House Name by Michelle West

MWest-House NameI was digging through my big box of books to review and saw House Name by Michelle West, which is the third book in The House War series.  I know you aren’t supposed to judge a book by its cover but this cover is kinda cool and it’s why I chose this to be my next book.  After reading a few pages, I smacked myself for judging. I’d been way wrong.

The House War series centers on the most popular character in The Sun Sword series: a young woman named Jewel, who survives both the everyday perils of being an orphan in the slums of the city of Averalaan, and the demonic dangers of the Undercity, and who rises to become a key figure in House Terafin, the most important of the Ten Houses of the Essalieyan Empire. At the close of The Sun Sword series, the House War is about to begin. Now, at last, that story can be told.

There’s a prologue in this book with no dialog, only a couple quotes. Which is fine except it was one very long run on sentence after another.  Four pages in I couldn’t tell you anything on what I just read; I was so confused by all the weird, boring and lengthy descriptions.  I skipped the prologue and went straight to Chapter One.  I was bound and determined I’d read at least one chapter before I gave up entirely.  I’m not halfway through that chapter and I can’t do anymore.  Descriptions are so very long I can’t get a good picture of anything, but the dialog between characters is mostly short and choppy sentences…

If you enjoy run on sentences and that kind of Jane Austin, old school writing, then you may enjoy House Name.

Read Order:
The Hidden City
City of Night
House Name
The Skirmish (Jan. 2012)

Also reviewed by: Bitten by Books

About Nikki R 120 Articles
SAHM of 2, happily married bookworm, blogger and aspiring author. If I could read/write all day, every day, I would. Luckily I have a very understanding, and patient, husband who lets me get away with it as much as possible. Now if only the kids would understand my obsession, and the house would clean itself, then I'd be all set.

1 Comment

  1. Ouch.. Amazing how two people can read the same book and have absolutely opposite opinions. I read the book for review (Bitten by Books site)and LOVED it. I found it totally engrossing and was swept away by the entire series. Honestly, I found it to be an outstanding read.

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