Meh. I'm not sure who this was written for. I'm assuming from the language and simplistic narrative that it's a young adult novel. Even so, that is no excuse for thin characters, clichéd dialogue, obvious plot lines and torturously repetitive adjectives for feelings. I swear that I have a damn 'tight ball in the pit of my stomach' from hearing that phrase used in one way or another over and over and over and over and over again. ( )

This book was an unexpected delight. It ended up being completely different than I expected. This story is very vague, riddled with plot holes and questions left unanswered, things that are usually a deal breaker for me. I usually prefer tidy stories with a distinct beginning and neatly wrapped up ending, leaving no lingering questions. I also hated the ending. I felt it was unrealistic and deeply disappointing. But.....I still loved this book!

Endearing characters, and a smooth flow that just pulled me right in. I was genuinely interested in the fate of these children and simply could not put it down. The setting is eerily creepy on its own without relying on heinous acts or shock and awe to keep you on edge and waiting for the sinister happenings that you anticipate, sure they are just a page away.

Amazing writing displayed throughout.....this is definitely Pinborough at her best!! ( )

A gift from Sarah at the SRFC gathering. This is a paperback uncorrected bound proof.

I was given this book by the author at an event. So when it came to reading the book it was with a degree of trepidation. That said, I had nothing to fear. The Death House draws you into its rooms and corridors with Toby, the novel’s narrator. A remote home for children with an unnamed disorder. Tension is brought to the fore, by the fear of who will be next to fall to the condition as the children band together in cliques for survival. If anything this is a love story between Toby and Clara. The book’s language is well written and believable. Capturing much of what it is to be growing from a boy to a man. The story reflects upon morals, secrets, belief, love and friendship. While it may be classed as a young adult novel, I believe this book will appeal to a very wide audience. I must thank Sarah for the book and have just purchased another of hers! A good read. ( )

Pros: wonderful characters, emotionally touching scenes, romantic elements, fast paced

cons: not much world-building

Toby is a 16 year old defective. Weeks ago a black van picked him up at home and deposited him at what he and the other kids call the Death House. They’ll live here until their bodies break down and they’re taken upstairs to the sanitarium from which none return. The atmosphere in the house changes when two new kids arrive.

I started this book thinking it was a horror novel. It’s not. There are minor SF elements, in that you slowly learn that it’s a future after which humanity has recovered from a pandemic. Unfortunately the characters don’t know much more than that, and so can’t pass on any more detailed information about the history of the pandemic or what makes the kids defective genes dangerous (beyond the fact that they get sick). The lack of details on this account was my only complaint with the book.

The characters are all wonderful. There are a number of dynamics at play: what room you’re assigned to, the age of the kids, religious beliefs, fear factor, etc. I enjoyed the complexities of the various relationships and Toby realizing the undertones of why people act the way they do. He grows as a character as the book progresses, realizing his own motivations as well as the motivations of those around him.

Clara’s wonderful too, with a zest for life, relishing her freedom from overbearing parents despite being sent to the place where she’s going to die. I really enjoyed watching her entrance change how things work in the house.

There’s a dread about the book - obviously considering the plot - but it’s not all dread. There are moments of joy and moments of peace. I thought the author did a great job of varying the events to keep me guessing about what would happen next.

There were some truly touching scenes and I thought the romance progresses naturally given the circumstances.

The book is a very quick read that had me in tears at the end. ( )

This is my nominee for the 2015 novel Hugo.

Yes, I liked it that much. I bought this YA speculative fiction novel when I saw Gollancz tweet an opening day offer, because I'd greatly enjoyed one of Pinborough's tie-in novels and wanted to read more by her. I started reading it that day, and was bowled over. It is a stunning portrayal of life, love and growing up under the shadow of death; a bittersweet coming-of-age novel about children and teenagers who know they will never do so.

It's set in a near future very much like our present, save for one thing - there is an illness so terrible that all children are tested for the signs that they are carriers. If they test positive, they are taken to the Death House. There they will be cared for and given as normal a life as possible, right up until the time the sickness activates. It may be a few months, it may be years, but one thing is certain - they will die. And they will never be allowed to leave, or have contact with anyone other than each other and the staff assigned to care for them.

Toby has been in the House for long enough to have found ways to cope with the separation from his family and the knowledge of what awaits him, but the arrival of a new girl disrupts both the interactions between the Death House inmates, and Toby's coping mechanisms. Through his eyes we see the different ways the children deal with what their lives have become; all the emotions of a lifetime compressed into a few short years, with the teenagers like Toby finding themselves being surrogate parent figures for the younger children. There's a mystery plot as well; and the whole is a slow-burning build to a resolution where the older children decide exactly what is worth fighting for with their foreshortened lives.

Moving and beautifully written, this was one of the best things I read all year. ( )