The Women in the Walls
Ratings5
Average rating3.1
"Lucy Acosta's mother died when she was three. Growing up in a Victorian mansion in the middle of the woods with her cold, distant father, she explored the dark hallways of the estate with her cousin, Margaret. They're inseparable--a family. When her aunt Penelope, the only mother she's ever known, tragically disappears while walking in the woods surrounding their estate, Lucy finds herself devastated and alone. Margaret has been spending a lot of time in the attic. She claims she can hear her dead mother's voice whispering from the walls. Emotionally shut out by her father, Lucy watches helplessly as her cousin's sanity slowly unravels. But when she begins hearing voices herself, Lucy finds herself confronting an ancient and deadly legacy that has marked the women in her family for generations."
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This is a good YA horror, which is exactly what I was looking for. There are hints of what is going on, but there are still several surprises. The house is creepy and the paranormal is a bit unique and a bit expected. It has all the stuff a good YA horror has. But I was a smidge disappointed with the ending and it got pretty gruesome. However, I can see how that is the only ending possible. I am vacillating between 3 and 4 stars because I'm mot sure how much weight to put on the ending and how much to put on the set up. It was very worth reading.
A spooky one for Halloween! Great atmosphere and some good gross out scenes at the end. Teeth are involved so be warned.
Daughters Unto Devils was one of my faves from last year, and The Women in the Walls is just not as good. Maybe they rushed Lukavics-that's what it feels like, but this one just doesn't gel and it only has one truly creepy moment.
Here's what does work. Lucy is a great narrator. Also the idea of the property. We don't actually get to explore the property (perhaps if we had been with Margaret...), but we get that there is something super special about the property. Isolationism: Lucy is homeschooled, has zero friends, and apparently no contact with the outside world. She does not act like a modern girl except for binge-watching movies with her cousin. What does Lucy do all day? She has no hobbies.
Here's what does not work: the time period. It's modern times? I have no idea. Apparently, Vanessa helps Lucy google the history of the house, but the girls do not act like modern teenagers AT ALL. The club. WTF? I really thought we were going for a Rosemary's Baby vibe here and that the club was at the center of it all. I used it, in my mind, to excuse the completely unbelievable behavior of the father. But we are never allowed inside to find out what the hell is going on to get a real understanding about the purpose of the club. Instead what happens happens and the reader is left scratching their heads.
Penelope, Margaret, Vanessa, Miranda, the father, and even Walter- not one of them seems to care if Lucy lives or dies. No one seems worried that she's cutting herself or completely cut off from the real world. Worst family (and staff) EVER!
Sidenote: I actually thought Lucy was a ghost for awhile because everyone's lack of caring about her needs. Especially food. No one feeds this girl.
I think this would have been better had it happened in the 1920s or 30's (pre-cellphones, internet, wars, etc). The isolationism would have made sense. Other things would have made sense. There was only so much willing suspension of belief I could maintain here. Where are the party dresses coming from????? What is the point of the parties in the first place?
The Women in the Walls needs spit and polish and a new time period.
