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A review by justinkhchen
The Spite House by Johnny Compton
4.5
A layered gothic horror with an old-school feel, The Spite House reminds me a lot of horror novels from the 80s, such as The Elementals by Michael McDowell, and Maynard's House by Herman Raucher, where the story starts out as a character-focused slowburn, then nosedives into a horror that's more psychological and fantastical (like a drug-induced nightmare rather than the typical ghosts and spirits). It also has a very consistent undercurrent of dread throughout, which is a tone mainstream horror literature has moved away from lately. Its departure from trends makes The Spite House a standout read.
The audiobook has noticeably elevated my overall experience; Johnny Compton's writing is sharp, but leans on the stoic side, which can make the story coming across like a news report, rather than a passionate telling. But Adam Lazarre-White's performance infuses a lot of humanity back into this material, and makes the characters come to life. If you find the physical read is too dry and clinical, I would highly recommend giving the audiobook a try.
The Spite House is surprisingly complex, with the integration of American history and architectural terminology (spite house is a real thing!), alongside the fictional familial drama (there are like 2–3 family histories we're following throughout). Even though nearing the end it does get a little convoluted trying to wrap everything up, I appreciate the effort in trying to compose something different, rather than just a straightforward haunted house story.
The lore of J-horror The Grudge is another work that comes to mind; playing with the theme of a place being 'cursed' by all the extreme emotions from the people who have resided there prior. The Spite House is an acquired taste — it's purposefully slow (but not aimless), constructing its horror upon an intangible concept, and vague on giving answers in its closure. Readers expecting a page turner might be taken aback by how much threads need to be untangled in this shortish book, but this is 100% a memorable read.
**This ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Much appreciated!**
The audiobook has noticeably elevated my overall experience; Johnny Compton's writing is sharp, but leans on the stoic side, which can make the story coming across like a news report, rather than a passionate telling. But Adam Lazarre-White's performance infuses a lot of humanity back into this material, and makes the characters come to life. If you find the physical read is too dry and clinical, I would highly recommend giving the audiobook a try.
The Spite House is surprisingly complex, with the integration of American history and architectural terminology (spite house is a real thing!), alongside the fictional familial drama (there are like 2–3 family histories we're following throughout). Even though nearing the end it does get a little convoluted trying to wrap everything up, I appreciate the effort in trying to compose something different, rather than just a straightforward haunted house story.
The lore of J-horror The Grudge is another work that comes to mind; playing with the theme of a place being 'cursed' by all the extreme emotions from the people who have resided there prior. The Spite House is an acquired taste — it's purposefully slow (but not aimless), constructing its horror upon an intangible concept, and vague on giving answers in its closure. Readers expecting a page turner might be taken aback by how much threads need to be untangled in this shortish book, but this is 100% a memorable read.
**This ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Much appreciated!**