Jessica
The story is about a group of friends: Owen, Matty, Lore, Nick, and Hamish. They all become good friends because life at home isn’t good: Owen’s father tells him constantly that he wishes he was never born while his mother says nothing, Matty is constantly pressured by his parents to succeed in everything, Lore’s mother is never home, Nick’s mother is dead and his dad seems cool, but there is something odd with his household, and Hamish parents constantly fight with each other. The friends make a covenant together. If any of them are in trouble, all they have to do is say “covenant, “ and the others come running.
To escape from their households, the friends decide to camp in the woods. While going through the woods, they find a staircase that leads to nowhere. They all find it strange and ominous. They initially go away from the stairs, but Matty gets riled up and wants to climb them. None of the others wants to, though. Some are scared to, and others don’t see the point. However, Matty calls the covenant. The other balks at him and says that the covenant shouldn’t be used for something trivial like that. Matty doesn’t care and goes without them. The others gradually follow him, feeling guilty. When they got to the staircase, Matty had already started climbing the stairs. Owen climbs up after him. However, before Owen could stop him, Matty jumped from the top of the stairs and disappeared. Originally, they thought he was pranking them and checked behind the stairs, but he wasn’t there. Suddenly, the stairs vanish, and the remaining friends are left with more questions than answers.
They left the woods with no explanation. Twenty years later, after being apart for so long, Nick summons the others to the woods with him. There, he shows the group that he has found another staircase. He wants the group to go up the staircase to see if they find Matty. The staircase looks different, and it is in a different location than last time. Will it really lead them to their missing friend?
I like the fact that the friends formed a found family with each other. They all had terrible home lives, and it was amazing that the four were able to come together and be there for each other. Even when it was inconvenient, they found the will and way to help each other. I also like the fact that they show how family changes when one person is missing. It causes cracks in the family and causes the remaining four to drift apart.
I also like the fact that what makes the house a home is the feelings that happen there. The feelings imbue a home, making its presence and memories known. Usually, when we think of that, it is of the good feelings and memories, like a happy couple moving in, adding a new child to the family, decorating the home in the family’s image, etc. However, through these characters, we also learn that negative feelings can leave a negative presence on the house: the ways we hurt each other physically, mentally, and emotionally. It can cause a physical, mental, and emotional toll on the residents of the house.
Overall, I liked the book. It challenges the thoughts on found family dynamics, especially when a person leaves, and how hatred and positivity can affect the mood in what makes a house a home, and how those feelings and memories inside the home can create a physical, mental, and emotional manifestation for us when we enter the home. The book also asks the same basic question that Suburban Hell by Maureen Kilmer did: How far would you go for a friend? It is a question that Owen, Hamish, Lore, and Nick struggle with throughout the entire book. Right now, it appears that the book is standalone, but there is room for a possible sequel. It is a really good psychological horror to dig deep into. I hope the author does decide to continue with this group of characters.
Originally posted at jdavismallory.substack.com.
The story is about a group of friends: Owen, Matty, Lore, Nick, and Hamish. They all become good friends because life at home isn’t good: Owen’s father tells him constantly that he wishes he was never born while his mother says nothing, Matty is constantly pressured by his parents to succeed in everything, Lore’s mother is never home, Nick’s mother is dead and his dad seems cool, but there is something odd with his household, and Hamish parents constantly fight with each other. The friends make a covenant together. If any of them are in trouble, all they have to do is say “covenant, “ and the others come running.
To escape from their households, the friends decide to camp in the woods. While going through the woods, they find a staircase that leads to nowhere. They all find it strange and ominous. They initially go away from the stairs, but Matty gets riled up and wants to climb them. None of the others wants to, though. Some are scared to, and others don’t see the point. However, Matty calls the covenant. The other balks at him and says that the covenant shouldn’t be used for something trivial like that. Matty doesn’t care and goes without them. The others gradually follow him, feeling guilty. When they got to the staircase, Matty had already started climbing the stairs. Owen climbs up after him. However, before Owen could stop him, Matty jumped from the top of the stairs and disappeared. Originally, they thought he was pranking them and checked behind the stairs, but he wasn’t there. Suddenly, the stairs vanish, and the remaining friends are left with more questions than answers.
They left the woods with no explanation. Twenty years later, after being apart for so long, Nick summons the others to the woods with him. There, he shows the group that he has found another staircase. He wants the group to go up the staircase to see if they find Matty. The staircase looks different, and it is in a different location than last time. Will it really lead them to their missing friend?
I like the fact that the friends formed a found family with each other. They all had terrible home lives, and it was amazing that the four were able to come together and be there for each other. Even when it was inconvenient, they found the will and way to help each other. I also like the fact that they show how family changes when one person is missing. It causes cracks in the family and causes the remaining four to drift apart.
I also like the fact that what makes the house a home is the feelings that happen there. The feelings imbue a home, making its presence and memories known. Usually, when we think of that, it is of the good feelings and memories, like a happy couple moving in, adding a new child to the family, decorating the home in the family’s image, etc. However, through these characters, we also learn that negative feelings can leave a negative presence on the house: the ways we hurt each other physically, mentally, and emotionally. It can cause a physical, mental, and emotional toll on the residents of the house.
Overall, I liked the book. It challenges the thoughts on found family dynamics, especially when a person leaves, and how hatred and positivity can affect the mood in what makes a house a home, and how those feelings and memories inside the home can create a physical, mental, and emotional manifestation for us when we enter the home. The book also asks the same basic question that Suburban Hell by Maureen Kilmer did: How far would you go for a friend? It is a question that Owen, Hamish, Lore, and Nick struggle with throughout the entire book. Right now, it appears that the book is standalone, but there is room for a possible sequel. It is a really good psychological horror to dig deep into. I hope the author does decide to continue with this group of characters.
Originally posted at jdavismallory.substack.com.