House of Leaves

House of Leaves

  • Downloads:7255
  • Type:Epub+TxT+PDF+Mobi
  • Create Date:2021-11-29 07:51:58
  • Update Date:2025-09-06
  • Status:finish
  • Author:Mark Z. Danielewski
  • ISBN:0375703764
  • Environment:PC/Android/iPhone/iPad/Kindle

Summary

Years ago, when House of Leaves was first being passed around, it was nothing more than a badly bundled heap of paper, parts of which would occasionally surface on the Internet。 No one could have anticipated the small but devoted following this terrifying story would soon command。 Starting with an odd assortment of marginalized youth—musicians, tattoo artists, programmers, strippers, environmentalists, and adrenaline junkies—the book eventually made its way into the hands of older generations, who not only found themselves in those strangely arranged pages but also discovered a way back into the lives of their estranged children。

Now, for the first time, this astonishing novel is made available in book form, complete with the original colored words, vertical footnotes, and newly added second and third appendices。

The story remains unchanged, focusing on a young family that moves into a small home on Ash Tree Lane where they discover something is terribly wrong: their house is bigger on the inside than it is on the outside。

Of course, neither Pulitzer Prize-winning photojournalist Will Navidson nor his companion Karen Green was prepared to face the consequences of that impossibility, until the day their two little children wandered off and their voices eerily began to return another story—of creature darkness, of an ever-growing abyss behind a closet door, and of that unholy growl which soon enough would tear through their walls and consume all their dreams。

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Reviews

Rob McGrory

I'm not sure exactly what to think。。。just。。。just read it for yourselves I'm not sure exactly what to think。。。just。。。just read it for yourselves 。。。more

Sarah E

I don't feel like describing my rating in depth。 Glad to be done with this book, but it was impressive。 I don't feel like describing my rating in depth。 Glad to be done with this book, but it was impressive。 。。。more

Makei Tupou

This book took the life out of me and made me really work to get through it, but I had a lot of fun with it。 The puzzles, bizarre formats and hidden messages in this book made me feel like I was working through a personal labyrinth。 The overall tone to the House of Leaves gave me a constant feeling of dread and eeriness。 There were definitely parts of this book that felt like a chore to get through and that possibly could be skipped by readers, but it still succeeds in diving into the dark place This book took the life out of me and made me really work to get through it, but I had a lot of fun with it。 The puzzles, bizarre formats and hidden messages in this book made me feel like I was working through a personal labyrinth。 The overall tone to the House of Leaves gave me a constant feeling of dread and eeriness。 There were definitely parts of this book that felt like a chore to get through and that possibly could be skipped by readers, but it still succeeds in diving into the dark places of human psyche and creating a story that left me thinking long after I finished。 。。。more

Knave

Definitely one of the strangest books I've read, but one that I'll remember for a very long time。 I love the experimental format!!! And the two stories of Navidson and Johnny were excellently done, though I will say I was far more intrigued with Johnny。 Definitely one of the strangest books I've read, but one that I'll remember for a very long time。 I love the experimental format!!! And the two stories of Navidson and Johnny were excellently done, though I will say I was far more intrigued with Johnny。 。。。more

Rachel Barr

I may try this again。 Had hard time following and keeping track

Sierra Mann

Idk like 2-3 stars。 The premise was interesting and the style was intriguing, but I felt like the side stories made this such a slog to get through。。。 and a lot was left unresolved despite there being SO MANY pages to work with

Ari DeBenedictis

what the actual heck did i just read。 if anyone has an hour to spare and wants to know more, hmu。 but this is WAY too complicated to type out。 really struggled between a 1 and 2 star rating。 like, i definitely skipped a LOT (especially at the end in the appendix) and before you go yelling at me, know that the appendix really didn't have a lot to do with the plot。 but the plot was incredibly unique and cool to read about。 i wish this could've been dumbed down to a nice 300 pages and all would hav what the actual heck did i just read。 if anyone has an hour to spare and wants to know more, hmu。 but this is WAY too complicated to type out。 really struggled between a 1 and 2 star rating。 like, i definitely skipped a LOT (especially at the end in the appendix) and before you go yelling at me, know that the appendix really didn't have a lot to do with the plot。 but the plot was incredibly unique and cool to read about。 i wish this could've been dumbed down to a nice 300 pages and all would have been well。 but this book was just too much。 too much words, too much plot, too much everything。 what was going on?? have the time i was like whatttt??? confusing and weird but unique and interesting。 would i recommend? most likely not but then a part of me is like yeah! this took me more than 2 months to read and i skimmed/skipped some parts over。 this would've been better to read over the course of many many many months。 and maybe read it with somebody so you can talk it over so you're not just confused all the time like i was。 this, i believe, is considered horror but it's not like scary horror as in a clown is jumping out at every page。 it's more psychologically scary which i enjoyed。 also read this if you're into super complicated 'story within a story within a story' vibes。 if not, don't even try this one because it's very very very confusing (but probably like 85% of me does not recommend just thought i'd restate that if i didn't already make it obvious)。 i'm so glad i'm done with this。 my head hurts。 。。。more

Maggi Braasch-Turi

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers。 To view it, click here。 3。5/5This was one of the strangest formats I have ever encountered, which is a large part of why I wanted to read it! It is probably the most meta thing I've ever read。 As a chemist, I found all the academic writing to be hilarious for a few reasons。 1) I find it difficult to read scholarly articles about anything other than like hard science because I cannot take it very seriously。 The analysis of art (in any form) about the perceive emotions in a piece and their deeper meanings is something I 3。5/5This was one of the strangest formats I have ever encountered, which is a large part of why I wanted to read it! It is probably the most meta thing I've ever read。 As a chemist, I found all the academic writing to be hilarious for a few reasons。 1) I find it difficult to read scholarly articles about anything other than like hard science because I cannot take it very seriously。 The analysis of art (in any form) about the perceive emotions in a piece and their deeper meanings is something I just cannot do myself。 It feels too much like making shit up, which I understand is also kind of the point, but I like concrete answers。 2) The writing itself is so serious, but that's why it was so funny。 The fact that so many (fictional) people in literary, philosophical, and film-making circles watched this movie and then wrote about it with such academic rigor is so funny to me。 Again, my brain just doesn't work this way。 These people are putting word in Navidson's mouth based on their interpretations, and no one is correct。 (This is all a "me" problem。 It did not stop me from enjoying the book!) Intertwined with the academic tone, I enjoyed the story about the Navidsons and Johnny Truant's story along with it。 At first I found his interjections annoying, but then you got a first hand account of how the academic journal about a movie affected his life in real time。 Underneath all the meta storylines and dry academic tone, it is truly a story about love and family。 SPOILER ALERTI wish that Johnny's timeline went in deeper and investigated the origins of the house。 They touched on a journal entry from an exploration group in colonial times, and then it went nowhere。 That's a story I would like to read more about。 I am also disappointed that the Minotaur was not actually there。 Lots of references because of the labyrinth。 I was hoping for an epic monster showdown, and that would also inch into the origins of the House etc etc。 。。。more

Luis Tavarez

Convoluted story that keeps you reading。 Enjoyed the format of the pages in some chapters (e。g。 text moving up and down the page to signify character going up and down a hill), it was a unique form of story telling for reading, and it didn't really feel I was reading a book at times other times it felt as if I was reading a textbook, with all the footnotes within footnotes within footness (reference here to Pale Fire, of which this book reminds me of in terms of using foreword and footnotes to t Convoluted story that keeps you reading。 Enjoyed the format of the pages in some chapters (e。g。 text moving up and down the page to signify character going up and down a hill), it was a unique form of story telling for reading, and it didn't really feel I was reading a book at times other times it felt as if I was reading a textbook, with all the footnotes within footnotes within footness (reference here to Pale Fire, of which this book reminds me of in terms of using foreword and footnotes to tell a story)。 Overall, great story, but might not be for everyone。 。。。more

Miranda

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers。 To view it, click here。 I picked this book up because I have a fondness for creepy weird houses, and it sounded right up my alley。 In short it fucking sucks。 I only got halfway through the book before I put it down and honestly I'm surprised I even got that far。The main character/narrator or whatever role Johnny plays in this thing is a misogynistic asshole, and while I have no qualms about reading a story where the leading character is an overall dick, the misogyny extends beyond Johnny to every part of the book。There I picked this book up because I have a fondness for creepy weird houses, and it sounded right up my alley。 In short it fucking sucks。 I only got halfway through the book before I put it down and honestly I'm surprised I even got that far。The main character/narrator or whatever role Johnny plays in this thing is a misogynistic asshole, and while I have no qualms about reading a story where the leading character is an overall dick, the misogyny extends beyond Johnny to every part of the book。There are many female characters, but often they are the impossibly beautiful one night stands Johnny happens to land, they are there for that scene and are gone。 One of the more important ones isn't even named, he just calls her Thumper because he never bothered to ask。But perhaps the most important female characters is Karen, who has no interiority, does not exist outside of her Not-Husband, and is over all characterized as a bitch and a cheater despite the fact that she does absolutely nothing but faint and cry and scared。 She doesn't even cheat, all instances of her unfaithfulness are secondhand, and the one kiss she does share with someone else wasn't even initiated by her, and she didn't even kiss back。Along with misogyny, it features a healthy dose of ableism as well, treating it's handicapped character like he is worth less because he has to use a wheelchair。When it come to horror it is really, really important that you care about the people the horror is happening to。 I did not give a flying fuck about any of this people。 Actually, that's a lie, I wanted Karen to make it out okay out of spite alone。 She deserves to be in a better story。The formatting of the book is interesting, I like how it winds and flips itself without purpose, like how the house it's about also winds and is a confusing ever changing labyrinth。But that's about it, liking how it's formatted isn't enough to save it。Also I noticed a little theme it was starting to do, and immediately the author had to point it out to me and I just decided I was done。It's pretentious and no respect for the actual intelligence for the reader。Learn how to write women。 。。。more

Tomasz Bartczak

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Ryan Hansen

This book beat me up in an alleyway and left me for dead。 I have lost the ability to exist in the human form。 I am so confused??? But it's a favourite book of all time???? Or is it a least favourite????????? I DON'T KNOW。 This book beat me up in an alleyway and left me for dead。 I have lost the ability to exist in the human form。 I am so confused??? But it's a favourite book of all time???? Or is it a least favourite????????? I DON'T KNOW。 。。。more

Amos Lamb

If I could put half stars this would be a 9/10 rather than the full 10。 But this is definitely a book I want to revisit because it still feels like there’s so much to peel back and uncover。 The structure is incredible and the way that the book moves between the different voices and stories is always done so well and at just the right moment。

Jessie

Outside of the unique page formatting, the writing is dull and utterly boring。 I couldn’t find any amusement from it and honestly felt discouraged after finishing it。

Christian Keller

Interesting idea that was an unnecessary slog。

Thom

Such a strange story。

Mason Frierson

House of Leaves was recommended to me by a friend and I have to say, this book is incredible。 I was taken by the unreliable narrator of Johnny Truant, and I was enthralled by the journey Navidson endured in reclaiming his life from the horrifying macguffin that was the house his family lived in (and people died horribly in)。Navy and Johnny were two sides of the same coin, bound together by the mysterious scratches of a dead, Milton-esque man。 Their stories were so disparate and yet so interconne House of Leaves was recommended to me by a friend and I have to say, this book is incredible。 I was taken by the unreliable narrator of Johnny Truant, and I was enthralled by the journey Navidson endured in reclaiming his life from the horrifying macguffin that was the house his family lived in (and people died horribly in)。Navy and Johnny were two sides of the same coin, bound together by the mysterious scratches of a dead, Milton-esque man。 Their stories were so disparate and yet so interconnected。 The fabric between them was everywhere from rough and roughly hewn to diaphanous and metaphysical。 The footnotes of footnotes were layers upon layers -- toying with the reality in which the contents of the book existed。 Rules were set up and broken, and yet, everything was cohesive as long as the reader had the endurance to follow along。If you like suspense, horror, and having nightmares about books (I'm serious), then this one is for you。 The story will affect you on multiple levels。 Buy this book。 MAKE SURE you get the one that's FULL COLOR。 Read everything。 Don't skip ahead or flip through the book before you begin reading。 If you get vertigo halfway through, that just means you're fully appreciating Danielewski's work。 Hands down, the most entertaining book I've ever read。 It was a joy to read。 。。。more

Dominic Giambra

I don’t know what to say。 I hated the first 100 pages of the book and multiple times I said I was going to put it away and read something else, but I never did。 The book never changed but sometime after those first 100 pages something inside me slowly changed (or was it abruptly?) and I was hooked。 Reading 100s of pages at a time。 Rotating the book to get every last word。 I feel emptier now than when I started。 I feel unsettled。 I feel confused。 And I’ll relish every moment of it。 This book is a I don’t know what to say。 I hated the first 100 pages of the book and multiple times I said I was going to put it away and read something else, but I never did。 The book never changed but sometime after those first 100 pages something inside me slowly changed (or was it abruptly?) and I was hooked。 Reading 100s of pages at a time。 Rotating the book to get every last word。 I feel emptier now than when I started。 I feel unsettled。 I feel confused。 And I’ll relish every moment of it。 This book is a labyrinth, there’s no straight path through it, just like life。 Read it。 Buy it。 Consume it。 。。。more

Miloman

4。4/5 A part of me feels like I *need* to rate this closer to 5 but I just found a few things off-putting, at times Johnny's description of sex was just too graphic for my taste。 Beyond that this book was just insane, so clever and thought out。 So many layers and so much meaning, when I finished the book I went on the internet to find out what the hell the definitive answer to what this book was about。 All I found was theories and cult following forums and discoveires because this book isn't the 4。4/5 A part of me feels like I *need* to rate this closer to 5 but I just found a few things off-putting, at times Johnny's description of sex was just too graphic for my taste。 Beyond that this book was just insane, so clever and thought out。 So many layers and so much meaning, when I finished the book I went on the internet to find out what the hell the definitive answer to what this book was about。 All I found was theories and cult following forums and discoveires because this book isn't the type of book that has one set interpretation, there are so many you can read this novel and to be honest each one is correct in its own right。 。。。more

Buchsy

What an intense story(stories(storeys?)?)。Johnny's descent into paranoid schizophrenia (or at least some form of a mental health crisis)Navy's descent into the houseZampanò's deep dive (descent?) into a movie that doesn't(?) existA fantastic book, shockingly hard to read at times (not even accounting for the layout), sometimes hitting far too close to home for me personally。The only complaint I've got is that I recommended it to both of my parents before getting to Johnny's graphic sex scenes。 B What an intense story(stories(storeys?)?)。Johnny's descent into paranoid schizophrenia (or at least some form of a mental health crisis)Navy's descent into the houseZampanò's deep dive (descent?) into a movie that doesn't(?) existA fantastic book, shockingly hard to read at times (not even accounting for the layout), sometimes hitting far too close to home for me personally。The only complaint I've got is that I recommended it to both of my parents before getting to Johnny's graphic sex scenes。 Bit awkward。 。。。more

Micah Bomar

I don’t get it。 I had so much hope and wondered if there was something I was missing。 It’s an absolute mess。 And it’s not even that engaging of a story。 Waste of time。

Diane Pruitt

I gave it no stars because it was absolutely the worst book I have ever read。 Makes no sense whatsoever。 I kept reading it with the hope that it would finally start to get better but now that I've finished it, I'm very disappointed。 I honestly don't know what people are thinking when they give this book a good review。 Too many story lines going on and there is no way to follow the overall story if there even is one。 It's been advertised as a terrifying story but there was nothing terrifying abou I gave it no stars because it was absolutely the worst book I have ever read。 Makes no sense whatsoever。 I kept reading it with the hope that it would finally start to get better but now that I've finished it, I'm very disappointed。 I honestly don't know what people are thinking when they give this book a good review。 Too many story lines going on and there is no way to follow the overall story if there even is one。 It's been advertised as a terrifying story but there was nothing terrifying about it other than the poor style of writing。 。。。more

Emily Mangum

DNF at about 300 pages in。 I tried to finish this book twice。 Both times it put me into a reading slump。 From what I read, there were definitely moments of terror。 But those moments were sandwiched in between pages and pages of technical readings and crazy ramblings of a character who is loosing his mind。 It’s certainly an interesting idea for a book。 This is a book, that if I had been forced to read, I think I would have gotten to the end and actually liked, but trying to get through it on my o DNF at about 300 pages in。 I tried to finish this book twice。 Both times it put me into a reading slump。 From what I read, there were definitely moments of terror。 But those moments were sandwiched in between pages and pages of technical readings and crazy ramblings of a character who is loosing his mind。 It’s certainly an interesting idea for a book。 This is a book, that if I had been forced to read, I think I would have gotten to the end and actually liked, but trying to get through it on my own? Nah。 Too many other good books to read。 。。。more

Rachel K

Took me a third of the way through it till it stopped feeling like a slog。 Not really a horror more about human loneliness, horrors of the mind but so many themes。 Fair play to the author for all of the extensive references and how its so disjointedly written。

Kelsey Osos

A mildly interesting premise which ends up comprising maybe only about 20-25% of the total book。 It’s very much let down by the unfortunate presentation - I feel like most people, myself included, find no enjoyment in reading research papers with their constant references and clunky presentation of past viewpoints; I’m not sure why anybody would want to read one that is entirely fake, with references to nonexistent articles and essays and dry presentations of conflicting viewpoints about inciden A mildly interesting premise which ends up comprising maybe only about 20-25% of the total book。 It’s very much let down by the unfortunate presentation - I feel like most people, myself included, find no enjoyment in reading research papers with their constant references and clunky presentation of past viewpoints; I’m not sure why anybody would want to read one that is entirely fake, with references to nonexistent articles and essays and dry presentations of conflicting viewpoints about incidents which never happened。 All of this to say nothing of the in-universe author’s rambling detours into his sexual exploits。There are some exciting bits and interesting ideas throughout, but I had trouble enjoying them since honestly I was just reading quickly because I wanted to be done with the book。 。。。more

T。B。 Caine

My Booktubewow。 This truly is one of the worst experiences in my entire life。 I have no idea how this is even qualified as "scary" or "horror" when I, a total weak-willed pansy that does not watch horror media in any way/shape/form, did not get a single goosebump in my entire reading experience。 i have no idea what everyone is finding so scary here。 I have read a few classics in my time。 I am aware of when books have merit that I just might not understand or fully appreciate。 That is not the ca My Booktubewow。 This truly is one of the worst experiences in my entire life。 I have no idea how this is even qualified as "scary" or "horror" when I, a total weak-willed pansy that does not watch horror media in any way/shape/form, did not get a single goosebump in my entire reading experience。 i have no idea what everyone is finding so scary here。 I have read a few classics in my time。 I am aware of when books have merit that I just might not understand or fully appreciate。 That is not the case with this book。 This is just bad。 And poorly done。 You can tell the book only got popular because of the formatting。 (which, btw, is such a minor thing I honestly wouldn't even call it a selling point。 You don't flip back/forth as much as you'd expect and the pages that look all wacky are still super easy to read)。 Probably a reason people only talk about this and not the author's other works, they're all formatted in weird ways too but this was the *first* so everyone cares only for the weird formatting。 I get this is supposed to be some satire on academia, but。。。 satire is usually short for a reason。 I can see a variety of ways this satirizes academia。 But its just so long for no actual purpose that its satire becomes trite。 Like yep, sure the length and diction is commentary on how academia is usually full of made-up words and tedious to read, but that is why satire is usually short。 And not over 700 pages of it。 When you have less than 5 points of satire about a thing, you can't really drag it out for that long and expect it to be good。 Because this book is not good。 There is a reason fake news sites like The Onion, Reductress, Hard Times, etc。 are not publishing 500 pages novels and stick to headlines + a few paragraphs。 Satire is only effective for as long as it is engaging。 The ONE good thing I can say about this is that the concept of a house expanding is cool, but is wasted。 You could honestly cut out all of the wacky footnotes + Truant's sections, leaving the full Navidson Record and it would be an infinitely better book because of it。 Truant's sections literally add nothing to the book。 It feels like an excess that didn't get trimmed and his character is just as flat at the beginning as it is at the end。 Sure, he goes crazy but that is his entire character arc。 You want a book showing the mental decline of a character that does it faster AND better? The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson。 Also: the entire appendix (roughly 200 pages) could be removed entirely since it added nothing to the reading experience。 Imagine wasting 200 pages of ink and paper like that。 As a whole this book does a great job of showing white privilege。 A cishet white man was able to get a pain in the ass novel like this published while women, people of color, and queer people get blocked at the door to publishing if their stories are even SLIGHTLY hard to grasp for the old white men at the top。 Meanwhile。。。 this pretentious white man manifesto is heralded as the new dawn of literature because he randomly spaced out pages and made words go in funny directions。 And ooo he used the "strike-through" and "font color" features on word。 Groundbreaking。 If you really miss the days of reading academic journals badly enough to even CONSIDER reading this trash, just read actual academic journals。 They actually have a point/purpose, if unwieldy and too long。 。。。more

Femur

Reading this book made my head hurt in a good way。 Realities within realities。

Carolyne

This book was a masterpiece that reminded me of the movie "Inception"。 It's a thing within the other, but is it really? I am not someone that enjoys writing reviews and I do want to put spoilers。 I will say a few things I felt:1- I did not find the book scary。 This isn't horror, did not give me nightmares or made me keep lights on。 Why? Probably because I felt it described my sometimes crippling anxiety。 Spot on!2- The more you read House of Leaves, the more you feel you are in the same place as This book was a masterpiece that reminded me of the movie "Inception"。 It's a thing within the other, but is it really? I am not someone that enjoys writing reviews and I do want to put spoilers。 I will say a few things I felt:1- I did not find the book scary。 This isn't horror, did not give me nightmares or made me keep lights on。 Why? Probably because I felt it described my sometimes crippling anxiety。 Spot on!2- The more you read House of Leaves, the more you feel you are in the same place as the character/characters。 3- You will use a lot of brain power。 You will want to go back and re-read because you missed a detail。 You can't read the book twice the same way。 4- You will feel strange, even uncanny, depending how much you commit to reading it and how you do it。 。。。more

Shruti

Did the author achieve his purpose??

Simon Beckmann

I"I'm hauntedBy the hallways in this tiny roomThe echoes there of me and you"~ Poe I hate this book。 I hate it。 I hate it。I hate this book。 I hate that it keeps me up for way too long, that it's so long, that it's so confusing。 That it doesn't immediately unravels itself, that I feel like I don't understand much of what it has to say or even what is happening。I also love this book。 In fact it is the best I have read this year。 House of Leaves is a cult classic for a reason。 It's postmodern ergod I"I'm hauntedBy the hallways in this tiny roomThe echoes there of me and you"~ Poe I hate this book。 I hate it。 I hate it。I hate this book。 I hate that it keeps me up for way too long, that it's so long, that it's so confusing。 That it doesn't immediately unravels itself, that I feel like I don't understand much of what it has to say or even what is happening。I also love this book。 In fact it is the best I have read this year。 House of Leaves is a cult classic for a reason。 It's postmodern ergodic format is still unique even 21 years later。 Most codes are still not unraveled and being currently unraveled by countless readers in the offical forums, the reddit and other communities founded around this book。 Already being familar with the SCP Project, Analogue Horror, Creepypastas, Liminal Spaces and Adult Swim Horror Shorts, I realized just how much of modern horror is inspired by the way House of Leaves tells it's story。The book itself is a labyrinth of different fonts, footnotes¹, pictures, poems, letters and scribbles。 It's entire layout and structure are designed to confuse you and get you lost in it's story。 You can never tell how much you have already read and how much is left。 A 10 page chapter will cost you more than an hour, following footnotes to a part of the Appendix with compiled letters, reading small print and text walls。 Then other times you will brush through 100 pages, because there are only a few words or they remain completely empty。 Mark Z。 Danielewski doesn't do this randomly though。 The formatting always resembles what is happening in the story or what happened to the "book in the book", sometimes ink has been spilled over the paper or a chapter is just a collection of different notes taped together。 Great, the structure tells the story but what is the story?`Well, if it was that simple。 House of Leaves is a book about a book called House of Leaves, which was written by a man named Johnny Truant, who finds a manuscript for a book, by an old blind man named Zampano, which is an academic analysis of a movie called "The Navidson Records", which is a story about a man named Navidson, who moves into a house, which is slightly bigger on the inside than on the outside and which is expanding into an endless maze of stairwells and giant halls。Which means, that you'll jump from reading a dry movie analysis to a footnote describing a wild sex story of the tattoo artist Johnny Truant in the midst of a sentence, in the matter of seconds。 And House of Leaves is huge。 It's heavy。 It's over 700 pages long。 There are so many connections, that it is impossible to understand them in one reading and demonstrated by the still ongoing analysis and discussion, it is impossible to understand them EVER。 House of Leaves requires a lot of willingness from the reader。 I'd really recommend listening to the wonderful Album "Haunted" by Poe, who is the sister of Mark Z。 Danielewski, before, after or while reading。 Some of the songs are even used in popular video games and media completely disconnected from HoL。 The fact, that you have to read a book to listen to an album to understand references in the lyrics to understand references to Poe's music in the book is probably the most HoL concept ever。 To analyse the various topics of architecture, horror, love, loneliness, mental illness, addiction, art and more would genuinely take way too long for any review。 I'm not even gonna pretend I understand more than maybe 10% of this book。 I really hated reading some of the text in House of Leaves。 It can be extremely boring, uninteresting, dry, infuriating, tedious, but in a way it wants to be。 Many parts are not meant to be read and as someone who is used to classic literature it's weird to say that I haven't read all of the letters in this book。 You have to give up on some parts and skip them。 A list of 500 buildings in the world doesn't need to be read。 It contains code, which I found out later on Reddit, but I already spent enough time writing on bookmarks and pieces of paper trying to crack some of the code in the Whalestone Letters。 House of Leaves is about being haunted。 It's about letting go of obsession。 Johnny Truant is obsessed with Zampano's text so much he slowly loses his sanity。 And you will too if you really try to understand 100% of this book。 No one does。 Not even Mark Z。 Danielewski does。 You have been warned from the very first page。 "This book isn't for you"House of Leaves is not an easy and fun read。 It takes very long。 It can be actually frightening。 Took me about 3 weeks。 But it will haunt you, you will obsess over it and follow old 2006 forum posts, take notes on pieces of paper。 It will never leave you。 Be warned。 Who enters the maze might never escape the Minotaur。 ¹ Also used frequently in other ergodic literature like Infinite Jest - Ed。 。。。more