You know that feeling when you step into a house and something just feels…off? Like the walls are watching you, judging your every move? Now imagine living there, day in and day out, as a Black family in an all-white gated community in Texas. Welcome to the world of “Model Home,” Rivers Solomon’s latest literary gut-punch that’ll have you side-eyeing your own four walls.
The Haunting Premise
At its core, “Model Home” by Rivers Solomon is a ghost story. But don’t expect your run-of-the-mill bump-in-the-night tale. Solomon weaves a complex web of family trauma, racial tension, and supernatural horror that’ll leave you questioning what’s real and what’s a projection of generational pain.
The story follows the Maxwell siblings – Ezri, Eve, and Emmanuelle – as they’re forced to return to their childhood home in the Oak Creek Estates after their parents’ mysterious deaths. It’s a place they’ve spent years trying to escape, haunted by memories of inexplicable events and a pervasive sense of otherness.
Key Elements That’ll Keep You Up at Night:
- A house with a mind (and maybe hands) of its own
- Family secrets darker than the bottom of a Texas oil well
- The insidious nature of racism in “polite” society
- Queer identity struggling to breathe in suffocating spaces
Writing That Grabs You by the Throat
Let me tell you, Solomon’s prose is like a fever dream you can’t shake. It’s vivid, unsettling, and painfully beautiful all at once. They have this knack for making the ordinary feel sinister—a creaky floorboard becomes a warning, a neighbor’s smile a threat.
Take this passage that had me checking over my shoulder:
“The house does not like to be gazed upon, like a 1950s white southern woman.”
I mean, damn. In one sentence, Solomon manages to evoke the house’s sentience, the setting’s historical context, and the pervasive racism the Maxwells face. It’s the kind of writing that lingers, you know?
Character Deep Dive: The Maxwell Siblings
Solomon doesn’t just give us characters; they give us fully realized human beings with all their messy complexities. Let’s break it down:
- Ezri (the narrator): Queer, traumatized, and wrestling with their role in the family’s pain. Their journey is a sucker punch to the heart.
- Eve: The “perfect” sibling trying to outrun her past. Her facade cracks in the most heartbreaking ways.
- Emmanuelle: The youngest, sent away to boarding school. Her quest for truth drives much of the plot.
These aren’t just characters on a page. By the end, they feel like people you know, maybe even parts of yourself you’re afraid to face.
Themes That’ll Haunt Your Thoughts
Alright, let’s dig into the meat of what “Model Home” is really about. Because trust me, it’s about way more than just a spooky house.
The American Dream’s Rotten Foundation
Solomon takes the idea of the perfect suburban home and exposes all the termites eating away at its core. The Oak Creek Estates represents everything the Maxwells’ parents thought they wanted – wealth, status, acceptance. But at what cost?
The book forces us to confront the ugly truth: that for many Black families, the price of “making it” in white America is a constant erosion of self. It’s a powerful indictment of a system designed to break people down, even as it pretends to lift them up.
Intergenerational Trauma: The Ghost We Can’t Escape
Here’s where Solomon really twists the knife. The “hauntings” in the house become a metaphor for the way trauma gets passed down through generations. The Maxwell siblings are fighting not just their own demons, but those of their parents, their grandparents, and a whole history of oppression.
It’s heavy stuff, but Solomon handles it with a deft touch. They show how healing is possible, but it’s messy and non-linear. There’s no easy exorcism for this kind of ghost.
Queerness as Both Refuge and Burden
Ezri’s queer identity adds another layer to the story. In some ways, it’s a escape from the suffocating expectations of their family and community. But it’s also another way they’re marked as “other” in a world that demands conformity.
Solomon explores this duality with nuance and sensitivity. Ezri’s journey towards self-acceptance is both beautiful and painful to witness.
The Horror of the Everyday
Listen, if you’re expecting jump scares and gore, you might want to look elsewhere. The horror in “Model Home” is more insidious. It’s the kind that creeps up on you, that makes you question your own memories and perceptions.
Solomon excels at creating an atmosphere of dread. The house itself becomes a character, with its shifting rooms and malevolent presence. But the real horror comes from the human elements:
- The casual racism of “well-meaning” neighbors
- The pressure to be a “model minority”
- The way families can love and hurt each other in equal measure
It’s the kind of horror that stays with you long after you’ve finished the book, because it feels so damn real.
Comparisons and Literary Context
“Model Home” isn’t Solomon’s first rodeo when it comes to tackling big themes in speculative fiction. Their previous works, like “An Unkindness of Ghosts” and “Sorrowland,” also explore identity, trauma, and systemic oppression through genre-bending lenses.
If you’re looking for similar vibes, check out:
- “The Haunting of Hill House” by Shirley Jackson (for psychological horror)
- “Beloved” by Toni Morrison (for explorations of generational trauma)
- “White is for Witching” by Helen Oyeyemi (for haunted houses with a postcolonial twist)
Final Thoughts: A House Built to Last
Look, I’m not gonna sugarcoat it—”Model Home” is not an easy read. It’s going to make you uncomfortable. It’s going to make you think. It might even make you cry. But isn’t that what great literature is supposed to do?
Solomon has crafted a story that’s both timely and timeless. It speaks to the specific experiences of Black Americans in white spaces, while also tapping into universal fears of not belonging, of being haunted by the past.
The writing is gorgeous, the characters feel achingly real, and the themes will stick with you long after you’ve turned the last page. It’s the kind of book that changes you, that makes you look at the world – and maybe your own home – a little differently.
Who Should Read This?
- Horror fans looking for something more psychological than gory
- Anyone interested in exploring themes of race, family, and identity in America
- Readers who appreciate lyrical, challenging prose
- Those who aren’t afraid to confront some uncomfortable truths
Who Should Maybe Skip It?
- If you’re looking for a light, escapist read
- If you’re sensitive to depictions of racial trauma or child abuse
- If you prefer your horror with clear-cut resolutions
The Verdict
“Model Home” is a haunting masterpiece that cements Rivers Solomon’s place as one of the most exciting voices in contemporary speculative fiction. It’s not always an easy journey, but it’s one that will reward you with its depth, beauty, and unflinching honesty.
So, are you brave enough to step inside the Model Home? Just remember, once you cross that threshold, you might never look at your own four walls the same way again.