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A review by phira603
The New House by Tess Stimson
2.0
I wanted to like this book, but two things really soured me on it. Both are major spoilers, one for its handling of domestic abuse, and one for the ending.
And when I say that I wanted to like this book, I mean it! I thought that the characters were consistent and compelling, that the central ideas were really interesting (i.e. about sociopathy and nature vs. nurture), and that the structure was very engaging. If it were just the handling of domestic abuse, I think I'd have rated it 3 stars or so, but as is with the ending, I'm so dissatisfied that I can't.
Regarding domestic abuse,
And regarding the ending (and we're going full blown spoilers here, you've been warned!),
But also--tacking on Peter murdering Tom as something that happens between the final chapter and the epilogue feels so cheap. There is a whole story in here about a mother discovering her love for her son, amputating fingers to rescue him, and then lying to cover up three murders he committed, only for him to murder his own father/her husband later on. But as written, it feels like the "I killed my father" bit was meant to throw off readers throughout the story.
And what's funny is that the author absolutely nailed this kind of surprise reveal earlier in the book, when Peter pushed Medusa out a window--I had to go back and reread the chapter because I was so certain that it had been the other way around. It's just a shame that a second Big Identity Twist fell so flat.
And when I say that I wanted to like this book, I mean it! I thought that the characters were consistent and compelling, that the central ideas were really interesting (i.e. about sociopathy and nature vs. nurture), and that the structure was very engaging. If it were just the handling of domestic abuse, I think I'd have rated it 3 stars or so, but as is with the ending, I'm so dissatisfied that I can't.
Regarding domestic abuse,
Spoiler
all of the stuff with Stacey and Felix had me close to not finishing the book. While the author did seem to take great pains to emphasize how important it is to believe victims, etc, hinging an entire plot on a woman faking being abused still doesn't sit right with me.And regarding the ending (and we're going full blown spoilers here, you've been warned!),
Spoiler
I figured early on that Millie wasn't the one doing the psycho interview. I sort of then expected it might be Stacey. But even though the voice fit Peter, the story he tells just absolutely does not. While I appreciate that he's a liar and therefore an unreliable narrator, it doesn't feel like a clever reveal at the end--it feels like it's more like, "Psych! It was Peter, and you wouldn't have guessed it because the details provided aren't true!"But also--tacking on Peter murdering Tom as something that happens between the final chapter and the epilogue feels so cheap. There is a whole story in here about a mother discovering her love for her son, amputating fingers to rescue him, and then lying to cover up three murders he committed, only for him to murder his own father/her husband later on. But as written, it feels like the "I killed my father" bit was meant to throw off readers throughout the story.
And what's funny is that the author absolutely nailed this kind of surprise reveal earlier in the book, when Peter pushed Medusa out a window--I had to go back and reread the chapter because I was so certain that it had been the other way around. It's just a shame that a second Big Identity Twist fell so flat.