This was interesting to read, though I skipped the last section because I haven't read House of Leaves (yet?). I heard about the book from a colleague and friend who doesn't read loads, but said it was his favourite book, which has made me curious about it. Not sure if/when I'll get to it, but I love how you're taking lessons from it and applying it to your own writing! This is something I find myself doing more as I write more, though not as thought-through as you're doing here!
If you do end up reading I'd be interested to hear your thoughts! I do stand by my option that whether you walking away loving it, hating it, or indifferent, it's still worth taking the trip so to speak!
I do think reflecting as you on your own work - not to compare, but to improve your own craft through seeing how others do it - is honestly really valuable! I think it's almost as valuable (emphasis on almost) as going out into a beautiful forest and letting the world wash over you until the ideas start to flow.
That's my favorite way to improve my writing. Reading books can be second to that.
A buddy recommended this book to me a while back with more warnings than the Necronomicom. I love that it’s hard to find, to understand, to experience. For me it is what being in the mind of a true sociopath is: a house of leaves. Lots of abstract and intersecting levels that don’t make sense.
If you really want to go down the rabbit hole with this book, the music artist Poe is the writer’s sister. “Hey pretty, do you wanna’ take a ride with me?” lyrics taken right from the book. The “da-da-da-da-da-da,” is super creepy to listen to. Poe I’m much more familiar with, but listening to her music while reading her brother’s twisted, sinister book was too much for me to handle.
So I did end up listening to the haunted album the day after I finished reading house of leaves! I put it on while I was working and gosh, it is a fascinating journey through surrealism and grief. Something about it - even with its sort of pop-ish vibe, really does fit well with the book! I was reading more about the album and learned that their father had died in the late 90s and that the voice of a man in the background of the songs were from audio recordings that their father had left behind for them after his death. There's something harrowing as a listener, but even more so as a child who had lost a parent to say goodbye in such a way. Absolutely fascinating stuff
Awesome essay! Ok, I said I’d tell you why I hated it after you finished because…
*******SPOILER ALERTS*********
‼️
While I thought the way the book was written was impressive as hell and it made me also want to write something that wild… the way I interpreted it is it’s just the delusions of a guy with schizophrenia. It’s sad. It feels almost like a trope, “mentally ill person being mentally ill, oh the horror.” Johnny’s story is tragic, he clearly inherited schizophrenia from his mother but because of his childhood there was no way in hell he’d ever get help. So he just spiraled into this delusion, which he was then exploited for by publishers. There’s this one vignette where he meets a doctor and gets on medication and he’s doing great, but of course it’s a lie (or a hopeful daydream?).
And it’s so heartbreaking, the vignette shows he knows exactly what he needs, he’s just incapable of getting it. In fact I think Will and Tom may represent two versions of Johnny. Tom dies because he’s the version of Johnny that Johnny wishes would die. Will represents the guy in the vignette who gets his life together. Johnny saves Will because he wants to be that guy, but schizophrenia isn’t something you just get rid of… it’s the monster that’s always after him. And maybe the house represents what it feels like to exist in this ever-shifting hallucination that is Johnny’s world.
Ok all this to say, I just don’t like the “ooo look at the crazy guy, isn’t he interesting” vibe the book has, like Johnny is some kind of exhibit on display. I felt guilty and voyeuristic watching this poor man just fall apart. So many people come to help the Navidson’s, nobody comes to help Johnny. Which may even have been the point of it all and which is why I still think the book is really well done, and as I said, the style is super impressive, even though I didn’t personally like the subject matter (?).
Okay wow, I really really appreciate your analysis!
Honestly, I hadn't really considered that perspective but I understand your perspective, and I definitely like the story A LOT less through that lens, so I can completely understand where you're coming from.
Your interpretation also explains a lot of things I was hesitant on or uncertain of in my own analysis. Your idea of Will and Tom especially blew my mind, and it really does reframe everything.
I had seen a couple people mention Johnny potentially having schizophrenia and with that in mind I do think the story takes on a sort of grosser perspective that I'm not a fan of either.
Originally I had interpreted the Navidson records as a nonfiction event in the world that was having true psychological effects on Johnny through his secondhand experience alone
BUT
Then I started realizing how much Chad (Will and Karen's son) reminded me of Johnny, as if Chad was Johnny's stand in in the story. That got me thinking what if Johnny's fall into instability was him facing his childhood and struggling to come out the other side seeing himself as more than just a product of what he was. It still isn't the happiest analysis, but I saw it as a failure to break the cycle - or worse, falling victim to the cycle a fate just as bad as perpetuating it.
But I think my interpretation has far less support for it than yours!
Genuinely I appreciate you sharing this concept with me and being willing to read my own thoughts. Thank you so much!
Ha! I completely forgot about the kids… much like their parents I guess😅
I’m glad to talk about it honestly, love it or hate it, it’s one of those books that sticks with you. I read it over a year ago and it’s still really fresh in my mind.
The only thing more forgotten than those poor children are the pets!
But yes I agree! I think that's part of why I was saying that I think this book is worth the read whether you like it or not in the end. I'll admit, I wouldn't say I love this book, but I have an appreciation for it because it's the kind of book that sticks with you. I did enjoy my time with it and I did find myself enthralled by it but - and I don't think I mentioned this in my reflection - the letters from his mother almost made me put the book down. One part because they were upsetting and secondly because although playing with the space on the page was neat, it felt weird because it was no longer veiled in this creepy haunted feeling and instead was just someone experiencing schizophrenia and that seemed... is distasteful the word I'm looking for? Maybe voyeuristic as you said before is the better way of putting it.
Either way, the very end was a difficult finish for me.
This was interesting to read, though I skipped the last section because I haven't read House of Leaves (yet?). I heard about the book from a colleague and friend who doesn't read loads, but said it was his favourite book, which has made me curious about it. Not sure if/when I'll get to it, but I love how you're taking lessons from it and applying it to your own writing! This is something I find myself doing more as I write more, though not as thought-through as you're doing here!
If you do end up reading I'd be interested to hear your thoughts! I do stand by my option that whether you walking away loving it, hating it, or indifferent, it's still worth taking the trip so to speak!
I do think reflecting as you on your own work - not to compare, but to improve your own craft through seeing how others do it - is honestly really valuable! I think it's almost as valuable (emphasis on almost) as going out into a beautiful forest and letting the world wash over you until the ideas start to flow.
That's my favorite way to improve my writing. Reading books can be second to that.
Saving for after i finish it. I started!
I'll see you on the other side, Jon!
A buddy recommended this book to me a while back with more warnings than the Necronomicom. I love that it’s hard to find, to understand, to experience. For me it is what being in the mind of a true sociopath is: a house of leaves. Lots of abstract and intersecting levels that don’t make sense.
If you really want to go down the rabbit hole with this book, the music artist Poe is the writer’s sister. “Hey pretty, do you wanna’ take a ride with me?” lyrics taken right from the book. The “da-da-da-da-da-da,” is super creepy to listen to. Poe I’m much more familiar with, but listening to her music while reading her brother’s twisted, sinister book was too much for me to handle.
It is definitely a fascinating read isn't it?
So I did end up listening to the haunted album the day after I finished reading house of leaves! I put it on while I was working and gosh, it is a fascinating journey through surrealism and grief. Something about it - even with its sort of pop-ish vibe, really does fit well with the book! I was reading more about the album and learned that their father had died in the late 90s and that the voice of a man in the background of the songs were from audio recordings that their father had left behind for them after his death. There's something harrowing as a listener, but even more so as a child who had lost a parent to say goodbye in such a way. Absolutely fascinating stuff
Awesome essay! Ok, I said I’d tell you why I hated it after you finished because…
*******SPOILER ALERTS*********
‼️
While I thought the way the book was written was impressive as hell and it made me also want to write something that wild… the way I interpreted it is it’s just the delusions of a guy with schizophrenia. It’s sad. It feels almost like a trope, “mentally ill person being mentally ill, oh the horror.” Johnny’s story is tragic, he clearly inherited schizophrenia from his mother but because of his childhood there was no way in hell he’d ever get help. So he just spiraled into this delusion, which he was then exploited for by publishers. There’s this one vignette where he meets a doctor and gets on medication and he’s doing great, but of course it’s a lie (or a hopeful daydream?).
And it’s so heartbreaking, the vignette shows he knows exactly what he needs, he’s just incapable of getting it. In fact I think Will and Tom may represent two versions of Johnny. Tom dies because he’s the version of Johnny that Johnny wishes would die. Will represents the guy in the vignette who gets his life together. Johnny saves Will because he wants to be that guy, but schizophrenia isn’t something you just get rid of… it’s the monster that’s always after him. And maybe the house represents what it feels like to exist in this ever-shifting hallucination that is Johnny’s world.
Ok all this to say, I just don’t like the “ooo look at the crazy guy, isn’t he interesting” vibe the book has, like Johnny is some kind of exhibit on display. I felt guilty and voyeuristic watching this poor man just fall apart. So many people come to help the Navidson’s, nobody comes to help Johnny. Which may even have been the point of it all and which is why I still think the book is really well done, and as I said, the style is super impressive, even though I didn’t personally like the subject matter (?).
Okay wow, I really really appreciate your analysis!
Honestly, I hadn't really considered that perspective but I understand your perspective, and I definitely like the story A LOT less through that lens, so I can completely understand where you're coming from.
Your interpretation also explains a lot of things I was hesitant on or uncertain of in my own analysis. Your idea of Will and Tom especially blew my mind, and it really does reframe everything.
I had seen a couple people mention Johnny potentially having schizophrenia and with that in mind I do think the story takes on a sort of grosser perspective that I'm not a fan of either.
Originally I had interpreted the Navidson records as a nonfiction event in the world that was having true psychological effects on Johnny through his secondhand experience alone
BUT
Then I started realizing how much Chad (Will and Karen's son) reminded me of Johnny, as if Chad was Johnny's stand in in the story. That got me thinking what if Johnny's fall into instability was him facing his childhood and struggling to come out the other side seeing himself as more than just a product of what he was. It still isn't the happiest analysis, but I saw it as a failure to break the cycle - or worse, falling victim to the cycle a fate just as bad as perpetuating it.
But I think my interpretation has far less support for it than yours!
Genuinely I appreciate you sharing this concept with me and being willing to read my own thoughts. Thank you so much!
Ha! I completely forgot about the kids… much like their parents I guess😅
I’m glad to talk about it honestly, love it or hate it, it’s one of those books that sticks with you. I read it over a year ago and it’s still really fresh in my mind.
The only thing more forgotten than those poor children are the pets!
But yes I agree! I think that's part of why I was saying that I think this book is worth the read whether you like it or not in the end. I'll admit, I wouldn't say I love this book, but I have an appreciation for it because it's the kind of book that sticks with you. I did enjoy my time with it and I did find myself enthralled by it but - and I don't think I mentioned this in my reflection - the letters from his mother almost made me put the book down. One part because they were upsetting and secondly because although playing with the space on the page was neat, it felt weird because it was no longer veiled in this creepy haunted feeling and instead was just someone experiencing schizophrenia and that seemed... is distasteful the word I'm looking for? Maybe voyeuristic as you said before is the better way of putting it.
Either way, the very end was a difficult finish for me.
A brilliant essay. Thanks for sharing your take aways. :-)
And thank you for reading as always, Michael!
You're welcome!