A review by vampire_burrito
She Is a Haunting by Trang Thanh Tran

dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

"Did you all die here?" I ask out loud, when the question I mean is, Have I buried you well enough?

Let me start this review off by saying that I can completely understand why some people didn't like this book. There are some pacing issues and for a horror novel this was not at all scary (for context, I'm a massive wimp who has read like three horror books in her life and gets weirded out by scenes on Stranger Things) but it also has so many things that worked so well for me personally. Let's start of with the main character Jade. In so many ways Jade is me. We are both older sisters, both perpetually stressed out, both crave validation in every aspect of our lives, we are both queer. She doesn't really know what she wants to do with her life despite having a meticulous plan. Obviously there are differences (I'm not Vietnamese, she is) but reading about a character who struggles with so many of the things I do, and feeling so seen by that character was an experience I don't think I'll forget. In many ways Jade's  haracter felt like a love letter to confused queer teens. I also loved the way this book focused on familial love and family relationships (both positive and negative)over platonic and romantic ones (although there is a little touch of romance mixed in) because I feel like I haven't read a lot of books that have that focus. Jade's relationship with her sister was lovely to read about. I also loved the way her relationship with her dad was presented because I thought the author portrayed a situation like that in a really nuanced way. Jade has a lot of harsh feelings against her dad
she is angry at him for leaving her mother and younger siblings as well as his rejection of her bisexuality
but she cannot help but still care about him and want his love and acceptance. This is all written about in a way that shows the love she still has for this parent but does not diminish her anger. The writing style in this book was also really great (especially for a debut novel) in my opinion. The quote at the beginning of this review was one of my favourites, but there are so many other lines and passages that I highlighted on my kindle. As for the horror in this book, I think this would make a pretty good introduction to horror but that seasoned horror readers/consumers would find that aspect of the book to be lacking. The themes behind the horror (the use of the house to show the way the colonial and violent past of Vietnam continues to impact people living today) was far more interesting and scary that the actual on-page horror, which I think is exactly what the author intended and they executed it really well in my opinion. 
Overall, She Is A Haunting is a fascinating debut that unpacks heavy themes, while also managing to have a flawed but relatable protagonist. I will definitely be reading this authors next book. I would recommend this book to teenagers who don't know what they want to do with their life, people who want an introduction to horror and people who enjoy books with a heavy focus on family and familial pain.

I carry the burden of being the first child, and it sinks me into the soil. 

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