Christ on a cracker. The Hollow Places is one of the most mind-bending, horrifying books I’ve ever read. I actually let out a low, guttural groan at one point — that’s how disturbed I was by one passage.
It was wonderful.
The Hollow Places isn’t my first T. Kingfisher novel, nor will it be my last. I read The Twisted Ones by her last year and I loved it. The Twisted Ones was fantastically creepy, a stomach-clenching, supernatural, otherworldly thrill ride, and I was THERE for it.
I didn’t love The Hollow Places quite as much as The Twisted Ones. The story was a little slow to start, but it grew on me. (Like a willow tree. Sorry! If you’ve read the book, you get this reference. Otherwise, just wait…)
What’s The Hollow Places about?
The Hollow Places is about a woman named Kara who starts taking care of her uncle’s curiosity museum, which is filled with trinkets and items related to the supernatural and the occult. While there, Kara discovers a portal that leads to other dimensions filled with horrific creatures and hellish consequences for those who stray too far from home.
Like I said, the book starts off slowly. There’s a lot of backstory about Kara; a lot of tinkering around, and a lot of exploration. I was in the 80s in terms of page count when I almost decided to throw in the towel because nothing was really happening.
Then, something happened. Holy shit, did it happen.
From that point on, I didn’t want to put The Hollow Places down. Kingfisher takes you on a terrifying journey into an unknown land of pure nightmares. Like, I’m almost a little disturbed that her mind thinks like that. I mean, it’s brilliant, but also…. egads.
I won’t get into what’s so disturbing. You have to read it for yourself; there’s no way I could accurately summarize what Kingfisher has already so brilliantly written.
What I loved about The Hollow Places
Kingfisher’s writing is raw, visceral, and darkly humorous. Kara and her friend Simon are really likeable characters – they’re relatable, they’re funny, and they’re engaging. Sharp, wry humor is woven throughout the story, from the thoughts racing through Kara’s mind to the friendly banter between her and Simon. You’re snickering at their comments even as you’re going bug-eyed with fear about what’s happening around them. There’s nothing remotely okay about what happens to Kara and Simon in The Hollow Places — and that’s what makes the book so fantastic.
The plot of The Hollow Places also heavily depends on the existence of other worlds or dimensions. Despite my love of CW Arrowverse shows, I don’t really gravitate toward the multi-verse stories; the concept’s a bit too sci-fi for me. When it comes to horror stories, I just prefer a good ol’ fashioned haunted house or demonic possession. Even though The Hollow Places didn’t embrace either of my favorite tropes, it kicked some serious horror story ass.
Should you read The Hollow Places?
If you’re a horror lover and you haven’t read Kingfisher’s work yet, you need to get on that. If sci-fi vibes are more your thing, start with The Hollow Places. If you want haunted house-like vibes, start with The Twisted Ones. Either way, though, you can’t go wrong.
I’m always on the hunt for original and truly terrifying horror authors, and Kingfisher is right up there with Ania Alhborn and Kealan Patrick Burke as one of my favorites.
What’s the book-inspired recipe for The Hollow Places?
Be sure to come back to check out my book-inspired recipe for The Hollow Places: Super Easy Ground Beef and Vegetable Stir-Fry.
It’s amazing when you find an author with such a terrifying but brilliant mind!! This sounds like a great read, maybe I’ll try it around Halloween time 👻
This is THE perfect Halloween read. 🙂