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A review by bookishblondegirl
Beneath the Stairs by Jennifer Fawcett
3.0
This review will be posted on my IG on 02/09
In this supernatural thriller, Clare returns to her hometown after her childhood best friend was found unresponsive in the Octagon House, an abandoned home with a violent past in which Clare and her friend had a life-altering experience in as teenagers. Clare must unravel the mystery of the Octagon House, and figure out how to make things right and save her friend's, and her own, life.
As far as atmosphere, this was great. The Octagon House was really creepy and you definitely got the unnerving sense that the author was trying to evoke. The imagery of the dilapidated house and its features (notably the basement door) was very tangible and easy to imagine, which can be credited to the author's skill. I wouldn't necessarily say that I was ever scared, but I was creeped out and really invested in finding out what was happening.
While I enjoyed the fleshing out of certain characters, particularly Clare and Abby, as it made me emotionally invested in them, some of the flashback scenes in this book seemed unnecessary and like it was just serving to draw out the plot so that the ending might seem more suspenseful.
Speaking of the ending...I was underwhelmed. The climactic scene of the story didn't feel that high-stakes, and the 'twist' didn't quite work for me. Certain aspects of the story felt unresolved in the end, and this irresolution contradicted the emotional themes of moving on, finding closure, and facing things that you had previously left unspoken.
I still enjoyed reading this, and I genuinely think it is a strong debut novel. I think Jennifer Fawcett is an author to keep an eye on, and I'm excited to see what she'll do in the future. Much appreciation to Atria Books and NetGalley for providing me access to this in exchange for my unbiased review!
In this supernatural thriller, Clare returns to her hometown after her childhood best friend was found unresponsive in the Octagon House, an abandoned home with a violent past in which Clare and her friend had a life-altering experience in as teenagers. Clare must unravel the mystery of the Octagon House, and figure out how to make things right and save her friend's, and her own, life.
As far as atmosphere, this was great. The Octagon House was really creepy and you definitely got the unnerving sense that the author was trying to evoke. The imagery of the dilapidated house and its features (notably the basement door) was very tangible and easy to imagine, which can be credited to the author's skill. I wouldn't necessarily say that I was ever scared, but I was creeped out and really invested in finding out what was happening.
While I enjoyed the fleshing out of certain characters, particularly Clare and Abby, as it made me emotionally invested in them, some of the flashback scenes in this book seemed unnecessary and like it was just serving to draw out the plot so that the ending might seem more suspenseful.
Speaking of the ending...I was underwhelmed. The climactic scene of the story didn't feel that high-stakes, and the 'twist' didn't quite work for me. Certain aspects of the story felt unresolved in the end, and this irresolution contradicted the emotional themes of moving on, finding closure, and facing things that you had previously left unspoken.
I still enjoyed reading this, and I genuinely think it is a strong debut novel. I think Jennifer Fawcett is an author to keep an eye on, and I'm excited to see what she'll do in the future. Much appreciation to Atria Books and NetGalley for providing me access to this in exchange for my unbiased review!