Strange Houses: The perfect book to get you out of a ‘reading slump’

When returning to university, many students have difficulties finding time or motivation for recreational reading. This can lead to what many call a ‘reading slump’, where finding good books to read and finish feels almost impossible. Books remain unopened, unfinished, and one’s inner reader is both unsatisfied and unmotivated. For those who currently find themselves afflicted, I would prescribe Strange Houses as the perfect antidote to revive your reading habit and make you feel productive.

How can they explain the doorless storage space, the double hallways, or the windowless bedroom?

Written by Uketsu, this novella begins when our unnamed narrator is approached by an old friend to consult on the floor plans for his future house. While on the surface everything seems perfectly acceptable, further examination reveals small oddities. How can they explain the doorless storage space, the double hallways, or the windowless bedroom? What secrets is the house hiding? As the narrator tests theories and contacts old tenants, an old and terrible reality is unveiled. Eventually, he is no longer ensuring a good real-estate investment for a friend; instead, he now must track down the previous tenants with help from a strange woman he met online, who claims to want to help. A horrific tradition and secret are found, and is there any way to put a stop to the continued and dreadful purpose the house once concealed?

Strange Houses is the perfect book to kick you out of a reading slump. At only 200 pages long, it’s the ideal length to pique your interest while not letting you get overwhelmed by its size. It allows you to quickly feel the sense of accomplishment one finds with a finished book under their belt, motivating you to pick up other books. 

The omission of details about the narrator only adds to the overall feelings of mistrust and intrigue, leaving one to question how much we can trust the storyteller and his motives?

Written primarily through a series of recorded interviews and documented floor plans, the unique writing style Uketsu uses helps promote fast reading for all. The novel focuses on speech and fast-paced revelations of clues. In doing so, the style negates much character development or descriptions of settings, meaning it provides little immersive visuals. While this isn’t necessarily a bad aspect, it is worth noting the distinct writing style because this may be a dealbreaker for some readers. I personally enjoyed the style and how its simplicity allowed me to focus on the mystery, quickly building tension and intrigue, wasting no time in plunging you into the heart of the novel. The omission of details about the narrator only adds to the overall feelings of mistrust and intrigue, leaving one to question how much we can trust the storyteller and his motives.

Similarly, the book’s reliance on floor plans is extremely unique. This method allowed you to examine the mystery yourself and play ‘Sherlock’, while simultaneously guiding you step by step through each development in the investigation. It allows the reader agency and participation in the mystery by giving them a chance to formulate their own theories before the characters share their thoughts. It also meant the theories were easily explained, and the annotated floor plans were especially helpful in providing a visual aid to see developments and changes to theories.

If the architectural aspect is not for you, Uketsu’s other novel, Strange Pictures, follows a similar premise, but uses mysterious drawings on a blog to piece together the dark past that connects strangers. It reveals the danger that comes with investigating buried secrets. Both are great reads, and while they have a similar premise, they are not at all sequential. However, I would recommend Strange Houses to start with, it has a much more linear storyline and a smaller cast of characters, constituting an easier read. 

If you are looking for something fast-paced with a great mystery to revive your love of reading and get back into the habit of it, pick up Strange Houses. You will not regret it.