We Live Here Now marks Sarah Pinborough’s bold return to Gothic-infused domestic horror. Known for psychological stunners like Behind Her Eyes and Insomnia, Pinborough delivers a tale that is both a haunted‑house mystery and an unflinching examination of a marriage in crisis.
Triple‑Structured Narration: “Me,” “You,” “Us”
Pinborough divides the novel into three sections—Me, You, and Us—each presenting the same events through subtly shifting perspectives. This structure enriches the narrative in multiple ways:
- Emotional layering: We see Emily’s frailty and isolation in Me, Freddie’s frustration and secrets in You, and the corrosive dynamic between them in Us. The full emotional and psychological depth of their relationship unfolds gradually.
- Haunting ambiguity: Told from both points of view, the story keeps us questioning whether events are supernatural—or products of failing minds.
It’s a clever strategy: truths emerge, but only after the layers have been peeled back.
Plot Summary
- The Accident
Emily Bennett emerges from a coma after a devastating fall during a cliffside holiday, her health and memory impaired by sepsis. - Move to Larkin Lodge
Emily and her husband Freddie relocate from London to Larkin Lodge, an imposing Victorian manor on Dartmoor. Emily hopes it’s a fresh start; Freddie sees it as escape. - Strange Phenomena
Alone, Emily witnesses unexplainable activity: creaking floorboards, flickering lights, books toppling—and an overwhelming cold in the third‑floor suite. Freddie dismisses them as side‑effects of post‑sepsis trauma. - Uncovering the Past
Through vicar conversations and chats with former occupants, Emily learns that Larkin Lodge is built over a crossroads where suicides were forcibly buried—an origin for the malevolent energy. - Secrets Within the Marriage
Both Emily and Freddie harbor deep secrets: Emily’s professional infidelity (an affair meant to secure her broken career) and Freddie’s gambling addiction, which nearly sank them before. - Gripping Climax & Twist
As supernatural pressure mounts, buried truths surface: the house literally feeds on broken marriages—and offers twisted “repairs.” Emily and Freddie are shown that shedding their worst traits may cost them everything…and the twist finale is both shocking and unforgettable.
Atmosphere & Pacing: Chilling, but Measured
Several reviewers noted that while the book builds steadily, the opening third may feel slow to some readers. But for fans of Gothic dread, this slow burn pays off—each creak, chill, and unexplained flicker amplifies tension.
The novel is steeped in classic Gothic symbolism: ravens and crows linger as mournful omens ; Poe references nod to literary forebears. And the Dartmoor setting—remote, fog‑wrapped, wild—is itself a character.
By mid‑book, Pinborough adds momentum: Emily becomes more proactive, Freddie’s impatience grows, and the house gives unsettling glimpses of its appetite. That’s when the supernatural and psychological threads begin to tighten.
Unreliable Narration & Psychological Depth
Emily’s compromised health — the memory loss, the sensory distortions — positions her as an unreliable narrator. Are the inexplicable phenomena real, or hallucinated? Readers sympathize with her while questioning her grip on reality.
The dual first‑person vantage (Emily/Freddie) is especially effective at peeling back the layers of their flaws—both are unreliable to someone. Neither narrator is wholly sympathetic; both justify self‑serving behavior .
Marriage as Haunted Ground
More than ghosts, the book is a study of marriage under existential pressure. Both Emily and Freddie are depicted as deeply flawed, harboring secrets and resentments.
- Freddie: Clinging to old debts, drifting back toward gambling, and increasingly impatient with Emily’s vulnerabilities .
- Emily: Haunted by guilt—not only from the accident that nearly killed her but from her own desperate, morally questionable choices .
Their relationship fractures within the house’s oppressive atmosphere. The gothic setting becomes a mirror reflecting the toxicity between them.
Rankings: Strengths & Criticisms
Strengths
- Atmosphere: The descriptions of Larkin Lodge, moorland, and suspenseful static moments are visceral and vivid.
- Twisty payoff: The ending is consistently praised as powerful, shocking, and deeply unsettling .
- Psychological nuance: Pinborough skillfully blends marital drama with supernatural elements, grounding horror in believable character motivations.
Criticisms
- Slow start: The pacing in the first ~35–40% feels sluggish to some, and the mythology occasionally feels thin until later.
- Lore overreach: Some elements of the house’s backstory and its mechanics feel overburdened, occasionally overshadowing the character drama .
Comparing Pinborough’s Catalogue
This novel blends the best of Pinborough’s past work:
| Title | Shared Themes with We Live Here Now |
|---|---|
| Behind Her Eyes | Psychological twists, unreliable narration, moral ambiguity |
| Insomnia | Medical after-effects as psychological triggers |
| Earlier works | Supernatural Gothic atmosphere |
Here, the emotional depth of her relationship dramas is heightened through the supernatural, making this one of her most cohesive and mature works.
Final Verdict: A Haunting Marriage Drama
We Live Here Now is a masterfully layered work combining haunted‑house dread with a study of marital collapse. With its triple‑perspective structure, psychological complexity, and jaw‑dropping twists, the novel offers a haunting, unforgettable experience.
If you loved the atmospheric dread of Insomnia, the emotional claustrophobia of Behind Her Eyes, or the haunting inevitability of Shirley Jackson’s work, this one is for you. It isn’t light bedtime reading—but for those drawn to gothic psychological horror with depth, it’s a late‑night immersion you won’t soon forget.
Suggestions for Potential Readers
- Who will love it: Fans of slow‑burn Gothic horror, unreliable narrators, and morally complex characters.
- What to expect: A measured beginning; rising dread; an ending with emotional and supernatural payoff.
- Heads‑up: Be ready for some darkness—both in the supernatural mood and the marital collapse at the heart.
