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A review by definitelynotreading
House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski
challenging
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Fair warning, I'm not giving this one a star rating. It's so unique that I don't know how it falls into a typical rating system.
.
If you've never heard of this book, the concept is that this old man dies and his neighbor's friend finds this old trunk full of a manuscript for a book that's typed, scribbled on scraps, disorganized and all over the place. So this guy, Johnny, decides to organize the manuscript and adds his own footnotes to it. The manuscript is an analysis of a Blair Witch style movie about a house that's bigger on the inside. The catch is- this movie doesn't actually exist. In the process of putting this book together, Johnny goes crazy and you get a front row seat. It's a story with so many layers, insane formatting and it's a wild ride.
.
My friend and I read this together and started the read terrified that it was going to be the scariest thing we've ever read. What actually happened is there were a few spooky chapters (don't get me wrong, reading the end late at night in a basement was not a good plan) but all the built up tension would get lost in long philosophical passages or a footnote describing Johnny's latest depraved escapades at his local club. Don't even get me started on the formatting of chapter 9 😨.
.
I'm ultimately glad that my friend introduced me to this book. Someday I may go back and re-read only the Navidson Record (the part about the house) because those were the relatable characters and the best story. For me, I'm glad I pushed through the insanity, but this is definitely not a book for everyone and were it not for buddy reading, I'm not sure I would've made it through.
.
If you do plan to pick it up, there are definitely some content warnings you should look into, especially towards the end.
.
If you've never heard of this book, the concept is that this old man dies and his neighbor's friend finds this old trunk full of a manuscript for a book that's typed, scribbled on scraps, disorganized and all over the place. So this guy, Johnny, decides to organize the manuscript and adds his own footnotes to it. The manuscript is an analysis of a Blair Witch style movie about a house that's bigger on the inside. The catch is- this movie doesn't actually exist. In the process of putting this book together, Johnny goes crazy and you get a front row seat. It's a story with so many layers, insane formatting and it's a wild ride.
.
My friend and I read this together and started the read terrified that it was going to be the scariest thing we've ever read. What actually happened is there were a few spooky chapters (don't get me wrong, reading the end late at night in a basement was not a good plan) but all the built up tension would get lost in long philosophical passages or a footnote describing Johnny's latest depraved escapades at his local club. Don't even get me started on the formatting of chapter 9 😨.
.
I'm ultimately glad that my friend introduced me to this book. Someday I may go back and re-read only the Navidson Record (the part about the house) because those were the relatable characters and the best story. For me, I'm glad I pushed through the insanity, but this is definitely not a book for everyone and were it not for buddy reading, I'm not sure I would've made it through.
.
If you do plan to pick it up, there are definitely some content warnings you should look into, especially towards the end.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Sexual content, Gun violence, and Blood
Moderate: Rape, Sexual violence, and Sexual harassment