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mylanhagemann's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
alexstoner's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
heathi13's review against another edition
2.0
This is a psychological literary horror book about a young couple that tries to repair their marriage by buying a house that also happens to be haunted. By what? We never really find out. Are they able to escape and save themselves? We don’t really find that out either.
This book is a slow burn for a short book and it’s told from the back-and-forth perspective of the husband and wife. Both of them are unreliable narrators which is a trope I generally love, but they are also immature, unpleasant people that I didn’t really like or feel any connection to. The husband is lazy, entitled and has a gambling problem and the wife is a narcissistic perfectionist.
The idea is that the house is haunted, sure, but is it the house that’s tearing them apart, or is it just planting seeds and their very apparent distrust of and resentment towards each other doing the job instead?
I might have liked this book more if I liked or was rooting for either character but at by the end of the book, I wanted to pull a Rolph and just blast big band music at Julie and James until they went somewhere, anywhere, else.
This book is a slow burn for a short book and it’s told from the back-and-forth perspective of the husband and wife. Both of them are unreliable narrators which is a trope I generally love, but they are also immature, unpleasant people that I didn’t really like or feel any connection to. The husband is lazy, entitled and has a gambling problem and the wife is a narcissistic perfectionist.
The idea is that the house is haunted, sure, but is it the house that’s tearing them apart, or is it just planting seeds and their very apparent distrust of and resentment towards each other doing the job instead?
I might have liked this book more if I liked or was rooting for either character but at by the end of the book, I wanted to pull a Rolph and just blast big band music at Julie and James until they went somewhere, anywhere, else.
astrireads's review against another edition
4.0
Did I just read a book in a day? Yes, I did. This book certainly lived up to its title, as it was gripping throughout.
The story is about a couple who's experiencing marriage troubles and decided to move to a house in a small neighborhood. From the moment they set foot in the house, they realize that it might be a haunted. Cheap house, anyone?
This book is narrated through two point of views, each written in short chapters. I don't read a lot of horror novels, but I've watched my fair share of horror movies, and reading The Grip of It felt like watching a movie. The writing was descriptive, the characters emotions were accessible, the paranormal aspect was chilling. The atmosphere of the book was creepy and it kept me glued to its pages. I couldn't stop reading, I just had to know what happens next. The book left me questioning what is real and what is not.
I rate this book 4 stars, because I was a bit underwhelmed by the ending. I wanted more! I am really spooked and will regret my decision of reading this during nighttime. Now, please excuse me, while I go to sleep with my lights on (possibly for the next day or two!).
The story is about a couple who's experiencing marriage troubles and decided to move to a house in a small neighborhood. From the moment they set foot in the house, they realize that it might be a haunted. Cheap house, anyone?
This book is narrated through two point of views, each written in short chapters. I don't read a lot of horror novels, but I've watched my fair share of horror movies, and reading The Grip of It felt like watching a movie. The writing was descriptive, the characters emotions were accessible, the paranormal aspect was chilling. The atmosphere of the book was creepy and it kept me glued to its pages. I couldn't stop reading, I just had to know what happens next. The book left me questioning what is real and what is not.
I rate this book 4 stars, because I was a bit underwhelmed by the ending. I wanted more! I am really spooked and will regret my decision of reading this during nighttime. Now, please excuse me, while I go to sleep with my lights on (possibly for the next day or two!).
caitlynholl's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
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
4.5
trin's review against another edition
1.0
Effective horror is incredibly difficult to write. How do you sustain the suspense, let the terror build? Jac Jemc can't seem to with The Grip of It. This is a classic haunted house story, with some decent ideas -- -- but I feel like the author runs out of steam a third of the way in. Some explanations or narrative excuses -- why would you stay in a house that is so obviously destroying your psyche?! -- arrive at least 50 pages too late, while others -- in particular, why would you be tempted to buy a house with stained walls, creepy crawlspaces, and an omnipresent humming sound in the first place? -- arrive never. The dual POVs become more and more crazed as the book progresses, but not in a bone-chilling [a:Shirley Jackson|13388|Shirley Jackson|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1444840075p2/13388.jpg] way; the madness never struck me as convincing (nor could I frequently tell the voices of each half of the married couple apart). Finally, rather than provide any sort of explanation, Jemc delivers about forty, vaguely, sort of. Take your pick!!!
No, thank you; this book had already lost its hold on me 150 pages back.
Spoiler
I liked the moldNo, thank you; this book had already lost its hold on me 150 pages back.
justinkhchen's review against another edition
5.0
5 stars
Exactly the type of psychological horror I enjoy: atmospheric and open to interpretation, I've seen people calling The Grip of It 'Lovecraftian' — I'm not that familiar with the work of H. P. Lovecraft (I was more of an Edgar Allan Poe enthusiast), maybe that's a path I should investigate sooner rather than later.
I love the way horror plays out in this haunted house story, going for unsettling chill rather than shock value. Scenes with incomprehensible element would be described very matter-of-factly (no temperature drop, weird noises or any sort of formulaic buildups), yet this emotionally-detached writing style makes the encounter even more unnerving, as if the entity was acting upon its own accord, regardless whether human respond to it or not. Like living in a constant haze, the characters' muted reaction to their surrounding added an additional layer of disorientation and eeriness.
So happy to discover another haunted house story without the typical 'perfect house then suddenly HAUNTED!' switcheroo; the house in The Grip of It was soaked in dread from the get-go, yet the protagonists still fell under its spell, and what followed was a maddening downward spiral for the body and mind. Definitely unusual and defy expectation (which is why I 'get' its low score on GR), but it's exactly the type of twisted mystery I love! Recommend if you enjoy I'm Thinking of Ending Things.
p.s. great audiobook!
Exactly the type of psychological horror I enjoy: atmospheric and open to interpretation, I've seen people calling The Grip of It 'Lovecraftian' — I'm not that familiar with the work of H. P. Lovecraft (I was more of an Edgar Allan Poe enthusiast), maybe that's a path I should investigate sooner rather than later.
I love the way horror plays out in this haunted house story, going for unsettling chill rather than shock value. Scenes with incomprehensible element would be described very matter-of-factly (no temperature drop, weird noises or any sort of formulaic buildups), yet this emotionally-detached writing style makes the encounter even more unnerving, as if the entity was acting upon its own accord, regardless whether human respond to it or not. Like living in a constant haze, the characters' muted reaction to their surrounding added an additional layer of disorientation and eeriness.
So happy to discover another haunted house story without the typical 'perfect house then suddenly HAUNTED!' switcheroo; the house in The Grip of It was soaked in dread from the get-go, yet the protagonists still fell under its spell, and what followed was a maddening downward spiral for the body and mind. Definitely unusual and defy expectation (which is why I 'get' its low score on GR), but it's exactly the type of twisted mystery I love! Recommend if you enjoy I'm Thinking of Ending Things.
p.s. great audiobook!
njdarkish's review against another edition
4.0
A book with a paranoid horror that begins subtly but becomes terrifying. It isn't your typical haunted house story and does well at playing with your expectations. My only qualm is that it just ends without anything feeling complete. I don't want everything tied up in a bow, but I felt like this almost stopped mid-thought.
matasatan's review against another edition
5.0
Probably the best book for my eyes so far this year. Love everything so hard that it gave me headache ❤️
audreysprinkleanna's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5