This had me from the opening monologue. It's a gothic haunted house story, but the haunted house is a mid townhouse in a Dallas suburb with a shitty HOA, and the ghosts of childhood trauma vis a vis dominating parents, and maybe our main character a bit. Who can say? How this unfolds is absolutely amazing to watch, and there will be several points at which you will probably go "holy fucking shit" at what just went down. This leans heavier into the suspense of knowing there's something else in the dark hall with you, and trying to desperately ignore it. Pick this up when this comes out in October, it's absolutely a perfect fall read.

Gosh, this has to be the hardest review I've ever written. The reason is that there is so much to unpack, but I am also having problems processing the story, which largely follows Ezri's thoughts.

Right off the start, we found that Ezri was having some mental health issues. After a while we can understand that Ezri's problems can be traced back to Ezri's family home. Here, let me introduce you to the horror that's the Nightmare Mother:

'I haven't heard from my real mother in months, not since an email she sent last October asking to talk, but Nightmare Mother, Ghost Mother - always there in Mama's absence - texts me now. Children, the message reads, I miss your screams. Come play.'

And oh, there's something about a woman without a face, and sulphuric acid bathwater... *new fear unlocked*

Now be warned: while I rated this book highly, I don't think it is for everyone. This book is so hard for me to read. The story is meandering, switching back and forth in time. The lack of quotation marks for the dialogues made it worse. At times I find myself rather lost, and looking at a few other reviews for this book, that seemed to be the general consensus. However, rather than thinking of it as a weakness, I actually thought it was brilliant. Through this somewhat messy narration, we see the the chaos in Ezri's mind, and I can't help but to emphatize. After a while I thought, "No wonder Ezri needs a therapist!"

Ezri is an unreliable narrator, out of an inability to process the trauma and understand what happened. Ezri, Eve, and Emmanuelle just knew that things were off in the house, but could never fully explain the how's or the why's. During a game of hide-and-seek as a child, Ezri ended up in the attic, a feat that should not be possible given Ezri's height. Or how a boy who entered the house on a dare disappeared without a trace; Ezri's explanation that 'the house ate him good and proper' didn't help. Ezri was also deemed capable of performing disturbing deeds, such as writing a poem with ink made from the blood of a dead dog, and hence was often a convenient scapegoat.

If you read this book as just a horror story with a haunted house, it is frightening enough (disclaimer: I'm not the bravest person around so take this as a subjective evaluation of how scary it is). However, the true horror behind it is worse than the supernatural occurrences, in my opinion: this is a story of segregation, racism, of childhood trauma, sexual assault, gender identity, and pedophilia. Given all that, I might possibly prefer inexplicable slamming doors and unexplained wads of hair in the bathroom over the actual monsters in this story.

There is a twist towards the end of the book that explained so much, but also somehow made it more horrifying. Did I see that coming? Not at all; I was rather preoccupied with the missing child and the dead animals (oh, right, trigger warning: something tragic happened to a guinea pig. And fishes. Something about ants. Look, it's a lot, okay?).

I did find some subplots in this book to be rather unnecessary. Given that we are already saddled with a jumbled narration where we never once feel like we were standing on solid ground, the subplot of Ezri's daughter, Elijah, and her 'friend' felt a little too much. I kind of understood that there was a correlation between what happened in the past and what is happening to Elijah, but by that point I was just tired. There were also moments in the story that felt stagnant; no one knew where to go or what to do, and so they just sort of hung around grating on each other's nerves, which got draggy.

I have only read one other Rivers Solomon book, 'The Deep', which left a lasting impact on me. This book will join its counterpart in the bookshelf of my heart, for I am certain I will keep thinking about the woman without a face for a long time. *whimpers*

Thank you @netgalley and Farrar, Straus, and Giraud for the ARC!

#bookstagram #bookreview #bibliophile #booklover #bookaholic #bookaddict #reading #readinggoals #netgalley

Model Home by Rivers Solomon is a really clever, thoughtful rework of the haunted house genre. Solomon holds us at arms length the entire book, letting the slow burn haunt of the home make readers question just exactly what is going on. The novel doesn’t even take place in the house, which is a unique choice - much of the haunting is done through flashbacks and current processing of the main characters.

I think this is a book for people who enjoy slower, contemporary horror. The writing is really beautiful, carving out the clear trauma main character Ezri has lived through. As a reader, we don’t quite know what the trauma stems from or how Ezri has become the person they are in the present day. Solomon asks you to trust that they can take you on this journey, and that the story will bring you to the side of understanding. They do not overindulge or over inform; I really respect an author who can maintain that balance of leaving readers confused while also still moving the plot forward in a way that will eventually make sense.

While there are some tangential parts of the book that I think could have been edited down, I think the content itself is brilliant and unique. It’s hard to talk too much about the plot without giving things away; this is one best experienced blindly, although if you are sensitive I’d recommend checking trigger warnings.

I am grateful to have read an eARC, and excited to purchase a physical copy once it comes out! Solomon is absolutely someone to watch. Also, a major shout out for their authors note, where they remark on how pointless things feel given the current state of the world, specifically commenting on the need for a freed Palestine. I am grateful they finished this book, but also grateful to know this is an author not afraid to speak truths about the world.

I struggled with the writing style in this one and unfortunately ended up not finishing it. I think the themes are important, always timely and there’s masterful creativity here, I just don’t think I’m the right audience. I am pretty confident it will hit home for a lot of other readers. Thank you for the arc.

I am a fan of Rivers Solomon and have enjoyed their previous works, which made me excited to read Model Home. Solomon's writing style is, as always, impeccable despite a few grammatical errors. However, while I thought the book is marketed as horror, it felt more like a deep dive into family drama and the personal demons of the MC. The plot meandered with too many twists and turns, ultimately losing focus. As a result, it didn't quite meet my expectations. I rate this arc 3/5 stars.

4.25 stars

Thank you to Farrar, Straus, & Giroux + NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

“Mother forgot her own advice. She’d told me that white supremacy operates under a logic in which everything whiteness does can be rationalized as good, and everything Blackness does can be rationalized as preternaturally evil.”

“Against the house, I am nothing. I drag the flat palm of my hand along the doorframe. The rigid bumps of texture give the impression of bone. The glassy silk—slightly sticky with age—of the finish reminds me of veneer. I put my hand on the knob. Cool. A tiny skull.”

“The only easy intimacy I’ve ever had in this life is with my sisters. Only when I’m touching them can I convince myself my hands are not blades.”

The Maxwell Washingtons, a Black family from Brooklyn, move into a large home in Texas, surrounded on all sides by white, rich neighbors in their HOA neighborhood. They are an unwelcome addition and the neighbors make it known continuously. All 3 siblings, Ezri, Eve, and Emanuelle, have been estranged for sometime from their parents due to being traumatized from their home and their childhoods before finding their parents dead in the backyard.

Ezri is nonbinary, autistic Black person with diabetes and there are moments of inner dialogue where Ezri discusses all of these aspects about themselves. Elijah is also autistic + diabetic, and both of them actively check and monitor their insulin throughout the book. I really appreciated seeing this amount of representation in a book. There are also plenty of moments where Ezri’s sisters correct others of Ezri’s pronouns and calling them a siblings instead of sister/brother. I also loved moments where other family members where aware of insulin levels dropping and helping to take care of Ezri in those moments.

This story was so brilliantly haunting, strange, and engrossing. Through the prose and plot, I was trying to figure out how the story would end up until they entered the house for the last time.

There is such a blunt obviousness to what occurred at 677, but Solomon continues to keep the reader guessing due to Ezri being somewhat of an unreliable narrator—not trusting their own mind and thoughts to be true. Solomon does an incredible job of using every single word on every single page to consume you into feeling just as suffocated, terrified, and confused as Ezri feels. There are constant themes of racism, white supremacy, and intergenerational trauma at play and their affects on the entire family.

Finding out the truth was like slowly unraveling everything Ezri knew to be true, to keep them sane enough to stay alive and take care of themselves and Elijah, their daughter. I am now appreciating the ending a bit more as I am reflecting on it. I won’t say spoilers. But the way that it ends, in a way, is full circle moment from how their parents handled the realization of their past and how Ezri is choosing to continue on in a very similar situation.

This book deals with some heavy topics, and it should be read with care.

CW: racism, homophobia, transphobia, pedophilia, sexual content, death/death of a parent, mental illness, grooming, sexual abuse, violence

BRILLIANT. A haunting and well-written story, with vibes of Them (the TV series) mixed with Kiersten White. I would recommend that readers start with a different Rivers Solomon work first, as I recognize the writing style is not for every reader.

Original story, but the writing was just too purple for me at times, almost to the point of being corny. I would still recommend this to horror fans if they are looking for something different than the usual stuff.

I really wanted to love this. A haunted house novel, a trio of siblings, the complexity of race and gender... and much of the prose was really lovely. Unfortunately, it simply didn't come together for me. I found myself lost in the prose and unable to actually find my way into any of the characters besides Ezri, who felt at times like a cipher, lost in the language. I would try again with Solomon's next, and definitely would recommend giving it a shot, but it didnt' work for me.

Rivers Solomon can do no wrong!!! They remind me so much of Silvia Moreno Garcia in the sense that they can write in literally any genre and they always kill it.

I was especially excited for Model Home because it is my fave genre (horror!) and it did not disappoint. It is a short little book but left a lasting impact.

Model Home is about Ezri, part of a wealthy Black family that grew up in predominantly white area... in a haunted house. When their parents stop answering their texts, Ezri and their sisters (and Ezri's daughter) return home to check on their parents.

Like all of Rivers Solomons books, this tackled serious issues (gender identity, CSA, grooming, racism) in a gentle but incredibly piercing manner.

At NO POINT did I know what was coming next. This kept me on my toes and then broke my heart, in that order.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the free ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I went into this book blind and found myself so engaged through the whole journey. The storytelling is both poetic and linear, the details the author engages the reader in evolve with the story, moving you in and out of your imagination. Overall I loved the story and felt enriched by it.

"such beauty invites pain, because such beauty invites possession, devouring. who sees beauty and does not want to experience it?"

"there are no mansions without a torn-down forest."

"it"s terrifying not to see coming the things that might harm us, but it's more terrifying to be seen ourselves. the darkness hides us as much as it hides the ghosts."

many tw: read at your own discretion
grooming, sexual abuse, racism, violence, death

a fascinating and abstract blend of racism intergenerational trauma, identity, grief and tumultuous family dynamics. a telling of three siblings and the ways in which they experience their home -- one of the only black families in an affluent neighborhood in the south-- and their mother, their mother as their home, and the ways in which it shapes them into adulthood. it reminded me a lot of in the dream house by machado. it speaks volumes to how the horror of humanity and the blatant pain we endure can often be more terrifying than the monsters under the bed that we're taught to fear.

it was disturbing, uncomfortable, and often confusing at times - an optical illusion i couldn't tear away from. everything leading up to the twist was super captivating and i literally couldn't put the book down. i will say that the ending was not my favorite, but i think it made sense in the context of the story and the neighborhood they lived in. the more i was immersed in the story, the more questions i had. the prose is a beautiful whisper you're constantly searching for above the noise, breathtaking and intimately vulnerable, and i enjoyed getting lost in this book.

thank you to netgalley, fsg, and rivers solomon for the digital advanced review copy of this book in exchange for my honest thoughts and opinions!

I’m conflicted about this book. There was a lot about it that I loved but it wasn’t the book I was expecting it to be. I’ve actually read a few books like this that I believe will be a haunted house story but they actually aren’t real ghosts - it always leaves me a little disappointed. The story that was told here was a very dark and horrifying one. I loved the set up and the characters. Ezri was interesting and I enjoyed the sibling and family dynamics that were explored. It was written really well and it was almost haunting at times. It was atmospheric, creepy and uncomfortable to read. I appreciate the amazing build up to the twist/reveal but unfortunately I had mostly figured out what it was going to be. I liked the twist but I still felt slightly underwhelmed by how it all was revealed. There was just something in this book that I feel like I didn’t fully understand and maybe I’m just not the right audience for it. Beautifully written and I did love reading it for the most part.

Did not finish book. Stopped at 43%.
not the sort of book i'm in the mood for right now but i don't want that to discourage anyone else from reading it! it was very well written but a bit too dark for what i feel like reading right now.

thank you to netgalley and farrar, straus and giroux for allowing me to read an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

#modelhome by #riverssolomon is the ebook I finally finished last night. I was reading this in between other stories so it took me longer than it should have, but it was totally intriguing. Three grown sisters come together after their parents supposedly die in a murder-suicide scenario in their posh home in the suburbs of Dallas. Each sister does flash back moments of the house and are reticent to return to the scene of what they always concluded was a haunted house. They never really take you to a haunted house scene, rather they give you more of this feeeeeeeling that all of their traumatic experiences happened within the walls of that house. The children took these hurts and blamed the house. So why didn’t their wealthy parents just move? After their death, when they found out the true immense wealth and properties they kept thinking why did their parents allow them to be hurt in a home when they actually had choices? Who was actually hurting them and why? It’s a story more about childhood trauma more than anything else. How it affected them as adults, how it affected their relationships with each other and their children and with themselves… a very deep thoughtful book on family life, on parenting, on so many things that can happen right under your nose. Poignant and emotional and a fantastic yet disturbing finale. Recommend unless childhood trauma triggers you.
Thank you to @fsgbooks and @netgalley for this ebook! Scroll to see the next #ebook I’m adding to my #maytbr !!

"Model Home" by Rivers Solomon is a tense and emotional thriller that addresses myriad dark themes including complex grief, childhood trauma, racism, and queer identity.

Solomon masterfully reinvents the haunted house trope. In reality, homes aren't always haunted by ghosts— the echoes of trauma and painful memories linger and can fill a place with more dread and horror than even the supernatural.

Solomon's voice is uniquely beautiful, with a lyrical prose that often borders on poetry. The rich descriptions and lush metaphors can be a bit confusing at times, but I was able to follow the narrative fairly well. Most of my confusion seemed to stem from formatting issues, which I presume will be resolved in later edits.

If you’re a victim of abuse, this book might be difficult to read at times. While it proved challenging for me, it was also equally cathartic and captivating, evoking a full spectrum of raw emotions.

Thanks NetGalley & Farrar, Straus and Giroux for the ARC!

Model Home is an engrossing, emotional, anxiety-inducing, unpredictable story that I couldn’t put down. This book hurt my feelings in the best way. I really enjoy stories like this, which can be enjoyed at face value, but also as a metaphor for less concrete subjects. Solomon manages to tackle family, racism, identity, mental health, tragedy, and loss without ever making it feel like a messy trauma dump. As someone with my own family related trauma, I felt so seen by the unreliable narration and the way they all came to terms with their experiences. It had me reflecting on my own childhood, my family dynamics, the people who surrounded me, and my adult boundaries. I can’t wait to read this again in October!

I am officially labeling myself a Rivers Solomon fan. This is the third book I've read by them and I love them all. Model Home is such a different take on a haunted house novel and I cannot wait for more people to read it. There are so many aspects to love beginning with our main character, Ezri, who is a gender nonconforming parent to a daughter named Elijah. The pair travel from London back to Ezri's family home in Dallas, TX where they discover their parents are no longer alive. Ezri and their two sister grew up believing the house they spent their childhoods in is haunted and that the house murdered their parents.
The trauma the siblings experienced in the house has shaped their relationships with one another and caused them to be estranged from their parents. We see how they deal with their grief and secrets that are exposed from their past, as well as some of the trauma cycles that have been repeated, The novel explores what it means to be Black in the South, particularly in white neighborhoods, the experience of a person growing up gender queer, how family secrets can be harmful, and how we can protect our children. There is so much to unpack and Solomon's writing and thoughts on the human experience are great as always.

Highly recommend.

I found the premise intriguing and the writing fresh, but I didn’t connect with the characters and overall found it was a bit too much of an anxious, sort of disturbing, read for me. I’ve read some of the author’s short stories and enjoyed those.

“Model home” is a beautifully poetic book, that uses lyrical prose to contrast against the contents of what is essentially a horror novel, with dark themes surrounding tragedy, family ties, race, class and gender.

The plot follows three siblings who are forced to return to their home after the news reaches them about the death of their parents. There is magical realism, unreliable narration, flashbacks and more.

This book is complex and likely not for somebody who is looking to read a surface level horror. There is lots of depth within these pages.
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Thank you, Rivers Solomon, NetGalley and Farrar, Straus and Giroux for the EARC!

Pub date; October 1st 2024