A Visit to the In-Between

As a fan of dimensional horror, I found The Hollow Places to be an absolute treat—entertaining, unsettling, and deeply compelling. T. Kingfisher crafts a world that pulls you in with eerie wonder: the willows that whisper with menace, the shadowy remnants of those taken, and the strange bunkers that feel both grounded and otherworldly. The setting is richly fleshed out, and the storytelling never loses momentum.

The protagonists are well-written and engaging. While the “eccentric gay best friend” trope makes an appearance, it’s handled without annoyance, and the relationship between the characters feels natural. Importantly, the main character avoids falling into the trap of the forced “girl boss” archetype, which made her journey feel authentic and relatable.

What stood out most was the cleverness of the ending. Too often, horror stories open strong only to falter when it comes time to explain the “why.” Here, the revelation behind the horrors was both surprising and satisfying, tying the story together with intelligence and intention.If I had one critique, it’s that I wanted more. The in-between dimension was so intriguing that I wished the novel had taken us deeper into its strange, liminal landscapes. Still, for fans of eerie liminal spaces and cosmic dread, this story is a gem worth savoring.

Highly recommended.