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thecaptainsquarters 's review for:
The Hollow Places
by T. Kingfisher
Ahoy there me mateys! I received this fantasy horror eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. So here be me honest musings . . .
I am a newcomer to the works of T. Kingfisher having only previously read minor mage, which I loved. So I was very excited to get a hold of this horror book for the October season. This ended up being an okay read for me but I blame this on me and not the author.
Ye see, this work was inspired by a 1907 novella called "The Willows" by Algernon Blackwood. I hadn't heard of this. Lovecraft called that story "the finest supernatural tale in English literature." Now I am not a Lovecraftian fan. The First Mate once had to tell me what a shoggoth was. So had I known that Kingfisher's book was more in that style or had a clue about the 1907 novella (and taken time to read it first), I may have liked this better.
Now to be fair, I don't really think the blurb does this book justice. Because it only talks about the main character, Kara, living in her uncle's house. It does not mention that said house is actually a room in her uncle's museum called "Glory to God Museum of Natural Wonders, Curiosities and Taxidermy." The place is as good as it sounds. In fact the entire beginning of the book was utterly captivating. I love the museum, Uncle Earl, and Kara. I loved the entire set-up and was avidly hanging on every word. Then the "hole" is discovered.
I even enjoyed the exploration of the bunker and the other world. I found the existence of the hollow places to be interesting. I loved that Kara brings in Simon the barista from the coffee shop next door to help explore. I adored their banter and the humor throughout the book. I thought much of it was atmospheric and fun. Oh and there is an awesome cat. Made me happy.
The main problem was the climax and the wrap up. It was very much Lovecraftian and I just didn't like it. I can objectively say it was written well but it just didn't float me boat. Plus the "why" of the hole existing was obvious from the beginning and I didn't like that it took forever for Kara to figure it out. It is me not the book. That said, what I did like I loved and I am very much looking forward to reading more of the author's work. Arrrr!
So lastly . . .
Thank you Saga Press!
I am a newcomer to the works of T. Kingfisher having only previously read minor mage, which I loved. So I was very excited to get a hold of this horror book for the October season. This ended up being an okay read for me but I blame this on me and not the author.
Ye see, this work was inspired by a 1907 novella called "The Willows" by Algernon Blackwood. I hadn't heard of this. Lovecraft called that story "the finest supernatural tale in English literature." Now I am not a Lovecraftian fan. The First Mate once had to tell me what a shoggoth was. So had I known that Kingfisher's book was more in that style or had a clue about the 1907 novella (and taken time to read it first), I may have liked this better.
Now to be fair, I don't really think the blurb does this book justice. Because it only talks about the main character, Kara, living in her uncle's house. It does not mention that said house is actually a room in her uncle's museum called "Glory to God Museum of Natural Wonders, Curiosities and Taxidermy." The place is as good as it sounds. In fact the entire beginning of the book was utterly captivating. I love the museum, Uncle Earl, and Kara. I loved the entire set-up and was avidly hanging on every word. Then the "hole" is discovered.
I even enjoyed the exploration of the bunker and the other world. I found the existence of the hollow places to be interesting. I loved that Kara brings in Simon the barista from the coffee shop next door to help explore. I adored their banter and the humor throughout the book. I thought much of it was atmospheric and fun. Oh and there is an awesome cat. Made me happy.
The main problem was the climax and the wrap up. It was very much Lovecraftian and I just didn't like it. I can objectively say it was written well but it just didn't float me boat. Plus the "why" of the hole existing was obvious from the beginning and I didn't like that it took forever for Kara to figure it out. It is me not the book. That said, what I did like I loved and I am very much looking forward to reading more of the author's work. Arrrr!
So lastly . . .
Thank you Saga Press!