Review - 'House of Hollow' by Krystal Sutherland

"You shouldn't be afraid of the truth. It'll set you free, right?"

Calling all fans of dark fairy tales. Have I got a book for you!

When Iris Hollow was seven years old, she and her sisters disappeared for a month, only to reappear with no memories of where they've been or what had happened to them. Now 10 years later, Iris just wants to leave it all behind and move on with her life. But when her oldest sister disappears again, it's as if history is repeating itself. And to save her, Iris must revisit her childhood and figure out what really happened all those years ago.

Right from the get-go, this story drew me in. I feel like so many books advertise as atmospheric, yet hardly any of them actually deliver. But this book elicited all the reactions. The hairs on my arms stood up. My spine was tingling like crazy. And I kept breaking out in goosebumps. I haven't had this much fun with a creepy read in a long time.

I should clarify—when I'm looking for a creepy read, I'm not aiming to have the bejeezus scared out of me. Nor am I hoping to be so freaked out that I won't sleep for a week and have to check every dark corner for fear of monsters. Rather, I want that perfect balance where a story is actually chilling, but it's also so much fun that I just want more. And this book hits it right on the nose.

I've been a bit biased lately against books labeled as magical realism. I think it's because I keep getting burned by the genre. The last few books I've read have been so flat and dull, almost as if the authors themselves don't even buy into the magical world they've created. But this book fully embraces the magic, and it totally works. I felt transported and I couldn't look away.

I loved the way the story unfolded, with lots of little clues and happenings, all building up to a spectacular set of twists and turns. I definitely did not see them coming, and it was great fun to partake in the journey and be thoroughly surprised.

I somehow missed this book when it first came out, but I'm so glad I found it now. I'm not sure what I expected going in, but it sure wasn't this. With its lush darkness and evocative imagery that was both beautiful and grotesque, this story feels like a fairy tale that's all grown up. 

Readaroo Rating: 4 stars