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A review by catsandbookstacks
The September House by Carissa Orlando
5.0
*Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for the eARC.*
I love a good haunted house and The September House hit all the marks for me! Main character with mysterious motivations, gory ghosts, humour and deep undertones of haunting and trauma. The first line had me hooked and I was in a chokehold until the end.
Carissa Orlando has written this spectacularly where I was questioning whether I actually believed the ghosts were real or if Margaret was simply making them up. The characterization of Margaret is exemplary for a complex woman who slowly drops crumbs for the reader to nibble and digest. Why would this woman stay in a house and follow their "rules" when the yearly cycle brings utter chaos and destruction? The balance between humour and horror had me flipping pages as I impatiently waited to see where the journey would take me.
The arrival of Margaret's daughter Katherine allows the mystery of Margaret's character to show its face through their tense interactions. Orlando uses parallels with the home to depict the violence nature of relationships, and intertwines the power of what is familiar with that of control elevates the novel from a common haunted house story. The language, especially at the climax, is carefully chosen to create a physical response from readers. At times I felt claustrophobic, full body cringed and had wide eyes with a "nope" look on my face.
The September House is a character study set a beautiful home that has seen much trauma over the years and seeks to spill out to the living by the end of the month.
I love a good haunted house and The September House hit all the marks for me! Main character with mysterious motivations, gory ghosts, humour and deep undertones of haunting and trauma. The first line had me hooked and I was in a chokehold until the end.
Carissa Orlando has written this spectacularly where I was questioning whether I actually believed the ghosts were real or if Margaret was simply making them up. The characterization of Margaret is exemplary for a complex woman who slowly drops crumbs for the reader to nibble and digest. Why would this woman stay in a house and follow their "rules" when the yearly cycle brings utter chaos and destruction? The balance between humour and horror had me flipping pages as I impatiently waited to see where the journey would take me.
The arrival of Margaret's daughter Katherine allows the mystery of Margaret's character to show its face through their tense interactions. Orlando uses parallels with the home to depict the violence nature of relationships, and intertwines the power of what is familiar with that of control elevates the novel from a common haunted house story. The language, especially at the climax, is carefully chosen to create a physical response from readers. At times I felt claustrophobic, full body cringed and had wide eyes with a "nope" look on my face.
The September House is a character study set a beautiful home that has seen much trauma over the years and seeks to spill out to the living by the end of the month.