I’ve never had a book that I so immediately wanted to dive right back into. If you haven’t heard of it, but like a good mystery (closer to a self-contained ARG than Agatha Christie) or a good 500 page movie review, I could not recommend it more! This weekend I’m planning to do another read-through to catch things I might have missed.
I seldom get creeped out by things but there was something about House of Leaves that legitimately got under my skin.
I do understand how some people feel like it’s Foster Wallace levels of self indulgence, but I like that he did something a little weird. Like Maerman mentioned, the full color is great.
I’ve been slowly going through the Familiar, but I worry that it’s too ambitious a project.
There’s something about the experience of reading it that feels like the book could reach out and grab you. Maybe I’ll make my own footnotes this time.
I regret not buying my own copy for exactly this. Too many moments to note, too many people I need to show these specific moments to. But by the time I find the page again, I forget what was so unsettling.
Thank you for reminding me that’s on my shelf, I think it’s about time for another read through. It’s been enough years that I don’t remember details but I remember enjoying it!
It’s great, right? Did you manage to read the full colour edition?
Yes! I was trying to nab an ebook for a friend of mine, and apparently archive.org has a black-and-white copy that’s missing
spoiler
half the cool formatting
. Truly what is the point.
Wow, that annoyed me way more than it should. That’s like a vital piece of the foundation of this book, especially if you want the experience of the subconscious tricks it plays.
Really cool unique book. Certainly is going to depend on your tastes a little bit but I loved it. Also before reading I had someone kind enough to urge me, do not get the ebook! This is one book that just has to be the physical edition.
House of Leaves is one of my favorite books of all time! Have to resist the urge to start a re-read every time I see it on my shelf.
“Self-contained ARG” is a great way to describe it, thank you for giving me that. I tried it twice and bounced off of it, but on the third try I finally understood what it was trying to do and devoured it, and now one of my “show off” books is an autographed hardcover copy. Great book.
Sometimes I think that I hate it, something I think that I love it. Either way, it was an experience and I find myself thinking about it randomly.