I always love a historical fiction with underlying (and overlying) themes of religious trauma! I went into Haggard House not really knowing what to expect and it didn't disappoint. A claustrophobic setting, culty vibes, and fast-paced storyline made it an enjoyable read!

3.5 🌟 rounded up

What a different and fascinating book! I had a hard time deciding how to rate this one. I was under the impression that it would be more of a mystery/thriller, but that was not the case.

Haggard House is evenly paced, if a bit slow for my liking. It's a dreadful historical fiction mystery that is sometimes claustrophobic, especially in the aptly named house. It's told from multiple POVs, mostly Penny and Adam. I found myself so frustrated with Adam and his mother, Sarai. Even when the truth is revealed at the end, I can't find it in myself to empathize with Sarai and how she treated everyone. The ending had some satisfaction to it, at least.

Recommended for fans of slower-paced historical fiction with a creepy, haunting edge. I would consider reading it in the colder months to add to the atmosphere.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bodger Books for the ARC.

«Haggard House» is a book for those who enjoy claustrophobic atmospheres. It’s set in Nomaton (Michigan) in 1859 and it follows the life of Adam Bolton, a eleven years old kid that starts going to the village school. Before that, he had stayed at home with Pa, his father, and Sarai, his mother, a super religious person who educates him on scriptures, sin, shame and God’s will.

From the moment Adam starts school, he gets closer to Penny, the only one who doesn’t judge him; everyone at school fears Sarai and the house he grew up with, which they call Haggard House. There’s something about the house that gives them the chills.

Being closer to Penny makes Adam want to escape, somewhat, the prison that is Haggard House. He starts to wonder if what his mother taught him is all life has to offer him. A few years later, he leaves Nomaton to discover his own path.

I really enjoyed the slow pace in «Haggard House», how the author took the time to the characters’ backgrounds through three points of view: Adam, Penny and Silas (Sarai’s father). We, as readers, follow their lives and discover how they are shaped in who they are now. In Adam’s case, we get to see how important and crucial the education and environment your family provides you is to your development. Adam is such a complex character and it was really interesting to watch him grow. I loved Penny too, who worked as a counterpart of Adam and showed him compassion, friendship and love.

The topic that is mostly touched is show religion, taken to the extreme, can shape thinking; Sarai, with the way she acts and educates, has taught Adam that he must obey God’s Word and that anything that falls out of it is sin and must be punished. This is how Adam grows fighting against his instincts and desires, how he ends up in a constant battle against himself.

As for the ambientation, the author creates a dense atmosphere, one that you can feel growing and growing until it buries Adam’s self alive. That house, dominated by Sarai, turns into a character itself.

And the ending… It was perfect for the story. The tension is building around the last chapters and, finally, gets released. I sighed when I finished the book because I had been holding my breath all those last pages. Such an interesting, dark and reflective story that’s worth reading.

Haggard House is an unusual historical fiction set in Michigan 1859, and one which kept me greedily turning pages well into the early hours of the night. I can’t quite believe this Elisabeth Rhoads’ debut and the genre is far from limited to historical fiction, as we find both chilling horror and suspense as well as juxtaposed romance; despite the slow burn of the plot, it took me little time to become fully engrossed, because the different tales told from multiple character’s viewpoints were so richly and perfectly drawn and I was constantly seeking the bread crumbs of connection. The union of the tales was all the more gratifying in the climatic end due to the edifying structure of developing narration.

Haggard House itself is a decrepit house which is enveloped in hauntingly fearful myth, and avoided by all whom lives in the surrounding area except for its occupants, Sarai the mother of Adam and devout and obsessive Christian, and Peter the gentle carpenter, Adam’s Pa. This setting of the isolated house in the woods’ edge haunts the storyline of young Adam, whom follows in his mother’s footsteps in his pious devotion to God. When Adam attends school at the age of 11, his reputation from Haggard House precedes him and he appears a somewhat neglected young man whom captures the attention and care of a young pretty girl with copper hair, Penny. The story then unfolds of the entwined lives of Adam and Penny, along with connections between significant others in the village.

The plot, which I won’t detail further, is rather ingenious and one which I will admire long after I’ve finished reading this. I would not hesitate in recommending it to anyone whom enjoys literary historical fiction with many suspenseful twists and turns. I’ll certainly be looking out for Elisabeth’s Rhoad’s future books, an author whom I will no doubt read whatever she writes.

Big thanks to NetGalley for an ARC.

This was an atmospheric, evocative and eerie thriller that really drew me in from the start and I didn't put it down until the pages spat me out at the end. I loved it

Thank you to NetGalley and Badger Books for this advanced reading.

I absolutely loved this novel! I went into this book blind, and was pleasantly surprised to delve into a atmospheric, thought-provoking thriller. It was beautiful and alive and compelling and haunting.

Definitely highly recommend this author and will be reading more of her future work.

Haggard House by Rhoads is a chilling and emotionally intense coming-of-age novel that explores themes of familial and community control, particularly through the lens of religious guilt and shame. Deeply disturbing yet powerfully written, the story evokes strong emotional reactions—disgust, anger, heartbreak, and hope. Rhoads masterfully crafts a narrative that makes readers root for the underdog while confronting harsh truths. A haunting but exceptional read for those who can stomach its darker elements.

I couldn't wait to delve into this book once I started reading it, cursing every day I was too busy to read as I wanted to get back to the well-crafted world that you can imagine yourselves in. The author does well in describing the houses that we enter across many POV, showing the disposition of Haggard House. While reading the book, I would make the association that this book reminds me of East of Eden and Wuthering Heights as we see trauma trickle down and affect generations around the Haggard House. An excellent read. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy.

Rounding up to 3 ⭐

Very much a slow burn, with some moments that are a good pay off for the time spent reading.
I spent a good while puzzling over the dynamics of Adam and his mother, and indeed other characters.
It was never a book I rushed back to, but I'm glad I read it all to discover all its secrets

I read this ARC in exchange for an honest review
All thoughts and opinions are mine

This is a new author to me
I thoroughly enjoyed this read

Great holiday read


Highly recommend