Horrid by Katrina Leno
Genres: Horror, Mystery (YA)
Pages: 336
Goodreads
Following her father's death, Jane North-Robinson and her mom move from sunny California to the dreary, dilapidated old house in Maine where her mother grew up. All they want is a fresh start, but behind North Manor's doors lurks a history that leaves them feeling more alone...and more tormented.
As the cold New England autumn arrives, and Jane settles in to her new home, she finds solace in old books and memories of her dad. She steadily begins making new friends, but also faces bullying from the resident "bad seed," struggling to tamp down her own worst nature in response. Jane's mom also seems to be spiraling with the return of her childhood home, but she won't reveal why. Then Jane discovers that the "storage room" her mom has kept locked isn't for storage at all--it's a little girl's bedroom, left untouched for years and not quite as empty of inhabitants as it appears....
Is it grief? Mental illness? Or something more...horrid?
I fall pretty solidly in the middle for this book. I didn’t love it or hate it, it’s just a decent book. What I find interesting about my opinion is that things I like, I also didn’t like. There was a positive and negative to everything. So, this review is a bit different. It sounds like I’m confused on my own thoughts (which I guess I kind of am) but keep reading, it will make sense (hopefully).
THE PACING WAS SLOW BUT PERFECT
This book is kind of slow. I struggled in the beginning and it really felt like it took about 150 pages for something of any significance to happen. While there is a mystery, it just wasn’t hooking me in during that slow beginning.
Yet, the pacing worked really well because of the writing. Before the “mystery” is solved, everything in the book from big details to small details are described so nonchalantly that you don’t know which will be important. This very mundane thing the character points out? Well, it might actually be an important detail. What you might think is important, turns out to be not a big deal. So, while this created a slow pace and some of the details seem pointless, once the mystery starts coming together, it makes sense.
THE FRIENDSHIP WAS REFRESHING BUT NEEDED MORE
The characters severely lacked in development. The new friends Jane makes just didn’t get the page time they deserved. All characters (except Jane) felt very surface level. On that same note, I really enjoyed the friendship in this book. Jane wasn’t the best friend in return (she didn’t do anything bad, she just wasn’t very present), the friends she made were all so kind and attentive to her. I just wish there was more to them besides always being helpful to her.
I think one of my issues with horror books is usually character development. Since the author is usually trying to hide so much until the big “reveal“, you don’t really get to know anyone until the very end. I always find that disappointing and this book was no different.
AN ENDING BOTH SATISFYING AND FRUSTRATING
Ok, the ending. THE ENDING. This will be hard for me to explain without spoilers but I loved and hated the same thing about it. The lack of a resolution.
On one hand, the build-up to the end was a little lackluster and, of course, the lack of a real resolution just leaves things open ended. On the other hand, it was a perfectly creepy end that I was so thrilled to read. So many horror books give you neat and tidy endings, and this was spooky and messy. I would recommend this book to people just because of the ending.
♥♥♥♥
Like I said, I fall solidly in the middle for this book. Hence the 3 star rating. I think many will enjoy this, though. It’s not super scary and the mystery is pretty decent. There’s good female friendship, even if not that well developed, and the ending alone makes it worth it.
*Technical issue note: Ever since I updated my UBB plugin, I cannot get my rating report to display properly. I contacted support for help. In the meantime, you’ll find my overall rating at the top in the book information and at the end of the review in the form of red stars.
15 Comments
I have read and enjoyed several books from Leno, but this is just not my speed. I can tell you right now, that the ending sounds like what I call a non-ending, and they make me batty.
Lol! This one is like a non-resolution non-happy ending that I think does work pretty well for a horror. But I can totally get why they would make you batty!
I need closure. I hate guessing what happens
That cover is pretty creepy! Your description reminds me a little of the Locke & Key graphic novels by Joe Hill (Infinitely better than the Netflix series if you’ve seen that).
Oh yes! I did watch that! Sort of, I kind wasn’t paying attention lol But I do want to read the comics so thats good to know!
Great review, and it’s really interesting how conflicted you are! I love that you liked everything you disliked; at least the book made you feel something? I got this one in my September Owlcrate and am on the fence about reading it myself (I just don’t like ‘is it mental illness or supernatural?’ plots).
I get that! Personally, this one is very clearly supernatural. However, I don’t know if it would be that clear for everyone. I also got this in Owlcrate – I probably wouldn’t have read it with out that lol Let me know if you end up reading it!
Thank you for letting me know it is clearly supernatural, I am more likely to give it a try now!
I have been eyeing this one because of that gorgeous cover but from the sound of it, it isn’t going to keep me going. Slow beginning tend to put me off. So that’s definitely one but the lack of resolution is really what’s going to keep me away from this one. Thank you so much for this review, Molly!
That totally makes sense! For me, lack of resolutions are sometimes the best endings for horror books. This one is like a half resolution – it’s just not happy lol
I’m always looking for a great new horror book, but I’m really on the fence about this one. I’m totally fine with open ended books, especially when it comes to horror, so maybe I should go ahead and give it a try! Thanks for sharing 🙂
I think horror is like the one genre open endings work lol Give it a shot! It’s an easy read.
This is a very interesting review, Molly! I think creepy books are perfect for unresolved ending, it just adds to the horror that whatever it is, it’s not done yet. But at the same time, if the book confuses me, unresolved ending could make me angry haha because I HOPED for an explanation at the end. It’s an interesting aspect, but certainly a hit or miss depending on the book for me.
Exactly! It works for this book. It’s not confusing, it does answer questions BUT it’s open ended. It adds to the spookiness of it.
Your review is absolutely PERFECT. Having read Horrid, I totally understand and feel the same way! I had to stop writing my review because the struggle was real.