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hannahfar's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-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
Actually blacked out towards the end there cause of the reveal
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Sexual assault, and Transphobia
libraryoflanelle's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
5.0
Model Home follows Ezri, their family, and their childhood home… On one hand, the escalation of suspense and relentless unknowns feel reminiscent of traditional haunted house stories. But in every other way, this book shatters the previously established ‘rules’ of the genre. The eerie occurrences tied to the home become increasingly real, raw, and terrifying as more is revealed, blurring the line between psychological and supernatural horror.
Rivers weaves together themes of intergenerational trauma, rigid gender ‘norms’, racial violence, and the neurodivergent experience in a neurotypical world in a truly mind-blowing way. The depth and complexity of these intersections are so powerful that many connections didn’t fully click for me until the latter part of the book. The way these themes are integrated into the horror elements makes for an unsettling yet deeply resonant reading experience.
I found the atmosphere of Model Home particularly striking. The house itself becomes a character, twisting and shifting right along with the realisations that Rivers slowly reveals to the reader. The writing is immersive and haunting, making even the seemingly more mundane moments fraught with tension.
This is the third book I’ve read by Rivers, and my goodness, I will forever read everything fae write, the storytelling is just that captivating. Rivers has an incredible talent for crafting engaging narratives that pull you in completely, making it feel almost impossible to put the book down. Similarly to Rivers’ previous books, the characters are so incredibly well-developed, with relationships that feel deeply complex, and emotionally charged in ways that mirror real life.
As always, be sure to check the trigger and content warnings before diving in, as Rivers does not shy away from difficult and intense themes.
Thanks to Random House UK and NetGalley for the e-arc. All opinions are my own.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Pedophilia, Racism, and Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Suicide, Religious bigotry, and Death of parent
Minor: Bullying, Eating disorder, Transphobia, and Suicide attempt
bessadams's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
I am deeply unsettled, and can never think about kids having imaginary friends in the same way again... but the last chapter was kind of sweet? The last sentence is literally "How sweet it is to be alive."
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Pedophilia, Racism, and Death of parent
Moderate: Animal death, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Grief
Minor: Body shaming, Homophobia, Transphobia, and Vomit
packrat00's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This book is strange and fucked up and made me hold my breath throughout. I read it in less than 24 hours and couldn’t put it away and every free minute I caught myself reading another chapter. It’s thrilling and sad and I should not recommend reading it but I absolutely would. It’s not for the faint of heart.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Homophobia, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexual violence, Transphobia, Violence, Vomit, Suicide attempt, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
babayulia's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Model Home by Rivers Solomon is difficult to write about because I am still processing it, but I don’t know that I’ll ever be done processing it, so I’m writing a review now in hopes that my friends read it and we can process it together.
This is a novel about terror and trauma. The Maxwell siblings are mourning their parents, who died in an apparent murder/suicide pact in their childhood home. But questions keep emerging: what happened to them? Were they killed by the house, long rumored to be haunted? And if the house isn’t haunted, then what could explain the frequent and inexplicable horrors they experienced growing up?
The beating heart of the book is the main character, Ezri, a queer & trans Black human navigating identity, parenthood, family, and trauma. Just as important are Ezri’s family, especially their daughter, Elijah, and younger sisters, Eve and Emanuelle. I love these characters. They are complex, messy, sweet people, fully fleshed out in all their glorious imperfections. They are easy to root for.
Solomon’s writing is also a major highlight of the book. The prose is lyrical and challenging, a pleasure to read and dissect. I highlighted multiple passages to return to. This is a book I would like to read again, knowing what I know now, so I can try to pick up on more of Solomon’s nuanced storytelling, including faer expert use of foreshadowing.
I recommend this book to fans of the horror genre, especially haunted houses because of how it turns this one on its head. I also recommend it as a critical text that depicts the horrors of white supremacist violence in ways that are somehow both shocking and predictable. This book is upsetting and unsettling at its core, and that’s exactly why you should read it. Text me if you do.
Please check the content warnings! Some are included below, with details that could be considered spoilers.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Body shaming, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Hate crime, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual content, Suicide, Torture, Transphobia, Violence, Vomit, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Sexual violence
pepp_sheffield's review against another edition
challenging
dark
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse and Pedophilia
jkiebo's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, and Rape
jamieleepilk's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Grief, Suicide attempt, and Death of parent
moscat's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
fast-paced
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
This is a great take on a haunted house (or I suppose more of a haunted home). In the wake of their parents' deaths, three siblings are drawn back together and forced to face the memory of their childhood trauma.
Throughout you're wondering which horrors are real and which imagined, and what worse horror the imagined ones hide.
It takes an unflinching look at racism, transphobia, gender dysphoria, and self-loathing while unpicking the mystery of the house that killed their parents.
For fans of Private Rites (who can handle something that gets darker and more violent) or those who enjoyed Tell Me I'm Worthless.
Throughout you're wondering which horrors are real and which imagined, and what worse horror the imagined ones hide.
It takes an unflinching look at racism, transphobia, gender dysphoria, and self-loathing while unpicking the mystery of the house that killed their parents.
For fans of Private Rites (who can handle something that gets darker and more violent) or those who enjoyed Tell Me I'm Worthless.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence
Moderate: Animal death, Child abuse, Deadnaming, Death, Racism, Death of parent, and Gaslighting
seekaymack's review against another edition
dark
slow-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
1.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Mental illness, and Rape
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts and Suicide attempt