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maryleong 's review for:
The Good House
by Tananarive Due
(3.5/5) Haitian vodou and Southern gothic meet in the atmospheric Pacific Northwest small town of Sacajawea, Washington. As Angela Toussaint returns to her late grandmother's home, the Fourth of July party she hosts ends in tragedy. While she dives into work as a lawyer in Los Angeles, calls to sell her the "Good House" has her returning to Sacajawea. As sinister incidents begin to crop up around town, Angela must figure out how to listen to her grandmother's voice and combat the curse that follows their family.
The descriptions of life in a small town – deeply rooted in its own traditions, folk beliefs, and yes, prejudices – are incredibly well done. Though Angela grew up in Sacajawea, her race still clearly sets her apart from others; her son, Corey, faces racist slurs from other teens in the community. Local tensions are further heightened by the mysterious deaths and murders that plague the locals. Weaving in elements of Haitian vodou, this novel was a darkly lush and unsettling read. From Papa Legba to the baka – evil spirits with a trickster element – the Toussaint family is dancing with powers they don't quite understand.
There were parts of the novel that did feel a little slow, but not enough to significantly impact my reading enjoyment. Overall, a deeply unsettling and yet, ultimately hopeful and uplifting read.
The descriptions of life in a small town – deeply rooted in its own traditions, folk beliefs, and yes, prejudices – are incredibly well done. Though Angela grew up in Sacajawea, her race still clearly sets her apart from others; her son, Corey, faces racist slurs from other teens in the community. Local tensions are further heightened by the mysterious deaths and murders that plague the locals. Weaving in elements of Haitian vodou, this novel was a darkly lush and unsettling read. From Papa Legba to the baka – evil spirits with a trickster element – the Toussaint family is dancing with powers they don't quite understand.
There were parts of the novel that did feel a little slow, but not enough to significantly impact my reading enjoyment. Overall, a deeply unsettling and yet, ultimately hopeful and uplifting read.