Do you believe in giving authors a second chance? Not every book resonates with every reader, and there have been numerous occasions when a particular story failed to connect with me. Nevertheless, I am generally open to giving an author's writing another chance before deciding whether it aligns with my preferences. Take horror author Christopher Golden, for instance. I was familiar with his work for years but only delved into his novel Road of Bones last year. While I appreciated the clever setup and the chilling premise, the ending fell short of my expectations. Intrigued nonetheless, I decided to give Golden another opportunity with his latest book, The House of Last Resort.
Overflowing with abandoned villas left to decay, Becchina, Italy, remains largely forgotten, with only a handful of locals still residing there. It has become "...the corpse of a town that didn't even realize it was already dead." Eager to breathe life back into his town, the mayor proposes a final, desperate plan. The city acquires all the deserted homes, offering them to new families at the nominal price of one Euro. The only caveats are that the buyers must commit to a minimum investment to renovate and modernize their newfound residences and live there for at least five years. The concept gains traction, attracting people from various places who relocate to the quaint Italian town to embark on their fresh start.
Tommy and Kate Puglisi, a newly married couple from America, are among the newcomers enticed by the offer. With the flexibility of remote work and the added bonus of Tommy's grandparents living in Becchina, the move is a golden opportunity for the couple. It promises homeownership, quality time with family, and an adventure in romantic Italy. From the beginning, however, things take an unsettling turn. While initially appealing, their dream house on the hill raises reservations as a significant tremor shakes the earth upon their arrival. Even more foreboding is the reaction of Tommy's grandmother, who, instead of sharing in the family's joy, is filled with fear and anger. Nonna knows the house's history, and Tommy and Kate are about to discover they've signed up for more than they bargained for.
In The House of Last Resort, Christopher Golden masterfully constructs a narrative steeped in anticipation and foreboding. The notion of leaving one's home to pursue a better, more balanced life in a different country resonated with me, and I immediately connected with Tommy and Kate. Golden initiates the story with innocence, capturing the protagonist's joy and optimism for a fresh start. As moments of doubt begin to pepper this dream, both the characters and readers are left questioning everything. Even as the true horror became more apparent, I was irresistibly drawn into the story. It all culminates in an ending that poetically echoes the town's history that we learn about earlier in the book. Golden adeptly balances character development with a chilling plot, ensuring a narrative that engages the reader fully. The House of Last Resort delivers everything I seek in a horror read, and it has solidified my decision to explore more of this author's works in the near future.
For more information, visit the author's website, Amazon, and Goodreads.
(2024, 17)
It depends on how bad the first book was on whether or not I give authors a second chance. ;D Glad this one ended up being a better read.
ReplyDeleteAgreed. There are some authors who simply aren't for me, but Golden won me over with this one.
DeleteI do typically give an author a second, and possibly a third chance. But, after that, I am done. Your comment "The notion of leaving one's home to pursue a better, more balanced life in a different country resonated with me," is something me and my husband did back in 2007. We moved from our home in NC to Nairobi, Kenya. While the move was hard on so many levels, it ended up being better for our family overall. I have no regrets.
ReplyDeleteYour own story is something my husband and I have seriously considered in recent years. Especially with no children, a move abroad is definitely on the table for us.
DeleteIt very much depends on why a book didn't work for me that will determine whether I give an author another try. In this case, it's obvious that giving Golden a second chance really paid off!
ReplyDeleteI agree. I don't always give second chances, but Golden had enough promise that I decided to continue. I'm glad I did!
Delete"It all culminates in an ending that poetically echoes the town's history that we learn about earlier in the book."
ReplyDeleteIntriguing!
If my problem was with the genre or with the story, but I liked the writing enough, I'm open to give the author a second chance.
The ending definitely had some major pay off in this one!
DeleteIt depends. Sometimes I give second chances, sometimes i really should not have
ReplyDeleteI definitely don't give a third chance hahaha
DeleteIt depends on why I didn't like the first book I read. If it's a writing style or too wordy while reading the story I probably won't pick up another book.
ReplyDeleteThat's fair. If there's no redeeming quality in my eye, I probably won't give it another go.
DeleteIt truly depends. I am more likely to forgive a favorite author and read their next one, but rarely a new to me author. Now, this book sounds wonderful.
ReplyDeleteI'm more willing to forgive favorite authors too.
DeleteI will give this one a try solely based on your review. Road of Bones was a such a massive let down for me and it made me so mad because I loved all his work on Buffy. I am hold number 14 on 2 copies, so it will be a bit.
ReplyDeleteRoad of Bones was a miss for me too. This one is much better!
DeleteI won't lie, I struggle with giving authors second chances. You know, too may books, too little time. But it sounds like this worked out well for you and that you were so engrossed in the story
ReplyDeleteI have a hard time with that, too! The only reasons I am doing so for this one is because Christopher Golden was so heavily involved in the Buffy-verse.
DeleteTheres definitely an element of me not wanting to waste my time, so I get where you're coming from. I'm more willing to give a second chance if others are enjoying their work.
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