House of Hallow takes a unique spin on a dark fairy tale. Instead of being inspired by a classic fairytale such as Beauty and the Beast or Cinderella, it is inspired by the staircase to nowhere urban legend. I have never read another book based on this urban legend and found it unique and captivating.
The story is about three sisters that disappeared when they were children only to return one month later seemingly unharmed but with minor changes. 10 years later the oldest sister, Grey, disappears again and it’s up to her two sisters to find out what happened to her and if it’s connected to what happened when they were children.
The book is extremely well written and paced well. I found couldn’t put it down and finished it within a few hours. The creepy imagery and twisted fairy tale vibes really draw you in and feel fresh. The plot was well thought out and kept you engaged to the last page even though the plot twist was very predictable. The book is ultimately about sisterhood and how far is too far to go to protect and save the ones you love. Not only is it about the choices made also the consequences of those choices and if losing the trust and respect of the one you love is worth knowing they are safe.
I feel like characters are a bit of caricatures at times and a bit too campy for my tastes. Where this book lacks on the character development it makes up with the atmosphere and general feeling. I can’t say there was any character I truly connected with sadly.
House of Hollows was a creepy dark mystery that will leave you pondering the beauty and the grotesque and what one would do to protect the ones they love. At a little under 300 pages it’s a quick read that you can knock out in an evening.
