Book Review: House of Leaves

[tellytubby101]

Final Rating: 9.5 out of 10.

Quick Summary: This is a story about a family that move into a house. But that's all it is, a story. Right? Right? 

Well. I've finished this book about a week ago and I've just been stewing over how to review this. I know I'm ten years late to the party, but this was written in such a timeless manner I could have believed it was published last year. It was intense on so many levels and the writing style is beautifully delivered and just wow. It really got in my head, made me think, and kind of, sort of messed me up a bit. That's not quite enough to show my love for this, so I'm making a list and I'll be breaking down House of Leaves into its various segments.

#1: Johnny Truant.
He's like the overarching narrator for half of the story. His story is told in footnotes and letters, diary entries and insane little bits of writing and editing that show a man slowly losing his mind. The cause of this madness? The Navison Record.

#2: Zampanò
A deceased, blind man who wrote a book about The Navison Record (a movie that's meant to be true but is so insane it can't be). He's the other narrator of the story. His tale isn't really told, per se... but one thing I should mention. The movie? Yeah, I wasn't lying when I said it wasn't true. This guy made it all up. But it's written so flawlessly I would have believed in a heartbeat this movie existed.

His story has footnotes, too. Except he also has writing that descends past crazed madness and right into chaos. You follow the words

d
o
w
n
,
 

d
o
w
n
,

the pages, even

˙ʎןɹǝdoɹd pɐǝɹ oʇ uʍop ǝpısdn ʞooq ǝɥʇ buıuɹnʇ

Sometimes you read from left

to right

maybe a spin in the center,

and then back again.

Some things are crossed out and you're not sure whether you should read it or not, but you suddenly have to.

Don't even get me
started on the ins
ane little sqaures
and blocks that si
t in the middle or

the way house always warps and colours and draws your eye--

[ 1/2 inch is important, 1/2 inch will destroy you ]

#3: The Navison Record.
This is a story about a family that move into a house. The only problem? It's not a normal house.

Normal houses don't have walls that  

g r  o   w    and     e      x       p       a       n        d 

without ever shifting borders. Normal houses don't suddenly GROW and shrink to mess with your mind.

Normal houses don't have hallways that suddenly appear, pitch black and icy cold with a growl that circles around as if a monster were just in the corner of your eye...

#5: Footnotes, Appendix I & II, etc.
There's a lot more to this than your average novel. The writing is warped and the layout is fucked, there are footnotes that aren't real and appendixes that feel real but you aren't quite sure why. Things are crossed out, blacked out, written like a textbook but comes across like a storybook and it's all rather insane in a delicious kind of way.

Oh, and did I mention? There are codes within the text. Codes and Braille and footnotes, endnotes, andthingsthatdon'tmakesense. PICTURES TOO.

-

The only thing I can say to you is READ THIS. It's a little abrasive at first, and the POV changes are a bit disorientating, but then you get into the groove of how it's written and just, man, it will blow your mind. People say this is a horror book, but it's, at heart, a romance book as well. I must say, Mark Z. Danielewski is a fucked up man, but an excellent writer. Give it a go and enjoy the ride.

Comments

[unjaundiced.livejournal.com]

HAHAHAHAHAHA You actually wrote your review like the book. YOU ENDEAVOUR TO CHALLENGE THOROUGHLY! But what a butt to write it like that.

Maybe I shall read this one day. It is very much like a prosaic poem drifting off to the edge of a finely aged madness. *crazy smile* Me likes 'em mad. I live on the edge year round. Sanity visits every third Sunday for tea.

[tellytubby101.livejournal.com]

That's where Sanity goes on Sundays! I thought it was out ice-skating with Reason. :DD

It's very insane. If you like insane, you'll LOVE this.

BUT, and this is a very big BUT, you hate 1st person. I s'pose you could skip those sections, but you'll lose a dimension of the story. I don't know. It's in short bursts here and there, so you could maybe/hopefully tolerate it? IDK

And I had to write the review like the book! Otherwise it wouldn't do it justice! :)

[unjaundiced.livejournal.com]

Oh no. Sanity can't ice skate. It does crochet with Sense on Thursdays though. They make doilies with little nooses on them.

Maybe I'd just slowly melt my brain away and be left to gibber in peace. Then the first person would just pass me by and I'll think I imagined it...

Thank you for breaking me, I will say as they cart me away to my little padded room.

[tellytubby101.livejournal.com]

*Gasp*. Sanity is cheating on Reason with Sense? OH THE SCANDAL. :-O

As you get carted away, I will rub my hands together and laugh manically (and the execution would be flawless, because I practise insane laughter in my spare time). XD

[unjaundiced.livejournal.com]

Ooooooh no. I will not start a dramatic soap operatic relationship web for non-existing things again. I have done this before! I refuse to believe that Reason or Sense or Sanity exists. This is impossible!

Do you stand in front of a mirror whilst cackling madly? I should report this...

[tellytubby101.livejournal.com]

I WILL READ THIS DRAMATIC SOAP OPERATIC RELATIONSHIP. ... but what you you mean by you've done this before?

You cannot report my evil cackling practise. I have a permit. XD

[unjaundiced.livejournal.com]

I mean what I said... I may have gotten into a long drawn out conversation involving ridiculously complicated relationships of things that don't actually exist... I do these things. XD

YOU DO NOT HAVE A PERMIT! What are you? The Wicked Witch?

[starsparkle333.livejournal.com]

Aaahhhh I love this book so much. And this is an awesome review of it. xD

[tellytubby101.livejournal.com]

I'm waiting for my order to arrive in the bookstore so I can buy and re-read it. :)

[fireblooms.livejournal.com]

Whenever I see this book in the bookstore, I always want to buy it but something about it has always creeped me out.

Have you ever heard of the musician POE? Her brother is the author of this book. She mentions it in some of her songs (which are usually haunting and unsettling yet amazing). You should check her out. (I suggest, having absolutely no idea what types of music you listen to/like. Haha)

[tellytubby101.livejournal.com]

I've heard of POE writing some inclusion of the book in her music. I really must go listen to that.

But if you're scared of being creeped out, then definitely don't get the book. It definitely freaked the bajeebus out of me. ^^;;