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Is this product review positive? Title: Boring, pretentious, and about as edgy as a marshmallow. Review: There's nothing wrong with this book that couldn't have been fixed by having Stephen King rewrite it as a short story. The central conceit (which I won't reveal here in case you go against my advice and read this book anyway) isn't a terrible idea, but Danielszewski doesn't do anything of interest with it. The framing story, filled with Johnny Whatshisface's hedonic adventures, might be titillating if you've lived in a church basement your entire life. I haven't. Answer:
No
Is this product review positive? Title: Waste Review: This book is bad. It's long and never takes you anywhere. There is no monster, no climax, no nothing. The appeal in the book is the way its written and a promise of a very creative and interesting story (text in all sorts of weird formats), but the story is virtualy nonexistent which makes it a waste to read despite the creative layout. Again, there is no event just a house that is huge and full of absolutely nothing. Don't waste your time or money. There are many other good books I could have read instead... Answer:
No
Is this product review positive? Title: Dense and....interesting Review: Like others, I had heard House of Leaves was supposed to be this fabulously scary book. Unfortunately, I spent so much time turning the book around, reading backwards, flipping pages, and getting lost in the footnotes, that I was constantly pulled out of the horror. Which seems a shame, because I think the underlying horror story could be scary. It's an interesting attempt at interactive reading, an idea which I like, but it didn't quite work for me. I know I gave it 2 stars, rather than 3, and that's because I just couldn't get into the story. Like the others reviewers, if you're looking for something unusual and interactive with your books, this may well be it. Answer:
No
Is this product review positive? Title: Far too deep and convoluted for me Review: Maybe I'm just not cut out to read such complicated literary devices as this. But, I gave up about 100 pages into the story within a story within an enigma wrapped in a puzzle. Too many layers for anyone who isn't a student in a modern lit class or a professional literary critic. Answer:
No
Is this product review positive? Title: Endless... Review: Keeeeeeripes! I read the other reviews and was intrigued by the idea of weaving time. The only time shift I found was the daunting feeling that the dang thing was never going to end. The only reason I was compelled to read more was because I couldn't wait to finish it to see if something meaningful would actually happen. 700 pages and the answer... nope. An obvious first-time authors attempt to use all the [stuff] he accumlated writing reports and "being creative" in college. In fairness, the story(ies) would've been an interesting 150 pages. The rest - dead trees... Answer:
No
Is this product review positive? Title: Fascinating, brilliant, spellbinding, stellar,utterly compelling Review: My kids and I can't wait to share books we love with one another. I count this one of the advantages of having kids! This book was passed on to me by my son and I absolutely loved it. I couldn't put it down and I didn't want it to end. He and I were frequently on the phone with each other discussing the book. It isn't an easy read and while I do enjoy easy reads too, for me there's nothing as satisfying as a book that makes me think, totally engulfs me in its world, and yes, forces me to look up words and terms and learn about a topic or topics I'm not familiar with--in this case, architecture. I was enthralled from start to finish. There are many reviews here that go into the details of the actual story so I don't feel it's necessary for me to do that. It's enough to say what I've said and to hope like-minded people will be intrigued enough to pick it up. Answer:
Yes
Is this product review positive? Title: all your favorite authors are either dead or are communists Review: forget understanding through comparison to dead authors and don't even bother with the post-this and post-thats. i haven't seen or heard the supposed hype, but i like the author's boundary expanding methods and appreciate the promise of a challenge. i'd recommend this book if you really enjoy experiments in prose and convoluted plots and enjoy the sensation of detachment. i'd tell you to avoid it if you are: a) a big fan of genre fiction b) unable to relate to anything without first comparing it to at least three other things c) overly concerned with a book's lasting value to society d) spend large amounts of your free time writing reviews on web sites, or e)see title of review Answer:
Yes
Is this product review positive? Title: House of Leaves Review: I like horror, so when I heard of the House of Leaves I had to pick it up. It was very difficult for me to read 2 stories at the same time and I very quickly grew frustrated. To complete the story, the only thing I could do was read the actual story of the House. I realize the problem is my own, as I like a quick and straight read. For those of you who can concentrate on more than one story at a time - this is a great book. I rated it a 2 because I grew so frustrated with it, but I did enjoy the story itself. For those of you who grow frustrated with the switch in narration, I would suggest you just read the main story first and pick up the rest later. It is a good book, but I found it daunting at times. Answer:
No
Is this product review positive? Title: house of leaves Review: I heard the author interviewed on a radio talk show. I was facinated by the thought of a house being bigger on the inside then on the outside. On the srtength of the interview I bought the book. I am 100 pages into it and as much as i hate to, I am going to give up. Answer:
No
Is this product review positive? Title: Not thanks... Review: What a really weird book and so damn hard to read. I gave up. I only read part of the story then sold the book used. I thought the content would be more interesting and a good story. So far from it for me. Couldn't really follow all the jumble of the story, I think they just wanted to put together a "cool" book. Answer:
No
Is this product review positive? Title: horribly boring Review: As an avid reader that loved the Blair Witch Project, I was really looking forward to this book and waited several weeks to get it at the local library. I was horrified, yes. Horrified by how boring this book was. Absolutely no atmosphere at all. If I could do it again, I would've rather been at work than reading this novel. What a waste of time. Answer:
No
Is this product review positive? Title: I'll Make This Simple Review: ... since the book is the opposite.My review of House of Leaves needs only one sentence:"You will never be -finished- with House of Leaves." Answer:
Yes
Is this product review positive? Title: Read me now Review: This is one of my favorite books. It's one that I can reread and always find new things. It's one of the most complex and unique books. I can't even describe it. But buy it, and read it...and invest in a good tape measure. Answer:
Yes
Is this product review positive? Title: Great Book Review: This book is an adventure wrapped up in a mystery inside a fantasy world almost too real to be fictional. It was absolutely captivating. Answer:
Yes
Is this product review positive? Title: I love this book Review: Really, I love this book. It is not the scariest book I've ever read because I was broken as a child of the habit of being scared by movies and books and such. I watched and read too much so I can't judge the scariness. All I know is that I love this book. No monsters, ghosts, ghouls, murderers, none of that, just a house. Thats all. For those of you who do scare I imagine that what is contained in this book might scare you. This is an innovative horror tale. I love it. Answer:
Yes
Is this product review positive? Title: For real fans of reading! Review: If you enjoy a good thriller, mystery, or character driven story then you seriously HAVE to read this book. Danielewski paints a crazy, chilling story of a House that simply should not exist. This book will make you not trust your senses. It will make you cringe, cry, laugh out loud, and hide under your covers.Warning: If you read this book in public, there is a good chance people will think you are crazy, or just don't know how to read books, as they see you reading upside down, sideways, or even constantly turning to book in circles in order to read a maddening story, slowly spiraling toward the center of the page..READ IT! Answer:
Yes
Is this product review positive? Title: More Than Just a Book Review: House of Leaves is both a phenomenal literary feat, and an artistic masterpiece. In this novel, Mark Z. Danieleweski tells a haunting tell of love, loss, and darkness. This story alternates between the narrative of Johnny truant, and a text called the Navidson Record, a book that analyzes a film that does not exist, even in the world of the novel. The book contains numerous footnotes, some of which reference works that do not exist. Danielewski uses typography to convey different emotions throughout the text. Reading this book is more than just a passive activity, it is an experience. Probably one of the best things about this book is that it means different things for different people. Where one person sees a horror story, another will see a satire, or a love story. House of Leaves is a must read for anyone who wants to be immersed in a book. Answer:
Yes
Is this product review positive? Title: But not for me Review: Bought this after a friend on Facebook commented that this was one of the scariest books ever. This was a really intelligent friend, so I took his word for it. I was optimistic at the beginning, but the further I read, the more boring it got. Passed it on to my adult daughter who tried and failed to get interested. I guess I (and she) are readers to need a "hook" to get into a book. (I was however, able to struggle through the first 300 pages of "The Name of the Rose" until I was "hooked") This paperbook version had gorgeous colored graphics inside.....unusual and stunning for a paperback, but did not make up for the style of writing. I really wanted to love this book. Didn't happen. Answer:
No
Is this product review positive? Title: Great horror, Lovecraft pastiche, and poststructural satire in one Review: This is not an EASY book. It is not a book for people who want a page turning thriller (although it will keep you turning the pages if you let it hook you). It is not easily explicable, but "a horror story about literary criticism" is a good start. That premise is inherently Lovecraftian. That said, it's not the simplistic kind of metatextual horror where it's all about "what if what's inside this book kills you because it's actually real?" It's about the horror of realizing that it doesn't matter if a text is true or not, it's about what the text does to you, and how the ideas it contains change you.Basically, go into it with an open mind or it won't be scary - but once your mind is open, it's a truly affecting experience. Answer:
Yes
Is this product review positive? Title: House of Leaves is an ultra-promising debut Review: In all the crazy fuss surrounding this novel--much of which it deserves--something has been lost: a sense of history. This book fits comfortably into a past defined by the work of Pynchon, Alasdair Gray, Nabokov, and others. Very few of the devices used by the author are unique, although he does use them well, for the most part. His use of footnotes, however, is often out of control, to the point that he begins to annihilate his own central narrative--a narrative that, despite the horror aspects, is really a love story. This is the strength of the novel: the central relationship between the photographer and his wife.I'm a writer and, to be honest, I could not tell whether my irritations with the narrative were because I wished I had actually written the book or because the book does have some flaws. Regardless, this is great stuff and I can't wait to read his next novel. Answer:
Yes
Is this product review positive? Title: Great Read Review: I found this book bother over- and underrated. I liked it an awful lot--it offered some genuine chills, and the academic approach to the main story was both refreshing and rewarding. On the other hand, there were times when I found myself wondering why I couldn't just read the story myself or watch the movie. Still, I think this approach worked very well, and all the extras gave me quite a bit of bang for my buck. I'm not one to go through a book breaking codes or spend hours on end discussing it on the internet, but I had a lot of fun reading House of Leaves. Answer:
Yes
Is this product review positive? Title: OVER-RATED AND UNREADABLE Review: This book is a grossly over-rated piece of unreadable literary masturbation. It's similar to Joyce's 'Finnegan's Wake'--self-indulgent, cryptic scrawls and references lacking in true poetry but designed to keep an otherwise unemployable group of English professors, 'literary theorists' and critics working. It is meticulously designed, researched and written, lacking in soul and substance.If you enjoy puzzles and frequently pat yourself on the back for your depth of classical or literary knowledge, you'll enjoy this book. If you're a pompous ass, you'll absolutely love this book.If you're a relatively normal person who enjoys a good read, on the other hand, this book is a complete waste of time. Answer:
No
Is this product review positive? Title: This is not for anyone! Review: Holy Logorrhea, Batman! This twaddle is vacuous navel-gazing disguised as the latest in postmodern brilliance. Is it possible to give a negative number of stars to a review? Brain-suckingly vapid! I'll take Stephen King ANY DAY OF THE WEEK! Answer:
No
Is this product review positive? Title: A very badly written book. Review: House of Leaves is incredibly repetitive and long-winded. The author has no idea how to make characters that readers connect with, and a good 20% of the text in this novel isn't even worth reading. A large amount of this book is just words for the sake of words. Answer:
No
Is this product review positive? Title: Just a distraction Review: "House of Leaves" is Borges for people who can't get bored.Labyrinths: Selected Stories & Other Writings (New Directions Paperbook) Answer:
No
Is this product review positive? Title: Not for the timid Review: This book is not built to be 'popular'; that is, to appeal to the broadest, shallowest portion of the reading public. This book will require concentration that lasts more than half a page. If you haven't learned how to really read yet, this book is not the place to start. To those of you who love to be challenged in reading, this book is a joy. Contrary to the opinion of many of the reviewers, the many and diverse elements added by the author are not 'irrelevant'; each small piece adds dimension to the whole that conventional novels cannot display. You will feel anxiety within the first 40 pages. If you don't, put the book down and go back to Stephen King; you aren't ready for House of Leaves yet. Answer:
Yes
Is this product review positive? Title: Full of hot air Review: This is the most phony, dishonest, arrogant piece of writing I have ever encountered. Amazing what a bunch of silly type-setting can do to reviewers. Answer:
No
Is this product review positive? Title: I tried... Review: I tried to like this book. I really did. I didn't even mind the weird formatting. What got me was the endless footnotes referring back to made-up sources, and the constant breaking into the story so an "expert" can explain what this character or that character meant by folding their arms at a certain time or refusing to be hugged. Come on. I enjoyed the parts of this book that were actual STORY. I liked hearing about the house and the expeditions. But I eventually had to skip everything else, and that includes the pointless outside narration by the tattoo artist. I'm just sad I spent money on this book. Answer:
No
Is this product review positive? Title: Spectacular Review: Literature major is to House of Leaves as Crackhead is to Crackrock. Quite a ride, and you can't put it down. Answer:
Yes
Is this product review positive? Title: EW Review: This book is AWFUL!!!PLEASE IF YOU LOVE JESUS DON'T READ THE HORRIBLE HORRIBLE EVIL BOOK OF DANIELWEKSKSISKSISIKSKISISISIS. Answer:
No
Is this product review positive? Title: I didn't like this book and I couldn't get into it. Review: The only thing I liked was the stripper with a Thumper tattoo. That was cute. Answer:
No
Is this product review positive? Title: The wonderfully creepy HOUSE OF LEAVES Review: Anyone who doubts that a critical book about a movie, which incidenatlly doesn't even exist, is worthy of your reading time needs to read HOUSE OF LEAVES. From the introduction, the reader will be hooked. It is tremedously creepy and could possibly make the unprepared quite afraid of the dark. Answer:
Yes
Is this product review positive? Title: Nightmares Review: I used to have nightmares about my grandparents' house having a trapdoor into a second part of their house that you couldn't see from the outside but was extremely huge. This book takes that nightmare and expands it 10-fold to disproportionate measure. The style is slightly patchwork-y but if you like texture and dimension, the typography will be welcome eye-candy, the psychology will be enjoyable mind-torture, and the secret codes and "possibilities" left unsaid will drive you to sit back down and read it all over again! Answer:
Yes
Is this product review positive? Title: cult status and great literature Review: there is a difference between a cult novel and great literature. A great cult novel is JG Ballard's Crash, a great piece of Literature is James Joyce's Ulysses. Where is this book? definately on the cult side, but leaning towrds the literature side. The most elusive piece of beauty about this book is the layout, like a severe bout with a pyschotropic drug, it pulls you in, where there is suspense, there are few words and lots of withe space, causing you to read and turn the pages faster. And unlike any stephen king book, it scared me. made even Lovecraft seem like the muppets. Best book I've read in a long time. Answer:
Yes
Is this product review positive? Title: House of Cards Review: What is all the hype about? This "first novel" is a derivative, contrived muddle that tries frantically to appear clever and original by tediously exploiting every known postmodern ruse but which at nearly every turn consistently fails to deliver, leaving the reader with the same queasy and unsatisfied feeling as if indulging in too much cheap junk food. The unoriginality and ponderousness encountered in this book are on the same scale as the rooms and passageways in the house it describes. I was bored to tears by the obviousness and clumsy moral earnestness of it all. The final subtext of this book--if you follow all the footnotes--is desperation, the result of someone trying like hell to pull the wool over your eyes for fear of revealing the only truly grim realization of this horror story: it isn't written very well. The publication hype is as shallow and faddish as the book. Save yourself 20 bucks. Answer:
No
Is this product review positive? Title: NEEDS A NEGATIVE AMOUNT ON THE STARS Review: I like all kinds of books. But this is the most sick and twisted "book?" I have ever (tried) to read. What a waste of money! After trying to wade through this mess I finally decided that I don't care what happens to these people. They can stay in there huge dark pit and no one would ever miss them, or care. The headaches I got trying to figure out this massive mistake for a novel just wasn't worth it. What's with all the swirls and backward paragraphs and even two seperate stories on one page? I tried to like this. I really did. I kept telling myself, " It will all come together, it will all be worth it with a fantastic story, these people will really begin to matter to me...". NOT SO!!! Life is too short to waste precious minutes with novels like this when there are so many wonderful books that trap you, change you, make you think and feel. NOT THIS ONE. SAVE YOUR MONEY!!! Answer:
No
Is this product review positive? Title: Horror Section? Review: This is absolutly the worst "book" I have ever read! "A great novel", "Sublimely creepy", "House of Leaves actually gave me nightmares". These are some of the comments on the back cover that caught my attention. This "book" is full of appendixes, footnotes, and "anyalitical critiques" from "outside experts" commenting on what is suposed to be the main story. If there was a main story here, it went way passed me. I purchased this book for a new experience in horror fiction. The only thing horrific about it was the $20.00 I wasted on buying it. If you feel you need to read this book because of how interesting the reviewers make it sound, take my advise, check it out from your local library. Makes for an easy return. Answer:
No
Is this product review positive? Title: First book to hold my attention in a long time Review: This book lives up to the hype here on amazon and elsewhere in the literary world. A chilling horror story that is open to many interpretations. Few answers, and many questions, a fun journey into scary territory. Answer:
Yes
Is this product review positive? Title: I Don't Want to Jump on the Bandwagon... Review: ...but I really wanted to like this book. For the first hundred pages, the story was truly frightening and interesting, but the shifts between Zampano's and Truant's accounts, and the endless footnotes, were way too much for me. The story of the house probably would have been much better if written in a more traditional manner, as would the story of both Truant and Zampano if written on their own.I think this book is a good case of an author trying too hard, and would like to see the author try again. Next time the attempt should be a little less "trendy" and should just try to relate a strong, interesting story. Answer:
No
Is this product review positive? Title: A great read! Review: I loved this book! It is original and very spooky! This is not your 'ordinary' spooky/horror book. With Danielewski's book, the reader must 'think' (what a concept!) about the characters and plot and twists and turns. A very worthwhile read! I recommend this book to everyone I know - whether he/she likes 'horror' or not. If you like the unordinary and to be challenged when reading a book - this is for you! Answer:
Yes
Is this product review positive? Title: A decade later and still re-readable Review: I first got ahold of this book it was over a decade ago. It gripped me then, and it still grips me today. Even in this ADD internet age when I find most of my reading time devoted to "whatever's new on Cracked.com", when I read most books once and then never again, I still find myself going back to House of Leaves over and over, at least once a year. And it's always a little different each time. Answer:
Yes
Is this product review positive? Title: Awesome!!! Review: This book will take you on an amazing adventure that only the very brave and late-nite readers can stay up long enough to finish it. Mark Z. Danielewski created this interesting, action-filled story with so many twists and turns that you will be too confused to speak! This topsy-turvey story is great for anyone who likes mystery, history and the completely weird and strange. And durring this ordeal you must ONLY listen to Poe- she will continue to explain things that you might miss in the story, not to menton rock your world! so overall- READ THIS BOOK!!!!!! Answer:
Yes
Is this product review positive? Title: Ultimately, just a first novel Review: All young writers should have good editors. The book is, like most first novels, fresh and interesting, but ultimately self-indulgent; replete with author intrusion, self-congratulatory cleverness, and a whole lotta time wasting. Character development is virtually nonexistent and the plot doesn't so much advance as trail off into some unexplored corner of the house of title fame.People posting reviews who compare this book to Nabokov or Borges really should go back and re-read some actual Nabokov or Borges, either of whom can say more in a page than this writer can say in a hundred.It's a nice try. It has some decent ideas. Postmodernists will probably like it, 'cause it's all so avant garde doncha know. But it really isn't a novel so much as somebody's writing journal accepted for publication. Read _Pale Fire_ or one of JL's parables, and save yourself a week. Answer:
No
Is this product review positive? Title: Crock Of Leaves Review: A rather interesting little story has been buried under enough post-modern trickery to ensure high-school study halls will be abuzz for years. Danielewski goes out of his way to be very very very very very innovative and daring, and ultimately just gets rather tiresome and dull.This has all been done before, and done better, by writers from Stephen King to Alasdair Gray to Edgar Allan Poe to Shirley Jackson to Jorge Luis Borges. I can't fault Danielewski on ambition, just on execution.Ultimately, some cool things, but not enough to save a book that sinks under its own postmodern post-literary weight. Answer:
No
Is this product review positive? Title: A New Structure, Built of Leaves Review: For those of you who've pored over White Wolf's 'Borderlands' anthologies, finished every last Tanith Lee, Clive Barker et. al. book you can get your hands on; for those of you who've heard whispers and, maybe, had a little taste of the new trend in horror, 'imaginiative fiction ...' for everyone who seeks, afraid of what they might find but aware the entire time of the futility of the search ... for those hungry, desperate, and just plain looking for a new good scare ... House of Leaves. Danielewski has prepared for us a vast and crippling epic of horror, more intelligent and incredibly more enjoyable than anything else published to date. This work is simply incredible, and I highly expect to hear much of Danielewski in the coming months and years. Thank you, Mr. Danielewski, for giving us House of Leaves. Answer:
Yes
Is this product review positive? Title: Amazing Debut Review: A riddle wrapped in an enigma surrounded by a puzzle. "House of Leaves" is creepy fun. Take your time and enjoy this one (you may have to), but it's time well-invested. I first saw bits and pieces of this book on the net, and couldn't wait for a fully bound volume. Danielewski fills pages with random notes, puzzles, backwards and upside-down print, poems, letters, photos and collages that all add up to a story about a man driven insane by the discovery of a monograph about a non-existant documentary, which just might have awakened an ambigously evil force. The characters are very real, the puzzles and notes fun to decipher and the obscure references fly faster than an episode of MST3K. It was refreshing to find that an experimental novel could be so much fun. I can't wait for Mr. Danielewski's next effort. Answer:
Yes
Is this product review positive? Title: An Amazing Novel Review: The people who gave this novel only one star make me laugh. They are describing the exact reason why this book should be read and why I enjoyed it. Was it work? Well, yes but it was also a lot of fun. Read this novel to be challenged, frightened, intrigued, and entertained. This is a truly amazing and unique piece of work. Answer:
Yes
Is this product review positive? Title: very different Review: I enjoyed this book and the unusual ways that the story was told. The footnotes told a very interesting story. I recommend this book to anyone who is looking to read something "different". Answer:
Yes
Is this product review positive? Title: Get this man an editor. Review: When I took creative writing in the 8th grade, my teacher passed out a study on writers who used Macintoshes vs. writers who used PCs. The verdict: writers who used Macs spent too much time on formatting the appearance in a creative way and less upon the writing itself. This directly applies to the fifty pages of spiraling text. If you put the text in a single paragraph... is it really that interesting? If Danielewski had skipped the hundred pages of footnotes that are useless (why read fictional footnotes? 3 pages of fictional names?) and cut Johnny Truant (can anyone argue that this character is believable? he was not charming enough to follow through with his sexual escapades, even his name is ridiculous); the story is readable. Worthwhile though? There are 15 haunted house stories that surpass this. Answer:
No
Is this product review positive? Title: waste of time, paper, space Review: I tried to find something positive to say about this novel and can only come up with: "The cover's nice!" I guess the idea is clever enough, but the gimmicky nature of the text is just overbearing. A friend of mine took one look at the blurbs on the back cover, including one from "writer" Bret Easton Ellis, and told me not to bother. I should have heeded his advice. I found myself ripping through the pretentious bits, the footnotes (my God, the footnotes!), and even the secondary story about the guy who finds the manuscript and is caught up in the horror of it all, to find out what happens with the house itself. Definitely not worth the time and energy. If you like tricky, read Eco, read Borges, read Pavich... but don't live to regret reading this mishmash. Answer:
No
Is this product review positive? Title: Half-Star is Actually a Little High Review: Wish I had read the customer reviews before I bought the book; the story of a man's psychological reaction (a story in itself) to an analysis of various other analyses of a non-existent home video. So filled with analyses of psychological reactions, philosophy, mythology and filmmaking, along with unnecessary scientific data and annoying literary visual effects that it is difficult to hold the thread of the main story. Since the author doesn't believe in using a small word where a large one will do, unless you have a greater than average vocabulary or enjoy reading with a dictionary handy, I wouldn't recommend it. If you do attempt it, I would suggest reading the main story (if you can find it) to the end, then returning to read the footnoted story. Not for straight horror buffs, but not bad for big fans of Umberto Eco. Answer:
No
Is this product review positive? Title: very disappointing Review: The concept of House of Leaves is an interesting one, but the execution is extraordinarily poor. The writing is horrible, the characters are paper-thin, and some of the paraliterary conceits (or whatever they are) are so sophomoric I was actually embarrassed for the writer. Very much like the house in the novel, this book is a huge, sprawling mess with exactly nothing at its center. Do not waste your time on this book. Answer:
No
Is this product review positive? Title: this novel is uncanny Review: I just finished reading this twisting, mazelike novel and have say, I'm impressed.. not only with the overall multiple-take perspective of the story, but also with the innovative layout, which does an excellent job of matching the story's pace. (you'll have to read it to understand) .. I also enjoyed the way it prompted interaction.. near the end of the novel, I started joining in the fun and adding my own layer of narration, adding fictional footnotes to Johnny's and the editors as well as an additional chapter at the end... sounds odd? well, it is. It asks big questions in stunningly vague ways.the best way to describe the book is, well, uncanny. :pI give it 4.5 outta 5 stars on my "must read" Scale.. well worth the effort. Answer:
Yes
Is this product review positive? Title: actually 1/2 star Review: Don't waste your time trying to decipher this supposed novel. Will make a good paper weight. Fortunately I got a copy from the library and didn't waste my money. Don't let the good reviews fool you. Check it out at the library first.... Answer:
No
Is this product review positive? Title: pretentious Review: I have nothing to say about this book except that it's pretentious and half the pages are blank. i feel like i bought brian griffin's "wish it, want it, do it"... Answer:
No
Is this product review positive? Title: This book didn't give me nightmares, it is one Review: This is by far the worst thing I have EVER read. It reads like a textbook, which I think it's supposed to (great idea, really great). No character development, story, plot, climax, or anything remotely interesting. I would rather be a gerbal on Fire Island during an Elton John concert than read this book again. Answer:
No
Is this product review positive? Title: I don't get it... Review: When an author doesn't understand the difference between "should've" and "should of", "could've" and "could of", and "would've" and "would of"... Well, that's just retarded. I first thought he was doing it with only the character of Johnny Truant, which would've been bad enough, but then it showed up in the writings of the old man, which was unacceptable to me. This book had some great ideas and I was mildly enjoying it, but then it started to insult my intelligence, and I had to cast it aside... Be gone with you!!! Answer:
No
Is this product review positive? Title: Awesome Review: This book really cracked me up. You really have to have the right sense of humor to enjoy House of Leaves, one of the most amazing literary practical jokes ever written. It is touted as a horrifying tale of terror and mystery, but there within lies the joke. Danielewski will have you decoding letters, reading footnotes 3 pages long, and staring at evidence within multiple appendecies. If you make it through to the end, you are in for a treat! Turns out this book is a comedy, NOT a horror story, so horror lovers, you may want to skip this one. Danielewski has you hunting for a terror that quite certainly does not exist within these pages. You will, however, find entertainment in the fact that you have just read a novel about a book put together by a crazed tattoo artist about notes written down by a blind guy on a documentary that may or may not actually exist. Answer:
No
Is this product review positive? Title: For 14 year-olds going through their "rebellion" phase. Review: This book is convoluted for the sake of being convoluted and allows pseudo eccentrics to continue bolstering their own nihilism.Oh my goodness, I had to turn a page upside down to read it... So scary. Give me a break.If you bought your kid a Toyota, and he/she complains that his/her life is ruined because it's not a BMW, they will enjoy this book. Answer:
No
Is this product review positive? Title: Nothing here to see. Review: Utterly predictable and full of cliches. If you are scared when the inevitable cat jumps out in to the screen in the movie theatre, then you will love this book. Similarly, in the movies one always wonders why the victim just doesn't get out, one must wonder that here too. What passes for good literature these days is depressing. While it is true that this book is wildly popular, so is meth, rap, and scientology. Answer:
No
Is this product review positive? Title: Why bother? Review: Predictable and banal. Jumps on a dull, tired bandwagon for geeks. Don't bother, just head straight to Edgar Allen Poe - he wrote this story a century or so ago and a hundred times better than this. Answer:
No
Is this product review positive? Title: An excellent example of form over function. Review: It's a shame the house on Ash Lane wasn't in New York, as it could have been leased for millions.Seriously, this is some of the most awful tripe I've ever had the misfortune of reading. The multi-level narrative, when done well, is a literary device meant to keep a reader's interest; however, in this case it only prolongs the banality of the novel. I mean, how many times are you going to be fooled with Truant's hallucinations? After reading "But none of this ever happened" for the nth time, all I could think of was what if it never happened that I plunked down 20 bones for this trash.And then the footnotes! Just one headache after another contributing little or nothing to the story.Lord preserve us from erudite pseudo-authors. Answer:
No
Is this product review positive? Title: Great and eerie! Review: This book can bamboozle you and I'm not sure exactly how they got the printers to do some of the intriguing page layouts! However, I don't think it's the story that you should focus on too much, especially if you're looking for a typical beginning middle and end. It's the eeriness of it that should be experienced. This is a real original classic for those willing to open their mind. Answer:
Yes
Is this product review positive? Title: Great Novel, but something's missing Review: This book was very captivating. Don't be fooled by its length, however, because there are a lot of extras, such as an index and two appendices. The typographic layout of the book is revolutionary, though it wastes a lot of paper. I must say that this book really exercised my mind. I felt intrigued throughout the novel, but at the end I was disappointed there wasn't a more objective answer to the Navidson's house of the paranormal. I would, however, recommend this novel to anyone looking for something fresh and interesting. Answer:
Yes
Is this product review positive? Title: A Good Horror Story Review: IMO the best horror books are those that don't directly expose the creature or fright. This is one of those books. It leaves you on edge, however, wondering what is going on and what is going to happen next. Even when things are calm, you wait for the next event.As others have said, it is also a story inside a story. You could probably read the main story and enjoy it, however, if you want to stretch your imagination and test your reading skills, go ahead and read all of it, including the voluminous footnotes that comprise the "outer" story.The author does an excellent job of painting the characters- I can see Johnny Truant and even feel his turmoil. The term "horror" book can be applied to books that feature supernatural or unexplained beings or it can apply to regular (well, almost) human beings who live or subject others to a state of horror. This book accomplishes both.The book is a challenge, but a fun one, and one thatshouldn't be read just once. There are too many nuances. Answer:
Yes
Is this product review positive? Title: Unbeatable Book Review: I read House of Leaves over a period of 4 months and I have never been the same. It took me an additional three months after reading the book to fully process the incredible, unconventional, and sometimes disturbing aspects of this book. Quite honestly, this book has made every other book I have read after it seem dull. I have spent the last 4 months trying to find another "House Of Leaves" and the closest I came was "The Raw Shark Texts". This novel has changed me in ways I cannot comprehend. Answer:
Yes
Is this product review positive? Title: A strange book Review: House of LeavesThis is an unusual book. The story is a thriller or a horror, it depends. The most important characteristic of this book is "how it is written..." you can find: blank pages, pages with only a word, upside down pages, coloured words, landscape oriented pages, mirrored pages(!) and so on, very very unusual and amusing way to write a book. I love it, it is so strange.....and mysterious. You will enjoy reading this book. Answer:
Yes
Is this product review positive? Title: Potential, but stumbles and never recovers Review: The writing itself is beautiful and Danielewski certainly has a great measure of talent. However, underneath the footnotes, pages containing only one phrase, secret codes, etc. is an old story that is not being told in a new way, it is just being shuffled, reorganized, and splattered across the pages. This book could have been excellent-had Danielewski actually written something original. Consequently, it comes across as pretentious, and the characters and the novel itself ultimately are like the hallway and the house- devoid of anything, really. Read it if you have too much time on your hands, too little imagination, and love cheap 'psychological' chills. Answer:
No
Is this product review positive? Title: Too clever for its own good Review: As a dedicated fan of the ghost story in its many incarnations, I expected great things from this book. Perhaps that was my mistake, expecting a "story." Instead, I found that the many annoted footnotes just detracted from the overall effect. This is a brilliant concept and the extreme attention to detail lends some credibility to the genre of overlapping reality and fiction. But the constant distraction of looking here and there at footnotes, half of which are for effect instead of information, made it seem like a thesis, not a novel. And as to the story itself, there's not much there. A great approach theoretically, with potential, but its basically a concept piece and not too engaging a book. Answer:
No
Is this product review positive? Title: painfully postmodern Review: The book's premise is intriguing and I enjoyed it at first. However, it's pretty hard to sustain interest when you're writing a book about a book about a fictional documentary about a house. Too much attention is given, in my opinion, to the layers of text and too little to the plot. As fascinating as the idea of the house is, you get very little 'pay off' through plot development. The text itself--the arrangement of words on the page--becomes the entertainment rather than the text's content. Large sections of this book are parodies of academic writing, but for anyone who dropped out of graduate school these parts may seem far too close to the real stuff to be entertaining. It's certainly an ambitious book, but I don't think that it is--or is even really meant to be--an enjoyable read in the way a good novel usually is. Danielewski apparently concentrated his efforts on playing on tedious postmodern ideas about texts and not on actually producing one. Answer:
No
Is this product review positive? Title: Don't Believe the Hype Review: This book has gotten a lot of good reviews in the media (Newsweek, NYTimes Book Review, etc...)but it is a colossal waste of time to read it. The writing is dull and puerile (Johnny Truant?) , the plot is stolen almost directly from the "Twilight Zone" and you will be bored stupid from the infinite footnotes. I think its hype in the media is just a case of a literary emperor with no clothes on, there is nothing of substance in this book; if someone asks you to read it, say no, put it down and walk away... Answer:
No
Is this product review positive? Title: Held my interest and then became ridiculous. Review: Wow. A house bigger on the inside than the outside. What a cool clever idea I thought. And for a while it was. Then the nonsense with the lists and silly fonts began to seem without purpose and tiresome and I gave up. Can you recommend 1/3 of a book to someone? Answer:
No
Is this product review positive? Title: Astounding Review: Astounding is the only word to explain this work. It is the most amazing thing I have ever read. The writing style is an art form in and of itself!At first, the footnotes are a bit disruptive. However, very quickly the reader learns that a big part of this work ARE the footnotes!Definately NOT a "fluffy" read! If you start this book, make sure that you have the time to commit, because you WON'T want to put it down. It's kept me up serveral nights until the "wee hours" of the morning, lost among it's dark hallways . . . Answer:
Yes
Is this product review positive? Title: Fantastic Review: Mesmerizing book. The style, the format, the writing, the dialogue on all levels keeps you glued to the pages. To coin a common phrase, "I couldn't put it down". Highly recommend. Answer:
Yes
Is this product review positive? Title: Unique find Review: This is a great book. One of the best things about this book is that you won't find others like it. The style is eclectic and draws you in from the beginning. Not only that you will learn a lot about an assortment of subjects (i.e. mazes, echos,...) Plus the description of the "film" in the book is very interesting and will leave you wanting to know more.It is a good book for those that don't mind non-sequitors and unconventional storytelling. Answer:
Yes
Is this product review positive? Title: So unworthy - Review: and I should run back to Stephen King? Oh really? I am of the number that finds Crock of Leaves elitist, irrelevant and so unoriginal it's gut crunchingly funny. The patronising readers of this book, who feel that us ordinary mortals are not worthy of "The House", should consider it time they left their High School geekiness behind and go "vivify" themselves. Anybody with a life should not waste their valuable bucks and time on this heap of compost. Go live your full lives, read your King with pride and don't do as I did. That's lose a whole valuable weekend of a rich life to this drivel. Answer:
No
Is this product review positive? Title: I don't see what the big deal is... Review: After one of my friends told me how scary and good this book is, and how she couldn't sleep with it in her room because it freaked her out, I thought, "Great! I like scary books." Well, I don't see where she got the idea that it was so scary.The first 50 pages of this book are lifeless. I was completely bored. Then there was a five page thing describing an echo. It was like I was reading an extremely boring textbook for school.There were a few ok parts, and some of the Johnny Traunt stuff was kind of funny. I gave it 2 stars because of the use of different fonts and how they placed the words on the page for a cool effect.Oh, and whoever said you need a mirror to read some of the pages, they were just too dumb to realize that the "mirror-image" writing was actually just the same thing written on the page before, as in it had gone through the page, or whatever.Don't waste your time. Read Stephen King instead. Answer:
No
Is this product review positive? Title: Good Concept But Not Worth The CONSIDERABLE Effort It takes To Get Inside This Novel Review: I tried to read this novel from cover to cover, gave up after three hours and skipped around to what I hope were the good parts in the remainder of the book. The plot about the exploration of an apparently evil house that is larger on the inside than on the outside sounds interesting, but the disgusting details inside the plot itself, the mean and worthless characters, and the sheer weight of this deranged, non-linear, hodge-podge book combine to require more effort than I was willing to invest for the pay-off this work promised. Comparisons to The Blair Witch Project are inaccurate and I feel are an effort to cash in by linking to what is a much better movie than this is a book. Might've worked more if it had been presented less radically instead of in a format of notes, lists, diary entries, narratives, and scraps of paper. Answer:
No
Is this product review positive? Title: I don't get it. Review: It wasn't scary. It wasn't interesting. It wasn't particularly well-written. It was difficult to read. In short, WTF? Answer:
No
Is this product review positive? Title: save your money & use your time more wisely... Review: In short, I wish I could give this 0 stars. I picked it up because of the raves - "scariest book I've ever read", etc - and can only conclude these ravers haven't read very many books at all. After reading it, I come back and look at the 5 star reviews here and note that even they caveat that they don't really understand the book and are giving the stars based on things like "ambition" (ie "A for effort"?)A footnote on p149 pretty much sums up what I think of the book: "Other times I am sure it's just one big f***ing train wreck." Answer:
No
Is this product review positive? Title: Dude, what the F? Review: How many people out there can get into this book? 3. The best marketers in the world all got together and sold a million copies of this pile of [...] and made an 'author' out of a guy that can't tell a story to save his life. I talked to someone about it once, he said that you just don't have to like it for the first half and then it gets good. that is what i look for in a book 40k words that I hate before it gets almost okay.Know anyone else like this?I'm looking at you David Foster Wallace. Answer:
No
Is this product review positive? Title: Self indulgent Review: Self-indulgent post-modern hall of mirrors. If you want that, I recommend INFINITE JEST instead. Sections of inspired prose, but too much pastiche of academic media studies. Deliberately hard to puzzle out: There is some erudition, but more often the difficulty is simply the layout (mirror writing, e.g.). Frequently more attention is paid to the layout than the prose. I read SF/F/H. Stripped of the gimmickry nothing is new. Hodgson's HOUSE ON THE BORDERLAND and Lovecraft. BLAIR WITCH, POLTERGEIST, and HELLRAISER. I read the whole thing to find what happens, but found it not worth the effort. Ending is anticlimactic. Answer:
No
Is this product review positive? Title: The Most Important Writer of the 21st Century is Here. Review: You'll be hearing a lot of hype about this book and its author in the coming months. And believe me, it's all true, and more. Danielewski is a Pynchon for the 00's, if not a Laurence Sterne for our times. The book is as brilliant as you may think, and goes light-years beyond anything else being written these days. As a first novel, it's nothing short of spectacular. If MZD writes nothing else for the rest of his life, his reputation is secured with this opus. Brilliant, unsettling, macabre, the book is fully worthy of all the accolades you will no doubt soon be hearing. Answer:
Yes
Is this product review positive? Title: Don't Waste Your Money Review: This is truly one of the worst books I ever read. It was boring, pretentious in its obsession with annoying, petty, visual wordplay (which the author seemed to prefer over "plot") and not especially well written. If I could have located the receipt, which mysteriously disappeared (perhaps the only truly "mysterious" thing associated with this "novel" other than the fact that it has been highly touted), I would have returned it for my money back. Answer:
No
Is this product review positive? Title: This Space For Rent Review: You know when you read a book and say, "hey, this would be an awesome movie," even though you have no idea how it would translate? House of Leaves redefines that inclination, proving that some stories just need to be left on the page where the author can drag you, kicking and screaming, through the depths and annals of his imagination, at his own brutally slow or breakneck pace. HOL is a four-course literary meal served by Hitchcock, David Foster Wallace, and the Blair Witch. One part academic study, one part fast-and-loose first person narrative, and one part horror story, House of Leaves is far and away the most complex and terrifying book I've ever loved. (for more reviews like this, visit http://www.voidmagazine.com/twocentreview.html) Answer:
Yes
Is this product review positive? Title: Addictive Review: Yes, the book is long, and parts of it can get boring. But if you read it a little at a time you will really start to appreciate the originality of it. The difference between this book and many other horror stories, is that you read this for the experience and not the story alone. Allow yourself to believe that "The Editors" and Johnny Truant, the man who claims to have written the book, exist and the footnotes will have more meaning. Read the apendices, the poems, and the letters. I think that if you take this book at face value- a basic story of a maze inside a house- it will not affect you in the same way as if you take in every piece of the story (storIES, I guess) and make it real for yourself. Answer:
Yes
Is this product review positive? Title: House of Leaves Review: Very enthralling.... make sure to have nothing important that has to be done for several days when you read this book.... You will not get anything done, but you will read this book. I have accomplished nothing save reading this book and working, I still continue to reread passages and make notes. In a word: Incredible.... Answer:
Yes
Is this product review positive? Title: The 5 1/2 Minute Hallway............ Review: Horrifying......... Ever walked down a country road, wondering what would happen if that road dissappeared, with you in it? This book is geniunely scary, as far as the description of the Navidson Record is concerned. Answer:
Yes
Is this product review positive? Title: I hope this guy is as smart as i'm giving him credit for... Review: This novel seems to me not at all a suspense thriller or even a tale of the supernatural, but rather a commentary on the difficulties, hang-ups and rediculous situations inherent in writing (or filming) a scholarly work. And for someone who has written quite a few papers... well, I laughed out loud at some of Zampano's conventions (especially the footnotes - how many of us have made up a few to identify some imaginary research of our own??). I was impressed beyond belief by this novel, and give Danielewski an enormous amount of credit for making a statement like this in his first novel. God help him when it comes to writing the second... Answer:
Yes
Is this product review positive? Title: Overhyped Review: I tried to read this a dozen times, finally soldiered through to the end. Waste of time. Sloppily plotted, poorly edited, way too long and just not particularly innovative compared to all the hype. Answer:
No
Is this product review positive? Title: The biggest waste of seventeen bucks! Review: Quite possibly one of the most annoying books ever published, House of Leaves would have Gutenberg suffocating on dirt in his grave. Yes, I do understand that this is supposed to be art, but it seems to me to be nothing more than a sophmoric attempt at publishing something 'different'. Nevermind that the plot, as the esteemed NY Times Reviewer, Mr. Robert Kelly, noted was as silly as the Blair Witch Project, but I think even that would have appeased me were the book not as annoying to read as a latin manuscript read with a flashlight in a car with no suspension traveling down a bumpy road. I think this book would be a perfect hiding place for someone confined to a mind devoid of sense, structure, and stability - and more people have those things than one might think. Answer:
No
Is this product review positive? Title: Three Things About House of Leaves Review: 1. It carries a rave blurb from Bret Easton Ellis. 2. It has been compared to The Blair Witch Project, as though this were something of which to be proud. 3. I will return my wallet to my pocket and back away very slowly. Answer:
No
Is this product review positive? Title: incredible! Review: i'm only 31 pages into it, and i'm glued! buy this book, it is the most mentally stimulating, basically the best fictional literature i have ever read! absolutely amazing! (buy the way, get the hardcover. it's worth it.) Answer:
Yes
Is this product review positive? Title: Typesetting as Literature? Review: This book was quite disappointing. I was looking for good scare, and how scared was I? Not at all. I understand why the typesetting was messed with, but I don't think it added much to the book, other than increasing my annoyance. I think better written passages would have conveyed much more. Turning a book upside down and sideways does not equate to good literature. The typesetting and footnotes are used here to spice up a fairly dull story. It's not awful awful awful, but I've read better. Answer:
No
Is this product review positive? Title: Not sure if it's genius or pretentious Review: I read this on the advice of a friend, and am glad that I bought it, if only because the layout is so weird. It was definitely an intense read (due to the multiple parallel storylines and occasionally bizarre layout. However, I couldn't decide if the author had a seriously amazing vision in writing this, or if it is all just a very well realized piece of artistic pretentiousness. Answer:
Yes
Is this product review positive? Title: Unorthodox, yet amazing read. Review: This book is within my five favorite novels that I've read so far.It's a very unique concept and it is executed beautifully.I highly reccomend that the reader pay attention to the details scattered throughout the book, they complete the story. Answer:
Yes
Is this product review positive? Title: Levels on levels on levels Review: Take your time with this book. I rushed through it the first time and have regretted it. Half of the fun in the book comes from tracking down references and quotes. (It helps to have multi-lingual friends)The type-setting can be difficult at times, but that is a deliberate effect. An excellent first book that is well worth the extra effort that it demands. Answer:
Yes
Is this product review positive? Title: A First Choice Review: This is perhaps the best recording of THE CREATION in the catalogue. Hengelbrock's conducting of a fine period-instrument orchestra is the most exciting since Bernstein's '60s recording; nothing is dainty or underplayed. The burst of light is truly thrilling, and all the descriptive passages are played for all they're worth (listen to the great bronx cheer from the brass at "Den boden druckt der thiere last"). The chorus is very good, if not quite in the class of Gardiner's Monteverdi Choir; but whereas Gardiner's recording had some casting weaknesses, here all the youngish soloists do good work, particularly the Uriel, Steve Davislim. The sound is mostly excellent, though once or twice the engineers seem to have trouble coping with choral climaxes (no distortion, though).For a recording of THE CREATION that really conveys how new and exciting this work must have seemed in 1799, and a recording with no serious weaknesses, I can't think of any recording that is preferable to this one. Answer:
Yes
Is this product review positive? Title: Be warned about ethanol in gas Review: This was my second gas trimmer purchased to replace the electric trimmer that wore out. In both cases they worked for the first year and quit. I trashed them both - an expensive experiment. I have replaced the gas model with a Ryobi electric "Power head". This accepts standard tools and I have used the head with string trimmer, pruning saw, hedge trimmer and sidewalk edger. The 12 amp head has plenty of power for these applications. If you can stand pulling the cord arround, this is an excellect choice. My first Ryobi rand trouble free for 12 years.The Troy dealer told me Troy the warrantee excludes carburator problems because ethanol separates from gas and ruins gaskets. The warrantee is invalidated if any gas is used that is more than thirty days old. Answer:
No
Is this product review positive? Title: JUNK!! Review: I put a one star only because they didn't have neg. stars. This is nothing but junk does not run well, never starts. Quits all the time when using it. Stay away from this and save your time, mowing and trimming instead of pulling to start, fixing and stessing on why you bought this __________ piece of garbage Answer:
No