The Family Plot

All my reviews can be found at The Tiny Reader's Reference! Come on over and say hello!Short & Sweet: The Family Plot is a ghost story better told over the crackle of a campfire, rather than slotted with other novels of its genre. The background of the haunting is terribly clich??, with slow-moving story progression; coupled with the rich characterization and well-painted environment, makes this better suited as a quick read during hot summer nights.Like a moth to the flame (or a teetering salvage company to a hundred-year-old house???) the large synopsis pulled me right in. For the most part, it delivered as promised, and I enjoyed the story.First and foremost: [a:Cherie Priest 221253 Cherie Priest https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1617225879p2/221253.jpg]???s writing style is fantastic. She weaved me right in from the very first page; descriptive enough to paint a picture, but vague enough to allow for reader-filled gaps. The technical side of their demo was fascinating. There were features and materials I???d never heard of before, and it was fun to google (dutch doors!) and find out exactly what they were prying from the wall, or salvaging from the backyard.But where [b:The Family Plot 25543181 The Family Plot Cherie Priest https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1431700446l/25543181.SX50.jpg 45335275] shines is in is not story or environment, but characterization ??? five full stars for Cherie Priest on that front, and the reason why this novel even worked in the first place. Had this story been set against the grey backdrop of weak cardboard characters, my rating would???ve been much, much lower. There simply isn???t enough here to maintain a story without them.Each person had a voice, a personality, and they shined through in every interaction. Each decision made was reasonable and expected. They truly jumped from the page itself, and this story was propelled because of them, rather in spite of them. We rooted for Chuck, we sided with Dahlia, we laughed at Bobby. Every interaction felt genuine.The only character I took issue with was Augusta Withrow. Her personality was clear, yes, but some of her decisions and statements to Dahlia were puzzling, and her last sentence after everything was over felt??? odd. Weak, even. It was a small crack in the foundation of characters Cherie Priest worked so hard to create, but as her presence is obviously a prop, it didn???t affect the story.The paranormal situations began to occur early on, but things didn???t begin truly rolling until later. To be expected, but as a result, the novel slogged down. Once revealed, the haunting itself, and the backstory behind it, checked nearly every single cliche box that exists. Some of the experiences and situations turned far-fetched, and degraded the ???horror??? element of the narrative. Honestly, I can see this novel working much better as a movie or show, rather than in text.Why three stars? Because it wasn???t extraordinary, but not terrible either. It???s a fun read with some creepy moments, great characters, and a satisfying ending, but little else. Much like Disappearance at Devil's Rock, a huge chunk of the story is already in the synopsis. I don???t hate The Family Plot, but I also don???t love it either, which made this review so frustrating to write.Would I recommend this? Not if you???re going in expecting genuine fright. This is a light book, good if you???re looking for something quick and easy, with rich characters and setting descriptors. A palate cleanser, if you will. Not amazing, but not bad either.