House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of House of Leaves
Book Review: A rarity
Summary: 5 Stars
I must admit I am only on page 50 however this is one of the most complex, intelligent, passionate, mathematical and personal novels i have ever ventured into. For anyone who likes to think while they read, who doesn't mind reading passages over and over again to find new meanings, who enjoys a story that creeps under your skin and one that stays with you thru the day and makes you NEED to read... this book is for you. ( I won't bother you with a summary fo the plot as i do not think i could do it justice--but please, check this book out- it's refreshing in the light of so much trash...)Book Review: A reading experience like no other!
Summary: 5 Stars
I have an odd relationship with this book. I'd read enough about it to interest me, and then requested it as a gift from my father. When he bought it, he flipped through it, and gave it to me, laughing. He had seen the strange formatting of the book: switching between colors and fonts, pages full of writing, pages with no writing, blocks of text that are backwards, sideways, upside-down. It was like no other book he'd ever seen--and I couldn't wait to dive in.
Well, I didn't make it through it the first time. Containing a bizarrely layered series of narratives partially written in a somewhat dry, academic voice, it requires more attention than I was able to give it at that point in my life, and I found myself barely inching through the book's 800 pages. Ultimately, I had to put it down, vowing to revisit it at a time when I could give the book the time and energy it deserved. A few weeks ago, I tried it again, and found it to be one of the best reading experiences I'd ever read in my life.
To describe the structure or the plot in any great detail would be futile, and were I to succeed, it would take away half the fun. All you need to know is that it's about a family moving into a new house where things aren't quite as they seem, and that it's format of the book is like nothing you've ever experienced. There are footnotes, letters, journal entries, appendices, that frequently have your eyes and fingers flying all over the place, fingers wedged to mark pages as you consult a reference, or flip back to a footnote, or whatever else the book demands of you. The process of reading that the book requires as is different and immersive an experience as the text itself.
But it's worth it. Ultimately, this book consumes you. Once you start reading it, it's hard to let go; even when you put it down, it permeates your thoughts. It's disturbing, it's scary, it's profound; in parts it's even funny and romantic. This book seems to flawlessly transcend genre and classification, and roots itself in your head and won't let go. Even after you've finished, you'll feel like there's so much more hidden in the book--codes, footnotes, references. You'll find your thoughts turning to it when you least expect it.
At least, that was my experience. "House of Leaves" is not a book for everyone. It doesn't tie up nicely, it doesn't even begin to answer all its questions (though upon deeper reflection, it may answer more than it seems to), and some may find reading such an unconventional book to be a chore. "House of Leaves" demands an entirely unique relationship with its reader--if you give yourself to this book, it can be an infinitely rewarding experience. It was a journey like none I've had with a book before, and doubt I will again. But, if you prefer a very straightforward reading experience, and are unwilling to try something this radical, I can certainly see where it would be a bit much for some readers.
I wouldn't recommend this book to everyone -- but for those who can handle something so different, so unabashedly experimental and out-there, and who have the patience and desire to surrender themselves to the book and to explore the secrets that lie within its hallways... well, then you're in for one hell of a ride.
Note: As others have mentioned, "Haunted" by Poe is meant to be a sort of companion album to the book, and is a great album that is definitely worth a listen during or after experiencing the book.
Book Review: A riveting look into human psyche and descent into madness
Summary: 5 Stars
I first discovered this book about two years ago. I was interested in it because I owned the Poe album "Haunted" and a friend who also had that C.D. recommended the book. I didn't realize the impact it would have on my own mind.The story starts out slowly and simply with straightforward narratives and normal looking pages. As the story progresses, the writing, both style and layout, become more complex and confused. You find yourself unwilling to put the book down, frantically flipping through the short pages, your heart racing with fear for the explorers. This novel sucks you in and won't let go. You become aware of the dark places in your own life and, like Johnny Truant, you spend more and more time contemplating the meanings behind the text. So many emotional and intellectual issues are tied up in an insane bundle that you find it hard to disentangle yourself. Only you don't really want to. The darkness begins to swallow you and you can only wish it would happen faster so you can understand what is happening. This book is all about the darkness that permeates our lives and souls.
Book Review: A story about the power of storytelling
Summary: 3 Stars
For those of you who read the book: When you finished it, did you find yourself believing that there was a documentary called "The Navidson Record," even though you were advised at the beginning that no such thing existed? This to me is the most interesting part of "House of Leaves." I think the footnotes and lists are there to build the idea that this is authentic. Even the denial of authenticity at the beginning adds an authentic flavor to the story. Yes, the ending is deeply unsatisfying and the typographic gymnastics annoying, but I think he's on to something here about contemporary myth-making through the accumulation of detail. A footnote of my own: I found the letters from Johnny's mom to be at once tedious and disturbing, which is kind of weird, no?Book Review: A strange book
Summary: 5 Stars
House of LeavesThis is an unusual book. The story is a thriller or a horror, it depends. The most important characteristic of this book is "how it is written..." you can find: blank pages, pages with only a word, upside down pages, coloured words, landscape oriented pages, mirrored pages(!) and so on, very very unusual and amusing way to write a book. I love it, it is so strange.....and mysterious. You will enjoy reading this book.