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4.03 AVERAGE
4.03 AVERAGE
I wanna break my rating down more.
This is a book inside of a book about a movie. So at the core we have the book Z wrote, which is an analysis of a film that was released in the 90s of a man explore his house once he realized the house is bigger on the inside then the outside. But more accurately it has a closet that is an impenetrable labyrinth of cold darkness. Then JT finds Z's book and decided to finish it for him, while insert his own tidbits. Then we have the professional editor clean it all up, and being the same voice through it.
With that in mind:
Navidson Storyline - 5⭐, I enjoyed learning about the house and the way it affected those exploring/experiencing it.
Z's analysis - 3⭐, some parts felt pointless and some felt like they did add to my understanding of N. Recods.
JT's shit... 2⭐, I fcking hated reading through his monologues. While sometimes it was interesting to see his journey into madness and how it relates to Z's... Like 80% of his rumbles just felt like some guy with low self esteem that didn't know when to stop talking.
The editor aspect feels like a 4⭐, they just felt like comical relief(they weren't funny so more like sane relief), but from the insanity your wading through.
Which to me feels like it averages out to a 3⭐ overall. Doesn't help that I just read You Should Have Left by Daniel Kehlmann, and that book felt how I wanted JT parts to feel.
With that in mind:
Navidson Storyline - 5⭐, I enjoyed learning about the house and the way it affected those exploring/experiencing it.
Z's analysis - 3⭐, some parts felt pointless and some felt like they did add to my understanding of N. Recods.
JT's shit... 2⭐, I fcking hated reading through his monologues. While sometimes it was interesting to see his journey into madness and how it relates to Z's... Like 80% of his rumbles just felt like some guy with low self esteem that didn't know when to stop talking.
The editor aspect feels like a 4⭐, they just felt like comical relief(they weren't funny so more like sane relief), but from the insanity your wading through.
Which to me feels like it averages out to a 3⭐ overall. Doesn't help that I just read You Should Have Left by Daniel Kehlmann, and that book felt how I wanted JT parts to feel.
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Took me about 4 times to read, by which time some of the charm had worn off (Johnny's parts are a bitch but I'm a completionist). Nevertheless it was compelling.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Confinement, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Blood, Dementia, Grief, Schizophrenia/Psychosis
House of Leaves is one of the most mesmerizing books I have read in ages. Ostensibly a horror story, the strength of the book is the relationships among the main characters and the effects the horror elements have on those relationships.
House of Leaves is a complex, multi-layered novel that's a bit hard to describe. Johnny Truant, who works in a tattoo parlor, finds a book by a blind man named Zampanò about a film called The Navidson Record which may or may not exist. The book is heavily footnoted by Zampanò and is further annotated by Truant and even further annotated by an unnamed editor. Although the existence of the film is dubious, the book about the film has a tremendous effect on Truant.
The emotional heart of the book lies with the Navidson family: Will and his wife Karen and their two children who navigate strange happenings in their new home. Secondary characters, mainly Will's brother Tom and friend Billy, provide insights into the complex relationship between Will and Karen.
House of Leaves is purposely ambiguous and challenging. Anyone hoping for a clear explanation of what is going on will be frustrated but the adventure is nonetheless fascinating. I found myself slightly disappointed with the ending but with such a complicated story, I'm not sure what kind of resolution would be satisfying.
Author Mark Z. Danielewski employs many textual tricks to help convey his story. Different fonts indicate different narrators. Footnotes often lead to additional footnotes and to prior footnotes. Pages are formatted unconventionally often requiring the reader to flip back and forth through pages to track a narrative and flipping the book over. For the most part, these effects contribute to the telling of the story. Occasionally, they feel gimmicky.
Overall, House of Leaves is a compelling tale that is surprisingly moving. It's much more a love story than a horror story.
House of Leaves is a complex, multi-layered novel that's a bit hard to describe. Johnny Truant, who works in a tattoo parlor, finds a book by a blind man named Zampanò about a film called The Navidson Record which may or may not exist. The book is heavily footnoted by Zampanò and is further annotated by Truant and even further annotated by an unnamed editor. Although the existence of the film is dubious, the book about the film has a tremendous effect on Truant.
The emotional heart of the book lies with the Navidson family: Will and his wife Karen and their two children who navigate strange happenings in their new home. Secondary characters, mainly Will's brother Tom and friend Billy, provide insights into the complex relationship between Will and Karen.
House of Leaves is purposely ambiguous and challenging. Anyone hoping for a clear explanation of what is going on will be frustrated but the adventure is nonetheless fascinating. I found myself slightly disappointed with the ending but with such a complicated story, I'm not sure what kind of resolution would be satisfying.
Author Mark Z. Danielewski employs many textual tricks to help convey his story. Different fonts indicate different narrators. Footnotes often lead to additional footnotes and to prior footnotes. Pages are formatted unconventionally often requiring the reader to flip back and forth through pages to track a narrative and flipping the book over. For the most part, these effects contribute to the telling of the story. Occasionally, they feel gimmicky.
Overall, House of Leaves is a compelling tale that is surprisingly moving. It's much more a love story than a horror story.
sometimes you just wanna read about fragile people violently losing everything, including their own perception of reality.
Part thriller, part horror, part hunter s thompson drug fueled dream, part sexcapade, part love story. A beautiful artistic investigation into the paranormal. A head scratcher. A haunting poem that stays with you. A mystery that I feel I may never solve. Loved it.
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes