![image.png](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/evih/EoeDYrW6VKvArE656XVYoZMzSqNr3uQoTf5vdZ4Hv6SDFGVQmCAWS49wyZtMSxbLSYc.png)
[source](https://roomescapeartist.com/2022/10/30/house-of-leaves-book-review)


So my final thoughts are mixed. If I were to rate it based purely on its idea, execution, and the work put into it, it would probably be a 5/5. But when I factor in my own enjoyment of reading it, that’s a different story suddenly... It is not my favourite and not even my favourite metafiction because Pale Fire by Nabokov exists.  I feel like it's a book I might enjoy more on a reread, maybe. Anyway  it is an insanely complex book with layers upon layers and a thousand possible interpretations. I am mostly satisfied with the idea that you can understand it however you want, but there are some missing details and bits of info that annoy me. Like when Zampano died and we got info about holes in the floor and other weird things. What was that about, why was it there, does it actually matter? I guess that’s (again) the whole point interpret it how you like: supernatural, unreliable narrator (once again), psychological/metaphorical meaning, etc. But sometimes I just wish there was a bit more substance, because suddenly everything feels like “yeah, it’s whatever you want it to be”. I don’t even know myself how I understand this book or what I want it to be. I guess maybe that Zampano wrote something that isn’t real but Johnny is real and slowly descends into madness while reading and trying to understand it. So Johnny is me I don’t think it gripped me enough to go on a deep dive into all the articles and interpretations out there. I think I’m happy with how I feel about it, which actually makes me like it a bit more after all. Maybe it achieved what it wanted. I assume the most common interpretation is that the house is a metaphor for the relationship between Will and Karen and/or for trauma, grief, life struggle sand problems? 3.75/5