Review: Hell House

4 stars. Oh my gosh!! LOL. I was not expecting so many nipples. But it's about time I finally read this classic - and it was absolutely perfect for spooky season. There's plenty of sexist bullshit in here, but I have to admit: I couldn't put it down. And the premise is pretty spectacular.

At the request of an aging millionaire, four investigators - a parapsychologist and his wife, a former actress turned medium, and another medium with a dark history tied to the estate - enter Hell House, a notorious mansion steeped in blood and legend. Each arrives with their own beliefs and methods, determined to uncover proof of life after death. But as their weeklong investigation unfolds, the line between science and the supernatural blurs, and soon they’re forced to question not only what haunts the house - but what haunts them.

I truly enjoyed so much about this book: the history of the house, the mystery at its center, the moments of insanity and fear. The writing is crisp and the pace is almost frantic at times. I think it will appeal to a lot of horror movie lovers; it is cinematic and vivid. It includes a trope I particularly love: a beautiful, ornate historical house that would make an incredible museum if it weren't, you know, haunted.

Perfect? Of course not. Yes, some of the ... imagery is a little pervy, and the character of Edith in particular was so fucking annoying to me. That being said, I didn't read it as homophobic. I've seen plenty of criticism about Edith's fear of "becoming" a lesbian - but to me, that isn't the author's fear; it's the character's. And that makes sense, given her background and worldview. It's not great, sure, but anyone with a lick of sense can read this without walking away scared of or hateful toward gay women.

Anyway, I genuinely had a blast with this. 

Hell House on: Amazon | Bookshop.org | Goodreads