i’ve read the manga up to volume 3, so i knew most of the plot but there is no solution in the manga! so i was hoping for that in this book and it was there! we finally learned about “the child” and it was darkkkkk! the final twist was what surprised me though! whodunit was revealed but howdunit was left to the imagination of the readers!

between the manga and the book, the manga was more better and enjoyable because of all the illustrations! those make the story more creepy and tense! the book is well written too but the lack of illustrations made it less interesting!

thanks to the publisher and netgalley for the copy!

4.25

I was really interested in reading this cause I really enjoyed his other book, Strange Pictures. Like Strange Pictures this was a quick, addicting read.

It starts with a friend who contacts the narrator because he wants to buy a house in Tokyo, but the house's blueprints seem strange. Along with an architect, they start to make assumptions of why those blueprints were so odd.

As the plot advances we start to uncover the mystery of the houses and the reasons behind their strange and creepy layouts - Because yes, they are really creepy (and they reason behind them is even more so). The end is a bit open - I was not the biggest fan of that - but the story was really good overall.

Those who loved strange pictures are going enjoy this one too. Looking forward to more books of him.

Thank you Netgalley and Pushkin Press for a copy of this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

I really enjoyed this one! Uketsu is honestly such a genius. It was a little similar to Strange Pcitures which made the ending somewhat predictable but Uketsu still managed to take me by surprise, especially with that cliffhanger!

3.5 stars

The use of architecture in this store was definitely unique and very original.

I obviously didn't learn from strange pictures and think about what's not being said and ultimately the ending made me sit straight up but ultimately as a result 🤣.

The reason I couldn't give this a 4 stars or above is because it faltered a bit in the middle. I can't explain it, it felt like the pull of the story was lost, which was a shame.

I'm so stressed because I have no ideas if one of the characters is okay. We just have to assume she reunited with her family and all is well but we have no assurance of that considering the ending 😭.

I can't wait new revelations the author has in store for us.

Please check the trigger warnings for this book

I've heard of Strange Pictures and Uketsu, so was intrigued by their next book. The beginning is really creepy, the mystery of this strange house is fascinating and, together with the floor plans, a little bit spooky. It's a short book and it's a very quick read, but after the initial intrigue and creepiness, it becomes this slow burning mystery with an unsatisfactory ending. That being said, I'm still a bit curious about their next book and wondering whether to pick up Strange Pictures.

It starts with a floor plan and from there it doesn't stop... This book has been an amazing read. It's relatively short, but it's well-structured and fast-paced. You can't get bored, and you turn every page to discover WHAT, WHY, and HOW.

New characters drop when needed. The floor plans are shown and used cleverly (about this, I suggest getting yourself a paper copy OR memorizing the loc. in the ebook, so you can go back and forth if needed).

Pick this book if you like:
-Mystery/Thriller with a touch of horror (relatively graphic description)
- Short reads
- Family history and drama

Strange Houses was one of my most anticipated reads of this summer so I can't thank the publisher enough for sending me an e-copy before publication. I received the copy via Netgalley; this review is my own, and I'm leaving it voluntarily.

Huge thanks to NetGalley and Pushkin Press for the arc!

🌟🌟🌟🌟/5

While I found it to be a lot less unsettling/creepy as compared to 'Strange Pictures', its companion novel, 'Strange Houses' was no less addictive. I devoured this in two sittings and the only reason I took a break from it was to avoid procrastinating.

The format of Uketsu's novels make them compulsively readable. As a lifelong fan of puzzles, I enjoy a mystery with a visual accompaniment. These stories are 100% plot driven and the characters almost feel like mouthpieces through which the mystery is unraveled. If full fleshed out characters is a requirement for you to enjoy a book, this might not be the one for you. The characters often jump to the wildest conclusions based on almost no evidence quite often, which is why I didn't give it a higher rating. The dialogue isn't the best either. had to suspend disbelief sometimes while reading this.

What makes the book so compelling is how the plot takes something seemingly innocent and then spirals into something so sinister that the reader has no choice but to read on to find what happens next. The blueprints, the focus of this book, were very exciting to figure out! There's just so much creativity put into it! However, there was something about the pictures in strange pictures that was so...magnetic and I found that to be missing in Strange Houses' floor plans.

The plot twist was more wacky and less scary than Strange Pictures. (Peak disfunctional family drama is all I'll say) Although a big part of marketing this book is inviting the reader to 'solve' the mystery along with the narrator, there's way anyone can guess this particular plot twist. I wish some important plot points weren't left up for guesses by the end, though.

One of the best parts of reading this was discovering by the end that Uketsu's next book, 'Strange Buildings' is coming soon. I'm looking forward to reading the manga adaptation of this soon- the art style looks amazing! I'd recommend this to fans of interactive murder mysteries as well as those who are looking for something to get them out of a reading slump...trust me, this is one of the most addictive books you'll ever read.

Strange, creepy, wildly surreal – this is a book that can make you imagination run wild. This is especially true if you read it late at night, alone, in an empty flat, perhaps one with some weird doors or cupboards. Homes are meant to be safe, and the book plays on the fear of the danger that waits inside of what is supposed to be a secure haven for us. The story is simple and unadorned in any descriptions, as it mostly concentrates on conversations between different people about the building plans, which are available for the reader to see. The slow progress of the book reminds unpeeling wallpaper and finding yet another layer behind it. In the end, the truth hiding behind the story is twisted and cunning, even if not very realistic to people unfamiliar with the Japanese culture of ghosts and horror hiding between the ordinary. But I loved the style in which the book was written and translated, and I will definitely be reading the next scary tale from Uketsu. In the end, people love being scared while reading the book in their own bed – except, perhaps, when the story is about strange houses…

Blimey! Read this in one sitting...I couldn't stop reading this.
Not totally shocked with the concept of rituals and mysterious going ons within this story, but it does get you thinking. The extra part at the end also changes the way you might think may have happened to the characters in the book.
A fascinating mystery from Uketsu!

Thanks to Netgalley and Pushkin Press for letting me read this great book!

Strange and disturbing... in a good way!

I wasn't familiar with the author and his previous work before reading "Strange Houses" but I will definitely will want to explore his earlier work. This was one of more original novels I came across recently and I really appreciated the addition of detailed pictures, in this case - floor plans. Looking at the details together with the characters and reading their theories on what secrets the strangely built houses bear felt very atmospheric and tension-evoking, even though nothing scary was happening in real time (and the at times the theories felt actually quite far-fetched and silly...). This requires a skill to write such a story and a skill to translate it.

Got a lot of enjoyment out of this fairly quick read.

The typical conciseness and brevity of language that comes with Japanese writing, makes this book an easy read, but what I love about it most is when you put it down you find you keep mulling it over in your mind, pondering the possibilities and you just have to pick it back up again.

Well, shit. That was absolutely wild.

Having previously read Strange Pictures by Uketsu and devoured it in one sitting, I have now had a similar experience reading Strange Houses over the course of one feverish afternoon/evening. Uketsu is a master of crafting a gripping narrative. You can't help but want to keep reading to know what on earth is going on, and the extra-textual elements that are included make it even more interesting to guess along with the characters to solve the mystery.

Now, I have to say though that Strange Houses doesn't quite live up to Strange Pictures - while the narrative is gripping, it is largely just one mystery that slowly unravels and mostly through exposure in conversation with the different characters, whereas Strange Pictures had a more clever structure that brought together different elements in order to form a whole in the end. Also, without giving too much away, Strange Houses is a much wilder tale - while not being completely unbelievable (we live in a strange world...) it is a lot more far-fetched and removed from more common experiences of reality.

I was left with some questions to mull over towards the end. Not everything is fully explained in the end which leaves you theorising about the sequence of events. I suppose this might have to do with the fact that there is going to be a follow-up to this. I hadn't realised that this book would be part of a duology until I got to the very end, and was somewhat surprised. I am not completely sure if the same story continues in the second volume or if it will have the same concept but with a different case? I can't find much information about Strange Buildings and how it will link in with this book. What I do know though is that I will be eagerly awaiting the publication of Strange Buildings and read it AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. I already know it will be an extremely gripping read, judging by Uketsu's track record so far.

4.0 out of five stars
I was actually familiar with both the manga as well as the live-action movie that released in 2024, so this book was at a disadvantage here--I was not walking into reading this entirely blind, and I was quite familiar with the source material as well. to avoid spoilers, I will refrain from commenting on the plot points, and concern myself with the writing styles entirely.

this being said, it still managed to surprise me.

the novel begins in medias res- cutting through layers of exposition that would have otherwise brought the narrative down. even so the actions of the characters remain understandable, and the plot moves fast enough for the reader to not grow tired of their inaction.

what took me out of the narrative was the repeated switching of writing styles- from a screenplay style to a descriptive one, disoriented me for a moment, and I found myself repeatedly tracing back my steps and rereading a page.

overall, the pacing and the plot twist were excellent, and although I had some issues with the writing style, it did not impact overall reading experience.

thank you to netgalley and pushkin vertigo for providing an earc in exchange for an honest review