We're so freaking close to Halloween! How about a book with many spooky haunted elements to close out my pre-Halloween spooky season reads?!
HIGH STRANGENESS by Elford Alley
1. I didn’t realize this was a continuation of Apartment 239 and it was just fine as a standalone, however, I think I will go back and read Apartment 239 just in case it adds a bit more context to the plot.
2. I really loved the concept of this book. I found the storyline to be a bit Lovecraftian, but in a way I enjoyed. I’ll be the first to admit don’t typically vibe with Lovecraftian themes, but in this case I thought it was done well; it wasn’t over the top, just small elements - think ‘the old gods’.
3. That said, I felt the storyline was jumbled and chaotic. I don’t think this is due to not reading the first book, it was more than just missing plot points; there were times I had to go back and read a passage again because I felt like I missed something in getting where I was. Nope, I didn’t miss anything…it almost felt like the author was so excited about the story that thoughts got ahead of execution. For that reason, it also felt a bit long, seeming like parts just dragged on. You know, the same criticism I see for a certain mainstream horror author that resides in Maine…
4. Based on the above, it probably sounds as if I didn’t enjoy this book, but that’s where you’d be wrong. The concept was great but the characters were even better. I’m a total sucker for good character writing and High Strangeness had that in droves. There were also multiple parts that pulled at my heartstrings, which automatically makes me appreciate a story. If it can elicit an emotional response from me, it’s good in my opinion and Alley made my eyes tear up a bit with this one.
5. If you like Lovecraftian vibes, haunted houses, Ghostbusters (or…maybe like reverse Ghostbusters?!), found family, or hope in the face of despair, this book would be a great addition to your TBR!
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