★★★★★ 3
Why is it 400+ pages?
Format: Hardcover
I haven’t disliked a book this much in a very long time. The characters are unlikeable, the puppets are annoying, the child is annoying, and the reason for the family secret (though I understand grief can sometimes make us do weird things) was (for me) unremarkable.
For the first 75% of the book it seems like we’ve been lied to and the book isn’t about ghosts at all, that it's about a creepy little puppet possessed by a poltergeist. But then we learn the house and all the creepy dolls, puppets, and taxidermied animals are, in fact, haunted. I won’t tell you by what/who because that will spoil “the twist”.
What I will tell you is that it is an unremarkable twist is a story that is too long.
The only real enjoyment I got out of this book was when I read the last page.
So, why have I given it 3 stars? Because it isn’t a bad book. It just isn’t for me. I wanted a clear ghost story that didn’t involve creepy puppets and uncompelling characters. Instead, I got Pupkin and Louise and Mark. In fairness, though, Mark actually develops over the course of the story.
If you don’t mind annoying puppets seemingly possessed by a poltergeist (wink, wink), an MC who continues to deny what’s happening until denial is no longer an option (yes, I know that was the point of that section), family secrets that make no sense, and character conflict that could be easily resolved by just talking to one another, then you’ll probably enjoy this book.
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Reviewed in the United States on November 24, 2024
