All I Want by Darcey Bell

Introduction

I don’t normally read reviews before I read a book, but this time I was doing my usual perusal on goodreads and decided to look up All I Want. It’s been a few years since I bought it and I wanted to refresh myself on what the plot was about. The reviews and ratings were not so good, but I never let that deter me. I decided to bring this book on my recent vacation and see how it really was.

About the Book

When Emma’s husband, Ben, falls in love with a large Victorian mansion for sale in upstate New York, he swears to her the fixer-upper will be worth the risk. With a baby on the way, Emma would like to live in a charming, safe community, after all—and in a space larger than a one-bedroom New York City apartment. On impulse, she agrees to Ben’s plan and they put in an offer on the house.

Sure, the mansion has a somewhat creepy backstory and is a bit dilapidated, but Emma and Ben are in this together, aren’t they? When strange things start happening, Emma begins to experience a little buyer’s remorse. What’s the real history of this house? Is its dark history repeating itself? Why does her husband suddenly seem so distant? Is she in danger? Is her baby?

Combining the domestic anxiety of Liane Moriarty and the haunting twists and turns of Shirley Jackson, All I Want is an intensely absorbing novel that will change the way you look at your neighbors. (from Amazon.com)

My Thoughts

I prefer not to share spoilers in my reviews because I hope people find my reviews through google and read them as a way to entice themselves into new books. So I will do my best to keep things vague so that I do not ruin the book for you.

The story starts off in an interesting way. Emma and Ben are a young married couple expecting their first baby. Like many New Yorkers they decide that the city may not be the best place to raise a child (although I hear that’s up for debate irl, idk…) Ben becomes infatuated with a spooky looking mansion upstate and although Emma has her qualms, she feels this unexplainable draw to the house.

This is difficult for me to understand because I do not like anything scary, and it becomes known right off the bat that nefarious things may have gone on in this home. My gut was saying DO NOT DO IT! But if they didn’t do it, we wouldn’t have a book.

So there’s that.

I liked the way the story built up. As Ben becomes busy with work he starts spending more time in the city. Emma explores the house and grounds on her own and starts having some weird experiences. She kind of sort of tells Ben about them but he doesn’t really seem to care. He’s too wrapped up in work and his love for the house.

This was a very odd story because I don’t think the author spent enough time working out the plot. A lot of things didn’t make sense. I spent a lot of time mulling over this book after I was done with it and while I did have quite a few problems with the ending, I also think there was something lacking in the storytelling.

Motive.

Characters did things and said things but there was no real reason why. And that bugged me. I figured things would all make sense in the end, but the ending left me confused and upset. I wanted more and yet I was left with less.

If you like haunted houses you may enjoy this story. I think it’s an interesting premise. I loved learning the history of the mansion as Emma spend time digging through the attic and visiting Beth at the local history musem.

But things are never as they seem. So if you think one thing about this book, you might think something completely different after THE END. So readers, beware!

xo Marian