After the release of Netflix’s Bird Box, I decided to give the novel it was based on a shot. At that time, I was unfamiliar with Josh Malerman’s work, but was looking to expand my horror-writer interests and was pleasantly surprised that he checked off most of my boxes. Fast forward a few years and several read books, I now consider myself a big fan of his work and look forward to his new stories. Recently, Malerman released a paperback version of his 2016 novella, A House at the Bottom of a Lake, and it might be the most heartfelt story of his I’ve read.
A House at the Bottom of a Lake follows James and Amelia, two 17-year-olds who meet at the hardware store that belongs to James’s father. The two are immediately drawn to one another, and James takes his shot, asking Amelia to a first date of canoeing and lunch on a nearby lake, to which Amelia happily agrees. While on the date, they find a tunnel to another, unpopulated and serene lake. While exploring, they notice a roof in the water under their canoe, which happens to be attached to a large two-story house, completely submerged. Using the thrill of their find to bring them closer together, James and Amelia take turns diving and searching the house, discovering weird circumstances and impossibilities within. As the days go by, they fall deeper in love, and search deeper into the house, ignoring the consequences of what they may find.
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Malerman does a fantastic job with character creation and development. I feel like he perfectly captured the emotions that we feel in our late teens. The consternation of not knowing whether testing the waters emotionally will work, and the thrill of experiencing it working. James and Amelia were teens through-and-through. Stubborn, brave, stupid, and dedicated, all in one. I really found myself invested in them both.
The book has been marketed as horror, but I would classify it more as a fantasy story on the spookier side. I didn’t find myself scared or horrified by anything, but there was a certain anxiety brought on by the setting, not just because of the supernatural feel of it, but because being underwater isn’t a human’s natural habitat. In the back of my mind, I was always thinking that our characters could be a minute or two away from drowning. I think this was completely intentional on Malerman’s part to keep the reader feeling on edge. I dug it. Malerman’s environmental descriptors, especially keeping an absolute contrast between the beautiful brightness of love and nature, to the cold darkness of a sunken, decaying house was spot-on.
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Typically, I like novellas more than short stories because they offer a longer (but not too long) narrative, giving me just enough information to satisfy my craving before sending me away. Unfortunately, I felt like the 180 or so pages of this one was just not enough to completely fulfill my expectations after becoming enthralled with it. The ending felt a little jumbled and confusing, and I’m not sure whether that was supposed to be a symbolism for how young love and relationships just are at times. If it was, I wish that message hit harder, as I found myself having more questions than answers by the finale.
Overall, I still enjoyed the book. It took me back to nostalgic feelings of being a teen, trying everything I can not to screw up my heart. It was a quick read, so not a lot of risk for the amount of reward I got from it. I definitely plan to catch up on Josh Malerman’s other books I haven’t read and am excited about his future releases.
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