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House of Souls #1
Haus der langen Schatten
Das Haus war seit Jahrzehnten verlassen. Und wäre es besser auch geblieben, denn jetzt ist in seinem Inneren etwas erwacht.
Kevin Taylor ist ein im Internet bekannter Handwerker mit einer Er renoviert verfallene Häuser innerhalb von nur 30 Tagen und filmt das Ganze für seinen Onlineblog.
Doch die Probleme, die das Haus in der 889 Morgan Road plagen, sind ganz anderer Art. Auf den Videos taucht immer wieder ein rätselhafter Eindringling auf, und mitten in der Nacht rufen Stimmen aus den leeren Räumen. Noch schlimmer sind die Schatten im Haus; sie scheinen ein Eigenleben zu führen und halten sich an keine Naturgesetze.
Kevin muss mehr über die dunkle Vergangenheit des Hauses herausfinden – so unvorstellbar schrecklich sie auch sein mag.
Ambrose Ibsen gehört zur neuen Generation der herausragenden amerikanischen Horrorautoren in der Art von Stephen King oder Dean Koontz.
Kevin Taylor ist ein im Internet bekannter Handwerker mit einer Er renoviert verfallene Häuser innerhalb von nur 30 Tagen und filmt das Ganze für seinen Onlineblog.
Doch die Probleme, die das Haus in der 889 Morgan Road plagen, sind ganz anderer Art. Auf den Videos taucht immer wieder ein rätselhafter Eindringling auf, und mitten in der Nacht rufen Stimmen aus den leeren Räumen. Noch schlimmer sind die Schatten im Haus; sie scheinen ein Eigenleben zu führen und halten sich an keine Naturgesetze.
Kevin muss mehr über die dunkle Vergangenheit des Hauses herausfinden – so unvorstellbar schrecklich sie auch sein mag.
Ambrose Ibsen gehört zur neuen Generation der herausragenden amerikanischen Horrorautoren in der Art von Stephen King oder Dean Koontz.
354 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 29, 2018
774 people are currently reading
1685 people want to read
About the author
Ambrose Ibsen
58 books664 followersOnce upon a time, a young Ambrose Ibsen discovered a collection of ghost stories on his father's bookshelf. He was never the same again.
Apart from horror fiction, he enjoys good coffee, brewed strong.
Apart from horror fiction, he enjoys good coffee, brewed strong.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 226 reviews
October 6, 2022
FlipperKevin is fixing up houses for a living and showing his efforts on a youtube channel. His latest acquisition in Detroit proves different. When he discovered a walled in female corpse the real horror begins. Who lived there before and why was someone walled in? What about the apparitions Kevin see in the house and the voices he hears? Why does Kevin flee the house after work and better stays in a hotel? The traditional haunted house story slowly unwinds, gets a new twist and soon turns into a whole nightmare. All the right elements of possession and hauntings. Really enjoyed this grim and sinister horror tale. The denouement and ending is an absolute hammer in the truest sense of the word. This is very dark fiction you can almost call black. Highly recommended!
May 12, 2018
The House of Long Shadows
House of Souls, Book 1
By: Ambrose Ibsen
Narrated by: Joe Hempel
This is an audible book I requested and the review is voluntary.
This book is so creepy and good! A youtuber-type house flipper wants a show on tv. By completing this house, he has a chance, but the house wasn't empty. It is so freaky! Lots of craziness! He is fixing this house by himself! The ending was quite a twist!
The narrator was wonderful and added so much to the story. He made all the voices so unique! He added tension and emotion to the story at just the right times! Terrific job.
House of Souls, Book 1
By: Ambrose Ibsen
Narrated by: Joe Hempel
This is an audible book I requested and the review is voluntary.
This book is so creepy and good! A youtuber-type house flipper wants a show on tv. By completing this house, he has a chance, but the house wasn't empty. It is so freaky! Lots of craziness! He is fixing this house by himself! The ending was quite a twist!
The narrator was wonderful and added so much to the story. He made all the voices so unique! He added tension and emotion to the story at just the right times! Terrific job.
January 9, 2021
Alright, well, I may not have liked the main character, FlipperKevin and his video-blog, but this was a great book ! Dude, how many warning signs are you going to ignore that something wants to like GET YOU?!
Well, for good ole Kevin that number is pretty high. For the reader this is unbelievable and hair-raising ! Just hang on to the book with one hand and the hair in the back of your neck with another!
I can respect him for his renovation skills. What he has done to make himself a self made man is ingenious. That is really cool, but his attitude about the whole thing was horrible. His ego had gotten inflated.
He wanted fame.
I felt sorry for him at times but we are responsible for who we become. What type of person we are is not set in stone. Oh, Kevin. Tisk tisk.
So, I guess my point is that I felt bad for him but was also like —that’s what you get for being so stupid — when the horror in this book got in his face. ( For the final time)
There are seriously original concepts and really freaky components in this book that also tend to be a characteristic of Ambrose Ibsen’s writing that amaze me. They didn’t push me too far or get too gory or nasty but the imagery was good at presenting mental pictures of fear and tension. It depends on your scare level, though. Some ppl might wet their pants. He comes up with some really great, hmm, we’ll say— beings.
He is now one of my favorites. This is book one in this series. Bring it on.
Well, for good ole Kevin that number is pretty high. For the reader this is unbelievable and hair-raising ! Just hang on to the book with one hand and the hair in the back of your neck with another!
I can respect him for his renovation skills. What he has done to make himself a self made man is ingenious. That is really cool, but his attitude about the whole thing was horrible. His ego had gotten inflated.
He wanted fame.
I felt sorry for him at times but we are responsible for who we become. What type of person we are is not set in stone. Oh, Kevin. Tisk tisk.
So, I guess my point is that I felt bad for him but was also like —that’s what you get for being so stupid — when the horror in this book got in his face. ( For the final time)
There are seriously original concepts and really freaky components in this book that also tend to be a characteristic of Ambrose Ibsen’s writing that amaze me. They didn’t push me too far or get too gory or nasty but the imagery was good at presenting mental pictures of fear and tension. It depends on your scare level, though. Some ppl might wet their pants. He comes up with some really great, hmm, we’ll say— beings.
He is now one of my favorites. This is book one in this series. Bring it on.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 3, 2018
2.5 stars.
THE HOUSE OF LONG SHADOWS is Book 1 in the "House of Souls" series, by Ambrose Ibsen. Kevin Taylor is a man that fixes up houses on his Utube station. With his eye on a possible television deal, Taylor sets a lofty goal for himself--to completely renovate a derelict house into a move-in ready home, within the span of a mere thirty days. For only one-thousand dollars, number 889 Morgan Road belongs to him. While the fact that the entire neighborhood is abandoned--the other houses in varying states of decrepitude--doesn't phase Kevin, the reader immediately gets that "there is something seriously wrong with the fact that this house is still standing" vibe.
"Morgan Road and everything adjacent to it was practically a gangrenous limb . . . "
It starts, as the title points out, with an odd fixation on the shadows in the house: ". . . Shadows, even those of inanimate things, seemed unnaturally long . . ."
There are a few notable events, but other than those, I felt that the first three-quarters of this novel was basically continuous repetition. Shadows, drywall lectures, "something's creepy here, but I'll keep doing the exact same things anyway", and Kevin's back and forth thoughts of "I'm going to leave--No, I'm going to stay", was honestly all I got out of this part.
". . . I was completely sane, and that was the problem . . . "
The main issue, for myself, was that this story had fantastic potential and the perfect atmosphere, but I couldn't connect to the main character at all. He had a few topics that he would talk to himself about, but after what felt like the hundredth time that he filmed himself discussing the drywall and "good bones" of the house, my attention had seriously waned.
"I looked up at the camera with all the enthusiasm of an amateur magician who'd gotten puked on by one too many kids at a birthday party . . . "
Towards the very end, the story got much more complicated and original. If the entire story had been focused on those aspects, this could have been an outstanding novel, in my mind. Unfortunately, the really interesting and creepy moments only took up approximately 15% towards the end.
". . . I thoughtfully considered the possibility that my house was haunted."
Seriously?
Overall, I feel that the first three-quarters of the book sabotaged the unique additions that came after. Had I been able to even remotely connect and feel for Kevin, this could have had left a more powerful impression. As it is, it felt like a lot of unnecessary filler before getting to anything more engrossing.
". . . I'd run out of fucks to give . . . "
THE HOUSE OF LONG SHADOWS is Book 1 in the "House of Souls" series, by Ambrose Ibsen. Kevin Taylor is a man that fixes up houses on his Utube station. With his eye on a possible television deal, Taylor sets a lofty goal for himself--to completely renovate a derelict house into a move-in ready home, within the span of a mere thirty days. For only one-thousand dollars, number 889 Morgan Road belongs to him. While the fact that the entire neighborhood is abandoned--the other houses in varying states of decrepitude--doesn't phase Kevin, the reader immediately gets that "there is something seriously wrong with the fact that this house is still standing" vibe.
"Morgan Road and everything adjacent to it was practically a gangrenous limb . . . "
It starts, as the title points out, with an odd fixation on the shadows in the house: ". . . Shadows, even those of inanimate things, seemed unnaturally long . . ."
There are a few notable events, but other than those, I felt that the first three-quarters of this novel was basically continuous repetition. Shadows, drywall lectures, "something's creepy here, but I'll keep doing the exact same things anyway", and Kevin's back and forth thoughts of "I'm going to leave--No, I'm going to stay", was honestly all I got out of this part.
". . . I was completely sane, and that was the problem . . . "
The main issue, for myself, was that this story had fantastic potential and the perfect atmosphere, but I couldn't connect to the main character at all. He had a few topics that he would talk to himself about, but after what felt like the hundredth time that he filmed himself discussing the drywall and "good bones" of the house, my attention had seriously waned.
"I looked up at the camera with all the enthusiasm of an amateur magician who'd gotten puked on by one too many kids at a birthday party . . . "
Towards the very end, the story got much more complicated and original. If the entire story had been focused on those aspects, this could have been an outstanding novel, in my mind. Unfortunately, the really interesting and creepy moments only took up approximately 15% towards the end.
". . . I thoughtfully considered the possibility that my house was haunted."
Seriously?
Overall, I feel that the first three-quarters of the book sabotaged the unique additions that came after. Had I been able to even remotely connect and feel for Kevin, this could have had left a more powerful impression. As it is, it felt like a lot of unnecessary filler before getting to anything more engrossing.
". . . I'd run out of fucks to give . . . "
December 17, 2018
wowww! i like Ambrose Ibsen, i'll just tell you now. I liked the idea behind this book and it works! The story is interesting and creepy AF! Kevin is a likable guy and i would say realistic. i could see someone reacting the way he did and sticking to their guns. the ending was like a gut punch. i'm moving on to book 2 now.
July 2, 2025
The house at 889 Morgan Road has been empty almost thirty years. Maybe it should have stayed that way.
I absolutely agreed with that statement!
This was a classic tale of a creepy old house that was bought for renovation. The new owner soon found out that his purchase needs a lot more than merely renovating....and that he got a lot more than he had bargained for with his new property.
Kevin, the main character, is a TV blogger that has bought the house for a YouTube renovation series, and an added bonus would have been that viewers might/could see things in the footage that he didn't spot beforehand. Oh, there were "things" alright! The house, from the start, have spooky unexplained elements, especially in the fact that all the visible shadows were somewhat distorted....and sometimes there were shadows where and when, there shouldn't have been.
I've read and really enjoyed this author before...so was happy to see that he was presenting another house with an unexplained and evil presence. If you are a haunted house enthusiast, you will find that the premises here, as always were interesting and actually believable, and the main characters absolutely relatable. It was so easy to connect to the new owner and understand his motivations. The mention of social media, followers, and comments gave the story the "current" feeling, making it equally appealing to the young and "not so young", readers.
I found parts of it a little slow and repetitive. I believe that this impression may have been due to the fact that we were dealing with only one character...well one "alive" character:) The book really starts to pick up towards the end and we find more characters interacting with Kevin. The ending was a bit predictable but completely terrifying...while still leaving a lot of unanswered questions...but perhaps that was exactly as it should have bee. The "infestation" and the overall and lasting consequences for our Kevin will be something to keep readers in plenty of "nightmare material" for quite some time.
I absolutely agreed with that statement!
This was a classic tale of a creepy old house that was bought for renovation. The new owner soon found out that his purchase needs a lot more than merely renovating....and that he got a lot more than he had bargained for with his new property.
Kevin, the main character, is a TV blogger that has bought the house for a YouTube renovation series, and an added bonus would have been that viewers might/could see things in the footage that he didn't spot beforehand. Oh, there were "things" alright! The house, from the start, have spooky unexplained elements, especially in the fact that all the visible shadows were somewhat distorted....and sometimes there were shadows where and when, there shouldn't have been.
I've read and really enjoyed this author before...so was happy to see that he was presenting another house with an unexplained and evil presence. If you are a haunted house enthusiast, you will find that the premises here, as always were interesting and actually believable, and the main characters absolutely relatable. It was so easy to connect to the new owner and understand his motivations. The mention of social media, followers, and comments gave the story the "current" feeling, making it equally appealing to the young and "not so young", readers.
I found parts of it a little slow and repetitive. I believe that this impression may have been due to the fact that we were dealing with only one character...well one "alive" character:) The book really starts to pick up towards the end and we find more characters interacting with Kevin. The ending was a bit predictable but completely terrifying...while still leaving a lot of unanswered questions...but perhaps that was exactly as it should have bee. The "infestation" and the overall and lasting consequences for our Kevin will be something to keep readers in plenty of "nightmare material" for quite some time.
Read
August 3, 2021Well as much as I hate to do it I am making this a dreaded "dnf". I have given more than enough time on trying to get through it and to me it is just a waste of time.
I will give a small backstory:
Kevin Taylor is a house flipper and he buys houses proceeding to renovate them then flips them for a profit, but he records everything he does through the internet while he is renovating and has been making a good profit from subscribers. Kevin buys a house on Morgan Road in a Detroit suburb that has seen better days and the house has been empty for near 30 years. Kevin is starting to see things ever since he started working on gutting the house.
Thoughts:
The storyline has just been dragging on with literally nothing happening with the haunting and then it started a tiny bit but it is just too much of a slow burn and when I mean slow I am talking "turtle slow" as the whole story so far is Kevin doing the recording of what he is doing. But there is just too much detail for every single thing that he does which is almost like watching one of those subscribed channels.
The problem with the haunting is there isn't much of one and maybe it gets better for the rest of the book, I don't know, but it is so boring to me that I have fallen asleep a couple of times and that hardly ever happens when I am reading books that have hauntings.
I have read other books by this author which have been very good, but I suppose his books are hit and miss as I read another book a few years back that I struggled with as well. Also this book is in a trilogy, but I doubt I will finish it out if it is as slow as this one seems to be. Since this book is a dnf I won't be rating it. Some people really liked this book, but it just wasn't for me.
I will give a small backstory:
Kevin Taylor is a house flipper and he buys houses proceeding to renovate them then flips them for a profit, but he records everything he does through the internet while he is renovating and has been making a good profit from subscribers. Kevin buys a house on Morgan Road in a Detroit suburb that has seen better days and the house has been empty for near 30 years. Kevin is starting to see things ever since he started working on gutting the house.
Thoughts:
The storyline has just been dragging on with literally nothing happening with the haunting and then it started a tiny bit but it is just too much of a slow burn and when I mean slow I am talking "turtle slow" as the whole story so far is Kevin doing the recording of what he is doing. But there is just too much detail for every single thing that he does which is almost like watching one of those subscribed channels.
The problem with the haunting is there isn't much of one and maybe it gets better for the rest of the book, I don't know, but it is so boring to me that I have fallen asleep a couple of times and that hardly ever happens when I am reading books that have hauntings.
I have read other books by this author which have been very good, but I suppose his books are hit and miss as I read another book a few years back that I struggled with as well. Also this book is in a trilogy, but I doubt I will finish it out if it is as slow as this one seems to be. Since this book is a dnf I won't be rating it. Some people really liked this book, but it just wasn't for me.
April 6, 2018
Review: THE HOUSE OF LONG SHADOWS by Ambrose Ibsen
(HOUSE OF SOULS #1)
This novel is incredibly scary. After a lifetime suffused with horror, I no longer scare too easily. But HOUSE OF LONG SHADOWS brought back that rare experience of total terror. It frightened me so much it took three days to read (Monday night-Thursday night) cause I was afraid to read it late at night! I can't wait for the sequel, MALEFIC, in May.
Protagonist Kevin Taylor is a really likeable guy, easy-going, yet driven in his work, with a sad, sometimes terrifying childhood he has striven to overcome. He is VideoTube' s FlipperKevin, a home repair and renovation "genius," very popular. His goal is to host a TV network series, doing house renovations and flipping (fixing-up and restoring). Sounds promising, and indeed, a home improvement network is watching him.
Kevin, a Florida native, decides to find a fixed-upper in the Midwest, to renovate in 30 days with daily video updates on his Internet video channel. Finding a house "with good bones" (sturdy, enduring structure) built about 1975, in a Detroit neighborhood completely abandoned (even the nearby graveyard garners no attention or maintenance).
This wouldn't be a horror novel if everything went swimmingly. Although the house is a steal, and the renovation should be timely, there are very real troubles. The house is infested, and not by termites. This infestation and the consequences for Kevin will keep readers in nightmares for sure.
(HOUSE OF SOULS #1)
This novel is incredibly scary. After a lifetime suffused with horror, I no longer scare too easily. But HOUSE OF LONG SHADOWS brought back that rare experience of total terror. It frightened me so much it took three days to read (Monday night-Thursday night) cause I was afraid to read it late at night! I can't wait for the sequel, MALEFIC, in May.
Protagonist Kevin Taylor is a really likeable guy, easy-going, yet driven in his work, with a sad, sometimes terrifying childhood he has striven to overcome. He is VideoTube' s FlipperKevin, a home repair and renovation "genius," very popular. His goal is to host a TV network series, doing house renovations and flipping (fixing-up and restoring). Sounds promising, and indeed, a home improvement network is watching him.
Kevin, a Florida native, decides to find a fixed-upper in the Midwest, to renovate in 30 days with daily video updates on his Internet video channel. Finding a house "with good bones" (sturdy, enduring structure) built about 1975, in a Detroit neighborhood completely abandoned (even the nearby graveyard garners no attention or maintenance).
This wouldn't be a horror novel if everything went swimmingly. Although the house is a steal, and the renovation should be timely, there are very real troubles. The house is infested, and not by termites. This infestation and the consequences for Kevin will keep readers in nightmares for sure.
October 24, 2020
Summary
When a young house flipper named Kevin is able to buy an abandoned house still in decent shape for dirt cheap in Detroit, he is quick to jump on the opportunity.
His renovations start out well and his online reno videos even gain some interest from a TV network. But things quickly begin to spiral out of control when he finds a body hidden in the house's walls.
Upson having it removed, he unknowingly releases something far worse than he ever could have imagined.
Personal Opinion
A very creepy read with a few twists I didn't see coming.
I did have a slightly harder time feeling too badly for flipper Kevin when his latest project began to go bad. There were quite a few warning signs as to what was residing in there with him that he chose to ignore. He was a likeable MC overall though and I did admire his determination to finish the house. I found his video recording and online video star career to be a cool modern take on a haunted house story. It was also able to capture some extra haunting action that would have been missed otherwise.
Ambrose always has a way of hooking me every time with his creepy scenes and always freaky spirit monsters.
I would definitely recommend as a great read for horror lovers.
When a young house flipper named Kevin is able to buy an abandoned house still in decent shape for dirt cheap in Detroit, he is quick to jump on the opportunity.
His renovations start out well and his online reno videos even gain some interest from a TV network. But things quickly begin to spiral out of control when he finds a body hidden in the house's walls.
Upson having it removed, he unknowingly releases something far worse than he ever could have imagined.
Personal Opinion
A very creepy read with a few twists I didn't see coming.
I did have a slightly harder time feeling too badly for flipper Kevin when his latest project began to go bad. There were quite a few warning signs as to what was residing in there with him that he chose to ignore. He was a likeable MC overall though and I did admire his determination to finish the house. I found his video recording and online video star career to be a cool modern take on a haunted house story. It was also able to capture some extra haunting action that would have been missed otherwise.
Ambrose always has a way of hooking me every time with his creepy scenes and always freaky spirit monsters.
I would definitely recommend as a great read for horror lovers.
April 14, 2018
4.5 stars.
I didn't know a thing about Ibsen when I decided to try his novella "The Seance in Apartment 10" last Spring. I was very pleasantly surprised by how creepy and fun it was and immediately picked up "Asylum", the first in his "Afterlife Investigations" trilogy next. After that book, Ibsen became one of my "insta-buys" when I saw something new from him. The House of Long Shadows is another creepy page-turner that I blazed through and really enjoyed. I'm looking forward to the follow up, "Malefic"!
I didn't know a thing about Ibsen when I decided to try his novella "The Seance in Apartment 10" last Spring. I was very pleasantly surprised by how creepy and fun it was and immediately picked up "Asylum", the first in his "Afterlife Investigations" trilogy next. After that book, Ibsen became one of my "insta-buys" when I saw something new from him. The House of Long Shadows is another creepy page-turner that I blazed through and really enjoyed. I'm looking forward to the follow up, "Malefic"!
October 19, 2024
Kevin Taylor, oder FlipperKevin, wie er sich auf VideoTube nennt, hat sich für schlappe 1000 Dollar eine Bruchbude in Detroit gekauft und will diese innerhalb von 30 Tagen bezugsfertig machen - allein und ohne Hilfe. Und diese Renovierung hält er natürlich für seine Follower auf Video fest. Die täglichen Uploads kommen gut an, seine Follower sind begeistert und auch ein Fernsehsender meldet Interesse an, nach erfolgreichem Abschluss ein eigenes Format mit ihm aufziehen zu wollen. Doch die Dinge geraten schnell außer Kontrolle, als er in den Wänden des Wohnzimmers eine eingemauerte Frauenleiche findet - und von da an beginnt der wahre Horror.
➸ Die traditionelle Spukhausgeschichte von "Haus der langen Schatten" beginnt langsam, ja schon fast gemächlich. Hauptprotagonist Kevin wird, mitsamt seiner Vergangenheit, Stück für Stück eingeführt, die Beweggründe für seine Social Media Präsenz plausibel erläutert und ich fand den Hintergrund für die Videoaufnahmen und der daraus folgenden Karriere als Onlinestar definitiv aktuell und modern.
Kevins Charakterzüge, mitsamt seinen Handlungen, waren durchweg nachvollziehbar und sympathisch und auch seine Hilflosigkeit und Panik werden im späteren Verlauf realistisch und beklemmend beschrieben.
Er hadert mit sich selbst, ob er das Haus (aus guten Gründen) verlassen oder bleiben soll, was, glaube ich, viele Leute tun würden. Er will schließlich groß rauskommen, hat Pläne und gute Aussichten für die Zukunft indem er einfach nur das tut, was er liebt: Handwerklich aktiv zu sein und dabei die einzelnen Schritte mit Interessierten zu teilen.
Nach und nach entfaltet sich jedoch der wahre Albtraum - neue Wendung fließen mit ein und gänsehauterzeugende Momente von Spuk und Besessenheit fließen zusammen.
Originelle Konzepte paaren sich mit abgefahrenen Komponenten und das finde ich, ist ein typisches Merkmal von Autor Ambrose Ibsen.
Er treibt es nicht zu weit. Die Geschichte wird weder abgefahren blutig oder eklig, aber die Atmosphäre und die Bildsprache haben hier durchaus für mich ausgereicht, um ein paar Nackenhaare aufzustellen. Natürlich kommt das alles auf die eigene Angstschwelle an - manche Leser können hier nur müde lächeln.
Ich jedenfalls, habe diese düstere und unheimliche Story gern gelesen und genossen. Selbst die Auflösung und das Ende waren zum Teil richtig überraschend und machen Hoffnung auf mehr. Von mir gibt es eine Leseempfehlung!
➸ Die traditionelle Spukhausgeschichte von "Haus der langen Schatten" beginnt langsam, ja schon fast gemächlich. Hauptprotagonist Kevin wird, mitsamt seiner Vergangenheit, Stück für Stück eingeführt, die Beweggründe für seine Social Media Präsenz plausibel erläutert und ich fand den Hintergrund für die Videoaufnahmen und der daraus folgenden Karriere als Onlinestar definitiv aktuell und modern.
Kevins Charakterzüge, mitsamt seinen Handlungen, waren durchweg nachvollziehbar und sympathisch und auch seine Hilflosigkeit und Panik werden im späteren Verlauf realistisch und beklemmend beschrieben.
Er hadert mit sich selbst, ob er das Haus (aus guten Gründen) verlassen oder bleiben soll, was, glaube ich, viele Leute tun würden. Er will schließlich groß rauskommen, hat Pläne und gute Aussichten für die Zukunft indem er einfach nur das tut, was er liebt: Handwerklich aktiv zu sein und dabei die einzelnen Schritte mit Interessierten zu teilen.
Nach und nach entfaltet sich jedoch der wahre Albtraum - neue Wendung fließen mit ein und gänsehauterzeugende Momente von Spuk und Besessenheit fließen zusammen.
Originelle Konzepte paaren sich mit abgefahrenen Komponenten und das finde ich, ist ein typisches Merkmal von Autor Ambrose Ibsen.
Er treibt es nicht zu weit. Die Geschichte wird weder abgefahren blutig oder eklig, aber die Atmosphäre und die Bildsprache haben hier durchaus für mich ausgereicht, um ein paar Nackenhaare aufzustellen. Natürlich kommt das alles auf die eigene Angstschwelle an - manche Leser können hier nur müde lächeln.
Ich jedenfalls, habe diese düstere und unheimliche Story gern gelesen und genossen. Selbst die Auflösung und das Ende waren zum Teil richtig überraschend und machen Hoffnung auf mehr. Von mir gibt es eine Leseempfehlung!
October 9, 2024
Das ganze Gerede über die Renovierung war für mich leider einfach nur extrem langweilig.
Werde aber sicher noch ein anderes Buch von ihm lesen, da der Schreibstil an sich gut zu lesen war.
Werde aber sicher noch ein anderes Buch von ihm lesen, da der Schreibstil an sich gut zu lesen war.
April 22, 2021
I have to admit that it has been a while since I have read a pure unabashed horror books and I have to say that once I got in to it I really enjoyed it. There is something great fun about a proper haunted house story (although I will say that this book is more than that - rather a phrase I use for a "bad place" story).
I have to admit that there were a few aspects that I did not enjoy - however ironically as the story continued I realised that they were not there simply as plot leavers but rather as also an anchor to help set the story and even frame it towards the end.
I have never read Ambrose Ibsen before but I can see there is a talent there which I am keen to explore more of to see how other stories are approached. I think discover a new author (however ever old or new they are) is always great fun as you start to explore their style and catalogue. I think its been too long away from the genre and I need to go scare myself some more.
I have to admit that there were a few aspects that I did not enjoy - however ironically as the story continued I realised that they were not there simply as plot leavers but rather as also an anchor to help set the story and even frame it towards the end.
I have never read Ambrose Ibsen before but I can see there is a talent there which I am keen to explore more of to see how other stories are approached. I think discover a new author (however ever old or new they are) is always great fun as you start to explore their style and catalogue. I think its been too long away from the genre and I need to go scare myself some more.
June 7, 2025
Not my favorite of his work, but I love his books in general and this was not much different in that respect. I loved the video youtube career and idea behind it, and the police watching the video cracking up at the department cracked me up. Sad memories of his father kept this one serious - the main character was very enjoyable. I'm a big fan of Kevin, and it's depressing to see a character I like so much suffer and have bad things happen. I'm a refular ol' softie.
December 19, 2024
Mit der sehr modernen Erzählweise überraschte mich der Autor das erste Mal schon direkt zu Beginn.
Ein Mitzwanziger renoviert für Klicks.
Mit der uralten Atmosphäre des Hauses gemixt, ergibt dieser Cocktail eine sehr speziell schmeckende... nun ja... (Bau)substanz.
Unterschwellig war Dauerspannung angesagt, da jederzeit etwas hätte passieren können. Und da ist auch schon die Crux. Es ist, meiner bescheidenen Meinung nach, auf gut 400 Seiten eben auch mal zu lange nichts passiert.
Die Dialoge zwischen Bauherrn und Exbesitzer drehten sich bei deren unfreiwilligem Treffen elend lange im Kreis und die Naivität des jungen Videotubers verursachte bei mir hin und da Kopfschmerzen.
Ganz ohne Aspirin schlug ich letztlich die letzte Seite zu und fand das Ende gut gemacht.
Warum ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️◾️?
Was kann mich schon an so einem Erzählgrundgerüst erwarten? Die Bausubstanz. Haha. Ganz im Ernst empfand ich stellenweise heftigen Grusel, da ich das Buch in relativer Dunkelheit gelesen hatte. Die Atmosphäre muss schließlich nicht nur innerbuchs stimmen. Der Rentner wirkte mir in manchen Passagen etwas zu jung geraten, vielleicht der relativen Jugend des Autors geschuldet. Und die Nachbarin hatte ich als Gamechanger erwartet. Da kam aber gar nichts mehr. Völlig egal. Mit Abzügen für Charaktertelling steht am Ende ein guter Grusel und ein neuer Autor in meinem erweiterten Bluckfeld.
Ein Mitzwanziger renoviert für Klicks.
Mit der uralten Atmosphäre des Hauses gemixt, ergibt dieser Cocktail eine sehr speziell schmeckende... nun ja... (Bau)substanz.
Unterschwellig war Dauerspannung angesagt, da jederzeit etwas hätte passieren können. Und da ist auch schon die Crux. Es ist, meiner bescheidenen Meinung nach, auf gut 400 Seiten eben auch mal zu lange nichts passiert.
Die Dialoge zwischen Bauherrn und Exbesitzer drehten sich bei deren unfreiwilligem Treffen elend lange im Kreis und die Naivität des jungen Videotubers verursachte bei mir hin und da Kopfschmerzen.
Ganz ohne Aspirin schlug ich letztlich die letzte Seite zu und fand das Ende gut gemacht.
Warum ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️◾️?
Was kann mich schon an so einem Erzählgrundgerüst erwarten? Die Bausubstanz. Haha. Ganz im Ernst empfand ich stellenweise heftigen Grusel, da ich das Buch in relativer Dunkelheit gelesen hatte. Die Atmosphäre muss schließlich nicht nur innerbuchs stimmen. Der Rentner wirkte mir in manchen Passagen etwas zu jung geraten, vielleicht der relativen Jugend des Autors geschuldet. Und die Nachbarin hatte ich als Gamechanger erwartet. Da kam aber gar nichts mehr. Völlig egal. Mit Abzügen für Charaktertelling steht am Ende ein guter Grusel und ein neuer Autor in meinem erweiterten Bluckfeld.
May 7, 2018
This is the first book in, The House of Souls series. Kevin Taylor is a house flipper. He buys houses for next to nothing, fix's them up. and sells them for a profit. Kevin buys this old abandon house on 889 Morgan Rd, in the city of Detroit. Most of the dilapidated houses on Morgan Rd, can not be saved. This house has not been live in for more than thirty years. This is not the best area to live in but Kevin thinks he can make it work. Kevin sets his mind, that he can fix this house up in thirty days. Kevin sets up his equipment in the house, so he can record each one of his repair sessions and post them on video Tube. Kevin, has a large following, and could even land a deal with The Home Improvement Network. While replacing some of wallboard in the house, Kevin discovers a body sandwich in the wall. Kevin knows very little about the Weiss family, who were the last residents of the house. Mrs Weiss, died in that house, and Kevin believes it is hear body. While editing his repair video's, he hears strange voices on the the tape. Strange this begin to happen to Kevin, when he works in the house after sun set. Kevin still believes, that he can complete his 30 day challenge, working during the day only. He is still looking to get that contract with the HIN, no matter what it takes. Can Kevin defeat the evil that haunts this house or will the evil defeat him? The problem with this book is, that the first 80% of this book is vert repetitious. It deals with Kevin and his home repairs and editing his videos for Video Tube. The story reminds me of the movie Ground Hog Day. The last 20% of the book, things begin to happen. Unfortunately by then, it is to late to save the story. This book received many excellent reviews, this is only my opinion.
January 11, 2022
So Spooky
I wanted to tip my toes into horror and oh my god this book was perfect. I actually had nightmares.
I wanted to tip my toes into horror and oh my god this book was perfect. I actually had nightmares.
February 18, 2024
I don't like to admit it, but I am disappointed 😭
Haunted houses are one of my favorite tropes, the ones that sucked me into horror. So I usually find something to enjoy in these stories even when they are not the most original (and as I have read over 30 books on the topic, they begin to echo each other, but that doesn't bother me!).
Here, there's not something wrong with the house, but something wrong with the writing, lol.
The story plot is simple: a guy has a home renovations video channel with millions of followers. In the hope of getting a more secure job on TV, he has created a challenge for himself: 30 days to fully renovate the house, starting with the house he bought in the depressed Detroit neighborhood. The plan goes smoothly till it doesn't, and within the first few days, somebody from TV really reaches out to him. So, to seal this deal, he must not screw up this project. That's his motivation to stay in the house when things start happening.
I mentioned the writing earlier, so here are two major problems that ruined the experience for me.
The first is the repetition. It resembles some summing up for a TV episode that starts: "previously, in this serial." But it happens randomly around the chapters, when the MC decides to revise what he knows about the situation, and it's nothing new; he is just remembering everything we already know. Why 😭
The other is dispersing the atmosphere with some facts that will not show up again. A few encounters that are very detailed mean nothing later on. And I think even that would not be fatal for me, but even his skills in renovation and video editing, and his frequent reminiscence about his father do nothing in general to the story. Like, they do, but it's just... for the vibe? lol.
I think what makes me frustrated is that the book had potential and even gave me some creeps, but felt soooo flat in the end.
Haunted houses are one of my favorite tropes, the ones that sucked me into horror. So I usually find something to enjoy in these stories even when they are not the most original (and as I have read over 30 books on the topic, they begin to echo each other, but that doesn't bother me!).
Here, there's not something wrong with the house, but something wrong with the writing, lol.
The story plot is simple: a guy has a home renovations video channel with millions of followers. In the hope of getting a more secure job on TV, he has created a challenge for himself: 30 days to fully renovate the house, starting with the house he bought in the depressed Detroit neighborhood. The plan goes smoothly till it doesn't, and within the first few days, somebody from TV really reaches out to him. So, to seal this deal, he must not screw up this project. That's his motivation to stay in the house when things start happening.
I mentioned the writing earlier, so here are two major problems that ruined the experience for me.
The first is the repetition. It resembles some summing up for a TV episode that starts: "previously, in this serial." But it happens randomly around the chapters, when the MC decides to revise what he knows about the situation, and it's nothing new; he is just remembering everything we already know. Why 😭
The other is dispersing the atmosphere with some facts that will not show up again. A few encounters that are very detailed mean nothing later on. And I think even that would not be fatal for me, but even his skills in renovation and video editing, and his frequent reminiscence about his father do nothing in general to the story. Like, they do, but it's just... for the vibe? lol.
I think what makes me frustrated is that the book had potential and even gave me some creeps, but felt soooo flat in the end.
February 27, 2019
House of Long Shadows is my first novel by Ambrose Ibsen and was startled to see that he has written so much. As much horror as I read, I am surprised that I have not heard of him.
As a haunted house novel there really wasn’t anything new to see here. Many of the themes and tropes have been done before and some of the images seemed to be more for shock value than to make sense in the story. However, this novel got an extra star for me based on the character of Flipper Kevin. As I proceed to the end of the novel I found myself getting disturbed as the circumstances got more and more grim. I can only chalk this up to one thing. Even though plot wise it was very familiar territory, the character was getting to me. I felt sorry for him and found myself hoping that there would be a way out for Kevin. You will have to read the book to see if there was. I hate spoilers.
The fact that I cared this much about the main character was enough for me to add Ambrose Ibsen to my list as an author that deserves further exploration.
As a haunted house novel there really wasn’t anything new to see here. Many of the themes and tropes have been done before and some of the images seemed to be more for shock value than to make sense in the story. However, this novel got an extra star for me based on the character of Flipper Kevin. As I proceed to the end of the novel I found myself getting disturbed as the circumstances got more and more grim. I can only chalk this up to one thing. Even though plot wise it was very familiar territory, the character was getting to me. I felt sorry for him and found myself hoping that there would be a way out for Kevin. You will have to read the book to see if there was. I hate spoilers.
The fact that I cared this much about the main character was enough for me to add Ambrose Ibsen to my list as an author that deserves further exploration.
May 31, 2018
Let me begin by saying that I thought Joe Hempel did a really good job narrating this book. The story was relatively unique and original, but it lacked any sort of scare or disturbing event until the end. I like how Ambrose Ibsen made a modern haunting. I liked the IDEA of the reasoning behind the demons. I was left wanting in the execution. In this case, though, I really think he has an opportunity to make the sequel better than the original. I think this could have been a prequel novella and it would have served the same purpose.
This book was given to me for free at my request for my voluntary and unbiased review.
This book was given to me for free at my request for my voluntary and unbiased review.
January 15, 2020
A book that I recently bought is "The House of Long Shadows" (2018) by Ambrose Ibsen, the literary grandson of M.R. James and Algernon Blackwood. This book is a masterpiece! The literary way in which the author deals with themes such as reality and fear is fantastic.
The author writes about reality in an original way. Kevin Taylor is a successful handyman who makes videos about home improvement and places them on the internet. The recordings he makes are edited to show a certain image of the renovation that does not correspond to reality. He tries to create the impression that it is a normal renovation, while all kinds of scary events are taking place and Kevin is slowly becoming more frightened.
This corruption of reality by the main character in combination with the paranormal activities creates a great tension. Someone who creates an ideal image of reality by editing videos is confronted with the presence of a dark, macabre reality over which he has no influence whatsoever. Kevin's power and helplessness are described in a realistic and oppressive way.
The fear symbolism in the story is perfect. An example of this is a very macabre passage on page 108. The macabre is that the person who makes videos for the internet and goes for as many views as possible is confronted with something that refers to this: ‘I thought I saw something stirring in the depths of the fiend’s body. Countless eyeballs – twitching, shifting, staring – looked out of me from within the figure’s throat.’
There are more such fields of tension in the story, creating literary depth. That is why I feel "The House of Long Shadows" is literature.
There is another reason why this book is literature. That is the relationship with the work of the French philosopher Henri Bergson. This association is based on the essay "The possible and the real". This horror novel always gives a lurid visual elaboration of a few themes from this essay. An example is the following: "The possible is therefore the mirror image of the present in the past." (P. 116) With regard to the symbol of fear and the protagonist, the present and the past play an important role. Kevin Taylor is shown a horrible mirror in this story.
The motif that also has a strong relationship with the theme is the callary pear tree. This tree is an invasive species in America. This tree is close to the house and from the first day that Kevin sees her at the house, he feels a resistance seeing the tree. There is a tragic irony in the meaning of the tree in the story, with which Ibsen proves himself as a top author. It is also possible to see Kevin as a kind of callary pear tree, because he is an intruder in the house, just as this tree is an intruder within the American native flora.
So, for the readers who want to become acquainted with literary horror, this mustread about reality and fear is highly recommended! #houseoflongshadows #ambroseibsen
(1) Bergson, H. (2016) Essays over bewustzijn en verandering. Leusden: ISVW uitgevers
The author writes about reality in an original way. Kevin Taylor is a successful handyman who makes videos about home improvement and places them on the internet. The recordings he makes are edited to show a certain image of the renovation that does not correspond to reality. He tries to create the impression that it is a normal renovation, while all kinds of scary events are taking place and Kevin is slowly becoming more frightened.
This corruption of reality by the main character in combination with the paranormal activities creates a great tension. Someone who creates an ideal image of reality by editing videos is confronted with the presence of a dark, macabre reality over which he has no influence whatsoever. Kevin's power and helplessness are described in a realistic and oppressive way.
The fear symbolism in the story is perfect. An example of this is a very macabre passage on page 108. The macabre is that the person who makes videos for the internet and goes for as many views as possible is confronted with something that refers to this: ‘I thought I saw something stirring in the depths of the fiend’s body. Countless eyeballs – twitching, shifting, staring – looked out of me from within the figure’s throat.’
There are more such fields of tension in the story, creating literary depth. That is why I feel "The House of Long Shadows" is literature.
There is another reason why this book is literature. That is the relationship with the work of the French philosopher Henri Bergson. This association is based on the essay "The possible and the real". This horror novel always gives a lurid visual elaboration of a few themes from this essay. An example is the following: "The possible is therefore the mirror image of the present in the past." (P. 116) With regard to the symbol of fear and the protagonist, the present and the past play an important role. Kevin Taylor is shown a horrible mirror in this story.
The motif that also has a strong relationship with the theme is the callary pear tree. This tree is an invasive species in America. This tree is close to the house and from the first day that Kevin sees her at the house, he feels a resistance seeing the tree. There is a tragic irony in the meaning of the tree in the story, with which Ibsen proves himself as a top author. It is also possible to see Kevin as a kind of callary pear tree, because he is an intruder in the house, just as this tree is an intruder within the American native flora.
So, for the readers who want to become acquainted with literary horror, this mustread about reality and fear is highly recommended! #houseoflongshadows #ambroseibsen
(1) Bergson, H. (2016) Essays over bewustzijn en verandering. Leusden: ISVW uitgevers
November 19, 2024
Another great and suspenseful paranormal story! Having listened to several stories from this author I have to applaud his ability to let you in the plot straight away and care for the main characters, so much so that you really want them to succeed and follow their lives with eagerness. The only thing is that the reader knows that something bad will happen and yes it does!
The narration by Joe Hempel was yet again perfect, and because of that, I was captivated by the story straight away and I found it an original take on the haunted house trope. The story never went the way I thought it would (which is a positive). Towards the end I started thinking it would go nowhere and then, BAM, I got hit really hard with that ending!
I needn’t have to say that I won’t be doing house renovations any time soon! And if you want to know why, I suggest you pick up this book! Looking forward to book 2 in the series.
Thanks to the author for the audiobook code and this is my honest opinion.
The narration by Joe Hempel was yet again perfect, and because of that, I was captivated by the story straight away and I found it an original take on the haunted house trope. The story never went the way I thought it would (which is a positive). Towards the end I started thinking it would go nowhere and then, BAM, I got hit really hard with that ending!
I needn’t have to say that I won’t be doing house renovations any time soon! And if you want to know why, I suggest you pick up this book! Looking forward to book 2 in the series.
Thanks to the author for the audiobook code and this is my honest opinion.
February 23, 2022
It took me a while to finish, but it's better late than "dropped", am I right? ;)
It took me a while not because the story isn't interesting, it really was. I just didn't pick up the pace the way I usually do. I guess it was also a slow start for a horror book. Anyway, the premise is indeed scary. I would never ever want to stay in such a place. I understand Kevin's decision to stay (ish), but I wouldn't have chosen the same thing because I am 99% a coward when it comes to ghost stuff. I wish it didn't have to end this way, but I kind of saw it coming too.
This book makes me want to read more haunted house horror books. Once again, I gotta thank our Facebook group, "Books of Horror" for this recommendation. :)
It took me a while not because the story isn't interesting, it really was. I just didn't pick up the pace the way I usually do. I guess it was also a slow start for a horror book. Anyway, the premise is indeed scary. I would never ever want to stay in such a place. I understand Kevin's decision to stay (ish), but I wouldn't have chosen the same thing because I am 99% a coward when it comes to ghost stuff. I wish it didn't have to end this way, but I kind of saw it coming too.
This book makes me want to read more haunted house horror books. Once again, I gotta thank our Facebook group, "Books of Horror" for this recommendation. :)
March 19, 2020
I loved this book. It has all the credit things I like. Ghost, haunted houses, possession and a twist at the end! Definitely recommend!
May 19, 2018
I'm left scratching my head at the abrupt ending. I know what I'm supposed to assume is next, but I have more questions. What kind of ghost is Kevin? Is there any part of him left now that he's dead, or has he been entirely consumed by the voices? Are we to assume that he's going to terrorize this poor new family the same way that Fiona terrorized him, or will he haunt the house obliquely and quietly because of who he was in life compared to Fiona, or maybe even because of the cotton?
I wanted to give this book a better rating because I did enjoy the concept, the author's imagery, and I became enthralled by the horror at times (though I didn't feel the story get truly creepy until about 35% of the way in). Other aspects, especially the dialogue, felt so stilted at times that it pulled me out of the story occasionally. Mainly, the last scene with Weiss was predictable though acceptable, but he went on a villainous monologue that really annoyed me and made the scene feel less poignant and dramatic.
I also felt several characters/topics were made to seem more significant than they really were, then they never came up again, e.g. the hardware store clerk (Kevin's father's doppleganger), Fiona's body after the police removed it from the wall, Father Kaspar, the porch woman Kevin interviewed (how he seemed to emphasize that he thought she was lying about her age, like maybe the same advanced aging thing had happened to her that had happened to him and Fiona after they were possessed), all the hospital scenes. What even was the point of Kevin getting mugged right before Will kills him?
It was an interesting read, about three stars for me ("liked it"), but I give it two stars for the sadly unsatisfying ending.
I wanted to give this book a better rating because I did enjoy the concept, the author's imagery, and I became enthralled by the horror at times (though I didn't feel the story get truly creepy until about 35% of the way in). Other aspects, especially the dialogue, felt so stilted at times that it pulled me out of the story occasionally. Mainly, the last scene with Weiss was predictable though acceptable, but he went on a villainous monologue that really annoyed me and made the scene feel less poignant and dramatic.
I also felt several characters/topics were made to seem more significant than they really were, then they never came up again, e.g. the hardware store clerk (Kevin's father's doppleganger), Fiona's body after the police removed it from the wall, Father Kaspar, the porch woman Kevin interviewed (how he seemed to emphasize that he thought she was lying about her age, like maybe the same advanced aging thing had happened to her that had happened to him and Fiona after they were possessed), all the hospital scenes. What even was the point of Kevin getting mugged right before Will kills him?
It was an interesting read, about three stars for me ("liked it"), but I give it two stars for the sadly unsatisfying ending.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 12, 2018
Handyman wants to parlay his DIY YouTube stardom into getting a TV gig (which seems unrealistic for a 20-something and the current revenue yielded by being a YouTube sensation) so he plans to renovate a house in 30 days documenting his progress. Whoops, turns out the house is wicked haunted and mayhem ensues. For some reason I do not understand, though bless Ibsen for at least addressing it, despite positive video proof of ghosts and some high quality EVPs, Kevin, our struggling protagonist, ignores this ghost hunting stardom opportunity in favor of struggling through hanging drywall while trying to ignore poltergeisty shenanigans -- much to his detriment.
I love a haunted house story and in this worn out genre The House of Long Shadows does not disappoint. There are some creepy ghosties here, but as is true within this genre, you have to truly bring it to actually do something unique in this space. Ibsen had the makings of something quite good, but unfortunately it was rushed and unrealistic and poorly explained when we got there. Not horrible mind; just not amazing.
Where the book truly falters is in its rendering of any sort of dialogue, including Kevin's YouTube videos, the comments left on said videos, and his internal monologues. Clunky. I would suggest Ibsen reads more Elmore Leonard, or maybe better Joe Lansdale, to refine his style.
Nonetheless, not a horrible read at all. Solid effort and about a million times better than the sequel which I'm reading now and am not sure I can finish. For a Kindle Unlimited book, definite 2 thumbs up. For an Audible credit, which Audible kept insisting I use, no frakkin way.
Buy, borrow, or burn: Borrow
I love a haunted house story and in this worn out genre The House of Long Shadows does not disappoint. There are some creepy ghosties here, but as is true within this genre, you have to truly bring it to actually do something unique in this space. Ibsen had the makings of something quite good, but unfortunately it was rushed and unrealistic and poorly explained when we got there. Not horrible mind; just not amazing.
Where the book truly falters is in its rendering of any sort of dialogue, including Kevin's YouTube videos, the comments left on said videos, and his internal monologues. Clunky. I would suggest Ibsen reads more Elmore Leonard, or maybe better Joe Lansdale, to refine his style.
Nonetheless, not a horrible read at all. Solid effort and about a million times better than the sequel which I'm reading now and am not sure I can finish. For a Kindle Unlimited book, definite 2 thumbs up. For an Audible credit, which Audible kept insisting I use, no frakkin way.
Buy, borrow, or burn: Borrow
September 11, 2019
Haunting
Ibsen is far and away one of my all time favorite horror authors. This book was good, but not his best. While it kept me reading, I felt there was a lot of repetition that could've been cut slimming the story and therefore strengthening its punch and suspense. All in all though this was a good read. The ending will absolutely blow you away and Mr. Weiss' "solution" will haunt you. Some seriously spooky imagery--"Irma" will not soon leave your thoughts, or should I say, nightmares.
Ibsen is far and away one of my all time favorite horror authors. This book was good, but not his best. While it kept me reading, I felt there was a lot of repetition that could've been cut slimming the story and therefore strengthening its punch and suspense. All in all though this was a good read. The ending will absolutely blow you away and Mr. Weiss' "solution" will haunt you. Some seriously spooky imagery--"Irma" will not soon leave your thoughts, or should I say, nightmares.
August 12, 2018
One star above "did not like it" for a pretty creepy monster/ghost and suitably nihilistic ending.
Minus all other stars for constant dangling participles and other offenses against writing, plus a boringly recursive character arc - "This house is creepy - I'm going to leave . . . but fame awaits!"x1000
Minus all other stars for constant dangling participles and other offenses against writing, plus a boringly recursive character arc - "This house is creepy - I'm going to leave . . . but fame awaits!"x1000
July 1, 2020
I thought this book was very good! I was worried after I read some reviews, and it did drag out a little in the middle, but not enough to bother me. I would agree it's not one I'm used to from Ibsen, but it still had the surprising and scary ending I have come to expect from this author! Overall I enjoyed it as a good ghost story :)
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