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brennanlafaro 's review for:
White is for Witching
by Helen Oyeyemi
In looking to read a little more widely, White is for Witching by Helen Oyeyemi was a title that kept floating to the top. Advertising itself as a semblance of a haunted house novel, the story follows Miranda, living in the Silver House, a bed and breakfast in Dover, England run by generations of her family. A major life change results in Miranda having to deal with an eating disorder and additional troubles, mainly related to mental health.
Oyeyemi is undoubtedly a very talented writer, with prose that reminded me of Stephen Graham Jones. Whether that’s a common comparison, or my experience alone, I can’t tell you. The story is written with a consistent dream-like quality around the edges, resulting in something that reads a bit like a modern day fairy tale. This style both drew me in because of it’s originality and unique tone, but also caused me to feel slightly lost at times. This could be an intentional choice on the part of the author, or it could have been my attention span failing me.
One particular strength of White is for Witching is the atmosphere that Oyeyemi creates, and is able to maintain, for the duration of the book’s 227 pages. The reader seldom feels at ease while reading about these characters, and this is a definite contribution to the horror on display. Readers looking for a more traditional haunted house story are not going to find it here. The terror presented is more a psychological adversary, dealing thematically with issues of family, legacy, race, and sexuality.
Being unfamiliar with the author, I discovered as I read, non-traditional storytelling elements and plotlines that didn’t necessarily move in a linear fashion, as well as an ending that doesn’t wrap itself up in a traditional bow. Once I gained an understanding of the type of book I was reading, it allowed me to immerse myself in the part of the story that was happening in front of me in the moment, and the components mentioned above didn’t detract from enjoying my reading experience. This isn’t necessarily a novel I would recommend to everyone, but then again, that’s why we write reviews. So you can read through the previous paragraphs and consider the way the story is written, the subject material, and this reader’s personal experience to decide if this is a book you might appreciate.
Oyeyemi is undoubtedly a very talented writer, with prose that reminded me of Stephen Graham Jones. Whether that’s a common comparison, or my experience alone, I can’t tell you. The story is written with a consistent dream-like quality around the edges, resulting in something that reads a bit like a modern day fairy tale. This style both drew me in because of it’s originality and unique tone, but also caused me to feel slightly lost at times. This could be an intentional choice on the part of the author, or it could have been my attention span failing me.
One particular strength of White is for Witching is the atmosphere that Oyeyemi creates, and is able to maintain, for the duration of the book’s 227 pages. The reader seldom feels at ease while reading about these characters, and this is a definite contribution to the horror on display. Readers looking for a more traditional haunted house story are not going to find it here. The terror presented is more a psychological adversary, dealing thematically with issues of family, legacy, race, and sexuality.
Being unfamiliar with the author, I discovered as I read, non-traditional storytelling elements and plotlines that didn’t necessarily move in a linear fashion, as well as an ending that doesn’t wrap itself up in a traditional bow. Once I gained an understanding of the type of book I was reading, it allowed me to immerse myself in the part of the story that was happening in front of me in the moment, and the components mentioned above didn’t detract from enjoying my reading experience. This isn’t necessarily a novel I would recommend to everyone, but then again, that’s why we write reviews. So you can read through the previous paragraphs and consider the way the story is written, the subject material, and this reader’s personal experience to decide if this is a book you might appreciate.