A review by furimbus
The Necromancer's House by Christopher Buehlman

adventurous challenging dark mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

I liked the story, but found the writing style difficult to enjoy at times. The novel largely consists of one-sentence paragraphs, many of those sentences being fragments. Written in the present tense. It’s primarily stream of consciousness but also shifts POV character occasionally. It makes for a disengaging reading experience at times, and for a very captivating experience at others. I would have enjoyed the story more if it had been written more traditionally. There’s a great mix of modern day witchcraft and Russian folklore and myth and a well-realized and inventive magic system that’s not quite like anything I’ve read before, all dancing around a compelling story about revenge, retribution, death, and love. I can appreciate what the author was going for with the writing style here. He accomplished it; the result just wasn’t for me. To the contrary, The Lesser Dead (also by Buehlman), is perhaps my favorite book ever.