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ashtheaudiomancer's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
A tense, disturbing, lyrical haunted house story, in which the ghosts, angels, and saints are constant residents, invited there by their own rage and sorrow. I'm still not entirely sure what happened in the end. The dual narrators, both of whom are to some degree unreliable, is part of it, but that seems intentional. The impression I get is of two people with wildly different perspectives pleading for the readers' understanding and sympathy.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death, Rape, Murder, and Classism
FYI, I'm choosing "moderate" for the content warnings here because the book is written in this heavily poetic style that makes all the events feel a bit distant, but they are heavy, unavoidable themes throughout.cbrink123's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Sexual violence, Violence, Trafficking, Kidnapping, and Murder
jayisreading's review
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
3.0
I was really hoping that I would enjoy this novel more, but it ended up not meeting whatever expectations I seemed to have had. Before I get into what didn’t really work for me, though, I do want to praise Martínez and the translators for the carefully crafted atmosphere that oozed with tension. I did feel that they all did a great job evoking a sense of feeling trapped in the very house that the characters also found themselves trapped in. I also thought the particular focus on gender and class in twentieth-century Spain was really fascinating.
That being said, there were two things that didn’t work for me, neither of which are the fault of the author or the translators. One was how the story was told. I’m not that picky about nonlinearity or changing perspectives, but something about the way Woodworm was written didn’t quite work for me. I can’t help but wonder if part of my frustration was because the novel was too short for me to find it as an effective way to tell a story. The other thing that didn’t entirely work for me was that I had the impression that Martínez was heavily relying on the reader to know a fair bit about the historical and social contexts of when/where this novel took place. I think it’s safe to say that what’s at stake in this novel will make more sense if the reader is familiar with the Spanish Civil War, which is not the case for me, unfortunately. I think there were certain ideas and cues that I missed, as a result of this knowledge gap, which, combined with the shifting timeline and perspectives, made this novel a bit difficult to engage with.
I don’t think all context is necessarily needed to enjoy this novel, since the themes that Martínez wanted to focus on came through. However, I found myself wanting more than what was given, and perhaps that “more” was given but through subtle cues and contextual information that those in the know would understand.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Murder, and Classism
Moderate: Death and Domestic abuse
Minor: War
mlovesbooks's review against another edition
dark
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Toxic relationship, Blood, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, and Classism
Moderate: Sexual harassment
quabbityash's review
dark
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
A feminist, multi-generational twist on The Cask of Amontillado.
In the end I was a little confused by how many generations there were and how many different POVs we had gotten, but it didn't really matter for the climax of the story. Very creepy and a jarring ending.
In the end I was a little confused by how many generations there were and how many different POVs we had gotten, but it didn't really matter for the climax of the story. Very creepy and a jarring ending.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual violence and Murder
Minor: Child death, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, War, and Injury/Injury detail
momototato's review against another edition
dark
emotional
tense
4.5
Deliciously creepy, full of rage.
Featuring a grandmother and granddaughter duo and an ongoing generational conflict with their wealthy neighbors that culminates in a missing child, blamed on the granddaughter. But really, the true root lies in the violent oppressive history that the women in their family has faced and continues to haunt them. The grandmother and granddaughter are unapologetically vicious and mean, reflecting the state of the house or maybe the other way around.
The book is wonderfully menacing and the house is such a central character in the story. One can practically feel the hatred dripping off the pages.
Featuring a grandmother and granddaughter duo and an ongoing generational conflict with their wealthy neighbors that culminates in a missing child, blamed on the granddaughter. But really, the true root lies in the violent oppressive history that the women in their family has faced and continues to haunt them. The grandmother and granddaughter are unapologetically vicious and mean, reflecting the state of the house or maybe the other way around.
The book is wonderfully menacing and the house is such a central character in the story. One can practically feel the hatred dripping off the pages.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Domestic abuse, Sexual violence, and Murder
amandadevoursbooks's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Revenge and rage drip from this book. A grandmother and granddaughter know one thing: they can never leave their family home. Haunted by the past, the house is hungry for vengence and the women can only comply.
Written from two points of view, the unnamed characters reveal the house's story and their family's story one chapter at a time. I found this book haunting, uncomfortable and emotional. I could feel the creepiness of the house, I could hear the gnawing of the spirits, and I could feel the rage of the place.
If you like books about feminine rage and revenge, you might like this book.
Written from two points of view, the unnamed characters reveal the house's story and their family's story one chapter at a time. I found this book haunting, uncomfortable and emotional. I could feel the creepiness of the house, I could hear the gnawing of the spirits, and I could feel the rage of the place.
If you like books about feminine rage and revenge, you might like this book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Gore, and Murder
bugs...jill_holly's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Oof that was a chilling one. If you like folk horror and unhinged MFCs mixed with a lot of WTF, this is the book for you. The multiple POVs offered a deeper reflection on the lives of women in the family and the house of horrors they live in. Filled with stark layers of generational trauma and legacy, classism, misogyny and violence, it packs a lot into a short novel. Lower on plot and more on character and vibes, a haunted house revenge story that I'll be unraveling for days to come.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death, Toxic relationship, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Murder, and Classism
rorikae's review
emotional
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Woodworm by Layla Martínez is a haunted house book that revolves around different generations of women within one family.
The story shifts between the perspective of the grandmother and granddaughter in present day as well as reflections from the great grandmother and mother. Through these shifting narratives, they tell the history of the house and those who live in it, including how the town views the women. The story touches on classism and family through the lens of a haunted house. Shadows appear to rattle the house and ghosts knock on the doors. The revolving story centers around the granddaughter getting out of jail because she has been blamed for the disappearance of a boy and what really happened.
Martínez utilizes a haunted house story to discuss how the family members haunt those currently residing in the house. The shifting narrative was sometimes a little bit confusing to pin down but not enough that I wasn't able to figure out who was speaking after reading a little way into each chapter. I like how the story unfolds and falls back on itself, disorienting just like the house is to those who live within it. Martínez's prose is lush and evocative, really making the reality of the haunted house and the family's tale stand out. I'll be interested to see what the author writes next and I hope it also gets translated into English.
The story shifts between the perspective of the grandmother and granddaughter in present day as well as reflections from the great grandmother and mother. Through these shifting narratives, they tell the history of the house and those who live in it, including how the town views the women. The story touches on classism and family through the lens of a haunted house. Shadows appear to rattle the house and ghosts knock on the doors. The revolving story centers around the granddaughter getting out of jail because she has been blamed for the disappearance of a boy and what really happened.
Martínez utilizes a haunted house story to discuss how the family members haunt those currently residing in the house. The shifting narrative was sometimes a little bit confusing to pin down but not enough that I wasn't able to figure out who was speaking after reading a little way into each chapter. I like how the story unfolds and falls back on itself, disorienting just like the house is to those who live within it. Martínez's prose is lush and evocative, really making the reality of the haunted house and the family's tale stand out. I'll be interested to see what the author writes next and I hope it also gets translated into English.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny and Classism
Moderate: Child death, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Stalking, and Murder
Minor: Death of parent
littleghostelli's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Haunted houses are forever my favorite horror trope, and this book digs its fingers into all of the best parts of it; Martinez is incredible at weaving the horrible into the mundane, transcribing the years of accumulated rage felt by generations of wronged women, and exploring the ways a lineage of anger can grow into something bigger if tended properly. By the end you understand that “haunted” can mean many things, from the ever-present shadow of class hierarchies to the flash of dark hair disappearing under the bed.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual assault and Murder