House of Leaves

[Blythe Alawdin]

Has anyone here read House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski? I realize that might be a shot in the dark but this is a book I think about quite a bit since I read it last year. It's one of the strangest books I've read and it took me quite a while to get through it but I think it was absolutely worth it. It's such an interesting blend of horror, tragedy, and mystery

 

[Maibella ni Rhoiden t'al'Varrak]

I haven't read it but I think @Lokadien Vianharl was talking about it in Gray one day, and possibly with some other Grays ...

 

[Arella Mathara]

I haven't read it but I bought it for my partner. I have to do audiobooks myself unfortunately but I have at least looked through it a bit, lol. Definitely a different one

 

[Blythe Alawdin]

I haven't read it but I bought it for my partner. I have to do audiobooks myself unfortunately but I have at least looked through it a bit, lol. Definitely a different one

It is definitely something unique

 

[Kranerian Vrammar]

I got about halfway through it back in college. From what I remember, strange is an understatement. I've been meaning to give it another try to finish it, but it's hard. Most of my reading these days is in audiobook form and I think that would miss out on some of the weirdness with the text.

 

[Arella Mathara]

Yeah, exactly. I've been considering trying to listen and read a the same time, lol. I like strange

 

[Cahalan Sothron]

I read this book several years ago, so I'm not sure I could talk in depth about it, but I remember really enjoying it. It's definitely a book I was glad I had a physical copy of rather than as an e-book, with all the stuff in the margins and reading it from different angles. I remember being very fixated on the house mystery that I feel I missed too much of the other stuff going on outside of that. However, the story-in-story model is one of my favorite styles in any medium, and this was so well done.

I've been thinking about going back and rereading it here again soon, so maybe this was the kick in the pants I needed

 

[Blythe Alawdin]

I got about halfway through it back in college. From what I remember, strange is an understatement. I've been meaning to give it another try to finish it, but it's hard. Most of my reading these days is in audiobook form and I think that would miss out on some of the weirdness with the text.

It took me a long time to read it and I was glad when I did finish it. I think it is definitely better having a physical copy of it since I don't know how well all the twisting and turning of it would translate in audiobook form or even on a kindle since having to flip the book all around is part of the experience

 

[Blythe Alawdin]

Yeah, exactly. I've been considering trying to listen and read a the same time, lol. I like strange

Listening and reading along at the same time might actually make it easier I think. I had to reread a lot while going along and stop to think about things before continuing.

I read this book several years ago, so I'm not sure I could talk in depth about it, but I remember really enjoying it. It's definitely a book I was glad I had a physical copy of rather than as an e-book, with all the stuff in the margins and reading it from different angles. I remember being very fixated on the house mystery that I feel I missed too much of the other stuff going on outside of that. However, the story-in-story model is one of my favorite styles in any medium, and this was so well done.

I've been thinking about going back and rereading it here again soon, so maybe this was the kick in the pants I needed

I definitely enjoyed the story in story way it was written! I enjoy that the book is set up in a way to disorient you as much as the story itself is too with having to turn it all around to read certain pages. I've been trying to get my hands on the novella that was made of the letters Johnny's mom wrote but haven't had success

 

[Rhed al'Tere]

I love books that play with form, and I really liked House of Leaves. I remember it feeling claustrophobic (despite the expansiveness of the house), and enjoying the horror aspects and the way the physical book mimicked the story.

 

[Lokadien Vianharl]

I haven't read it but I think @Lokadien Vianharl was talking about it in Gray one day, and possibly with some other Grays ...

I have been summoned!

But yes, I absolutely love this book. It 100% is not for everyone and absolutely took me a while to work my way through, but it was an experience I'll remember.

It's also one that I can't see being able to be experienced other than through an actual copy. A digital copy would seem off and I have no idea how they would even attempt to translate it to an audio book.

And even though there is a lot to grapple with, the different layers are distinct enough with the formats/fonts that you really could just kind of focus on one at a time if you wanted to. Hmm (makes notes for possible reread)...

 

[Blythe Alawdin]

I have been summoned!

But yes, I absolutely love this book. It 100% is not for everyone and absolutely took me a while to work my way through, but it was an experience I'll remember.

It's also one that I can't see being able to be experienced other than through an actual copy. A digital copy would seem off and I have no idea how they would even attempt to translate it to an audio book.

And even though there is a lot to grapple with, the different layers are distinct enough with the formats/fonts that you really could just kind of focus on one at a time if you wanted to. Hmm (makes notes for possible reread)...

I agree that a digital copy won't give readers the entire experience of having the flip the book all around to read certain pages even if it is the full color edition of it. That's a part of the book is being disoriented along with the people in it. I think it took me well over a month to finish it and I had a huge book hangover when I was done. It will always have a home on my shelves.

I definitely think when I do reread it I'll do it by each individual story line instead of trying to read it all at the same time

 

[Aran Cherubim]

It's quite high on my list, I've been fascinated by it. I've been reading/watching quite a bit of niche/weird stuff lately throughout the pandemic, so I think I should be able to gel with it, even if I don't know if I'll necessarily like it. Time will tell!