This is a hard review to write (but that is probably expected for a notoriously challenging read like this one). I have mixed feelings about this bizarre story that is ostensibly about an acclaimed photographer and his family, who discover a room in their home that is mysteriously larger on the inside. There is a second story interlaced with that one, about a man named Johnny Truant, who gradually starts to unravel as he edits the very manuscript (authored by Zampanò, an enigmatic former tenant of his apartment) that documents and analyzes the story of the Navidson family and their impossible home. If that grossly simplified description tickles your brain, then you’re in luck, because that is just the start of how wild things get. However, if it already strikes you as a bit much, consider this a warning, because the book goes there and beyond. There is strange and frustrating formatting: single-word pages, pages that need to be turned at different angles to read, and my favourite — a letter where you get one message by reading the first letter of every word, then a second message when you read only the capital letters that appear in the middle of words (crazy, right?). But the other significant aspect of this book is how it messes with the reader’s sense of narrative reality.
There are many layers, starting with the original account, captured by Navidson in a collection of Hi-8 videos, that is being recounted by Zampanò (a supposedly blind man who has somehow analyzed all the available material) in his manuscript, which is being annotated and footnoted (yes, there are tons of footnotes) by Truant, and finally supplemented by additional edits and footnotes from nameless editors (though I am sure these are also authored by Danielewski) of the book I held in my hands. The meta is strong with this one; so much so that a friend who was also reading this book pointed out to me how a note in one of the appendices led him to rethink the reality of the entire book! For me, I choose to accept the story at face value … ish.
Speaking of the story, it’s a pretty engaging horror tale as investigating the house becomes an obsession for Navidson, and he and his team find even stranger phenomena that defy explanation. There’s a wonderful sense of cosmic horror that points to a vast unknown universe beyond human understanding (it’s more than just space for additional Ikea shelving) and there might be monsters. So if that story had been the bulk of the book, I think I would have been fully engaged with it, biting my nails as I read. Danielewski is pretty good at creating this slow-burn type of suspense (setting aside a few chapters that end with whiplash cliffhangers) as the mystery grows and darkens. However, no reader can ignore all the additional material (not to mention the other connected narratives) surrounding that main story.
Alvin’s Adventures in Pop Culture
While you can read these additional aspects to the book as distractions from the main story, they also bring moments of genuine enhancement. For example, when characters are descending into cavernous passages, sometimes the text on the page starts to mirror that experience for your reading eyes. And, though it hurt my brain a little, I felt super satisfied after decoding that first-letter puzzle I mentioned. Alongside these fun semi-gimmicky features, there are also many carefully constructed editorial parts that really impressed me, as they must have taken even more work than the central narrative. There are many quotes (in multiple languages) and citations to supposedly published sources, complete with dates and page numbers, that I assume are not all made up — but even if they were all fake, it’s impressive work to fake them. Zampanò’s manuscript includes essays, full of literary and critical discussion, that read like very well-thought-out analyses of topics relating to the story. There are also some chapters that discuss aspects of the story from scientific points of view, and even a whole series of poems, letters, and photographs of handwritten notes in the appendices. The list goes on and on. This book feels like an immensely thorough project that has taken someone many years to collect and synthesize. So imagine how much more work it would take to retrofit all of this into a fictional reality (or realities). This is a mind-boggling masterwork, in my opinion, but I did have to work hard to stay focused at times, and ended up rereading many paragraphs and pages along the way.
Unfortunately, I think I only wanted the tip of this artistic iceberg: the core horror story, with a sprinkling of metafictional games and a few of those text puzzles. The story was intriguing, but not enough for me to enjoy putting my brain through all of this heavy stuff. I applaud Danielewski for this achievement. He seems like an incredibly smart person and skillful writer who can write in many styles, construct long and authentic analyses, and do excellent research. But if I had known how much effort it would take to make it through this book, I’m not sure I would have chosen to read it. There are things that I won’t soon forget; however, there were also parts that I forgot immediately after reading. Now that I’ve done it, I can say that completing this book has been a memorable achievement. I suggest bringing some friends along on the read. It will be difficult to make it past the slower parts (and those definitely exist) without the motivation of knowing you’re not on the journey alone. I joked with another reading buddy that we should all get T-shirts for having finished this book. If after reading this you’re still undaunted by the idea of taking on this book, maybe we’ll save you one. What size do you wear?
3 stars
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