I really liked this book.August 13, 2008 1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Some the the reviewers of the book have not been so intrigued by it's suspense but I was, I liked that it wasn't your normal run of the mill mystery novel. It gave me more than the average who dun it. I admit I was not on the edge of my seat but I was genuinely intrigued by the characters and the mystery that surrounded them and how they dealt with the things that happened in the 'house next door' and what it eventually did to them. The ending was very unusual.
The House Next DoorJuly 15, 2008 3 out of 4 found this review helpful
I first picked up this book in 1983. Twenty-five years later, I can tell you that this book is one of my favorite horror stories.
Anne Rivers Siddon lulls you into a false security, using home and hearth- a false normalcy - and then smacks you with such supreme horror it rocks you. Her secret,I have noticed, is to allow you to believe that honor, faith in love, and hope in friendships will conquer all. Then she takes a small thread with a pointy fingernail and unravels it with absolute glee!
I would recommend this book to anyone wanting a great summer read! (Just make sure the house next door isn't under construction.)
The House You Can't ForgetMarch 1, 2008 2 out of 2 found this review helpful
In this story houses don't have to have previous owners to be haunted. Anne Rivers Siddons suggests, like Shirley Jackson, that some houses are intrinsically evil and able to prey upon the weaknesses of unsuspecting humans. No motive is necessary, only the opportunity.
The story is a little dated in its setting (Atlanta in the last third of the 20th Century) but story of the house along with the author's discussion of the worth of a small, graceful life, merits reading. The story is well-paced and the suspense tightens inexorably. This is not a story of gore but treachery, human weakness and how difficult bravery can be.
Not a nail biter scary; but another good read by SiddonsNovember 2, 2007 1 out of 1 found this review helpful
No, it's not scary like The Exorcist or Cujo, but it definitely does has a "creep factor" that makes this a fun little book worth reading! Set in Atlanta suburbs, the main characters are (whether they realize it or not) vaguely snobbish. Perhaps just because they live in their own little world and nothing "ugly" invades their space. Maybe that's why the "house next door" is even more appalling than it would be elsewhere. Here we are in this upscale Atlanta neighborhood with a house next door that doing some very strange things to its unlucky occupants. Nope, not a big mystery or hide under the blankets book, but definitely a nice curl-up-in-the-bed-with-a-hot-chocolate book. Enjoy!
Good book and social critiqueOctober 24, 2007 2 out of 2 found this review helpful
I enjoyed the creepiness of this novel and the social commentary underneath it: the idea that nothing bad should happen in upper middle class suburbia and that if it does, the well to do just MIGHT have to stand up for their principles for once. Anne Rivers Siddons makes these thematic points in the novel.
I found one of the best things about the book is that I was wondering what would happen to MY family if we moved into the house next door. Every family has problems, secrets, and struggles. The impending horrors of everyday life is the best horror, in my opinion. The premise is a fascinating and truly scary one. I wish Rivers Siddons had written more novels like this one! I like her others, but I enjoyed this different type of book from her.
