Review of The Insect House

[Chinemezu Okafor]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Insect House" by Shirley Day.]

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3 out of 4 stars

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Shirley Day’s The Insect House is a psychological mystery. It is a thriller like no other. An estranged brother returns home after decades as the circumstances surrounding his disappearance and return are somewhat unpleasant and mysterious.

Helen, a woman well past her prime, looks forward to her brother’s return with a mix of emotions, anxiety, affection, and fear. Her whole life has revolved around nursing an aging mother, being a doting wife, and keeping a dark family secret. Her husband, Tim, lives in a fantasy of his own, lusting after the beautiful Carla. Upon Gareth’s return, everything spirals out of control. Will Helen be able to manage this and heal her family? Or will she go down the drain with it?

I found this book very different. I don’t know if that is the right word for it. It was a bit slow and uninteresting at first, but the story climaxed beautifully as all the missing plot pieces came together in the end. The book was written in the third person, with each chapter dedicated to a main character’s point of view; the events were interwoven and explained in simple language. I also enjoyed the author’s adoption of suspense; from the get-go, I was curious to know who the priest was and how Helen and Gareth were connected to his death. Bits of truth is revealed to the reader at certain points to lure them to a satisfactory end.

Although I had a refreshing time with this book, I felt that the story was stretched far too long and that the conflict could have been resolved much earlier. I also observed that the book had far too many chapters, which ended up being exhausting in the long run.

Regardless, Shirley Day’s The Insect House is a truly marvelous piece of literature that is worth every minute. The book is a must-read for lovers of mystery and psychological thrillers. I recommend it for readers that are sixteen years and above. The book was well edited as I found only two notable errors, which I was able to pick out because I was looking out for them. I will rate the book 3 out of 4 stars; this is based on the fact that I feel the story should have ended way earlier than it did and also due to the lack of character development.

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The Insect House
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[Tshego module]

Loved the scenary and mood evoked in this book,with the beautiful use of diction it’s easier to understand the author perspective and point. An exquisite piece of writing,giving it a good 3.5/4

[Patty Allread]

After reading your review, I have one question: How does the title fit into the story? it seems incongruous.

[Amy Luman]

I'm really confused by the title. Your review makes no mention of it. I am intrigued by Gareth's return after so much time!and the upset it causes.

[Qeebah01___]

What could be the family secret? Where could Gareth have gone for decades? This story is definitely a mystery

[Nwaka Chukwuemeka]

Helen, is my favorite in this book. She is kind hearted , taking care of old woman is not an easy task. I can relate to it. Great review.

[Mahwish Asgher]

The title caught my eye and I was intrigued to learn more about the book. However I could not find any information about the title in your review. The plot seems interesting with a murder mystery and Helen seems to ge a nice kind hearted character.

[Diana Lowery]

I have to agree with the other comments. I was curious about the title. The blurb on the front gives a good indication of the symbolic meaning.

[abstactlemon]

I don't mind a slow burn as long as the ending is worth it, and it seems like it is. Thanks for your review.

[Eze Michael]

In my opinion, the title seems to be quite unrelated to the contents of the book, but I'd still love to read it and see if I can find a connection. Thanks for you honest review.

[noelhope]

I love psychological thrillers. I hope when I read it I will understand Helen and Gareth better when I read it. Amazing review.

[Radhika Nair]

A character's return after many years resulting in some disturbance in a family that probably has a juicy secret? Let me just get some snacks and coffee before I dive in. Great review!

[NetMassimo]

Despite the flaw you pointed out, this seems like an intriguing psychological thriller and I'm curious to know what's happened to Helen. Thank you for your great review!

[Jennifer Coxon]

Thank you for a great review. This isn’t what I was expecting from the book and the cover, but does sound intriguing. I think I’ll have to give it a try.