I originally chose this novel as a Haunted House book for my reading challenge, but I have changed my mind. While there is that element of the creepy family home of hidden terrors that plague the nightmares of the now-grown children, that’s not really what this book is about. People looking for tense moments of aching dread, jump scares, and ghoulish imagery will need to look elsewhere. This novel is so much more introspective.

The haunted house, in this case, is a passive and silent character of the past. Three siblings, Ezri, Eve, and Emanuelle return to the site of their childhood torment upon learning of the deaths of their parents under mysterious circumstances. Together, they are forced to confront the host of family resentments and traumas that drove them away from the home in the first place. The trauma seethes not just from the house, itself, but from the community in general. As the only black family in an affluent neighborhood, the family of five had spent decades grappling with both overt and passive racism, classism, and more. Even within their own family, Ezri struggled to belong as they navigated the complexities of sexual identity and mental health within the cocoon of a family that simply couldn’t understand. They had fled the farthest of all in their escape from the bitter memories from that house.

As the siblings work to uncover the truth of what happened to their parents, they’ll open old wounds and come to terms with scars that may never heal but can be accepted and worn openly, not hidden in shame and uncertainty. There’s something truly beautiful about the cathartic journey that Ezri, especially, takes through the course of the narrative. The true horror comes in the way Ezri treats their own self, willingly subjecting their body and spirit to debasement and abuse as a way to calm their inner demons. Serious trigger warnings for sexual abuse. I’d hate to see someone pick up a novel expecting traditional horror only to face things that will dredge up old traumas. However, Ezri’s journey is one of catharsis, which could also be powerful for readers grappling with their own histories and traumas.

The character development is the sheer driving force of this novel. What it lacks in plot and action it makes up for with a powerful punch of emotion and societal critique, challenging our idea of what in life is truly terrifying and what our psyches substitute in place of the real fears we can’t manage to force ourselves to face. At times the writing came across as more of a lecture, but it still delivers a poignant and timely message that feels very relatable in various ways.

Overall, I was pleasantly surprised by this novel despite it not being what I originally thought I was choosing.

Published October 1, 2024 by MCD. ISBN 9780374607135. Hardcover. 286 pages.