfied, both with the ending and also looking at it as a Night Vale novel. I think if you've never listened to Night Vale and could ignore some of the weird references, you could possibly enjoy this book, but it really wasn't for me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent and Grief
Moderate: Murder
librarymouse's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
You don't need to listen to the podcast to understand this book, but if you listen to the podcast you should read this book. The length to which the narrator's life is systematically and fundamentally destroyed explains her idiosyncratic behaviors on the podcast in a way that makes them make sense in the context of Night Vale's weirdness. The writing is incredibly well done and immersive, and the narrator slow descent into the violent and creepy old woman from the sweet and curious young girl were first introduced to is fully believable in the narrative. the lengths to which Edmond worked to completely destroy not only the narrator's father's legacy, but the narrator herself are impressive and obsessive in equal measure. The effort he put in, in making sure she would never have joy, have a future, or know her family is astounding, and the revelation about lady Nora is so heartbreaking. The authors did an incredible job making the reader love the narrator even as we watched her become what she becomes. She genuinely loves Edmund's heirs right up until the moment they have a son of their own. Her sense of reality is so twisted and her need for revenge so entrenched that the cyclical nature of her revenge is both astounding and understandable. I really enjoyed that we got to see little Josefina and her angels make the faceless old woman feel welcome for the first time in a long time. After everything, Night Vale is the only place where she could belong.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Blood, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, and Murder
Moderate: Cancer, Car accident, Grief, and Suicide
theoldestbennetsister's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Death of parent, Grief, Murder, and Stalking
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Abandonment, Animal death, Antisemitism, Body horror, Car accident, Child abuse, Classism, Colonisation, Domestic abuse, Sexual content, Torture, and Alcoholism
lindseyrenee's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
I knew nothing about this character or series before picking this book up. It grabbed me from the very beginning. I liked the flashbacks from the past to the modern day, getting to see the woman from her origin and how twisted her need for revenge made her. There were a few places where the flashbacks were a little dragging and the last two chapters of her past, I feel, could have been combined, but overall a fun and exciting story.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Car accident, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Grief, Murder, Toxic relationship, and Violence
avatarjini's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Of all the Welcome to Night Vale novels that have been put out to date, this one is my personal favourite. The story about the Faceless Old Woman's past is full of thrilling adventure and betrayal, and there are some parts of the story that are positively exciting in the turns that occur. The Faceless Old Woman herself is an enigma given shape and meaning, and while I was skeptical of any Night Vale character being given more depth than necessary - essentially stripping them of their mystery - this story solidifies an already wonderful character and answers questions that you perhaps never had, casually side-stepping any information that would make her character lose the charm and mystery that drew you to it in the first place, and instead adds new dimensions to her character.
Anybody that hasn't engaged in the world of Night Vale before this will find it an easy book to get into, and no prior information of Night Vale is required to sink your teeth into the story. Those who are familiar with Night Vale will only find themselves more enthralled with the Faceless Old Woman and the journey that brought her to Night Vale.
I listened to the audiobook , narrated by the bold and calculating voice of Mara Wilson, the original voice for the Faceless Old Woman, who does the story justice, as we all knew she would. I would even recommend the audiobook, as having the Faceless Old Woman narrate her own story is a delight to listen to.
Anybody that hasn't engaged in the world of Night Vale before this will find it an easy book to get into, and no prior information of Night Vale is required to sink your teeth into the story. Those who are familiar with Night Vale will only find themselves more enthralled with the Faceless Old Woman and the journey that brought her to Night Vale.
I listened to the audiobook , narrated by the bold and calculating voice of Mara Wilson, the original voice for the Faceless Old Woman, who does the story justice, as we all knew she would. I would even recommend the audiobook, as having the Faceless Old Woman narrate her own story is a delight to listen to.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, and Gore
Moderate: Death, Grief, and Murder
Minor: Suicide
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