A review by evangeline_miller
The House Next Door by Anne Rivers Siddons

3.0

The book starts off really strong, establishing the scene and characters within an upper-middle-class neighborhood filled with very classic Southern homes. In many ways, the book is exploring the clash between traditional values and encroaching modernism, presenting the latter as a malevolent force manifested through modernist architecture. Some of the manifestations of said malevolent force turn out to be things like extra-martial affairs, gay sex, you know, “scary” things of that nature that tap into the anxieties and fears of a predominately WASP suburban community. While somewhat satirical in that regard, the book becomes a bit too repetitive and failed to keep my interest throughout. I’m not sure I’ll read any more by the author, but overall, still a worthwhile read.