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A review by marcusrigsby
House of Hollow by Krystal Sutherland
5.0
One of the best books that I read in 2022, and a rare example of a YA book that I enjoy as much for the writing as I do for its plot and character development.
You will probably like:
- Again. The writing! I have enjoyed many YA authors who are content if their writing is just easy to read, but now and again, I want more. So it was refreshing to come across an author who seems genuinely excited about the beauty of language and its power to transport readers to secret worlds. I feel like I can see, hear, taste, and smell (especially smell) every part of this story. Sutherland excels at describing smells, including strange, alien aromas that have no equivalents in real life. Her mastery of sensory detail makes her world feel vivid and disturbingly real.
- The pacing. The overarching mystery is tantalizing from the first chapter, and the steady pace at which it reveals its secrets quickly transforms turning the page into an addiction.
- At the center of the story is the relationship between three sisters (Iris, Vivi, and Grey), their connection and their separation. When they are together, their friendship feels like a safe haven in a world that is often patronizing and cruel. Without revealing too much, Grey goes missing near the beginning of the story, and clues seem to suggest that she has been killed by some extra-dimensional enemy. You don't want Grey to be dead. I rooted for the sisters' reunion -- right up until the devastating reveal that reframed the entire story.
These things could ruin the book for you:
- The story gets quite bloody and puke-y in the final chapters. Remember how I said Sutherland is good at describing tastes and smells? Be warned: You will likely feel nauseous right alongside the characters.
- Be warned also: The story does not have a happy ending. In fact, it's one of the most shocking and depressing that I've read in a long time. If you're in a place where plunging headlong into a body horror nightmare doesn't sound like fun to you, then you would be wise to shelve this one for a while.
You will probably like:
- Again. The writing! I have enjoyed many YA authors who are content if their writing is just easy to read, but now and again, I want more. So it was refreshing to come across an author who seems genuinely excited about the beauty of language and its power to transport readers to secret worlds. I feel like I can see, hear, taste, and smell (especially smell) every part of this story. Sutherland excels at describing smells, including strange, alien aromas that have no equivalents in real life. Her mastery of sensory detail makes her world feel vivid and disturbingly real.
- The pacing. The overarching mystery is tantalizing from the first chapter, and the steady pace at which it reveals its secrets quickly transforms turning the page into an addiction.
- At the center of the story is the relationship between three sisters (Iris, Vivi, and Grey), their connection and their separation. When they are together, their friendship feels like a safe haven in a world that is often patronizing and cruel. Without revealing too much, Grey goes missing near the beginning of the story, and clues seem to suggest that she has been killed by some extra-dimensional enemy. You don't want Grey to be dead. I rooted for the sisters' reunion -- right up until the devastating reveal that reframed the entire story.
These things could ruin the book for you:
- The story gets quite bloody and puke-y in the final chapters. Remember how I said Sutherland is good at describing tastes and smells? Be warned: You will likely feel nauseous right alongside the characters.
- Be warned also: The story does not have a happy ending. In fact, it's one of the most shocking and depressing that I've read in a long time. If you're in a place where plunging headlong into a body horror nightmare doesn't sound like fun to you, then you would be wise to shelve this one for a while.