BOOK REVIEW: The September House by Carissa Orlando
Serious topics mixed with horror and humor
I loved this book so much! It was the absolute perfect Spooky season read. I Know some people have found this one really scary - it wasn’t. At least I didn’t find it scary maybe a little creepy, but I absolutely loved the fun, fresh stylistic approach to make a “horror” story funny, in a satirical sort of way. This is probably part of the reason I didn’t really find it scary. Regardless, I loved it, and I’m going to tell you why you are going to love it too!
Characters: The exaggerated dominant traits of each character are highlighted to add the humorous undertones of the story. Margaret is so in love with her house and being a homeowner that literally absolutely nothing will cause her to leave. Hal is a non-existent character who is only developed clearly through the flashbacks of Margaret’s life to show how she got to be who and where she is in present day. These two characters are so well developed that their daughter, Katherine, is exactly what you would expect being the offspring of those two. She is just as over the top and flawed as her parents. I appreciated that even though some of the bizarre interactions and conversations there is a strong love between mother and daughter. There is a desire to protect each other and to help, even though both are operating under a different level of understanding of reality.
I honestly couldn't have asked for a better cast of characters to put into this haunted house which is infested with it’s only wildly created characters … these are just dead. Francisca and the “Pranksters” as Margaret refers to the gaggle of dead children that haunt the house. Even though they are pretty calm 11 months of the year, they become a little more outgoing and rambunctious in September. I loved that each one of these “ghosts” had a very clearly defined story.
This wasn’t my first time trying to prepare a meal while dodging the fangs of a dead child who wished me bodily harm.
Style: The humor, doubt, dialogue and word choice were all effective in supporting the tone. From the opening pages, I knew that this was going to be different from any other thriller/horror book I’ve read. I felt like the satirical approach was at times filtering in aspects of a parody. It was a serious story with serious characters and very serious outcomes. There were moments I was laughing and others where I was like “what is happening?” and “what is she thinking?” But even the gruesome aspects were presented with a degree of nonchalance as per Margaret’s character.
There were several layers that you wouldn’t have necessarily thought were going to be addressed just with the overall tone. There is domestic violence, childhood trauma, and alcoholism. But it literally all made sense. It all came together in this weird stylistic form that just really worked.
Conclusion: It actually felt like the climatic moment that the book needed and deserved. The scene was developed and fleshed out. There were some cringe worthy elements and lasted more than a page. Orlando took her time with the scene. Everything was building up to this moment, we all knew it was inevitable. I think it was also pretty clear from early on what had happened to Hal. So, to see the scene handled with respect and due diligence to be delivered successfully was a crowning moment of what was already a thoroughly enjoyable read. Master Vale was finally brought fully out into the light, and it just seemed like all the pranksters and even Margaret finally tapped into their full potential and fought for what was theirs. For so long Margaret’s character had been held back, but geez, some people just really like their homes. There were several moments throughout the ending where I doubted so much. Was Katherine right? Was Margaret right? Were the police right? The pieces just fell perfectly into place in a way that made you cringe while cheering the characters one, but yet the violence….
Regardless, I loved the ending.
I knew how to survive here, and I always had the sense that if I just survived long enough, if I just played by the rules well enough, I could make it into a perfect home once and for all. I just needed to work a little harder. I loved this house. And you didn’t give up on the things you loved.
Structure/Plot: The book was a quick read and really just sucks you in from the very beginning. It was a unique approach to a ghost story where you really want the ghosts to “win” but still wonder “why in the world is the house bleeding?” Well, I wanted some of them to win. The flashbacks were critical to establish the character development of Margaret, Hal and Katherine, but also served to create doubt in their reliability. There were moments where Margaret clearly wasn’t the most reliable narrator, and the lines were a little blurred between truth and exaggeration. But the question remains, Where is Hal?
Where does this land on my bookshelf?
Without a doubt on my top shelf simply for its originality, creativity and characters. It was such a fun read and to have such eclectic characters created an atmosphere that was both creepy, cringy but yet a little…I just don’t even know the best word to describe it. Margaret’s matter-of-fact, nonchalance creates a tone that made everything more engaging and entertaining. This is the type of book that you can’t say too much about without spoiling something, but I will say that I thought I had it figured out and then I doubted everything. I really did love this one and highly recommend it. If you are looking for one more creepy book to read this spooky season, definitely consider picking this one up!
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