It’s the summer of 1993, and university student Alex Lane has no job, nowhere to live, and no plan. In a strange twist of fate, he ends up joining a team of students tasked with clearing out an abandoned hospital for
development by the university, and the nearby manor, Solace House. What they find in Solace House is a spectacular mess, reflecting the mental state of the manor’s former inhabitant, Edwin Flayne. Under all that mess though lays buried dark secrets, otherworldly forces, and a profound madness that just might be contagious.
Wow. This is one of those reviews that is kind of a struggle to write because there’s just so much. I think it’s best to go in pretty blind, so I’m not going to get into the plot too much, but rest assured, it’s insane. I’ve seen this marketed as The Secret History meets House of Leaves, and I think that is a pretty solid comparison, but if I may make a more niche comparison, I think Solace House is like if The Starless Sea was a horror novel. Stories within stories—mazes within mazes. That’s a massive compliment from me, so I hope it intrigues you enough to pick this up.
I read this book while I was sick and I wouldn’t say that’s advisable but it might kind of be the best way to read this because it feels like a fever dream in the best way possible. I don’t usually like really trippy, surreal type books because I think it usually detracts from the stakes, but there is order and consequence underlying the chaos in this book. It’s also such a magical book, which for some people might seem contradictory for a horror novel, but I think the best horror novels are a little magical because the contrast makes them all-the-more shocking. Some of the descriptions of the house and the rooms and objects within are disturbing, but so beautiful and detailed that it helps build the vibe of this summer. This is a random group of young people, some of which are pretty damn weird, bonding over the shared experience of this uncanny place. Even without any basis for their relationships, they’re connected by forced proximity and the kind of disturbed wonder of uncovering Flayne’s life story, even as there starts to be conflict within the group and the lines of reality blur. I understand why they stayed, because to me this would also be an irresistible temptation. They’re in their own little world, uncovering something bigger than themselves—something horrible and enchanting.
I have not been easy to please in terms of books this year, but Solace House blew me away. I was awestruck and sick to my stomach, my brain cooked by fever, and I loved every minute of it. I will absolutely be keeping an eye on Will Maclean because holy shit, this was awesome!
Thank you to Will Maclean and Grove Press for this ARC in exchange for my full, honest review!
Happy reading!
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