魔女の家 エレンの日記

This book is a tie-in/prequel to the 2012 horror game of the same title, telling the story of how a child named Ellen became a witch, the master of a mysterious house, and the twisted, sadistic villain of the game. Though it is a prequel, the book does contain major spoilers that are normally only revealed in the true ending of the game. So I highly recommend either playing the game first (the original version is available for PC as freeware, and there is a paid remake for PC + consoles) or watching a 実況プレイ video to see that ending before reading this book.

Now, if you enjoyed the game at all, this book is a treat. Viola and the black cat (the game's protagonist and, well, save point) are fleshed out as characters, and there are plenty of references to and about important items and places in the game. The creepy, disjointed notes and messages scattered throughout the witch's house are explained. We see exactly how the witch Ellen, at first a pure child seeking love from her parents, descends into madness. And most importantly, we see how Ellen and Viola meet each other and how that leads to the events of the game.

That said, this book probably isn't for you if you didn't enjoy the game and/or if you want to avoid reading about violence and body horror. (Personally I don't think these types of scenes were gratuitous in the story, but they are definitely present.)