unfortunately, despite having read a lot of Rivers Solomon's work, I don't think their writing is for me. Something about it fails to pull me in and allow me to connect with the characters. This is despite the fact that most of the plot concepts are really rather fascinating. Oh well...can't like everything

In Model Home, Rivers Solomon reimagines the haunted house narrative, setting it within a contemporary Texan gated community. The story follows Ezri Maxwell, a Black nonbinary individual who, along with their sisters, returns to their family home after the mysterious deaths of their parents. As they confront their past and the eerie occurrences within the house, themes of race, family trauma, and societal exclusion emerge.

Initially, I found the narrative's structure—alternating between past and present—somewhat challenging to navigate. The shifts in time and perspective required careful attention to fully grasp the unfolding events. However, as the story progressed, this approach enriched the depth of the characters and the plot, providing a comprehensive understanding of the family's history and the house's haunting.

Solomon's evocative prose skillfully blends horror elements with social commentary, creating a narrative that is both unsettling and thought-provoking. The portrayal of the Maxwell family's experiences in a predominantly white neighborhood highlights the insidious nature of systemic racism and its lingering effects.

Despite the initial adjustment period, Model Home proved to be a compelling read. Solomon's ability to intertwine personal and societal horrors results in a story that resonates on multiple levels. This novel is recommended for readers who appreciate horror that delves into profound social issues, offering both a chilling and enlightening experience.

I truly wanted to love this book. It sounded incredible and the reviews were glowing. Yet I had to consistently force myself to continue reading. The flashbacks to their childhood and the spooky events that happened then showed much promise and as I was finally getting into a groove with the book, it pulled everything away with a reveal that came off as both a clumsy heavy-handed metaphor and utterly ridiculous at the same time.

This is a brilliant and poignant novel that feels more relevant than ever.

The brilliant part of this horror novel is how Rivers Solomon brings classic horror tropes together with real life horrors. When the adult Maxwell children have to return to their lily-white neighborhood after the death of their parents, they quickly discover that there may have not been anything natural about their parents' deaths.

Rivers Solomon's writing is superb, keeping the reader engaged with the story as the characters wade through the plot of heavy themes and twisty turns. The book turns dark, taking the reader through horrors as promised. There are moments that left me in shock, having to continue to read as quickly as possible.

This was such a well crafted novel, and I struggle to think of another book I have read feeling this tense. I loved how the horrifying, scary elements of this thriller were so grounded in the psychological, in the unknown, in the POSSIBLE. The characters were so incredibly developed and flawed, and the main characters felt very distinct from one another. Even with all of their names starting with "E" it didn't take me long to get oriented in who was who, as their personalities shone through any kind of possible name confusion. The only reason this book isn't five stars for me is just the pacing. There were parts of this book I flew through even though slower paced, and I actually didn't mind when things took their time. What felt jarring was how fast the ending wrapped up, and it felt too tied up with a bow for my liking. I would have liked more time to be spent on the realizations of the endng, as it could have really hammered in how much horror was happening with the reveals going on. Also, as much as I selfishly enjoyed the epilogue for giving me perfect answers, I felt that it was unnecessary and gratuitous. For such an unsettling and messy book, I would have liked the writing of the ending to feel less clean and polished.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishing company for this Advanced Readers Copy of Model Home by Rivers Solomon!

The classic haunted house trope is whats presented, yet beneath the surface it’s a book about a family and the secrets that they each keep from one another.
Darkness pervades the atmosphere throughout, with the narrator taking the reader along with them and the pain they carry. Beautifully written, as can always be expected by Solomon and their work.
I enjoyed getting to see the world of the house that raised Ezri and their siblings, and highly recommend this book to anyone who’s not afraid of the dark.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my advanced Arc.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC of this book.

I’ve read the Deep and just finished listening to Sorrowland by Rivers Solomon and really liked both of those.

The way this one was written was a little more difficult for me to get into and the first 40% was a bit slow, with us just mainly in Ezri’s thoughts, which were rather depressing, but it all makes sense by the end of it.

Definitely make sure to check trigger warnings. This is a very heavy book with very heavy themes. This is more real world horror than supernatural horror, which adds to the heaviness of it all.

Rivers Solomon and I have a super rocky relationship. While I really enjoy their writing, sometimes there just ~something~ about their stories that don't work for me. I always try to go into their books with low expectations, and it actually really worked out for me this time! While I still feel like the weird stuff is a bit of a jumpscare (it always comes out of nowhere then things move along) the weird stuff in this actually worked? I love a haunted house story and this was set up to be right up my alley. The big reveal at the end did fall a little flat for me, but I enjoyed the character work and the family dynamics we explore in this! Like in all of Solomon's works, this book is full of Queer characters and social commentary, which is why I keep going back to their works! The way this author weaves these things into the story always feels so effortless and like they're things that just exsist and not a huge deal (which is how it should be!) and this book is no different. This was my favorite book by Rivers Solomon and it gave me hope that one day they'll write something that is meant for me!

Though I thought the writing was engaging and beautiful, I had to put this book aside due to the dark content within. I loved the art of Solomon’s words. I wish I could have stuck it out longer!

Disturbing, original, well plotted.
A good novel that kept me on the edge and not relaxing at all
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

So much to unpack here. It's been months since I read this novel and still think about it often.

Three Black siblings return to their childhood home in a wealthy white neighborhood after the deaths of their parents, and must deal with ghosts from their past, including the fact that they always believed the house to be haunted.

This moody, dark thriller is bound to trigger some readers. Themes are shocking, heart-wrenching and complex — but if you enjoy peeling back layers of onions in your books, you will appreciate this read.

This is unlike any haunted house story I have ever read, and it is absolutely incredible!

Synopsis:
Ezri and their sisters, Eve and Emanuelle reluctantly return to their childhood home when they are unable to reach their parents and are devastated to find them dead. Growing up, they were traumatized by the house which is haunted by the woman without a face. As the siblings investigate their parents’ deaths, they begin to question their memories, the unexplained occurrence in the house, and what really happened to them.

My Thoughts:
I was expecting a haunted house story, but this is so much more. It is dark, full of trauma, abuse and violence. The story also tackles topics such as racism, homophobia, and suicide. Rivers Solomon’s writing is gorgeous which I think makes the heart wrenching story hit even harder. High recommendations for this book and I cannot want to read more from them.

This book was perfect blend of ghostly horror mixed with real world nightmares. An excellent commentary on the Black experience in a predominantly white neighborhood in the American South.

Thank you, Farrar, Straus, & Giroux for the ARC!

"When we speak of a house that is haunted, all we are speaking of is a house that is violent."

The Maxwell siblings will remain with me wherever I go. This is the kind of book that haunts the reader, much like the House haunts Ezri, Eve, and Emmanuelle. It was provocative, uncomfortable, and unflinching. This is my first Solomon read and I'm kicking myself for not picking up their work sooner. So many lines took my breath away--their writing is a masterclass in creating atmosphere. Haunted house tales are my favorite for a reason and this allegorical take on the trope was truly special.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Farrar, Straus, and Giroux for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Beautifully written take on the haunted house, more of what I've come to expect of Rivers Solomon, an updated take that's inclusive, and while heavy at times, hitting the right vibes note. Thank you for the advanced copy.

I really struggled with this book because of the author’s writing style. The main character would have thoughts and flashbacks- and it was hard to keep track of what was happening.
The way in which the author depicts 677 and what happened there leaves the reader with a sense of dread.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Sometimes the horror is real life. Model Home mixes spine tingle horror with gut wrenching horror. I was gripped from start to finish and invested in these characters. I will say the culmination of this story ripped my heart from my chest in a way I wasn't expecting.

This story was pretty conceptual, and I liked the idea of what it was doing - the writing style is very reflective and clouded by trauma and kind of claustrophobic. You aren't always sure what's real. Was the childhood home really haunted? Was it haunted by their mother? Was it haunted by our main character?

Unfortunately this one didn't fully land for me in the end, but I'm sure there's a lot here that others would appreciate. Based on my previous enjoyment of THE DEEP by Rivers Solomon, they potentially work better in fantasy writing for me.

Thank you to the publisher for granting me access to an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions remain my own.

The writing style takes some getting use to.
Many sudden POV changes and no quotation marks when speech is happening. I don't know that I'll give the author another try just due to style.