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A review by sarahmiller98
How to Sell a Haunted House by Grady Hendrix
dark
emotional
funny
4.0
The third Grady Hendrix book I've read and the most feel-good one so far. Which is a strange way to describe a book about grief, guilt, family trauma, and a terrifying haunted puppet.
Puppets aside, though, I found this book ultimately very heartwarming. The last two Hendrix books I read were both excellent but brutal in terms of their themes and what they put the main characters through, so it was nice to read something that focused more on the characters healing fractured bonds. The central relationship between siblings Louise and Mark is the heart of the story, and the author does a great job of conveying the pair's emotional growth as they slowly overcome years of hurt, distrust and resentment in order to save each other.
That's not to say, of course, that this book isn't scary - it definitely is. It's also very funny, in a sharp-edged, blackly comedic way that seems to be the author's signature. The use of perspective is fantastic throughout. Louise's voice at the start is so believable and sympathetic, and Mark seems so horrible in comparison, that when I started reading I accepted her version of events without question, even though I'm well aware of the risk of relying on a single character's POV. This not only made the inevitable twist brutally effective, it also made the siblings' gradual reconciliation more meaningful. As the reader, we realise that we have misjudged Mark at the same time as Louise does, and every subsequent minor revelation casting a different light on his actions brings us closer to him.
While I think that Southern Book Club is still my favourite Hendrix novel, I very much enjoyed this. There's a little more kindness and a little less grimness in this book when you compare it to some of his other works, and I think it would make a great starting point for someone who has never read this author. Would absolutely recommend.
Puppets aside, though, I found this book ultimately very heartwarming. The last two Hendrix books I read were both excellent but brutal in terms of their themes and what they put the main characters through, so it was nice to read something that focused more on the characters healing fractured bonds.
That's not to say, of course, that this book isn't scary - it definitely is. It's also very funny, in a sharp-edged, blackly comedic way that seems to be the author's signature. The use of perspective is fantastic throughout.
While I think that Southern Book Club is still my favourite Hendrix novel, I very much enjoyed this. There's a little more kindness and a little less grimness in this book when you compare it to some of his other works, and I think it would make a great starting point for someone who has never read this author. Would absolutely recommend.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Child death and Toxic relationship