Warning: Spoilers ahead for We Used to Live Here by Marcus Kliewer.Marcus Kliewer’sWe Used to Live Hereis one of 2024’s besthorrorbooks, andit needs a sequel after its compelling but mind-boggling ending. There were plenty of greathorror books that came out in 2024, butWe Used to Livehere stood out among the new releases. Not only did thebook blend horror and sci-fiin a way that constantly kept viewers guessing, but it excelled as a debut novel — something that isn’t always the case for books by first-time authors.
Following a sapphic couple that flips homes for a living,We Used to Livehere tells a story that jumps between time and space, leaving readers guessingeven after they’ve closed the book. Its main character, Eve, can barely tell what’s real and what isn’t after a family shows up on her doorstep, asking to look at her and Charlie’s house. The father claims to have lived there growing up, but once his new family is inside, things begin changing drastically for Eve.We Used to Live Here’s bonkers ending cements it as a fantastic book, but it also demands a follow-up.
We Used To Live Here’s Ending Cements It As One Of 2024’s Best Books
Eve’s & Charlie’s Final Moments Are Mind-Boggling & Fun To Speculate On
We Used to Live Hereends with the book’s main character locked away in a psychiatric hospital, not entirely sure of what’s real. A visit from the book’s villain, Thomas, seemingly confirms she’s jumped realities and isn’t actually who people claim. And Charlie’s epilogue supports this, suggesting Eve has been missing from her original universe for quite some time. This mind-blowing ending cementsWe Used to Live Hereas one of the greatest horror releases of 2024, asthe sheer scope of Kliewer’s novel is impressive and lends itself to more in-depth speculation.
This is why the horror novel needs a sequel: to unpack the many oddities that occur after Thomas and his family arrive at Eve’s and Charlie’s house.
After all, Eve experiences quite a few perplexing things as she progresses through the novel. She appears to pass through more than one alternate universe, even meeting different versions of Charlie as she does. Unfortunately, whileWe Used to Live Hereconfirms Thomas' sinister intentions with his final gift to Eve,it doesn’t elaborate on some of the more intriguing aspects of Eve’s journey. This is why the horror novel needs a sequel: to unpack the many oddities that occur after Thomas and his family arrive at Eve’s and Charlie’s house.
We Used To Live Here Needs A Sequel To Answer All The Questions It Raises
There’s Too Much Left Open-Ended For Marcus Kliewer To Leave It Here
AlthoughWe Used to Live Here’s ending has left readers talking, its open-ended plot points deserve to be addressed in a follow-up. Ambiguous endings work for some horror novels, butKliewer’s may leave a little too much on the table to end the story here. It isn’t just the fact that Eve and Charlie don’t get happy or even satisfying endings.We Used to Live Herealso doesn’t explain certain elements of its central mystery, from the man in the shack that Eve meets while searching for help to her neighbor’s involvement in the entire conspiracy.
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The old man in the shack suggests that Eve isn’t the only one to traverse realities because of the Faust family, which also demands further exploration. While it would be exciting to see more of Charlie’s quest to find Eve, it would be even more satisfying to learn about the Faust family and their mysterious home. The lore ofWe Used to Live Hereis too complex and interesting to gloss over, and that’s an unfortunate effect of thehorrorbook’s ambiguous ending. Luckily, a sequel can fix this problem and shed light on everything Eve experiences.
