A review by sofipitch
Model Home by Rivers Solomon

dark mysterious reflective medium-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

4.75

Rivers Soloman never misses. This was phenomenal, the language and the character work. I was near tears at the end.
I really liked that the ending was Ezri couldn't save Elijah like she wanted, but could be there for her daughter like Ezri 's mom was not. Genuinely captured complicated feelings on not great parents really well. The struggle with acknowledging how much they suck but also how external forces made them that way and maybe they could have been better but you'll never get to know. All you can do is go forward, and in Ezri 's case be there for the ppl in his family. 
The only thing that made this not a full five is I'm not super keen on the house not actually having been haunted, it doesn't go full "it was all in their head" but the plot hinges on Ezri dissociating so much he doesn't remember what "actually happened" and Eve the one who does reme ber not saying anything, which did feel a bit weak. I had an inkling it might turn out this way when we didn't actually see much spooky shit on page.


Also, if I had a nickel for every haunted house novel that was a metaphor for abuse that I've read this year I'd have two nickels
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