Kirkus-Style Review: The Hollow Places
By T. Kingfisher | Release Date: October 6, 2020
A strange yet innovative and unexpected horror novel that will leave you on edge.
Following Kara’s divorce, she moves back home to Hog Chapel, North Carolina where she lives with Uncle Earl. Kara has transitioned from a lifestyle in the big city with her fancy graphic designer job, to cataloging items at Uncle Earl’s Natural Wonders, Curiosities, and Taxidermy Museum. She begins to appreciate the simplicity of her day-to-day routine: grabbing coffee next door, cataloging items, and spending time with Simon from the coffee house. When Uncle Earl undergoes knee surgery, Kara finds herself in charge of the museum and all of its creatures. One day, Kara discovers a hole in the museum wall and asks Simon for help to patch it up. However, they soon realize it’s more than just a hole - it’s a bunker that serves as a portal to an alternate reality. Kara and Simon embark on a journey through multiple realities, each haunted by creatures that can seemingly hear their thoughts. The more they focus on their fears, the stronger these creatures become.
The Hollow Places is a strange yet innovative and unexpected horror novel that will leave you on edge.
Pub Date: October 6, 2020
ISBN: 9781534451124
Page Count: 341
Publisher: Gallery Books
Categories: Horror | Fantasy | Fiction | Thriller | Mystery
I am not a huge contemporary horror person, but this intrigued me! The storyline reminds me of The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman a bit. Another title for my TBR :)
ReplyDeleteI'm not either. I decided to try more horror at the end of last year and also read What Moves the Dead by the same author. It's a retelling of The Fall of the House of Usher by Edgar Allan Poe - I enjoyed it! The second book in the series comes out this Tuesday. I'll have to check out The Ocean at the End of the Lane, thanks for the rec Abigail!
DeleteHi Mallory! In my opinion, this is a very well-written and polished review. I really like the way you describe Kara's new life with her uncle. It seems ideal (at least to me!). You show that this simple life gets interrupted by something unexpected, which adds a layer of interest. I like how you employ three words at the end to describe this book - strange, innovative, and unexpected.
ReplyDeleteHi Mallory! I liked your review. My only suggestion was that you lead and end with the same opening line. However, it gets to the point of the story, and it would be easy for someone looking at the review to decide on those two sentences. I love contemporary horror, so this book would go on my to-be-read pile.
ReplyDeleteThis book sounds so intriguing! Good job with the review, especially the closing line!
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