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A review by trips
Rose/House by Arkady Martine
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
TL;DR
I don't want to say too much as I think you should just read it but, Rose/House is a succinct, timely retelling of a classic gothic horror story that fascinated me through the entire novella.
I'm not a fan the biggest fan of horror (I'm a weenie), but I do think there is something special about taking a classic gothic horror story and reimagining it into things we fear will affect us soon in the current day. Rose House is a genuinely creepy AI with eerie visuals and unsettling language rules. Martine executes this beautifully, her prose a bit more experimental/dreamy than her Texicalaan series in Rose/House but I think it makes the book creepier and even more immersive. The writing is a bit disorienting on times (on purpose) so keep that in mind going in, I think!
I don't want to say too much as I think you should just read it but, Rose/House is a succinct, timely retelling of a classic gothic horror story that fascinated me through the entire novella.
I'm not a fan the biggest fan of horror (I'm a weenie), but I do think there is something special about taking a classic gothic horror story and reimagining it into things we fear will affect us soon in the current day. Rose House is a genuinely creepy AI with eerie visuals and unsettling language rules. Martine executes this beautifully, her prose a bit more experimental/dreamy than her Texicalaan series in Rose/House but I think it makes the book creepier and even more immersive. The writing is a bit disorienting on times (on purpose) so keep that in mind going in, I think!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror and Death