Review: Wow, what a (sleigh) ride!
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 04 24, 2013
What a (sleigh)ride! I must say MacRath has a most individual voice and style, and what a non-stop rush of a story! Somewhere between an adult 'Home Alone' and an Aesop's fable, this book is not hefty but it's packed to bursting with action, thrills, spills, suspense, as a smug nouveau riche couple find that their new dream house has had 'extra features' built in... This book would make a great film, part comedy, part horror. It's so tightly plotted, with just a handful of strong characters, but he still keeps us guessing about who's done or doing what, and why, and just how far they'll go to make a point. No spoilers so no more plot details here! If you've seen the brilliant comedy 'The Money Pit', well this is like the best set pieces in that but non-stop! There's more to MacRath's style than plotting though, and here again you're in for a hell of a trip. He uses language as densely as a poet, with breakneck pace and wit. A crazy mix of jokes, sparkling verbal fireworks, vivid descriptions, and the strong writer's voice as narrator present at the heart of the book, and the book does have a heart, guiding us through the house of horror his characters must negotiate. I enjoyed it immensely.