Hi all!

Welcome back to the bookclub! In February, we read Horrid by Katrina Leno for The You’ll Read Too Bookclub! Spoilers ahead!

Quick Reminder: This month we are reading The Exorcist by William Peter Blatty. 

Today I’m going to give a quick plot summary, plus my overall star/scare-factor ratings. Then I will share the discussion topics and trivia questions. Please include all your answers and opinions down below. I want to know exactly what you thought. I’ll also leave the answers to the trivia questions at the very bottom of the post. Without further ado, let’s get into it!

HORRID by KATRINA LENO – FEBRUARY 2021

PLOT SUMMARY 

Following her father’s death, Jane North-Robinson and her mom move from sunny California to a dreary, dilapidated old house in Maine, where her mother grew up. All they want is a fresh start, but behind North Manor’s doors, lurks a history that leaves them feeling more alone and more tormented. As the cold New England autumn arrives, and Jane settles in to her new home, she finds solace in old books and memories of her dad. She steadily begins making new friends, but also faces bullying from the resident “bad seed,” struggling to tamp down her own worst nature in response. Jane’s mom also seems to be spiraling with the return of her childhood home, but won’t reveal why. Then Jane discovers that the “storage room” her mom has kept locked, isn’t for storage at all. It’s a little girl’s bedroom, left untouched for years and not quite as empty of inhabitants as it appears. Is it grief? Mental illness? Or something more horrid?

OVERALL STAR RATING

I gave the book 2/5 stars. Unfortunately, it was the first bookclub pick I have not enjoyed. Basically, the ending was way too abrupt and unsatisfying. In the last twenty pages of the book, everything became very rushed and ridiculous. Jane’s mother Ruth disappears and her ‘supposed’ love interest, never develops into anything. It felt so lazy. What’s worse is I was loving the beginning; predicting a 5 star read. A whole lot of nothing happens in between the story and at times, it felt more like a contemporary novel, with horror undertones. It was a huge flop for me. 

OVERALL SCARE-FACTOR RATING

On the plus side, it definitely freaked me out. I gave it a scare-factor rating of 4/5. Sadly, the horror only occurs when Jane is at home. North Manor is where all the spooky action is. Jemima Rose was so twisted and evil. She had such a presence about her. That was what kept the book from sinking to a 1 star. 

DISCUSSION TOPICS

1.) Let’s talk about the ending. Were you satisfied with how things wrapped up?

NO! I absolutely hated the ending. That is why I gave it such a low rating. It was abrupt, confusing and lazy. I wish the book had been at least another 100 pages, providing some closure. It was beyond disappointing.

2.) Did this feel like a horror novel with contemporary undertones or a contemporary novel with horror undertones?

This felt like a contemporary novel, with horror undertones. It was a lot of going to school, making friends, working and flirting. It’s only when Jane’s at home, that we get hit with some horror. The scares, whilst creepy, were few and far between.

3.) Did you, at any point in the story, feel sorry for Jemima Rose? Why/why not?

I felt sorry that she was an innocent child, born into a chaotic household. However, her nature was cruel and vindictive; similar to her grandmother. She was nasty to her friend and her actions post-mortem, were pure evil. I have little sympathy for that devil spawn!

4.) What symbolism did you note regarding the black roses in bloom?

In my opinion, the symbolism lay in the innocence of a child turning dark. We know that when she was alive, Jemima dressed in beautiful outfits, giving the appearance of sweetness, but at the core of her heart, she was evil. The flowers in bloom let readers know Jemima’s haunting presence was beckoning.

5.) Aside from financial reasons, why do you think Ruth moved herself and Jane back to North Manor? 

If I were Ruth, I would’ve lived in a hovel before returning to North Manor! Having said that, I am a mother, who understands needing to keep a roof over your child’s head. I believe her decision was linked to the residual guilt about her dead daughter, Jemima, and the lack of connection to her parents. The question that was never truly clarified was: did Ruth realise her house was haunted by Jemima? Had she known that, I believe they would’ve hit the road once more.

TRIVIA QUESTIONS

Easy: What does Ruth eat when she is a child?

Medium: What was the name of the bookstore Jane worked at?

Hard: What is the name of the term that defines a secret everybody knows, except you?

I hope you enjoyed the book club discussion. As mentioned above, share all of your thoughts in the comments below! If you have any feedback/suggestions to improve the bookclub, please let me know. I look forward to talking to you all next month! Thanks for reading!

Peace & Love xoxo

TRIVIA ANSWERS: Easy: Her own hair. Medium: Beans & Books. Hard: Polichinelle.