Incidents Around the House

I’ve read plenty of books about hauntings, and some of them involved children, but to actually read one from the child’s point of view is absolutely next level. Adults being haunted can make their own decisions but 8-year-old Bela was not only at the mercy of the haunting, she was at the mercy of her parents and whatever decisions they made. As a child, she’s completely powerless. Remembering and sitting with that feeling while reading made Incidents Around the House so much scarier for me.

Of all the books I’ve read that were written from the perspective of a child (but meant for an older audience) a couple have worked, but most haven’t. This one is definitely the most well done of them all.

Malerman does an amazing job of making the reader truly feel like they’re being told a story by a little girl. The writing is a little disjointed, but not distractingly so. When she uses a word a typical 8 year old may not know, Bela explains that Mommy or Daddo taught it to her. When we need more adult information, it’s told through a memory Bela has, or a conversation some adults have in front of her. Bela never knows more than she should or feels way too smart for her age, but her narration does still serve as a great reminder that kids can pick up on things and are smarter than most people give them credit for.

I think Incidents Around the House is the best of the horror I’ve read this year. It’s super unique and certainly among my favorites!