This is my second time reading this book, and I forgot how funny parts of it are! And how emotional it can get. The best of both worlds, in my opinion. I love the unique stories that Patrick Ness comes up with; I know they aren't for everyone, but as someone who reads and studies YA books, the way Ness plays with common YA tropes in this book is really entertaining.

Ness also deals with Mikey's OCD in a very real way. We get to see how he gets stuck in these loops, unable to finish washing his hands until he gets it just right; but he doesn't even know what exactly "right" is. For teens struggling with similar issues, seeing themselves in this book could do wonders.

Yes, there were aspects of the plot that maybe didn't quite fit that I didn't notice the first time around, but for me, those didn't matter as much as the message behind the story. Patrick Ness will continue to be one of my favorite authors, and I can't wait to see what he comes up with next.

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Admittedly, this book took me a while to get through, not because of the story or the writing, but purely because of the way that the book is written. Not only are there copious amounts of footnotes (that can sometimes be pages long), but the text could be backwards, upside down, struck through, etc. However, I believe these methods add to the nature of the story, which is two stories weaved into one. One follows Johnny Truant, publishing a book left behind by a man named Zampano, becoming increasing more haunted as the story goes on. The second is the actual story that Zampano wrote, which follows follows the Navidson family, who find a new section of their house upon returning from a trip, which is always shifting and changing, haunting those that explore it. The book gets increasingly creepier as the text goes on, furthered by the way that the text is formatted.

The strongest aspect about this book is the way that it is written. It took the author years to write it, and the effort definitely paid off. I think the most fascinating thing about it is the fact that the format just increases the anxiety that the reader is already feeling from the characters. Not only are they exploring this house that is constantly expanding, haunted by the growling, but anxiety is created in the reader because of the complex form, trying to figure out the way the text is connected, intermittently being interrupted by Truant's story. It's fascinatingly complex, and though it took me a while to read, it was definitely worth it. But definitely not for those that don't like horror, because this book is definitely creepy.

5/5 stars.

At the age of 13, twins Jude and Noah are almost inseparable; Noah is quiet and isolated, always sketching and following around the neighbor boy, where Jude is daredevil enough for the both of them. Flash forward 3 years, and their relationship has completely disintegrated. As Noah tells the story of the past, and Jude tells the story of the future, the twins learn that the only way they'll be able to move forward is by reconciling their relationship.

The major aspect I think this book gets props for is its use of the multi-narrator. This narrative device has become all the rage in the YA world; looking through this section in any bookstore, a good majority of the books that you pick up are going to have at least 2, if not more, narrators. If done well, this isn't a bad thing, as it allows authors to bring more voices into their stories, maybe include more diversity, etc. This book stands out from those because the two narrators are also from two different points in the narrators' lives: when they are 13 and when they are 16. This device pulls the reader in right from the beginning, sparking curiosity and moving the plot forward at a nice pace.

This wasn't the only strength of this book: there were some really beautiful lines, and the characterization was phenomenal. As you get more and more into Noah and Jude's heads, you keep moving forward because you just want them to get back to where they used to be, to mend their relationship. Their pain, their struggles felt so real, and I think they're relatable, no matter who picks up this book.

I think the only major critique I have is that some of the supernatural stuff threw me off slightly at the beginning, but it didn't take long for me to adjust to it in the narrative. Otherwise, this is phenomenal read, and a story that will linger in your mind once it's over.