The Hollow Places

A Novel

341 pages

English language

Published Dec. 3, 2020

ISBN:
978-1-5344-5112-4
Copied ISBN!
Goodreads:
50892288

View on OpenLibrary

View on Inventaire

4 stars (29 reviews)

A young woman discovers a strange portal in her uncle’s house, leading to madness and terror in this gripping new novel.

Pray they are hungry.

Kara finds these words in the mysterious bunker that she’s discovered behind a hole in the wall of her uncle’s house. Freshly divorced and living back at home, Kara now becomes obsessed with these cryptic words and starts exploring the peculiar bunker—only to discover that it holds portals to countless alternate realities. But these places are haunted by creatures that seem to hear thoughts…and the more you fear them, the stronger they become.

1 edition

The Hollow Places

4 stars

The Hollow Places is a horror novel by T. Kingfisher. The premise is that newly divorced Kara goes back to live in her uncle's curio museum; when a mysterious hole in the wall appears and goes to what seems to be another dimension, she and her barista friend investigate. Overall, horror is not usually my cuppa but this was an enjoyable creepy ride (and I'll read anything by T. Kingfisher at this point).

But he groaned and stomped around the hall for a few minutes, then said, "Okay. But this is how people die in horror movies, you know."

"You're not the teensiest bit curious?

"I'm incredibly curious! I've just also seen horror movies!"

This book is intensely creepy at times, and the horror elements all the more unsettling for being fuzzy and unseen and unknowable. I wish a little that there was a little bit more character development or …

Review of 'The Hollow Places' on 'Goodreads'

3 stars

3.5/5

This book had such an interesting premise, the in-between world, the creepy atmosphere, the strange happenings. Yet it felt like there was still something missing, some piece to tie it all together better.

The descriptions of the willows and the strange world were great and really set the unsettling tone. I kind of wish more time was spent there and the mystery was unraveled further within that realm rather than getting all the information from outside sources. As much as the museum was a cool concept it didn’t feel all that connected.

However overall if you don’t overthink it, it’s a good story with an unsettling atmosphere and I did enjoy it.

Review of 'The Hollow Places' on 'Goodreads'

3 stars

There's a recurring mention of negative space in this book, specifically how the gaps themselves between a tree's leaves and branches can appear to be in the shape of something that isn't (couldn't? shouldn't?) be there. Stepping back from it and looking at the book as a whole, I feel like I can see everything I wanted it to do in all of the things it didn't.

The premise and setup is easy enough to follow; a recent divorcee is down on her luck and crashes at her eccentric uncle's place until she can get back on her feet. Said uncle owns a tourist trap in a small town in the Carolinas, and when a knee surgery takes him out of commission for a while, Kara's forced to hold down the fort by her own. One day she finds a new hole in one of the walls, she goes through …

The Hollow Places

3 stars

1) "Earl believes strongly in Jesus, Moses, the healing power of crystals, the Freemasons, the Illuminati, that aliens landed at Roswell but the government is suppressing it, secret histories, faith-healing, snake-handling, that there is an invention that will replace gasoline but the oil companies are suppressing it, chemtrails, demon-possession, the astonishing powers of Vicks VapoRub, and that there’s proof that aliens contacted the Mayans and the Aztecs and probably the Egyptians, but the scientists are suppressing it. He believes in Skunk Ape, Chupacabras, and he positively adores Mothman. He is not Catholic, but he believes in the miracle of Fatima, visions of Mary appearing on toast, and he is nearly positive that the end times are upon us, but seems to be okay with this, provided it does not interfere with museum hours."

2) "The final object in the box was wedged crosswise to fit. It was a wooden carving, …

avatar for Elspeth

rated it

4 stars
avatar for fjordic

rated it

4 stars
avatar for Azuaron

rated it

4 stars
avatar for AnneOminous

rated it

3 stars
avatar for mrkvm

rated it

4 stars
avatar for stinkingpig

rated it

5 stars
avatar for 73pctGeek

rated it

3 stars
avatar for spiralmind

rated it

4 stars
avatar for AudientVoid

rated it

3 stars
avatar for gtco

rated it

3 stars
avatar for WearyMads

rated it

4 stars
avatar for pneuma

rated it

3 stars
avatar for emily_rj

rated it

4 stars
avatar for alexmorse

rated it

4 stars
avatar for Nachtfalke

rated it

5 stars
avatar for ward

rated it

4 stars
avatar for cibertina

rated it

4 stars
avatar for biblio_creep

rated it

4 stars