Ginette B. (Niteowl7) reviewed on 10/30/2005 + 242 more book reviews

Helpful Score: 4

Interesting twist on the "haunted house" story. Though it made more sense to me to read it symbolically. The setting: an upper middle class neighborhood. Those who live there are very comfortable with their lives. They live a cocoon-like existence where the evils of the world don't touch them. Those who have children send them to the best private schools and the best colleges. They have frequent parties where they get together with likeminded people. The story centers around Colquitt and Walter Kennedy, a couple in their 40's, no children, both owning their own businesses, both wrapped up in each other and their lifestyle. One day, construction starts next door to the Kennedy's and they learn that a new house is getting built there. The house turns out so stunning, that the Kennedy's forget about their objections. However, this house destroys everyone who lives in it. Seeing the house as a soul, it has some sort of malignant power over the couples who end up living there. Colquitt is the first to realize that it's the malignant force in the house that destroys everyone who lives there. She tells one of her friends her theory only to be thought of as crazy. This friend starts gossiping about Colquitt which turns most of the cocktail crowd against her. Even Walter thinks she's off and keeps trying to get her to see everything rationally. It is only with the last killing that Walter acknowledges Colquitt's beliefs about the house. The Kennedys do a 180degree turn. They decide to tell as many people as they can to prevent anyone else from moving in the house. I didn't find this turnaround believable until I saw how foolishly the Kennedys were approaching their solution. If they had been used to helping others instead of living their cocoon-like existence, they would not have told so many people so boldly. Not only were they looked upon as insane, they were avoided, even shunned by people in the neighborhood. Colquitt's best friend turns against her. She loses all her clients. Walter is bought out by his partner at the ad agency he founded. Still, the Kennedy's persevere. They now feel they have a purpose in life - to keep people from buying the House. By the end of the story, we see a very different neighborhood, including the Kennedys. They have left their cave behind but have not yet made a successful transition towards the light.

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