The Night Guest was a quick read that will surely pull you in… HOWEVER! The ending was a huge letdown and is really what brought me to my 2.5 star rating.

4.5🌟
The Night Guest by Hildur Knútsdóttir is a well written, creepy, psychological horror novella.
TW: Death of cats, but without the details of the deaths.
I really enjoyed this quick read. Loved the short chapters. The surprising ending made you think, but I loved it. Although the story did leave me with a few unanswered questions.
I would definitely recommend.
Thank you NetGalley and Tor Publishing for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

What. The actual fuck. Did I just read?

I read this in one day, couple hours because I had to know what was going to happen. It's been a long time since a book so thoroughly messed with my mind. This is the perfect length. I feel like I was losing my mind along with her. Of course some I was able to piece together before her, but I'm not currently sleep deprived, so that probably helped.

I think I'ma have to read this another 3 times so get my mind right with it.

TW: death (killing) of cats (plural).

Not sure how I feel about this one.

I felt it was easy to read and I felt empathy towards the main character. But I felt the ending was rushed and left too open ended. That there was no real resolution or solution explanation.

Just because the book made me think "what the fuck" to myself does not mean it counts as a mystery..

Rating: 2/5 ✰

Story:
The Night Guest is about a woman who wakes up every morning with constant, crippling fatigue no matter what she does to try and stop it. Even after a good night's sleep, Iðunn is sore and exhausted with doctor's unable to figure out what's going wrong. It's a short little novella with chapters that sometimes only contain a sentence or two, making it incredibly easy to get through.

Unfortunately, the entire story felt incredibly predictable, and there was little depth to actually create real interest in the characters or general plot. All of our interactions with the plot and the character felt very surface-level, even in the "payoff" chapters where the Iðunn has realizations about her situation. While the pacing and writing were solid, I think there desperately needed more care put into the characters and/or the various horror parts at the end. It just had so many loose ends, but not in an "oh wow how fascinating I wonder what happened" way, more like a "did the author forget about this/mean to add this in?" way.

Characters:
Speaking on the characters, there's actually very little we know about Iðunn besides the very basics. Her thoughts are all incredibly action-oriented and (I hate to use this description again but it's true) surface-level. All of her interactions with other characters felt aimless and shallow, which she even acknowledged. Still, the acknowledgement was in such a passing way that it felt like a way to just force personality traits on her and get on with the plot instead of properly fleshing her out. Many of the side characters, which I think we're supposed to care about or worry for, did not even get that bare minimum. I think if we just had more to attach us to (at least) Iðunn it would've helped the overall story so much.

Closing thoughts:
Just kinda horror porn without any real depth. Could've had something bigger to say about society, healthcare, mental illness, grief, or literally anything and just chose not to. This lack of criticism would've been fine if the plot and characters had been more solid, but they were also lacking. I really wanted to like this, and don't think it was necessarily the worst read or anything, I just wish it had realized it's potential a bit more. If you like horror just for the sake of it being horror you might like this one, but if you're hoping for mystery and anxiety like I was then I probably would not recommend.

Oooh, thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for a copy of The Night Guest. I didn't know what to expect--which made it fun!

The book is eerie and quick paced, but still really pacts a punch for any mystery and horror fans.

I’ve read this in Icelandic, and this translation is really great. The bleakness shines through even stronger in English.

Give yourself some time and tear through this in one sitting, late at night. It will stay with you after.

This was so unexpectedly good. I picked up this book because I tend to like some Icelandic authors and thought it was in interesting description, but I was sucked in from page one. I literally read this book in one sitting. It was incredibly atmospheric, evocative, and emotive. The plot was unexpected and fresh, I thought the author did an excellent job of creating an unstable MC. Highly recommend, I will be following this author to see what she puts out next.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for this early review copy!

This book was just WOW. I can already tell I will be thinking about this deliciously creepy and dark story for a long time. The chapters (and book) are short and they are so tense and pacey that the books flies by. I couldn’t put it down. The author builds the mounting dread and the collapse of the main character’s sanity so incredibly well. Even though I wished the ending was just a fraction less ambiguous, I still really loved this tense and creepy book!

https://www.instagram.com/p/C44VWYHrft9/ --> review on bookstagram

The Night Guest by Hildur Knútsdóttir was a very quick, interesting read.

The preface sounded so good and I feel like it had some potential but the writing seemed a little amateur and choppy. I know this was translated so I'm not sure if some things got lost in translation but I struggled with all the names throughout. I believe it's important to pay tribute to some Nordic cultures throughout while making it easier for english speakers.

There were multiple chapters that were only one page, a lot that were only one line or less than a page. This is something I've never seen before in a novel and It made it feel too segmented. Also in the writing, it's in the first persons point of view and we are seeing everything in her point of view and yet some of her internal dialog was in parentheses.

The story line seemed to be missing details at time and the end might have been metaphorical but I just found it confusing.

Thank you Netgalley and Tor Nightfire for the e-arc!

Compulsively readable. Deliciously horrific. These types of books that have a a thriller/mystery component, I never really love the "reveal" at the end. It never seems to match the build up for me, which is why I tend to avoid thrillers. Can't say I loved this "reveal" either but it was vague enough to make me like it more than usual and it leaned into the horror elements in the build up in a way I really enjoyed. It's also super fast with all the chapters being so brief that I FLEW through it. Definitely recommended for a quick scare!

The Night Guest offered an intriguing plot right from the jump. The translation was very well done and skillfully captured the eerie atmosphere. I was captivated by the fast paced narrative and found myself trying to solve the mysteries alongside the protagonist. While the story’s tense vibe and gruesome moments kept me on edge, the ending left me somewhat unsatisfied. The final chapters lacked clarity, leaving me wishing for more context or explanation. Regardless, I’d recommend it to those seeking a spooky fast-paced read.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

As selfishly as I would have loved this story to be longer, I think it was the perfect length to pack a punch. I was able to read it in one sitting. The formatting including the extremely short chapters and whatnot had me living in the main character’s sleepless world. Sometimes the pizzazz of a story gets lost in translation but The Night Guest did not fall victim to that. The next time someone asks for a recommendation for a book on sisterhood, this is what I am going to recommend 😂

The Night Guest is a bizarre novella about sleep walking, scared cats, and relationship drama. I was fully engaged for the first 75% of the novel, until things took a turn, and not in a great way.

The plot is gripping, the main character has interesting inner turmoil, but the ending makes no sense. If the novel was speculative and out there the whole time, then I would be more on board for the ending.

Definitely an interesting read with a chilling atmosphere. I would pick up another story from this author in the future.

The Night Guest by Hildur Knutsdottir is a captivating and suspenseful read that keeps you on the edge of your seat from beginning to end. The protagonist, Iðunn, is a relatable character struggling with a mysterious condition that no one seems to take seriously. The plot is well-paced and full of twists and turns that keep you guessing until the very end.

The author does a fantastic job of building tension and creating a sense of unease throughout the story. The writing is descriptive and immersive, drawing you into Iðunn's world as she tries to unravel the mystery of what is happening to her while she sleeps.

While I did find some aspects of the story predictable, overall I was thoroughly engrossed and eager to see how everything would unfold. The ending was satisfying and tied up the loose ends neatly.

I would highly recommend The Night Guest to fans of psychological thrillers and suspenseful novels. It's a thought-provoking and chilling read that will stay with you long after you've finished the last page.

I'm not generally a reader of horror, but this novella is special in that it manages to be as literary as it is scary. It's a fast-paced, character-driven piece that feels deeply interior and cinematic, simultaneously. You can see the landscape of Iceland, feel the crunch of the gravel, the chill in the air. I loved the quick chapters, as well as the vagueness of what is happening to the main character. Knútsdóttir seems to understand that there's only so long we can be kept in the dark, and even less time before a smart woman would start jumping to conclusions, and as such, she demonstrates restraint in drawing out the narrative for the sake of a page count. While I'm not entirely sure what was meant to have happened in the end, and I think I would've appreciated a little more of a conclusion (or even the same atmospheric drifting off, but with a bigger twist?), it certainly didn't ruin the book for me. If anything, I find it's stuck with me, as I'm still wondering what exactly was meant by the ending.
If you've read it, I'd be curious for your take... [Spoiler: Was the 'her' she refers to actually her vampiric alter ego, or was it actually her sister and the two are reunited in the end? I tend to side with the former, but I feel like the sister had to have been somehow involved... Like perhaps she experienced the same thing and that's why she killed herself?]

Still waiting for my head to stop spinning from this one. I definitely found myself trying to read faster so I could find out what the heck was happening.

I'm between a 3 and 4 star rating, and ultimately rounded down because of the abrupt ending. After sitting with what happened for a bit, I *think* I grasp the intentions of the author, but I wish there was just a smidge more explanation or meaning behind it all.

I'm grateful there was an English translation of this book so I could enjoy it. The chapters were quick, Iðunn was blunt and I appreciated her commentary throughout her experiences. A fast, creepy read that will make you think.

My boyfriend sleepwalks. I’m scared now and hugging my cat tighter. If you sleepwalk… beware.

Large bruises. Sore muscles. Kelp. Fatigue. 45,000 logged steps. This is what Iðunn wakes up to every morning. Several trips to the doctor rule out any of the major diseases Google said she might have. She refuses psychiatric help. And so Iðunn sets off to find out what exactly she’s been doing at night, and what she discovers is a nightmare come to life.

Eerie and compelling, you’ll be afraid to fall asleep at night after reading this quick novella. You’re transported to the streets of Iceland, described in chilling detail as Iðunn tries to figure out the mystery behind her night walks. You’re asking the same questions as Iðunn, following along with her every step.

One thing I really like about Iðunn is her self awareness. She’s a bit frustrating– and she knows that. She also has relatable hypochondriac tendencies. Iðunn is headstrong and determined to show that she’s not crazy by trying to figure this out herself (Personally, a sleep study would’ve been my next step).

There’s also a mystery surrounding Iðunn’s late sister. For me, I didn’t feel like all my questions got answered when it came to this. The novel comes to an abrupt (yet very thought provoking) ending. There is a bit of dissatisfaction as you read, but I really liked that for the most part.

If you’re wanting a quick horror fix, I highly recommend this novel. You could easily consume this in less than two hours. Forget horror movies, pick this up and be introduced to “the Night Guest”!

Thank you NetGalley and Tor Nightfire for lending me an e-copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was super entertaining but I was left wanting a little bit more. I'd love to read a full novel by this author.

A bizarre little horror novella with quite the ambiguous ending that left me feeling as exhausted as the main character

THE NIGHT GUEST by HILDUR KNÚTSDÓTTIR

Rating: 2🌟
Thrill level: 2/5🔪
Genre: general fiction, horror

A very fast paced, short chapter novella (literally, I started it late this morning and finished it already) that had me searching for a plot the entire time. It was just so odd with a lot of loose ends and so many questions. We know nothing about any characters introduced except for the bare minimum the author needed to provide to make it make some sense. At first I was thinking maybe it’s missing some things since it’s translated to English but there’s just too much missing for that. There is potential for greatness here but there would need to be a loooot of work.

And the ending….. The ending (several last chapters) is arguably the most disappointing. It is left open with lots of room for interpretation. Sometimes that works well especially in short stories, but in this case, I’d rather have the closure. I only kept reading for the sake of my curiosity, to find out the “why”, find a purpose to it, maybe understand the plot. So of course I was sadly disappointed when the story was left so unsatisfactory. It was not a novella where I wanted to be left wanting more.

I guess the thing about it that makes me think it’s worth a 2 in both rating and thrill is that it did somehow keep me wanting to read, to finish. It kept me curious and had a creepy, wtf vibe. Some could describe it as suspenseful, I’d say maybe a little 🤏🏼 eccentric.

Sadly, this one just counts towards the reading goal and I did not gain anything from it except a lost afternoon 🤷🏼‍♀️

Thank you @netgalley and to the author and publisher for providing me this opportunity to review! It wasn’t my cup of tea but based on other Goodreads reviews, lots of others enjoyed it.