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A review by atomic_tourist
The House in the Pines by Ana Reyes
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
This was the November pick for the UM Women's Commission Book Club! Pretty much everyone agreed that Ana Reyes' debut novel had potential (now Somebody Told Me is playing in my head, lol).
But Reyes tried to pack too much into this short book: two timelines, a thriller plotline, a Borgesian-ly framed side plot about Maya's dad's novel, plus also a historical fiction side plot about military violence in Guatemala... Not to mention the (imo unnecessary) focus on Maya's current love interest, Dan.
I was also frustrated because for what feels like the billionth time, I wasted a few days reading a book marketed as a dark thriller that really didn't delve deep enough into the unknown, the mysterious, and the uncomfortable. At least for my tastes, The House in the Pines was too normie, which I realize sounds pretentious, but still... Guess maybe I should have seen it coming since it was a Reese's Book Club pick. Oh well.
But Reyes tried to pack too much into this short book: two timelines, a thriller plotline, a Borgesian-ly framed side plot about Maya's dad's novel, plus also a historical fiction side plot about military violence in Guatemala... Not to mention the (imo unnecessary) focus on Maya's current love interest, Dan.
I was also frustrated because for what feels like the billionth time, I wasted a few days reading a book marketed as a dark thriller that really didn't delve deep enough into the unknown, the mysterious, and the uncomfortable. At least for my tastes, The House in the Pines was too normie, which I realize sounds pretentious, but still... Guess maybe I should have seen it coming since it was a Reese's Book Club pick. Oh well.