A review by rotheche
The Night Guest by Hildur Knútsdóttir

dark mysterious tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

Note: review includes spoilers.

 
This is a novella, which is normally a format I'm pretty comfortable with — I like a good creepy story that doesn't outstay it's welcome. So, when I say The Night Guest is too short, I'm not complaining about it being a novella; it's more that the novella finished before the story did. It has a really effective buildup of creepiness, with Iðunn's realisation that something is wrong but when the denouement comes around, it just doesn't stick the landing for me. I'm obviously meant to draw a relationship between Iðunn, whatever's going on and Iðunn's mysteriously dead sister...but things are left just too mysteriously. It felt unfinished to me; the story just stopped rather than coming to a natural conclusion, especially in contrast to the steady tightening of tension for the first 7/8ths of the story. 

I will also say, I managed to somehow miss any content warnings for animal harm. If that's a trigger for you, avoid this one. 
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