The Spare Set

Emily Short's Interactive Storytelling

[M]ost of the story is about exploring the house the family used to have before they lost it to money crises: not a grand house, because they weren�t rich to start with, but one with many quirks that were loved and personal to them. An opportunity to explore what house-ness is and how much it matters to have one � not only for practical reasons, but as a locus of identity and memory and shared family space. The sacredness of the master bedroom is beautifully described. So is moment when the protagonist boils water in a pot to make tea for an estate agent because the kettle is already packed away. There is so much here � character histories, interactions, spaces and objects � much more than the story strictly requires in order to serve any message purpose. The house is overflowing.