Because we're all fragments of a singular universal consciousness. The sleeping mind remembers what the waking mind forgets.

We are all. All are one.

Or, something like that. You'll know it when you see it.

I'm fine with wonky aesthetics if it suits the theme or narrative of the book in some way, or is otherwise just part of the author's vision. I may not always personally like it, but I will respect it.

However, if it's wonky just because of lazy publishing/editing, then i'll be a bit put off. Quality writing can and will make it tolerable, as long as the work is still legible, but a certain degree of presentation is important to avoid making the act of reading unnecessary unpleasant.

To me, the horror of the book came fairly early on. Not so much from the events of the story, but the implications of it, and how certain concepts resonated with my own thoughts and experiences in life. More psychological horror than overt, I suppose.

I'm not someone who gets scared easily by fiction, it's been a long time since anything had done it for me, but House of Leaves left me genuinely uncomfortable/looking over my shoulder more than once. The style of the writing definitely contributed to that as well, having to change the way I read it made me feel way more immersed in the material.

I'm personally not fond of sex scenes unless they serve the narrative in some way. It could be for characterization, connections to overall themes present in the story, but it needs to have some reason to exist. I dislike it being written in just for the sake of being there, outside of pure wank material, in which case my standards will be much lower.

It's actually funny, because I've recently been reading House of Leaves by Mark Danielewski, and there's quite a bit about the sexual proclivities of a few characters in there. I haven't found it written about in lurid detail outside of maybe a few paragraphs so far, but I haven't minded it, since I feel that the descriptions of physical intimacy when they do appear contrast well with the theme of isolation that's heavily present throughout the story. I feel there's more to it than that as well, but on a base level, that's enough to justify it to me.

It's definitely I spooky read, I really enjoyed it and felt like the supernatural elements were really well done without being overly explained, and the build up was well paced. Maybe a little slow in the beginning, but I didn't mind it. I haven't seen the movie, so I couldn't tell you the differences between them.

Y'know what, you're right. I completely forgot about that. Read the book a few months ago.

Virtual reality seems like it could be potentially useful as a psycjological tool for teaching or strengthening empathy, exposing people to differing perspectives and circumstances in a more personal/intimate way, if the simulation were made sufficiently immersive.