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House of Furies #1
House of Furies
After escaping a harsh school where punishment was the lesson of the day, seventeen-year-old Louisa Ditton is thrilled to find employment as a maid at a boarding house. But soon after her arrival at Coldthistle House, Louisa begins to realize that the house’s mysterious owner, Mr. Morningside, is providing much more than lodging for his guests. Far from a place of rest, the house is a place of judgment, and Mr. Morningside and his unusual staff are meant to execute their own justice on those who are past being saved.
Louisa begins to fear for a young man named Lee who is not like the other guests. He is charismatic and kind, and Louisa knows that it may be up to her to save him from an untimely judgment. But in this house of distortions and lies, how can Louisa be sure whom to trust?
Louisa begins to fear for a young man named Lee who is not like the other guests. He is charismatic and kind, and Louisa knows that it may be up to her to save him from an untimely judgment. But in this house of distortions and lies, how can Louisa be sure whom to trust?
416 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 30, 2017
About the author
Madeleine Roux
42 books4,636 followersNew York Times Bestselling Author of the ASYLUM series, Allison Hewitt Is Trapped, Sadie Walker Is Stranded and the upcoming House of Furies series.
MADELEINE ROUX received her BA in Creative Writing and Acting from Beloit College in 2008. In the spring of 2009, Madeleine completed an Honors Term at Beloit College, proposing, writing and presenting a full-length historical fiction novel. Shortly after, she began the experimental fiction blog Allison Hewitt Is Trapped. Allison Hewitt Is Trapped quickly spread throughout the blogosphere, bringing a unique serial fiction experience to readers.
Born in Minnesota, she now lives and works in Seattle, Washington.
MADELEINE ROUX received her BA in Creative Writing and Acting from Beloit College in 2008. In the spring of 2009, Madeleine completed an Honors Term at Beloit College, proposing, writing and presenting a full-length historical fiction novel. Shortly after, she began the experimental fiction blog Allison Hewitt Is Trapped. Allison Hewitt Is Trapped quickly spread throughout the blogosphere, bringing a unique serial fiction experience to readers.
Born in Minnesota, she now lives and works in Seattle, Washington.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,248 reviews
Want to read
July 14, 2017I am guilty of reading the title as "House of Furries." Whoops
October 15, 2021
4.5
O SEA I WAS SO INVESTED IN THE STORY THE CHARACTERS. SO GOOD.
Igual me pasó que se sintió más como una novela de fantasía que de terror, algo que no es necesariamente malo, si no extraño. De todas formas Amé esta lectura y definitivamente estoy MURIENDO de ganas de conseguir el segundo tomo
O SEA I WAS SO INVESTED IN THE STORY THE CHARACTERS. SO GOOD.
Igual me pasó que se sintió más como una novela de fantasía que de terror, algo que no es necesariamente malo, si no extraño. De todas formas Amé esta lectura y definitivamente estoy MURIENDO de ganas de conseguir el segundo tomo
Shelved as 'zzzzz-coverporn-etc'
July 31, 2017I have a story about this book. I wasn't really interested in reading this. One of my friends, however, loves the author's debut, Asylum. So when I was offered an out-of-date arc of this, I happily passed it on to her.
Half the pages were bent over at the back and glued into the spine.
I am not exaggerating when I say they were glued into the very fabric of the spine. When we tried to tear them out, they wouldn't come. We got scissors and tried to hack away at the spine of the book, causing a flurry of pages to fly out.
My friend ended up sewing this book together. We know talk constantly about that one book we did surgery on. If not for the video of this occurrence, I would firmly believe I had hallucinated.
She ended up liking it, btw, so I guess I recommend it??
also, I'm sorry and I hate myself far more than you could ever hate me, but:
House of Furries
Half the pages were bent over at the back and glued into the spine.
I am not exaggerating when I say they were glued into the very fabric of the spine. When we tried to tear them out, they wouldn't come. We got scissors and tried to hack away at the spine of the book, causing a flurry of pages to fly out.
My friend ended up sewing this book together. We know talk constantly about that one book we did surgery on. If not for the video of this occurrence, I would firmly believe I had hallucinated.
She ended up liking it, btw, so I guess I recommend it??
also, I'm sorry and I hate myself far more than you could ever hate me, but:
House of Furries
January 28, 2018
2.5/5 stars (round down)
I picked up this book at a library on a whim - only because the page design and illustrations inside of it caught my eye. I am saddened to tell you that the illustrations remained to be the best thing about this book. Because the book itself was very meh.
It is not a bad book per say, it's just - useless? 400 pages of no apparent plot and no satisfactory ending. Apparently it will be a series (which I didn't know) so the book never actually ended, but rather created an opening for the next book. When I was done reading it I felt like I just wasted all of my time for nothing - because nothing really got resolved, or even explained too well.
At first it was also very hard for me to get used to the format of writing. Maybe because it was in first person, or maybe because it was different (not in a bad way) but it took me a while. But I have to say that when I did get used to the writing I really enjoyed it.
On numerous occasions I found myself wanting to DNF the book, because the plot was going nowhere and everything was just dragging, but I persevered for one big reason - this book is not your typical YA cliche book! It doesn't have the overused tropes, it doesn't have "girls turning stupid over boys" and it didn't have "Insta-love" (there was an instance where I thought it would go that way, but it didn't and I was very happy for it) - and those were reasons good enough for me to keep reading! It was refreshing to read something very different, even if in the end it all added up to pretty much nothing.
That said, it was a solid 4 star read till the last few chapters - that was when I realized that this will just end in a cliff-hanger (although I wouldn't call it exactly a cliff-hanger, as it wasn't dramatic and it didn't leave me wishing for more).
Also this book is claimed to be gothic-horror, well it wasn't. Sure it was gothic, and there was one very disturbing instance, but it wasn't horror. It wasn't scary. If anything it even felt a bit like middle-grade novel, and not even YA.
_____________________________________________
Pre-review
I checked this out of the library on an impulse - the pages are so pretty!!!
Why do I do this, while I have so many unread books at home?
Why??
My WEBSITE
My INSTAGRAM
My WORDPRESS BLOG
I picked up this book at a library on a whim - only because the page design and illustrations inside of it caught my eye. I am saddened to tell you that the illustrations remained to be the best thing about this book. Because the book itself was very meh.
It is not a bad book per say, it's just - useless? 400 pages of no apparent plot and no satisfactory ending. Apparently it will be a series (which I didn't know) so the book never actually ended, but rather created an opening for the next book. When I was done reading it I felt like I just wasted all of my time for nothing - because nothing really got resolved, or even explained too well.
At first it was also very hard for me to get used to the format of writing. Maybe because it was in first person, or maybe because it was different (not in a bad way) but it took me a while. But I have to say that when I did get used to the writing I really enjoyed it.
On numerous occasions I found myself wanting to DNF the book, because the plot was going nowhere and everything was just dragging, but I persevered for one big reason - this book is not your typical YA cliche book! It doesn't have the overused tropes, it doesn't have "girls turning stupid over boys" and it didn't have "Insta-love" (there was an instance where I thought it would go that way, but it didn't and I was very happy for it) - and those were reasons good enough for me to keep reading! It was refreshing to read something very different, even if in the end it all added up to pretty much nothing.
That said, it was a solid 4 star read till the last few chapters - that was when I realized that this will just end in a cliff-hanger (although I wouldn't call it exactly a cliff-hanger, as it wasn't dramatic and it didn't leave me wishing for more).
Also this book is claimed to be gothic-horror, well it wasn't. Sure it was gothic, and there was one very disturbing instance, but it wasn't horror. It wasn't scary. If anything it even felt a bit like middle-grade novel, and not even YA.
_____________________________________________
Pre-review
I checked this out of the library on an impulse - the pages are so pretty!!!
Why do I do this, while I have so many unread books at home?
Why??
My WEBSITE
My INSTAGRAM
My WORDPRESS BLOG
April 22, 2017
(I received an advance copy of this book for free. Thanks to HarperCollins and Edelweiss.)
This was a YA horror story about a house where evil people were drawn to die.
Louisa was quite a strong character and she stuck things out at Coldthistle House to try and help Lee, and even though she was afraid.
The storyline in this was about Louisa being tricked into going to Coldthistle House to become a maid, and finding out that the place wasn’t as innocent as it looked. Instead she found out that evil people were drawn to Coldthistle House, and that the owner Mr. Morningside then found ways to off them. There was one person who Louisa met on her way to Coldthistle House, Lee, who Louisa didn’t believe to be evil though, and she stuck around to try and save him from his possible fate. This was an enjoyable story, although I didn’t find it to be all that creepy, and would probably say that it was quite light on the horror.
The ending to this was okay and had a bit of action.
6.25 out of 10
“They come here because they are evil. Irredeemable. They come here to die.”
This was a YA horror story about a house where evil people were drawn to die.
Louisa was quite a strong character and she stuck things out at Coldthistle House to try and help Lee, and even though she was afraid.
The storyline in this was about Louisa being tricked into going to Coldthistle House to become a maid, and finding out that the place wasn’t as innocent as it looked. Instead she found out that evil people were drawn to Coldthistle House, and that the owner Mr. Morningside then found ways to off them. There was one person who Louisa met on her way to Coldthistle House, Lee, who Louisa didn’t believe to be evil though, and she stuck around to try and save him from his possible fate. This was an enjoyable story, although I didn’t find it to be all that creepy, and would probably say that it was quite light on the horror.
The ending to this was okay and had a bit of action.
6.25 out of 10
November 15, 2017
Un gran acierto por parte de Roux ha mejorado bastante de esta nueva saga a la de Asylum, me mantuvo entretenida, se nota el aire antiguo en el que está ambientado y la historia es muy creativa.
Sin embargo hubo algunos elementos que no funcionaron tan bien, por algunos momentos las descripciones me recordaron ciertos aspectos de otros libros muy famosos, supongo que se inspiró en ellos pero en algunos personajes si se nota esa semejanza.
Otro punto que estuvo algo flojo fueron los personajes y no me refiero a todos, no generalizo sí me gustaron y fueron coherentes a excepción de uno que era fundamental, su desenvolvimiento fue aceptable pero sus acciones y no acciones no cuadraron con quien se supone que es.
El epilogo estuvo de más, la historia cerraba a la perfección un capítulo antes, divagó en explicar lo que ya nos quedaba claro, aún así una historia que vale mucho la pena, con un ritmo que se acelera y te mantiene en suspenso, algo que a mi me fascinó.
Sin embargo hubo algunos elementos que no funcionaron tan bien, por algunos momentos las descripciones me recordaron ciertos aspectos de otros libros muy famosos, supongo que se inspiró en ellos pero en algunos personajes si se nota esa semejanza.
Otro punto que estuvo algo flojo fueron los personajes y no me refiero a todos, no generalizo sí me gustaron y fueron coherentes a excepción de uno que era fundamental, su desenvolvimiento fue aceptable pero sus acciones y no acciones no cuadraron con quien se supone que es.
El epilogo estuvo de más, la historia cerraba a la perfección un capítulo antes, divagó en explicar lo que ya nos quedaba claro, aún así una historia que vale mucho la pena, con un ritmo que se acelera y te mantiene en suspenso, algo que a mi me fascinó.
May 14, 2017
My first book by Madeleine Roux was such a delight!
I love horror books and I really enjoy young adult literature, therefore, when these two come together I'm always eager to see the result. In this one, we follow a girl named Louisa who is living by herself on the streets. However, one day, a strange woman approaches her and asks her if she's interested in taking a job at a guest house known as Coldthistle House.
This house has a great secret though: whoever becomes a guest of this place, will be punished for the crimes they might have commited. Louisa is horrified by this and also super weirded out about Mr. Morningside, the owner of Coldthistle, who seems to have very close ties with paranormal beings.
Even when the other dwellers of the house have been super nice to Louisa, they also seem to be keeping a lot of secrets related to the supernatural and folklore. By reading Mr. Morningside's diary, Louisa starts to pick up the pieces of this very creepy puzzle and decides that she must get out of this place, along with her new friend Lee Brimble, who might fall victim of the dark justice served in this house.
This was such a fun read. I loved the pacing of the story, the way the author took some well known legends and mythological beings and gave them interesting twists was super enjoyable. I also really liked that there were many dark secrets unfolding at the same time, so the book always kept me wondering whether some things might be connected or if they were completely unrelated but parallel plotlines.
Another thing that really surprised me was that there was a very gory scene: with entrails and blood dripping from the walls! I love it when young adult horror, actually manages to send a shiver down my spine. Extra points for not having a love triangle or even a strong romantic plotline.
The only reason I didn't give 5 stars to this book, was the main character.
Louisa is annoying, whiny and hard to like (a common factor in most of the young adult books I've read), also her decisions didn't always seem to be the most logical ones.
Other than that, this is a book I highly recommend! The illustrations added an extra spookyness to the whole thing. Can't wait to read the next one! (If there's another one).
Thanks to Harper Collins International for sending me an ARC to review!
I love horror books and I really enjoy young adult literature, therefore, when these two come together I'm always eager to see the result. In this one, we follow a girl named Louisa who is living by herself on the streets. However, one day, a strange woman approaches her and asks her if she's interested in taking a job at a guest house known as Coldthistle House.
This house has a great secret though: whoever becomes a guest of this place, will be punished for the crimes they might have commited. Louisa is horrified by this and also super weirded out about Mr. Morningside, the owner of Coldthistle, who seems to have very close ties with paranormal beings.
Even when the other dwellers of the house have been super nice to Louisa, they also seem to be keeping a lot of secrets related to the supernatural and folklore. By reading Mr. Morningside's diary, Louisa starts to pick up the pieces of this very creepy puzzle and decides that she must get out of this place, along with her new friend Lee Brimble, who might fall victim of the dark justice served in this house.
This was such a fun read. I loved the pacing of the story, the way the author took some well known legends and mythological beings and gave them interesting twists was super enjoyable. I also really liked that there were many dark secrets unfolding at the same time, so the book always kept me wondering whether some things might be connected or if they were completely unrelated but parallel plotlines.
Another thing that really surprised me was that there was a very gory scene: with entrails and blood dripping from the walls! I love it when young adult horror, actually manages to send a shiver down my spine. Extra points for not having a love triangle or even a strong romantic plotline.
The only reason I didn't give 5 stars to this book, was the main character.
Louisa is annoying, whiny and hard to like (a common factor in most of the young adult books I've read), also her decisions didn't always seem to be the most logical ones.
Other than that, this is a book I highly recommend! The illustrations added an extra spookyness to the whole thing. Can't wait to read the next one! (If there's another one).
Thanks to Harper Collins International for sending me an ARC to review!
July 16, 2018
I love this book so much!!
Excellently written gothic horror story!
Excellently written gothic horror story!
November 3, 2021
This was a slower-paced book but I really enjoyed it all the same. It's not very scary but does have some gore in it. This is basically a paranormal/gothic horror YA novel. I thought it had a really interesting premise and a strong start. I didn't realize this was going to be a series but I'm glad it is, lots of potential here.
Full review to come soon.
Full review to come soon.
February 28, 2020
Inesperado menjunje de leyendas, terrores victorianos, apariciones que juegan con la psicología de la protagonista. Un homenaje diferente al tópico de casas embrujadas. Me dejó con ganas de seguir los otros dos libros, y espero con ansias poder hacerlo.
Les adjunto mi videoreseña para más detalle: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=88Vz3...
Les adjunto mi videoreseña para más detalle: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=88Vz3...
July 18, 2018
2018 reread: I don’t have much to add to my original review. Still not a lot to say. Still just as enjoyable. I think I liked the main character just as much but she’s just as unlikeable. I'm also shocked at just how much I actually forgot of this book in only one year. I remembered some of the big details but that's really it.
All in all a solid book and I’m eager to jump straight into the sequel.
——
Do you ever look at the empty review box and just realize you have nothing to say? Like the book was nice, and it entertained you, but there's just no where to go from that? that's me with this book.
As I said, it was good, I enjoyed it, and it did what it was supposed to do, which was entertain me. I was captivated, I always wanted to continue reading, I was curious what was going to happen, and I found the setting eerie and mysterious. I love anything gothic and I just really enjoyed it. My one complaint is a very hard complaint to get across. I liked the main character, but she's very unlikable. She's whiny and irritating and while that honestly would annoy me any other time, it didn't bother me here. She also changed her mind constantly and never stuck to anything she said, but again, I didn't mind.
I guess that's it? Like I recommend it but Madeleine Roux is an auto buy for me. They are fun, if you don't expect anything too grandiose from her books, you will be entertained. Looking forward to book 2 (I assume there's a book 2???) and hoping that it's a blood red colour.
All in all a solid book and I’m eager to jump straight into the sequel.
——
Do you ever look at the empty review box and just realize you have nothing to say? Like the book was nice, and it entertained you, but there's just no where to go from that? that's me with this book.
As I said, it was good, I enjoyed it, and it did what it was supposed to do, which was entertain me. I was captivated, I always wanted to continue reading, I was curious what was going to happen, and I found the setting eerie and mysterious. I love anything gothic and I just really enjoyed it. My one complaint is a very hard complaint to get across. I liked the main character, but she's very unlikable. She's whiny and irritating and while that honestly would annoy me any other time, it didn't bother me here. She also changed her mind constantly and never stuck to anything she said, but again, I didn't mind.
I guess that's it? Like I recommend it but Madeleine Roux is an auto buy for me. They are fun, if you don't expect anything too grandiose from her books, you will be entertained. Looking forward to book 2 (I assume there's a book 2???) and hoping that it's a blood red colour.
October 5, 2021
This is the first instalment in the House of Furies series.
Louisa Ditton is the new maid at Coldthistle House. After the harsh treatment and continual suffering of her existence before her new employment, the house initially appears as a dream. This quickly sours and she discovers the nightmares that lurk in every shadow, just waiting to pounce upon the fresh meat that has been sent to them.
I remained engaged throughout this brooding and eerie historical tale but preferred the initial segments, where the horror was heightened, to those that occurred after Louisa began to understand what was at foot in this isolated manor home. I did enjoy my time throughout this, however, and remained intrigued by the mysteries to be solved and invested in Louisa's explorations towards the truth.
Louisa Ditton is the new maid at Coldthistle House. After the harsh treatment and continual suffering of her existence before her new employment, the house initially appears as a dream. This quickly sours and she discovers the nightmares that lurk in every shadow, just waiting to pounce upon the fresh meat that has been sent to them.
I remained engaged throughout this brooding and eerie historical tale but preferred the initial segments, where the horror was heightened, to those that occurred after Louisa began to understand what was at foot in this isolated manor home. I did enjoy my time throughout this, however, and remained intrigued by the mysteries to be solved and invested in Louisa's explorations towards the truth.
Read
June 12, 2023
I don’t know what to tell ya ...
it was dark, it was gruesome, it was gloomy. the pictures are kind of freaky if you stare too long. and it’s perfect to read around summer because that way you forget that it’s actually summer.
because summer sucks!
also, am I the only one that found Mr. Morningside ... kind of ... attractive???? I mean he’s all mysterious and shit. that makes a girl curious. just saying.
October 9, 2021
Madeleine Roux is one of my favorite writers …but of a different genre ...so I was very anxious...as well as surprised to read something different from her. Louisa’s troubles begin from the time she accepts a gold coin from an old woman and follows her promise of employment at Coldthistle House. The House is full of characters with. “Interesting abilities” that makes...or at least should make... the reader question the thin line here that stretches between what is right and what is wrong. The ending was a little disappointing and it cost it a half star... but I believe it’s because the reader becomes so engrossed in the characters...especially funny, cunning Louisa that you just imagine a different ending. If you like gothic stories...you’ll love this one.
October 25, 2019
3.75 Stars.
I liked this very much. Down on her luck Louisa finds herself at Coldthistle House after an old crone approaches her one night to offer her a job as a servant. Once there she finds things aren't all they seem especially where her creepy and mysterious employer, Mr. Morningside is concerned because Coldthistle's guests don't usually get to leave if Mr. Morningside has his way. This was creepy, gothic and eerie at times, well written for a YA read that would easily appeal to adults as well.
I liked this very much. Down on her luck Louisa finds herself at Coldthistle House after an old crone approaches her one night to offer her a job as a servant. Once there she finds things aren't all they seem especially where her creepy and mysterious employer, Mr. Morningside is concerned because Coldthistle's guests don't usually get to leave if Mr. Morningside has his way. This was creepy, gothic and eerie at times, well written for a YA read that would easily appeal to adults as well.
August 20, 2017
3 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2017/08/19/...
House of Furies opens with an introduction Louisa Ditton, a seventeen-year-old girl who accepts a maid position at a boarding house in order to escape a harsh life on the streets. Shortly after her arrival at her new job though, Louisa begins to realize with growing dread that there’s something seriously wrong with Coldthistle House. As it turns out, guests who come to stay within its walls are judged for their past crimes, with harsh punishments carried out by the house’s mysterious owner Mr. Morningside and his unnatural staff.
However, among the lodgers is young man named Lee Brimble, whom Louisa can tell is not like Coldthistle’s other guests. Desperate to save her new friend, our protagonist knows she must find a way for both of them to escape this nightmare place before it can trap them in.
For a YA horror novel, there’s surprisingly little to say about House of Furies. In part, this had to do with the fact that its plot was on the simpler, sparser side. As well, a scene or two featuring some blood and gore aside, there’s really nothing too scary about this book, which relies more heavily on the slow-building atmosphere typical of gothic horror. Louisa herself was a complicated protagonist, whom I found hard to like at first because of the fact she was a selfish and manipulative thief, but ultimately I was able to come around to some of her more admirable traits, such as her courage and determination to help Lee.
While it’s not a bad book, I think a weak start coupled with uneven pacing probably held this one back from being truly great. Still, the story did have a very interesting premise, and it was a fun read overall. It might be worthwhile if you’re in the mood for a quick shot of YA horror, though at the end of the day I have my doubts that either its plot or characters would stay with me for very long.
House of Furies opens with an introduction Louisa Ditton, a seventeen-year-old girl who accepts a maid position at a boarding house in order to escape a harsh life on the streets. Shortly after her arrival at her new job though, Louisa begins to realize with growing dread that there’s something seriously wrong with Coldthistle House. As it turns out, guests who come to stay within its walls are judged for their past crimes, with harsh punishments carried out by the house’s mysterious owner Mr. Morningside and his unnatural staff.
However, among the lodgers is young man named Lee Brimble, whom Louisa can tell is not like Coldthistle’s other guests. Desperate to save her new friend, our protagonist knows she must find a way for both of them to escape this nightmare place before it can trap them in.
For a YA horror novel, there’s surprisingly little to say about House of Furies. In part, this had to do with the fact that its plot was on the simpler, sparser side. As well, a scene or two featuring some blood and gore aside, there’s really nothing too scary about this book, which relies more heavily on the slow-building atmosphere typical of gothic horror. Louisa herself was a complicated protagonist, whom I found hard to like at first because of the fact she was a selfish and manipulative thief, but ultimately I was able to come around to some of her more admirable traits, such as her courage and determination to help Lee.
While it’s not a bad book, I think a weak start coupled with uneven pacing probably held this one back from being truly great. Still, the story did have a very interesting premise, and it was a fun read overall. It might be worthwhile if you’re in the mood for a quick shot of YA horror, though at the end of the day I have my doubts that either its plot or characters would stay with me for very long.
July 8, 2019
I absolutely adored the Asylum series by Roux so I had high expectations for this book. Sadly they weren’t met and I was left quite disappointed. The idea is brilliant and sounded like a sure win but the execution was lacking and at some parts it’s like Roux wasn’t sure where to go with the story so she picked a random path. It is a beautiful book though, the illustrations and chapter pages are gorgeous! And it does get points for the idea, I mean the devil owning a B&B and murdering the guests is a pretty damn awesome idea. It just wasn’t as good as I hoped it would be.
June 10, 2017
This book was great. It had me hook from start to finish. I have read the Asylum novels and I saw this book and just had to buy it. No looking at reviews, no reading of the description and it went really well. Very little times I've done that and it works out but Roux is an amazing author with a vision for the crazy (in a good way of course). The book was amazing I loved the whole theme of it and I can't wait for more of her novels.
September 29, 2018
Made me quake into my boots, so horrific was this book.
Meeeeeeeeh...
I wholeheartedly admit that I was a little bit hypnotized, I wanted to go on and get to the bottom of the mystery and the fact that it's beautifully narrated didn't hurt either.
Cons:
a) the book gave a lot without really telling anything important or not as much as I would have liked.
b) it was neither Horror nor Thriller and that was disappointing.
c) It's underwhelming for the most part.
Pros:
a) liked the tone of the book
b) Louisa and Mr. Morningside were well-written and I liked them a lot. I wish their dynamic was explored a little further though.
c) the tone of the book was appealing and it made me want to go on.
It's smack dab in the middle of being a good and bad book. I want to rant about the barely there backstory elements and world-building but I also think it was fairly enjoyable.
July 10, 2018
Loooooved the spooky atmosphere and the gothic vibes! And it takes play in England in the 18th century so of course I had to check it out. 💁🏻♀️
I can imagine reading this on Halloween or during a stormy night, unfortunately it‘s summer now but anyway haha.
Though it is categorized as horror, I didn‘t find it very scary. There were a few bloody scenes, but they really weren’t that gross and didn‘t bother me.
The characters were great, especially Mr. Morningside. He‘s such an intriguing, charming and mysterious character, I hope we‘ll learn more about him in the second book. And maybe a little romance between him and ... please? 😄
I‘m pleasantly surprised by this author and now want to check out her other books.
I can imagine reading this on Halloween or during a stormy night, unfortunately it‘s summer now but anyway haha.
Though it is categorized as horror, I didn‘t find it very scary. There were a few bloody scenes, but they really weren’t that gross and didn‘t bother me.
The characters were great, especially Mr. Morningside. He‘s such an intriguing, charming and mysterious character, I hope we‘ll learn more about him in the second book. And maybe a little romance between him and ... please? 😄
I‘m pleasantly surprised by this author and now want to check out her other books.
December 8, 2017
Where do I start?
The book started out great; it was alluring, and mysterious, and I thoroughly enjoyed the diverse characters that were gradually introduced. And I especially loved that Medeleine Roux incorporated parts of Mr. Morningside's journal into the chapters. It was creative and made the story feel more alive. But for me, that's all that was good about it.
The story progressed in inconsistent bouts of sluggishness and lightning fast. One moment, nothing of any particular interest is happening, the next, everyone is dying. The consequential events happened too fast and without much reason (good reason) to it, as if they were only there to progress the story instead of adding depth to it. There were also a lot of holes despite the author's ingenious effort to explain things. I know there's still a second book coming out, and I shouldn't be too rash to point this out, but there was just so many things explained in such shallow detail. The damned book, the residents, the Unworld - I understand them, but I wish Madeleine Roux could have given more insight.
And now, the characters. I;m sorry, but this is going to be a rant.
It is very rare for me to dislike a book's main protagonist, let alone loathe her/him. I'm sorry, I really am, but I have never despised a character as much as I despised Louisa. She is the most obnoxious, scattered-brain, selfish character I've ever come across. Throughout the book, she falls into these constant bouts of tantrums and rebuttals, going back and forth between defending herself and insulting others, and annoyingly being so contradicting. She is such a contradictory character. She wants pity, but gets angry when you show it to her; she wants to belong, but goes about insulting and pushing away people that have been nothing but kind to her and reach out to her (but hey, she has noooo problems being kind to Lee); she prides herself in having the will for self-preservation and doesn't need anyone to help her, yet she'll take advantage of the first person who'll offer their help. It's frustrating. And her selfishness is aggravating, to say the least. I mean, come on, she only saved Lee because she could not handle the guilt of leaving him there to die. Throughout the book, she has never thought outside of her own bubble whenever it came to her decisions or actions. If it involved someone else, it was usually because they had a part in her plans. Also, the fact that she thinks, and at times, treats the Coldthistle peeps so badly is one of the biggest turn offs about her. Mary, Chijioke, and Poppy treat her like family, even risk their lives for her, and all she could think about them is monsters, monsters, monsters. Jesus, after all they've done for her, it's Lee whom she calls friend.
And there's another one. Lee. To be brutally honest, he's useless to me. Stupid, and useless. He does nothing in the story if not to push it forward. And it irks me that Louisa would call him friend after, what, three awkward conversations? Just because he's the only that doesn't scare you, Louisa? I know nothing about Lee, which tells a lot about what kind of character he is. All I know is that he's blonde, handsome, and very incompetent when it comes to life-threatening situations. For someone who is so consequential to the story, he's pretty much a filler. And i will never forgive Louisa and Lee for what happened to Mary. I mean, MARY OVER LEE? Sweet, selfless Mary, over Lee? No, just no. At this point, I like the Residents more than Louisa and Lee.
This could have been a very, VERY, good book for me. I just couldn't handle too much annoying Louisa/Lee moments, and too little insight into the story. Things were just happening, but not properly explained. I might buy the second book, but only to find out what happens to the story and the Coldthistle residents. I can't find it in myself to care about Louisa, to be honest.
The book started out great; it was alluring, and mysterious, and I thoroughly enjoyed the diverse characters that were gradually introduced. And I especially loved that Medeleine Roux incorporated parts of Mr. Morningside's journal into the chapters. It was creative and made the story feel more alive. But for me, that's all that was good about it.
The story progressed in inconsistent bouts of sluggishness and lightning fast. One moment, nothing of any particular interest is happening, the next, everyone is dying. The consequential events happened too fast and without much reason (good reason) to it, as if they were only there to progress the story instead of adding depth to it. There were also a lot of holes despite the author's ingenious effort to explain things. I know there's still a second book coming out, and I shouldn't be too rash to point this out, but there was just so many things explained in such shallow detail. The damned book, the residents, the Unworld - I understand them, but I wish Madeleine Roux could have given more insight.
And now, the characters. I;m sorry, but this is going to be a rant.
It is very rare for me to dislike a book's main protagonist, let alone loathe her/him. I'm sorry, I really am, but I have never despised a character as much as I despised Louisa. She is the most obnoxious, scattered-brain, selfish character I've ever come across. Throughout the book, she falls into these constant bouts of tantrums and rebuttals, going back and forth between defending herself and insulting others, and annoyingly being so contradicting. She is such a contradictory character. She wants pity, but gets angry when you show it to her; she wants to belong, but goes about insulting and pushing away people that have been nothing but kind to her and reach out to her (but hey, she has noooo problems being kind to Lee); she prides herself in having the will for self-preservation and doesn't need anyone to help her, yet she'll take advantage of the first person who'll offer their help. It's frustrating. And her selfishness is aggravating, to say the least. I mean, come on, she only saved Lee because she could not handle the guilt of leaving him there to die. Throughout the book, she has never thought outside of her own bubble whenever it came to her decisions or actions. If it involved someone else, it was usually because they had a part in her plans. Also, the fact that she thinks, and at times, treats the Coldthistle peeps so badly is one of the biggest turn offs about her. Mary, Chijioke, and Poppy treat her like family, even risk their lives for her, and all she could think about them is monsters, monsters, monsters. Jesus, after all they've done for her, it's Lee whom she calls friend.
And there's another one. Lee. To be brutally honest, he's useless to me. Stupid, and useless. He does nothing in the story if not to push it forward. And it irks me that Louisa would call him friend after, what, three awkward conversations? Just because he's the only that doesn't scare you, Louisa? I know nothing about Lee, which tells a lot about what kind of character he is. All I know is that he's blonde, handsome, and very incompetent when it comes to life-threatening situations. For someone who is so consequential to the story, he's pretty much a filler. And i will never forgive Louisa and Lee for what happened to Mary. I mean, MARY OVER LEE? Sweet, selfless Mary, over Lee? No, just no. At this point, I like the Residents more than Louisa and Lee.
This could have been a very, VERY, good book for me. I just couldn't handle too much annoying Louisa/Lee moments, and too little insight into the story. Things were just happening, but not properly explained. I might buy the second book, but only to find out what happens to the story and the Coldthistle residents. I can't find it in myself to care about Louisa, to be honest.
September 2, 2019
BUY THE BOOK or check it out from the library like I did.
LOVED IT! Loved everything about it. Dark, gothic, fantasy perfection. Fantastic and unique story and I cant wait to read the rest of the series.
I wouldn't really consider this horror. Maybe for some of the younger kids this might freak them out a bit. There was a few gory parts that some might consider horror. For me it was flawless.
Depending on how the rest of the series goes for me, I would love to have all these books for my shelves. They have the most beautiful covers!
I listened to the audio book and Billie Fulford-Brown did a phenomenal job!
BUY THE BOOK or check it out from the library like I did.
LOVED IT! Loved everything about it. Dark, gothic, fantasy perfection. Fantastic and unique story and I cant wait to read the rest of the series.
I wouldn't really consider this horror. Maybe for some of the younger kids this might freak them out a bit. There was a few gory parts that some might consider horror. For me it was flawless.
Depending on how the rest of the series goes for me, I would love to have all these books for my shelves. They have the most beautiful covers!
I listened to the audio book and Billie Fulford-Brown did a phenomenal job!
BUY THE BOOK or check it out from the library like I did.
September 14, 2019
"Are you a miracle, little Louisa, or are you a curse?"
I was surprised by how much I liked this one. Honestly, I've had bad luck with books lately so I was ready to hate this one. Imagine my surprise when the cover, dark and lonely feeling, matched the insides of the story. It IS dark. It's dark and ugly and definitely shows the evil side of people.
It starts off with a bang - she is living with the devil and she can't leave. And the story goes off from there.
The addition of the lore and creepy drawings intermingled with the array of photos that heads every chapter gave it the perfect creepy feel of the haunted, frightening house of horrors that it was. It took a while for me to guess all the twists and turns and, even then, I did not guess them all. If this is a series, I will definitely read more!
I was surprised by how much I liked this one. Honestly, I've had bad luck with books lately so I was ready to hate this one. Imagine my surprise when the cover, dark and lonely feeling, matched the insides of the story. It IS dark. It's dark and ugly and definitely shows the evil side of people.
It starts off with a bang - she is living with the devil and she can't leave. And the story goes off from there.
The addition of the lore and creepy drawings intermingled with the array of photos that heads every chapter gave it the perfect creepy feel of the haunted, frightening house of horrors that it was. It took a while for me to guess all the twists and turns and, even then, I did not guess them all. If this is a series, I will definitely read more!
January 8, 2017
Never read Roux's first series but I ended up really enjoying this! Love paranormal Gothic stuff and this hit the spot.
RTC.
RTC.
September 1, 2018
УоУ... книгата е страхотна! Чете се бързо и леко( не гледайте прогресът ми, бях в книжна дупка и не четох над 2 седмици)....историята е невероятна, българското издание е божественярско... до 2-3 дни ревю на канал...
May 6, 2022
Определено съм приятно изненадан. Честно казано, по мое мнение, книгата е всичко, което “Мексиканска готика” искаше да бъде, но не успя да постигне!
August 21, 2018
Главната героиня (и разказвач на историята) не ми допадна много особено в началото (разбирай половината книга, но като цяло историята ми хареса. Книгата е оформена чудесно с картините и откъсите от книгата на Морнингсайд. Финалът й спечели четвъртата звезда.
November 12, 2020
"Es tenebroso pensar que no pertenezco a ningún otro sitio. Por que soy diferente, mi vida está destinada a transitar un camino que no puedo cambiar". Novela gótica del 2017 Madeleine Roux nos adentra en Coldthistle House, con intrigas y misterio alrededor de extraños personajes y objetos con energías malignas.
Lectura atractiva y recomendable para todo lector que guste de la aventura o del suspenso
Lectura atractiva y recomendable para todo lector que guste de la aventura o del suspenso
April 12, 2023
I thought that Asylum was pretty abysmal, so I did go into this story with some trepidation. Luckily though, this is a much stronger novel, with a rich setting, complex characters and an interesting mystery to solve.
October 14, 2020
Not as scary as I'd like, but still an interesting story.
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