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A review by oneanjana
What Walks These Halls by Amy Clarkin
5.0
I think this is the first time I really like a horror novel. Umm… the fact that it has scary side, but also has romantic and heartwarming side.
What Walks These Halls tells the story of a haunted house investigation called Hyacinth House in Ireland. Told from multiple POVs, it makes this book feel rich in detail because I felt I can connect with each of them easily.
I like how the author makes each character have a strong background story. Raven with her bitter past that eventually made her walled up, Archer (Raven's brother) who feels lonely and keeps looking for answers because he also ‘lost’ his sister after their father's death. I think Raven and her brother’s relationship is quite similar to mine, so I felt relatable. There’s a scene where their mom asks Raven for help to advise Archer because Raven's words are often heard more than her mother, and that was often the same with me and my bro. Then there’s Eabha, with a heartbreaking background because her parents would rather not accept her gift and even worse, they think it’s a mental illness. The last one, Cordelia, she was accepted in the real estate agent as a fresh graduate and being the only woman in her work environment made her frequently belittled by her co-workers.
Generally speaking, the horror part isn’t too scary. In the first half, it's hardly some spine-tingling scenes that successfully made me shiver. The Ghost—which typically referred to as The Lady—with a figure wearing a veil, reminds me of 'Ibu' (Mother), a ghost in the famous Indonesian horror film, Satan's Slave. So, the image of 'Ibu' as The Lady really haunts me throughout the story. However, in the second half, the story shift into highlighting more personal stories, building bond between characters, and the investigation process. One thing to note here: I love how the author describes each horror scene. I can’t describe it precisely, but it kinda feels very cinematic.
I said formerly, this book also has a romantic and heartwarming side. Yes, you read that right. I liked that the romantic side is slow-burn, light, but also swoon-worthy. The heartwarming feels is because of its found-family trope. In my opinion, this book has the potential to be continued as a series. Because it feels like there are still exciting things to follow, such as how Raven is progressing with that new things she got. And I think it will be fun to see them investigate together again as a solid team.
What Walks These Halls tells the story of a haunted house investigation called Hyacinth House in Ireland. Told from multiple POVs, it makes this book feel rich in detail because I felt I can connect with each of them easily.
I like how the author makes each character have a strong background story. Raven with her bitter past that eventually made her walled up, Archer (Raven's brother) who feels lonely and keeps looking for answers because he also ‘lost’ his sister after their father's death. I think Raven and her brother’s relationship is quite similar to mine, so I felt relatable. There’s a scene where their mom asks Raven for help to advise Archer because Raven's words are often heard more than her mother, and that was often the same with me and my bro. Then there’s Eabha, with a heartbreaking background because her parents would rather not accept her gift and even worse, they think it’s a mental illness. The last one, Cordelia, she was accepted in the real estate agent as a fresh graduate and being the only woman in her work environment made her frequently belittled by her co-workers.
Generally speaking, the horror part isn’t too scary. In the first half, it's hardly some spine-tingling scenes that successfully made me shiver. The Ghost—which typically referred to as The Lady—with a figure wearing a veil, reminds me of 'Ibu' (Mother), a ghost in the famous Indonesian horror film, Satan's Slave. So, the image of 'Ibu' as The Lady really haunts me throughout the story. However, in the second half, the story shift into highlighting more personal stories, building bond between characters, and the investigation process. One thing to note here: I love how the author describes each horror scene. I can’t describe it precisely, but it kinda feels very cinematic.
I said formerly, this book also has a romantic and heartwarming side. Yes, you read that right. I liked that the romantic side is slow-burn, light, but also swoon-worthy. The heartwarming feels is because of its found-family trope. In my opinion, this book has the potential to be continued as a series. Because it feels like there are still exciting things to follow, such as how Raven is progressing with that new things she got. And I think it will be fun to see them investigate together again as a solid team.