Creepy gothic fairy tale like nothing else in YA fantasy
House of Hollow by Krystal Sutherland is a creepy, gothic fairy tale set in 2021 that is like nothing else in YA fantasy. I have to admit that going into this book, I didn't exactly have high expectations. Even though this book has gotten rave reviews on Goodreads, I was somewhat skeptical. I went into this not expecting much, and I was completely blown away!
The book revolves around Iris Hollow, a strange girl that is bullied for being a witch by her classmates. She and her two elder sisters, Vivi and Grey, are famous for having been kidnapped when they were children and returned a month later, unharmed. They are also known for their eccentric white hair, which is natural and unable to be dyed. While Iris is struggling through high school, Vivi and Grey have dropped out to become a model and artist/designer, respectively, becoming famous stars and influencers n their own right. I thought that was an amazing twist that I haven't seen before in other YA fantasy books. After all, if you have magical powers, why not use them to become famous?
Here's an excerpt from the Prologue that conveys the haunting, rich descriptions in the author's prose:
"I was ten years old the first time I realized I was strange.
Around midnight, a woman dressed in white slipped through
my bedroom window and cut off a lock of my hair with sewing
scissors. I was awake the whole time, tracking her in the dark, so
frozen by fear that I couldn’t move, couldn’t scream.
I watched as she held the curl of hair to her nose and inhaled
deeply. I watched as she put it on her tongue and closed her
mouth and savored the taste for a few moments before swallowing. I watched as she bent over me and ran a fingertip along the
hook-shaped scar at the base of my throat.
It was only when she opened my door—bound for the bedrooms of my older sisters, with the scissors still held at her side—
that I finally screamed."
While the first half of the book didn't exactly "wow" me, I was hooked by the midway point. When it all came together and all of the hidden secrets were revealed, I was stunned! This book went from being a 3 or 4 star-read to a 5-star read. If you're hesitant to pick up this book, or even if you've started already and you're starting to flounder, don't give up and keep reading! It is totally worth it to make it until the end. Overall, if you are interested in creepy, gothic stories or if you're a fan of YA fantasy in general, I highly recommend that you check out House of Hollow. You won't regret it!
The book revolves around Iris Hollow, a strange girl that is bullied for being a witch by her classmates. She and her two elder sisters, Vivi and Grey, are famous for having been kidnapped when they were children and returned a month later, unharmed. They are also known for their eccentric white hair, which is natural and unable to be dyed. While Iris is struggling through high school, Vivi and Grey have dropped out to become a model and artist/designer, respectively, becoming famous stars and influencers n their own right. I thought that was an amazing twist that I haven't seen before in other YA fantasy books. After all, if you have magical powers, why not use them to become famous?
Here's an excerpt from the Prologue that conveys the haunting, rich descriptions in the author's prose:
"I was ten years old the first time I realized I was strange.
Around midnight, a woman dressed in white slipped through
my bedroom window and cut off a lock of my hair with sewing
scissors. I was awake the whole time, tracking her in the dark, so
frozen by fear that I couldn’t move, couldn’t scream.
I watched as she held the curl of hair to her nose and inhaled
deeply. I watched as she put it on her tongue and closed her
mouth and savored the taste for a few moments before swallowing. I watched as she bent over me and ran a fingertip along the
hook-shaped scar at the base of my throat.
It was only when she opened my door—bound for the bedrooms of my older sisters, with the scissors still held at her side—
that I finally screamed."
While the first half of the book didn't exactly "wow" me, I was hooked by the midway point. When it all came together and all of the hidden secrets were revealed, I was stunned! This book went from being a 3 or 4 star-read to a 5-star read. If you're hesitant to pick up this book, or even if you've started already and you're starting to flounder, don't give up and keep reading! It is totally worth it to make it until the end. Overall, if you are interested in creepy, gothic stories or if you're a fan of YA fantasy in general, I highly recommend that you check out House of Hollow. You won't regret it!