Slade House by David Mitchell

Author David Mitchell is known for writing complex novels using various writing styles.

In “Cloud Atlas,” he used a variety of styles to tell a story stretching from the distant past into the distant future with each segment interlocked with the previous section then back again.

In “The Bone Clocks,” Mitchell constructed a mystical mystery told through the lifespans of various characters.

With “Slade House,” Mitchell writes in a simpler style but one that is as daring as his previous novels.

“Slade House” is a ghost story, a rich haunted house tale. Every nine years, people are lured into a house that they realize shouldn’t be there — a large mansion with an expansive garden located behind a small door within an alley. Inside the house, a pair of siblings feast on souls.

A quick read, each chapter is spaced nine years apart. Each chapter is told from the viewpoint of a different character. 

Mitchell frames this tale as a quick, much less complicated story than any of his past works, but “Slade House” is just as intricately fun for his regular readers. His writing as eloquent as ever.

“Slade House” is a quick introduction for Mitchell newcomers. “Slade House” is a finger-licking snack for the soul for his fans.