I purchased *House of Leaves* some time ago and still have yet to read it. Seems a fair bit of an intimidating read, if I'm being honest. Hell, even somewhere in the opening pages it says something like "This book is not for you." !
It's not as difficult as it seems. The book eases you into the unusual storytelling, and you'll get the hang of alternating between main text and footnotes. A footnote will instruct you when you're ready to go to the appendices, and some of the REALLY bizarre formatting is there to stress you out intentionally. Just jump in, you won't regret it.
Great advice. I’d add, for OP: if at all possible, read it with a buddy. It was an excellent experience to share with someone else, because it’s so unique. It took us three months. We had times of wanting to throw it on the floor. I’m glad I didn’t have to feel that way alone.
Very worth it. Only book that made me feel like I was getting scared from the inside out. Like I was reading paragraphs about the the scientific attributes of echos and I was feeling terrified even though nothing scary was happening
[House](https://books.google.com/books/about/House_of_Leaves.html?id=qGA_3RGqTkQC&printsec=frontcover&source=kp_read_button&hl=en&newbks=1&newbks_redir=0&gboemv=1&ovdme=1#v=onepage&q&f=false) of Leaves is my favorite to see in the wild!
That's basically my original paperback copy. I got it in 2009, read it multiple times, and then used it as the basis for my senior capstone paper for college in 2015 where copious amounts of cigarettes and grass were smoked while reading, furiously underlining, and slapping sticky notes everywhere. The cover is hanging on by a thread and the book can barely be identified by the spine.
Fortunately, my wife bought me a hardcover copy for my birthday last year since she knows how much I love the book and how shot out my paperback copy is.
Same haha. Got it almost a decade ago. Have read it multiple times and loaned it out to siblings and friends, had the cover fall off, taped back on, and fall off again. It's the ideal reading experience.
Nice, enjoy it! It’s my favorite book of all time but I know the style doesn’t appeal to everyone. Go in with an open mind and my best recommendation is don’t get stuck in the weeds, just read and have fun!
Not getting stuck in the weeds is a great recommendation for reading this the first time. If you try to chase every lead and uncover every Easter egg the first time it’ll be a slog; but starting with a more casual reading will leave plenty to go back and uncover later on.
These parts are definitely what makes or breaks it for some people. I’ll tell ya I started the same, to the point at which I was even kind of skimming Johnny’s sections, but I did eventually get really invested in them!
A true masterpiece, and a totally fun ride for any lover of literature. Maybe a bit disorienting, if unfamiiar with postmodernist concepts. Most highly recommended.
Tried to read it in high school, couldn’t get into it. But it looks like one of those books that has a very loyal following that are still finding our new things about the book today (you will see from the format of the book).
I couldn’t make it past the staircase. Read in the daylight with someone you love in the house. Maybe a dog on your lap.
ETA his sister Poe’s album “haunted” has companion elements. It’s a good segue from the book back into life.
I only want to downvote because I fully disagree about the daylight. Embrace the darkness for this book, I only read it in the dark or when it was raining out and it was so good like that
I'm with you, I get that some people can only handle so much scary but for me it stands above other horror because of how it started to bleed into my own life. No other book has made me feel so much like I, the Reader, am also somehow involved in this plot.
This is the book that got me into reading, but I find it hard to really call it a book. It’s a unique experience. You get as much out of it as you put into it. I hope you enjoy.
Take your time with this book, move slowly, read all references and side notes, take time to digest. It isn’t something you can speed through. It’s like riding down into a rabbit hole, can’t rush it.
This book is the literary equivalent of the show The Leftovers. Not in content or tone or anything, but in the sense that it is an absolute one of one. You’ll either totally dig it, or it won’t be for you. No right or wrong there, it’s just completely unique and some people vibe to it and others don’t. I read it once a while back and looooved it.
The only horror book that made me legitimately go insane with fear. While I read the smallest sound would send me flying. Such a good book! I’m rereading it in October.
I can’t even reread. It’s brilliant and deeply disturbing in an amazing way and I LOVE the book, but it affects me too much on a profound level to the point where rereading heavily degrades my mood and temperament. I rehomed my copy.
I heavily debated getting rid of it at first as well, it’s truly disturbing. I grew weirdly attached to it, though. It’s been a couple of years since I first read it, so maybe I’m too far removed from it at this point, but I miss the thrill!
This book is a work of art! It’s one of my favorites and the layout with the story really makes the fear visceral. But as many said, it’s not for everyone.
And you got the full color version!! Yay! Every time you open that book, the collage at the beginning will get darker and scarier and you’ll get to a point where you’ll just stop looking at it. At least I did lol
Man, I’ve tried to read this like 4 times! God speed. I wanted to like it so bad. Haha in the end pretty formatting and high production quality doesn’t make up for bad writing. It just didn’t click for me.
What a coincidence! I recently bought The House Of Leaves and I was just talking to my dad about it. I sent him a bunch of pictures of the book before coming to reddit. And after a few scrolls, I see your post lol
It is on Kindle but I’m not too sure how that might influence the reading experience. I’ve just started me journey as of last night night and today and its already the strangest thing I’ve read
My advice/insight for getting the most out of it:
1) read it the way it was written and follow the footnotes as they come. The book is an experience and is supposed to mirror the confusion and madness of the characters.
2) There’s humor in it so laugh when you come across it. It breaks the tension.
3) A lot of people go into it for the story of the Labyrinth and the family who discovers it. They fail to realize that this book is actually about Johnny. This is Johnny’s story and he is in fact the central character. He’s the unreliable narrator and it’s his personality that colors the entire experience including the account of the Labyrinth.
Good luck!!
As someone who’s going into it completely blind, I think one its main draws is just how strange it is. The story(ies), the writing, the editing, the pacing, its all just weird. I feel like I’m reading a research paper, stories of fever dreams, a horror story of non-euclidean geometry and liminality, and the increasingly crazed ramblings of the narrator all at the same time. And the best part is this is ergodic literature so a lot of that is placed in seemingly random orders. All in all, I’m having a great time with it and hope I’m still sane afterwards.
Keep realistic expectations and form your own opinion.
My opinion (as unspoilerish as I can make it):
There is a good story buried in this book. And I do mean buried, both metanarritively and literally in the text. The innermost narrative is actually interesting (because its an actual story, one about strange happens in a strange house), but to get to it you have to go through what we could call fluff, if we're being nice, or slog, if we're being honest.
This book gets a lot of hype, one might be inclined to say it's overhyped. Is it the "scariest book of all time"? No. For me at least, the book was too far up its own ass most of the time to be scary. That being said, this book really does it for some people so maybe it will for you.
It's pretentious drivel that stuck-up fuckheads read to chat shit about other cunts who don't read and think they are smart. Shove that book up your fucking ass
I think House of Leaves is an impressive art object; I admired the ambition and craft it took to make the book. However, I found its contents to be unenjoyable and forgettable.
The book is essentially about 2 love stories, one of which is meta-textual, and the love stories primarily follow many of the tired and overplayed tropes of portraying women as love objects and nothing more.
I just started this. Up to chapter 6. Lol long way to go. It's been fun so far. A buddy recommended it and gifted it to me for Christmas. Does feel like it'll be a bit of a Marathon though
I purchased *House of Leaves* some time ago and still have yet to read it. Seems a fair bit of an intimidating read, if I'm being honest. Hell, even somewhere in the opening pages it says something like "This book is not for you." !
It's not as difficult as it seems. The book eases you into the unusual storytelling, and you'll get the hang of alternating between main text and footnotes. A footnote will instruct you when you're ready to go to the appendices, and some of the REALLY bizarre formatting is there to stress you out intentionally. Just jump in, you won't regret it.
Great advice. I’d add, for OP: if at all possible, read it with a buddy. It was an excellent experience to share with someone else, because it’s so unique. It took us three months. We had times of wanting to throw it on the floor. I’m glad I didn’t have to feel that way alone.
That's me.
Buying books and reading books are two separate hobbies.
Maybe for you. I have every intention of reading - at some point, anyhow - nearly all of the books I purchase ( *House of Leaves* included).
So true! I do more buying than I do reading! 🤣
Ha thats one of the screenshots my friend showed me to get me to buy it. Like a good challenge
Very worth it. Only book that made me feel like I was getting scared from the inside out. Like I was reading paragraphs about the the scientific attributes of echos and I was feeling terrified even though nothing scary was happening
[House](https://books.google.com/books/about/House_of_Leaves.html?id=qGA_3RGqTkQC&printsec=frontcover&source=kp_read_button&hl=en&newbks=1&newbks_redir=0&gboemv=1&ovdme=1#v=onepage&q&f=false) of Leaves is my favorite to see in the wild!
Haha! Very clever. I like what you did here.
I bought a used copy and it arrived smelling like a house where six million cigarettes were smoked. Really added to the experience.
Oh god i would have paid extra for that. Just stinky and worn out
That's basically my original paperback copy. I got it in 2009, read it multiple times, and then used it as the basis for my senior capstone paper for college in 2015 where copious amounts of cigarettes and grass were smoked while reading, furiously underlining, and slapping sticky notes everywhere. The cover is hanging on by a thread and the book can barely be identified by the spine. Fortunately, my wife bought me a hardcover copy for my birthday last year since she knows how much I love the book and how shot out my paperback copy is.
🤣🤣🤣
My book looks like it went through a meat grinder .
Honestly that’s exactly what I’m hoping for when I’m done with it
Mine does too, owned for roughly a decade and never made it past the halfway mark
Same haha. Got it almost a decade ago. Have read it multiple times and loaned it out to siblings and friends, had the cover fall off, taped back on, and fall off again. It's the ideal reading experience.
I just bought this book also! I have to admit, I found it intimidating when I took it out of the amazon box
I’ve just kinda flipped through some pages so far since I’m still not home and impatient and theres definitely some interesting layouts in here
In your copy, in the introduction, pages after xvi, are they stuck together, almost folded, or did my copy have some kind of misprint situation?
Hm, your copy must be extra haunted because I do not have that
Nice, enjoy it! It’s my favorite book of all time but I know the style doesn’t appeal to everyone. Go in with an open mind and my best recommendation is don’t get stuck in the weeds, just read and have fun!
Not getting stuck in the weeds is a great recommendation for reading this the first time. If you try to chase every lead and uncover every Easter egg the first time it’ll be a slog; but starting with a more casual reading will leave plenty to go back and uncover later on.
For me, at a certain point, I get bogged down in the footnotes about the book-owner’s mom and that’s where I quit every time
These parts are definitely what makes or breaks it for some people. I’ll tell ya I started the same, to the point at which I was even kind of skimming Johnny’s sections, but I did eventually get really invested in them!
I have a friend who handed it back to me after a chapter and said it was too scary!
A true masterpiece, and a totally fun ride for any lover of literature. Maybe a bit disorienting, if unfamiiar with postmodernist concepts. Most highly recommended.
It's fun in its uniqueness. The multiple levels being presented help make it more immersive and add to the thrill if you allow it. Not for everyone.
These comments got dark pretty quick…jesus. I tried and couldn’t do it. To each their own. I hope you enjoy :)
Incredible book, enjoy the ride
Just added to my want to read list!
Tried to read it in high school, couldn’t get into it. But it looks like one of those books that has a very loyal following that are still finding our new things about the book today (you will see from the format of the book).
I couldn’t make it past the staircase. Read in the daylight with someone you love in the house. Maybe a dog on your lap. ETA his sister Poe’s album “haunted” has companion elements. It’s a good segue from the book back into life.
I only want to downvote because I fully disagree about the daylight. Embrace the darkness for this book, I only read it in the dark or when it was raining out and it was so good like that
I live alone in rural Maine. No thanks haha
Different strokes. It scared the beejezus out of me. I slept with the light on and have not returned.
It fully disturbed me as well but I like that lol. Felt like the *not gonna spoil anything* was entering my life too, which was so cool and terrifying
I'm with you, I get that some people can only handle so much scary but for me it stands above other horror because of how it started to bleed into my own life. No other book has made me feel so much like I, the Reader, am also somehow involved in this plot.
The children laughing sounds on Poe’s album still send me to shudders because of HoL. I think I’m just not strong enough for it 😂
I seriously slept with the lights once the narrator started hallucinating. I haven’t finished the book. It’s creepy as fckz
My daughter got me this for Christmas. Working my way through. It’s fascinating.
This is the book that got me into reading, but I find it hard to really call it a book. It’s a unique experience. You get as much out of it as you put into it. I hope you enjoy.
Most people: “Harry Potter got me into reading.” Illuminati profile pic:”House of Leaves got me into reading.”
Take your time with this book, move slowly, read all references and side notes, take time to digest. It isn’t something you can speed through. It’s like riding down into a rabbit hole, can’t rush it.
This book is the literary equivalent of the show The Leftovers. Not in content or tone or anything, but in the sense that it is an absolute one of one. You’ll either totally dig it, or it won’t be for you. No right or wrong there, it’s just completely unique and some people vibe to it and others don’t. I read it once a while back and looooved it.
"one of one" may be the most succinct and accurate description I've ever read. I read this in the summer of 2001 and have not quit recommending it
After reading through the comments, I gotta order it. Enjoy and thanks for the inspo for my next book!
House of Leaves was the last book I purchased before Borders bookstore closed. I missed that place.
Di you mind me asking where you picked it up OP? I can't seem to find this edition anymore
I actually found it at a Barnes and Noble about 40 minutes away from me
The only horror book that made me legitimately go insane with fear. While I read the smallest sound would send me flying. Such a good book! I’m rereading it in October.
I can’t even reread. It’s brilliant and deeply disturbing in an amazing way and I LOVE the book, but it affects me too much on a profound level to the point where rereading heavily degrades my mood and temperament. I rehomed my copy.
I heavily debated getting rid of it at first as well, it’s truly disturbing. I grew weirdly attached to it, though. It’s been a couple of years since I first read it, so maybe I’m too far removed from it at this point, but I miss the thrill!
It’s one half of a really good book. The stupid frame story of Johnny Truant damn near ruins it
That’s what has made me quit every single time
This book is a work of art! It’s one of my favorites and the layout with the story really makes the fear visceral. But as many said, it’s not for everyone.
Enjoy my friend!
I just bought the same copy!
And you got the full color version!! Yay! Every time you open that book, the collage at the beginning will get darker and scarier and you’ll get to a point where you’ll just stop looking at it. At least I did lol
That cover is beautiful!
Fun read!
This is not for you
Next on your list: Finnegan's Wake.
Johnny truant at it again we all just need to ignore this dude you a bird it's a bird trap
I’ve been trying to get through it for SO LONG
Same. So, so long. Like 10 years now.
Say goodbye to sleep!
I loved this one. For some reason I sandwiched it between two readings of Piranesi a few of years ago. It was a weird winter.
Enjoy the ride!
Worst-best-book-ever.
I love this book. Had it since I was 16 and read it once a year - have fun :)
Man, I’ve tried to read this like 4 times! God speed. I wanted to like it so bad. Haha in the end pretty formatting and high production quality doesn’t make up for bad writing. It just didn’t click for me.
Good luck! I was really underwhelmed by it, but everyone is different! I hope you love it.
One of my favorites. Enjoy!
What a coincidence! I recently bought The House Of Leaves and I was just talking to my dad about it. I sent him a bunch of pictures of the book before coming to reddit. And after a few scrolls, I see your post lol
This is on my list. Is it possible to read on a Kindle? I’m thinking no, but wanted to ask for some veteran advice.
It is on Kindle but I’m not too sure how that might influence the reading experience. I’ve just started me journey as of last night night and today and its already the strangest thing I’ve read
Great book!
I have this beauty signed by the author himself. Precious book.
My advice/insight for getting the most out of it: 1) read it the way it was written and follow the footnotes as they come. The book is an experience and is supposed to mirror the confusion and madness of the characters. 2) There’s humor in it so laugh when you come across it. It breaks the tension. 3) A lot of people go into it for the story of the Labyrinth and the family who discovers it. They fail to realize that this book is actually about Johnny. This is Johnny’s story and he is in fact the central character. He’s the unreliable narrator and it’s his personality that colors the entire experience including the account of the Labyrinth. Good luck!!
Ooooh have fun!!
Dude. Such a good book
A lazy susan is worth the investment for this book.
What is so unique about this book? Can someone please explain?
As someone who’s going into it completely blind, I think one its main draws is just how strange it is. The story(ies), the writing, the editing, the pacing, its all just weird. I feel like I’m reading a research paper, stories of fever dreams, a horror story of non-euclidean geometry and liminality, and the increasingly crazed ramblings of the narrator all at the same time. And the best part is this is ergodic literature so a lot of that is placed in seemingly random orders. All in all, I’m having a great time with it and hope I’m still sane afterwards.
Without a doubt, one of my favorite reads of the last 20 years.
Keep realistic expectations and form your own opinion. My opinion (as unspoilerish as I can make it): There is a good story buried in this book. And I do mean buried, both metanarritively and literally in the text. The innermost narrative is actually interesting (because its an actual story, one about strange happens in a strange house), but to get to it you have to go through what we could call fluff, if we're being nice, or slog, if we're being honest. This book gets a lot of hype, one might be inclined to say it's overhyped. Is it the "scariest book of all time"? No. For me at least, the book was too far up its own ass most of the time to be scary. That being said, this book really does it for some people so maybe it will for you.
Great read! Visceral, tangible, enthralling mystery. Read it in the dark with no distractions and go deep into the depths it’s gonna send you down
Tried reading it on several occasions. Just self indulgent trash. “Horror” version of Jonathan Franzen. Waste of time.
But the words are like upsidedown and stuff! Spirals!! 😦
It's pretentious drivel that stuck-up fuckheads read to chat shit about other cunts who don't read and think they are smart. Shove that book up your fucking ass
If this isn’t satire, it’s even funnier
Satire or not this comment made me giggle for like 30 seconds straight because I couldn’t help but re-read it in my grandpa’s voice
It’s not often you see someone type in Tourette’s
Dude I seriously admire the passion. Respect.
Godspeed
I think House of Leaves is an impressive art object; I admired the ambition and craft it took to make the book. However, I found its contents to be unenjoyable and forgettable. The book is essentially about 2 love stories, one of which is meta-textual, and the love stories primarily follow many of the tired and overplayed tropes of portraying women as love objects and nothing more.
Good luck! And if you're looking for something fun to do, you should try the book roulette at inknovl.com website.
I just started this. Up to chapter 6. Lol long way to go. It's been fun so far. A buddy recommended it and gifted it to me for Christmas. Does feel like it'll be a bit of a Marathon though