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A review by mikkareads
Home Before Dark by Riley Sager
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
Maggie Holt returns to Baneberry Hall, the supposedly haunted house where she lived as a child. It was the setting of her father's bestselling book, «House of Horrors,» which detailed the terrifying supernatural events her parents claimed to have endured while living there.
Brimming with disdain for their phony deceit, Maggie decides to renovate and sell Baneberry Hall, but her return reopens old wounds. Determined to uncover the truth, she soon finds herself swallowed by a quagmire of unspoken family secrets, resurfacing dark memories, and the possibility that her father's book was more than fiction.
The plot is a blend of mystery, horror, and psychological thriller elements, which in theory has all the hallmarks of a spectacular, spooky pageturner. Emphasis on 'in theory'! This was not my first book by Riley Sager, and not the first book I felt disappointed by, either. I think it's time to admit defeat; sometimes you just don't click with an author. Hence, take my review with a grain of salt, this is just my personal impression of this novel.
You know, I actually love unreliable, off-putting characters, if written well! They can add such a great layer of delicious uncertainty to a story. But here, I felt like they were not only unlikable, but also strangely flat and lifeless. I found it hard to be invested into their fates.
The story has all the twists and turns that would usually generate a nice undercurrent of suspense. But it almost seemed like the author was ticking off the checkboxes for an ambitious (maybe-)haunted house narrative, yet not breathing life into it. As a result, the storyline felt convoluted to me rather than clever.
The pacing is slow, allowing for a buildup of atmosphere, but that got lost along the way; so much promise that, in my opinion, simply evaporates. Ultimately, it's not really horror, not really a thriller, not really a family drama.
The most I can do is damn the book with faint praise: It's ok. It's not horrible. It passes the time. But in my eyes, it doesn't add anything really new or exciting; it's very «Haunting of Hill House», but watered-down.
Brimming with disdain for their phony deceit, Maggie decides to renovate and sell Baneberry Hall, but her return reopens old wounds. Determined to uncover the truth, she soon finds herself swallowed by a quagmire of unspoken family secrets, resurfacing dark memories, and the possibility that her father's book was more than fiction.
The plot is a blend of mystery, horror, and psychological thriller elements, which in theory has all the hallmarks of a spectacular, spooky pageturner. Emphasis on 'in theory'! This was not my first book by Riley Sager, and not the first book I felt disappointed by, either. I think it's time to admit defeat; sometimes you just don't click with an author. Hence, take my review with a grain of salt, this is just my personal impression of this novel.
You know, I actually love unreliable, off-putting characters, if written well! They can add such a great layer of delicious uncertainty to a story. But here, I felt like they were not only unlikable, but also strangely flat and lifeless. I found it hard to be invested into their fates.
The story has all the twists and turns that would usually generate a nice undercurrent of suspense. But it almost seemed like the author was ticking off the checkboxes for an ambitious (maybe-)haunted house narrative, yet not breathing life into it. As a result, the storyline felt convoluted to me rather than clever.
The pacing is slow, allowing for a buildup of atmosphere, but that got lost along the way; so much promise that, in my opinion, simply evaporates. Ultimately, it's not really horror, not really a thriller, not really a family drama.
The most I can do is damn the book with faint praise: It's ok. It's not horrible. It passes the time. But in my eyes, it doesn't add anything really new or exciting; it's very «Haunting of Hill House», but watered-down.