House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski
Adult Paperbacks - Main Level DANIELEWSKI
To describe Mark Danielewski’s novel House of Leaves in a few words would be somewhat impossible. However, I feel inclined to try anyway. Imagine a book, about a book, about a movie, about a photographer and his family who are living in a house that grows and changes from the inside yet remains static on the outside. Confused yet? Well that’s half the fun of House of Leaves. More than just a book about a haunted house, it focuses more on the concept of darkness. The darkness that grows inside us, and the absolute infinity that the illusion of darkness can create even if we are merely standing inside a closet. The book consists of two main narratives, one involving Johnny Truant, who comes across a monograph written by a blind man Zumpano. The other deals with the contents of this monograph detailing the experiences the photographer has inside the house. As if this wasn’t enough the two narratives begin to slowly dissolve leaving the reader to question if Truant isn’t just making the whole thing up himself.
The book itself is as much a labyrinth as the house is, inverting text on certain pages, single words on others, and for the truly adventurous a whole load of footnotes. In addition Danielewski’s sister, the musical artist Poe, made an entire album that is a companion piece to the book. While many may criticize the book as form over function, or simply view it as pretentious postmodern garbage, the enjoyment of House of Leaves depends solely on how much the reader wants to delve into the abyss. If you're willing to dive in with an open mind than you may find the experience more than rewarding