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ztphonehome's review
challenging
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Mixed bag- the prose is beautiful, but the story itself meandered in a slightly dull way. I really appreciated the subtly of the themes and messages at first, but then at the end it felt like the book switched up and lost its subtly. Also, you'll have to accept being left with more questions than answers.
emmagrace13's review against another edition
Still enjoyed it but lost interest after we stopped talking about it in bc lass bc I already know the story
carmilla1989's review
1.0
Dar algo alem de 2 estrelas nesse livro é ser pretensioso demais. SEM PLOT, SEM DESENVOLVIMENTO E EXTREMAMENTE CONFUSO. Odiei todos os personagens e odiei essa casa racista que odeia imigrantes.
popsjt12's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
tabbrower's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
3.75
Good! Properly unsettling, it didn't always work for me but often really did. A lot, maybe a bit too much going on, but all of the core is quite fucking good.
sam_bizar_wilcox's review
5.0
This novel is arresting. With shades of Toni Morrison and Shirley Jackson (and perhaps Donna Tartt), Oyeyemi's haunted-house fairytale is a verbal feast -- enough to choke on. A young woman is haunted by the ghostly women of her family in an old seaside bed-and-breakfast, the house itself serving as the primary antagonist (and one of the untrustworthy narrators) of this eerie fable. Of Oyeyemi's novels (at least, of those that I've read) this is the most complete: the novel is structurally sound and the ending feels contained in the beginning. I've long held the belief that Oyeyemi is more alluring for the strengths of her prose than for the actual novel-length stories, and that her best works are in shorter forms. This novel has proven me wrong. In fact, I think it's the most aesthetically complete and rich offering from her oeuvre. It's a near-perfect novel. And with some very savvy language and some complex verbal structures, I think it's a far more cerebral work than it gets credit for. An excellent choice for late October.
annieisawolf's review
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
melissaalgood's review
3.0
It’s not the book I think it’s me, but i am just not interested in these characters at all. However I do appreciate the stylized form of writing. I am going to read other words from this author.