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mindtrick 's review for:
House of Leaves
by Mark Z. Danielewski
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
N/A
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
House of Leaves is a difficult book to review in that it differs so much from most every other book I’ve read that I don’t have a real point of reference to compare it to. We can start then by saying that it also stands apart in that it had one of the most profound effects on me of any book that I have ever read. Truly I am unable to think of another book over which I spent so much time theorizing and arguing, and that’s despite my having a comparative literature degree. Unfortunately, unlike some books however the effect was not lasting. I remember general impressions and certain scenes still stand out to me but, months since I read it, I have no comment on the meaning of the book. This isn’t necessarily a negative I suppose — certainly it’s not a standard by which I would choose to judge most of the books I read, but this one seems to want so desperately for you to think about what you mean that for me to have lost my drive to do so seems almost a failure on its part. I read it as part of a book club, which was a woefully misinformed undertaking. Most of our members dropped out without finishing the book and those who have continued have such wildly diverging ideas about it that it is almost impossible to discuss any one of them properly.
I do think that I will have to rate the book five stars however. It’s grim and gory and funny and desparate and weird and in many ways deeply fucked up, both as a text and a story. This though is what makes it so interesting. I would recommend anyone with an interest in literature to read this book, if only to make yourself aware of other possibilities, the same way you might say «Oh, you can do that?» the first time you read a book by one of the great magical realists, or the first time you realise one of the post modernists is lying to you. Additionally I would recommend anyone with even a passing interest in trying to understand what losing your mind looks like on the inside read this book, as one of my friends in book club said it’s the closest they’ve got to feeling like they did when they were commited for a psychotic break.
I’ve said very little about the story here and that’s on purpose. I think it’s best to tackle this book with very little idea of what’s going on. In fact I read it twice, once straight through, and once referencing the appendices as the author (Johnny?) pointed us to them. I also completed my first reading before we started our discussion, which while it made bookclub a little more difficult also allowed me to more properly form my own set of theories and beliefs on the book. Since I’ve finished it I’ve checked out a few forums which suggest many wildly different theories abnd interpretations of various sections. Some of them are totally nuts and others make me wonder how I didn’t see it that way from the beginning. Anyway, read this book. It is a great undertaking moreso than a novel, in both the writing and reading of it. I think most people who are interested in language or literature will be improved for having come into contact with it.
I do think that I will have to rate the book five stars however. It’s grim and gory and funny and desparate and weird and in many ways deeply fucked up, both as a text and a story. This though is what makes it so interesting. I would recommend anyone with an interest in literature to read this book, if only to make yourself aware of other possibilities, the same way you might say «Oh, you can do that?» the first time you read a book by one of the great magical realists, or the first time you realise one of the post modernists is lying to you. Additionally I would recommend anyone with even a passing interest in trying to understand what losing your mind looks like on the inside read this book, as one of my friends in book club said it’s the closest they’ve got to feeling like they did when they were commited for a psychotic break.
I’ve said very little about the story here and that’s on purpose. I think it’s best to tackle this book with very little idea of what’s going on. In fact I read it twice, once straight through, and once referencing the appendices as the author (Johnny?) pointed us to them. I also completed my first reading before we started our discussion, which while it made bookclub a little more difficult also allowed me to more properly form my own set of theories and beliefs on the book. Since I’ve finished it I’ve checked out a few forums which suggest many wildly different theories abnd interpretations of various sections. Some of them are totally nuts and others make me wonder how I didn’t see it that way from the beginning. Anyway, read this book. It is a great undertaking moreso than a novel, in both the writing and reading of it. I think most people who are interested in language or literature will be improved for having come into contact with it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicide, Blood, Dementia, Death of parent, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis