House of Leaves Review (BR)

House of Leaves is a very interesting book in that it allows the reader to get lost in the pages. There are parts of this book where I felt like I was reading a dictionary. There are other parts of this book where I felt like I was reading an encyclopedia. And there were other parts of this book where I felt like I was reading a poem. House of Leaves fuses art with storytelling in such a way that it makes the reader always question if they're missing part of the bigger picture, which to be honest they probably are. House of Leaves is not the easiest book to understand to say the least. For most of the book there are 2 narrators. However, these narrators are each following their own story. One story follows the mystery of a house, the other story follows the estranged life of a tattoo artist and his struggles publishing the old man's book. Never before had I been so terrified reading a book in my entire life when I picked up House of Leaves in high school. I of course, decided to re-read House of Leaves for this review. And, to be honest, I think that I found something new about this book that I never understood before. I also realized that no matter how many times I read this book I will find something new. House of Leaves is definitely a novel that will leave one scared, shocked, and probably more than a bit confused by the end.

Plot

I honestly don't want to spoil anything about House of Leaves, even if someone's already read it because that's part of the magic of this book, but what I will say is this: these authors really know how to make these books come alive. No matter where I was in this book I always felt like I could feel something moving in the background. I never once felt at ease. This book is absolutely chilling. It also goes to mention that I'm not sure if parts of this book are appropriate for children or the easilly sexually-corrupted. Oh Thumper and other beautiful ladies of the night...

Characters

Most of the characters in this book are very well-orchestrated. I knew exactly what each character was doing, but I never felt like I knew what the characters were thinking, well except for the keeper of the Navidson Record, the tattoo artist. I usually got a pretty good understanding of what he was thinking, perhaps I even understood a bit too much of what he was thinking if you know what I mean :(. Frowny Smilees aside I think that our keeper of the Navidson Record makes for a great narrator with an interesting mind that slowly begins to divulge into darkness, something that I very much can appreciate. In fact, I often feel like the monster in this book and I would make great friends, since we both loom within the darkness like a heavy anvil awaiting Bugs Bunny. As for the characters of the Navidson Record itself, I believe that Navidson is an exuberant thrill seeker, his wife Karen a claustrophobe, and their son and daughter honestly somewhat mindless. You never hear much from the son and daughter in this book. There just kind of... there I suppose, there like those last few fries at the bottom of the bag that your uncle Fred will one day pick up and dissect, like one of those poor innocent frogs from biology, before devouring them whole.

Setting

The main setting of this story takes place inside of a house, and no I'm not kidding it takes place inside of a house, or at least I think it does. Does it? I'm not entirely sure. The more I read about the house the less that it sounds like a house & the more it sounds like the inside of Monstro from Kingdom Hearts. (I would put an annotation here for you, but I think that you know exactly what I mean, and if I don't you should. Go watch it or play it. You can find it on YouTube. Shoo. Shoo.

Well not yet because it's time for our)

Final Verdict

House of Leaves is a book that is sure to leave you waiting on the edge of your seat with one hand against your chest and the other hand searching through your cell-phone for more answers. It will also leave you with many questions and a throbbing headache as well as you try to figure out what really just happened for the 14th time in the book. All of these things and more are why House of Leaves receives my

Expected Rating of: 8/10

Average Rating of 90%

and

Overall Book Rating of 92%