I think that reading this via Netgalley made it trickier to get into and that if I had had a physical copy that I might have found it more engaging. The floor plans did not really translate well to an e-reader format so although I tried to puzzle them out as was clearly intended, it was a lot more difficult for me to do so. The background story felt rather blank in that regard and has faded from mind fairly quickly. I can see that telling a story through the medium of floor plans was innovative but unfortunately it did not quite take off for me.

This was a wonderful read, full of intrigue, far-fetched ideologies brought to stark relief against the backdrop of indoctrination and the complications of family hierarchies.

This book was soooooo good. This is the second book I have read by the author so I went in with high hopes because I loved Strange Pictures and it didn't disappoint.
The author writes books with a formula quite unlike anything I have ever read before and they are so interesting to read, I would highly recommend

I really loved Strange Pictures, so I was eager to figure out the mystery of Strange Houses.
This novel had the same format as the strange pictures, with the layouts. The first 75% was so engaging when it came to the end was bit wacky. It was definitely a better read. I thank netgalley and pushkinpress for eARC copy.

This book was fast, fun, and a little bit wild! I really enjoyed the visual element of the floor plans and was so intrigued by the mystery. A few leaps are made, but I just went with it and found myself liking the craziness of the reveal in the end. Had this story been traditionally told, I’m not sure it would stick with me—the actual prose isn’t anything to write home about and feels a little stilted—but the visual format elevates it for me. It's probably more like a 3.5 than a 3!

Reading *Strange Houses* felt like slipping into a nightmare you can’t—and don’t want to—wake from. Uketsu’s genius lies not just in his ability to unsettle, but in how he makes you complicit in the dread. The story begins innocently enough: a house with an odd layout. But what follows is a slow, brilliant descent into a world where logic bends and history weighs heavy in the walls.

The floor plans, the meticulous details, the subtle horror—they all build a sense of creeping unease that stayed with me long after I closed the book. Uketsu doesn’t rely on jump scares or gore. His horror is quieter, more psychological, the kind that burrows into your mind.

What struck me most was how personal the fear becomes. It's not just a haunted house story; it’s about inheritance, memory, and the way trauma gets passed through space as much as blood. I didn’t expect to feel so haunted—or so moved. *Strange Houses* isn’t just one of the best horror novels I’ve read recently—it’s one of the most original. An unforgettable experience.

I absolutely loved Strange Pictures, so I had high hopes for Strange Houses. The concept was definitely intriguing, but the story didn’t grip me the same way. The plot felt a bit too unbelievable—especially when one character proposed a wild explanation for the strange house layout. It just didn’t land! I was rolling my eyes, hoping it was a bizarre red herring 😅
The ARC also had some issues: broken images and untranslated text disrupted the experience a bit. Hopefully those will be fixed in the final version.
It was a strange ride, for sure. Strange and dark! 😬 Still, if you love unsettling family stories and mysterious house layouts, this might be your vibe!

4.0 out of five stars
I was actually familiar with both the manga as well as the live-action movie that released in 2024, so this book was at a disadvantage here--I was not walking into reading this entirely blind, and I was quite familiar with the source material as well. to avoid spoilers, I will refrain from commenting on the plot points, and concern myself with the writing styles entirely.

this being said, it still managed to surprise me.

the novel begins in medias res- cutting through layers of exposition that would have otherwise brought the narrative down. even so the actions of the characters remain understandable, and the plot moves fast enough for the reader to not grow tired of their inaction.

what took me out of the narrative was the repeated switching of writing styles- from a screenplay style to a descriptive one, disoriented me for a moment, and I found myself repeatedly tracing back my steps and rereading a page.

overall, the pacing and the plot twist were excellent, and although I had some issues with the writing style, it did not impact overall reading experience.

thank you to netgalley and pushkin vertigo for providing an earc in exchange for an honest review

A murder leads to questions surrounding a windowless room in a house. Could this strange floor plan lead to more murders and possibly a hidden family secret..?

This was a strange but intriguing book. I really enjoyed the floor plans and illustrations that were included in the book and I read the book in one sitting. Gripping and thrilling; 3.5 stars.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of the novel in exchange for an honest review.

I had liked Strange Pictures much better, this one on the other hand was way too convoluted, but not just because of the number of characters with similar names, just because of the plot itself and the ending that leaves a little too many unanswered questions.

Strange Pictures mi era piaciuto molto di piú, questo invece era decisamente troppo convoluto, ma non solo per il numero di personaggi con nomi simili, proprio per la trama in se stessa ed il finale che lascia un po' troppe domande senza risposta.

I received from the Publisher a complimentary digital advanced review copy of the book in exchange for a honest review.

With a similar format to ‘Strange Pictures’ I had very high hopes for this! Unfortunately when the initial theory of the floor plan was revealed, I just didn’t like it. I struggled to get on board with it and therefore struggled to pick the book up as a result. In Strange Pictures there was at least variation between the different characters which before everything connected; this one just focuses on the same family throughout. Overall, the story wasn’t bad, it just wasn’t for me, it was at least quick to get through.

Well, shit. That was absolutely wild.

Having previously read Strange Pictures by Uketsu and devoured it in one sitting, I have now had a similar experience reading Strange Houses over the course of one feverish afternoon/evening. Uketsu is a master of crafting a gripping narrative. You can't help but want to keep reading to know what on earth is going on, and the extra-textual elements that are included make it even more interesting to guess along with the characters to solve the mystery.

Now, I have to say though that Strange Houses doesn't quite live up to Strange Pictures - while the narrative is gripping, it is largely just one mystery that slowly unravels and mostly through exposure in conversation with the different characters, whereas Strange Pictures had a more clever structure that brought together different elements in order to form a whole in the end. Also, without giving too much away, Strange Houses is a much wilder tale - while not being completely unbelievable (we live in a strange world...) it is a lot more far-fetched and removed from more common experiences of reality.

I was left with some questions to mull over towards the end. Not everything is fully explained in the end which leaves you theorising about the sequence of events. I suppose this might have to do with the fact that there is going to be a follow-up to this. I hadn't realised that this book would be part of a duology until I got to the very end, and was somewhat surprised. I am not completely sure if the same story continues in the second volume or if it will have the same concept but with a different case? I can't find much information about Strange Buildings and how it will link in with this book. What I do know though is that I will be eagerly awaiting the publication of Strange Buildings and read it AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. I already know it will be an extremely gripping read, judging by Uketsu's track record so far.

I haven’t read Strange Pictures, but when I saw Uketsu had a new book coming out revolved around sinister floor plans, I knew I had to read it. The format is original and engaging, but I found this just a little too predictable, even for someone newer to the genre. That said, I will definitely pick up Strange Pictures! Thank you to the publisher for the ARC!

The typical conciseness and brevity of language that comes with Japanese writing, makes this book an easy read, but what I love about it most is when you put it down you find you keep mulling it over in your mind, pondering the possibilities and you just have to pick it back up again.

Strange and disturbing... in a good way!

I wasn't familiar with the author and his previous work before reading "Strange Houses" but I will definitely will want to explore his earlier work. This was one of more original novels I came across recently and I really appreciated the addition of detailed pictures, in this case - floor plans. Looking at the details together with the characters and reading their theories on what secrets the strangely built houses bear felt very atmospheric and tension-evoking, even though nothing scary was happening in real time (and the at times the theories felt actually quite far-fetched and silly...). This requires a skill to write such a story and a skill to translate it.

Got a lot of enjoyment out of this fairly quick read.

I felt this one is a bit disjointed and that could flow better presented as a graphic novel. But maybe is just me, I might not be the target audience for thid style of book. I found the ides of the floor plan very ibterestibg, though.

I read the mysterious Uketsu’s Strange Pictures when the translation was released at the start of this year, and was excited to hear that a translation of another was in the works. This one feels less creepy than the previous book, and focuses on one main story/mystery rather than the interconnected stories of Strange Pictures. It’s a short read, less than 200 pages and some pages are taken up by diagrams so I flew through this in a few hours. The mystery is engaging and much of the dread and horror comes from the idea of terrible things happening behind closed doors in a place that should be a safe place - someone’s home. Some of the conclusions that the characters jump to with very little evidence require you to suspend your disbelief, but I don’t feel like this is a book that should be taken too seriously. The mystery is engaging, the story becomes more complex as the book goes on and the weird family dynamics were an intriguing addition. Overall, a solid read for those that enjoy a mystery.

Blimey! Read this in one sitting...I couldn't stop reading this.
Not totally shocked with the concept of rituals and mysterious going ons within this story, but it does get you thinking. The extra part at the end also changes the way you might think may have happened to the characters in the book.
A fascinating mystery from Uketsu!

Thanks to Netgalley and Pushkin Press for letting me read this great book!

Das ist definitiv nicht meine Stärke, mir dauernd etwas vorzustellen räumlich, das hat mich überhaupt nicht überzeugt. Such sprachlich nicht meine Vorliebe.

Strange, creepy, wildly surreal – this is a book that can make you imagination run wild. This is especially true if you read it late at night, alone, in an empty flat, perhaps one with some weird doors or cupboards. Homes are meant to be safe, and the book plays on the fear of the danger that waits inside of what is supposed to be a secure haven for us. The story is simple and unadorned in any descriptions, as it mostly concentrates on conversations between different people about the building plans, which are available for the reader to see. The slow progress of the book reminds unpeeling wallpaper and finding yet another layer behind it. In the end, the truth hiding behind the story is twisted and cunning, even if not very realistic to people unfamiliar with the Japanese culture of ghosts and horror hiding between the ordinary. But I loved the style in which the book was written and translated, and I will definitely be reading the next scary tale from Uketsu. In the end, people love being scared while reading the book in their own bed – except, perhaps, when the story is about strange houses…