Today in random library books, yet another horror novel! I think I must have added a bunch of them to my list at once and just didn’t remember it. Probably for the best, because apparently this is what I’m in the mood for!
The book follows two people: Mila and Curtis. Mila lives in the past, a recent immigrant to Canada whose mother is betrothed to a powerful man in a strange house that she slowly learns is dangerous and she must find a way to destroy before it takes her like it took the rest of her family. Curtis lives in the present and is tasked with taking care of his mentally ill father and teenage sister, but the weight of his father’s illness is getting to be too much and he’s starting to hear voices as well. They meet one day through a mirror, Mila gaining hope from the experience while Curtis is scared that this means he’ll soon become insane and dangerous like his father.
It’s been a while since I have read a haunted house1 story that wasn’t a struggle to get through, but this one turned out to be fun. Mila slowly realizing that the thing to fear is not just the master of the house but the house itself was fantastic, and I can see how the author was trying to create that parallel between what was happening with her and with Curtis. There were a lot of twists I didn’t see coming and, while some of the explanations for how the mechanics worked were sparse, I don’t think it ever detracted from the story.
The relationship between Curtis and Mila near the end felt very much like it came out of nowhere. I don’t think they interacted enough to build to that point, and the two of them were both so wrapped up in their own traumas that I’m not sure how this was supposed to work, but ultimately I do realize that it was a thing that the author likely felt had to happen.
I also wanted more of Diablo. I thought that horse was going to play a much larger part in the story.
Overall, it was a really fun read! If you’re looking for a relatively quick spooky story, it’s great. The characters are interesting and feel unique, and I’d definitely recommend it for a hounted house fix.
- About the house itself being the antagonist, unlike Into the Grey [↩]