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A review by djgroupi
Incidents Around the House by Josh Malerman
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
"Incidents Around the House" is a chilling tale told from the perspective of an 8-year old girl named Bella, who is haunted by a demonic entity she calls “Other Mommy.” What begins as seemingly friendly visitations quickly takes a dark turn when the entity starts asking Bella if it can enter her heart. The story becomes deeply unsettling as Bella is basically left to face this nightmare entirely on her own.
Naturally, her parents don't believe her at first—until they witness the demon for themselves. Even then, they're completely unequipped, both emotionally and practically, to handle the situation. The solutions they attempt are ineffective. Where are the Warrens when you need them???
The only thing that really bothered me about this book was that it didn't provide any background as to the nature of the haunting and how it came to be. Why is the entity targeting Bella? And how was it invited into their home?
And that ending? Not at all what I expected—bleak, disturbing, and lingering long after the last page. And if you read this book, don't read it at night.
Naturally, her parents don't believe her at first—until they witness the demon for themselves. Even then, they're completely unequipped, both emotionally and practically, to handle the situation. The solutions they attempt are ineffective. Where are the Warrens when you need them???
The only thing that really bothered me about this book was that it didn't provide any background as to the nature of the haunting and how it came to be. Why is the entity targeting Bella? And how was it invited into their home?
And that ending? Not at all what I expected—bleak, disturbing, and lingering long after the last page. And if you read this book, don't read it at night.