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christine_renaud's review
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
mainereading's review against another edition
4.0
3.75⭐
The entirety of the book was creepy and eerie and I love a good horror dealing with water, so I definitely enjoyed reading this. The story was really confusing at times and I believe this is the type of book you can interpret for yourself. I think in its own way, the book was about first love. It can be scary and it can consume you to the point of obsession, maybe even toxic in some cases. That's how I interpreted the book, but what do I know? Maybe the book is just weird and doesn't actually have a meaning or point to it. I didn't really like the ending, but overall I enjoyed reading it.
The entirety of the book was creepy and eerie and I love a good horror dealing with water, so I definitely enjoyed reading this. The story was really confusing at times and I believe this is the type of book you can interpret for yourself. I think in its own way, the book was about first love. It can be scary and it can consume you to the point of obsession, maybe even toxic in some cases. That's how I interpreted the book, but what do I know? Maybe the book is just weird and doesn't actually have a meaning or point to it. I didn't really like the ending, but overall I enjoyed reading it.
ambrose_7's review against another edition
5.0
Josh Malerman has cemented himself as a hell of an author in my eyes. I don't like to throw out five stars very often so it's rare for an author to get five stars twice, but I needed to with this one it was so GOOD. Malerman has got a new dieheart fan...
I'm a sucker for romances by either authors that don't write romance as their main genre or when the romance is based around unique circumstances, nontraditional I guess you could say. This novella hits both of those categories. It's a romance book about two teens who discover a house at the bottom of a lake and how they fall in love because of it. It's beautiful, sweet, and insightful. Both of our young lovers are very much themselves and it is an absolute joy to watch them fall in love.
I was pleasantly surprised that this wasn't horror, I went into it thinking it was horror and had completely different expectations because of that fact. I ended up just rooting for both of the characters because I'm a romantic and just wanted them to have a happy ending. I won't ruin it for you but I was very happy with the ending, and the rest of the book. It was very deep and below the surface at times (pun intended) and I always like books with meaning. The book drags you up to a perfect climax and then ties things up perfectly.
This one hurts to be done with because it was so good, runners high for a reader as I like to say. I'm envious of the people who haven't read this yet.
I'm a sucker for romances by either authors that don't write romance as their main genre or when the romance is based around unique circumstances, nontraditional I guess you could say. This novella hits both of those categories. It's a romance book about two teens who discover a house at the bottom of a lake and how they fall in love because of it. It's beautiful, sweet, and insightful. Both of our young lovers are very much themselves and it is an absolute joy to watch them fall in love.
I was pleasantly surprised that this wasn't horror, I went into it thinking it was horror and had completely different expectations because of that fact. I ended up just rooting for both of the characters because I'm a romantic and just wanted them to have a happy ending. I won't ruin it for you but I was very happy with the ending, and the rest of the book. It was very deep and below the surface at times (pun intended) and I always like books with meaning. The book drags you up to a perfect climax and then ties things up perfectly.
This one hurts to be done with because it was so good, runners high for a reader as I like to say. I'm envious of the people who haven't read this yet.
seymone's review against another edition
2.0
Meh. The ending was cutesy. For a certain age group - definitely not, Thriller or Horror.
flowerreadsalot's review against another edition
4.0
4.5*** Let me start with this is not your average horror. We see literally nothing but yet I felt unsettled the entire time? Warning to all my fellow peeps that are scared of the ocean or dark water………….I literally felt like I was drowning this whole book. I was anxious the entire time. The writing is unique and disheveled and (again) unsettling. Only reason it’s not a 5 for me is because I did not like the ending. Well maybe not that I didn’t like it but I was confused??
Gave me Haunting of Hill House vibes (the series). Specifically, Nell dancing in the house and the reveal of the red room. Like not the same concept but this book made me feel what those scenes made me feel.
Overall I would recommend this but don’t go into this thinking you’re getting conventional horror.
Gave me Haunting of Hill House vibes (the series). Specifically, Nell dancing in the house and the reveal of the red room. Like not the same concept but this book made me feel what those scenes made me feel.
Overall I would recommend this but don’t go into this thinking you’re getting conventional horror.
mplsmysteryreader's review
adventurous
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
1.0
bookber's review against another edition
3.5
3.5 stars
A short and sweet novella about a young romance blossoming after finding a mysterious underwater house. This story was more magical realism than horror for me, and although there was some eeriness and creepiness I thought it was on the tamer side of scary. I liked the romance but I could've done without Spoilerthe overly descriptive underwater sex scene... . Not too sure how I feel about the ending but overall I enjoyed it.
A short and sweet novella about a young romance blossoming after finding a mysterious underwater house. This story was more magical realism than horror for me, and although there was some eeriness and creepiness I thought it was on the tamer side of scary. I liked the romance but I could've done without Spoilerthe overly descriptive underwater sex scene... . Not too sure how I feel about the ending but overall I enjoyed it.