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howlinglibraries 's review for:
A House with Good Bones
by T. Kingfisher
dark
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
They say you can’t go home again, but of course you can. It’s just that when you get there, somebody may have repainted and changed the fixtures around.
A little Southern gothic, a little folk horror, and a whole lotta heart. T. Kingfisher has truly become one of my favorite authors of all time, and this might be my favorite book of hers I've read so far. A House with Good Bones is equal parts dark and twisty + hilarious and charming, with a main character that has stuck with me so much that I doubt a week goes by without thinking of her (which is saying something, since I'm writing this review 6 months after reading the book).
She had on leopard-print leggings and an oversized T-shirt that read OREGON: FIFTY MILLION BANANA SLUGS CAN’T BE WRONG.
First of all, I don't know where T comes up with these characters, but I need her to never, ever stop because they're incredible. Sam is hilarious enough on her own, but then you go adding in her mom and Gail and Hermes (the one-winged vulture) and there were times I forgot I was reading a horror book because I was laughing so hard. (Of course, loving those characters so much certainly amped up the stakes when shit hit the fan, too!)
“Vultures are extremely sensitive to the dead. Particularly when the dead are doing things they shouldn't be.”
All of the fun elements aside, A House with Good Bones is, in fact, a horror novel, and I loved the horror aspects just as well. There's an ominous air to the story from the very first page and it slowly builds upon itself as things progress, until suddenly you realize that T's been leading you to the deep end all along while she distracted you with laughs and hospitality, and now it's too late to get out. I won't spoil anything, but I loved the big reveals in the end and found one particular development very unsettling!
I could hop into an ER carrying my severed leg and squirting blood from the stump and the doctor would congratulate me on having dropped all that leg weight and tell me to keep up the good work.
One last thing: I can't possibly finish this review without mentioning the discussions on fatphobia, particularly in the medical field, and how incredibly relatable and accurate they were. Sam is a fat woman who is fully content in her skin and knows that society's issues with her size don't reflect on who she is as a person, and I loved every bit of her for it.
The bottom line is: If you like gothic horror that will make you laugh and smile just as much as it will creep you out, I can't recommend this one highly enough. 5 stars, all the stars, and consider me always eagerly awaiting the next T. Kingfisher novel.
I read a final copy I purchased myself, but for the sake of disclosure, I was also sent an early review copy by the author/publisher. All thoughts are honest and my own.
✨ Representation: Sam, the main character, is fat