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A review by mikkareads
The Hollow Places by T. Kingfisher
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-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? It's complicated
4.75
Freshly divorced and assisting in her uncle's curiosity shop, Kara stumbles upon a mysterious bunker hidden behind a hole in the wall. A messily scrawled warning, «Pray they are hungry,» foreshadows terror beyond imagination – behind a door lies a reality fraught with madness. Scared yet intrigued, Kara becomes obsessed with exploring the peculiar space, only to find herself in realms haunted by creatures attuned to her thoughts.
To me, T. Kingfisher is the queen of liminal horror, and «The Hollow Places» reads like the twisted mirror-image of portal fantasy. Her characters find themselves in the inbetween spaces, confronted with the uncanny, but also with outright terror. Every step brings them further away from what's safe and normal. Why is this happening? Stuck in that limbo of uncertainty, Kingfisher leaves them – and the readers – without definitive answers. Do not read if you need your books to have concrete solutions and explanations!
Kingfisher's language is unsettling, the well-measured gore gets under your skin with dreadful imaginary that evokes a bone-deep unease. The mysterious nature of the narrative calls to the reader who appreciates the subtle undertones rather than cheap thrills.
The story unfolds at a halting pace, but this makes it no less suspenseful. If anything, it gives the reader a feel for the claustrophobic nightmare the characters are stuck in, where their actions seems to simply echo into a void. Fear of the unknown is the leitmotif that resonates throughout the book.
Kara, nicknamed 'Carrot', is a solid, endearing protagonist that invites the reader to root for her, while her best Barista friend Simon offers some much-needed comic relief. To be honest, if Kingfisher was going for gay representation, Simon might be a bit much: He's camp, he's flamboyant, he's promiscuous – but he's also a true gem, a loyal friend. I had a colleague once who was just like Simon, so he felt authentic to me despite his colorful character design!
Compared to Kingfisher's masterpiece »What Moves the Dead«, this is a more subdued offering; it doesn't grip you with quite the same urgency. But I still enjoyed it very much.
To me, T. Kingfisher is the queen of liminal horror, and «The Hollow Places» reads like the twisted mirror-image of portal fantasy. Her characters find themselves in the inbetween spaces, confronted with the uncanny, but also with outright terror. Every step brings them further away from what's safe and normal. Why is this happening? Stuck in that limbo of uncertainty, Kingfisher leaves them – and the readers – without definitive answers. Do not read if you need your books to have concrete solutions and explanations!
Kingfisher's language is unsettling, the well-measured gore gets under your skin with dreadful imaginary that evokes a bone-deep unease. The mysterious nature of the narrative calls to the reader who appreciates the subtle undertones rather than cheap thrills.
The story unfolds at a halting pace, but this makes it no less suspenseful. If anything, it gives the reader a feel for the claustrophobic nightmare the characters are stuck in, where their actions seems to simply echo into a void. Fear of the unknown is the leitmotif that resonates throughout the book.
Kara, nicknamed 'Carrot', is a solid, endearing protagonist that invites the reader to root for her, while her best Barista friend Simon offers some much-needed comic relief. To be honest, if Kingfisher was going for gay representation, Simon might be a bit much: He's camp, he's flamboyant, he's promiscuous – but he's also a true gem, a loyal friend. I had a colleague once who was just like Simon, so he felt authentic to me despite his colorful character design!
Compared to Kingfisher's masterpiece »What Moves the Dead«, this is a more subdued offering; it doesn't grip you with quite the same urgency. But I still enjoyed it very much.