Nov. 16, 2023
By Amerie Diaz
Staff Writer
Dark, dangerous things happen around the Hollow sisters. When they were children, Grey, Vivi and Iris, the protagonists in “House of Hollow” by Krystal Sutherland, disappeared without a trace while out with their parents in Scotland only to reappear a month later without any recollection of what transpired.
What makes the situation even stranger is that the girls returned with a new appearance and inexplicable control over others. Their once dark hair has turned white, their light eyes are now pitch black and each sister bears an identical scar on her throat. Despite their altered appearance and powers, the Hollow sisters act as if nothing has changed.
Ten years later, what happened to them remains unknown. However, when Grey vanishes again, Iris and Vivi cannot shake the feeling that whoever or whatever took them as children is out to get them again.
An unsettling tone lingers on every page, heightening the characters’ stakes, and every plot twist is well-planned but entirely unpredictable.
The mysterious nature of the Hollow sisters, both in the past and present, adds tension to the text. From the moment readers are introduced to the sisters, they cannot help but fall under their spell.
Each sister has a distinct personality. Grey is a beloved supermodel and fashion designer known for her bizarre, yet beautiful, designs. Grey is adored by the public and is constantly making headlines. Of the sisters, Grey is the only one who seems to have an idea of what happened to them, which makes her disappearance even more compelling.
Vivi is touring Europe as a guitarist in a well-known rock band. She is mischievous and without a care in the world. Nothing like her sisters, Iris is reserved and gentle.
An unsettling tone lingers on every page, heightening the characters’ stakes, and every plot twist is well-planned but entirely unpredictable. For example, when Iris and Vivi break into Grey’s apartment to look for her, they instead find strange items, Grey’s phone and blood on the floor. The storyline will have readers on the edge of their seats, desperate to figure out where Grey is and how she wound up there.
The vivid scenes also contribute to the novel’s quality. The eerie imagery is not what readers would expect of a horror novel, but it is effective in “House of Hollow.”
This haunting and fast-paced book will appeal to any reader looking for a scare. Its beautiful writing, tension-filled plot and unusual but lovable characters make it one of a kind.
“House of Hollow” is an unforgettable text that is sure to keep readers hooked from beginning to end. It concludes with an uncanny, unexpected ending that offers closure, but like all good books in this genre, it leaves readers wanting even more.
