A review by atalea
House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski

challenging dark mysterious slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

This book was a real challenge to finish and that's coming from someone who is used to reading big books. The main story told through the Navidson Record may have been one of the best horror stories I have ever read and easily deserves 5 stars. Unfortunately, I did not care much for Johnny's story and his ramblings and even though I'm used to reading academic papers, at times this was just too much, drawing me completely out of the story. The ending fell a bit flat to me and some of the appendices also felt pointless or remained unexplained. Still, the genius of the Navidson Record prevents me from giving it a score lower than a 3.5.
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