Slade House by David Mitchell - Review

Slade House by David Mitchell
Reviewed by Amanda Kennedy on January 8th, 2016

I first saw Slade House on the seasonal showcase table in Waterstones, just before Halloween. That day I was browsing for something scary and suspenseful to celebrate the witching season. Despite having loved The Bone Clocks, I put this one back on the table. To me, the yellow cover and hardback format screamed "serious novel", not one which would draw me in and keep me on my toes until the very last page.

How I wish I'd chosen this instead of the silly (still unfinished) paperback I'd taken home instead!

Still, January is as good a time as any to really immerse oneself into a story of horror, magic and suspense. You see, if you happen to find yourself down a dark alley beside a working-class, British pub in London, watch out for a small, black iron door. If you find it, a stranger might invite you inside. Once there, you'll never want to leave...

Mitchell's skill at weaving together stories from across time and generations is just as powerful in Slade House as I experienced in The Bone Clocks. Perhaps more so, in this pared down form which offers exactly the right amount of reading time for me to have read it in a single sitting. The twists and turns were exquisite, with each change of character I was transported again, right through to the last person to enter Slade House and the delight at realising I had met this person before...

I absolutely loved Slade House, and plan on reading it again for myself this coming Halloween. Unless, of course, David Mitchell spoils us all by releasing another story of this type!

Rating: 5 our of 5 stars.