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A review by emtheauthor
House of Stairs by William Sleator
4.0
What would you do if you woke up in a seemingly never-ending space full of stairs?
I don't know about you, but I would freak out. And House of Stairs tells the story of five teenagers in this situation freaking out.
Do we know why they are trapped in a literal house of stairs? No. Do we know why these specific orphans were picked? Nope. Does it seem they will likely die since there are no places of sustenance or any kind of exit? Yep.
Lola, Peter, Oliver, Abigail, and Blossom could not be more different. I hated them all (especially Blossom) and I also loved them all (especially precious Peter), and I admired their contrasting personalities, responses under pressure, and how they changed with prolonged hardship. Super interesting and chill-inducing, because it makes you wonder who you would be if you were pushed to that kind of limit.
The story is less about the actual plot and more about the psychology behind it, which was different than what I usually read and proved to be entertaining. I do wish we were given more closure and explanations, but the end left me with so many chills that I decided it was okay.
While its age shines through at parts, it's short, it's quick, it's weird, it spreads goosebumps, and it sticks. Wouldn't have thought, but it's worth the read.
Rated 3.9/5 for eloquent brevity, solid psychology built into engaging characters, and a timeless air about it that's just plain creepy
I don't know about you, but I would freak out. And House of Stairs tells the story of five teenagers in this situation freaking out.
Do we know why they are trapped in a literal house of stairs? No. Do we know why these specific orphans were picked? Nope. Does it seem they will likely die since there are no places of sustenance or any kind of exit? Yep.
Lola, Peter, Oliver, Abigail, and Blossom could not be more different. I hated them all (especially Blossom) and I also loved them all (especially precious Peter), and I admired their contrasting personalities, responses under pressure, and how they changed with prolonged hardship. Super interesting and chill-inducing, because it makes you wonder who you would be if you were pushed to that kind of limit.
The story is less about the actual plot and more about the psychology behind it, which was different than what I usually read and proved to be entertaining. I do wish we were given more closure and explanations, but the end left me with so many chills that I decided it was okay.
While its age shines through at parts, it's short, it's quick, it's weird, it spreads goosebumps, and it sticks. Wouldn't have thought, but it's worth the read.
Rated 3.9/5 for eloquent brevity, solid psychology built into engaging characters, and a timeless air about it that's just plain creepy