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A review by rachelditty
House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Picked this up on a whim after finding another book by Danielewski at a thrift store. I'm glad I read this--it was really fun to flip back and forth between stories and the index/additional material added to the end of the bind-up. I was really drawn in, especially when the format started shifting into something nontraditional.
I think the part I was most attentive to was when the Minotaur section that was mostly scratched out kept sending the reader back and forth and all around a bunch of different foot notes. It was extremely meta and had me giddy, honestly.
I feel like I came away from this read with less than I should have, in all honesty. There were three entirely separate storylines and I only really cared about them halfheartedly, and even when they all wrapped up I still had questions and didn't care as much as I was expecting to or wanted to. I was glad the Navidson family was able to find some kind of closure, but I'm not entirely sure what the last story about the baby from Johnny was supposed to give us. There's just so much to this book that I know I've missed things and that there's way, way more to take from it, but I don't have any more energy to put toward this, and I also don't feel very motivated to do so anyway.
Some quotes I liked:
"I took my morning walk, I took my evening walk, I ate something, I thought about something, I wrote something, I napped and dreamt something too, and with all that something, I still have nothing because so much of sum'things has always been and always will be you.
I miss you," (p. 547).
"It seemed right to him,/ not at long last/ but right along the way.
Where I've been./ Where I am,/ he said and then sighing/ added--
I'd like to return one day/ if only for a little while/ to drink something warm," (p. 580).
It was fun, it was entertaining, but I don't think it's gong to stick with me as much the internet seemed to think it should.
I think the part I was most attentive to was when the Minotaur section that was mostly scratched out kept sending the reader back and forth and all around a bunch of different foot notes. It was extremely meta and had me giddy, honestly.
I feel like I came away from this read with less than I should have, in all honesty. There were three entirely separate storylines and I only really cared about them halfheartedly, and even when they all wrapped up I still had questions and didn't care as much as I was expecting to or wanted to. I was glad the Navidson family was able to find some kind of closure, but I'm not entirely sure what the last story about the baby from Johnny was supposed to give us. There's just so much to this book that I know I've missed things and that there's way, way more to take from it, but I don't have any more energy to put toward this, and I also don't feel very motivated to do so anyway.
Some quotes I liked:
"I took my morning walk, I took my evening walk, I ate something, I thought about something, I wrote something, I napped and dreamt something too, and with all that something, I still have nothing because so much of sum'things has always been and always will be you.
I miss you," (p. 547).
"It seemed right to him,/ not at long last/ but right along the way.
Where I've been./ Where I am,/ he said and then sighing/ added--
I'd like to return one day/ if only for a little while/ to drink something warm," (p. 580).
It was fun, it was entertaining, but I don't think it's gong to stick with me as much the internet seemed to think it should.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Medical content, Grief, Drug use, Murder, Death, Blood, Panic attacks/disorders, and Violence