Within young adult literature, one of the most sought-after and talked-about books is The House of Cracks by Krystal Sutherland. Are you familiar with it? It's a thriller novel where mystery and suspense abound.
If you have seen it but have not yet made the decision to read it, or if it catches your attention but you don't know what to expect from it, the information we have compiled about the book can help you tip the balance. What are you waiting for to take a look?
Who is Krystal Sutherland
Before talking to you about The House of Cracks, we want to introduce you, in case you don't know it, its author, Krystal Sutherland. This book is not her first, far from it, but it is one of the last ones that have been published.
Krystal Sutherland is Australian. Born in 1990, she achieved great success with her first published work, "Our Chemical Hearts." In fact, you might recognize it because Amazon Studios adapted it into a film, which you can watch on Amazon Prime Video.
During her life, she has traveled a lot, both in Australia and around the world, such as in Sydney, where she studied and was the editor of the student magazine of the university she attended; Amsterdam, working as a foreign correspondent; or even Hong Kong, where she finished her studies.
Sutherland's dream was to be an actress. However, writing came into play, and in 2016 she published her first novel, a huge success that has paved the way for subsequent works.
Other works of the author
Besides The House of Cracks and Our Chemical Hearts, the translated title of her first novel, you can find two other books by Krystal Sutherland :
- A semi-definitive list of worst nightmares, released in 2017. This book tells the story of two outsiders and how they must face their greatest fears (and come out of it alive, of course).
- The Invocations, from 2024, with an already creepy cover, and a plot somewhat similar to that of this book that we are telling you about. To start, we will also have three girls and a thriller where they will have to deal with a supernatural murderer. Of course, don't worry because it is not the second part of The House of Cracks.
Synopsis of The House of Cracks
The book *The House of Cracks* is recommended for readers aged 14 and over, which is why it falls under the category of young adult literature. However, when you read the synopsis, you start to wonder if it's really for teenagers or for adults.
The synopsis? Here we leave it for you.
«Iris, Gray and Vivi Hollow are three unquestionably strange sisters. As children, they disappeared on a street in Edinburgh and returned a month later with no memory of what happened. From that moment on they began to experience strange and terrifying changes. First, his dark hair turned white. Then, his blue eyes turned black. And although they never gain weight, they eat without restraint, unable to appease their insatiable appetite. People find them unbearably beautiful, disturbingly exciting, and inexplicably dangerous. But now, ten years later, Gray disappears, leaving confusing clues about his whereabouts, and Iris and Vivi begin their search. However, they are not the only ones after her. The two sisters suffer persecutions that border on the supernatural, as they begin to realize that the story they have been told about their past is crumbling, and that the place from which they returned apparently unharmed ten years ago could be demanding their return.
Reviews and critiques of The House of Cracks
The House of Cracks was published in Spain in June 2022. It consists of 344 pages and there have already been many who have read it. On the Internet you can find reviews and criticisms about the story that is told between the pages. And here we reproduce some of them:
«Talking about the book the story. I loved. It's my science fiction fantasy thing. Mystery. I was wanting more. I have no idea if a second part exists or is coming. But should. It has for more. Highly recommended. Although that is. It may not be suitable for all audiences. Some fear might.
«The story is good (for a 3.8 out of 5). At first it is difficult to advance but you can read it. But the translation is disastrous, terrible, horrible. "I couldn't fully enjoy the story because on every page I found a bad translation or expressions that didn't fit at all."
«I loved it, I need more from this author. It is very well written, and although the cover seems to be that way for aesthetic reasons, it is totally justified with what happens in the novel (and I won't say more, it would be a spoiler...). More than terror it is intrigue, but it is also full of magic, affection between sisters, loneliness and company. "I read it almost in one sitting."
«This book has managed to leave me amazed from the first page to the last. The plot is very good and has many unexpected twists. "Highly recommended if you are looking for a different thriller that mixes suspense with the supernatural."
«The story has made my hair stand on end: a gothic book, with a dark, gloomy, gray and depressing setting. Something dark and cold sneaks between your bones and you can't shake off a sticky, icy, sweet-smelling sensation that stirs your insides.
Overall, based on these reviews, as well as others we've read, we find the book original in its story, harsh, cruel, and at times bordering on pure terror . This might mean that not every reader will enjoy the book, especially since the author is able to make the reader feel as if they are experiencing that same atmosphere.
However, many criticisms are directed at the book's translation for nonsensical phrases or words that take you out of the reading experience when you are immersed in it.
Now that you have more information about The House of Cracks, you can decide whether to read it or if it's not for you. If you want to see if it grabs you, you could download the first few pages and try it out. If you'd like to read other gripping stories, here's some information on how to scare away bats that might interest you. If you've already read it, what did you think of the book?
