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A review by mk_loisirs
House of the Beast by Michelle Wong
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
sad
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
Thank you to Harper Voyager and NetGalley for the digital galley in exchange for my honest review!
The story follows Alma & her eldritch god companion Aster on a bloody path for revenge and retribution...will Alma lose herself in the process or will she remain?
I was not expecting this book to pack as much punch as it did. I was pleasantly surprised. I thought the setting and overall world-building was very strong. I didn't feel bombarded with information or confused at any point to how the world worked. I really appreciated the "peeks" into the bigger world outside of the area controlled by the Elder Gods. It felt fully fleshed out. You are given breadcrumb hints throughout the story that unlocked the bigger plot points/twists as you continue. The plot twists aren't necessarily "a ha!" moments but rather you, as the reader, sit with the dread of having been correct.
The character dynamics in this book were raw and complex. I often find many MC's (especially in some fantasy) motivations to be rather shallow or unrealistic to their character as developed from the start of the story. That was not the case with Alma. Her journey starts at childhood and we are able to see it develop through the beginning part of the story. She is a flawed character that is motivated by grief, anger, sadness and revenge. You can completely understand how she reaches each moment in the story with Aster at her side. Without revealing any major plot points, I appreciated how Aster was the dark reflection of Alma. His motivations were essentially one and the same, despite being horrifically more bloodthirsty.
The subtle romance subplot was very well woven into the rest of the plot. You can see how Alma would fall in love with Aster, her companion from childhood, while also having her remain skeptical of his affections because he is a God. It was very well executed. And the ending was so much more impactful because of this.
Additionally the illustrations were especially beautiful and added to a fantastical cinematic aspect to the novel!
The story follows Alma & her eldritch god companion Aster on a bloody path for revenge and retribution...will Alma lose herself in the process or will she remain?
I was not expecting this book to pack as much punch as it did. I was pleasantly surprised. I thought the setting and overall world-building was very strong. I didn't feel bombarded with information or confused at any point to how the world worked. I really appreciated the "peeks" into the bigger world outside of the area controlled by the Elder Gods. It felt fully fleshed out. You are given breadcrumb hints throughout the story that unlocked the bigger plot points/twists as you continue. The plot twists aren't necessarily "a ha!" moments but rather you, as the reader, sit with the dread of having been correct.
The character dynamics in this book were raw and complex. I often find many MC's (especially in some fantasy) motivations to be rather shallow or unrealistic to their character as developed from the start of the story. That was not the case with Alma. Her journey starts at childhood and we are able to see it develop through the beginning part of the story. She is a flawed character that is motivated by grief, anger, sadness and revenge. You can completely understand how she reaches each moment in the story with Aster at her side. Without revealing any major plot points, I appreciated how Aster was the dark reflection of Alma. His motivations were essentially one and the same, despite being horrifically more bloodthirsty.
The subtle romance subplot was very well woven into the rest of the plot. You can see how Alma would fall in love with Aster, her companion from childhood, while also having her remain skeptical of his affections because he is a God. It was very well executed. And the ending was so much more impactful because of this.
Additionally the illustrations were especially beautiful and added to a fantastical cinematic aspect to the novel!