Did I Read Two Books or the Same One? (The Homecoming Review)

TITLE: The Homecoming
AUTHOR: Andrew Pyper
PUBLISHER: Simon & Schuster
PUBLISHING DATE: February 26, 2019

FROM GOODREADS: What if everything you knew about the people you loved was a lie? 

After the death of their absentee father, Aaron and Bridge Quinlan travel to a vast rainforest property in the Pacific Northwest to hear the reading of his will. There, they meet up with their mother and troubled sister, Franny, and are shocked to discover the will’s terms: in order to claim their inheritance they must all remain at the estate for thirty days without any contact with the outside world. Despite their concerns, they agree. 

The Quinlans soon come to learn their family has more secrets than they ever imagined—revelations that at first inspire curiosity, then fear. Why does Bridge have faint memories of the estate? Why did their father want them to be sequestered there together? And what is out there they feel pulling them into the dark heart of the woods? 

The Homecoming is at once a gripping mystery, a chilling exploration of how our memories can both define and betray us, and a riveting page-turner that will have you questioning your very existence. 

MY THOUGHTS: I kind of don't know where to begin.  I just finished this book yesterday and it's one of those that I need to review while it's still fresh in my mind.  After the death of their father, the Quinlan family heads to a mysterious property in the Pacific Northwest forest for the reading of the will.  There they learn that they stand to inherit millions of dollars, but only if they stay there for 30 days without phones, TV, news or outside contact.  As if the whole situation isn't weird enough, on the second day, a second Quinlan family arrives tasked with the same quest.  Eager to learn more about their father and the secret life he lived, everyone is up to the challenge.  However, some may soon find out this challenge just might be their last.

I was super excited to read this book.  I was approved for  Netgalley copy but didn't download it fast enough so I raced to get it from my library and was first in line.  I couldn't devour the first part of the book fast enough.  I loved meeting all the cast - the likable and the unlikable ones.  I also became intrigued about what kind of man amassed a small fortune while living a double life. Then the book took a turn.  Now don't get me wrong, I didn't necessarily mind the turn, but it was such a drastic shift that I suddenly felt a disconnect to the story.  I felt like my focus of caring for some of the family members and the creepy things going on in the forest no longer mattered and I just wanted to see how crazy things were going to get.  I really can't describe it much better than to sum it up and say it felt like two separate tales.

I will mention two small issues.  First up there is a character who really has no resolution in the end.  I wanted to know who he was and what happened to him to get to this point and I never really got those answers.  Secondly, I'm sure someone was paid quite well to edit this book.  There is a young character named Bridge and I found at least three incidents where her named wasn't properly capitalized and given that I read a finished copy, I was a tad irritated.  I shouldn't let that bother me so much but I did.

Pyper's wring was really easy to delve into and I have several other books by him on my TBR.  I will definitely be reading more from him because one, there aren't enough horror writers to ever make me happy and two, he has quite an imagination and talent.  I just wished this book had fared better for me. That being said, it's still a solid read and if you are curious and can grab the book from your local library, I say give it a chance and see what you think.

RATING:  3 Paws